Joe the Cup

I managed to get quite a bit of crafting in over the long weekend. Since I'm a beginner crocheter, I gravitated to Ana Paula Rimoli's book Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet. Her patterns are really easy to follow and the results are darling! I've been obsessed with knit and crochet food, so my latest was her "Café con Leche" (i.e. Joe the Cup). I didn't add the pink cheeks in her pattern because 1) I wasn't sure I liked them, and 2) I didn't have pink felt.

I love using safety eyes. Besides the fact that it's impossible to find them at any of my three local craft stores, I ordered a bunch online from Harvey's Hobby Hut. They have a great selection of craft eyes and sell them in bulk or in the smaller packages. The prices are pretty good and they ship fast! I'd definitely recommend them if you are having trouble getting safety eyes locally.

Recent Crochet

I'm now saying that I officially crochet. After completing two projects that actually look like what they're supposed to, I feel like I deserve to list it as one of my crafty skills.

My little black cat sat around for awhile in pieces - for some reason I was convinced he wouldn't go together easily. It did take a really long time to get his face just perfect, but I think he was worth the effort. For a first pattern, it was definitely easy, but I should have chosen another color. It was really difficult to see the stitches when I was working. One of the good benefits of using black was that it hides all of my terrible sewing for his little arms, legs and tail!

I haven't decided if I'm going to give him up or not. I've gotten somewhat attached since he is my first crochet project. And he's just so darn cute!

My second project were a couple of Happy Eggs. I fell in love with them as soon as I saw the picture, so I borrowed the book from the library and made it my second project. I started by making the yellow chick with wool ease and then was annoyed that the white has a strand of glitter running through it and bought a white Vanna's Choice. The shell was way too big for the little guy so I made the gold chick and ended up making the yellow chick's shell by ripping out the shimmery strand. I actually like the wool ease chick and egg better even though it's not as firm as the Vanna's Choice. The little chick is fuzzier and the gauge works out to be more the size of an actual egg.

What I'm Reading: Angela's Ashes: A Memoir - Frank McCourt

Thumbs way up! I'd heard people say that Angela's Ashes was a must-read book, but for some reason it took me a very long time to get around to agree. I think I made the decision to put it on my 2008 list when we got back from Ireland and wanted to mentally prolong my visit. After reading The Glass Castle (TGC), I thought "eh, why not another memoir?" I was on a memoir roll!

Once again, I listened to the audio - which happens to be done my McCourt himself. I found this particularly nice because he sings all the old Irish songs.

Overall I thought it was well written and very good. As with TGC the subject matter was at times difficult to listen to, but what amazed me in McCourt's experience, was that often times, there were people around to help out. That's not to say he didn't endure hardship, it was just different from TGC.

I feel like I have a much better understanding of what it means to be Irish and Catholic (I'm neither). McCourt does an amazing job of setting you in his shoes - tape and holes included - to get an idea of what it is to be both.

Cappuccino Cupcakes

My friend and co-worker, Andrea is getting married next month. A bunch of us decided to surprise her with a shower at work, so I of course, volunteered to bring dessert.

I wanted something simple, yet pretty. Since there were going to be a lot of men at the shower I also needed something that wasn't TOO pretty. I decided that Cappuccino Cupcakes would be perfect!

The recipe comes from my copy of Old-Fashioned Bake Sale (page 122). It couldn't be simpler because you just need a chocolate cake mix and frosting. To achieve the mild coffee flavor, the cupcakes are made with strong coffee instead of water (I used hazelnut), and you mix coffee liqueur into the frosting. The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons but I gave it an extra dollop of Kahlua - this does make the frosting too thin, but just beat a spoon of shortening in and it will come out really good. I topped with a coffee flavor chocolate candy (couldn't find any choco covered beans) and I was done! So simple!

The cupcakes came out very moist and delicious and everyone loved them. They look great on the cupcake tree too!

Amigurumi - I'm in love

I really didn't think I would ever want to crochet. EVER. I didn't like the look of it and thought knitting was superior. Then I saw amigurumi. I couldn't get enough of all the adorable little animals and items and decided I had to make them. Little did I know that almost all amigurumi patterns are crochet.

I took a quick lesson with my mom and ta da! I have the makings of my very own amigurumi black cat. The pattern is actually pretty easy but now, as you can see, I have to figure out how to put him together. I worked on his face FOREVER until it was just right. I could only get my hands on solid black eyes (they are hard to see in the photo), but I ordered a bunch of natural eyes so I can make more of these little guys. Isn't he cute!?!?!?

