Happy New Year chocolate cake

A friend of mine gave me a beautiful Christmas present: a cookbook called "Jam and Honey" by Hannah Queen. Here's her blog. The pictures are gorgeous and the recipes look enticing. I thought it would be fun to welcome the New Year by inviting chocolate cake into my home, so I made the dark chocolate flourless cake with pomegranate ganashe from my new book. I love a rich flourless chocolate cake. They are so decadent and seem so fancy even though they are fairly simple to make. In fact, the part of this recipe that took the longest time was the harvesting of the pomegranate seeds and making the juice. Otherwise, it was a piece of cake, so to speak. 

Little jewels. I decided the most effective way to squeeze juice out of these jewels would be to use my food mill. It worked quite well. I squeezed the pulp with my hands too which yielded a bit more juice. 

 Here is the cake fresh out of the oven.

The pomegranates burst as you chew, which is fun and delicious. 

On a knitting note, I finished a baby blanket. I love knitting blankets in the round. You can use the blanket as a pouch to hold the yarn! 

It's fun when the stitches are all smooshed up on the needles and when you cast off they are freed to be the blanket they were meant to be. 

Fresh off the needles and blocking. 

I used Bernat "softee baby cotton" yarn and the pattern I made up as I went along. 

Happy New Year! 

From one hat to another

I was searching for the perfect yarn to use for a Christmas present when I found it-in my finished hats bin, knitted up into a hat already. I love knitting hats and creating experimental patterns. I knitted this hat with a tube on top. It reminded me of the Snorks, rememer those?

Anyway, it was a failed hat to be honest; too big for a small person, and probably too crazy for most big people. I decided to turn it into a different and more successful hat.

There are times, when reusing yarn, in which one would unravel the project, rewind it into a skein, wash it, dry it, and wind it into a ball to be used again. This was not one of those times. I just knit one hat straight into another. This was Christmas knitting after all, time is too precious when knitting holiday gifts.

I wanted to make stripes so I found a contrasting yarn in the recipient's favorite color and of I went.

 And done. I had previously knitted a child sized scarf with the same yarn so it was a perfect gift set! 

Happy Christmas to those who celebrate. Bring on the season of light!

Christmas Mania

During the year I knit things here and there and think, "I could give that to someone for Christmas." It's not well thought out, it's just kind of vague. Then the Christmas season comes and I freak out. "I need to make 5 hats, three pairs of socks, four pairs of mittens, what's the best yarn for this children's project? What is this person's favorite color?" etc.  I have to get specific so I start stash diving for the perfect yarn for each project. Of course, none of the yarns I come up with are quite right, or I get distracted and see all my beautiful yarn and all it's potential and I cast on a bunch of non-christmas projects, and before I know it, I'm up to my ears in projects. That's when I have to give myself a talking to and get with the Christmas knitting program. So here's where I am now:

Two right mittens. (I could blame this on that I have a toddler, but let's face it, I probably would have made this mistake at any point in my knitting life).

Two baby mittens which I'm trying to knit at the same time so it gives me the illusion of going faster. 

A half knitted toy, also, I freaked out and cast on a pair of socks for no one in particular, as well as a lace weight shawl. I have three hats done but I 

still need to start one more. We'll see what happens. There's still time.

On an arts note, I watched the film "YARN" written by Krishan Arora and directed by Heather Millard, Una Lorenzen, and Þórdur Bragi Jónsson. It features quotes written and read by Barbara Kingsolver which were lovely and poetic. It focuses on four artistic perspectives. I found it interesting that crochet was the focus of three out of the four artists. Crochet is often overshadowed by knitting. But these women brought to light some ways in which crochet is strong and well suited for certain projects. It was a film worth watching. It was thought provoking for me. I loved watching the artistic thought behind the nets which were created for children to play on. There is a rebellious thread running through the film which I also appreciate, and the subject matter is well suited to the fluidity of film.

Well, I had better post this before days go by. Back to the Christmas knitting!

Let's Begin Again

Well, it's been a few years since my last post. I've hemmed and hawed about deleting my blog, the blogosphere is so saturated now. Do I have anything to contribute? And I'm kind of a private person, so I had to think about it for a while. Ultimately, I need to practice writing or I will forget all the beautiful vocabulary words I have learned over my lifetime like denouement and languor. And there is a difference when people can actually read your work. It creates a sort of accountability.

Making and crafting will still be a main focus but there will be other life reflections too. Not to get all profound or anything, but just to notice things out loud. 
In the creative realm since I last wrote, I There are so many topics i could have been writing about; like learning to knit, crafting mistakes, grieving and making, screen printing, candle making, humming bird battles, weaving, plus all the inspiring makers I have come across over the past few years. So, I will write up some flashback posts as well as some current event posts and see where that leads me.

Picture Frames Mural

This is another work related craft. It could be cute in someone's home as well! I use it to post the children's art. I just painted the frames directly onto the wall with acrylic paint. You can't really tell in this picture but I mixed silver into the black so it wouldn't be so stark.

