A year in photos

Thanks to Jessica for this year in review idea!

*Here's my 2009*

January:

Ice Storm (during which K and I got engaged)

February:

Visited my favorite corner in Maysville, KY

March:

I crocheted an intermediate level project, the Chanson en Crochet

April:

Crochet block blanket was underway 

May:

I started this blog

June:

We wed!

July:

Camping paraphernalia on our Black Mountain honeymoon

August:

Plum Kuchen made on the day of the flood

September:

Vegetables from our garden and CSA subscription

October:

The most decadent cake ever

November:

Gingerbread cookies: popular with grandmothers and coffee drinkers the world over

December:

Nature makes the best color combinations

Lacy Totes and Wrist Warmers

[More handmade presents revealed]

Lacy totes in khaki and charcoal with thrifted lace.

I made the khaki one for my mom (she gave me yards of vintage khaki fabric, so it seemed fitting to give her something  made from it) and the charcoal one is my sister's.

They are similar to the tote I made for myself awhile back, but these are bigger and sturdier than my first one. I used a medium-weight interfacing and did the straps differently. I'm learning a bit more with each item I sew, though sometimes I wish I could just learn it all in one fell swoop and be an instant proficient seamstress.

I am happy with the way these totes came out and hope my mom and sister will put them to good use. Julie's leaving in a few short weeks for a semester abroad in London, so perhaps my tote will visit some historic sites.

Woolen wrist warmers for K, which he claims make him feel alternately like a homeless person, an arctic boxer, and Spiderman (if only I had made them in red and blue). My husband has quite the imagination, he does.

I'm just glad he's got something to keep his hands warm while he click-clacks away on the computer. K gets up early in the morning (much earlier than me!) and studies Japanese before work. We learned enough Japanese to get around when we lived in Japan, but there is so much more to learn! He's using a computer program to study Kanji and grammar on his own.* I'm continually impressed by his self-motivation and determination to learn despite the difficulty of Japanese and having to squeeze in study time before and after work. Our house is freezing in the mornings when he gets up to study. So, I hope these wrist warmers will make his study time a little bit easier.

* * * * *

*My hope is that he may one day be able to translate all of those tattoos of Chinese characters that people get, so that we can laugh and laugh at people who unknowingly have silly things inked onto their skin for life. However, I think his own goals might be loftier than that.

The Library Scarf

[I'm continuing the series of  "presents revealed" posts. Hold on to your seats...there's still more to come after this.]

This is the scarf I made for my mom for Christmas. I started it early in the semester, either in August or September, and just crocheted a bit on it during my study breaks. It was slow-going, but oh-so-relaxing to spend my downtime crocheting. The Library Scarf takes its name from the place were I made it, but you can find the original pattern listed as the Claudia Scarf on Ravelry.

Scarf in progress, posing with notebooks, tea, and class reading.

Finished scarf hanging out on the sunny coat rack with my tote.

Sunlight through stitches. I love the dots and dashes of sunlight that come through the lacy crochet.

Scalloped ends

Cozying up with books

Blue Doily Pillow

Hello! How are things going with you all? I'm trying to get back in the swing of things. I don't know about you, but after the holidays I just want to curl up and hibernate for a good long while. Instead, I've got a bit of work to do for school this week, some school books to buy, and lots of crafting to squeeze in before the semester starts again.

Another thing on my to-do list is to show you all of the secret presents I made for Christmas. So, let's start off with this blue doily pillow cover that I made for my mother-in-law. The fabric is a linen-cotton blend that's smooth and soft, and the doily is one we used to decorate the tables at our wedding. I knew my mother-in-law would enjoy having a keepsake from that special day.

It's the same style as the other doily pillow covers I've made--envelope-backed cover with a hand-sewn doily  adornment. I loved the time I got to spend on the couch, covered with quilts, watching bad (yet so hilarious) daytime TV, and hand-sewing this pillow cover.

Here's a photo of the hand-sewing process, taken while cuddled up on my couch.

What handmade gifts did you give or get this year?

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

This handmade quilt belongs to my sister's roommate. I gushed over it when I was helping my sister move out of the dorm last week. The message is just perfect for today.

I'm wishing you lots of health and happiness!

Crochet All Day

These days I can't get enough crocheting in to satisfy my addiction--I could crochet all day if I had the time. I love working with thread and a hook and making delicate creations.

I finally got around to crocheting Margaret Oomen's Sunburst Cover from the September/October 2009 issue of Crochet Today. It's more time-consuming than the Radii and Shamrock Covers, but I think the end result is worth it. In fact, I liked the Sunburst so much that I made two!

I also got the chance to try out lots of tutorials from The Royal Sisters. From left to right, Grandma Tree, Grandma Twinkle, Grandma Heart, and Grandma All Round. I plan to adorn gifts with these lovely shapes, and then the gift recipient has a little ornament to hang on the tree next year. These crochet up fast, so if you need a really last minute gift addition, these work well.

I hope you're having a happy holiday!

Secret Caramel Corn

Shh...I'll let you in on a little secret. I made caramel corn this morning, and it's the best caramel corn I've ever tasted. It's salty and sweet, flavored with butter and vanilla, and each piece is enrobed in just the right amount of caramel. Mmm...

I know, I know, it's the season of giving. That's why I made caramel popcorn, to give as gifts.

 But then I tasted this caramel corn. And I tasted it again and again. I think we all see where this is going. The popcorn is rapidly disappearing, and it's not because I'm putting it in gift bags. So, please don't tell anyone that I made caramel corn for them. I didn't.

Check out the recipe here.

  My advice is to invite a few friends or family members over to help you make this caramel popcorn . Otherwise they might never get to try it.

First you need to pop 10 cups of popcorn. Each batch of popcorn starts with 3 kernels...when they pop you know the oil is ready.

I've never popped corn on the stovetop before, but I'm an instant convert. Why have I been hiding all the fun away in the microwave all of these years? A hot pan with a bit of oil, a smattering of kernels, and as much shaking as one girl can muster is pretty magical.

Just look what happens! I sprinkled the hot popcorn with a bit of salt and called it lunch. I love being the boss of myself! I think I'm really maturing.

After "lunch" I made caramel, mixed it with the popcorn, and then baked it in a warm oven for an hour. The result was two baking sheets full of deliciousness.

I don't know how many handfuls this made, but I think it's safe to say that this recipe serves approximately one hungry snacker (or more if you're willing to part with it).

You'll have to pry it out of my hands if you want some of mine.

Go on and make some of your own. Your mouth will be so happy you did!

* * *

I hope you're staying warm, healthy, and happy on this shortest day of the year.