28

28 things about me

1. A mug of tea almost always cheers me up.

2. I'm related to Abraham Lincoln and Jim Beam.

3. Right now I'm very excited about a knit along that's starting at work in February. We're going to knit the Baby Surprise Jacket.

4. I am messy. I like messy activities like baking, ceramics, and playing with all of my yarn at once.

5. I've am trying to be a tidier person. My two goals are to leave the bathroom counter clean every morning and make my bed before I go to work. Right now? The counter is clean, but the bed is unmade.

6. I studied in Amsterdam for a semester. One of my favorite things to do was bike along the Amstel River. I'd stop for lunch among the windmills and sit on the bank to watch the boats go by.

7. My favorite flower is lilac. Peony is a close second. I need to find the perfect spot for both in my yard.

8. I recently (as in this morning) received some very good professional news out of the blue.

9. I love trying new restaurants. My current favorites are Eiderdown, Simply Thai, and Roots.

10. Sometimes I wear headphones on the bus but don't turn on any music. Nobody bothers me, and I get to eavesdrop.

11. If I could only watch one movie for the rest of my life, it'd be The Royal Tenebaums.

12. I also want to steal Margot Tenebaum's style. And the whole Tenebaum house. I want it.

13. In a typical week I talk to my parents and sister every other day.

14. Growing up, I wanted to be a writer or the lead singer of an all-girl rock band.

15. I'm currently undecided about what I want to be when I grow up. I'm taking suggestions.

16. I used to be a night owl, but now I'm a morning person all the way. Give me a cup of tea (or coffee) and a whole day ahead of me and I'm a happy camper.

17. Most of my closest friends live far away. Shout outs to those in Minneapolis and Berlin!

18. I love my blog friends, too. It's weird to feel like I know people I've never met, but I do.

19. I taught high school in Japan for two years. I also led a conversation group and tutored a 3-year-old Japanese girl.  She was so tiny and cute! Somehow I kind of taught her the word mustache, which she loved. She'd hook her finger over her upper lip and shout, "Mustar!"

20. You can usually find me listening to the radio and knitting on Sunday nights. Sunday nights are hands down the best nights for radio around here. From 8 until 11 the Country Gentleman plays bluegrass, traditional country, and old-time country. He's 81 and such a hoot. You can stream it if you aren't lucky enough to live in Louisville.

21. My favorite ice cream is salted caramel from The Comfy Cow. Butter pecan is a close second.

22. I try not to watch much TV. However, I can't stop myself from watching Modern Family, Downton  Abbey, and Parenthood.

23. I put off doing dishes as long as I can.

24. In high school I wore a pair of tight sparkly jeans in public. More than once.

25. Also in high school, I voluntarily attended a personal finance class that started at 6:30 AM because my friends were doing it. Peer pressure for nerds.

26. The college I attended has a crypt in the administration building. Every Halloween they'd draw names of students for the privilege of staying overnight in the crypt. I never put my name in that creepy raffle.

27. I'm happy.

28. Today is my birthday. I'm entering my twenty-ninth year. Let the adventures continue...

21c

It has been so hard to get back into the work week after the weekend that we had. For K's birthday, I surprised him with an in-the-city getaway. We stayed downtown at the 21c Museum Hotel, which was voted the #1 hotel in the US and #6 in the world (that's right, big things are happening here in Kentucky). The 21c has fabulous 24/7 gallery space with a bevy of art exhibits. Their rooms are full of interior design inspiration, and they serve up delicious meals at their restaurant, Proof.

Downtown Louisville has (surprisingly) a lot going on at night. I curled up on the window seat for a while and watched people walking by. Later K and I had a board game marathon (it was his birthday, after all). K was surprised and loved having a low-key birthday getaway. 

 

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I just had to show you guys my favorite interactive art installation. A camera projects live images onto a wall along with falling letters. You can actually catch the letters as they cascade down. The word nerd in me had a blast!

If you're in need of a getaway, I highly recommend the 21c!

celebrating

We're celebrating my mister's last year as a twenty-something. 

We've had birthday dinners, birthday cakes, and birthday games.