Tree of Life Knit Along

Lion Brand Yarn sends me emails every now and then and I was so excited when I saw they were having a knit-along with the Tree of Life pattern. Even though the pattern is labeled "Experienced" I read through it and was only mildly terrified of what lay ahead. It's so amazingly beautiful I just couldn't help myself and had to start it right away. I'm using Lion's Fisherman's Wool (100% wool so it smells really nice) so it will be very cozy when I'm done. There is a scary flower garden section coming up but onward I go! *insert marching music here*

My poor husband thinks I'm possessed when I'm working on this blanket. It takes SO much concentration because I don't want to mess it up. When he starts talking to me I usually end up giving him sinister glares or bite his head off with "Stop talking to me! I'm knitting!!" I of course apologize when I finish the row, but I think he's catching on that when he sees the cream colored blanket come out, he should hide. hee hee.

So far I've made one mistake. Instead of hiding it and pretending it's not there, I've taken a picture and am pointing it out to the whole world. I was very disappointed when I noticed it but since the pattern is so complex, I've decided to call in a knot in the branch, and move on. I knew I would just make more of a mess if I ripped the rows out and tried to fix my mistake. I blame Bill for the error, of course. He must have chosen that moment to tell me something and I held the cable needle in front of my work when it should have been behind. (I hope he doesn't hate this blanket by the time I'm done.)

Lace Panel Socks - You mean I have to make two?

Here is my first sock (you can click on the picture for a nice big closeup)! That's right, I haven't finished the second one (I'm not even close!!) but I'm very proud of the one I have. A friend hooked me up with some very nice washable merino wool but it was VERY fine. I fortunately had a pattern in my copy of Patons' Pull Up Your Socks! that worked when I held both colors together. The Lace Panel Socks pattern is beautiful and I'm really pleased with how this one came out.

I was always afraid that making a sock would be really difficult and that I couldn't do it, but I was surprised how easy it was! You do have to be used to double pointed needles, but there were no scary moments. I did have to undo rows a few times but that was my fault for not paying close attention to the pattern and/or trying to watch TV at the same time.

I'm not sure if I have enough yarn to make a second pair or not. It looks like there's enough to make 10 pair but I think I'll go blind from using the size 1 needles!

What I'm Reading: The Glass Castle: A Memoir - Jeannette Walls

Thumbs way up! I just finished The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls and found it to be so interesting. What I found most surprising, was that even though the subject matter was often difficult to read (Walls' life was filled with neglect and the struggle to survive each day), it was done in such an un-drama-like way. It was partially so striking because I listened to the audio version and the reader did a great job reading the horrors of Walls' life with a sense of nonchalance and at times, even mirth.

Walls recounts her childhood from about 3 to adulthood and the many difficult things she had to endure (from getting burned, eating out of school trash cans, moving and being on the run, and almost raped to name a few). I know some people have criticized Walls' ability to remember things that occurred when she was a small child, but I think she should be given a little slack. While the events may not be 100% accurate, her story is one of survival and shows that if you put your mind to something and work hard, that you really can accomplish great things. It would have been so easy for Walls to play the victim, follow in her father's footsteps (a very smart man, who unfortunately, was very in love with the bottle), or live a life convinced that she wasn't worth anything, but she somehow managed to get past that and come out standing on top. It's well worth reading and makes me thankful and grateful for the childhood I had.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Since the cranberry bars were such a hit, I decided to try another recipe from Ocean Spray (I really am addicted to Crasins). I typically don't care much for cookies that have white chocolate, but I decided to try the Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies. I read all the reviews before I began and was surprised how many people either loved or hated them - there were hardly any luke-warm comments. Some people said that it was missing something so I added 1 tsp. of pure vanilla flavoring. One reviewer questioned if the brown sugar should be packed. Yes! Brown sugar should always be packed unless stated in the recipe. The mix wasn't dry and after a quick chill in the refrigerator, it was very easy to work with.

I used a cookie scoop but it was larger than the suggested heaping teaspoon. Mine were tablespoon size which I think is much better - I like a cookie that you can really sink your teeth into!

As you can see, they don't really spread very much. The result, however, was a very soft and chewy cookie that tasted AWESOME! Bill approved and demanded seconds but then I wrapped the rest up to take to work with me.

The response to these cookies was great. They disappeared within an hour (many people going back for two or three) and someone even suggested that I bring them in every Monday from now on.

