2009 January « Beckle Speckle’s Zany World

Ambling along

January 22, 2009 at 9:14 pm | In Baby, family, food, knitting | 1 Comment

School has started and the cold has let up a bit, but it supposed to be back tonight. I have had a fierce need to make stuff, WARM stuff…

KNITTING –

FO: Emerald Hug

A scarf for my Grandma (a knitted, fuzzy green hug)

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Yarn: Riot eyelash from Yarn Bee, color seamist

Pattern: simple garter stitch, CO 15 with US 10

FO: The John Deere clogs for MY Dear Dad

pre-felt

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post-felt

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Yarn: Lopi Lite, every bit of 6 balls (4 green and 2 yellow) for Men’s medium

Pattern: the brilliant FiberTrends felted clogs!

WIP: Blue Beret

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Yarn: malabrigo, mmmmm

Pattern: One Day Beret by Through the Loops

WIP: Pinkie Clogs for MIL

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Yarn: Regular Lopi, pink and gray

Pattern: Yes, more clogs!

COOKING –

DH wants to eat more vegetarian dishes (not so much meat), so I am obliging. I used to eat very little meat – especially in graduate school. So, besides another batch of yummy biscotti (not as good with peanuts as pecans), I made onion soup this week from the Moosewood Cookbook – yum! We’re going to try a butternut squash/quinoa dish DH found, and perhaps a frittata or risotto (from the Splendid Table) this coming week.

ENJOYING –

I am also enjoying the flurry of podcasts that have picked up after the holiday breaks. I am especially enjoying Cogknitive, Stash and Burn, and StitchIt. I seem to be dealing a bit better with the winter blues so far this winter. I have been exercising more and that seems to help. However, I haven’t talked to my family much – I generally do that when I am starting to feel sad. So, I am looking forward to Dr. Gemma’s strategies (cogknitive) for fighting back those winter blahs/blues.

Little Bug has been behaving somewhat better these past few days, so I feel a bit more at ease.

Here are all of our “winter” flowers: Daisy, Iris, Lily and Bug (she has a flower name, too).

New year goals

January 9, 2009 at 8:51 pm | In baking, knitting, recipe | Leave a Comment

I do like to reflect on the past and think about things I want to change around the new year – not exactly resolutions, but things I want to work on.

Be healthier – Cook more at home , eat out less, try new recipes, drink less pop/soda, eat more vegetables and fruits, exercise more regularly

Parenting – be more consistent with Bug, be more patient with Bug, set boundaries

Personal – take more time to relax and enjoy life, strengthen my dancing technique, knit/crochet a few things for me (hat and scarf)

Family – do more family-oriented activities, visit or call out-of-town family more often

This seems like a lot now that I have it written down…

I tried a few new things this week.

Spoon dolls from the Usborne Activity Book

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According to Bug, they are the “princesses who don’t do anything.” If you have a veggie-tale fan, you will recognize it as a spin off of the ‘Pirates who don’t do anything.’

I made a new recipe given to me at work.

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Double chocolate chip biscotti

2 c flour

1/2 c cocoa powder

1 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

6 T butter, softened

2 eggs

1 c chocolate chips

1 c nuts

Beat butter and sugar together and add eggs, beat. Mix flour, soda, salt, and cocoa and add to butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Form into 2 logs and flatten to about 1 inch (rectangle shape). Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and cut into 1 inch slices. Place on side and bake 8-10 minutes longer.

I’ve been working on my teal/gray socks in the pointelle pattern.

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