Knitting Project No. 2

As promised, here is Knitting Project No. 2.

I made this sweater for my great-nephew, Maddox.  He was due right around now, but he came along six weeks early on December 3. Of course, I was sick for most of December so I couldn't go see him. I also couldn't finish the sweater and being the procrastinator I am and thinking I had six more weeks to work on it I didn't have it done before he arrived. Now it is nearly completed. I just need to sew on some snaps and I maybe some buttons to make it look good on the front. The pattern calls for ties, but I'm a freak about ties on baby clothes. Better safe than sorry. If my niece will allow, I will post a photo of the sweater with the baby in it. ;)

I am especially proud of this because I never made a sweater before, and I rarely finish a project at all. Also, I thought my mother would be proud that I actually, finally, got the hang of it after years of sitting next to her on the couch trying to knit. Eventually I would hand my project over to her to fix it or go back three rows to pick up 5 dropped stitches, finish an area of it or loosen my stitches that were so tight you couldn't even get the needle into them. But I never finished anything. In fact, I was up in a bedroom closet at my dad's house looking through all the yarn and I found a project I started at least 20 years ago. So funny. I also thought that if my mom were here she would be the one making a sweater for the baby, but since she's not, I will.

Here is a sweater my mom made for one of my brother's twins. By the time I started having babies, my mom couldn't really knit any more. Thank God my sister-in-law thought enough to send me one since she knew I wouldn't have a sweater knit by my mom. I really love it, and hopefully one day, my girls can put it on their babies. But not for like, 15 or 20 years.


Since this post was supposed to be yesterdays, I will tell you what I did yesterday.
I made bread.

Last week I found a recipe online that was super easy, but it didn't really tell you how much water to use. It said to follow the yeast package, but that only called for 1/4 cup. Once I started mixing in all the other ingredients, it was dry. I baked it anyway and it came out fine but I was still concerned about it. So I went on the yeast website itself and found this recipe that called for 1 1/2 cups of water. It wound up making two loaves.

I usually use my breadmaker to mix the dough and then I knead it, let it rise, shape it and bake it  myself, but I have been wanting to do the whole process myself so I looked online for a recipe. I wish my grandma was around to ask if she ever made bread.

 

 

I made stuffed shells and this definitely went well with it.

Big V was very hungry after basketball practice. lol She almost couldn't wait.

Today we are using the second loaf for panini sandwiches and I am making French Onion soup as well. After I make it, I will post the recipe and a picture.

Enjoy your day!

Technical Difficulties

Please stand by!

I am having trouble uploading my photos so I am unable to complete my post.

Hopefully things will be fixed up tomorrow.

Sorry! :(

Busy Saturday

First off, I will show you my AWESOME bargain I picked up at an estate sale yesterday.

I am so excited, I got this working vintage fan for $5!!! Last year, Nic and I were at a sale and we saw one but I passed it up. I have regretted that ever since. So now I found another one! It is really cool. A nice addition to my shelf.

Today I am putting away all the Christmas decorations. I hate this task. The reason I hate this task is because I have no closet or storage space in this house. The only closet that is not in a bedroom is my front hall coat closet. All the Christmas decorations are stored in this space. Therefore, I have to take out every coat that anyone in this house owns, plus the vacuum cleaner, a huge case of cassette tapes (don't ask), a bed tray, tripod, etc, etc, etc, to get everything put away. Add to this the fact that my husband can't stand having the closet laying all over the foyer and the living room and you can see why I dislike it so much.

While I was pulling out boxes, I rediscovered this cool coffee maker that belonged to my parents when they got married. My dad said it was a wedding gift.

I was puzzled with how it worked, but a few months ago I caught a bit of a story on the Cooking Channel about coffee made with coffee makers similar to this, using the vacuum principal. I asked Ron to help me figure it out and since the closet was pulled apart anyway, we might as well use it to make some coffee. So, we looked up a Cona coffee maker online and we found out they are still making them. There was an explanation of how to brew the perfect cup of coffee.

Step 1. Put hot water in the bottom vessel and turn on the heating element.

