by Kat | Mar 24, 2016 | General
Today I am putting the final touches on my Easter Feast Menu, which created a list of what I need to pick up from the grocery store.
Thankfully it is a short list.
What I really am loving is my Midori Passport Notebook which I am using for my wallet. I love it because I have my lists with me!
- Lists of knitting patterns with yarn requirements
- Lists of sewing patterns with yardage
- Lists of measurements of places in the house, in case I find that possibly perfect something
And, lists of things for meal planning – like this Easter list!
I hope your week is going well and if you have to-do lists that they are almost done for the week, mine still has a few things on it, but I don’t feel nearly as out of control as I did yesterday.
Thankfully!
by Kat | Mar 23, 2016 | General, Making
This week started off deceptively slowly, however today I feel like I am chasing the snowball downhill and I am never going to catch it before it crashes into the weekend!
But, as it is I will try to grab a few minutes today to knit a bit more on my Morwenstowe Socks – maybe just a row or two. The pattern is the right combination between patterning and mindless knitting and the yarn is so lovely. Thanks Yvonne for the great suggestion!
Why so little you ask?
Well, as you can see, I am reading The Marco Effect by Jussi Adler-Olsen and it is one of those books that is impossible to put down!
Just what my week did not need – an impossible to put down book in a week with a miles long task list!
Thanks to Ginny for hosting Yarn Along, where you can find some really good reads and even better knits! Go look for yourself!
What are you reading this week?
by Kat | Mar 21, 2016 | General, In This Moment
Without bread all is misery. – William Cobbett, British journalist
I am a student of bread. I have taken Craftsy classes about bread. I have read tomes on bread. I have eaten tons of bread – some very good and some not very good.
And the challenge of my life is making very good bread given the limitations of a home kitchen.
I think I make a pretty good crusty loaf of bread – there is always room for improvement, but I feel confident that flour, water, yeast, and salt will result in a beautiful and tasty loaf of bread.
However, not everyone likes a crusty loaf of bread, crazy, I know…but they don’t.
Enter the quest for a good sandwich style loaf of bread.
I found this recipe via King Arthur Flour and have tried this bread several times. My first try did not get much rise…I questioned the viability of my yeast so I ordered new yeast and tried again.
Try number two with new yeast did not result in a markedly different result…
Now, don’t get me wrong – this bread tasted amazing. It was excellent slathered in butter, or toasted and topped with jam or peanut butter, topped with tuna salad, or grilled with cheese.
However, it was not a tall lofty loaf, but rather one that was short in stature.
I took to the internet and searched the King Arthur site to see if I could find an answer and lo and behold, I did! Who knew that my bread pans were the fault?!
The new pans did indeed improve the rise and the end result of two lovely loaves just made my weekend!
There is always room for improvement, but, I am on the right track!
by Kat | Mar 18, 2016 | General
Watching: I finished House of Cards this week, and that is all I will say about it. No spoilers here! And, Netflix added in more episodes of Happy Valley. Plus, The American’s is back on Wednesday nights!
Prepping: For Easter – this involves menu planning, and shopping. Also, I am looking for dessert ideas and I’d love it if you’d share!
Spinning: I have been working through a bit of Sheepspot Clun Forest/Babydoll Southdown roving – it is spinning up so effortlessly. I really am happy with it. I also have been carding a Shetland fleece that I washed up late last year. My plan for these lovely rolags – yarn for Rock the Lobster. They will pair up with the salvaged Briar Rose Fibers yarn from earlier this week. I have a bit more carding to do though before I am sure I will have enough.
Planning: What we will be planting this year and where it will go – crop rotation, you know! I am happy that I have herbs sprouting, and the rhubarb and raspberry plants made it through the winter! And, it appears a salvaged Lilac will have a good year as well.
Celebrating: Since Pi Day and the Ides of March both passed quietly, we did have a bit of a St. Paddy’s day feast – Lamb Stew, Guinness, and Irish Music counts as a celebration in my book!
Discovered: Duolingo and I am working on Danish right now. So. Much. Fun.
Counting: The minutes until the day is over and the welcome to the weekend can begin. There will be Manhattan’s and good eats coupled with the best companionship and conversation.
I hope your weekend starts off just as nicely! See you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Mar 17, 2016 | General, Making
Starting strong is good. Finishing strong is epic. – Robin Sharma
Way back on June 1st 2015, I cast on eagerly with the many participants of Kirsten Kapur’s MKAL. I started off like a knitter on fire and kept pace with all the clues until clue #4 arrived. I knit about half of it and then Summer Busy kicked in high gear, and the knitting languished. Tucked away in a bag – out of sight, out of mind.
Enter Konmari.
Joy? Or no joy…
(more…)
