Knots by Ashley

Carrot Dill Soup

2011-11-13T21:30:00.000-08:00

There's something about the fall and the cold weather that makes me CRAVE soup! I could eat it every day! I made two this weekend: Tomato soup Florentine and Carrot Dill. This carrot soup is truly a winning recipe. It's both my husband's and my favorite of all the soups I make. 3 hours later and our house still smells amazing from it. Super light and flavorful!

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter (I've also used margarine, or less than 4T and both are still great!)

1 large onion diced

2 1/2 pounds of carrots, peeled and diced

2 ribs of celery diced

8 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 cup fresh dill chopped

pinch of cayenne pepper

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

Melt butter in pot. Add onions and cook on low heat for 10 minutes until onions become wilted. Add the carrots, spices, dill and broth. Bring to boil then lower heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Puree the soup with either a hand blender or in batches with a stand-up blender. Serve warm. Option to garnish with sprigs of dill, red bell pepper and a dollop of creme fraiche.

(Recipe from The New Basics Cookbook by Rosso & Lukins)

Plates galore!

2011-09-16T14:05:00.000-07:00

Why hello there blog world, long time no see!

Just thought I'd share some pictures of one of my recent craft projects. I jumped into the world of plate decorating, and I don't think it will end anytime soon! So many fun options to explore!

These are hand-painted silhouettes.:

The background pattern on these is done with lace and spray paint:

The entire floral collection, and the paired up plates.:

Some of my friend's plates - beautiful for the fall!

Love the colors in our work space:

It was such a fun mental break from the endless hours of studying. The best part about them is that the designs are all done on the backside so they can be eaten on! Hand wash only of course. You bet I'll be using them all the time for dinner parties. Let me know what you think!

I need a favor

2011-04-18T17:05:00.001-07:00

Hello friends, I know it's been a while but I need to ask a favor of you...

I had to make a video as a school project and the group that gets the most views in 2 weeks gets extra credit!!! Please help!! Help us get the extra credit and all you have to do is watch us make fools of ourselves on YouTube... yay! ... you may learn something too!... double yay!

Our topic is Iron Deficiency Anemia and I promise you, its not too boring. You must watch it till the end in order for the view to count. Watch as many times as you can and spread it around. Mute it and keep it running while you read blogs if you must! =P Here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cLR9YocqKU

Thanks you!!!

Picture This!

2011-02-14T16:53:00.001-08:00

It's been a really long time since I posted the teaser picture from one of my latest projects. Those of you who guessed it was a quilt... you were right! The pattern is called "Picture This" and it's supposed to look like a movie strip. I'm thrilled with how it turned out, and my husband loved it. He had no idea what I was making him for Christmas, I was actually able to keep it a surprise (for once), and get it done in time!

(the back side is a brown minky fabric - so soft!)

The picture fabric was really neat! I literally put it through my home printer to create the pictures, I didn't even know that was possible. Now, my first real quilt is officially done. I did have some amazing help though, and to her I'm very thankful. We got it done in 3 days!

I miss you blog world!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-26T17:50:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from our home to yours.

Wishing you a joyful and prosperous 2011

A work in progress...

2010-12-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

Her'es what I have so far, laid out on my coffee table. Can you guess what I'm making?? Shh... don't tell my husband. I'm trying really hard to get it done in time for Christmas, although with everything I have to do to get ready for 2 parties, it doesn't look likely =(

What's your guess?

Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

2010-12-13T19:11:00.001-08:00

If you love soups like I do... you've got to try this recipe! I got it from Taste of Home's Healthy cooking (one of my favorite magazines) and it is just delicious!

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash (about 3lb)

1 medium onion chopped

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 Tbsp curry powder

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tsp fresh gingerroot minced

1 tsp salt

4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

4 medium pears, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

balsamic vinegar and snipped chives for garnish

1 cut squash in half, discard seeds (I roasted mine with olive oil and salt, yum!) place face down on baking pan and bake on 400 for 40-50 minutes or until soft. cool slightly, scoop out pulp and set aside.

2. in a pot or dutch oven saute the onion in the oil until tender. add the curry, garlic, ginger and salt; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, pears, and squash. bring to a boil. reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes.

3. in a blender (or using a hand-held one like I did) process the soup in batches until smooth. Return to pot, add cream and heat through. Top with balsamic (highly recommend this, it complements the flavor really well) and snipped chives if desired.

Here's a picture of the soup on our Thanksgiving table:

Trust me, you will not be disappointed!

Nutrition facts (in case you're curious): serving = 3/4 cup. 190 cal, 8g fat, 18mg cholesterol, 527 mg sodium, 29g carbs, 7g fiber, 4g protein.

My First Quilt

2010-11-29T19:33:00.000-08:00

A while ago I mentioned that I was making a rag quilt. I'm really behind in posting these pictures, but had to share the final result with you:

Whatcha think?

In other news... I was featured in an Etsy treasury: Holiday Shopping Free People Style!

Coming soon: recap the past few months, a look into the life of a 1st semester nursing student, and a delicious fall soup recipe.

I've missed you!!

2010-11-21T12:53:00.001-08:00

Hi bloggers!

I've missed you oh so much! This is (unfortunately) just a quick post to share my newest listing with you, and then it's back to the books for me =( Only 3 more very intense weeks to go until Christmas break!! I cannot wait! Remember this hat? Well here it is again!

Now onto the cute baby.....

Isn't he just precious?!? The beautiful baby boy belongs to my friends Lindsey & Peter. They live on the opposite side of the country from us now and I hope to meet baby Brohm someday! Thanks Linds for letting me use the pictures for my listing, which can be found here. The amazing photography is by Teal Tree Studios Photography and Design.

Until next time...

Cappuccino Please!

2010-08-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

I'm officially registered for classes!! woot! :)

My schedule consists of 1 very long day of academics and 2 days a week for skills lab, which then becomes hospital clinicals around mid semester. We rotate our clinicals between 7 different local hospitals some of which are a 30-45 minute drive. This wouldn't be that big of a deal except these classes start at, oh, 6:30 am!!! Have I mentioned how much I am NOT a morning person? I tend to hit the snooze for a good 40 minutes before I finally roll out of bed. I usually plan for this and set the alarm earlier to allot for this time. I wouldn't recommend this strategy, but its worked for me for years now. The problem is, I can barely make it to work by 8, let alone be at school/hospital by 6:30... but I have to. I've waited too long for this and I've got to make it work. Once I become a nurse, I may be assigned to shifts that start that early too, so it's about time I get my butt in gear and get it out of bed when the alarm goes off. No more hitting the snooze and rolling over for more puppy & hubby cuddles, no more swearing at my alarm clock or sleeping way later than I should. I just need to do it.

How does one transform into a morning person in a week?? I having a feeling that my newest kitchen gizmo will become my new best friend in the morning:

Morning person attempt #1 = epic fail!

My wonderful husband agreed to get up early and support me in this transformation. The plan was to get up at 5 and leave the house by 6, just like I will do on the clinical/lab days. We motivated ourselves with food and planned to go out to breakfast before work. Sounds great right? Well, here's how it played out....

We've been watching my mom's German shepherd who decided to come into our room at 3am, kiss our faces, and then knock over a full glass of water. We couldn't fall back asleep for about half hour after this. When the alarm finally did go off at 5, I slept through the loud music and obnoxious beeping for 20 minutes before I even realized it was going off. That's when I fell back into my old habit of hitting the snooze. We finally got out of bed at 6, which was when we planned to leave the house. This was still an hour earlier than when we normally wake up, so at least we made progress.

Any advice?? Have you ever had to make a change in your sleeping patterns/habits? What worked for you?

