Happy Easter Eve

Well I know I won't be checking in here tomorrow so I wanted to post tonight and wish you all a wonderful happy day tomorrow.  We will be celebrating Easter and today has been a busy one to prep for tomorrow.  I have 60 eggs all hard boiled up and waiting to dye later this evening.  A chicken cooking in the smoker along with a green salad and some french bread are on the menu tonight.  My parents are coming over tonight to dye eggs with the kids so we needed  a quick and healthy dinner, so tomorrow we can gorge enjoy brunch.

The house is clean and decorated and we have had many practice Easter egg hunts with plastic eggs in preparation.  Plates, napkins, and cutlery are all wrapped and ready for morning.

  We are doing a pot-luck brunch with friends and family.  I have pureed strawberries and peaches ready for bellinis.  A hash brown casserole that is always a huge crowd pleaser, especially with the menfolk.  Another contribution of mine are maple oatmeal scones from The Barefoot Contessa cookbook. 

A little tip from the cookbook states that you can make the scones up to a week in advance and keep covered in the fridge until ready to cook.  Now I haven't ever done them a whole week in advance but I usually make them a couple of days in advance, keep in the fridge and then just pop in the oven the morning I need them.  I have two trays for tomorrow and the third tray I am going to pop in the freezer to freeze.  These I will keep until I want to make a spontaneous yummy breakfast (I have cooked straight from freezer and they are still delicious).  There will be lots of good food and hopefully if I finish all my chores I won't have to much work tomorrow :).  Wishing you and yours much happiness!!

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Sorry for the time out

Hello all and hello spring.  When I was last in this space we had snow and quilts and lots of heavy knits....now we have spring with less blankets on the bed, coats being put away till next year and some smaller knits in the queue.

 I did not mean to take such a long break.  Avery goes to a year round school so instead of one long summer break she gets November off, March off and 6 weeks in the summer.  When she went off track in March I just kind of immersed myself in all things family and turned off my computer.  If I knew that I wouldn't be back for a month I would have checked in or something and left a message (I really appreciate everyone that checked in with me!) but it just kind of happened.  So here I am over a month later with many blogs to read and much to catch up on with all of you. 

I don't have much to share since along with blogging I also closed the door on any grown-up crafting and did all children crafting.  We made rainbows to hang up to try and attract some leprechauns.

We made leprechaun catchers complete with a trail of gold....

Sadly we didn't catch any leprechauns but they left cookies for the kids :)

Last but not least I did finish my slouchy cardigan finally!! 

 The whole sleeve cap issue was easily resolved when I went back and just followed the pattern to the letter.  I had read so many  notes on Ravelry and was all set to have my sleeve cap not fit so I went straight to Ravelry notes.  After many attempts I finally frogged them back completely and just went with the pattern.....they fit perfectly with not one extra stitch.  Finally a sweater that I love to wear all the time and it looks great with jeans or jammies!  I wish all of you a wonderful week and thanks for checking in with me here.  XOXOXO 

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Happy Heart Day

There has been a lot of heart crafting going on over here.  We made boxes to collect Valentine's at school.

We did some ribbon barrettes for the class party.  Did anyone else make these growing up?  Well I already have requests from Avery to make some for St. Patrick's Day, 4th of July, & Halloween...just to name the few holidays she could think of that are coming up :)

I made some small heart shaped treats for breakfast Sunday morning.  Monday morning will be too rushed with school and work to do anything super special.  Thank you Larissa, I saw this on one of your posts awhile back and bookmarked the recipe.  Healthy and yummy and we added the chocolate chips like you did.

I made my Avery a messenger bag from Greetings from Knit Cafe.  I made it smaller and instead of a guitar I did a heart. 

I would have loved some better shots but the kids were collecting bug specimens that day and had no time for a photo shoot.

I did make both the kids pajama pants for a little something for Valentine's Day.  Spider man for Jack and princesses for Avery.  I am happy to say that they promptly put on their new cozy clothes Sunday morning and never took them off.  I really am not a fan of pattern sewing but these were made just using a pair they already had.  Soooo easy!!

 

Last but not least I won a giveaway over at Doodles in Strings.  Christ sent me the pattern for her Seeds hat and the yarn to knit it up with.  I can't wait!!

Wishing all of you a wonderful Valentine's Day and a fantastic week!

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A little holiday cheer

Well we are one last weekend away from the big day over here so I thought I would share a little Christmas cheer with you all. This video has been around for ages and I may be a bit behind the times in just now finding them but here is a fun song. Happy Holidays!

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Our Christmas counter-downer

A couple of years ago I made an advent calendar of sorts and while I loved it there was a little too much of it.  Trying to hang the looonnngg string and find an attractive and easy way to get the mittens, hats, and stockings off was a little too much.  So this year I made another one that is a bit more compact and very easy for little fingers to remove each little hat day by day to count down to Christmas.

