Virginia 2nd Annual Christkindlmarket

We had wonderful time at the 2nd Annual Christkindlmarket at Travelers Rest Farm in Virginia. The market was set up in an old barn and had a very distinctive European feel. A traditional Christkindlmarket is basically a holiday market set up in a typical European village with its timber houses, decorated Christmas trees and snow. Virginia 2nd Annual Christkindlmarket was very much a traditional festive event. We didn't have snow this time around though.

The list of all the vendors can be located at Christkindlmarket Virginia 2nd Annual.

Печём домашний хлеб - полезно и не сложно

Вы когда-нибудь пробовали испечь свой хлеб? Если нет, то давайте попробуем. Это совсем не сложно. Все, что вам понадобится это немного терпения и чугунная кастрюля с плотно прилегающей крышкой.

Хлеб, который продается в магазинах зачастую не самый свежий и вкусный. В какой-то момент мы набрели на статью в газете Нью Йорк Таймс, где рассказывалось о том, как испечь хлеб в домашних условиях без хлебопечки. Мы решили попробовать и оказалось, что это совсем не сложно. При этом результат превзошел все наши ожидания! Такого вкусного хлеба мы наверное никогда еще не ели. Было особенно приятно, что испекли мы его сами, своими руками!



Вам понадобятся:
500 гр. неотбелённой муки высшего сорта
375 гр. воды (75% веса муки)
1 и 1/2 чайной ложки соли
1/4 чайной ложки сухих дрожжей

Чтобы хлеб получился воздушным и сдобным его необходимо выпекать в толстой чугунной кастрюле с плотно прилегающей крышкой (утятнице).

Секрет выпечки домашнего хлеба - в точности измерений! Чтобы хлеб получился, надо очень точно отмерить пропорцию муки и воды. Именно поэтому и вода и мука приводятся в граммах. Вес воды должен составлять 75% веса муки.



Процесс приготовления:
В отдельной кастрюле или миске легонько перемешайте муку, воду, соль и дрожжи. Достаточно просто дать муке немного намокнуть. Накройте миску полотенцем и забудьте про нее на 15-18 часов. Желательно, чтобы кастрюля стояла в месте с комнатной температурой. За это время дрожжевая культура разрастется до нужных размеров. Через 15-18 часов на поверхности муки вы увидите много больших пузырей. Наш хлеб готов к выпеканию!

Чуть чуть присыпьте ваш хлеб мукой и выложите его из миски на стол. Сформируйте из массы круглую булку. Накройте булку полотенцем и дайте постоять 1,5 - 2 часа.

Поставьте чугунную кастрюлю в духовку и разогрейте вашу духовку до 260 С. Кастрюля должна нагреться. Очень важно, чтобы на чугунной кастрюле не было пластмассовых ручек, иначе они расплавятся. Чугунная кастрюля будет очень горячей и поэтому надо очень аккуратно вынимать ее из духовки!

Аккуратно переложите вашу булку в горячую чугунную кастрюлю. Накройте кастрюлю крышкой и выпекайте в течение 30 минут. После этого снимите крышку, убавьте температуру духовки до 215 С и выпекайте еще 15 минут, чтобы корка хлеба подрумянилась.

Вот и все! В нашей семье этот хлеб съедается моментально! Мы заметили, что друзья стали чаще заглядывать к нам в гости. Уж не хлеб ли этому причиной?

Удачного вам выпекания!

Secret Santa gifts

Many thanks to my Secret Santas! I've received totally amazing gifts from two wonderful Artists.

a set of Holiday Napkins from Keri of Too Cute customs crafts



Keri also sent me these amazing earrings by BlueberryCream made of corrugated copper



My next Secret Santa gift came from Elizabeth Urquhart of Pure Nature Photos



All these wonderful gifts will make my home happy:) Thank you so much!!!

Giveaway Red Ornament Balls Christmas decoration

I'm hosting my new giveaway. One lucky giveaway participant selected by a random number generator will win a set of eight hand felted red ornament balls of different sizes. Each red felted ball has a thread and could be an ideal Christmas tree decoration. To read more about hand felted Christmas balls please go to my CityCrochet shop.



The giveaway's last day is Tuesday, December 11th.

