birthday fun!

I've blogged a lot about gifts this week, and I have to say that gifts are fun, but this birthday was the best ever not because of gifts, but because of my wonderful friends and family. I'm continually amazed at how lucky I am to be surrounded by people who are so thoughtful. From Groupons for my favorite yogurt ever to handmade birthday cards to candy corn, my life is fun and my heart is full.

So after my birthday dinner at Bella Monia (where I had the MOST amazing meal I've had in months), I spent the evening laughing with good friends and relaxing. What more could I want? ...a breakfast the next morning with more friends! SO much fun! I learned two things about my knitting friends: 1) they are serious gift-givers 2) they are super creative and amazing. I mean, I knew the second part, I guess now I have more illustrations of that.

Like, the "yarn ball surprise". I'm not sure if that's the technical name, but that's what I'm calling it. What is it? It's a giant ball of yarn, with a small-medium gift in the middle and many smaller gifts wrapped into the yarn. You have to unravel it to get to your gifts. How fun is that? Here's a pic of Deb's yarn ball, gifted by Melanie:



Any gift that's as much fun for spectators to see unraveled, as it is to receive (and probably to prepare), is a super-fantastic gift!

outdoor project/my friends are the BEST!

I've blogged about the disaster that IS our yard. Front and back. Disaster. My slogan is "one thing at a time" but man, that's tough! One of the hardest parts is deciding on which project is the next one up. For my birthday, I got two great gifts that make this a little easier - beautiful bulbs and a gift card to Logan Trading Company. Are my friends the best or WHAT?!



So I have my project materials in hand, I'm back to the original problem - which area gets the makeover??

i heart crochet

I am convinced that if you are a crafter, you should only give handmade gifts to other crafters. I mean, sometimes you'll get an appropriate amount of excitement from a non-crafter, but to really appreciate some projects, I think you have to have an idea how much work goes into them. I know that I've had some lackluster responses to things in the past, and it's disappointing.

When I get something that's handmade, I'm COMPLETELY jazzed. To be fair, I get pretty jazzed anytime someone thinks enough of me to give me a gift, so if they took the time to make it...then..yeah.

For my birthday, my friend Meg crocheted a STEELERS trivet for me! This is exciting on three different levels: Steelers, handmade, crochet flower. Love, love, and LOVE! In fact, it's now considered art, not a kitchen accessory.



By the way, this is really, REALLY driving my desire to learn crochet.

adventures in candy making

Gluten-free baking is challenging, so I have taken up candy making. As of last week. I'd been bookmarking truffle and fudge recipes for a few months, and my (first gluten-free) birthday seemed like the perfect time to bust them out. I looked over my collection and decided to go with the dark chocolate and orange cups with toasted coconut and almonds. The really were as easy and delicious as the recipe made them sound! I needed a second dessert, so I decided to use the same principle with white chocolate and peanut butter. Wow. These are a few of my favorite things...and in cup form, they did not disappoint!

I followed the first recipe almost exactly (I used a few more almonds and a little more coconut). The recipe yielded about 9 cups.

For the peanut butter cups, I used 2 cups of white chocolate chips and a few heavy dollops of peanut butter. I hate when people use terms like "dollop" in recipes, but the truth is that you should put in a few tablespoons if you kinda like PB, and more like 4-5 if you love it. I love it.

Make sure to spray your cupcake tin with olive oil before you pour and set. I popped them right out with a toothpick and then stacked them on a plate in the fridge until I was ready to serve them.

They were so good that I'm already plotting my next free-style candy cups. Suggestions are welcome!

intro to sewing/those colors look good on you

My friend Karen came over last week to teach me how to use my sewing machine, and I have to say, she's a GREAT teacher! She explained everything really thoroughly and let me try things out for myself, and made sure to correct me when I was doing something crazy. She also taught me a major rule of sewing: never sew if you are tired and/or angry. I think that applies to knitting as well, but I learned (and continue to learn) that the hard way.

I bought some fabric this weekend to make the pups a series of kerchiefs...and clearly the first one on the list was the Steelers fabric. I was definitely waaaay tired, but I decided to sew them anyway. True to her advice, I had a few threading hiccups and being tired only made troubleshooting *that* much worse. Alas, the kerchiefs are finished and being worn as we speak.

It is RIDICULOUSLY hard to get both dogs in the same photo. I managed one shot before Puggie bolted, and Berger had his eyes closed. Geez. Jose does the same thing.