I have 24 little white hats with alternating pom-poms in green and red and alternating colored numbers to get us to the big day.

Inside each little hat is a little something for the kids.  Candy, Christmas erasers, Christmas stamps, and in some of them I just have an activity written down, one night I have watching the Polar Express, making hot chocolate and peppermint whip cream (make whip cream as normal and then fold in candy canes that have been crushed in food processor-minty and colorful).

I made a little quilt of sorts  and sewed clear buttons on each square to hang our little hats on.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  The kids are more than excited to take turns pulling down each hat and of course I love that it is completely original.  

Now I'm off to make some more treats and finish some cowls for my kids because tomorrow we are heading up into the forest to cut down our Christmas tree with some friends. Have a wonderful weekend friends!

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Counting down to Christmas

Tomorrow starts the countdown to Christmas....this is a repost of a meme I did a couple of years ago and I love reading other peoples answers.  So I am reposting my own responses and hope that some of you join in on your own blogs.  25 Days till Christmas.

1. Wrapping Paper or Gift Bags? Both, depends on how close it is to Xmas morning :)

2. Real tree or artificial? Real. The day after Thanksgiving we load up with friends and head to the mountains to cut one down.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take down the tree? New Years Day I'm over it so everything comes down.

5. Do you like Egg Nog? Not to drink but I made some cookies last year with an egg nog drizzle that were fabulous.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My first Walkman when I was 11 or my first cabbage patch doll (total toss up)
7. Do you have a nativity scene? No. We have a huge Christmas village that has been added too over 13 years and it is slowly taking over the house :)

8. Hardest person to buy for? My mother-in-law

9. Easiest person to buy for? My kids

10.  Mail or email Christmas Cards? Mail

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? Every Christmas Eve we watch It's a Wonderful Life

12. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Fudge

13. White lights or coloured? Clear

14. Favorite Christmas Song? Do you Hear What I Hear by Bing Crosby. It was the one Xmas CD we listened too religiously at Christmas time when I was growing up.

15. Travel or stay home at Christmas? Stay home. We traveled for every holiday when I was growing up and so now I stay home.

16.Can you name all of Santa’s Reindeer? Yep, but I have to sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in my head to do it.

17.   Angel or Star on the top of the tree? Neither, it's a glass tree topper from a local store

18. Open presents Christmas Eve or Morning? The kids can open one on Christmas Eve but everything else happens in the morning.

19. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Seeing Xmas stuff in October

20. Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees? Homey trees, handmade ornaments, stuff from my childhood, definitely homey

21. Gingerbread or Sugar Cookies? I like sugar cookies better and we make a gingerbread house.

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Fourth of July

Happy fourth of July to everyone in the U.S.A.

My family escaped to our property up in the mountains for the weekend.  Someday I hope to say we escaped to our 'cabin' up in the mountains but until that day comes it is just a piece of land an hour out of town with a lake close by.

Some friends came up to join us in a few nights of camping.  We did small hikes through the forest and around the lake, played games, ate, laughed, roasted marshmallows, told stories and just enjoyed getting away.

Each time we arrive and set up the kids look to make sure our face in the tree hasn't disappeared.

Now it's always fun for the kids if they get to 'help' make goodies to bring along.  I use the word help loosely because anyone who has done anything with a three year old and a five year old knows that they are anything but helpful :)  But in order to put on the good mommy hat I included them.  First sprinkles,

Then chocolate and pretzels....

a little dipping and voila.  Treats for all to share up in the woods.

 I do realize that red, white, and blue sprinkles would have been more appropriate but all I had were rainbow ones, what's a girl to do?  Now I am off to make snacks for a baseball game tonight and some fireworks to follow.   

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Belated Happy Easter

Happy Easter!  So we decorated eggs.....

Set the table for a fabulous Easter Sunday brunch with friends and family...

Endured a hilarious easter egg hunt complete with winter parkas and hurricane force winds (sorry no pics).  We finally come to my deadline Easter knitting for my babes.  Easter bunnies for my kiddos and a pink button accessory so my kids can tell the girl bunny from the boy bunny.

A purple jumper for her and a red hoodie for him.  It's a fantastic pattern with more clothes for the rabbits to wear.  I was informed by a certain five year old that they really need socks because their feet were going to get cold.  Oh and wouldn't it be fun if they had hats with holes for their ears.  Oh and mommy could you knit....   I'm sure you get the picture :)

I used this pattern, scrap yarn and had lots of fun.  Well I had fun once they were done and there were smiles and thanks from my kids.  During the actual knitting?  Umm....you might have been able to hear a few naughty words from my bedroom late at night while I knitted as fast as my hands/abilities would allow to finish them.  Honestly it wasn't the knitting that was difficult it was the faces.  I don't even want to tell you  how many times I cut out wonky nose and mouth lines only to sew them back on just as wonky as they were the first time. 'Sigh', hopefully my embroidery skills will improve with time and practice.  Hope your week is going well!

