Saturday, September 21, 2013

working the stash

 
Working the Stash is both fun and most satisfying, especially when one has it matched with a project one is excited about!
 
Plans are in place for my next sweater venture...Tea with Jam and Bread by Heidi Kirrmaier.  This is a perfect sweater for my now retired lifestyle.  It is a casual, easy to wear sweater knit with a worsted weight fiber.  TwJaB will wear easily with jeans and tennis shoes or tights and boots (of course tights and boots will be my favorite choice)!   
 
 Knitting like Gang Busters to finish my Longboard Pullover and it's looking like a gauge for TwJaB will be started within the week!
 
My color selections are; Main Color -  Sweatshirt (light grey); Top Stripe and Bottom Sleeve Stripe - Truffle Hunt (brown) and Lower Body Stripe - Postcard (pinkish grey) 
 
 


KD'S  Kitchen Karma
 
This week more cookies were baked.  I have always loved Peanut Cookies, but had never baked them.  So this was a first for me.  The recipe certainly filled my Huge cookie jar and it looks like the jar will be empty in no time.  These will be baked again at my house.
 

I added a step to this recipe that will be used from this time forward....my first batch of  4 cookies were baked to test the baking time.  It was worth the extra batch time and I knew exactly the baking time for my oven that resulted perfect cookie for my taste.
 
One change was made to this recipe.  I added 1/4 cup more peanut butter to enhance that  peanut buttery flavor and make for a moister cookie.
 
Wishing you a day filled with many blessings!
 
Hugs and Purls!
Dawn

Thursday, September 12, 2013

what I'm up to now

It was time for a knitted sweater unlike stockinette or plain old garter; so now I find myself in the middle of lots of texture and I Likkie!  Today I completed the back of my Longboard Pullover.  Now on to the front, which is a duplicate of the back (another thing I likkie). Once the two pieces are sewn together it is finished with a cute Cowl neck with a Drawstring made of crocheted chains that runs thru an eyelet round at the base of the Cowl. 
 I have completed a couple pairs of socks in the last couple of months and here are a couple of pics of socks I have on the needles now.  I love them sooo much! The pattern Tadpoles, is a freebie that shouldn't be passed up.
 The yarn is a Merino, Cashmere and Nylon blend that is major lovable.  Look at the pretty little specks of pink here and there!!
 
 KD's Kitchen Karma

This afternoon I dug deep into my recipes and found this old, tried and proved Oatmeal Cookie recipe. It is actually the recipe on the inside lid of the Quaker Oaks Can and results in 4 dozen chewy on the inside while crisp on the outside delicious cookies. 

 I added white raisins and chopped pecans for a bold and filling sweet delight.  Sometimes it's just hard to improve on an old standby.

A few months ago I pulled my box of Quaker Oaks from the pantry to cook up a pan of breakfast oatmeal.  When I sat MR. QUAKER OAKS on my counter I was shocked to see how young he was looking to me now!!!  OMG...that's when I realized I must be slightly Maturing (and When did that happen?).  As a little person and young lady I remember wondering why they had that OLD WHITE HEADED MAN on the box!

Now days when I reach for that same oatmeal can I find myself thinking, " Man, Mr. Quaker Oaks is looking Good today"!  Again, sometimes it's just hard to improve on an old standby!
   
 Check out my new Cookie Jar.  I picked this up while doing a little TJ Maxx cruising last week! I had been looking for a new cookie jar and couldn't find one that was both practical and easy on the eyes. It is a large jar, 13" tall and 26" around with a heavy duty rubber gasket in the lid to keep cookies fresh for days. This jar Rocks and for $12.98, I think it was a steal deal.
Wishing you a day filled with many Blessings and take comfort when you recognize an old standby in your life!
 
Hugs and Purls!
Dawn
 

Thursday, September 5, 2013

a little summer knitting

Here is a look at my last finished shawl, Marigold by Susanna . 
 
 
  And here is an up-close and personal look at the beading. This is my second project this year with  beading.  I like the end result of a little sparkle a lot, but don't want to OD on it as it really slows me down.

 
 I cast on extra stitches to Marigold as I wanted it a set wider than the original pattern.  The 101 stitch cast on resulted in a very nice, very wearable width.  
 
 
This is my second shawl this summer knit with Blue Heron Egyptian Mercerized Cotton (OH MY, I just realized I failed to blog about that first project, Radiance....I'll save that for a future blog!) Anyhow, back to Marigold that was knit using #5 needles in the colorway called Blueberry. The color is so pretty and the shawl is lightweight and I really like it a lot, but was glad when it was finished. 

 
I think this one will be worn often.  Actually I'm going to a Birthday Dinner tonight and think Marigold will accompany me!!

 
Now to share a Momentous Occasion!  Dawn made cookies, Sugar Cookies, Yummy Cookies, that the Gardener and MIL can't get enough of Cookies!


 
The dough was cut into Halloween shapes!  OK...I know it's over a month till the Holiday, but if the store can already be selling and displaying Christmas this and the other.....then I can have Halloween stuff Sugar Cookies at my house.

 
This is a recipe shared by Kristenlynnea at her new recipe blog.  As wonderful as these did turn out for me, I think they were a bit thicker than the recipe calls for, next time I will roll about 1/2 as thin as my first attempt.  BUT they still were yummy and also wonderful for a little coffee dipping in the morning!

 
Wishing you a day filled with many blessings and a Momentous Occasion of your own.

Hugs and Purls!
Dawn