Project Fail

Sometimes my projects turn out better than expected. Sometimes they don't. See exhibit A below:



I'm not going to tell you what this project was supposed to be, but stay tuned, because I intend to try again! I got a little too eager to work on this project, and the results were sadly quite disappointing. I was trying to do too much too quickly, and I ended up botching the whole thing. The picture above is supposed to be a fish. He didn't turn out very fish-like (technical term) so I tried to help him by outlining in zig-zag stitch. It was well intentioned, but it just made matters worse. In the end, I cut the fish open and sewed in a squeaker that was salvaged from another doggie toy, and Oliver got a new little friend to play with. He was so excited that I couldn't get a decent picture of him. The fish lasted all of about 15 minutes. Now, he is swimming with the fishes, so to speak.



After the blue fish, I also destroyed a yellow one. The rainbow-striped fish was the only one that actually turned out pretty well, but then I realized there was a hole in the fabric. Sigh. I hear my fifth grade teacher's voice in my head right about now, "Haste makes waste."

I think I'll call it a night and hope for better luck tomorrow.

The birds and the bees

I made these little guys for four adorable children at church. Their parents had just as much with them as the kids did (if not more). They would be fun for an Easter basket, because they are about the shape and size of an egg.




These cute little bees were a quick and easy knit and also a lot of fun. Oliver the dog even took off with one and claimed it for himself (naughty puppy). I made these two for my Aunt "B." She's the bees knees.

Breakfast Experiment

I HATE throwing away food. I can't stand the thought of the wasted money and it makes me feel like such an ungrateful slob. Last night I was preparing my lunch for work when I noticed a container of brown rice that has been in the fridge for over a week (I'm afraid to think how long it's really been there.) It smelled OK, so I realized it was now my job to eat it for breakfast. I cooked it on the stove with a bit of milk, brown sugar and vanilla and it was DELICIOUS! It might have been better if it was a little thicker, so I would recommend either using less milk or cooking it longer (I was running late for work.) Also, if you use soy milk, you might want to reduce the sugar, because it was a tad sweet for my taste

Experimental Breakfast
1 c. cooked brown rice
1 c. milk
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 dash Vanilla extract

Add all but rice in a small sauce pan on medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add rice and slowly cook, stirring often util it is the temperature/consistency you like. Enjoy!

5k Results

Photo credit: Melissa Hennrick

Remember when I said I had registered for a 5k? Well I ran it. It was back in October. I was hoping to finish it 35 minutes, but I managed 35:25, so I was happy with that. I'm not really a runner, so I was just proud to finish without walking. It was fun that the run took place the day before Halloween, because lots of people wore costumes. Taking part in the Tulsa Run really was an amazing experience, especially at the starting line. Hundreds (thousands?) of runners of all ages and abilities were lined up. When the gun went off the masses started moving, but it was more than a minute before I ever crossed the starting line. I started out about mid-pack and it was so neat when we'd be approaching a hill and I could see the hundreds of people running in front of me, knowing that there were just as many behind me. I was very proud to be a part of it; it was inspiring. One of the biggest highlights for me was the mariachi band playing on the corner at mile 1.






After the run, we went to a satellite viewing location for the Daily Show's Rally to Restore Sanity. It was a small crowd, but it was nice to be among some like-minded folks.

Fall Fun

We are deep into Winter now, so it seems like as good of a time a time as any to do a recap of the Fall. Let's call it "reflection" not "laking in punctuality." The Fall in Oklahoma is lovely. It makes one forget that the summer weather was pretty miserable.



Here are some of the treasures we found while walking the pup in the park. The walk was cut short when Oliver decided to jump/fall/? (the jury's still out) into a creek. It was not quite warm enough to keep walking around with him being all wet.


Many of our Fall activities took place in the kitchen (as they should!) Below is a tasty ricotta skillet bread that the mister baked. The recipe called for fennel, but after the first loaf we realized that the only thing we disliked about it was the fennel. The next couple of times we made it we used rosemary instead. It was delicious and very moist!



I made a beet risotto that was BEAUTIFUL! The color was just amazing, and it was delicious to boot!



This is a yummy Spanish tortilla.