Weekend Recap

2010-08-02T09:04:00.001-07:00

First off - Did you guys hear that the Triceratops never actually existed?? Turns out it was just a juvenile form of a Torosaurus, or that's the theory at least.

Also, thanks for all the tips on my sewing machine. Unfortunately, I still can't get it to work. I think its about time I took it into the shop and have them look at it. This seems to be a recurring problem so hopefully they can teach me how to fix it in the future.

On Saturday Mr. Knots and I saw Inception. Have you seen it yet? If not, you should! It's one of those movies that draws you in and keeps you at the edge of your seat. Does it topple or keep spinning?? gah! I've been thinking about it ever since. I definitely had some strange dreams on Saturday night after seeing it.

Anyone out there watch Medium? It's one of my favorite shows. You know the youngest daughter, Marie - well I saw the twins who play that role at the mall this weekend. Totally random. It took me a while to place why they looked familiar, and why there were two! They are just as adorable in person as they are in the show.

(source)

I still think the middle daughter looks just like my cousin, Kyra!

(source) / My cousin loves wearing her Knots by Ashley hats =D

Sunday we went to our friends Chad & Rachelle's wedding. It was beautiful!

We had such a blast!

Quilting Part 1

2010-07-31T00:03:00.000-07:00

A wonderful woman at our church volunteered to teach the ladies how to make rag quilts. Right up my alley? You betcha!! So technically, I guess I was supposed to use flannel, but I didn't get that memo so I'll have to keep that in mind for next time. I'm sure it will still work fine with this fabric, but it won't fray the same way that flannel does. I really love the patterns and prints I chose - I think its going to be a really fun and bold quilt.

So, I took my sewing machine down from closet, dusted it off, gathered my supplies and I was off to learn a new craft. I've had issues with my sewing machine ever since I got it (brand new Brother). First, I couldn't seem to get the tension right, and then it would only go backwards! Thanks to a sewing guru, It was stitching forward again and working great!

Once I got started I didn't want to stop. I was on a roll! I set up my machine when I got home and kept on sewing. It was working great and then without changing any settings, the tension got off again! So frustrating... Here's a picture of some test stitched I did while I messed with the settings trying to get it back to normal. See how the bottom thread comes up in loops? I can't seem to fix that even at the tightest tensions.

Any thoughts or suggestions as to why it's doing that and how I can fix it?? Anyone else have this issue with a Brother sewing machine? I hope I can get it back up and running again soon so I can continue quilting this beauty =D

Happy Friday!

Great News!

2010-07-30T10:37:00.001-07:00

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while now, you know I've been on a wait list for my local nursing program for a long time. 2-1/2 years!!! Well this week I got some good news: I'm in!! (insert happy dance here!) Since May I've been an alternate for the fall start date - 1 of 30 alternates. Needless to say, I wasn't keeping my hopes up on getting in. Then last week I got a phone call from the college saying that they received a grant from the state to hire on another teacher, which in turn means they can bring on more students!! Ohhhh Happy dayyyy!

Over the past few days I've been excited then nervous, happy then stressed. It's definitely been an emotional roller coaster, and the ride is not over yet. I've also spent a TON of money getting everything in order. I bought my textbooks, got a background/drug test, CPR certification, bought scrubs, a pair of the ugliest shoes known to man (they were required), stethoscope, and cute school supplies. I also had to have a health check, TB test, and immunization verifications. I'm starting to feel like a human pin cushion! Turns out that even though I had the series of 3 Hep B shots in 2003, I'm not immune, so I have to get the series all over again! Plus I'm sporting a beautiful bruise on my inner arm from getting my blood drawn - yes! =P

But all that is not going to get me down!! I'm just way too excited that I'm actually in! The program starts on August 16th which is really soon. They gave us the first weeks' reading assignments which is 12 chapters! Holy cow - that's a lot of reading! Luckily I bought some of my books already so I can get a head start now. Wish me luck!

What does this mean for KnotsbyAshley?? I'm not 100% sure yet - but I'll probably put my shop on hold for a while. I can't have anything distracting me during this program because of the intensity of it. They say the first semester is the hardest. eeeek!

On another good note - I'm learning how to quilt tonight! woot woot! A wonderful woman at church is hosting a quilting night and teaching us all how to make "rag quilts." I bought all my fabric and the nerd in me cannot contain my excitement! I'm going with a black and white print theme, which doesn't match anything in my house but promises to be adorably cute! I can't wait to show you all =D

Lucille Retro Felted Cloche Hat

2010-07-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

Introducing the newest addition to my shop! I think its a one-of-a-kind felted gem! I'm really excited about how it turned out, what do you think?

You can see the listing here.

Do You Fondue?

2010-07-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

To celebrate our anniversary this year, we kept it low key with dinner and a movie. We saw Toy Story 3 - so good! I laughed, I cried, I loved it! If you haven't seen it yet - its a must! After the movie we enjoyed a scrumdidlyumptious dinner at The Melting Pot. It's definitely a splurge but worth every penny! Since we were celebrating an anniversary, our server moved us to one of their more secluded booths reserved for special occasions. It was just the two of us - very romantic. I'll let the pictures do the talking:

That was my first drink of the night... a Yin & Yang Martini!! Talk about presentation eh?

We toasted to many more years to come with a delicious bottle of champagne.

Our first course: Fiesta Cheese Fondue. It was served with bread, tortilla chips, veggies and my favorite, green apples. The cheese was followed by salad which I forgot to take a picture of =(

Next was the main course. Again I forgot to photograph it until after we ate half of it. It consisted of sushi grade Ahi tuna, lobster, key lime shrimp, and vegetable dumplings. It was so fun trying all the different dipping sauces.

And also an assortment of veggies.

The main course was followed by the best course: dessert! We had the milk chocolate fondue with Grand Marnier and an assortment of yummy sweets to dip!

We were rather warm and glowing by the end of the night from sitting around the simmering pot. It was such a fun night!

Bella Swan Eclipse Hat

2010-07-16T22:27:00.001-07:00

My Bella Swan Twilight hat was a huge hit and here's the next one - inspired by the hit movie Eclipse! This is my "knock-off" of Bella's hat that she wore in Eclipse while camped out on the mountain. This hat is close to the same color, shape, stripes, drape, and style. I got my cousin to model it for me ;)

What do you think, pretty close eh? This one in particular was for a custom order, but it will be listed as a standard item in my shop soon! The pattern can be found on Ravelry. My listing on etsy can be found here.

My New Fashion Accessory

2010-07-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

Right around last Christmas, during the holiday rush of crochet orders, my wrist started hurting. It was more of a dull obnoxious pain than anything else. When I started yoga, it would really hurt during down dog, plank, and table top positions. Anything where the weight was on my hands with a bend in my wrist. I just chucked it up to my lack of upper body strength and thought it would just get better with time. It didn't. Then last night during push ups of all things, it just went out on me! It was like a spasm and a pop and down I went. I first iced it and then searched my house for somethign to support it. At first I couldn't find these wrist guards so I used a remote control and gauze for a makeshift splint! haha! Finally I found these at the top of our closet. They aren't the best support as they are actually my husband's wrist guards for snowboarding, but they help for now until I can get to the pharmacy. I did not sleep well last night and woke up often from the pain. This morning is even worse! I have a doctor's appointment for this afternoon, I just have to make it until then and hope he perscribes me some strong pain killers. In the meantime I get to rock the styling look of this wrist guard and feel like an invalid here at work. woohoo!

Sister Hope

2010-07-12T16:38:00.001-07:00

I usually don't usually do this with my blog, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to spread the word about such an amazing organization. I stumbled across it the other day from one of the blogs I read (I'm horrible for not remembering which!) and thought it was such a great idea. Sis Hope: "Buy a bag. Give a kit. Keep a Girl in school. " So Simple!