So, I would say this recipe is definitely a keeper. I would highly recommend adding the teaspoon of vanilla - it was delicious and had a very tasty flavor. The Crasins and white chocolate combo worked really well and the oatmeal made it nice and chewy. Ignore all the negative reviews and go ahead and make these cookies!

Red Sox - May 2, 2008

For once I was in the right place at the right time. One of the Project Managers I assist ended up getting tickets for the Red Sox game on Friday night which he could not use! I had absolutely nothing planned for the evening (except a potential game of Boggle with Bill) so I was thrilled to get the tickets! Bill picked me up from work and we drove to the city, stopping at Bertuccis for a quick bite to eat. It was packed and there was a ton of excited energy in anticipation for the game. On the way there I even spotted John Lithgow walking towards Fenway. We ate in record time not wanting to miss the opening pitch, and dashed back to the park. But it was raining...pretty hard actually.

After a 2 1/2 hour rain delay the game started and it was COLD. I had a rain jacket and winter coat layered on over a t-shirt and sweatshirt and I was still freezing! Thankfully we were in the grandstand (really good seats!) so we didn't get wet. I had thought I'd be a tough chick and stay till the last pitch, but at midnight I couldn't feel my legs so we left at the top of the 7th. We listened to the game on the way home (yay! The Sox won!), picked up my car from work (very spooky at 1AM!) and crawled into bed at 2AM.

Now that I'm warm and dry I can look back on the game and think nice thoughts about it. It was very neat, for example, to see them run the tarp off the field and prep the dirt for the game. We also had really good seats that in warmer weather would have had me dancing in the stands. Actually, I did dance for most of the game - I had to so I wouldn't freeze solid!

What I'm Reading: Garden Spells - Sarah Addison Allen

Thumbs way up! I recently read Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen and really enjoyed it. The story was good, but I was really impressed with the way Allen created an environment where you felt like you could literally smell, taste and feel right along with the imaginative characters she created. Her descriptions were so good that I swear I could feel the sun or smell the herbs and flowers she was writing about.

The plot reminded me of the book/movie Chocolat a bit since it's about influencing people with food. There is good character development and drama, and the characters are quirky and fun. As an added bonus, the cover is really pretty and looks nice on an end table!

On Allen's website: http://www.sarahaddisonallen.com/ she lists some recipes that characters were making in the book which is wonderful. I really want to try the Lavender Bread. Yum!

It seems like Allen is on a roll because soon to hit the shelves later this month is her second book: The Sugar Queen. I am eagerly looking forward to reading this one as well and will be sure to pass along my opinion once I'm done!

Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cheese Bars & Antiques

Saturday the Friends of Richards Memorial Library held our first Appraisal Day fundraiser. I had to find something quick and easy to bake up late Friday night. I'd been craving Cranberries, so I went to Ocean Spray's website and tried their Chocolate Chip Cranberry Cheese Bars. The dry ingredients mixed together well but I did put the whole thing in the fridge to cool while the oven was warming up. I find it best to do this if the butter starts making the crumble texture turn to mush. (You can also catch a bit of my cherry apron in the background. It was my fist sewing project!) Next I mixed the wet ingredients together while the bottom crust was baking in the oven. You pour this over the hot crust and then spread the reserved crumble on top of the whole thing and put back in the oven. The result is a very heavy pan!

I taste tested the next moring and was slightly disappointed that there was so much in them. I think maybe 1/2 a bag of choco chips would have been enough, or maybe it would have been better to have a larger cheese layer since it came out so thin. I wasn't thrilled and my husband didn't come back begging for seconds, but I put them on a platter and brought them anyway! Come on, you would have too. They were still pretty good!

Well, whatever reservations I had about bringing them disappeared when I saw people gobbling them up. There were several baked goods and these were gone within an hour! Fortunately we didn't run out of cookies/bars/bread - we had just enough!

Appraisal Day was our new idea for a spring fundraiser. An appraisal house in Boston (Skinner Inc - you may have seen them on Antiques Road Show) sent two appraisers for five hours. We sold out after 2 1/2 hours, so it was a very sucessful event. I saw SO many interesting items! There was a gumball machiene that looked and worked like a slot machiene, a ladder that collapsed into one long beam, and my favorite - a stunning crystal bowl that looked like it had sunflowers all around it. One woman had Barbie and Ken dolls from 1962 in their original boxes with the little booklets in the original plastic. They had never even been taken out of the boxes. Apparently Ken isn't worth that much but Barbie was worth quite a bit.