To enter: Please visit my CityCrochet shop and leave a comment below about any item(s) you really like. Don't forget to leave your contact information (e-mail address, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) so I can contact you in case you win. Your info will NEVER be used for any other purposes!!!

Extra entries: Please leave one separate comment for each extra entry following the instructions below.

Open to US and Canada only. Winner will be chosen by online random generator. The winner has 3 days to reply or another winner will be chosen.

Good luck!:)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway white felted acorns Christmas ornament

I'm hosting my new giveaway. One lucky giveaway participant selected by a random number generator will win a set of five hand felted white acorns with real acorn tops. Each acorn has a thread and could be an ideal Christmas tree ornament. To read more about acorns please go to my CityCrochet shop.



The giveaway ends on Friday, November 2nd. The winner will be announced on Monday, November 5th.

To enter: Please visit my CityCrochet shop and leave a comment below about any item(s) you really like. Don't forget to leave your contact information (e-mail address, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) so I can contact you in case you win. Your info will NEVER be used for any other purposes!!!

Extra entries: Please leave one separate comment for each extra entry following the instructions below.

Open to US and Canada only. Winner will be chosen by online random generator. Winner will be notified by Monday, November 5th and will have 3 days to reply or another winner will be chosen.

Good luck!:)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

DIY How to make a Christmas tree decoration

It's about time to start thinking about Christmas gifts and home decoration ideas. If you plan on having a Christmas tree it's a great time to make an ornament for your tree with your own hands. It will be a small gift for your Christmas tree. I hand felt home decoration items and am happy to share how to create a simple Christmas tree ornament.



You will need a plastic ball and felting wool of different colors. For felting you will need plastic wrap paper, water and soap. To complete your ornament you will need a needle and a thread.



To make the ornament cover the plastic ball with layers of white felting wool. Make a pattern you wish to have on the ball by adding small pieces of dyed wool here and there. Colors that work well for Christmas include red, green, brown. Once your wool is layered wet the ball with soapy water and cover with plastic wrap.



Start felting by pressing and caressing the wrapped ball. Be careful not to mess up the original pattern. You will always be able to fix it at the early stages of felting before the wool felts completely. Add water and soap if needed. Continue felting until the wool attaches well to the ball and all the design details are firmly felted in.



Rinse the ball in fresh water and gently squeeze the ball to get rid of extra water. Let it dry overnight. Once your ball is nice and dry attach a thread to the ball. You can glue the thread or if you want it to be more eco friendly make a whole in the ball to let the thread through. Thus, you won't need to use any glue.

Happy crafting!

Lemon sponge cake Semifreddo

This lemon sponge cake is great for light desserts' admirers. It has a very saturated but not dominating lemon taste.
The cake was baked by Andrei Utkin with a recipe by David Lebovitz from his book Ready for Dessert.
We will have to cook three separate ingredients for the cake. First we prepare a lemon curd, then a lemon syrup and finally a sponge cake itself.

Ingredients for the lemon curd:
1/2 cup 9125 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
6 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks

Ingredients for the lemon syrup:
3/4 cup (180 ml) water
1/3 cup (65 g) sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons kirsch (not required)

Additional Ingredients:
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
2/3 cup (75 g) crushed amaretti cookies


In a saucepan combine lemon juice, sugar and butter. Set the saucepan over low heat. In another bowl whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan whisking constantly, until the curd starts to thicken. Don't boil it!
When the curd is ready let it cool and then refrigerate.

To make the lemon syrup warm the water and sugar in a saucepan. When the sugar dissolves remove from the heat, stir in lemon juice and the kirsch. Let it cool completely.

Bake a sponge cake 12 by 18 inch (30 by 46 cm) and cut it in two pieces so that it fits into a baking dish. Whisk the cream until it turns into a whip cream. Mix the whipped cream and the lemon curd.
Put one layer of the sponge cake on the bottom of the baking dish and brush evenly with about 1/2 cup of the lemon syrup. Spread 1/2 of the lemon cream evenly on top of the first cake layer and sprinkle with amaretti crumbs. Lay the second piece of the sponge cake on top and repeat the procedure. The cake is ready. refrigerate until chilled. Sprinkle with the rest of amaretti crumbs before serving.