The basic things we take for granted, ya know? Women in Uganda use really unsanitary methods to care for "that time of the month". They resort to mud, tree bark, and newspaper which is ineffective and often leads to dangerous infections.

"Sis Hope is dedicated to keeping girls in school everyday, even during their period. We destribute resuable mentrual kits to school girls in Uganda through our partnership with Afri Pads, a female run social business located in Masaka, Uganda. Afri Pads trains and employs local women to sew resuable cloth menstrual pads using pedal operated sewing machines."

Can't get any better than that - helping to give women work, and giving a girl a kit so that she can stay in school. I'm in! All of the bags are "Fair Trade bags hand sewn by women for women. Each purchase provides an income generating opportunity for female artisans living in impoverished and conflict ridden areas of the world. With each bag, youre not only providing menstrual protection to a girl in need for an entire year, but you're empowering a woman to support herself, her family, and her community."

I bought the Sling Purse which is currently on sale for $18!

You can read more about this organization or purchase your own bag at http://www.sishope.com

3rd Anniversary = Leather

2010-07-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

Mr. Knots and my 3 year anniversary is right around the corner - man how time flies! We've never been traditionalists for anniversary gift giving, but this year I thought it would be fun to play with the idea. Year 3 is leather. Here are some leather Etsy finds:

Leather Journal

Handstitched Wallet

Vintage Briefcase

The most random thing I could find. A Monacle. lol

Leather cord bracelet

A Simple Black Belt for a Simple Man

Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas?

Wine Tasting + A Celebrity Sighting!

2010-07-04T18:34:00.001-07:00

I have so much to recap, I'll start with last weekend. The guys were at a bachelor party, so we planned a girls' weekend, of course! Four of us went to Santa Barbara for a night and spent all of Saturday wine tasting! It was FABulous!

We took a wine tour which was amazing & I highly recommend it! They picked us up at our hotel, took us to 4 wineries and to lunch! Such a great deal - we had a built in designated driver (mucho importante!) and all the wine tastings were included!

Girls + Wine + a camera and this is what you get:

I hope you all are having a great 4th of July! On Friday I had some family fly in from Italy so I've been playing tour guide all weekend. More on that later....

Soooooo..... I saw Paula Abdul at the mall today!! I'll admit, I played it cool but was totally star struck! She's very tiny and petite and was all dolled up with an adorable red bow in her hair. She looked really good! I had a camera on me but I couldn't get up the nerve to talk to her. She was shopping at Forever 21 with a small entourage. Straight up. squeee!!

Cheeezycake

2010-07-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

I have so much recapping to do on here, but no time to do it, or at least that's how it feels these days! I've got pictures from last weekend's Santa Barbara wine trip, the Long Beach Aquarium, crafts etc... Until I can squeeze in time to sit down at my computer (especially now that I'm all caught up on the 150+ blog posts I had in my reader this morning- phew!) I'll leave you salivating over the Dulce de leche & Heath bar Cheesecake. I made yesterday...

Trust me, it really was as delicious as it looks!

Happy Friday!!

Baby Prop Fever

2010-06-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

I'm am swooning over these knit items I've made lately. I wish I knew a baby that I could pose them on and list these new items in my shop.

This little hat was requested by my friend Lindsey who is due in August. She asked for an elfish style hat with a long tail, navy blue, light blue and white with alternating size of stripes. It will be worn for a newborn photoshoot and I'm super excited to see the pictures!! (Maybe I can use those?)

Here's a WIP picture, I used dpns for the whole hat, instead of circulars (which I'm more comfortable with) and I'm quite impressed with myself =D

And here's the completed hat - I think they look soooo cute on infants! (they are photo props only due to the long cord.)

This is not my photo, nor is it a hat I made, but how precious is this picture??

When I have kids, It's going to be ridiculous how many knit/crocheted goodies they'll have.

Prop #2 Is a hammock.

Again this is not my picture, or my knit work, but I made one in the exact same color combo for a photographer friend of mine. I can't wait to see her work with it! When she takes photos with it, I will use them to list these hammocks in my shop! I'm really excited about this!

(link to the etsy shop where the picture is from)

Tonight's plan: Yoga Circuit, Fitnessista's Week 3 Day 1 - Strength Day, & then crochet more photo prop goodies!!

Happy Monday =D

Wine Pairing Dinner

2010-06-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

5 course meal @ Third & Olive in Burbank + Malibu Family Wines = Delicious!

(L-R: MIL, Mo, Pops, Mr. Knots, Me)

First course: Smoked Salmon and crab with grapefruit coriander and melon salad, paired with Sauvignon Blanc. It was such an interesting mix of flavors with the melon, spicy grapefruit sauce and crab. The flavors danced on my tongue. I'm not a huge white wine fan, but I'll definitely be buying a bottle of this next time we go to the winery.

Second course: Moroccan style braised chicken with preserved lemon & green olives, paired with 2005 Merlot. Fall-off-the-bone tender.

Third Course: Portobello mushroom with duck, spinach, and smoked mozzarella. Paired with 2005 Syrah. I'm not a mushroom fan by any means, but I thought this was one of the tastiest courses. I actually ate a mushroom, and enjoyed it!

Fourth Course: Venison Stew with carrots, turnip and crusty bread. Paired with 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. Not my favorite course. I found the venison to be very dry, but it paired nicely with the cab. (I started eating this forgetting to take the picture first)

The best course aka dessert: Warm apple cake with vanilla whip cream. Need I say more?

aaaawe Mr. Knots and I enjoying our meal (btw - I think I like that new name for him here on my blog. What do you think?)

In honor of the upcoming Father's day holiday, here's a pic of my pops and I:

The chef hopped in our picture - our compliments to the chef!

Happy Friday y'all! I'm off to a margarita party. Woot!

This week I...

2010-06-10T22:08:00.000-07:00

Received a Spring Swap package in the mail

The package included a bright colored paisley purse, a hand knit brown beanie, chamomile tea, honey hand cream, and chewy sweet tarts!

Remember this post where I talked about becoming a citizen? Well on Tuesday, I voted for the very first time! Now I can feel some civil pride =D

I also started a new exercise program. In addition to Yoga 3-4 times a week at the studio, I started following Gina at The fitnessista's Summer Shape Up 2010 program. She's up to week 3 already, but I just started week 1 on Monday. It's pretty much kicking my butt - but I feel great! I like having the list of exercises spelled out for me. I much prefer the "strength" days to the intense cardio "speed" days. I don't think I've sprinted since I was in elementary school! phew! I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it but after 45 seconds of sprinting and I was on the floor!

If you have a chance, hop on over to these amazing blogs and enter in their crafty giveaways:

Ale @ Just Be Happy's is giving away one of her fun amigurumi crochet toys.

Cadi @ Maehaegirl's is giving away an adorable baby hat.

These are 2 very talented ladies - show your support and enter in their giveaways.

Parker River Float

2010-06-07T10:16:00.001-07:00

What a joke. If you ever get invited to a river float in Parker, Arizona and are not a big partier, say no. That is of course unless you enjoy beer bongs and keg stands at 8am, obliterated drunk bros & hoes, people fondling each other inappropriately in plain sight, and being in the direct 111 degree sunlight for 8 hours with nowhere to go but in the water, or on your little raft. Yes, it took us 8 hours to float down the river. There were thousands of people there and I literally felt like the only sober one. I can barely handle a glass of wine at 8pm (ok, slight exaggeration here) let alone beer or anything alocoholic at 8am. I reapplied sunscreen at least 3-4 times and still got roasty toasty burnt. The icing on the cake was sleeping on a shitty spring cot that poked my sunburn all night and being covered with a ton of itchy mosquito bites - fantastic! Never again.

