Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Mr. Greenjeans AKA Sophia Smith Finished!


Finished! Except for a button.  The knitting is done, I've blocked the sweater and now I need a button.  A big button.  I took a picture with it "buttoned" with a large pin, but I'm having trouble uploading the sharper picture.  This picture with me in the mirror is a bit blurry. 

The pattern is Mr. Greenjeans from Knitty.   Click to find the link.  The hand dyed yarn is named Sophia Smith... so this sweater is a hybrid.  I did lengthen the sleeves and the body a bit.
While knitting this sweater I thought it would be too short.  It grew during blocking.

I bought an extra hank of yarn just in case, but I used all but a few yards of 4 hanks, so I didn't need the fifth.  I'll have to find something wonderful to make with it.

I was going to have someone take a photo of me wearing the sweater at Odd Tuesday knit/spin night this evening, but it looks like I will be alone if I go to the bookstore.  Everyone is either sick or busy with Turkey day prep.

I have an friend who is trying to learn to knit.  Unfortunately we live several hours away from each other.  She went to a knitting club last night for a lesson.  The woman teaching was frustrated.  My friend was the only adult there to learn, everyone else was between the ages of 12 and 15.  IT was Not a good experience for her.  I understand the teens being pleased with themselves for getting it quicker than an adult, but If the person teaching can't be helpful, well... why teach?  

If anyone has any online video's that they think would help please post them in my comments and I'll be sure to let Michelle know the sites.  She really wants to learn and would like to knit for charity too!  She is refusing to give up, but help would be appreciated.

TIA
Viki


Saturday, November 22, 2008

SNOW!




So it isn't a lot of snow, but we have had snow 3 times in the past week.  I tried to get a shot of where you can really see it coming down, but the snow was hard to see.  The little white flakes just didn't show up.  So I settled for the little bit on the chair on the front porch.

This is quite early for snow here in Kentucky.  

Have you noticed that November cold is harder to get used to... it is really a transition month here in KY.  By January I'll be a bit more used to the cold and it wont bother me as much.  One thing I am thankful for is the remote starter on my car.  I can sit in the warmth sipping my coffee and turn the car on to defrost.

Of course this is the car that is in the shop.  I thought dealerships were supposed to be able to hook up a computer to find out what the flashing "service engine soon!" light is talking about.
Evidently it isn't that easy.

Viki 




Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Apple cake


The other day I made an apple cake.  
I used to make this cake on Halloween when the kids were little.
They'd eat cake while we checked out the candy in their bags to make sure it was safe.  

I was a little late this year.

The recipe comes from a House of White Birches booklet from 1991.
Title is Cooking with Apples.

I've tried several of the recipes but the one I'm giving you now uses the most apple and that is important when you have lots of apples that aren't at their best and need to be used not thrown away.

It is called Cinnamon Apple Cake and the person who sent the recipe in to White Birches is Sheryle Rolfe of Neb.

It is a very moist cake and gets more moist the longer it sits.

Cinnamon Apple Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt 
2 eggs
1 cup oil
1 t. vanilla
4 cups chopped apples
1/2 cup nuts (optional)  I use pecans Sheryle calls for walnuts.

Mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon, soda and salt.
Beat eggs and oil until light and foamy.  Add Vanilla.
Gradually blend in dry ingredients.(I do this by hand)
  The batter will be extremely thick.
Stir in apples and nuts.
Pour batter into greased 13x9 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees
for 1 hour or until done.  Cool in pan.

This cake has never taken an hour to cook in my oven.
more like 35 minutes, so check it with a toothpick at about 30 minutes and every few there after until done to your liking.

I usually use a bit more than 4 cups.
I have a 6 cup pitcher and I peel and core the apples and chop them into pieces(not slices)
into the pitcher until it hits about 4 1/2 or so.

Enjoy!

Viki

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

"It's been a hard days night"


Wow!
What a Week so far.
Last Thursday we started the destruction and reconstruction of the bathrooms.  Not pretty... yet.
Then on Friday afternoon I got a migraine.  I went to bed at 4 in the afternoon and pretty much didn't get out except to go to the bathroom.  Evidently I had a virus on top of the migraine.  If there had been food in my stomach it would have been worse.  Sunday I was actually able to get out of bed and eat again.  Not a great way to loose weight.