Step 2. Put the glass stopper in the funnel and add ground coffee.

Step 3. As the water in the bottom bubbles, it travels up the funnel and into the coffee.

Step 4. Remove the heat source and watch the finished coffee travel back down into the bowl at the bottom.

It still was bubbling when it all finished.

They claim it makes the best tasting cup of coffee.

I have to say, it was really good, and I'm not a big coffee drinker. I'm a tea person, based on the fact that since I'm half British it's in my blood. Or is there a saying that British people don't have blood, it's tea in their veins? I'm not sure, maybe I made it up. lol

So, continuing the day...

...someone said, "let the dog out in the back to run around." He will remain nameless, but here's a hint, he's the only man in this house. I don't really let her do that too often because the yard can get very wet and soggy. So, as we were researching this coffee making process, we were not watching what the dog was doing. She was digging a hole in the yard.

She was covered in mud. And grass. She had the second bath in as many days. But now she's clean again, and whining to go back out to finish her work.

After all the excitement, I am going back to the ever-boring-and-annoying Christmas un-decorating.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

See you soon!

Linking up to Debbiedoos Newbie Party !

January Sunset

Today was back to warm here again, 50 degrees.

It was a good day for estate sales because it was dry. Always nice to not track snow and salt into someones house.

It's too dark now to take photos of my bargain, but I will post tomorrow.

I will instead post a photo of the most beautiful sunset tonight.

This is the start...

...this is the finish.

I love sunsets. They never cease to amaze me. It's like God's peace with the world at the end of the day. :)

Hope you have a nice sunset to look at today!

Knitting Project No. 1

Even though I was really sick before Christmas, I was trying to keep up with my knitting.

Here is a project I've been working on .

It's a seed stitch cowl, or infinity scarf. Only thing is, I am at the end of the skein and I'm thinking I may just stop here and sew it up and wear it as a neck warmer. It is so thick and warm and I have short hair so it would be just lovely to have it around my neck when I take my puppy out. Especially now since it's 7 degrees outside as I type this.

On the other hand, double of this would be even better for warmth, but might be too thick with my coat.

My husband bought me all kinds of warm layers to wear under jeans and sweaters when I walk Rory. It has been so nice and cozy and now the wind doesn't go straight through me. But my neck is another story. Maybe I'll stitch the cowl up with a different color yarn so if I want to take it apart and knit more I will be able to see the stitching and undo it.

I will show you the result, whatever I decide.

Have to run, Rory needs to go out again! ;)

Stay tuned for Knitting Project No. 2....

A New Year

I wish a hopeful and blesssed New Year to all of my readers and lookers. Thank you for any minute you have spent this past year stopping in here to visit.



Cold Winter Day

It's really chilly here today. Normally, this would not be noteworthy. This year, however, has been so unusually mild in Western New York that a really cold to the bone day is a surprise.

But it's nothing that a loaf of bread hot out of the oven and some pear butter won't cure.

Oh, and I almost forgot the Tillamook cheese (my little "slice" of Oregon right here in NY).

Hope you are keeping warm today. :)

Christmas Blessings

I hope everyone was able to have a peaceful Christmas. We were so blessed this year, as always.

We went to our favorite Christmas tree farm.

The girls wanted one of these little trees.

We brought our puppy with us too. I know, she doesn't even look like a puppy anymore.

All the newspapers and magazines said to "bring the outdoors in" for decorating this Christmas.

I made little wreaths out of pine boughs from my daddy's yard. My friend Nic and I made our pine cone swags last year. Mine fit perfectly on this nail.

I put a little "outdoors" on the kitchen table...

...on the kitchen window...

...in the dining room...

...and into the living room.

I'm so excited, I got a new iPad for Christmas from my hubby! I'm so glad we decided to cut back on spending this Christmas. He says that every year but he never cuts back.

The girls got all they hoped for and more. We ran around from house to house visiting and eating with relatives. You work on everything for a long time, and then it's over so quickly. Shopping, wrapping, making gifts, baking.

The only thing that's not over is all the sweets that have to be eaten. ;)

Hope you have a Happy and Blessed New Year!