These pies are too good for those spies*

*This title won’t make sense unless you are familiar with a certain commercial run in Hawaii in the late 80′s/early 90′s.  Points to anyone that can place it (no points to Kara though – I already know you know.)

So I made my first pie today. Actually, I made two.  (I am pretty much a pro now.)  I was most intimidated by the crust.  Not really sure what was so scary about it, but I was convinced it was going to be the hardest part.  I guess you could say I was right, but only because the rest of the pies were so easy to make.  So it was a little scary and I wasn’t sure I did it right but I am really quite pleased with how it turned out.  Want to see?

I am kind of in love with it.  So I made two pies, a pumpkin and an apple.  The end result didn’t look perfect by any means but they sure tasted yummy.

The other fun thing I got to do on Thanksgiving was wear this super cool turkey headband:

Jealous?

So my thanksgiving was great.  Lots of family and good food.  If nothing else however, my day of pie making opened up a whole new world of cooking that I hadn’t yet explored.  For that I thank you Thanksgiving.

Read Full Post »

Crash

So what is the last thing you want to hear one morning as you are getting ready in the bathroom,  just one week after you move in to your newly purchased home?  That would be a loud crash followed by glass shattering.

Yeah.

I walked into my craft room and there on the floor was the glass light fixture in many, many pieces on the floor.

My light fixture after plummeting to its death.

I have decided to see this as an opportunity.  I didn’t really like the light fixture and was thinking down the road I would replace it anyway.  I wasn’t wanting to spend the money now but now that I have to, it is fun to think about all the possibilities of what I could do.

Speaking of the craft room, want to see how the color turned out?

I LOVE it.  It is called Vintage Yellow by Glidden and it turned out perfectly.  It is bright and cheery without being either too pastel or overpowering.  I really do feel more creative every time I walk in the room.  Now on to the putting away, organizing, and decorating.  I have great plans for this room…

Read Full Post »

I miss knitting

I know it is a silly thing to say, seeing as how I am perfectly capable of picking up the needles at any time.  But the past 6 months…life has been busy.  An unsettled kind of busy.  And when life gets like that for me, during my downtime I seek less release in my more active and creative pursuits and tend to fall back on easy and mindless activities (like browsing the internet or playing word games on my phone while I watch TV.)

I spent some time on Ravelry tonight, browsed patterns and projects, took a look at my queue, and started remembering.  I remember what it is like to see a design or a finished object and get that flash of inspiration/obsession.  To carefully choose yarn and colors–usually spread out on the floor of a friendly local yarn store.  To rush home and make a hasty effort of a swatch (just so you can say you did) and then excitedly cast on.  Then there is the actual knitting process, watching something grow and seeing how the colors and texture take form.  Setting mini-deadlines and reaching mid-way milestones of finishing the back, or a sleeve.  Finally being able to block the finished pieces and always forgetting how long it takes to actually seam the garment.  Trying it on for the first time and taking that first “I just spent over 100 hours on this project and what if it is hideous” look in the mirror.  Then of course there is the awkward photo shoot to show the blog what it looks like on even though you feel like a huge dork and hate having your picture taken because you over smile and feel self-conscious and worry others will think you are a wannabe model.  Yeah, I remember it, and I miss all of it.

So, all this to say, I haven’t been knitting.  Or I haven’t been knitting much.  I’ve had the same project on the needles since before I moved from Colorado.  And it is no where close to being done.  See?

When I started this top I was so proud of myself for the season appropriateness of it all.  I reasoned, by the time I finished, summer would be here.  Although now that I think about it, by the time I finish NEXT summer will be here.  So I guess it is okay.  This is such an interesting knit.  I mean, it is constructed diagonally! I have never seen a sweater knit this way and don’t know what it means in terms of fit.  In fact, I have no clue how it is going to fit and probably won’t until it is done.  I have gotten good at adjusting a sweater to my body but on this one I have no choice but to follow the pattern as written.  I just have to have faith in my gauge…although it is hard.

Crazy, crazy top.

Even though I haven’t spent a whole lot of actual knitting time with this project, I am still feeling the pangs of boredom that come from looking at the same pattern and colors for months on end.  So, sadly, I doubt I’ll finish this any time soon.  Just don’t let me put it off too long.  In the mean time…winter knits anyone?

Read Full Post »