Booties and Bangles

Yes sir, or ma'am! I am making baby booties. I know quite a few people who are expecting children soon so I found a quick and easy bootie pattern on SockPixie's blog. They are quite adorable aren't they? I am using some left over Artyarns yarn from the Clapotis I made my grandma two years ago. These ones will be pink. I hope at least one of these pregnant people has a girl! I bought some navy blue yarn and some light yellow yarn for all future baby booties. Then I don't have to worry about gender so much...

I also found out that Michael's is selling wood bangles. I went today and bought two. I really want to make these! If you're lucky enough to be on Ravelry already, here is the link.

Yeah... I'm On A Roll!

Well, I'm on a roll as far as baking and cooking are concerned. Minimal sewing, knitting, embroidery is going on at best.

I was able to hem a pair of Frankie B's that my honey bought me for Christmas/my birthday. They were about 5 inches too long. I wish I could stress to American clothing manufacturers that there are still short, skinny people in existence! Or maybe even just short people... I remember reading in the New York Times last year that many department stores are ridding their racks of their petite clothing lines. It isn't like it affects me that much as most petite clothes seem to be aimed towards the 50+ age groups. My complaints really don't go that far beyond the changing rooms anyway. Usually I just cuff my jeans, but these were definitely not cuffable, they were just too flared to be lazy.


I used the Blind Hem method as shown on BurdaStyle. I have actually used this method before, but I made the mistake of cutting the excess fabric off from the fold. DO NOT do that unless you serge or finish it somehow or your fabric will eventually unravel... Yep, I learned from my mistake, it's a good thing that they were a much cheaper pair of jeans than these ones.

That's all the sewing I have done, other than attempting to sew a curtain for my honey's house. But as I said before, I have been on a roll with the baking and the cooking! Yesterday I made Creme Brulee! Last time I attempted this, I undercooked it and burned the tops, I'm not sure how I did that. They came out nice this time around. I only wish I had a kitchen torch, but I will just caramelize some sugar on the stove for now. This was really fast and easy, I got this recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. I absolutely love this book, it's great for beginners and contains some timeless classics. Last night I was telling my mom how I can't wait to graduate to my Martha Stewart Living Cookbook. I know I have made many recipes from the magazine, but I feel intimidated by this 600+ page book! The recipes are also much more complicated than in my BHG Cookbook.


And just in case you are wondering... I ran out of ramekins and used an extra custard dish.

On to the next kitchen project... I made cheese souffle! It is really quite fast and easy. I had always wanted to make a souffle, but gave in to the horror stories about how they didn't rise or always burned. Well I don't know what I was so scared about!


I beat the eggs fluffy in my electric mixer and was able to fold the cheese batter into the fluff quite easily. This recipe is again, from my BHG Cookbook. I think chocolate souffle is next on my list.


This is the ooey gooey cheesy batter.


And the batter being folded into the egg whites.

I also made Texas Cake and steamed Orange Roughy with Tomato-pepper Butter and Avocado Salsa and Rice in the past two weeks. I don't have pictures of the fish, but the cake I do. It really doesn't look that appetizing to me but my dad requested, so I had to oblige!


I do want to say one more thing about sewing. I just bought the newest issue of SewStylish and it is quite wonderful! Please buy it if you have the chance. I think they are starting to dive into more creative and complicated sewing and pattern making issues in this magazine. There are quite a few articles on draping. I just need to either make myself a dress form or go buy one now. I can't wait to read this issue!


And just because... Here's Charlie!


One more thing...


I went to a Victorian Fair two weeks ago at the Homestead Museum in the City of Industry. My mom always has a table there selling her teabag folding. If you live in the Southern California area or are visiting, you should definitely check it out. I think the next one is in December. There are games for kids, an old fashioned baseball game, tours of the houses, workshops, flowers, food and best of all a Victorian Fashion Show! There are quite a few people walking around with authentic handmade Victorian Fashions. I only wish that I got a picture of one of the women... But I did get this picture of a restored bicycle!

