Great finds....

Look how cute this sweater is....


but, I don't know, I think I'd look like a circus clown in that. I like the style of it, the lace adds a great flare. Just maybe without the stripes, or maybe if they were more subtle like a tone-on-tone. Wouldn't that be nice in taupe + tan?

Look at these--the cutest knit animal toys I've ever seen! What a great collection of patterns she has going!!!!! I could make one for the new nephew. She also has some free patterns here. My fav is the love-bug!

This is the screwiest thing I've ever seen--a sampler of stitches used in medicine! What a crack-up, in a fascinating kind of way!

My cheese soup was a total flop yesterday, I was winging it with velveeta and beer, onions, potatoes and roasted garlic, but then at the last minute I added in some "beef base" to give it more flavor; it's sort of like bouillion but in a paste form. I forgot how little I was supposed to use and I ruined the soup. It was so salty it was caustic, even after I diluted it 100%. Sigh. I hate cooking mistakes! Luckily they only happen rarely anymore....I might try again today, only I think I lost my taste for cheese soup for a while, bleh >:'p

I think I might try making ricotta gnocchi today. The only gnocchi I've made before were potato. I think ricotta would be wonderful and I have some homemade sauce in the freezer to serve it with....Also my no knead bread mentioned yesterday is ready to bake today--that would all go well together. Must add a salad in there, too.

I found some great free online recipe cards and shopping lists you can print out. Very cute, and would be fun to give with a homemade mix as a holiday gift.

This could be dangerous: Fabric.com. I could see getting into trouble surfing there--it's not like I even sew much anymore. I have an outsized stash of fabrics from when I WAS quilting--can't be adding to that. But just in case any of you crafty peeps out there want a good fabric source. Ya know. That's why I mention it ;)

I like this blog not quite vintage--nice crafty, make-do suggestions. I really love this bag she created....makes me want an embroidery machine, Lord help me.

And a link to browse Simplicity patterns from your home!!! I love the internet! I never tried that before. I especially love the jacket in pattern 2938 (scroll down)that she posts about--look at the cool sleeve vents! Love that detail.

I recently saw CookieA's free pattern BFF socks knit up in a solid yarn--very lovely cable-y pattern. I really want to get back to knitting socks, but I have blanket mania going on right now.....

Look at the cute origami pouch you can make to use for wrapping small gifts! It's a nice tut....

I miss the simplicity of a non-rushed life. Carina's Crafblog entry about drawing and sketching reminded me of how much I like to do that. Keep in mind, y'all, that I am not an artist. Drawing is just fun and elemental, like breathing and eating. It MAKES you slow down. I haven't done it purposely for quite a while. I doodle all the time, but that doesn't really count!

Look at the lovely website Dreamfollow. Her handpainted items and embroideries are really cute.

And finally, a really funny idea. This is a non-crafty, send-a-message kind of project. I think it's hilarious. Just my cup of sarcasm....

Happy Surfing :)



.

Yum

I LOVE FOOD! I love to prepare different things varying with the seasons...I made those spring rolls I mentioned a couple months ago. Did you know how easy it is to make spring rolls?! What a great hot-weather munch!!!

This morning I made the "Homemade Kitkat Bars" from Paula Deen's Christmas magazine...so easy to make. And they smell delicious. Haven't tried one yet....

I made AfricanKelli's version of granola I mentioned in a previous post. It has peanut butter in it, but I used a jar of cashew butter that no one would eat (go figure, they all LOVE cashews!) That recipe makes a huge batch, and though it is not as sweet as my other fav granola recipe, but tastes great with milk. Mmmm mmm. I have large Tupperware containers where we always keep our breakfast cereal, and I filled one to the brim with that yummy concoction! Next version will use almond butter!

Today, I'm trying no-knead bread from a recipe here. Nice cold day for bread baking, with snow flurries outside and gray skies.

Maybe some crockpot cheese soup, too. Yes, I think I will ;')

On knitting, I finally made it back to Friday night knitting group after about 7 weeks away. I missed it a lot. It was so much fun to see everyone's projects. I was inspired to buy a pair of these--my friend bought the size 50s and has made 3-4 scarves for gifts in about 2 hours each!!! That's a fun way to use up the wacky hobby yarns that are so cheap out there, and get a really pretty scarf or rug out of it! So I caved...can't wait til they arrive!

Also I met an old friend there, it was her first visit to the knitter's group! So cool to see her again, we used to work together at a govt clinic, and used to talk about all things crafty. I remember once I even brought in some of my quilts to show her ...She is very talented, makes bobbin lace, and was just learning to knit last night! Another convert :D

Slogging through Moderne. It seems like very slow work, but I'm liking the wool sitting on my lap in these cold days! Wool sure makes winter much more enjoyable, in my mind!!! And now, to bake, knit and be generally cozy and warm.

May your weekend be the same!



.

Learning to Love Asymmetry

I voted for the turkey...

I have always loved symmetric design. In clothing, furniture arrangements, floral arrangements or hand made items. Symmetry gives items a sense of full-circle completeness. There is something so pleasing about exactly matching something from one side to the other....And I could never understand the draw of asymmetry. Even through my fashion design classes, I didn't get it. Then, 20+ years later, I started seeing patterns like Eastlake:

where asymmetry is the showcase for a fantastic motif.

Now I love asymmetry also, thanks to Norah Gaughan! Norah's designs definitely have it going on, often deriving their impact from the beauty of asymmetry! Norah has done it again!

I'm gonna go now and flip through my copy of Knitting Nature....Happy Friday Night/Saturday morning :D

No More Weekend Warrior ....