Fresh Ginger Cake

This yummy and spicy fresh ginger cake was baked by Andrei Utkin. An inspiration came from David Lebovitz recipes book "Ready for Dessert".

We will need:
4-ounce (115 g) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup (250 ml) molasses
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) vegetable oil
2 and 1/2 cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup (250 ml) water
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 large eggs



Preheat the oven to 350 F (175C) and butter a round cake pan.

In a food processor chop the ginger and set it aside. In a large bowl, mix together the molasses, sugar and oil. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves and pepper. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then stir in the baking soda. Whisk the hot water into the molasses mixture, then ass the chopped ginger.
Gradually sift the flour mixture over the molasses mixture, whisking to combine. Add eggs and whisk until thoroughly blended.

Bake until the top of the case springs back when lightly presses with a finger for about 1 hour.
The cake is moist and will store well for a few days. Enjoy the cake!

Felted flower web brooch in white red gray

With all the holidays approaching we will need a lot of accessories to spice up our outfits. The same nice top could be worn to a few occasions and yet it will look different every time. Just add a new brooch or pin every time you go out! It's amazing how much even a small brooch can do to a dress.

Brooches are fun as they are easy to wear and usually not expensive. Made from felt they are durable as well. One can pile them up in one's store room and they won't take much space. Yet brooches add so much style and color to our outfits. I have a whole bunch of them in different colors and shapes. It's nice just to look at them. All those colors and shapes make me feel happy somehow!

Red Berry hand felted brooch

Brooches are excellent for adding color and style for one's outfits. A bright brooch can completely change the way a dress or a suit looks. Red, raspberry and cranberry colors and hues work especially well with pretty much any attire. Even the outdoor clothing can be decorated with a pin. Just think about a brown or charcoal grey coat with a bright red pin attached to it. It will look so much better!

I always wear all my brooches and that's much fun as people always pay attention and take a notice. With a unique and beautiful brooch one will always stand out from the crowd.

Hand felted wool flower brooches

I discovered a few really cute buttons in a store and bought them without any particular purpose. They were so lovely that I just desperately wanted to attach them somewhere. Finally I found a place that fits them perfectly. Hand felted flower brooches with multiple layers of felt in different colors look nice with a large vivid spot in the middle. That's where my buttons belong from now on.
The key is to match the color of a button with a color of the felt flower. It's hard to find nice looking buttons but relativery easy to buy wool of diffferent colors and types. So here is the rule: Start with the button!

Felt wool white frosted berry brooch

It's Christmas season and we will eventually get some snow here in Virginia. Coming from Russia I personally love snow. There are so many things one can actually do in winter. And don't forget about beautiful winter forests! Trees are covered with snow, one can see frosted berries here and there, animal traces. It always feels like a fairy tale in a winter forest.
White felted beads are plush, durable and beautiful. They are easy to work with and there is this natural feel about them. Felted beads are made from wool using eco-friendly techniques and, thus, are ideal for eco-conscious and nature-loving individuals.

Chocolate raspberry felted brooches as Christmas gifts

For me Christmas season colors are white color of snow, red color of holly berries, green color of pine trees and brown color of trees' branches. The combination of brown and white is especially typical for winter. It's always nice to add red and green to make it more colorful! Bright cranberries and holly berries are what we need. Perfectly shaped and small they look fantastic on white snow.
Christmas holidays are approaching and we all start thinking about gifts for our loved ones. I hand felted a few bright red beads and attached them to pieces of wire covered with chocolate brown wool. My creation turned into a brightly colored brooch. Pins and brooches are great gifts as they could be used not only to add color to an outfit but as home decoration and ornament as well. Such a brooch could be hanged either in a kitchen or living room or even an office cubicle. So much for a Christmas gift idea!

Artisan bread recipe for your holiday dinner

Have you ever tried to bake your own bread? It's not as complicated as you might think. All it takes is time and a dutch oven. It can be a great addition to your holiday dinner as it not only tastes good it looks fantastic!

We love nice and fresh artisan bread the type you cannot find in regular supermarkets. That's why my husband made a simple research on-line one day and found a great New York Times article about baking simple artisan bread at home. We tried to bake our own and the result exceeded all our expectations. From that time on our home baked artisan bread is a staple in our house and my kids simply cannot do without it. We try to bake it once or twice a week as it doesn't last long in our family!


