Celebrate, Comment & Win

Please read this touching and important post over at earthchick's blog!

Think of the impact if we all spread the word about sandhole safety, each one reach one!

These are the good old days

Happy Father's Day!

Try as they might...

...the vicious horses-with-wings we call mosquitos around here could not keep me and my long stick away from my harvest today.

Carrie Mangoes from my yard - worth every blood-sucking bite I had to endure to get them



I'm even considering sharing a small piece of one of these with someone else in the family. Then again, there are more on the tree.




Uh huh - what he said!

A Blanket for Genesis

A Blanket for Genesis, originally uploaded by mamamarce

This project was a combination of right pattern, right yarn, right timing. How often does that happen??

Pattern: Around the Rosy baby blanket, free from Woodhill Designs
Yarn: Berroco Lullaby
Hook: J/10 (6.0mm)
Mods: I omitted the 5tr bobble rounds, added some simple striping to match the center motif, and I did some rounds without increasing the stitch count to avoid rippling (thanks Ravelry!)

Like many of you that are bi-crafty, I've often avoided certain crochet patterns because they don't offer the same movement and drape as most knitting. Not so with this gem - I was so pleased with the softness of the yarn in the ball, that I could only hope it would maintain that quality when stitched up.

My first go at this yarn was a knitted blanket pattern with simple lace, but the gauge was too dense and I frogged it. This second stab at it with the hook instead of needles was just what was called for. The yarn contains DuPont Tencel (I still find that sort of strange) and nylon. It feels like bunny fluff!! That's the only way I can describe it. I just love the way the petals of this "Rosy" lay out, and this is something I'd like to be wrapped in if I were a baby. Hmmm...I do have 4 balls of it left...

This pattern was blissfully repetitive, and surprisingly portable too. It is worked outward from the center, and even though the rounds got longer and longer as it grew, I still enjoyed every step. I even found myself relaxed enough to think some loving thoughts of the recipient. My niece is due to join her two little brothers (who I am just crazy about) later this summer.

Don't be surprised if you see another one of these posted out here before the year is out.

Brought to you by Mr. Greenthumbs

I constantly tease hubby that he's got a hand full of green thumbs; he is in no way clumsy with them either - that man can tend some land! Recently he told me that some corn had randomly started sprouting shoots from our discards, and I immediately had thoughts of hundreds of stalks swaying in the breeze. He's just that good.

Our latest triumph is the renewal of a tree that was whipped to smithereens by the hurricanes of a few years ago - our Lychee (/lee' chee/) tree blooms again.

I found some interesting info on this fruit at the usual place.

Though they are still a bit sour right now, we've ben noticing that some of them are ripening and then bursting open while still on the branch. With that and the inevitable "squirrel tax", you better believe we're devouring them as fast as we can!

The sweetest part? These are usually crazy expensive in the store! It has been very very satisfying to be able to pluck them for free just by stepping out into my own yard.

Slurrrrp!

Bits and Bobs, Blankets and Babies

It feels good to be back to the fiber again. My back pain has prevented me from doing much stitching lately, but I'm combating that as much as I can with exercise, chiro visits, and sheer will. Here's a glimpse at what I'm working on...



Colorific crochet flowers - I intend to turn these into a "hippy" style belt, but for now I just find it very soothing to keep making them. My sister gifted me several of these gorgeous jewel tones of Caron Simply Soft; I'm happy to be able to finally use them.

And speaking of my sister - she's making this for me...

And I'm making this for her...

- a sooper soft blanket for the baby girl inside that belly. Click the photos for details...

I'm really enjoying having both of these projects on the go. I'm also looking forward to my knitting machine lesson coming up in 2 weeks - I hope to get rolling on that new path as soon as possible, the ideas that are brewing really make me smile...

Bonding Over Buns

Another Super Saturday - this time, a baking edition.

I went searching for a good recipe for cinnamon buns online and found this one. During my work travel this past week, one of our dinner conversations turned to the topic of making things from scratch and we all shared stories about which family member was brilliant (or awful) at specific dishes. When we got around to baking, biscuits made from scratch were a hot topic, and cinnamon buns too - mostly because the "magic" that is homemade bread dough still seems to mystify some people.

As a homeschooling lesson, making bread is a great way to teach math and fractions (for measuring ingredients), reading comprehension, science (yeast + warm liquid + flour = poof! fat dough), and the importance of following the order of specific directions. It's also a very tactile process - one that little hands will hopefully remember for many years to come. Mostly though, it is a great way to teach patience. If you are patient, and you take care with each step, the result is something very rewarding, and in this case - something wonderfully delicious (at least...that's what they told me :) ).

Fresh from the oven - bottom side

Flipped out of the pant to cool - Voila! Top side with caramel topping

Our trusty taste testers give signs of approval