This is one of my favorite things ever. I had to kind of walk on the construction area to get the picture and the next day it was gone. Good thing I snapped a picture!

Origami Cows 1-6

This is work related crafting. First, I folded origami cows and then I contact papered them to the wall so the children could see and touch them, but could not rip them off as children are so inclined to do. We have fun counting the cows and mooing!

Dr. Quinn's Shawl

The word crochet for you may bring up images of Grandmas and Great Aunts making doilies that go on the top of every piece of furniture. But though this may have been true, crochet has come a long way. Crocheted items pop up every where. I was watching "Nine To Five" the other day during the party scene at Doralee's house (Dolly Parton) and there is a cool retro crocheted daisy blanket on the back of the couch. And check out my blog post "Lil Mama's Hat," (feb 2010), now that is hip crochet. Oh, and if you ever watch "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," there are crocheted shawls everywhere. Shawls never go out of style do they?



Classic Dr. Quinn expression.



Then,

 I'll admit, I watched Project Runway this year and I was looking at http://www.zeitgeistudios.com/ which Gretchen Jones collaborates with. I found a cool crocheted dress (technically hairpin lace) that she recomends posted today for outfits to wear this week or even next. Who knows?




Now.
http://www.zeitgeistudios.com/category/fashion/

 

 There will always be a place in the world for crochet and don't think I won't be looking

 and telling you about it!

Peter Piper's Invited

So, I follow in pioneer footsteps even now when I could just go to the store. The best part is that I won't starve if I don't can my cucumbers. And there were a lot of them in my garden this year. Lemon cucumbers to be exact, which don't taste lemony, but look like lemons.

I looked for a pickle recipe specifically for them and found one at the Jillicious blog: http://jilliciousdiscoveries.blogspot.com/search/label/pickles 

That's where you can find how to pickle your own. Thanks Jill!



Sterilize!




Cook.





Wait.

 So I made her bread and butter pickle recipe and her quick pickle recipe, (and took pics in the style of Jillicious), and then decided to pickle some jalapenos too; which did all right this summer in the garden despite the short amount of warm weather. And some carrots -- I put the carrots in the leftover pepper juice so they will be spicy too! Jill's quick pickle recipe turned out yummy and fresh. I haven't tried the processed veggies yet because they are still in the waiting stages. Anyone can do quick pickles for a potluck. They don't take long and they go great as a fresh side or mixed in a salad.




Quick Pickles



Spicy!



Zips and Haberdashery

I recently traveled to England. While I was in York, I came across a shop called "Duttons for Buttons: zips and haberdashery." Of course I went in and oh, the buttons! There was a whole wall of them. I could have browsed all afternoon in the buttons. I finally picked some  white and transparent buttons, and payed for them. The young lady at the checkout told me that the ceiling upstairs was really cool. All the old buildings in York (and much of England) have exposed beam ceilings. Many of the buildings in this part of York are from the 13th and 14th centuries and have lots of character. So, I went up the first narrow flight of stairs, and there was more haberdashery! Incidentally, I looked up the word haberdashery and the dictionary said: "Goods sold by a haberdasher." Um, right. So:

Haberdasher: 1. British: a dealer in notions. 2. a dealer in men's clothing and accessories.

Ok, cool. A dealer in notions, I like that. If I could be a dealer in notions from my mind, I could really get somewhere. Anyway, I went up the second narrow flight of stairs and there was more haberdashery, and zips of course, and the ceiling, which was amazing.

Even though I had paid for my buttons, I found a cross stitch project that I liked, so I paid for that, as well as a cross stitch project for my Mother-in-law who also likes to cross stitch. I was really excited to get this project started and I did today! I will update my progress on the project and as the days pass, the suspense will build, and when I am done you will be able to see the final picture!

In the Heat of the Night

This entry is in honor of my friend who almost burned her apartment down trying to be crafty. For this I give her a Crafty Badge of Bravery.

How to make candles out of the wax from your old candles:

Step One:
Go to the thrift-store and purchase an old saucpan that you will use only for crafting. Go to a craft store and buy candle wicks.

Step Two:
At home, make a double boiler by filling a slightly bigger saucepan about one-third of the way with water. Bring this water to a simmer. Collect your candle wax. If there are huge chunks, break them into smaller ones to speed up the melting process. Place them into the thrift-store pan. Place your thrift-store pan into the simmering water. Keep the heat on medium-low to low. This will gently melt your wax. Swirling is the best way to mix it. That way you don't have to get a utensil all waxy.

Step Three:
Here you can either begin the lengthy process of dipping your wick into the wax repeatedly to make a dipped candle, or you can pour it into a mold like a small milk carton (the kind from lunch in grade school). If you pour it into a mold, make sure you tie your wick to a pen or pencil and place it on top of the mold to that it hangs down into the mold. Then carefully pour your wax in. Leave your wick tied to the pencil until the wax has hardened. If you make a dipped candle, tie the wick to a wooden spoon or the like, dip your wick into the wax letting it harden between each dipping. Keep adding layers until the candle is the desired thickness. Hang it up to dry.