My favorite part of the trip was swimming in the amazing indoor pool and going down this fun water slide!

On the bright side, I did get to spend time with good friends and I won almost $300 on the Wheel of Fortune slot machine!! woohoo! I also got to wear my new favorite large brimmed hat...

...and enjoyed the gorgeous Arizona sunset.

I wish I had more pictures to share with you, but the rest are on a water proof camera that I need to get developed. However did we live before digital cameras?!
How was your weekend?

2010-06-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

Check out what I got in the mail the other day.... Good things come in small packages....

It's the adorable Lisa Leonard necklace that I won from The Tarr Pit's giveaway!

I love it and have worn it everyday since I got it =D

Thanks again Alysha & Lisa!

Scrap Happy Yoga Mat Bag

2010-06-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

I threw this yoga mat bag together over the weekend with a ton of scrap yarn. I wanted something bright, cheery, and colorful. I think I acheived that! =D The pattern shows the bag with a strap across the chest to carry the mat. I haven't decided if I'll make a strap or not. I like to roll my blanket up with the mat which makes it heavier and I wouldn't want the stitches on the bag to get too stretched out.

Pattern: Shavasana Yoga Mat Bag (Ravelry Link)

And just for random shits and giggles I must tell you about something that had me in stitches this morning! You know how you can hear bits and pieces of someones conversation, and interpret it totally out of context? Well, today I walked into the room and over heard male coworker #1 say to female coworker #2 (they are related btw) "I keep beating it and nothing comes out!" I literally could not contain my laughter! I don't think he even realized what he said at first until he saw me busting up. That's when his face got incredibly red... poor guy. After wiping away my tears I stopped laughing for long enough to hear what they were really talking about... the vending mahcine. I guess it took his money and wouldn't give him the food. aaaahhh it all makes sense now =D

Happy Tuesday!

Birthday Recap

2010-05-31T20:06:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, I wasn't able to get my actual birthday off of work, so I celebrated the day before, last Wednesday. It's really funny how things work out... the two ladies who requested vacation time for Thursday and Friday didn't end up taking the days off after all (read: I could've had them off!). The funny thing is that Wednesday was a beautiful day with gorgeous weather, but Thursday was rainy and cold! Just goes to show that everything happens for a reason!

Brandon and I had a great day at the LA Zoo!

We were fascinated by the awkward flamingos. We even picked one out that reminded us of Izzie, it was constantly and strangely scratching its' head.

We loved the gorilla exhibit

These two were posing so perfectly for the picture

The orangutans were really entertaining! They had just gotten fed and were full of energy. A few of them got right up to the glass, it felt like one was literally looking me in the eyes! This guy gave us a peep show during his after lunch siesta lol

Since it was the middle of the week, there were lots of school groups at the zoo. Check out the detail in this kids' hair! We were impressed...

On Thursday night we went for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. mmm cheeeeseeeecake mmm I had the white chocolate, macadamia nut and caramel cheesecake. Pretty much an orgasm on a plate.

Izzie and I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend! Here she is showing you her sleepy face after all our weekend festivities! =D

Woven Cloche Hat

2010-05-30T18:53:00.000-07:00

I crocheted this hat a few weeks back and finally got around to taking pictures of it today. Its for a spring inspired hat swap. What do you think?

Details:

Yarn - Libertina Yarns; Mohair and Wool Blend, produced in Ontario Canada

Pattern - E.L. Brimmed Hat (ravelry link)

I'm currently felting another cloche which I made last week. I just put it in the wash for a third time. It's not shrinking up as much as I thought it would. Pictures soon to come!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! Yesterday we had a pool party/BBQ consisting of sangria, fruit salad, hot dogs and hamburgers. Simple and delicious. Today is a lazy day. I've literally been in my swimsuit all day because it is so darn hot! At least I can get stuff done around the house, I am very thankful for air conditioning! Tomorrow I hope to dust off my sewing machine and attack a pattern that I purchased almost 2 years ago! Wish me luck! =D

Another One Bites the Dust

2010-05-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went to the second of 4 weddings we've been invited to this year. Brandon was a groomsman, the two of them have been friends since childhood. He was also in our wedding. It was an estate wedding held at McCormicks Ranch in Camarillo. It was a really cute and lush setting with pretty little gardens and pathways to explore - even sheep on the premises. It was really cold and all outside on grass so I had to reconsider the little black dress and stiletto heels that I bought to wear there. We had a really great time! Lets recap with pictures:

The handsome groomsmen

Their ginormous wedding party

Us with the newlyweds! So happy for them! (gosh i'm short!)

With my inlaws

Working off our In N' Out dinner by partying it up on the dance floor!

So Thursday is my birthday and I'm not able to get it off of work like I had hoped. Someone else already requested that day =( Instead, Brandon and I are taking tomorrow off and going to The Griddle for a delicious pancake breakfast and then to the LA Zoo to visit the giraffes, elephants, and monkeys! Unfortunately, I just heard that tomorrow might rain - just my luck! .... oh I really hope it doesn't!!

2010-05-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

To follow the gorgeously sunny and warm weekend we had, the past two days have been overcast, cold, and rainy. VERY out of character for SoCal in May. I thought April showers were supposed to bring May flowers? All I want to do is go home and snuggle up on the couch with Izzie pup, and/or my husband, light a fire, read, and eat tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. That is my all time favorite rainy day meal.

Speaking of reading, I've been compiling a summer book list for myself, just like my teachers used to do in elementary school (which I never read, but now I will!). I would love your suggestions on what to add to it. I was never much of a reader until recently so I have a lot of catching up to do. What are your all time favorite books? Have you read one recently that pulled you in and you couldn't put down? Please share!

Even great weekends must come to an end

2010-05-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

It's Monday morning, back to the grind. =( This weekend was fantastic! It was chock full of friends, food, and of course wine. Here's a quick recap with pictures:
On Friday after work, Brandon and I went to our local farmers market. We stocked up on all fresh, locally grown produce as well as some fantastic flavored nuts. mmm lemon almonds mmm. Then we went out to celebrate Kristen's graduation. She now has a masters in clinical psychology and is going on to get her doctorate next fall! If you have a chance, hop on over to her hilariously witty blog and send her some words of encouragement and congratulations. She deserves it! The celebration consisted of getting plumped up on margarita pizza from Bucca di Beppo and throwing back some glasses of vino. If you've never tried that pizza, I highly recommend it! yummo

Saturday was absolutely GORGEOUS! I took advantage of the California sun and did our laundry by drying all the clothes outside instead of using the dryer. We don't have a clothes line, but I improvised. I'm sure it was a sight to see having all our shirts, socks, pants and undies hanging from our patio cover, and over our chairs. They dried in to time at all and it felt great to have a green laundry day. While the clothes dried I soaked up the sun and read my new book. That night I saw "Letters to Juliet". Please friends, don't let the cute commercials/previews fool you, this movie is not worth the $11.50 it costs to see it. Probably one of the cheesiest, and most predictable movies I've seen in a long time. We contemplated leaving on multiple occiasions, but hoped that it would get better. It didn't. On the other hand, "Date Night" is hilarious, I recommend seeing that one instead.

We had two parties on Sunday. The first was for baby Jackson's first birthday, and the second was a wine club pick up party. We are members of Malibu Family Winery's wine club. Once a year they have a pick up party for all the members with free food, entertainment, and wine. The event was held at the Saddlerock Ranch, a gigantic ranch property tucked away in the hills of Malibu.