Puggie up-close. She's not as fond of kerchiefs as Berger is, but she tolerates them. And I'm sure they will grow on her.


Oh, Berg. Ever handsome, ever adorable. Ever hanging out in the kitchen, waiting for food to fall from the counter.

the sweetest Buddy Sir

We gave the Green Dog to Berger in 2008. Every once in a while I would throw a soft toy into the mix and see if he was ready to not destroy it - Green Dog was the first toy to make it. Not only did the toy survive, Berger would sleep with this head on it. He would cradle it like he is in this pic - all the time. As I type, the Green Dog is laying in the floor at my feet...both ears missing, his smile has been stitched up multiple times, his fur is worn from love and faded from washing. How could I possibly throw it out? Brown Dog + Green Dog=Forever.

Abitita shawl=complete

My first (and probably only) knitted Christmas gift is finished! A few weeks ago I posted some photos showing my progress...just before I ripped it all out. The yarn subtly shifts colors as you knit - I started with the dark end and didn't like the look at all. It was a ridiculous amount of work to re-do, but I think it looks much, much better this way!

Here's hoping this little number keeps Abitita warm on those (rare) chilly Puerto Rican nights. The likelier story is that it will keep her warm in chilly, air-conditioned restaurants. Brrrrr!

P.S. If you know Abitita, you have to keep this secret for a few months!

sweet pea art

Me and some of my favorite sweet peas :)

I really enjoyed everything about the New College reunion. I caught up with some of my former classmates, heard about the wonderful and fascinating things they're doing...I got to see the new NC space in Lloyd Hall...I got to meet some of the current students and recent graduates and feed off of their excitement...so much good stuff!

As my friend Corley said, New College taught us that you don't have to choose. The path you choose for your career doesn't have to dictate your interests and hobbies. Corley is an urban planner who lives on a farm and plays in a band. Pretty diverse, and pretty amazing. Once upon a time, I liked to paint. I was never any good at it, but New College taught me that I didn't have to be good at something to try it out. It was really nice to see that no matter how archaic/simplistic, some of my projects were still on display. Please, no laughing.

A welcome gift for Dr. Hall, circa 2002?


One weekend, Margaret let some of the sweet peas into Carmichael and we rolled out some canvas and had a paint-fest. My contribution? A masked snake:


The more artistic sweet peas painted this:


And I had nothing to do with this, but I do love it. We should all think about what goes into the footprint we leave on this earth:


See? I'm a librarian who likes to knit, occasionally paints, grows vegetables, and cares about the environment. You can be whoever you want to be. Thanks, New College.

smells like money

Whenever someone mentions Madeline Tosh yarn, I always say "mmmm, smells like money". Why? Because it's pricey stuff. Pricey, but amazing. I've never bought any, but I saw the Honey Cowl in a magazine and decided that I had to have it. But I didn't seek the yarn out, I just milled the idea around in my head for a few months, until I ran across THE yarn in THE color in a yarn shop. Now that I have it, I can't bring myself to wind it and start the project. Should I make the cowl? Something else?

So I have two skeins, 450 yards (DK)...any alternate pattern suggestions? I want to make sure I do the yarn justice - after all, it does smell like money.

fetching fingerless gloves

I really love fingerless gloves. They are the perfect balance of 80s-tastic and modern sass. I'd been looking for a pattern using sock yarn, when I saw the Fetching Fingerless Gloves as a shop sample at Yarn Tree Studio. It may have taken me a total of 3 hours for the pair. Maybe. And those were mostly mindless hours. I knitted a pair of mittens last year for my niece, and the thumb was such a pain that I had been dreading this pattern. The truth is, from now on, I will try to modify patterns to work the thumb this way. So simple. Now...when will it be cold enough here for me to wear them??

a space of my own

I think the phrase is actually "a room of her own", but this is close enough for me. The dream became reality pretty quickly after the blueprints were drawn up, but this really should have happened a long time ago. I freed up SO much space in the living room and the third bedroom (which is so multi-purposed that it was bursting at the seams), so it's a win-win. Added bonus: my yarn will be locked up and out of Puggie's reach. Double bonus: I have plenty of space for more yarn now...and some fabric as well!