My mom had given us some pumpkins that she had grown. The two bigger ones became jack o'lanterns, two small ones became pies, and the rest were canned and have yet to become tasty treats. I made a pumpkin pie from a Paula Deen recipe. Honestly, Paula Deen scares me a little, but this recipe was amazing. It calls for cream cheese which gives the pie a special taste. It's somewhere between a pumpkin pie and a pumpkin cheese cake. The changes I made to the recipe were using fresh pumpkin and making my own crust.



Using fresh pumpkin can seem pretty intimidating at first, but it is SO EASY. All I did was:

1. Cut the pumpkin in half
2. Remove the stem, seeds, and pulp (I saved the seeds and roasted them later)
3. Place the two halves in a covered microwave-safe casserole dish
4. Add an inch or so of water and microwave for about 10 min
5. If pulp seems soft is easily spooned out, the pumpkin is ready, if not microwave a little longer
6. Scoop pumpkin away from skin with a ice cream scoop or spoon and use as directed by recipe

That's all! It's pretty simple, and a great way to impress your friends by saying you made the pie from a "real pumpkin."







When I was studying abroad in Switzerland I discovered Glühwein. It was served in all of the cafes, pubs, outdoor markets, and parades during the late Fall and Winter months. It's such a warm and comforting drink, like the winter version of a summer sangria. The best part is how it makes the house smell so festive.





My mother decided that Oliver needed a Halloween costume. He actually really liked it. He wore this collar around for days. There was a witch hat to go with it, but he wasn't really a fan.





The mister and Oliver show off our homegrown jack o'lanterns.



Look at our house; isn't it festive? Don't worry, that's not a ghost, it's just the mister.



I think that just about wraps up our Fall fun. Stay tuned to see the excitement of our winter.

My Very First Cookie Jar

I believe in full disclosure, so let's just get this out in the open. I'm 23 years old, and I've never had a cookie jar. *GASP* Now that we've established my deprived childhood, I can tell you that I now have a cookie jar! It was a great garage sale find one sunny Saturday morning. It even has an awesome clasp-latch closure (there's probably a technical name for that.) Since, we had a new cookie jar, the obvious next step was to make cookies to put inside.



This was my first time using the Kitchen-Aid mixer too. I made a big mess with the flour. Oops. My skills have been honed since that incident. I now keep most of ingredients inside the mixing bowl.





We even took a plate over to our neighbor who had just moved in next door. (I strongly believe in friendships with a foundation built on food bribes.)

Ramblings

I can't wait to have my own garden. This summer was too hectic with graduating, starting my new job, moving, and the wedding. Hopefully next summer! I wonder if my landlord would mind me digging up the backyard? When I start a garden I hope to get into home canning. My mom really enjoys canning. She has always done tomatoes, salsa, and spaghetti sauce, but this year she has been much more adventurous. She's branching out into new territories and canning pickles, squash, pumpkin, beans, potatoes and whatever leftovers she scavenges from her friends' gardens. I'm excited to get to try some of her new creations.

I LOVE MASON JARS. They embody all of the traits I appreciate most in anything. They are simple, cheap, multi-functional, re-usable, and recyclable. What a perfect creation! Not only are the essential for home canning, but they also make great drinking glasses, storage containers, and decorations. I have a jar hidden among my plants that holds sea glass I collected from the Mediterranean beaches in Barcelona. Recently I found a new use for a mason jar, soap dispenser! (Picture is number 4 of 37)



A friend of mine from college just got married about a month ago. Sadly we were unable to go to Illinois for the wedding, but I enjoyed making the gift! It was fun to get to use the dremel we got as a wedding gift. I actually finished this a while back, but I'm terrible about shipping things, so it just finally made it to the post office. For the happy couple, I made a mason jar soap/lotion dispenser, three knit dish/washcloths, and some melt-and-pour soaps.



The dishcloth patters used were: tan , blue , and multi-colored . They were all knit from cotton yarn in my stash. Several years ago, I bought a big bag of cotton yarn at a garage sale, and I've slowly been working my way through it. I really enjoy working with cotton yarn, and I like to make dishcloths because I get to sample new patterns and techniques without too much commitment. A dishcloth can be finished in one evening, so if it turns out that I don't like the pattern, I haven't lost too much time. Also, I lose interest with a pattern after I've finished it once (this is problematic with socks and mittens). I usually avoid repeating patterns or projects, but since there are TONS of dishcloth patterns out there, I never have to worry about running out of options.