Step Four:
When you are quite sure that your candle has completly hardened, you may remove the candle from the mold and trim the wick. Or for a dipped candle, trim the bottom so that it fits into your candle holder.

Step Five:
An easy way to clean up the wax from the pan is to stick it in the freezer for a while. Then take it out and chip the wax out and into the trash bin.

That's the basics. You can do it!

The life of a square

I finished a pillow that was a gift for my Aunt Sally! I will always associate rust orange with Sally. If you see the posting from January, you can see the kind of square that I used for the pillow. I made eight of them and then sewed them together. I made a green fabric pillow just smaller than the crocheted one and stuffed it. Then I placed the green one inside the orange and blue one and fastened the edge. She liked it.

Still Life With Beer

Last October I went to a truly authentic Octoberfest celebration. It was a hoot. There was even a horn blowing contest. You know--the huge horns as long as a giraffe neck. This painting is inspired by that, and summer of course. Summer, when I am so thirsty for beer; as opposed to October when I feel like I'm guzzling it down to store up fat for the winter, which I do quite effectively. Yum.

Summer also reminds me of painting, which is fun to do outside on my back patio while listening to music.  

Cupcakes Are So In Right Now

Cupcakes, the confident offspring of cake, are popping up everywhere these days. Decadent little things, I thought they deserved an homage in the form of yarn, so I made a few for my little three month old friend who will enjoy pretending to eat them when she gets a little older.

Full of Beans

It's Spring and my attentions have turned to gardening. Am I allowed to write about gardening on my crafting blog? I think so. It feeds the same part of my brain and soul. I planted some fava beans this fall that survived the Winter and are flowering now. Nerdy facts alert! Nerdy facts alert! Fava beans are also known as broad beans, horse beans, windsor beans, and pigeon beans and they are one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. Fava beans are legumes and cousins to peas. They help to fix the nitrogen in my garden soil. I am excited to eat them when they are ready!

Heart Murmur

This is my latest fun creation. Here’s the story of how I got the heart. I went to this small, dark and crowded antique store that I always pass by on my way home from work. The building looks somewhat anteekie itself, chipping paint and a battered grand piano on top of the roof. The shop was full of furniture and glass vases, statuettes in cabinets, and lots of paintings, a jungle of a store really. The man who runs it likes to talk politics. He was a real character. He started talking to me while I was walking around the store. At first I thought he was talking to someone else but I was the only one in there. So, I came back and listened to what he had to say. I tend to automatically use my listening skills to their fullest extent, so he had my full attention, until I thought to myself that this could last a long time; he does NOT like republicans, to put it lightly. So, I listened and walked around at the same time, occasionally answering with a “Wow” or a “Yeah – it’s crazy out there.”

Then another woman came into the store. While he welcomed her into the store, I made a break for the back where I found an assortment of junk jewelry and modern pierced earrings. Then I spotted this tarnished heart on a tarnished chain. I thought it would clean up well so I brought it to the front and asked if I could have the heart but not the chain. This threw the guy off a little bit, but we came to a price and I was off to a new project! Time spent shopping: 15 minutes. Time spent listening to shopkeeper: 20 minutes.

To make this necklace I just put some rings together to make a chain, long enough to put over my head without a clasp. I thought the circle rings would complement the circle in the heart. I like how it turned out. It is a great piece for layering with other metal necklaces. That is the current fashion after all!

The Softer Side of Taxidermy

Wow! This is some amazing crochet art! http://www.shaunarichardson.com
My friend Ashlie pointed this out to me. If you click on the "studio" tab you can see some of her finished animals, including this lifesize lioness. I am impressed not only by the crocheting but by the vision of this artist. The song "Killing Me Softly" pops into my head. . .

Lil Mama's Hat

I was watching America's Best Dance Crew when I saw this wicked hat that Lil Mama was wearing. It's a mohawk hat. It's very inspiring. Cool crochet, represent. Y'all, this hat brings it.

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

With the holidays and all, I haven't written lately, so I thought I would post some stuff that I've been crafting recently. Remember "Walkmans?" Well, I joined the technological world of music and recieved an Ipod Nano for Christmas to replace my Walkman. Of course, I immediately thought "I need to make a case for this little thing!" Was I more excited about the prospect of making a case or getting an Ipod? I'm not sure. I dashed off a little purple cover, and I am sure I will make more considering the size of the player.

I found this chunky yarn and I couldn't help but make a pink and white scarf out of it. It reminds me of candy.

I also made a casual bag which is felted, wool and silk. I love felting because you have to wait for it. I put it in the washing machine and it is out of my hands. It turned out softer than I thought it would.

I crocheted this speckled hat in a way that makes it look knitted but is not. Tricky eh? I can only knit in a very primative way. Why do that when I can crochet?

Of course I always have five or six hundred projects going at the same time. One is the squares. You can see them here in different phases. A pillow is the goal; we will see. . . I will post it when I am done.

There you go. I have yet to figure out how to work out and craft at the same time, but I am sure there will be a way in the future. Look at what happened with music!