This meant I missed my Mom's birthday on Saturday.  Dave and the girls and Jordan's fiancee Chris went over to celebrate with her, but not out to dinner.  I told her we still owe her a birthday dinner.  Mariah was official photographer while I was sick.

Monday the guys came to work on the bathrooms.
The hall bathroom was demolished.  The awful tub is gone and it died a horrible death being hacked to bits.  The new tub looks great. 
 
Tuesday morning I woke up to Mariah running through my room to the half bath to get sick.
So she was off school again.

Tuesday evening was Odd Tuesday at B&N where I get together with knitting/spinning friends.
It was lots of fun, wish we all lived closer so we could get together more often. 
 
When I got home Mariah was already in bed and Dave said she still hadn't eaten anything.
Which means she is home today too.

The "worker guys" were almost afraid to come to work, no one wants to get sick, but she hasn't thrown up since yesterday afternoon and there is banging and clanging in the hall bathroom so work is progressing.

With all the illness and construction, I haven't gotten to the store and I'm a bit worried about dinner, but not much.  I just wonder if there is something we can carry out that Mariah could stomach.  I take after my dad and Always want something spicy after a stomach bug.  Perhaps chicken soup would be a better option for Mariah.  Costco deli has a chicken soup that is almost homemade, Really worth $10.

What have I been up to while the "Worker guys" have been here?
Well I've printed out and cut some of the print outs for the Jessica Sprague Stories in Hand class I'm doing on line.  I've spent a lot of time looking for things that I've put somewhere safe and can't find too.  I'm now almost out of light colored card stock and have resorted to going through the free samples of paper Dave got from someone online a few years ago.
Oh and Knitting.  Anita doesn't think I'm fast enough at knitting.

Next: Lunch for the sick one and rushing to Mom's to give her dog Sasha her meds.

Viki
the picture at the top is Mom on her birthday.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

pretty Random today

This bare corner of the room is not filled with a dog and a child today, but with the contents of my closet.  
It has already been a long day.
I woke up at 4 this morning sneezing my head off and blowing my nose.
Allergies.
I probably raised too much dust yesterday evening when I was totally clearing out the small half bathroom.  It has a full sized closet.  I found evidence that at one point my oldest "liked" my youngest.  I read the "book" to Jordan over the phone.  She laughed and said "this I've got to see!"

Anyway, the guys scraping and redoing my bathrooms are supposed to start today.
It is almost 10:00 and they haven't shown up, but I called they are on the way.  I'm waiting for the dog to bark to let me know they have arrived.

I've already done dishes, vacuumed the whole house and washed the kitchen floor.

I plan on watching some tutorials on the mac today.  I want to learn how to get more than one picture on a contact sheet.  Is there anyway to print a photo smaller than 4x6?  I don't know if I can justify spending all that money to buy photoshop, does the mac version do as much?

I stopped by the dollar tree yesterday.  6 ring journal measuring 6x6, some really cool Christmas cards and a mini kit.  Pretty good.

I knit on my "Greenjeans" cardigan last night.  Only 2 inches or so until the body is done and I can do the sleeves.  

No Anita the FLAK isn't finished.  4 inches on the body to go.  

Viki

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

December Daily album/journal/minibook



A few weeks ago I was visiting blogs I like and ran across Ali Edwards talking about making a small Album that was part Journal, part photo album and all about life.  I was smitten.
so I gathered all my Holiday themed paper and old cards, hate to say it but I even shopped for some papers.
I made a 6x6 inch book to journal in the month of December.  A lot happens in December and the hope is that if the book is already made you will actually use it.  
I will probably add some more embellishments to the pages and may even add more pages during December.
There is even a flickr group where people are posting pictures of their little books.
I only put 3 pictures on the group, but if you click on cobweb1st under the pictures you can see every page on my flickr.

Viki

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

VOTE!