His birthday may be over, but the celebrating isn't. I've still got some surprises up my sleeve. I can't wait to share with you (and him!) where we're going. 

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Happy birthday, K! You just keep getting better with age.

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Have a great weekend!

weekend snippets: pizza bread

My father-in-law David's specialty at family get-togethers is pizza bread. I was hanging around the kitchen this weekend when he was making it, so I snapped some pictures.

Here's his pizza bread recipe in photos:

Layer ingredients

Cut dough and criss cross

Bake

Devour

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We had a really delicious trip to Maysville over the weekend. To celebrate the winter birthdays, my mother-in-law Phyllis made a fantastic turtle cake. Knowing that I had a leftover piece of that cake in the fridge got me through a tiring Monday. Find the recipe here. Phyllis highly recommends the website it comes from, Just a Pinch.

From our kitchen...

Hello. The week has been long, hasn't it? You should probably pour yourself a drink. I'm having wine myself, but K has been having bourbon lately. Tea would make for a cozy night and maybe a better morning. 

Korey and I have both been busy in the kitchen in recent weeks. He cooks. I bake. It works out. Our menu staples have been soup and salad. You wouldn't know that from the photos I've taken. Apparently I only like to take pictures of warm breads and cakes. Ah well, these are the things I love to make and eat. Here is a peek at what's come from our kitchen this month.  

Cheddar Bread

I couldn't believe this came from my oven. It makes the whole apartment smell wonderful and is perfect for sandwiches. I'm going to add more cheddar or some herbs to the next batch.

Olive Pecan Cream Cheese Sandwiches (a decadent lunch) 

I make this sandwich once in a blue moon. It's such a treat: crunchy, creamy, salty, crispy, chewy. The workday doesn't seem so bad when I've got an olive nut sandwich in my lunch bag. There's no recipe. Just chop a handful of olives and pecans. Mix them with warmed cream cheese (Maybe an ounce per sandwich. I find that warming up the cream cheese makes it mix up much faster). Spread on your favorite bread (my current is cheddar). Add lettuce for some crispy texture. The olive nut cheese tastes even better the next day.

My Birthday Breakfast! Biscuits and Strawberry Jam

I'd never made jam before, but Apples for Jam has the simplest recipe. I found a bag of CSA strawberries in the freezer, a lemon in the fridge, and sugar in the jar. That's all I needed to whip up a delightfully sweet-tart jam. The deep red color is a great way to brighten up my winter mornings.

Just add hot water for

my go-to remedy for a sore throat

Mind you, I just had a little tickle in my throat, but that didn't stop me from making this soothing lemon-ginger-honey tea. It tastes like warm lemonade and makes me feel instantly better.

Mom's Birthday Cake, not quite set yet

And finally, the cheesecake I made for my mom. We had a snow day on her birthday, which I took as a sign that I should spend the afternoon baking a cake instead of doing homework. A good decision, right? My last minute baking didn't give the cake enough time to solidify into a glorious cheesecake slab before the birthday celebration, but it was still really delicious. The recipe is from Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours, which I am convinced is the only baking book anyone needs. Dorie is a genius and hasn't steered me wrong yet.

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What's been going on in your kitchen lately? 

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Some links you will love:

Dani's posted a new weekly menu. Thanks for getting me excited about menus again, Dani!

Kerry is hosting a fantastic giveaway. You can win a spot in an e-course about finding beauty in everyday life. 

Please try this easy Kettle Corn recipe! It's caramel corn but without all the work. We're having a movie marathon tonight, and I think it will go really well with my wine. Bourbon? Not so much. Sorry, K.

Tell me your dreams, you dreamers

I've always loved wishing--throwing a penny in a fountain, finding an eyelash, blowing out birthday candles. I'm a daydreamer, and I revel in the hope of having a wish come true. Until now I've held tight to the superstition that wishes have to remain a secret. If you tell someone your dream it won't come true, right?

Wishing has been on my mind because today I'm adding another year to my age. Twenty-seven. Suddenly (to me) my age sounds so...(sigh) adult. It sounds like I should have my act together a little, like I should have some sort of plan for my life. I've always had a plan before. Get the heck out of high school, finish college, teach in Japan, get married, go to grad school. I'm trying to get a new plan. I'm trying to figure out how to turn all of the little things I do every day into a livelihood.