Baking!

Since it was my honey's birthday on Earth Day, I decided that I would make him some yummy cupcakes. These cupcakes were made from scratch and were actually very quick and easy. The recipe came from the May 2008 issue of Food & Wine. This article addressed cupcakes in a mix and match manner. There were recipes for Golden Cake and Chocolate Cake as well as three different types of frostings; Buttercream, Chocolate and Marshmallow. With these different frostings there were quite a few different variations in which you can mix in different ingredients. I chose the Strawberry Shortcake variation, since my honey cannot resist strawberry shortcake. All I did was make the golden cake cupcakes, the buttercream frosting and mix in some strawberry jelly with the frosting and top the cupcakes with fresh sliced strawberries.




I actually learned a one new thing from this experience! You don't have to waste time slicing strawberries, you can just slice them with your egg slicer! I thank Martha Stewart for that tip. i must admit I didn't even know what an egg slicer was until about 3 months ago...


Since I felt like continuing in my baking mood I also decided to make Baby's Buttons over the weekend. This recipe came from the April 2008 issue of Food & Wine! Surprisingly, these were very fast and easy also! Honey ate these all by himself in about 3 days since I am not much of a sweets person. If you do somehow get a hold of this recipe, be careful, butter is the main ingredient!


So this is what I have been doing lately. The cupcakes helped to get my mind off of family tragedy that I mentioned in my previous post. Things are definitely adjusting without Barkley and Charlie is doing better. I have been taking him on a walk whenever I can, about every other day. He loves it, so that's good. We keep him inside for fear of the mountain lion coming back. My poor mom calls him Barkley though!

Bad News

I know that I have not posted in a while. I haven't had any time to do anything it seems... But tonight I decided that I need to post, whether it is craft/sewing/food related or not.

Yesterday I came home to some very terrible news. I walked into my parents' house happy, only to leave crying...

My brother and I were out for my boyfriend's 25th birthday dinner on Saturday night and my parents were out for my aunt's 50th birthday party. Well my brother and I did not come home that night, maybe for a good reason. My parents came home to find that one of our dogs, Barkley, was not at the back door. Charlie was acting strange and howling, I know Beagles are known for that, but he usually just barks.

Well my mom and dad went looking around the yard and my dad found him on the side all bloody, not breathing and paralyzed. All the little details aside, they took him to an emergency vet at 11PM at night and they had to put him down. They found a part of a cat claw in him and one of his legs was crushed and his spine snapped. His trachea had collapsed and he was breathing through a puncture in his throat.

He was attacked by a mountain lion. Oh the prices that you sometimes pay for living in a beautiful area near the mountains... Everyone misses him so much, we are thankful for having him as long as we did, 11 years. Barkley was a Jack Russell Terrier, and as you may or may not know they have quite the personalities, he did not put that fact to shame.


I think the one that is suffering the most from this is his brother Charlie, they did after all live with each other for 11 years. He whimpered all night last night and he just sits all mopey in his bed or crate. We have been taking him on walks to get his mind off of it, it works temporarily. Hopefully he will recover.

I do have some pictures of him and his favorite things...

Barkley and his infamous ball.

Keeping warm next to Charlie and my sewing.

Keeping warm in the sun.

Sitting with my dad on the coach, oh how he loved to be a lap dog!

Green Food... That's Not Exactly Irish

This weekend I didn't really get too much sewing done. I did some cutting for a pillow case but that's it as far as fabric is concerned.

I went to see a bunch of my friends from my university yesterday. It was one of their birthdays. It was so fun seeing everyone again. Those were definitely some of the best years I have had.