It is Election Day here in the USA.
No matter who you want to win, 
Exercise your constitutional rights,
Get out and VOTE!

So I took my mother to the polls and we voted.
It wasn't crowded at 9:30.  We planned on getting there after rush hour so we wouldn't have to wait.  However, I didn't expect to just be able to walk in and vote.  I took a sock along to knit of in case I had to wait.  There was no wait.

Dave voted at around 6 this morning and for the first time EVER he had to stand in line for 20 minutes.

The rest of the day... well, Mariah has been off school for a week now, between being sick and the schools were closed yesterday and today.
I think we'll go to the grocery for milk, bread and lunch.
I'm stewing chicken for soup for dinner.  Dave is on call, so don't know when he'll get home.
The rest of the time I'll work on my December Daily and clear my clothes out of the master bathroom closet, as they are going to start tearing it apart on Thursday! Yea!

Viki
p.s. A HUGE Thank you to everyone who commented on the dream about my father.
He would have been out early to vote today.  Believe it.


Sunday, November 02, 2008

Remembering...


Today is a day for remembering loved ones who have passed away.
Remembering the joyful times, the positive times what made these souls special.

Today I will be remembering.
As I cook and knit and read and craft, I will be thinking of those special ones.
Dad, Mary, Grandma Beulah, Grandmother Clara, Uncle Kenny, and even Chutney and Lancer and Tinker.

A memory, a dream.  After my Dad died I had a dream of him. 
 We were in an airport, it was quite warm but Dad was wearing my favorite Marlboro man jacket, My feet hurt, I was in old tennis shoes(blue chucks), I was searching, frantic, afraid I'd miss my flight.  I saw my Dad and I ran to him to give him a hug and he hugged me back and I could smell his special Dad smell.  He said to me, "it's okay, I'm alright."  He told me goodbye and I got on my plane. 

I rarely fly.
I don't wear chucks anymore.
I could smell him.
I could feel his hug and the leather of the jacket.
It was so very Real.

If you want to see how others are honoring their family go to Dia de Bloglandia to start your adventure.

The card above is my representation of a candy skull.
I really wanted to join in on the festivities of Dia de Bloglandia but couldn't get a post ready in time.  

Take time today to remember.

Viki

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Hope



Hope Everyone had a "Joyful" Halloween!

We did.
IT was a busy and even Exciting day!

Halloween is one of my favorite times of the year.
I went to Archivers to buy some Christmas paper for a daily journal/album for December. (ala Ali Edwards For even more pictures there is of course a Flickr group)
BUT
Everything Halloween was at least 25% off.  I had a hard time not filling up my basket.
I did pretty good.  I used my 30% off coupon on a book.

Then I went to Whole Foods for pumpkin beer.
Tis the season and I wanted to try it.

After Lunch Jordan and her "boyfriend" came over.  It was their 2 year anniversary.  Yes they started dating on Halloween.
So
He 
Proposed
on 
Halloween 
too.

They came over to show off her ring.
I don't know when I've seen her so happy!
(She still wont let me take pictures of her though...grr)

Then I cleaned the guts out of the white pumpkin and got out the power drill and drilled holes in it.  We called it the Holy Pumpkin, not the Great Pumpkin.  It did look nice shining out last night.

While I made dinner, Mariah got ready to give out candy.  We made her into Abby from NCIS, with black clothing, black fingernail polish, eyeliner and bright lipstick(it looked way better than the black lipstick).  Not as many tats though.  We even had a microscope for a prop.  She wants to do it again next year but says we need to set up a lab on the front porch.  My little "goth" geek.  By 10 pm she had finished Unit 3 on the online Geometry course.  It took her less than two days for that whole unit.  One more unit to complete before she can take the final.

After DH finally got home from work and we ate the wonderful white bean sausage and kale stew I made, DD1 came back over to show Daddy her ring.

What a day.

The dog went nuts over trick or treating children...he only scared 2 very small ones.  He is quite large and I heard little screams.  DD2 chased them down with candy and apologized to their parents.  

What a day!

Viki

p.s. pumpkin beer is okay, not great but okay.