There were acres upon acres of vineyards and had many different animals residing there too: horses, zebras, camels, llamas, sheep and more. I even saw my own personal National Geographic/Discovery show as a llama made love to a camel. I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing!

That was one very confused llama!

Here's to another work week - lets hope its a fast one! Cheers!

Friday Follow

2010-05-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all, it is my first Friday Follow! This is an awesome blog hop that allows you to see other blogs, and allows other people to see yours. A great way to meet people! To join the Friday Follow celebration:
-- Go to One 2 Try, ink up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops.
--Grab the Friday Follow button and include on your Friday Follow blog post
--Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.
--Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you'd like.
--Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow.
--Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow.

This list is new each week. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. The list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed. Have fun!

Fabitty Fab!

2010-05-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

There are lots of exciting things going on right now! First, I've been featured in an Etsy treasury "Dreamy and Whimsical"!! Isn't it gorgeous? I'm so honored to be included!

Secondly, The Tarr Pit is hosting a Knots by Ashley giveaway! One lucky winner will receive $25 towards anything in my shop! Entries will be accepted until 5/27 (which coincidently is my birthday) so hop on over, show some love, and enter the giveaway!

Happy Tuesday!!

Beach day!

2010-05-08T18:36:00.000-07:00

Today was my first beach day of the year and it was absolutely gorgeous!!

Izzie was working on her tan ;-)

Strawberries are one of my favorite things about summertime. The drive to the beach is through a large agricultural area. The roads are lined with crop fields, and produce vendors. I couldn't resist! They were picked fresh this morning.

Nature's candy, they are so delicious! A million times better than the ones at the grocery store, no sugar needed. The basket was completely empty by the time I got home.

Let's pretend you don't notice my wind blown beach hair =P

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

Little Black Dress

2010-05-06T20:40:00.001-07:00

Hi Shopping, I've missed you. Since we've been on a spending budget I haven't bought clothes for myself in a really long time. After unsuccessfully rummaging through my closet last weekend looking for a decent dress to wear I decided it was time to hit the stores. I was in dire need of a dress to wear to the 3 upcoming weddings we have this summer. Yes, three. First I went to Macys since I have a gift card there- no luck of course. Then I continued down the mall and found a fantastic store that I hadn't been in before: White House/Black Market. They had some gorgeous dresses! The price tags there were a little higher than I would normally spend, but of course I shopped the clearance/sales rack. I found the perfect outfit and all for under $100! Since I don't buy much besides yarn and food these days, I'm really excited about having a new dress & some sexy heels! The shoes are really out of my character (I'm usually all about the flats/comfort) but I couldn't pass these by - LOVE them! Seeing how long they stay on my feet will be a different story! =P

Now its time to exciting explore the world of Spanx!

I'm Currently...

2010-05-04T22:16:00.001-07:00

Blocking this cloche:

Stopping to smell the roses:

(I love seeing the things I plant flourish!)

Eager to taste the fruit:

(This is the first time we've had fruit buds on this tree since we moved in. I'm excited to see what it is, peach? nectarine?)

Enjoying a cup of tea paired with an almond scone:

And reading:

Happy Hump Day!

Stuck.

2010-05-04T20:57:00.000-07:00

Today I've really struggled with feeling stuck in a rut. I was browsing through my old pictures of Italy and reminiscing about my adventures. It's hard to believe that it was over 4 years ago! It feels like only yesterday that I stopped in a "bar" for my morning cappuccino, browsed the open air market, walked through the piazza del duomo and was completely surrounded tons of history, stunning art, and incredible architecture - all on the way to school! I miss it. Sometimes when I close my eyes I can bring myself right back to that period in my life. It was my first opportunity for independence and not living at my parents' house. I was able to explore foreign lands on my own, engulf myself in unique and dynamic cultures, try out my conversational Italian, meet distant family members for the first time, study art history while seeing the actual work, and shop in one of the world biggest fashion capitals! In addition to my own adventures, I got to spend half of my time there with Brandon. We both agree that it was the turning point in our relationship. That's when we realized we couldn't live apart from one another! aaawe =P

So why am I so unsettled today when I truly have a lot to be thankful for? I've got a wonderful husband, great friends, we own our own home, I have a steady well paying job, an adorable little pug, and I'm really getting into Yoga which makes me feel great! But, I feel stuck. I can't progress in my chosen career path until I start school, but for that to happen I just have to wait...wait... wait... I'm starting to come to the realization that I won't be in nursing school this upcoming fall (like I'd hoped) and I don't really want to get my hopes up that I will. I am still 1 of 20 students on the alternate list for the upcoming semester. In all honestly, I'll probably start in January; 3 years after I applied. That's just craziness. I ready to start. I've been ready for quite some time now. There's so much that I want to do and accomplish in life, and getting through school is a necessary step for me. I mean, how cool would it be to use my nursing degree and volunteer for something like this? totally rad. I'm getting stir crazy! I want another fun adventure, but until I win the lottery or graduate school I'll have to stick to my Internet vacations. An Internet vacation? Yes, I'm guilty of looking up plane tickets, hotels, and browsing pictures of sites I'd like to see and pretend I'm really there. I know, I'm a big nerd. Tonight I'll look up Ireland. =D

What's your dream vacation/adventure?

Everlasting Tea Box

2010-05-03T10:12:00.000-07:00

I'm part of a group on Ravelry that has a travelling tea box full of goodies! This box has been all over the states, Canada and Europe. I got to rummage through it like a kid opening my Christmas stocking! Here's what I took:

Check out these awesome handmade goodies!

Here's what I put in:

I truly have an obsession with swaps =D

Travelling Scarf

2010-04-28T19:52:00.000-07:00

This scarf has journeyed around the US and Canada and is about to make its final trip home!

My addition was the row of knitting and shell stitches in dark blue (middle picture). I think the scarf looks great and hope the owner will like it!

What's for Dinner?

2010-04-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my coworker Karen the other day and I found out that she's never made a soup before in her life! I couldn't believe it! To me, soups are one of the easiest and most satisfying meals to make. The ingredients are usually simple and hard to mess up. Plus, they're light in calories too; as long as its not cream based of course! So, if any of you out there are like Karen, give this soup recipe a try! What's the worst that could happen? =D

This soup is quick, easy, cheap and oh so yummy! The recipe is from Gina at Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes. She's got some amazing recipes on her site, all the ones I've tried have been delicious! The soup is called Spinach Straciatella Soup with Orzo. It caught by eye because a) I love spinach b) mmm orzo! and c) it sounds Italian! lol Here's how mine turned out:

Simmering in the pot

Paired with Ritz of course!

And for dessert.... Strawberries with Cool Whip! I put them in our wedding champagne flutes =)

My presentation and layers aren't as nice as Gina's here, but that's a-okay! It still tasted great! In case you missed it before, the soup recipe can be found here.

What did you have for dinner?

From my kitchen to yours,

Seriously? Why??

2010-04-24T12:20:00.000-07:00

Last night while watching 16 & Pregnant on MTV (one of my guilty pleasures) I saw a preview for the upcoming season of The Hills. I will admit, I've never watched an episode of that ~~trash~~ show, but couldn't help but notice how horrible Heidi Montag looks! I know there was a big hullaballoo a while back about all of the plastic surgeries she went under. I didn't really think much of it until I saw this trailer. I quite literally shouted "woah" (think Joey from Blossom) and had to pick up my jaw from the floor during the scene with Heidi and her mom. Why would a beautiful girl subject herself to more than 10 procedures in one day?? Hasn't she ever heard the saying that "beauty is skin deep?" Apparently not.

I honestly think she looked WAY better before... what do you think??

(from anythinghollywood.com)

I've seen prettier transvestites! Her bra cup size has seriously overpowered her brain size!