Today I made spaghetti for lunch for my mom and dad. Since I was cooking anyways, I made this wonderful spinach, cheese and onion pot pie. This recipe was so very quick and easy to make, and is so darned delicious! I recommend it to anyone that doesn't feel like preparing a full on meal for dinner. I made some minor changes. I used dry spices at the appropriate measurements and prepared the filling before I unwrapped the phyllo dough.

This recipe comes from the Chronicle Books Blog and was featured on the Craftzine blog on February 1, 2008. From what I understand, it is excerpted from Potpies by Elinor Klivans, I may have to buy this one!

The best thing about this recipe is that there is left over phyllo dough. I am making baklava tomorrow night!

I Did Some Sewing This Last Weekend

Yes I did! I sewed! Oh and even more sewing related... I went to the Quilt and Craft Fair that occurs bi-annually at our local L.A. County Fairplex! Sadly, I didn't buy anything... I did come out with some major sewing news though! But I think I will keep you in suspense for now and tell you later.

The fruits of my weekend sewing were major, well, for me. I made a pillow for my Honey's house. His roomie moved out and basically took most of the furniture because it was all his. It's a good thing that my dad likes to keep stuff we don't need anymore, because he gave our old couches to my honey for a hundred bucks! Ha ha... Anywho, I made this lovely matching pillow out of Alexander Henry fabric that I bought from Reprodepot ages ago. I used an iron-on transfer sheet that I have had in my stash for about 7 years now, and found an awesome picture online to print onto the iron-on transfer to use for the pillow. The pillow form is made entirely of bamboo and I found it on sale at JoAnn's.

Voila!


Yes, most people find it strange... (Like my boss.) But Honey loves it and I am making him another one with just the Tattoo fabric. I was thinking of looking for a similar looking picture of Edgar Allan Poe and making another portrait pillow, or maybe I should find one of a raven... Oh decisions, decisions! I LOVE this picture though. It's so old-fashioned and creepy looking. I also love how the skeleton reminds me of my most favorite historical figure... Napoleon Bonaparte.

Please don't mind the unfinished edge at the right, I will be patching that up tonight. Hopefully I can have pictures of the pillows in action soon!

And now for the great news! When I was at the Quilt and Craft Fair, my mom and I were looking at Singer Featherlite sewing machines from the 1930's and 1950's. They had this gorgeous re-furbished one from 1954 that was painted a sparkly cherry red with the gold pin striping painted on. But this one was $1200!!! Yeah I'll pass for now. I was looking at some of the original ones that were running from $200 to $500, all in working order, mind you. Then my mom says, "OH! Grandma still has hers from the 40's! I bet it's still sitting in her closet!" Well imagine my excitement when I heard this news! And me saying, "Mom! I've been sewing for how many years and you never told me this!!!" Of course she tells me, "Well, I just never thought of it." Silly mom. Silly mom, who took me around the state and country as a kid looking for antiques! And here we have a working antique in a closet. Geeze. So Mom is going to ask Grandma about it sometime this week and see if we can have it so I can take care of it, first and foremost, and use it! I am so excited, how wonderful it must be to use something that has been used by your grandmother, mother and aunt! Hopefully I can have some good news about this soon!

Enough yammering. Here are some other pictures I have of crafty items!

I made this one when I first started knitting and Honey liked it so much that he got it framed and now it's hanging in his bathroom. So sweet isn't he?


Here's a pic of my beret a bit shrunken and felted. It fits much nicer now.

Yummies!

So, I have begun knitting my Danica Scarf once again. I have found a bit of motivation after finishing my beret! And speaking of the beret, I shrunk it in the wash. It fits much nicer now.

I did some cooking this weekend. I made some ice cream for my dad. He has been bugging me for ice cream since he bought me an ice cream maker for Christmas, a la Homer Simpson and the bowling ball for Marge's birthday. He found the ice cream maker at Macy's and it just so conveniently fit onto my new KitchenAid mixer. Did I mention that I am not a big ice cream fan and that my dad always keeps about 3 different flavors stocked in the freezer? My dad is pretty funny!