My mom got this Native American knife from her father. The appraiser told us it was used for skinning buffalo and is fairly rare. It's not worth the $20K I was hoping it would be, but it's still a very neat item to have.

Dehydrator Dreams

My coworker just got a Excalibur dehydrator and said it is amazing (but really loud). One of my favorite things to eat is fruit leather so I'm thinking of buying one. They are pretty expensive, but everyone seems to rave about this brand. Bill and I are going on a camping trip in June so I think it would be fun to take along some fruit leather, and dehydrated fruits and vegetables. We're only going for two nights so maybe getting a whole dehydrator is a bit excessive,...but it's so cool!

I didn't knit at all last night. I got home from pilates and decided I'd done enough for one evening. I really like the Stott Pilates mat I got from Amazon - I have no trouble rolling around on my spine using this mat. Well, I should really say, any trouble I have rolling around on the floor is not the mat's fault. hee hee. My favorite moves are seal (tap feet, roll on spine, tap feet again) and boomerang.

First Ice Cream of 2008

Yesterday was a staggering 80 degrees! It was beautiful outside and I was in no mood to do any chores at home so Bill and I headed up north to Kimball Farm. We played a round of mini-golf and then couldn't help but treat ourselves to some ice cream. I tried the Chocolate Almond, which was delicious, and Bill tried the Buttercrunch (also good). I still think that Richardson's ice cream is the best around. They sell it at the Big Apple in Wrentham but haven't opened up for business yet. The lines for ice cream at Kimballs were long, but it was worth the wait for the first ice cream of 2008!

Now for blankie progress! I think I've finally got this stitch figured out. I had thought that the puff was created by the YO and slipped stitch, but that actually creates the divider. I also changed the needle size from the size 10 suggested to 9. You can see from the picture that the first three (bottom) puffs are looser and less defined than the top three. I'm going to make it in white with a couple of stripes near the ends. Should look nice - I'll post a picture once I'm done!

I have also started a Jean Greenhowe puppy. I haven't gotten very far so I won't bother putting up a picture yet. I couldn't find the same color used in her creation, so mine will be a cute dark tan. I just ordered a lot more Astra yarn for these projects - I'm going to need a house soon just so I can have a room to store my craft supplies.

I haven't done any baking lately but I'm gearing up for some early spring canning. I opened a jar of strawberry rhubarb jam that I canned last May and it was divine. I had a little trouble with the blueberry jam I made (a bit too firm) so I'll have to try to be more careful testing the jams while they cook.

Blankie from Hell & Cherry Fruity Cap

Just when my head started to swell from my amazing knitting abilities, I was put in my place. I started a new project last night (i.e. the blankie from hell) and simply could not figure out the pattern. It's sort of a bobble (which I admit I need practice at) but does not look at all bobble-like when I'm done. It's really called a puff stitch blanket but I can only find instructions for a crochet puff stitch. I'll try again tonight, but this time I'm only going to try the pattern instead of co all 152 stitches and starting the blanket!

On a good note, I've been making a lot of Fruity Caps to sell and give as gifts. I tried a cherry but I'm not sure how i like it. At first I put a brown pipe cleaner up into the long stem so it would bend, but then my mom convinced me that was somewhat dangerous for a little kid. I argued that I'd sewn it in really really REALLY well and that it wouldn't poke through but I thought I'd better rip it all out. Let me tell you that it was sewen in really really REALLY well because I had an awful time getting it out! I replaced it with some fiber fill and it still looks good. It doesn't have the awesome bend I acheived with the pipe cleaner, but now I don't have to worry about some kid getting poked in the eye.

Where does the time go?

I'm not sure how nearly two years have gone by (was I in a coma?) but here I am!

Here is my latest kitted creation from one of Jean Greenhowe's books. The duck is so cute and has a removable hat. It's hard to tell from the picture, but the little blue guy on the right is his whale friend. I chose to make the hat removable because it's not a gift for a small child.

I really LOVE Jean Greenhowe's patterns. They are a bit time consuming and not for those who hate sewing up seams or working with small needles. The end result is just so charming though, that I use it as motivation when I'm grumbling about sewing up my endless seams.

I have been having trouble finding DK weight yarn that wasn't in baby colors, so I ordered a whole bunch of Patons Astra. It's good because it comes in so many colors and is affordable. I'm still looking for a green that would be good for a witch's dress or monster. Astra doesn't really have a good color green for that (think Oscar). If anyone knows of a good DK weight that's this color, please let me know!