Update/Where Does the Time Go?

2010-04-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

Hi all my blogging friends! I'm still here... I haven't posted much lately, but I've certainly been keeping up on reading all your blogs. What's going on with me? hmm... well I've been doing lots of yoga, lots of cooking, and not a lot of crafting. I've got 5 travelling scarves piled up and waiting for me to work on, as well as a tea box I've got to add things to and get back in the mail. It seems like as soon as I'm out of work, I rush off to yoga, hurry home to make dinner and my evening just flies by! I rarely even get on my home computer during the week.

Yesterday I woke up with a terrible sore throat. I went to work in hopes that it would wear off throughout the day. It didn't. In fact, it got worse, and then came the aches. I went home early and stayed home today too. I mean, a day off work to watch movies and sleep all day isn't terrible, but being sick is never fun, and I hope it doesn't ruin the weekend. Is this a sign that I should slow down? I love being able to watch instant Netflix movies through the Wii, its truly an amazing thing! Today I watched Seven Pounds and The Life Before Her Eyes - both really good movies. Anywho, i'm now on antibiotics and am already feeling a bit better. I had a great cuddle buddy all day. Izzie was very happy to have me stay home with her. Gotta love that smushie face!

I have lots of pictures to share with you all. Some from a gorgeous Saturday morning hike last weekend, new garden flowers I planted, and a trip downtown with my mom to see Alice in Wonderland at the El Capitan theater. I also have some yummy new recipes I tried last week that I want to share: Spinach Stracciatella soup with Orzo, Almond Scones, and Manicotti. mm mm mm! Soon to come =D

I wish you all a wonderful weekend!

Brandon's Birthday

2010-04-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

This year Brandon and I turn 24, but he's first! Last Saturday we celebrated with a BBQ at our casa. He got to use his new grill (bday present from moi)! We grilled some tri tip, and eggplant, paired it with baked potatoes with all the fixings, fiesta salad, sangria, and fruity jello shooters!

We play beer pong the real way!

I made my first ever cheesecake for his birthday cake. He chose a recipe for toffee apple cheesecake. It was delicious!

We then watched the UFC fight (snooze fest), and played some wii games (yay Mario Kart!). Good times!

Happy Friday! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

To-Die-For Breakfast Gravy

2010-04-12T17:45:00.001-07:00

Literally. To die for. It's not the healthiest of breakfast choices, but once you take a bite - you won't care! Biscuits and gravy is my husband's favorite breakfast, so I made it for him on Saturday for his birthday(used his father's recipe). It is incredibly simple, the ingredients are inexpensive and it is SO SO SO good! 100% comfort food. Try it - you will love it!

Ingredients:

1 tube of Jimmy Dean's spicy breakfast sausage

1 tube of regular sausage OR a pack of bacon. (for this one, I used the bacon because we had it on hand. I cut the bacon strips into tiny pieces)

Half & half, heavy whipping cream or milk. I used half & half. You can go lighter if you want, but to reach the best flavor and consistency, the heavier stuff is better.

1/2 onion

red pepper flakes

2-3 Tbs flour

Directions:

It's very simple. First throw the meat in the pan and start to brown it on med-low. Grate the onion over the meat. Use the side of the grater you would use for zesting an orange. You want the onion to be so fine and almost like a mush. Break up the sausage into small pieces. Once the meat is about 3/4 of the way cooked, add the flour and brown it (about 3 minutes). Add the half & half/milk/heavy whipping cream to the pot until you have your desired consistency. I used the whole thing. Add red pepper flakes to taste. Let it simmer for as long as you can. It will condense a lot and thicken up.

I made my gravy the night before and let it simmer for about 3 hours before I put it in the fridge. The next morning I put it back on the stove and added a little more milk because it had thickened up even more. The flavor had doubled overnight! For the biscuits, I just used the Pillsbury canned biscuits. They're quick and easy.

I topped the biscuits with eggs over easy:

And then smothered them with the delicious gravy:

We practically licked our plates clean, it was that good!

If you try the recipe, let me know how you liked it!

From my kitchen to yours,

Party Time!

2010-04-11T22:09:00.000-07:00

Its Party Time!

So, I may be showing up a couple days late, but I'm ready to party! who am I to turn down a party that sounds like so much fun?! What a great opportunity to meet new blogging friends. I've got the jello shooters!! The party started on Friday and goes until the 16th. Who wants to join me? Make sure you check out 5 Minutes For Mom!

I am supposed to tell you a little bit about myself, so here goes nothing!

My name is Ashley and I've been married to my wonderful husband for almost 3 years! He and I both currently work for his family's company - but it's only temporary for me. I've been on the waiting list for our local nursing program for 2 1/2 years!! As soon as my number comes up - I'm going back to school! In the meantime I've become a craft junkie! I discovered my love for yarn crafts a few years back and have been hooked ever since (no pun intended). In addition to knitting and crocheting, I do a lot of cooking and baking. I truly believe that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I try and post recipes and pictures of my baking endeavors here on my blog.

My husband and I actually had 2 weddings which were almost exactly a year apart. You can read about them here, here, and here.

Even though our parents like to bring it up every chance they get... we don't have any kids. I've got to finish school first, that's the plan at least. We do however, have the most wonderful dog! She's my little Izzie pup and she stole our hearts from the minute we brought her home. She was a rescue dog from the pound - I truly believe she knows it and is more appreciative because of it. She is my little shadow, always in my lap or following me around the house. She is incredibly spoiled and yes, she does sleep up on the bed with us. She gets half the bed and my husband and I share the other half ;-)

Last year I started an etsy shop where I sell some of my knit & crochet items: Knots by Ashley. I blog about them a lot on here and share some of my original patterns.

My other loves include the Lord, black tea, Yoga, movies, dance, red wine, crime shows, and lazy-do-nothing-days.

Thank you for stopping by! I would love to read your blog as well, so be sure to leave a comment and have fun!! :)

There are so many cool prizes to be won at this year’s Ultimate Blog Party, but my top four picks would be:

US6 – Hand Stamped Personalized Necklace valued at $48 The Double Stacked A Lot Of Love. Provided by: Kristen’s Custom Creations

US11 – A $100 gift eCertificate to Restaurant.com, immediately redeemable online at over 13,000 restaurants nationwide.

US7 – Tupperware Prize Pack – the winner will receive a box filled with funTupperware goodies. Provided by: Heather @ Marine Corps Nomads

USC 23 – A sample pack of 3 25g bags of premium loose black teas (Earl Grey de la Creme, After Eight, Monk’s Blend), and a tea ball all from Steeped Tea, Inc.

My other choices would be 20,13, 68, 7, 18, 20, 29, 76, 27, 32, 36, 40, 46, 62, 105 (or ANY for that matter!)

Meet Mrs. Robot...

2010-04-08T20:49:00.001-07:00

She is lonely and looking for her mate. Hopefully he will appear soon! =D

pattern from Crochet Today

Yummy Macaroon Cake

2010-04-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

I made this Macaroon Cake over the weekend for Easter - it was a hit! Just thought I'd share the recipe with you all. It's out of Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Magazine. They take a heavier recipe and lighten up without compromising the taste. It's dense like a pound cake, yet still light and great with coffee or tea! If you make it - let me know how you like it.

(I forgot to snap a photo until after we dug in)

Ingredients:

6 egg whites

4 egg yolks

1-1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (I think the one I used was sweetened)

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup fat free milk

1/2 tsp almond extract

1-1/2 cups cake flour

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup flaked coconut

3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Let egg whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, applesauce, and oil until well blended; beat in milk and extract. combine the flours, coconut, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into egg yolk mixture until blended.

