Saturday, August 30, 2014

The Countdown Has Begun...


All through the house, basement and back porch
are piles of "stuff."
Nanniepannie and I 
are in the midst of getting ready for the annual
Tree Street Neighborhood Yard Sale!


This is a BIG event!
It is an established event and many
people in the region make a special effort to get here,
and get here early,
in order to snag some real bargains.
Each year this event brings thousands of 
people into our neighborhood.



So, not only is it a great shopping adventure,
it is an excellent way to clean up
and get rid of things we no longer need or want.
I have even cleaned out my fabric stash
and will be measuring and pricing it today.
We are one week out.
By this time next week,
we should be the owners of a
lot less stuff!
Our rule is that once an item is taken outside
for the yard sale
it cannot be brought back into the house.
Happily there are several local charities
who make the rounds after the sale
and will take away anything you want to donate.


I have also been baking and freezing for several weeks
in preparation for our
Each year for one day
I get to satisfy my fantasy of having a 
tearoom, bistro, cafe, whatever.
We set up on the front porch
and offer a lovely little retreat for the 
weary and hungry yard sale shopper!
Thus far I have stocked away
Heath Bar Brownies (6 pans)
Mounds Cookies (6 dozen)
Zucchini Bread (8 loaves)
Cinnamon Cake (2)
Lemon Loaf Cake (4)
Pineapple Muffins w/Coconut Drizzle
Applesauce Muffins w/Cinnamon Sugar
(I've lost count on the muffins.)
The 80 chicken salad sandwiches I always make
will need to be made just before the sale.

The preparation continues...


Last year's event.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

On My Needles Today...Not...or The Coat is Finished!


It's been a bit of a journey,
but my knitted coat is finished!
I love the color way and am calling it
"Abalone."
It has subtle shades of
aqua, sea foam and lavender.

The sleeves, which should be
a simple component,
gave me some challenges.
I started with the stockinette stitch 
you see above,
but decided I did not really like the look.
I then changed to the 
"Mistake Rib"
pattern I used on the opening
and sides.
After knitting almost half a sleeve
I decided I didn't really like the
way it was looking either. 
So, I changed to a larger needle and
worked them in stockinette stitch (again).


I found the perfect buttons at a lovely yarn shop in
Blowing Rock, NC
during a recent road trip with my
knitting buddies, called


There are slits at the bottom of both sides.



I never finish a project like this without thinking,
"If I ever knit another one of these I will..."
There are some slight changes 
I would probably make,
but over all, I'm very pleased with
the final results.

So...what IS on my needles today?


I am in the process of binding off a FUSION scarf in
shades of teal.
I plan to make a slouchy hat to match.

Happy knitting!

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Caprese Garlic Bread


I haven't made bruschetta all summer long.
The reason is because of the
above recipe on Pinterest.

I used to post my cooking endeavors  
fairly regularly on my blog.
But since becoming an avid "pinner" 
I see there are so many bloggers out there
doing it SO much better than me.
(Believe me I know my photography limitations!)
So, I think I'd rather
try their recipes and link 
you up with them when I find a real winner.

THIS is the BEST recipe I have yet
discovered on Pinterest.
and it is for
Caprese Garlic Bread

In addition to replacing your favorite bruschetta recipe
it's also a great replacement for take-out pizza.
What I think sets this recipe apart is a 
spread of garlic butter on the bread
and a finishing drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
The only change I have made is I am
no longer reducing the vinegar
as the original recipe instructs.
Instead I have purchased a mister
and am misting the balsamic vinegar on at the end.

With tomatoes in season
and basil plentiful in the garden,
there is NO reason not to give this a try!




Thursday, August 7, 2014

(Continuing...) On My Needles Today...




Still working on my FUSION jacket,
which has finally "told" me
it's going to be a coat rather than a jacket!!!


The back and one front are now complete.
I made a start on a sleeve,
but decided I wasn't happy using
the stockinette stitch for it.
So...


...a bit of ripping out this week...
(Personal motto...
"If you're going to knit,
you're going to rip...")


...and back to the drawing board for a bit of redesign.
So much of this process is trying something
and deciding if I like it.
I wish I could clearly envision how
designs are going to actually look once knitted.
But I'm a "try it and see" person.


I decided the sleeves needed a bit more texture
than the stockinette stitch I originally tried.
I am using instead the "Mistake Rib" stitch 
I am using on the sides and front openings.
The sleeve here looks a bit out of proportion
but will widen out once it is blocked.
Once this sleeve is finished (very soon now)
everything else left to do, 
except finishing,
will just be a repeat of what has already 
been knitted (i.e. other side and sleeve).

So, although I still have a fair amount of knitting to do,
the finished coat is now within sight!
Happy knitting this week!
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