LITTLE HITCHHIKER BACKPACK

A backpack for all occasions but especially for being out and about, handsfree.

I'm a girl and I like handbags. My handbag collection is by no means out of control. I like basic colors, the basic patterns, enough pockets for different things and plenty of room. I can never walk around with just a clutch/wallet. Even if I don't use them, I need the security of having a plethora of things within arm's reach- tissues, moisturizer, sanitizer, lip balm, lip stick, couple of hair ties, hairbrush, chewing gum, a half dozen old receipts.. (you know just in case I wanted to return that scarf I bought after 15 mins of contemplation in the first place).

So whenever my husband and I are out and about, I inevitably end up putting our current magazine issue/ paperback, bottle of water etc in my bag. This gets more complicated when we're travelling and I add a DSLR, some cereal bars and even a light jacket to my roomy Kipling shoulder bag. (See below)

I don't mind really. For the first 10 mins, that is. Then I play the familiar switching game. 5 blocks with the bag on this shoulder. then the next, back to the first. I'm sure many of you know this game.
All this while juggling the phone with the GPS app in the other hand.

After a recent trip to Japan, I decided I'd had enough and needed to rethink this. Everyday I see people with cool backpacks around San Francisco. Surely I could find one that I liked. There were many contenders. but, alas, I didn't like the shape of one, I didn't like all the zippers on the other. Another was too big and not many were in fabrics I liked anyway.

So I decided to scour the internet for a cute backpack pattern. I found very few that were in a size I liked and free (important to me). After a bit of looking around I found a pattern that was simple, didn't use too many notions (I'm a novice), was free and I could adjust too my liking easily.
The original pattern is by Christina McKinney (you can find it here).

Reasons I like this pattern:
1. Easy to scale the size.
2. I used many techniques for the first time while making this bag. I'm a novice.
a. Adding interfacing
b. Adding sew-on velcro
c. Adding elastic
d. Adding piping
e. Adding buttons and buttonholes with my sewing machine
f. Using hardware like like the D rings and snap hook clip.
3. Simple design and chic look.

So I picked up some fabric and notions from Fabric Outlet. I sat down with a coffee and did a little math on how I could make the bag a tad bit bigger and add a couple of my own ideas to the pattern.
Et voila!

Brainstorming at Stanza coffee in Mission SF

The Fabric choices

The Velcro under the flap covers the opening which is held together by elastic

 Here you can see the elastic opening better. Also visible is the spring hook I added to hold a key chain and an extra phone pocket.

Close up of the pocket

The original pattern called for 2 sets of buttons on the straps to adjust the strap length, but I opted for a single button and 2 button holes on each strap. It amounts to the same thing. This way I just needed to sew another button hole and you could add more. 

Here you can see how one strap is in the "short" position and the other is in the "long" position, just by adjusting which buttonhole is used.

I hope you liked this post and it inspires you to go and make yourself a customized backpack!

Almond Shortbread Cookies
(16 bite sized cookies)

Ingredients:
1 cup Flour
1/4 cup Almond butter
1/4 cup Unsalted butter
1/3 cup Sugar.
Water (few teaspoons to form dough)

Method: 
Preheat oven to 350F/ 160C. Mix ingredients till you get crumbling loose dough. Add water 1 tsp at a time till you get a dough that stays together but is firm. Divide into 16 parts and shape as desired. Bake 14-18 mins.

I used a kitchen utensil to make the pattern on the top. You could press the top gently with a fork.

Phyllo dough Canapés

Preheat oven to 376F/ 170C

The base: Thaw out the phyllo dough. Brush 4 sheets of phyllo dough with salted butter and layer one on top of the other. Cut into 12 squares. Each square would have 3 inch sides*. Prepare a mini cupcake tray by lightly greasing with oil or butter. Line the inside of each mold with the layered dough. Bake blind** for 15 minutes or till the edges of pastry become golden. Meanwhile prepare the filling.

Smoked Tuna and Cream Cheese filling:
1 cup smoked tuna,
1/4 cup cream cheese,
3 tbsp cilantro,
1 tbsp butter,
1 tbsp minced shallots.
salt and paprika (optional).

You can add more fresh herbs or green onion if you like.

Egg Salad filing:
4 boiled eggs (chopped),
1/4 cup mayo,
1/2 tsp mustard,
2 tbsp green onion,
salt and pepper
a dash of tabasco for heat (optional)
*Customize with your favorite topping. Here I've added slices of Avocado for a bit more creamy texture.

* I buy standard 9x12 inch sheets. cut once into 1/2 and then each half into 6 squares for even sized pieces.
**Blind baking involves filling the dough cavity with uncooked beans to prevent the center of the dough from rising into a dome shape. It presses the base down and cooks it in place. It does not change the taste/texture of the dough. You can save and reuse the same beans next time. I use red beans. 

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
 Serves 2

1 14 oz can Chickpeas/ Garbanzo beans (drained)

1 cup Tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup Sweet peppers, chopped

2 tbsp Red onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp Lemon juice 

1 tbsp Olive oil 

2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tbsp dried)

1/4 tsp Paprika 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Mix all ingredients and chill for 2 hrs before serving. 