2. In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.

3. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan (I used a circular springform pan). Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on the lowest oven rack at 325 degrees for 65-75 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan (whoops -I didn't do this); cool completely, about an hour.

4. Remove cake to a serving plate and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Enjoy!

Nutrition facts: 1 slice = 287 calories, 7g fat, 51mg cholesterol, 155mg sodium, 52g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 5g protein. Or 6 weight watcher points. Yields 16 slices.

Date Night Gone Awry

2010-04-05T16:58:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a no good, very bad day. Here's why...

Saturday night, my hubby and I had planned to eat a nice dinner at home and then go see a movie together.

I had just made the chicken with fresh salsa and then was taking down the salad bowl to toss a side salad. With limited cupboard space, we keep the salad bowl up high, above the oven. I need a stool in order to reach it. So, I had already put the oil and vinegar on the counter behind me and then stepped down with the salad bowl in my hands...the dog was RIGHT behind me (as usual)- I tripped over her, and in what felt like slow motion, my elbow knocked over the ENTIRE bottle of balsamic vinegar (the Costco size!!). Stickiest. Stuff. Ever.

After laughing at my clumsy self, Brandon and I cleaned it up with bleach and ate our dinner. By this time we already missed the movie. Bummer right? It gets worse....

Since were cutting back financially, I've been painting my own nails. I decided to paint my nails while we relaxed and watched TV together. I got my fingers and toes all trimmed, prepped and put on the base coat. I picked out my favorite shade of hot pink - but couldn't open the bottle. Being the kind husband he is, Brandon tried too, but also couldn't open it. You know how the old nail polish dries up under the cap and makes it impossible to open? That's how it was. One quick tap on the armrest in an attempt to dislodge the cap, quickly turned into this awful mess:

It-was-everywhere! On the cushions, on the wall, on the carpet, on the armrest, and even on Izzie's head! At first I was shocked, and in disbelief. Then I laughed. Then I cried. As we sat there scrubbing our new-ish (about a year) couch and carpet with nail polish remover and Resolve I couldn't stop the tears. Taking it off the walls took off the paint too. But hey - I've wanting to repaint our living room for a while now anyways... We both felt like crap, we were overwhelmed with frustration, and were grumpier than a 5am Saturday morning without coffee or food. The picture above it how it looked after we scrubbed. That's the best we could do.

Anyone have a cleaning tip? We got some strong acetone from work and will give it a shot today. In the meantime, I covered it up. Turned the cushions around, threw a blanket over the armrest and covered most of the carpet spots with a slab of extra carpet.

After we realized that there was nothing else we could do and that we'd have to live with it, we dealt with our stress in a very "healthy" manner. Baskin Robbins, 31 Flavors Bananas Royal: 2 scoops of ice cream (Rocky Road and Cookies & Cream of course!) with banana, caramel, whip cream, and a cherry on top.

Moral of the story: Glass is breakable ;-)

Fingers Crossed!

2010-04-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

I've entered in 2 giveaways with chances to win a beautiful Lisa Leonard necklace such as this one:

I've been drooling over metal stamped necklaces for a really long time - I really hope I win! Wish me luck =D

First Entry was at the outdoor wife - unfortunately, this one has already closed.

You can still stop by The Tarr Pit for your own chance at winning this lovely necklace too!

Baby Set - Washington Redskins

2010-03-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

Washington Redskins Baby Set

These were ordered by a friend of the family in the colors of her daughter's favorite sports team. they're not sure of the baby's gender yet - but I can't wait to see him/her in these!

My first Afghan

2010-03-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

I love it! After tedious amounts of time spent to get the stitches even alongside of each knit and crocheted block - it's complete! The result was well worth it! Thanks for everyone in the NYOBE neutral group (on ravelry) for your lovely additions :)

A closer look

Diggin' it thrown over the back of our couch

I think my Nonna would be proud =D

Limoncello Tasting Dinner

2010-03-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, Brandon and I went with our parents and a bunch of coworkers to a Limoncello tasting dinner with wine pairing. It was to die for! Here's a copy of our 5 course menu (pictures below). Tuscany in Westlake is truly a fantastic restaurant. I've never had a bad meal there. That being said, we could never afford to go on our own. I love opportunities to dress up and wear my wedding pearls :)

Brother, Dad & Brando =)

As always, I start the night off my taking pictures of each course to share with you. But, after a few glasses of wine, I forget. Here's the first two courses. The first was a goat cheese and tomato tart with a limoncello risotto ball. (mmm goat cheese) The second was asparagus with crab meat in a limoncello cream sauce. Both were absolutely delicious which says a lot since I never eat asparagus! I wish I took a picture of the dessert; Limoncello tiramisu with fresh berries!

My Father in Law, Jeff - the planner of the evening, was very happy about getting his bottle of Limoncello. He's already used it to make macaroon cookies = yum!

I'm still not a big fan of limoncello drinks, but food made with it are "nom nom". Yes, that is a technical term ;)

Reveal

2010-03-22T22:19:00.000-07:00

The teaser photo from my last post is in fact.... a doily! I know, I know, saying "doily" makes me think of something my grandmother used to make out of white crochet thread, which then got soaked in sugar, and shaped against a bowl. But this one's different - It's colorful! I think it looks great underneath a vase of blooming flowers =D

Pattern: Jameson

Now I'm off to block it!

2010-03-19T18:31:00.000-07:00

Things I'm looking forward to:

#1= It's Friday!!
Getting a membership to a local Yoga studio
Health & wellness open house tomorrow (with free mini massages!!)
Working on & hopefully finishing my granny square blanket
Dress shopping
Nursing school open house
Cardio Barre class taught by Lani!

I participated in a 12x12 block exchange last year with the end result being an eclectic granny square blanket. Well, here's what it has looked like for the past 6 months:

I got the squares from everybody, but they've sat in a bag in my closet... until this week! I finished up my last two squares, and added a brown border on each of them (making all the stitch quantities equal on all 12 squares!). Now I'm working on joining them. It's a lot of work! I now remember why I like small projects. I'm going to wait to show you an updated picture until its complete. Hopefully this weekend!

I also received a hat swap package today! Love it!

And yes, that is a Wrestling Buddy on the shelf behind me. My husband has had it since he was a kid and will never give it up. =D

Here's a glimpse of my most recent finished project.

Can you guess what it is??

Felting, oh Felting

2010-03-11T20:13:00.001-08:00

Felting - a knitted or crocheted fabric of wool, fur, or hair, matted together by heat, moisture, and great pressure. The process sounds simple enough, just throw in your project with a load of laundry, hot/cold cycle and watch the magic happen.

Over the past few months I've tried 3 felting projects. None of them turned out exactly as I'd hoped.

Attempt #1:

Ipod case. I used Merino wool, which should felt up beautifully, but it barely felted! I ran this sucker through the washer 3 times, and I could still see the stitches.

Attempt #2:

Clutch purse. Better than the last, but you can still see the stitches.

Attempt #3:

With these 2 projects under my belt, I gave up and decided felting wouldn't work for me. Both projects barely shrunk up in size and barely matted up. This gave me a very distorted image of felting. Anywho, I made a swap hat over the weekend out of Patons Classic wool yarn. It was slightly big, so I thought - I'm going to felt it!! Since the other two felted items barely shrank, I assumed this one would do the same and fit perfectly after - WRONG! The result.... was a kids' hat!! (shrunk from 23-24" to 17-18")

This hat felted up completely!! There certainly are no stitches to be seen here. I was even able to cut the fabric without any running. I was shocked!! If you are about to embark in a felting project - I highly recommend this yarn! Since the original hat was intended for an adult, I had to make another hat - and I nixed the felting this time.