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Valentine's party time

Valentine's day is upon us and it was time to get all the finishing touches on my daughter's valentines for her class.  After seeing this I decided to do a version of it for my daughter's friends.  We gathered our supplies of red fleece, thread, a heart pattern, needles, tissue paper and glitter glue.

Of course we were going to need some candy to fill up the little heart pouches.

After I cut out two heart shapes, our new budding resident seamstress stitched them together.  The pillow is on her lap to avoid poking herself when she pushes the needle through the heart. 

I know there would have been many tears of frustration if she tried to spell out each persons name.  The initials were our compromise.

We tucked candy into tissue paper where she used a marker to write a little message and her name and we tucked each paper pouch into the appropriate heart. 

I think they turned out really cute and she's excited to pass them out.  These would be great if you were hosting a party; they could serve as a place setting and a small gift.  Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!

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A little taste of the holidays in February

Each year on the day after Thanksgiving we scour the mountain for just the right tree. The menfolk cut it down and haul it back to the truck. We walk through the woods sometimes through snow, sometimes not.  Back at the trucks the trees are loaded in the back and our lunchtime picnics are pulled out. Hampers of food full of Thanksgiving leftovers and goodies baked for this day. A thermos for coffee and another of hot chocolate. Giggling, story telling, good food shared with friends and tree cutting. 

This weekend my husband surprised each of us with a special present. A reminder of that special day and the month of Christmas that follows.  Using  a saved portion of our Christmas tree trunk he....

Cut

Sanded

Drilled

And created pencil holders for all of us.

He sealed them with a clear sealant and used a sodering iron to put the date on the bottom.  Placed on our tables and desks we each now have a small reminder of our Christmas tree. 

And if you don't have any pencils that need to be stored then lollipops will do in a pinch :) 

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Halloween

I survived the sewing...

The kids had pumpkins to decorate.

Hers....

And his...

They had bags to collect their treats in. I made it the same as the bedtime bag but added some elastic at the top to help keep the candy inside. I let the kids pick out the fabric. Disney for him and purple sparkly bats for her.

And they had costumes to wear. You know how sometimes you see a pattern, or a fabric/yarn and it speaks to you. Jumps out and grabs you and you can't ignore it no matter what. Well the mermaid pattern really spoke to me....LOUDLY. Do you know what it said???

I hate you and I will thwart your every attempt to finish me. Note to self "You are not smarter than the pattern so don't skip any steps. They are there for a reason and if you leave them out you will just have to redo it" Ahh my love of sewing continues.....

Elmo and Ariel had fun though and I'm glad it's over for another year.

There was much celebrating. A lot of family and friends to walk around with to trick or treat and chili with some adult beverages awaited us at home when we were done. I'll be back in a couple of days with the November knit a long.

P.S. I'm done with knitting my clasica coat and just need to seam. Bring on the wine :)

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Seaming

I am not someone who sews very much. It isn't portable. My son cries when I start up my sewing machine. I hate the needles that invariably (no matter how meticulous I am) end up in the carpet. For some reason my husband doesn't want to watch a movie with me and my sewing machine running.

In my head though I am a master seamstress. I have a beautiful sewing room with lovely fabrics neatly stacked about and a wall full of quilts I have made. Ummm, I haven't ever made anything even close to a quilt, not even a quilted potholder, so you can see what a pipe dream this is. Anyway, when I knit I don't want to sew. I only sew Halloween costumes and tote bags and things that are little. When I knit, I want to knit, not sew. Why is it that I chose this as my Christmas knit for my kids? Am I a crazy person.... Yes he is adorable and yes he would look so cute under the Christmas tree. But come one....look at all these pieces. The cute little head is three pieces, the ears are four and then I have to sew on buttons for eyes and embroider the nose, that is just for the head. Thank goodness I started up now because it might take me the next four months just to sew the darn thing.

*most of the pieces for one bear*

I tried early this morning to seam up the first bear (because I have two kids and of course I have to make two bears) and well I didn't get far. The pieces are now sitting in time out in my office hidden away from little eyes until this evening when I am hoping a glass of wine will help me with the seaming....I'll let you know.

Hope your Christmas knitting is coming along better.

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Christmas in August

So we finished July and I didn't finish my shawl. I'll be honest....I never even started my shawl. Never fear there is a freebie month thrown in and I can finish it then, you'll see why when we get to it. Anyway let's move on to August shall we? For August it is all about Christmas knitting. In The Almanac Ms. Zimmerman is knitting things to do with Christmas. I think this month should be things for Christmas like stockings and such and also maybe some presents that you might want to make for someone else. Wouldn't it be nice to have those Christmas knits all done before the holiday season really gets underway? For presents usually it is something small like mitts and hats. Here is my May post with some mitt pattern links. Here is June with some hat pattern links. Now here are some more links for fun Christmas knits.