The things I love doing are writing and crafting, especially crocheting. My stomach did nervous/excited flip flops when I posted my first crochet pattern the other day. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the pattern on Ravelry with my name listed as “designer.” Me?!? One pattern doesn't make a designer any more than one step makes a journey, but it's a start.

And so today I'm vowing to say my wishes out loud. Telling people my dream is scary! I've been so afraid of what other people will think of me. Crochet designer? That's impossible, strange, or just plain silly. But saying it out loud, even if people judge, makes the dream seem a little closer. Somehow the voiced words make it more real. I've realized that blowing out birthday candles, no matter how magical, does not hold the power to give me the life I want. It will take my words, my efforts, and my determination to live a life that I love. Today I give you the very first step, my words.

My wish: To be a crochet designer, have a family, make a home, grow a garden, craft a life.

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Do you have a dream you've kept silent, locked up tight inside? If you feel bold enough, I'd love to hear it. 

the true identity of the upper arm warmer REVEALED...

It's a coffee press cozy! You guys were all on the right track with your guesses and lots of you were spot on. Thanks for playing along.

K (like a lot of guys) is hard to make things for. He doesn't need (or want) more than one hat or scarf, so coming up with things I can crochet for him is hard. Luckily, we had a shivering French press sitting around, which got my creative wheels turning...

Coffee + pizza for breakfast

K and I have been using a French press for a few years now. We love the more intense flavor we get from steeping the grounds, and since we don't drink a lot of coffee (only 1-2 cups each), the coffee press makes the perfect amount for us. 

If you've used a coffee press before, you know that the coffee can cool off pretty quickly, especially on cold mornings. So, I thought I'd make our press a cozy to keep the coffee warm through fall and winter.

The cable design is adapted the Crochet Cabled Scarf pattern. I just shortened it, added edging, loops, and buttons. You can see more specifics on my modifications here.  

The green wool and wooden buttons give the cozy a woodsy, manly feel. I think this would be right at home in a cabin, with water heated on a woodstove and coffee poured into chunky clay mugs. I'd wrap up in a hand-sewn quilt and sip from the steaming mug as I watched the woods outside the frosted window gather snow. That's the feeling I was trying capture with this cozy.

K loves the cozy, and we've been using it this weekend. The weather has turned cold so suddenly! It feels like fall now. We went shopping for wool coats yesterday, and we're hauling up our winter clothes from the basement today. The chill in the air makes me so happy!

crocheted necklace and a guessing game

Yesterday I wore this necklace I won from Donna's Decembers via a Smile and Wave giveaway. It made me smile all day long. You can't see it in the photo (due to my short arms and lack of camera self-timer skills), but I was wearing a red and blue tie belt over my t-shirt dress and cardigan. It was a very patriotic/nautical kind of day. 

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These are photos of K opening his crocheted gift. 

Can you tell he's a little baffled?

 His first guess: handwarmer? Nope.

 Neckwarmer? Not nearly big enough. 

 His final guess was upperarm warmer. While he could start a new trend, I don't really think it's very practical. 

I reminded him that he had forgotten the most important clue: 

It's not something you wear. 

So, what about you? Any guesses?

 I know I've got some crafty readers. I bet you guys can guess this in no time. 

birthday boy...

...er...birthday man? That just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Anyway...

Happy Birthday to my favorite husband, Korey!

Hope you have a marvelous 28th birthday.

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He opened presents this morning* and spent his time before work listening to new records. Tonight we're looking forward to dinner out and cake at home (quite possibly the ugliest cake I've ever made. I'm hoping that it is equally homely and delicious). 

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* I'll put up photos later of him trying to figure out what the crocheted thing I made him is. It was hilarious!

Birthday Week Continues

"There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents, and only one for birthday presents, you know."

--Lewis Carroll

Today's your day, Mom, and I hope you've had a great one. Happy Birthday! 

The week of cake

Today I will:

*eat cake

*go to my first yoga class in years

*have dinner with my family

*crochet (of course!)

It's going to be a good day!

I hope you have a wonderful day, too.