Anyway, the recipe is called Raspberry Velvet Melange. It reminds me of a dessert that you would find at a nicer restaurant, like a chocolate velvet cake drizzled with raspberry sauce. The recipe is very simple and was very quick to make. I must admit, I had tons of fun using the ice cream maker attachment on my mixer. All I had to do was turn it on, add the batter and let it mix for about half an hour. I hope my dad likes it though, he's on a business trip to Sacramento and will not be home until this evening. My mom also made me promise that I make a batch of ice cream every weekend because she likes it so much. I'm guessing there won't be very much room in the freezer to store other food items in the near future.

I also made these Italian Pepperoni-Cheese Puffs. These are very yummy and went well with the spaghetti that I made for lunch today. I didn't have fresh parsley on hand so I used some dried basil and oregano instead. My mom liked them and wouldn't stop eating them! I had to put them away so they weren't just there for her to take.

For good measure, a picture of what's outside my kitchen window... Two old guys soaking up the sun, my Jack Russell Barkley and my Beagle Charley.

I did pretty well this weekend! My mom is really picky when it comes to my cooking and baking and usually doesn't like what I make... Hrmph! Well, I batted 2 for 2 this weekend! Now the next critic is my honey...

I finished something! WOO!

This is such an accomplishment for me, as I have so many started, unfinished projects... All project details are in my previous post.


I feel that it may be a little large. Hopefully I can try to shrink it, or something or that sort. Maybe I can find someone with a head that's larger than mine... Although, my head is pretty large.

I really love the way the dark blue came out. I recall some people complaining that the color changes in this yarn were few and far between. I understand why now!

By the way, this is my first project that I have knitted in the round on both circulars and double pointed needles.

Ohhh It's Been a Month!

Yes, so I haven't really been around... It is because I have been working a lot more now as well as attending a Chemistry class. I have decided to make the rest of a dress that I finished last year. Yeah, I know, not so surprising. I haven't really been doing any sewing lately, and every time I say I'm going to, well nothing happens!

I figure, if I already have this outfit half finished it won't be too hard to do the second half. I know... We'll see.

While looking for a fabric I know I bought for the tube dress for this outfit, I found some strange navy fabric. I think I remember buying it at JoAnn's, but I don't remember what I bought it for. I usually buy fabric with a pattern in mind and I don't have one for this one! I have resolved with myself that since I don't remember why I bought this fabric, that's enough for a while... This is really okay though... I am sure I can find a pattern that I can make with this fabric.


I have been knitting though! I am almost done with a beret knit on circular needles. I am making it out of Patons SWS in Natural Denim that I had left over from the Calorimetry that I knit in 2006. The beret pattern was featured in the LA Times Image section in January, I can't seem to find the pattern anymore. It is designed by Shannita Williams-Alleyne from A Mano Yarn Center in LA. Either way, I know that there are PLENTY of beret patterns out there right now.


Knitting in the round on circulars seems so much faster and easier. My dad bought me the Boye interchangeable needle set for my birthday in December. The great thing about it was that it was only $19.99 instead of $69.99. What a deal! If anyone has a Tuesday Morning in their area and would like a new set of interchangeables, I suggest you go there!

New Year, New Beginnings!

I know, my title is so clever. But it is the truth! I left my job, I worked at Kinko's and found a new one that is a little more better suited for me. I work for a small distribution company here in So Cal. I am now doing office work and keeping in contact with customers and whatnot. Oh and I never have time to just sit around, I am always doing something. I feel that I am more respected as an employee, in many ways... I am getting paid more for one, and I am working more hours. My boss is constantly asking me for my opinion on every aspect of the business and I am treated as an equal. It is very nice and refreshing. And best of all, I do not have to wear that stinkin' over sized uniform and I actually get the weekends off now!