Uh uh. I learned my lesson. Still having back issues, go figure. DH took care of the remainder of the cut down tree yesterday--it took him hours and hours to deal with the branches and brush. Whew, at least it's done. But now HIS back is hurting!

Getting old sucks ;-|

I worked on the Moderne Log Cabin blankie for 5 hours last night, while I watched the week's worth of The Young & The Restless on Soapnet. What a way to spend an evening! I laugh at that show--everytime I've had enough and don't watch for weeks or even months, if I do come back to it, everything has been interchanged, each character now has a new sexual partner or an evil twin, or someone has died, or someone has come back from the dead, or some other nonsense. What a hoot!

I know I'm slammed/busy when I haven't even been on Ravelry but twice in the past month! Wow.

I indulged in the new Mason Dixon knitting book this weekend. That is going to be a lot of fun to delve into. I leafed through that one and the new Nicky Epstein book 'Knitting On Top of the World', and decided the Mason-Dixon book was the one for me. Nicky's book looks like a good read though, with lots of info regarding the history of knitting in different cultures. Maybe I'll get it from the library soon!

I have been surfing in the wee hours again when I can't sleep. There are so many new recipes I'd love to try: Butternut Squash Spring Rolls, Easy Pumpkin Brownies, Pumpkin Polenta Cake, Chocolate Fudge Cherry Cake (what's with all the cakes? I'm not usually a cake person--must be that nesting/cozy time of year thing....), Simple Sorbet, Halloween-Candy Bundt Cake, Empanadas (one blogger used this empanada dough and spooned pumpkin puree into it with a slab of butter and pumpkin pie spices, then served them for dessert~! clever), AfricanKelli's Bean Dip, and her version of Granola (made with peanut butter!).

That was wierd. It just rained for all of 15 seconds. Hard. Now it's quiet again--very strange.

Anyway, at least my train of thought (regarding non-stop munching) has been broken! Onward and upwards!! Keep Calm and Carry On. And all that.

I saw a really simple and cute shrug pattern here. Looks like a winner, just the sort of thing I'd like to wear. Must. Make. One.

Gaaaaaah! did I mention how sick I am at blanket-projects dragginess?!!! I wanna move on already ;0)

Time to go back to bed. See y'all later.


.

These are a few of my favorite links....

Look at the cute pics and post about fortune cookies and Chinese New Year (I know, I'm late) I found on one of my new fav blogs called PlumPudding I really want to try that recipe for fortune cookies.

I love the idea ofcheap makeup. Let me know if it is any good...I think I got this link from MeggieCat's blog, but I'm not sure.

Love all the fun stuff I find online. so great to "virtually shop"!!!

I spent part of the morning today making Easy Cinnamon Bun Bread. Yum, even without the powdered sugar icing. Somehow making a coffee cake with yeast dough makes it that much better~! And so far the rest of the day has been spent reading a book, napping, and researching how to preserve my crop of rose hips. I have some of the most extraordinary rose hips in the garden, that in years past I have not harvested. Now, knowing that the vitamin C content is so much higher than citrus fruit, I'd like to do something with them. Here are the results of my search so far:

1. Saveur rose-hip tea


2. U of Vermont Extension on Rose Hips preparation


3. Rose hips marmalade and prep instructions


4. more prep tips for rose hips


5. recipes from Colorado for rose hips


6. lots of uses for rose hips


7. rose hip syrup


8. more recipes, interesting....


9. and my favorite: rose hip schnapps !!!

Just so every one remembers; inside of rose hips there are little barbed hairs that can cause lots of problems if eaten, so if you dry them and use them whole, you must strain through cheesecloth any possible seeds or hairs. I have not personally tried any of the above recipes yet--please let me know if YOU do!!

I'm excited b/c yesterday I went to the library and checked out a whole bunch books on knitting. One thing I have to say about my local library, they sure are stocked up on knitting books, new and old. I even found the out-of-print susanna lewis lace knitting book that is selling on Ebay for >$200!!!!! So I will be making some photocopies from that this weekend. And, that means I now have access to the Forest Path Stole pattern that I have been lusting after; that is the only pattern I would likely knit in the "Best of IK" book, so I have purposely not bought it. I love the library!

I just discovered the Knot Another Hat blog...a blog of a yarn store owner. Looks like a fun read, and inspiring with the knits!

We officially have grass! Yay, I was starting to wonder if it was too late in the season for the grass seed to sprout. Only problem is that the birdies were way too hungry and by the time it sprouted they had eaten big empty patches, especially in the back patch behind the patio. So I will be waiting until today's 50 mph winds blow past before I reseed some of the bald spots. I do not want those herbs and crap to grow again. After the seed comes in good, I will spread weed n feed to help it set up for the winter....

I raked leaves yesterday. Mild back issues when finished, so I will do no more yard work this weekend. I really need to attend to the downed tree limbs of 2 weeks ago, but that will have to wait. I can't afford to be off work again b/c of weekend warrior syndrome!

I made some crockpot chili yesterday. DH and I played scrabble Friday night and he beat the socks off me. DD had a black belt tip test Saturday; she has her 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and works as an instructor there part time. (She is also a Marine Corps Reservist, remember. One tough cookie!) I'm so proud of her. And DS is looking into a computers education. All's right with the world.

I feel so blessed to have a wonderful family and house, puppies and food, warm clothes and a job. Thank you God for such blessings. My heart and prayers go out to all who are losing their employment and looking at very tough financial times. Soon this election will be out of the way, and things can hopefully return to "normal." I'll say a prayer that it is so.

God bless you all this lovely Sunday. I'm off to pick rose hips while the garlic is roasting....then, to make grilled flatbread on the stovetop to spread the garlic over. mmmmmm Bye now.



.