Rock cozy

I tried to follow a tutorial by Resurrection Fern the other day...

link to tutorial :
http://resurrectionfern.typepad.com/resurrection_fern/2008/09/crocheting-little-trees-a-tutorial.html

Supposedly I was to come up with a crocheted tree.
Somehow, I came up with this


I left it in the preschool for kids to explore. A soft little rock.

Cinnamon Pinwheels

I have been missing lately but hopefully I'm back for a little while anyway!

Cinnamon Pinwheels!

Mix together

2 sticks of butter
3/4 cup sugar

Add

1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix until smooth

Gradually add in

1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour

Mix. When I did this step it looked crumbly, but this is ok.
Take the mixture and form in into a ball with your hands.

Split the dough in half.

Roll out onto parchment with a floured rolling pin into a rectangle about 12 inches by 8 inches.

Sprinkle/cover with sugar and cinnamon.

Roll "hot dog style" into a log

Refrigerate for 1 hour or more.

Cut into 1/4 inch slices.

Bake at 350 for about 12-14 minutes.

There ya go! This cookie is good.
I wouldn't eat too many cause I don't really like cinnamon or sugar cookies. But if you like those two things, these would be great!

A Spindle, a Darkness, a Fever, and a Necklace

I've spent the last few weeks busy with my homemade spindle hand-spinning some yarn.
This homemade spindle was quite the disaster and I will immediately be purchasing a real spindle. The process would have been much quicker, but even with a couple old cds, I made some desirable yarn.

First I got an 8oz bunch of wool roving. I started by just spinning the white.

I did about half on the spindle and half on an actual spinning wheel. The spinning wheel is exponentially easier and faster and better, but they cost about $700 so I won't be getting one of those really soon.

I knew I didn't really want the white so I dyed a bunch red, and some purple with Kool-Aid. Turned out great!
Hanging to dry.

First you soak the wool, add about 1 cup of white vinegar, 3 packs of kool-aid, boil and stir until all the color is absorbed (about 20 minutes), then let cool to air temp on its own.

After dying it I had to re-card the fiber using a drum carder. Really fun and awesome!!! I blended the red and purple. Again, costs about $600. WAH!

I spun the rest of the wool on the spinning wheel, then decided to ply the red and purple with white.

I'm definitely going to overdye this yellow so that its yellow, orange, and brown!

I made another bundle with triple ply white and some of the awesome fibers I bought a while back.
Hanging to dry.

After you ply them you have to wet it so it stays.

Short Scarf

I'm finally done with one of my many projects, a short scarf!
This took me a long time, maybe 2 and a half weeks, but I don't have much free time to work on it lately so it shouldn't take that long if you can dedicate some time.

I cast on 44 stitches
I alternated knit 2, purl 2, knit 2, purl 2

this is what the scarf looks like unstretched

and stretched out!

I did this the entire length of the scarf until I got to where I wanted the button holes to be.
I just measured by putting the scarf on my neck every so often. This is going to be different for every person depending on how tight you want it and what type of yarn you use, and what size needles. Mine was about 23 inches until the button hole row.

I followed this video on how to knit button holes. It was pretty difficult! Watch the video LOTS of times before attempting this. Then you still have to watch the video while doing it...

The video shows how to do a 3 stitch button hole. I needed a large hole so I actually did a 6 stitch hole. Just modify instructions to fit your button. My buttons were about an inch wide.

After knitting and purling a little more (I did about 4 inches), cast off.

Then add your buttons! The length of my scarf required that I have vertical buttons with horizontal holes.
All done! Here is the final product!

and if the grounds not cold...

Pixies, Nov. 5th 2009

Little Owl

Today I found a wonderful place!

It was full of many amazing things that I wanted to buy!!!
I purchased some beautiful hand dyed, hand woven yarn, and some felting needles.

I tore some apart and created this little friend that sits just right on a quarter.

Heavy booted and wild eyed

When I'm working I find that Joanna inspires me the most. She mesmerizes me.

Apple Toffee Pie Cookies

I'm working on so many projects right now with the cold weather coming!

Here is a yummy treat to keep yourself warm and cozy.

Toffee Apple Pie Cookies!

preheat to 350

Combine :
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground fresh ginger


In a larger bowl combine :
1/2 cup room temp. butter
3/4 cup brown sugar


Next add,
1 large egg
2 tbsp maple syrup

Combine the flour mixture and the wet mixture

Finally add:
1 package toffee bits
2 medium green apples, chopped

Place spoonfuls on cookie sheets. This made 2 dozen large cookies!


Bake for 15-18 min.

YUM YUM YUMMMM

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Here is a delicious version of the old Oatmeal Raisin Cookie.

Preheat to 350.

Mix together:
1 1/2 cups of old fashioned oats
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup dark raisins
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup zante currants (not a currant) -----> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zante_currant
(you could substitute dried cranberries for the Zantes. Maybe I'll try that next time....)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Set that mixture aside and get a different bowl

In the other bowl mix :
6 tbsp room temp. butter unsalted
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Mix until combined well, then add

1 large egg

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine wet mixture and dry mixture. I had to use my hands for this.
I don't like using the mixer once the flour is involved because it tends to make cookies more tough. The wooden spoon just didn't cut it.
Next, take heaping spoonfuls and place onto two baking sheets.
I came out with 22 cookies.
After having your mounds place a pinch full of mixed raisin mixture on top .
Bake for 12-16 minutes. I needed the whole 16 minutes! I usually take my cookies out a little early but these didn't work that way.

Done.

Easy Halloween masks

After reading October's "Martha Stewart Living", I decided to would make my own Halloween masks this year.

Here is a link to her bird mask idea.

http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/bird-mask?&backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/halloween-masks#slide_0

But crepe paper? I prefer a more authentic look. Sorry Martha. Here are the masks I created after being inspired by her article.

Gathered materials that I bought at Michaels.
Then I separated the feathers into piles of relating kinds
There were a lot of steps I didn't document, silly, but I made a beak out of a hard felt sheet. I cut a long corner and hot glued it into place, then cut it to the desired shape.
The began the feather process.
I started with the longer feathers and glued layers related by type and size. Then, around the eyes I glued the felt as a sort of eyeliner.
Finished product.
I also made a arctic fox mask using faux fur fabric and felt. Thats really all you need! (Besides the mask template)

No documentation here, but it was really easy!
I started with a base of fur, then glued fur on the back of hard felt triangles for the ears. Those were glued onto the back of the mask.
Next, a moon shaped fur piece for the nose. This was the most difficult part and took a couple of tries.
Lastly, a nose felt piece on the end of the nose. I will use thin wire for the whiskers.

Finished product (besides the whiskers)

Fibers!

I finally received my etsy order from beckandcallgirl!
She hand picks these beautiful fibers and color coordinates.
I bought "Herb Garden"

and "Into the Woods"
So now I have 60 yards of various beautiful fibers and no idea what to do with it...
Initially I wanted to make a hat or scarf but I don't think that's what these fibers had in mind for the rest of their life.

Any ideas?