I did love my previous job, it was fun and I worked with a lot of great people and I had a wonderful boss, but working for such a large corporation was not fun. I felt lost amongst the other thousands of employees that worked there.

Since I do have the weekends off now, I am super excited! This weekend my honey and I went out with our friends, drove out to LA and walked around UCLA, Olvera Street and ate beef French dip at Phillipe.

Today I've already started organizing my craft area in my room, and I set up my overlocker. I have been so scared to use it. Boy was that fear so unnecessary! It is so quiet and sturdy, I am so surprised! I can't wait to use it for one of my sewing projects!



In other news, it has been a month since I last posted. Christmas and New Year's (and my birthday) have come and gone once again... I wasn't able to finish that purse for my sister, I'm still working on it. I was actually working a lot during the break and I was sick. Blah... I wasn't able to make anything for Christmas as a matter of fact. The slippers, fix my dress, anything... How sad, I know... I do hope to have time to do all these things now that I do have the weekends. We'll see!

Now back to sewing... or cleaning. I'll leave you off with something my mommy got me for Christmas. It's a pincushion from Squirrel Momma on Etsy. I love it! It's super cute and well, I didn't have a pincushion.

Cooking/Baking Spree and My Winter Fashion Must-Haves

I have been doing a TON of research for some classic as well as new and interesting cookie recipes lately. I want to bake a plethora of cookies to give out this Holiday Season to co-workers, friends and family. I have found quite a few on the BHG website. Just warning you right now, until I find a better free recipe website and recipe storage system, I will always rave about BHG. I found some Honey-Ginger Bites, Raspberry Almond Meringues and will be making my mom's Melt In Your Mouth cookies. I also plan on making some Cranberry Apple Crush, which is pretty much cider. Tonight I will be making Minestrone soup, which I found in the (surprise!) Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. I will also be making Orange Yogurt Scones for my family on Christmas morning. I've been making this recipe since I was in middle school, it's an old one from Sunset Magazine.

In other cooking news, I have subscribed to Cook's Illustrated and should be getting a subscription to Gourmet. My brother also got Food & Wine! I just need to find the time to use all of these cooking magazines now!

As for my Winter Fashion Must-Haves... I have been hankering for some crocheted tights in a geometric pattern and for some patent leather wedges.

I did finally acquire both:


These are the shoes that I bought from Macy's. They are BCBGirls, which I absolutely adore already! I have another pair of lavender pumps from BCBGirls that are just so comfy!

Next:


Crocheted tights in a geometric print. I bought these from Joy of Socks and were quite cheap considering other crocheted tights are about $50+. These are called the Zurich Textured Tights.

I actually plan on wearing both of my Winter Must-Haves together with my Christmas dress.



I just need to add some more lining to it, as I mentioned previously, and I'm set to go!

Now I'm off to the grocery store! Then to cook, bake and sew while listening to tons of Christmas music.

Holy Bobbles Batman!

So... I just made my first bobble. It was quite the experience. I hated it to be quite frank. My fingers are really killing me now. I have to guess that it's more the fault of the yarn that I am using than the fault of the bobble being a bobble, and maybe a little because of the very cold weather we've been having. If that makes any sense at all?


See the bobble at the top? Took me about 20 minutes to figure out how to do it... In more positive news, I did learn how to cable as well. Oooh and read a chart, I think... All of this on one knit! Let's just say that I will only be making one more bobble on this baby. There are actually twelve bobbles, the yarn is just too thick for me to be able to handle all of those. In case you were wondering, this is the Chunky Everyday Cable Bag by Nguyen Le. I found the pattern via Ravelry.

The yarn I am using is what is called for in the pattern, Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick. I am making this purse in the colorway "Butterscotch" as a present for my sister. I found the Urchin beret I had originally started to be very ugly in the Homespun yarn I was using.

I plan to buy some vinyl handles for the purse and line it with some 70's looking print cotton I have.

In sewing news... Well there really isn't any. I of course bought more fabric, what's new, huh?