A big shout out to Jose for assembling the furniture and hanging the shelves. And for being supportive of the whole thing. And for not losing patience with Puggie as she walked all over the moving parts during construction. You forget that the "good" part of having a nervous dog is the fact that he never gets in the middle of projects like this. Puggie? She was all over it, every step of the way. Even the photo-taking process at the end - so appropriate.

ode to magnetic paint

Magnetic poetry is pretty popular at our house. I bought our first set about 6 years ago and we've added to it here and there. Jose frequently entertains himself by composing, tweaking, and re-composing verses. It's fun at parties as well...I always look forward to seeing what people pulled together while I was off cooking, entertaining, or being entertained.

When we moved into the new place two years ago, the words never really got unpacked. We switched to a stainless fridge, so our options were limited. We bought magnetic paint and an open frame from Michael's and I set up a small place, but it barely housed 1/3 of our magnets.

On my to-do list for quite some time, was the re-painting of the upper half of the dining room. When I finally got around to it, I decided to use the magnetic paint in one corner and dedicate it to magnetic poetry.


Since the walls are light and the words are on a white background, it is difficult to get a good photo, but I really love the space. The best part is that when I see a booster set of words that I like, I can pull the trigger...we have plenty of room to grow!

slowcooker BBQ pork

A few years ago, Jose and I had a conversation about the genres of food that we never go out for anymore, because the version we make at home is better. Then I started thinking about the ones that we exclusively went out for, and decided to work on getting better at them. BBQ pork was on the list, and the first that I set out to tackle. The result isn't really a recipe, but a guideline of sorts...and it turns out supercrazydelicious every single time.

Ingredients:
2-3lb pork roast (beef works too)
1 cup sauce of choice
adobo seasoning
fresh ground pepper

Slice roast into 4 equal slabs, season liberally with adobo and fresh ground pepper. Place meat side-by-side in the bottom of the crock pot. Pour sauce over the meat, cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Remove lid, separate meat with a fork and let simmer in the sauce for 30 minutes.

So. Delicious. You can throw in any spices and seasonings that you're partial to, these just happen to be two that are always involved in my BBQ. It's also yummy to throw in a few chunks of pineapple. A few dashes of liquid smoke adds some nice flavor. Really, I think it would be hard to go wrong with this recipe.

Sam and Jake hit T-town

Last month I headed home for a quick visit with the fam and a rendezvous with old friends at the New College 40th anniversary weekend. I borrowed my niece and nephew on Saturday afternoon and took them to some of the celebrations. I built-in some time to play on the quad with them...I really can't get back there enough, and being there with the muffins was extra special.

They were very excited to be on the quad.

I was very excited to see and hear Denny Chimes.

The kids were fascinated with the walk of Captains.

This kid loves Greg McElroy...

Niece and nephew with baby Addie!

Kids coming back from playing frisbee on the quad. I told them to look both ways at the crosswalk and they totally did!

It was hot and muggy, and they still had a good time. Such muffins!

Best kids ever. They were very cute as babies, but they just keep getting better with age.

blueprints of a dream

This may not look like much to you, but it's my craft workspace brainchild, sketched by Jose. I've been craving a dedicated space for all of my knitting supplies, but in the interest of being tidy, my stuff is all tucked in bins that are not-so-strategically scattered about my house. For those of you with any sort of crafty hobby, you completely know what I'm talking about and you feel my pain. Anyway, the result of me trying to be non-intrusive, is that I'm overly-intrusive. There are projects and supplies everywhere. It drives Jose crazy, and it really gets under the skin of the uber-planner/organizer in me. And it tempts Puggie to do bad things - by the way, she doesn't really need me to enable her, she gets into enough on her own.

So my latest kick is that I want a sewing machine. I've sewn a lot of things by hand over the years, and I have a half-finished quilt tucked away in a closet...PLUS, my friends Christy and Tina talked about (and flaunted) their sewn goods until I caved. Well, that was really the straw that broke the craft supply camel's back...I carved out a corner of our guest room, and after much measuring and online browsing, I came up with this configuration. I used painters tape to mark it up and see if it would work and Jose was nice enough to sketch it all out. It works, and I love it. Now comes the hard part: material retrieval and construction. Stay tuned.

swedish potatoes

My favorite kind of recipe is one that uses foods that I typically have in my kitchen. Also, most of the recipes I use are ones that someone else recommends. It's nice to get trusted opinions, warnings, and suggestions before diving into something that may or may not be good. My friend Christy has given me some pretty fantastic suggestions over the years, and these Swedish potatoes were no exception. The recipe calls for you to drizzle melted butter and olive oil over them, rub freshly minced garlic between the slices, and top with salt and pepper. They were really great, but I should have used more butter. And next time I'll probably start branching out with some various herbs and spices. The possibilities are really endless...

the great yarn fiasco of 2011

Oh, Puggie. Why did you do it? Since she can't talk, we can only assume that she did this because I was painting in another room and had locked her out. Because I didn't want her to breathe in the fumes. Because I love her. Jose thinks that she thinks that yarn is a toy. Not me. I think she's just mischievous. And super cute.

