Secret

This is a Christmas secret is from my handspun, although the pictures are not very clear (on purpose!) I know the intended recipient will love it!

I have been a little worried lately after hearing that my LYS is going to be sold as the owners are moving... I love the atmosphere there, and the comfy couches that are always available to sit down and knit on. (I talked to my husband about wanting to buy it, but with 3 little kids running around I think it may not have been the greatest idea!) To my surprise they've already found a (possible) buyer who will, hopefully, keep everything the same. I'm still a little concerned it could turn into one of those cluttered little get in and get out places, but hopefully not!

Cake Topper

It's been quite some time since I've done any modeling work (for cakes!). I put this one together for a friend's baby shower, and I'm fairly happy with it, although I think I need to get into practice again if I'm going to be doing any more! Sorry for the crummy photo, but I was running out of light and wanting to take the picture already!!

Stocking Update

Coby's stocking is finished, and has been for a few weeks! Yahoo!! I like this pattern, although in my excitement to start I went to Michaels, as my LYS was closed, and ended up buying some acrylic. Now I'm wishing I had held off until I could have gotten in to pick out the good stuff. Oh well, he loves it, and is so excited that Mommy made him a Christmas stocking, that it doesn't really matter. I really like the monochromatic look though. Overall, I'm pleased with how this turned out! Pattern is Christmas Sampler from Knit Christmas Stockings! by Gwen Steege.

Isaiah's stocking is about half finished, but it shouldn't take too much work to get that one finished up before the big day! I haven't taken any pics of it yet, but will get them up here as soon as I do!

Busy, busy, busy.....

Well, it's been awhile. I've been around but busy, busy, busy. I've been running between the ski hill, skating rink and swimming pool for the past month and I'm exhausted.

I was a lifeguard and swimming instructor for 6 years before having kids and I always swore that my children would be swimmers, I would never have one of those kids who wouldn't put their face in the water...right? WRONG. My oldest is (at 4) just starting to put his face in the water, but won't jump in, won't float, won't blow bubbles, etc. My 2 year old is, well, a 2 year old! What he will and won't do varies depending on the day. We're going to continue with swimming lessons as long as it takes, it doesn't matter to me if my kids are the best swimmers, or if it takes them 10 tries to pass the first level. They need to know how to swim, I want them to be able to swim well enough that they can be comfortable in the water. Hopefully that happens, someday!

One of the other places that I'm splitting my time is the skating rink, which is great because it's right behind my house. A two minute walk tops (with 3 kids and equipment) so at least I'm not wasting any time driving! It's my four year old's second year skating, and he loves it. He wants to play hockey (like most small town Alberta boys!), but so far he's just in learn to skate, and actually doing surprisingly well. I'm wondering how long it will be before I'm a full fledged hockey mom!?!

Lastly it's been skiing. He loves skiing, I love watching him ski. He seems so little, but my husband started when he was 4 and went quite regularly with his family, and then me until we got pregnant and decided snowboarding might not be very good for our baby. So or the past 5 years or so we haven't been skiing or snowboarding much, but would like to get back into it with our kids.

After just 2 lessons he's pretty much mastered the bunny hill. He can do the snowplow, turn and stop fairly consistently, but his favorite part is the magic carpet, because that's what takes him to the top of the hill so he can do it again!

Although I've been busy with kids activities I have been knitting, and baking quite a bit. I'll get posting more regularly now... I hope!

Peach, Blueberry, & Thyme

I made these for the wedding. Interesting combination, but tastes wonderful. My husband who's not all that fond of cupcakes even enjoyed them!

Peach, Blueberry & Thyme Cupcakes

1/2 c butter

1 c sugar

1 egg
1 egg yolk

1 1/3 c flour

1 t baking powder

1/8 t salt

1/2 c whole milk

1 peach mashed

1/4 c blueberries

2 t fresh thyme, chopped

Beat butter and sugar 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add egg and yolk, beating until combined.

Whisk together dry ingredients. Add 1/3 of dry ingredients to butter mixture, beat well, add half of milk, beat well. Continue adding dry ingredients & milk, beating well after each addition, ending with dry ingredients.

Fold in mashed peaches, blueberries and thyme.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake for 22-25 minutes at 350.

Cream Cheese Icing

1/2 c (4 oz) cream cheese

1/8 c butter

1 t vanilla

2 c icing sugar

Cream together cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla and icing sugar, mixing until desired consistency is reached.

Fall

I love fall, the crispness in the air that hints at the coming winter, the color of the leaves falling down, and the crunch they make as you walk through them. I also love the smell of all the delicious apple treats baking in the oven. Here's the recipe for some great apple cupcakes!

Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes

1 c butter, softened

1 1/4 c sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

2 c flour

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 c applesauce

1 apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Whisk together flour and cinnamon, add to butter mixture. Fold in apples and applesauce.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 25 minutes at 350, or until tests done.

Mead Frosting

1/4 c butter

3 T milk

2 T mead

3 + c icing sugar

Cream butter. Add milk and mead. Stir in icing sugar until desired consistency is reached.

Monkey

Well, I finally finished my Monkey socks by Cookie A. I started these socks in the April, and just recently finished them. It wasn't that the pattern was difficult, or I didn't enjoy it, I did, I just kept breaking needles. Every time I'd be at my LYS I'd either forget to check for them, or they'd be out. Finally I remembered, and after a couple of hours they were finished!

I used the Brown Sheep Company's Wildfoote in Sonatina. I used just over 1 skein, so now I'm tyring to think of what to do with the rest.... maybe some baby socks or leggings for my little girl?

I've also been working on some spinning lately, I changed my mind about the project I had originally started spinning for, so I've been tossing around numerous ideas, and we'll see what it turns into! Ideas?