This beaut is from e-Quilter and I plan to make a black/grey/yellow quilt from this... eventually. I think that the free Nigella quilt from Amy Butler's website would be perfect. I would like to use this black as the large appliquéd medallion motif.


This is a very fine wale cotton/spandex corduroy from JoAnn's. I am going to use this for McCall's 5513. I will also be sure to brush up on my corduroy sewing by reading this Threads article before I start.


This next fabric is the lining for the coat and the purse. Do you think it's 70's looking? My mom agreed with me that it was... But sometimes we are both wrong. I love the wide array of colors in the print, but without the loudness. This was also bought at JoAnn's.


And last but not least in my fabric purchasing escapades... I bought this lingerie lining from Sew Sassy Fabrics for a dress that I bought from Nordstrom's. It is the cutest dress with not so cute see through-y-ness. I am going to sew this lining into the dress. It is allegedly static free which is wonderful as it is quite dry at this time of year. I hope to wear this dress on Christmas Eve or Christmas with some black crocheted tights and black patent leather wedges.

I finally baptized my KitchenAid mixer! And WOW! Does it make a difference in the production time of baking! A cookie dough took me about half an hour to make and I know that it would have normally cost me about an hour and a half! I also made a royal icing for the cookies with my mixer. Oh how exciting it was to use my mixer! The recipe that I used was from BHG (of course) and is called Lemon Cream Cheese Cutout Cookies.

Oh, and on a shopping trip to pick up some meringue powder for the icing I did acquire a cookie press, new Christmas cookie cutters and some treat wrappings. Next up on the cookie baking agenda: Spritz Cookies!

I Was Finally Invited!

I am so excited! I was invited to join Ravelry! I found my invitation in my junk mail, (good thing I check it), and immediately signed up. Let me just say that it is amazing and I find it that much more helpful than the beloved Google, which can be difficult when searching for yarn, and knitting patterns and such.

I do find it very similar to CraftMemo; which was developed with the same idea in mind but for any type of craft, whether it be beading, sewing, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, etcetera. I loved CraftMemo, but I think it was abandoned...

All in all I am completely amazed at the job that has been done at Ravelry, and I've only been a member all of 1 hour! So if you knit or crochet, I encourage you to sign up to get an invitation.

A Finished Garment, A Cake, and A Mixer

TA DAA!

This is pattern number 2017 from Onion. I used the jersey fabric that I bought from Gorgeous Fabrics quite a while ago. I'm really happy with it, I do have to sew the hem still, but it's not really a high priority at the moment. The only thing is that I do have to wear a tank top underneath, because the fabric is a teensy bit sheer. But really, that's not too big of a deal either, it just means that I can be a bit warmer when I wear the dress. I wrote a review over at Pattern Review, so if you are interested in making the dress, I would definitely take a look at all of the reviews for the pattern. I decided to wear the dress last night to my Medical Terminology class over a pair of skinny jeans and I thought that it was pretty cute.

In other news...

I baked that cake from Martha Stewart Living again. My mom requested it for Thanksgiving. This one came out even better! Well, looking better anyways... I bought a silicone baking set from my very favorite store, and it came with a round cake pan which made the cake fit nicely onto my mom's Depression Era cake plate.


Isn't it yummy looking? I only had one piece, I'm really not a sweets type of person... Ha ha, how ironic isn't it?

I also found my new favorite beverage at Starbucks, the Passion Tea Lemonade. Wow, can I say dee-lish! And so refreshing too.

I made my own PTL at home, because well, we have a lemon tree that won't stop making lemons! Let's just say that my family has been making lots of lemonade lately. I steeped a bag of Passion Tea in it and added a bit of sugar. Wonderful!


And the last bit of exciting news! I received this....


...in the mail today! Tee hee! I'm soo giddy with excitement, I cannot wait to use it! Now to figure out what to make first... I'll report back later on this.