Today I'm linking up with Gretchen over at He Sows and She Sews for the weekly blessing party. This week one blessing that has stuck out for me is music. I love the way music can reach out and touch a person's soul. I find it a great way to worship and some times express feelings that I can't articulate myself.
I have quite a long commute to work each day so I get a lot of chances to listen to music - and sometimes sing along :) One song that has been on recently has been stuck in my head lately. It's a song called "Hurricane" by a group called Same State. The chorus really seems to sum up what I've thought at times:
But all at once
Heads are spinning faster like a hurricane
Cause all we did was nothing but a love still came
And it's bringing in good news
A love is coming back
For all of us
Who have a hard time getting it in through our brains
That all we did was nothing but a love still came
And it's bringing in good news
That love is coming back like a hurricane
Like a hurricane
Like a hurricane for you
That's the amazing thing - I did nothing deserving but God still sent the ultimate love for me and everyone! It's so hard to wrap our heads around that idea but what an amazing blessing. And I'm so blessed to hear music that can touch me this way.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
More knitting progress
I finished (for now) the ladybug toy I'm knitting for my niece for Christmas.
It's based off a really cute pattern I found on Ravelry. I actually can't believe there are only four projects so far (including mine). I did make a few modifications - I did all black on the bottom instead of black and red like the top. I also knitted the spots instead of making pompoms - I ended up using the spots from the giraffe in Itty Bitty Toys that i had mentioned trying in an earlier blog post. The only thing I can't decide on is whether to make a face or not. The pattern doesn't call for one but it might need one.
Now I just need to make one more toy for Christmas - the monster for my nephew. It will definitely be one of the monsters out of my Big Book of Knitted Monsters but I still need to pick one. I also have to finish the other two fleece blankets and do a couple of hats for my boys.
It's based off a really cute pattern I found on Ravelry. I actually can't believe there are only four projects so far (including mine). I did make a few modifications - I did all black on the bottom instead of black and red like the top. I also knitted the spots instead of making pompoms - I ended up using the spots from the giraffe in Itty Bitty Toys that i had mentioned trying in an earlier blog post. The only thing I can't decide on is whether to make a face or not. The pattern doesn't call for one but it might need one.
Now I just need to make one more toy for Christmas - the monster for my nephew. It will definitely be one of the monsters out of my Big Book of Knitted Monsters but I still need to pick one. I also have to finish the other two fleece blankets and do a couple of hats for my boys.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Imagination!
C is really into his Trio block set. He is always coming up with new ideas of things to build - houses, flashlights, jetpacks, etc. Tonight he made a dog and it was so stinkin' cute that I had to get a picture.
Of course when he saw me doing that, he decided to do the same. But first he had to make the camera out of blocks.
J wanted to get in on the action too!
He may be missing the point just a little but what a cutie!
Of course when he saw me doing that, he decided to do the same. But first he had to make the camera out of blocks.
J wanted to get in on the action too!
He may be missing the point just a little but what a cutie!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
No sew throw
I am finally getting around to making the blankets from the fleece I bought a few months ago. These no sew blankets are seriously the easiest thing to make!
First I laid the fleece on the floor with the printed pattern on top of the solid piece.
I used a pencil to mark out the cuts I needed to make. Each line is spaced an inch apart and is three inches deep. Three inch square blocks are marked at each of the corners.
After that I began cutting the slits. You can see the square cut out of the corner. I also safety pinned each corner to keep the blanket lined up properly.
After the strips are cut, simply tie the top strip to the bottom. This can be done one of two ways - either tie it so the same color always shows up on top or alternate so they are different. One other trick I use to keep everything straight is to tie off the strips immediately adjacent to the corners, as well as one in the middle of each side and then tie the rest.
After all of the strips are tied, the blanket is done.
Only two more blankets to go before Christmas!
(This post is linked at I heart Naptime)
First I laid the fleece on the floor with the printed pattern on top of the solid piece.
I used a pencil to mark out the cuts I needed to make. Each line is spaced an inch apart and is three inches deep. Three inch square blocks are marked at each of the corners.
After that I began cutting the slits. You can see the square cut out of the corner. I also safety pinned each corner to keep the blanket lined up properly.