Photographing People

and editing using Pixlr.com

I've been photographing people the last week or so and some of the images are definitely worth sharing.


Photographing people has definitely been a bit of a challenge. What with the DH refusing to be my muse! I had to stalk unsuspecting people at the market to take some of these images. 

Most were kind to the little-girl-with-a-camera, letting my shutter-happy finger capture them in my camera and immortalizing them. Some were nice enough to smile after I had taken their photo or even strike up a conversation.

To those of you, who are also getting out there with you camera, I'll pass on the gist of the advice of author/photographer Bryan Peterson: Be genuine, tell people why you're taking their picture. Most people will be kind. In strange lands, be willing to make a fool of yourself with awkwardly trying to communicate in the foreign language. Most people will be amused enough to indulge you. :)

Drummer at Ballard Farmer's Market

Background rendered b/w with Pixlr to emphasize the subject

 Feathered friend at Ballard Farmer's Market

Cropped this photo to make the pair stand out

 Maintenance staff at Ballard Commons Park

Cropped out the sky to emphasize the man at work

Low morning sun apparent in the side lit figure and trees

Cheese monger at Ballard Farmer's Market

Made this image b/w to take the viewer back in time

Taking a break at Ballard Farmer's Market

Cropped the left half of the photo to showcase the father-daughter duo

Produce shopper at Ballard Farmer's Market

The soft hair style and shirt color go great with the organic produce

Flower girl at Ballard Farmer's Market

Blurred out the background with Pixlr to bring focus on the girl and flowers in foreground

Scott the barista at Ballard Coffee Works

Made this image black and white to reduce the noise that had crept in.

Shot taken at ISO 3200 due to natural minimal light avaiable

Taco Service at Ballard Farmer's Market

Cropped this image to emphasize his expression and his labors

Fried Dumplings (Pork)

Simple yet extremely flavorful. Great as a light lunch or app before dinner.

Every now and then I like to make some pork gyoza but his time I couldn't find the right wrappers for those so I picked up wrappers for fried dumplings and they turned out so good, I'll probably experiment with more fillings and definitely buy more when this pack of sheets is over (soon)!

Serves 2

Preparation: 1 hr

16        Dumpling wrappers 

1          Egg, beaten

2 cups  Cooking oil for frying 

For the filling:

1/3 lb   Ground pork

2 Tbsp Cabbage, finely chopped 

2 Tbsp Corriander leaves, finely chopped 

1 Tbsb Fish sauce

1/2 tsp Salt

For the dipping sauce:

2 Tbsp Sriracha

2 Tbsp Flavoured rice vinegar

2 Tbsp Soy sauce

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling and mix well.

Make 16 portions of the pork mix, each about 1 tablespoon. 

Place one portion of pork in the center of one wrapper and seal the sides by brushing them with the beaten egg and pressing together firmly. 

Make sure there is no extra air in the sealed envelope or the dumpling may crack while frying.

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. 

Test the oil with a small piece of dumpling wrapper. If it sizzles immediately, add the dumplings. 

Do not crowd the dumplings. Fry them in batches such that there is enough room for all the dumplings in one batch to float. 

Make sure they are cooked evenly on all sides.

Meanwhile, mix the ingredients of the dipping sauce in a small bowl.

Remove dumplings from oil and drain on paper towels before serving with the sauce.

Give me an E!

To add to the earlier Special K..

As you may know, the second letter of my last name is "E". I decorated this letter keeping in mind our frequent trips to Canada last year. 

Not only is the maple leaf the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada (thanks to the flag), everywhere you look in Canada you'll find products made from the maple tree and maple syrup. No surprise there since Canada produces 80% of the world's maple syrup. 

Besides being used as a substitute for honey in some recipes, the syrup is also used in making  granola, cakes, pies, breads ... you get my drift. You can find maple-flavored-just-about-anything in Canada!

Note to self: Say thanks to the Canadians the next time I'm piling pancakes on my plate! :)

So coming back to the letter at hand. How did I do it you ask? Here is how.

Materials used:

Paper mache letter

Cardstock paper in red, orange and green

Red and gold acrylic paint

Maple leaf paper punch

Glue (and a fair amount of patience that doesn't come with it!)

To get started, I painted the back and sides of the letter with gold and red respectively. This allows the artwork to have a finished look in the end.

Then I painted one section of each colored paper with gold and let it dry. 

With my handy little paper punch, I then went about making lots of maple leaves (punching both regular and painted sections of the sheets). This way, I had gold leaves with slight hues of the original color.

 Note: I made sure to punch more red and orange leaves to achieve an overall red colored finished product.

Then, with some all-purpose glue and patience, I began to stick them on the paper mache letter. I started at the edges so that these would be somewhat contained and yet peeking out of the boundary.

I made sure to overlap the leaves to get that wonderful look of fallen leaves on the ground.

And finally, the 'K' has a companion with others on the way :)