Celestine tree topper. Silent Night tree skirt. Lattice stocking. These adorable trio of snowmen. Another stocking. This oven mitt and potholder pattern could be knit in red, white, and green to give as a gift or to spruce up your own holiday kitchen. A holiday caplette for a small child. Holiday napkin rings. A globe ornament. A snowflake ornament. A pointsettia ornament. How about a knitted Father Christmas. I made this advent calendar last year. And last but not least if you are completely stuck for inspiration and don't mind spending a few dollars I highly recommend this book.

If you are stuck for time a tree ornament is always nice. My mother has always tied an ornament for each of us on one present every year. One of those little ornaments won't take much time or even yarn and they can add so much to a gift!

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Knitting as a diversionary tactic

One more little piece of Easter and then we will move on. My mother-in-law made these little nests with my daughter for our brunch. How cute are they? 2 cups of butterscotch chips melted with 1 cup of peanut butter. Mix melted mix with 2 cups of crisyp noodles. Scoop onto parchment paper and use the spoon to hollow out your "nest". Fill with malted eggs and voila....cute and delicous! They also made some with chocolate chips instead of butterscotch chips. Easy, cute, and fun! Next year make some.

I lied....one more thing. You couldn't have possibly thought that I would let a holiday go by and not make another house. We have them at Christmas, and Halloween so of course we had an easter house.

Now, we all know how knitting can fill so many categories depending on what you need. Creative? Check. Meditative? Check. A great way to watch TV at night and still fill productive? Check. Showing love for the people around you? Check. But have any of you used it as a diversionary tactic? I just came off of a fun holiday weekend but as with most holidays it was full of family. Not just my own family of origin but in-laws as well. Now I'm not here to tell any tales but I have to say I used my knitting. Shamelessly even.

Friday night after the kids were in bed the wine started flowing and sometimes conversations took an uncomfortable turn. No yelling, or raised voices.....just conversations that I didn't' want to participate in. Can I tell you that never in my life has stockinette stitch and weaving in ends required more attention. Thank goodness no one around me knew how to knit so I had no fear of being caught. As conversations took a turn here or there I just buried my head in my knitting and offered noncommittal mmhmm's occasionally and "Oh I didn't hear you I have to really concentrate on this part." This technique has earned me many a free pass out of situations/conversations I have no interest in being a part of it. One more reason to love knitting!

Hope you all had a fantastic Easter weekend and I have some finished pieces to show off this week. The weather is supposed to cooperate today (with snow by Wednesday) so I'm off to bribe my little red-haired girl with jelly beans to do a photoshoot.

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Scones & Egg Cozies

Weekend Knitting was the first grown-up knitting book I purchased. One of the patterns inside is the sweater egg cozies. The pattern has a caption discussing how fun it would be to serve house guests their hard-boiled eggs with these sweater cozies. I have to admit I found the whole idea a bit ridiculous but with Easter here I found myself casting on...


These little sweaters are going to hug a few hard boiled eggs on our table this year. We have a big Easter Brunch every year at my house and it is typically a movable feast. Family and close friends start trickling in mid-morning for good food, coffee, eggs, and way too much chocolate. I had debated about embroidering initials on them and using them as place settings but didn't have the time so they will just be a fun hand knit decoration.


This year we have close to twenty people and while a gathering of this size is fun for everyone it can be a little tricky with the planning of food. Of course everyone brings something but there still seems like a lot of cooking goes on. I try to makes things ahead of time and I thought I'd share something we love to eat for brunch (but only on special occasions because it is definitely not in the healthy category). I like to make scones and the whole family loves these maple scones from the Barefoot Contessa especially. Now I'm not sure if this is going to be new information for anyone or if I'm a little bit late to the party but here it goes :). I make these scones usually on Wednesday or Thursday before Easter (hopefully this afternoon I'll get to them). I don't cook them mind you I just mix and roll and cut and then place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet, cover in plastic, and into the fridge they go. I cook them straight from the fridge Easter morning and they are delicious!

I sometimes will also place the cookie sheet in the freezer (uncooked) and when they are mostly frozen I put them in zip lock bags and then put the bags in the freezer. When I want just one or two scones then I pull one out of the freezer and pop straight into the oven (add a little bit longer to cook time). This is a great way to enjoy scones whenever you want or if your family is like mine, and somebody pops in on a Sunday morning and you want to serve them a treat with their coffee.

Do any of you have any helpful recipes or tips for a crowd? Happy Easter!

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