This bread is relatively simple to cook. You will need 500 gr. of unbleached bread flour, 375 gr. of water or 75% of the flour weight, 1 and 1/2 tea spoons of salt and 1/4 tea spoon of yeast. To bake it right you will need a dutch oven that can be actually used for cooking a lot of other fantastic dishes later on.

The secret is in precise measurements! The water amount should not exceed 75% of the flour weight!


We mix up all ingredients just enough for flour to get wet and put the mixture aside for 15-18 hours depending on your room temperature. We, thus, give yeast enough time to work on flour in a natural and old fashioned way.

After full 15-18 hours our raw bread is pretty much ready. We create a baker’s envelop on a table and then form a loaf out of our mixture. The stove should be preheated to 500F and our dutch oven should be already inside hot and ready. If you plan on baking bread don't buy a dutch oven that has anything plastic on it. All this plastic will melt away! And please be careful with that hot dutch oven! It’s very very hot!

The actual cooking time is 30 minutes. After that we leave our dutch oven inside the stove for additional 15 minutes but take the lid off for our bread to get a beautiful and crunchy top crust. It makes sense to decrease the stove temperature to around 420F so that our bread doesn't burn.



That's pretty much it. We always give our bread time to cool down although it is hard to do with our kids circling around. When you bake this artisan bread your home fills with unbelievable aromas that make you think of holidays, family gatherings and feasts.

This bread tastes very good and it's quite simple to bake. It's definitely worth trying!

Holiday house decoration ideas

Holidays are approaching and we all are about to start decorating our houses. There are millions of ways to do it and tones of ideas how to make our homes cozy and beautiful. Here is one of the house decoration ideas for you to consider.

I've been felting for a while now. Let me tell you that it's quite easy to create felted wool balls. It's a matter of rolling felting wool between your palms occasionally wetting it and adding some soap. When squeezed these felted balls take shapes of ovals and fit perfectly into acorn heads. The result looks super cute. These felted wool acorns will last forever unlike real acorns! They could be of different colors and sizes. One can hang it on a Christmas tree, next to a computer, on a book shelf or just put them next to his or her bed.
A good idea is to decorate a holiday table with bowls of felted wool acorns as a tribute to all natural and eco-friendly. For a romantic dinner one can always hang acorns on a beautiful tree branch in a vase, lit a few candles and voila you've got a perfect date!

There are so many ways how wool felted acorns could decorate your house! Just use your imagination and you will add uniqueness and style to your sweet home!

Tutorial how to make felted wool acorns

Have you ever thought about hanging acorns on either a Christmas tree or next to your computer in your cubicle? I have!

A sunny Fall day is ideal for a stroll in a park. That's what we frequently do on weekends when our family goes to one of many wonderful parks in Richmond, VA. Every such stroll normally ends up with a whole collection of stones, acorns and sticks picked up by my kids. With plenty of acorns in every corner of my house I suddenly realized that I can actually turn them into something bright and vivid. Felted wool acorns are beautiful, durable and could be used in many ways. They add color and style to one's house and make it look cozy and friendly.

So where do we start?
First of all we need a few good acorns. They can be picked up in pretty much any park these days. It's acorns' season!

Next we will need a bit of wool suitable for wet felting, soap and hot water. I usually try to use wool of as many colors as I can find as it helps to create a whole array of multicolored, bright and vivid acorns. For wet felting I normally take a small piece of wool make it into a soft ball, wet it with hot water and add some soap to it. After squeezing and later rolling this ball between my palms for good 10 to 15 minutes wetting it and adding soap from time to time I get a felted firm ball that could be gently squeezed into an oval to look like an acorn.

The last step is to connect our acorn heads to felted wool ovals. I use a mercerized cotton thread to sew them together. This type of thread is very strong. Chances are slim it will ever tear apart. The thread enables us to hang acorns anywhere we like.

I personally like acorns to be of different shapes and sizes. They look genuine as they pretty much are. Bright wool colors make them look festive and jolly. They are a perfect gift for anyone you love or care about!