February Wrap-Up

Although February is a short month it feels like winter gives you its last big kick in the pants. The month is a blur but it still seems like you took a beating. Chloe is growing so quickly. About a week ago she got up in the morning as usual but it felt like she had grown older over night. I still have moments like when I am driving and she is sitting in her car seat in the back and I catch a glimpse of her and I think Wow I have a kid. I find myself starring at her in wonder, and total love for her.

I tried several new recipes this month only one worth mentioning. I tried a chicken nacho, a sausage and pepper sandwich, and a supposedly the best meatloaf you will ever try recipe, it was not the case. I did make some Strawberry-Chocolate cupcakes that were a real treat. I found the recipe at cupcakeblog.com. The specific recipe I used is HERE. The blog is all cupcake recipes and I think I will be back to see what else I can make from the website.

I started knitting the Matsuri scarf. I think I might rip it out and start over on a smaller needle size. It looks good I just think the pattern will pop out more if I go to the next size down in needles. I finally figured out the berry-in-a-box stitch. There was a Dec 4 section that I read over and over and even got out a few of my stitch handbooks to try and figure out what it was telling me to do. I had to just start it and finally my brain clicked and I got it.

  I started another project I am calling my Little Zigzag blanket. I was inspired by Attic 24’s zigzag baby blanket she made awhile back. I just thought it was brilliant to put the little squares together on the diagonal. I am using Baby bee Hushabye yarn in all solid colors. Picture on the left Top row colors are Baby Sage #82, Sugar Plum #60, Meema’s Blue #39, Middle Row: Boo Pink #40, Naked #11, Pink a Boo #36. Bottom Row: Baby’s Blue #50, Chocolate #80, Mint Charm #26. I have already started making the little squares. I like how easy and portable making the little squares are. So far so good and I am amazed at how many squares I already have just working on them here and there.

Well that wraps up the month of February. I am looking forward to watching the Oscars tonight. I will leave you with some photos of Chloe taken this month.

My Granny Stripe

I have completed my Granny Stripe blanket. This is my first project completed in my 2011 challenge to create 11 in 2011. This was an easy project it just took me awhile to get it done.

I used Baby Bee Delight yarn in colors: Naked, Pink-A-Boo, Bashful, and Berry Jam. It is very soft yarn and nice to work with. I have already washed the blanket in the washer on delicate cycle in cold and dried it on an air non heat cycle and it looks great. I like that I can wash it if I need to.

I did a total of 10 repeats of the pattern striping. Sorry the photo is not great. It is not easy to get the whole thing in the photo. I took this one standing on the stairs looking down at it.

I decided to do a shell pattern around the edging instead of the picot that was used in the pattern.

Overall a great easy project. You can find the pattern HERE.

Now just 10 more creative projects to complete in 2011.

Happy Valentines

Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentines Day. It was pretty low key around here. I had planned to make some cupcakes for Chloe to bring into her class at daycare, but they don’t allow any home made food to share with the kids. So I picked up some cookies and some white grape juice from the store to bring in for the kids and their afternoon party. Chloe had a great time and even came home with a goodie bag full of little toys and treats.

 We gave Chloe a panda pillow pet for Valentines. It has a little Velcro flap on the bottom that you can undo and it becomes flat like a pillow. It is pretty cute and she carries it all over the house and also has it with her for naps and bed time.

The mail man dropped off a package for me just in time for Valentines. I got the new Berroco pattern book #309 Vintage DK. Along with it I got 2 skeins of Berroco’s Vintage DK wool blend yarn in color #2176 Pumpkin. I plan to use the yarn to knit the Matsuri scarf from the pattern book. It has been awhile since I have picked up my knitting needles and I think this will be the perfect project to get me back into the game.

I went to the movies on Valentines and saw No Strings Attached with Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. It was a good romantic comedy and perfect for the holiday.

Coming soon, photos of my first completed project of 2011.

Oatmeal Cookies

Today I made oatmeal cookies. I have never made oatmeal cookies before, there always seemed to be a better cookie to make than oatmeal. Since all three of us have a major sweet tooth I thought maybe I would try to be a smidge on the healthier side making oatmeal cookies instead of whatever double fudge chocolate cookie recipe I wanted to try at the moment. This recipe is called Grandma Mollie’s Oatmeal Raisin chocolate chip cookies. Of course it does have chocolate chips in it, probably why it caught my attention in the first place. I tore out the recipe from Country living magazines September 2009 issue. You can find the recipe HERE. These cookies turned out wonderful and both Chris and Chloe approve.

We are finally starting to thaw out after all the bad weather. The weather caused a black out in our town due to high consumption of electricity. The electric company was able to get all the power back on in a reasonable amount of time. The biggest problem was that the natural gas company shut down all the gas. With no natural gas we had no heat and no hot water. Luckily we had two space heaters to help keep us from being too cold. It was about 2 ½ days until they got the gas back on at our house. The guy rang my doorbell the afternoon of the third day and said he was there to turn the gas back on, I looked like hell with flannel pj pants on with a couple of layered tops and a sweatshirt, my hair looked like a hot mess since I had not washed it in a few days. His name was Justin and I could have kissed him square on the mouth. Chloe even liked the guy as she stood beside me all bundled up saying hi to him for the 10th time as he went around the house turning things back on and making sure the gas was on and working correctly. I have my fingers crossed that will be the worst of the weather we will see this season.

We made a trip into a nearby town to do some shopping and to stop at our favorite Mexican restaurant. Chloe is enjoying a plate of cheese quesadillas with some beans and rice. This place is pretty cool because not only do they have amazing food they also have a large bird cage in the lobby that houses several exotic birds a few parrots, cockatiels, and even a toucan. Chloe got a big kick out of watching the birds and talking to them.

Silent Sunday