Jennuine

Blueberries are in season, so make a batch of these perfectly delicious muffins today... Ingredients: 4 TB (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled slightly 2 cups (10 ounces) AP flour 1 TB baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 large egg 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar 1 1/4 cups (10 oz) sour cream 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed Crumb Cap Topping (See step 12 below) Powdered sugar for dusting Preheat oven to 350. Adjust rack to middle position. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Melt butter in a small bowl and set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Whisk egg in a second medium bowl until well-combined and light in color (approx. 20 seconds). Add sugar and whisk until thick and color lightens to a pale yellow. Add melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add the sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine. Add the berries to the dry ingredients. Gently toss to coat berries. Add the wet mixture and fold with

Today, Rook No. 17 compadre Ahnalisa M. (a fantastic artist and all around cool chica) asked if we had any leads on sources for oilcloth with modern prints. Most of what's out there tends to be the same old checkers, fruit and other things often sported by the cast of Hee Haw. Well Ahna, here are some alternatives Check out Mendel's Far Out Fabrics ( http://www.mendels.com/ ). Of course they have the standards, but check out the print called "San Miguel", my Frida lovin' friend. Fabricworm on Etsy has some great Japanese imports http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5973558 , search under "oilcloth" R&R Mexico Supply on Etsy has some great Mexican imports: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7073924&section_id=6018357

Since J.K. Rowling released the first of her Harry Potter series in 1997, children's literature has been reinvigorated by a new breed of children's novel ~ sophisticated, complex, sometimes dark...sounds like we're describing a new kind of chocolate bar. But the point is that the dumbed-down stories with plot lines flimsier than a Hollywood marriage are no longer the only books on the shelf. Kids weren't the only ones lined up in front of stores at midnight awaiting the next adventure of Rowling's boy-wizard. And you needn't be the age where overalls still look cute to enjoy any of the following books on our list. In fact, if you make these books a part of your family reading over the summer (and we hope you do) you may just find it hard to stop from reading on even after your kids have fallen asleep. The Inven tion of Hugo Cabret , by Brian Selznick: This beautiful "novel in words and pictures" tells the story of young Hugo Cabret , an orphan l

DO YOU KEEP FINDING THE SAME OLD TIRED FABRICS EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK? CHECK OUT ROOK NO. 17'S PICKS FOR THE BEST FABRIC RESOURCES ONLINE: SUPERBUZZY ~ http://www.superbuzzy.com/index.php ~ adorable kawaii fabrics, notions & trims, tools and kits OILCLOTH ALLEY ~ http://www.oilclothalley.com/ ~ incredible selection of oilcloth fabric THE FABRIC FAIRY ~ http://www.thefabricfairy.com/index.php/retail/ ~European & Japanese fabrics, organic, sustainable and bamboo fabrics THE FABRIC HOUND ~ http://www.fabrichound.com/store/index.php ~ European & Japanese fabrics, twill tape, nifty iron-ons J CAROLINE CREATIVE ~ http://www.jcarolinecreative.com/ ~ great selection of fabrics, patterns, trims and ribbons REPRODEPOT FABRICS ~ http://reprodepot.com/ ~ amazing selection of vintage reproduction fabrics, plus Japanese imports and much more SWEETFLAVOR ETSY SHOP ~ http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5111444 ~ Here's an etsy shop from California

HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN YOUR KIDS TO SEE A MOVIE THAT LOOKED SWEET AND INOFFENSIVE ONLY TO FIND THAT IT CONTAINED LANGUAGE, SITUATIONS, OR BEHAVOIR THAT YOU THEN HAD TO AWKWARDLY EXPLAIN ON THE DRIVE HOME? HAVE YOU EVER WISHED THAT THERE WAS A PLACE YOU COULD GO, BEFORE VENTURING OUT TO THE THEATRE, WHERE SOMEONE HAS DONE ALL PRE-SCREENING FOR YOU? THE RESOURCE EXISTS. IT IS EASY TO USE AND COSTS NOTHING. INTRODUCING: KIDS-IN-MIND Their Mission: "The purpose of kids-in-mind.com is to provide parents and other adults with objective and complete information about a film's content so that they can decide, based on their own value system, whether they should watch a movie with or without their kids.It's like a food labeling system which tells you what a food item contains. That's it. We make no judgments about what is good or bad or anything else. Indeed, we do not "condemn," "critique" or "criticize" movies. And we don't "p

You'll have to pardon our bawdy enthusiasm, but Wired Magazine's Lore Sjoberg is FRICKIN' HILAROUS. On his insightful, witty & slightly warped "BOOK of RATINGS" you can check out his thoughts on such topics as Conspiracy Theories, Pasta Shapes, Wart Remedies, Marvel Supervillians, State Quarters, Facial Hair, Things from the Dollar Store, and a personal favorite here at the Rookery "Names for Felis Concolor" (that's a Mountain Lion in these here parts). Here's a little taste from "FISHER-PRICE LITTLE PEOPLE " The Upset Freckled Boy Child: It's nice of Fisher-Price to include a dissident among all the smiling Little Constantly Happy People. A dissident with his hat on sideways, so you know he's trouble. He's unquestionably the sort of hard-hearted delinquent who steals apples from Old Man Croody's yard and says "Nuts to you!" to authority figures. I like him. Grade: A You like? Tempted? Try so

http://www.goodguide.com/ ROOK NO. 17 LOVES GOODGUIDE. HERE'S WHY: "What chemicals are in your baby shampoo? Was sweatshop labor used to make your t-shirt? What products are the best, and what products should you avoid? Increasingly, you want to know about the impacts of the products you buy. On your health. On the environment. On society. But unless you’ve got a Ph.D, it is almost impossible to find out the impacts of the products you buy. Until now… GoodGuide provides the world's largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home. WITH GOODGUIDE YOU CAN: Find safe, healthy and green products that protect you and your family Search or browse over 70,000 food, toys, personal care, & household products to see what’s really beneath the label Use expert advice and recommendations on products to quickly learn the impacts of what you buy Find better products and make purchasing d