Side note for the knitters: this is the cheapest yarn I have in my stash. I told her that she's lucky the Madeline Tosh wasn't the one that struck her fancy.

seasons change and so does my garden

I don't typically get the end-of-summer blues until mid-winter. At the exact moment that I forget how excruciatingly hot June, July and August really were, I want them back. But something tells me that this year I will miss the dog days of summer a little sooner, because I will miss my garden. What to do, what to do? Ah, yes - plant a Fall/Winter crop.

I didn't start anything from seed, and the pickins' was slim. We have cauliflower, broccoli, and collard greens. The first two are favorites, the last one I've never cooked. Or eaten. So I will need help on that front if these actually produce!

possum scarflet

Last year some friends of ours traveled to Australia, crazy awesome, right? I know, I was totally jealous too. It just so happens that they stumbled upon a market with hand-knitted things, and also some pretty fantastic yarn. The result was a super cute hat for their super cute kid, and a skein of yarn for me - hip, hip hooray!

Whenever yarn is a gift or souvenir, or sentimental in any way, I have the hardest time deciding what to knit with it. And in this case, in addition to being a souvenir and a gift, it was also really unique. Why? Because it's a local yarn, spun from POSSUM fur, and un-dyed. You can actually see some individual hairs in the yarn (wow) AND the smell sends Berger into a frenzy. Berger Lopez: possum hunter. Rii-i-i-ight.

Anyway, the point is that I wasn't sure what to make...then I finally saw the Tweed Scarflet in KnitScene Easy 2010. Bingo. It was completely perfect. I knit it up in about an hour and a half, easy peasy. If I had it to do all over again, I think I would have chosen some more colorful buttons...but hey, buttons can quite easily be replaced.

And for those who were curious, here's the really sassy hand-knit hat that the baby got...

Photo and child by: Todd Guerdat

I think she likes it.

what is love?

Has it really been that long? Time has sped by at an inconceivable rate - tomorrow marks our sixth wedding anniversary. You are correct, that means that we were married at the age of 16. Or maybe we're just in denial about how the numbers add up...

So why am I blogging today instead of tomorrow? Well, because we are celebrating our union with a night out on the town tonight. Why tonight instead of tomorrow night? Well, that's because tomorrow is the kick-off to college football season. You may be asking yourself: what kind of husband rearranges an anniversary celebration to watch football? I'd have to point out that it was my idea. The love of football: one of many reasons why I love Jose.


Other reasons include: the fact that he gives in to my crazy whims (like going to Super Bowl 43), he cheers for my Alma Mater, even though they are hated by his college team, he loves growing vegetables as much as I do, he has indulged me in rescuing two of the cutest dogs on the planet, he is surpassed in awesomeness only by his fantastic family, he does the laundry, he rarely complains about my yarn habit (and loves the socks I've knitted for him), he never forgets a special occasion, he's an excellent chef, he baby talks the aforementioned dogs when he thinks no one is listening (sorry, but it's true), he complains minimally about some of my ridiculous TV shows, he handles all bug and spider issues promptly...

And the final reason is that his idea for a joint anniversary gift this year was a new composter. The one I've been dreaming of. The one that will help us be even more green and garden-efficient. And he's just as excited about it as I am. That's love, folks. That's love.

show me fierce

I almost feel bad for all of the many, many dogs out there that are sweet and smart, but can in no way match the cuteness, or dare I say fierceness, of the Lopez K-9s. I say 'show me love' and they show me love, I say 'show me fierce' and they give me fierce. Don't believe me? A picture's worth a thousand woofs...


Now accepting modeling contract offers for these two primo pups. Make sure the offer is good, though. They say peanut butter and fresh bacon are non-negotiable, as is freshly cut basil for sniffing, and a fresh dirt patch for rolling.