After the strips are cut, simply tie the top strip to the bottom. This can be done one of two ways - either tie it so the same color always shows up on top or alternate so they are different. One other trick I use to keep everything straight is to tie off the strips immediately adjacent to the corners, as well as one in the middle of each side and then tie the rest.
After all of the strips are tied, the blanket is done.
Only two more blankets to go before Christmas!
(This post is linked at I heart Naptime)
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Vacation day!
I took the day off work today. It was nice - granted a few days would have been better but this was still fun! The best part about the day was I got to hang out with each boy individually. C had preschool today so J and I walked (okay I walked and he rode in the stroller) to Starbucks for breakfast.
Looking at this picture I can't believe how fast he is growing up! There is very little baby left; he's almost totally toddler-like.
In the afternoon I got to spend some time with C. E stayed home with J while he took a nap so I took C to get some ice cream and to the play area at McDonalds. He had a good time playing!
I also squeezed a little knitting time in. I'm more than halfway done with the ladybug that my niece is getting for Christmas. Here's the top half and the bottom is about 10 rows from completion.
I still need to make the head and the spots. Rather than doing the pompoms the pattern suggests, I think I'm going to use the spots from the giraffe in the itty Bitty Knitting book so they lay flat. I'll have try a sample first. Can't wait to see how it turns out!
Looking at this picture I can't believe how fast he is growing up! There is very little baby left; he's almost totally toddler-like.
In the afternoon I got to spend some time with C. E stayed home with J while he took a nap so I took C to get some ice cream and to the play area at McDonalds. He had a good time playing!
I also squeezed a little knitting time in. I'm more than halfway done with the ladybug that my niece is getting for Christmas. Here's the top half and the bottom is about 10 rows from completion.
I still need to make the head and the spots. Rather than doing the pompoms the pattern suggests, I think I'm going to use the spots from the giraffe in the itty Bitty Knitting book so they lay flat. I'll have try a sample first. Can't wait to see how it turns out!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
A Beary Good Finished Object
The bear is finally done! I sewed his face on today. Honestly that was the most challenging part of the whole project. I think it looks okay but it took me a few tries to get it right.
Now onto the other toys!
Now onto the other toys!
Homemade Donuts
Today we made homemade donuts. This was a recipe that E and his sister made when they were kids so E thought it would be fun to try with our family. The recipe is simple - all that is needed is biscuit dough, oil, donut toppings and a fryer. We used powdered sugar and chocolate frosting.
(Side note: I'm really excited about the fryer. Our old one was one my in-laws let us have that was older than E. It was a good machine while it lasted!)
The biscuits are placed in the fryer - only three or four at a time so they don't get crowded.
They are cooked for just a few minutes on one side until they are golden brown then they are turned to cook on the other side. They fry super fast so the whole batch only takes about five minutes.
Place them on a plate with paper towels to absorb the the excess oil and let them set for a few minutes until they are cool enough to handle. The goal is to have them warm enough that the powdered sugar sticks to them but not so hot that the powdered sugar absorbs. If you are frosting them, they can sit for a little longer.
We did three variations - powdered sugar, chocolate frosted and powdered sugar filled with chocolate.
I think the chocolate filled was my favorite - it reminded me of one of the flavors at Dunkin Donuts. Happy donut making!
This post is linked over at I heart naptime
(Side note: I'm really excited about the fryer. Our old one was one my in-laws let us have that was older than E. It was a good machine while it lasted!)
The biscuits are placed in the fryer - only three or four at a time so they don't get crowded.
They are cooked for just a few minutes on one side until they are golden brown then they are turned to cook on the other side. They fry super fast so the whole batch only takes about five minutes.
Place them on a plate with paper towels to absorb the the excess oil and let them set for a few minutes until they are cool enough to handle. The goal is to have them warm enough that the powdered sugar sticks to them but not so hot that the powdered sugar absorbs. If you are frosting them, they can sit for a little longer.
We did three variations - powdered sugar, chocolate frosted and powdered sugar filled with chocolate.
I think the chocolate filled was my favorite - it reminded me of one of the flavors at Dunkin Donuts. Happy donut making!
This post is linked over at I heart naptime
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