I'm excited to try another felt project now - slippers? purse? cloche?

Randomosity

2010-03-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

I finally made myself a Facebook fan page! I figured it was time to stop bogging my real life friends down with all my crafty projects, and start posting them to the fan page. In addition, its a great marketing/networking tool! win-win =D I also just created an album with customer photos. I absolutely love seeing my customers wearing the items I make for them. If you have a photo, please send it my way!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Brig Van Osten from P!ay Hair Lounge (in Simi Valley). She ordered a "Blair bow headband" from me a few months back and asked if I could make it 3 times bigger than the normal one I sell in my shop. I remember thinking it was HUGE when I made it and was unsure how she'd like it. After meeting Brig, and watching her on Shear Genius (this season on Bravo!) I totally get it now! She definitely rocks the big bows! Check out how she spruced up the bow and made it her own using wire to make it stand up - love it!

(please ignore my frumpiness, it was after a long day at work)

Random thought of the day: I really don't think I could go a whole day without sugar! How sad is that?! Seriously though, dessert & sweets has literally become a step on my personal food pyramid. Ack! When I tell myself I need to cut back, or can't have it - I want it that much more! Hi my name is Ashley, and I'm a chocoholic.

Adventures in Knitting

2010-03-03T21:31:00.000-08:00

So, you remember those slippers I posted a picture of in my last post? Well, those are the ones I sent out for a slipper exchange. Check out these felted beauties I got in return!

I love the colors and I love that they're knit AND felted, as I haven't had much luck with felting in the past. They are very comfy, and I've worn them everyday since I got them.

Last night during Idol I finally finished the knitted hat I'd been working on! This was the first knit hat I've done in the round. In other words, it was also the first time I had to use double pointed needles for decreasing (once it got too hard to continue with circulars thats is). I felt like I was performing surgery with all the needles and everything going on at once. I wish I had snapped a picture of it. Although it had always looked intimidating to me, it wasn't so bad! Without further adieu, here's the finished product!

What do you think - Should I keep it or list it?

Lazy Weekend

2010-02-28T17:33:00.001-08:00

I love weekends without any plans! Aren't they the best? No reason to get out of my PJs, I can catch up on my tivo'd shows, make rice crispy treats, watch movies on Netflix, take random cat naps, read, and knit! Here's a glimpse at the projects I've been working on. I seem to be inspired by green this week.

Mary Jane Skimmers for a slipper swap - I really like this pattern, I think they would make great gifts!

I practiced my cables and learned the moss stitch for my section on a travelling scarf.

And made this for my friend Ashley. She lives in New York - now her ears will be warm and toasty!

I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend.

Vday & Baby Crochet

2010-02-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

Happy almost Friday! Just thought I'd share some of my recent projects with you as well as how I spent my Valentine's day.

On Valentine's day, my husband woke up early and surprised me with Starbucks and 2 sets of beautiful flowers! He said he couldn't decide which he liked better - so he got both! After breakfast we went on a 3 mile hike with Izzie through nearby trails & Corriganville (where old Western movies were filmed). The weather was perfect. After we got back and relaxed for a bit, we went and had lunch at Natural cafe and then saw the movie Dear John. Only for Valentine's day could I drag him to see such a chick flick. I'll be honest, it wasn't as good as The Notebook, but still worth seeing on DVD. The leading man, Channing Tatum = beautiful! We had plans to cook a really nice dinner at home, but then got lazy and didn't feel like cooking. Instead, we visited with the newlyweds Jonathan & Sarah (from the WA wedding), saw their new condo, and ate her home made pizza for dinner - yum! I really enjoyed the day and spending time with my hubby.

Now onto my projects! I've been working on a custom order Baby Sweater & matching Hello Kitty hat for a gal at my church. I felt like she needed some matching booties too, so I made her a pair of Mary Janes as my gift to her. (Here's a link to the Ravelry patterns in case you're interested: Sweater, Booties. )

I can't wait to see her in it - I think she will look absolutely adorable!

So Close.

2010-02-09T19:31:00.001-08:00

Today I got home from work to find a note on my door telling me I have a certified letter to pick up at the post office. Eager to find out what it was, I got right back in the car with Izzie and flew on over. I know that acceptance letters for the nursing program are being mailed out in March, but I was desperately hoping for some good news. After waiting almost 20 minutes in line, I got my letter. It was from Moorpark College! I quickly tore open the envelope and read that I am accepted as an alternate for the fall semester. Not exactly what I'd hoped for, but I'll take it! As an alternate I must attend all the meetings and have all my paperwork (drug test, background check, first aide & CPR cards etc) in order, but I'm not guaranteed a spot. They say to be flexible in case someone drops out, I could be accepted up to the day before the semester starts! Geez - what do I tell my work? I was hoping for some definitive plans, but at least this is progress!! If I don't get in for Fall, I will for sure be in for the Spring. In the meantime, I'm secretly hoping ladies will get pregnant and drop out, or just drop out for any ol'reason at all! =D

Swappity Swaps + New 'do

2010-02-08T18:35:00.001-08:00

Today I got a fantastic swap package in the mail! My new mitts are black and with cables, just what I wanted!

Here are all the rest of the fun goodies. I love love love it!

And Izzie got a new toy that she played with right away!

I also just photographed the yarn and mitts I got in the hat swap package last week:

Can't wait to play with this yarn

And for a little bit of Monday randomness, a photo of my new 'do... darker, layered and straightened.

Happy Monday!

Sweet Goodies

2010-02-08T18:16:00.001-08:00

Last week was rainy and therefor I caught the baking bug. I had never made shortbread cookies before and they were seriously the simplest things I've ever baked... and so so so so good! The best thing about them is that I had all the ingredients already in my pantry! No trip to the grocery store needed! Would you like the recipe?

Simple (and delicious!) Shortbread Cookies

2 sticks of unsalted butter (sounds like a lot but is SO worth it!)

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

Simply whip the butter with an electric mixer, slowly add the sugar and mix for about 4 minutes, or until white & fluffy. Then, add the flour and salt mixture all at once and mix until just combined. Using saran wrap, press the dough into a circular pan (I used a spring-form pan for easy removal). Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. After refrigeration, cut out a center circle about an inch in diameter (I used the lip of a sake cup), and slice the dough into triangular pieces. Using a toothpick, or any pointed object, randomly poke the shortbread dough about 1/4 inch apart. Bake for about an hour or until golden brown. Eat & enjoy!

The other batch I made were Chocolate Sugar Cookies. I thought they were just okay and much preferred the shortbreads.

Newest Crafty Goodies

2010-02-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

First up, a cabled knit hat for an Etsy sale. I love the hot pink color!

Next up, this crochet hooded scarflette. Justed listed it on my Etsy shop! You can see it here.

I also received a hat swap package! My swap partner knit me up a hat I've been eying for quite some time. The Felicity knit hat! The yarn is so incredibly soft! I wore it to work the very next day after getting it in the mail. The package also included an awesome skein of yarn and pair of fingerless mitts that she knit for me! I feel so spoiled =D

Washington/Jonathan's Wedding

2010-02-02T15:53:00.001-08:00

A weekend in pictures...

On the scenic road from Seattle to Sequim, our first stop was at one of the many espresso shops along the highway. We thought this one was especially cute in pink =D

And for all you closet Twilight fans out there, here are some pictures in Port Angeles. It was only a quick stop while Brandon picked up his tux for the wedding.

During the wedding rehearsal I noticed a farm nearby with a ton of llamas. There was a great big sign nearby that read "Private Property, No Trespassing" so we went in anyway but kept our distance while watching the animals, since they do spit! After some time we went back to the rehearsal area and continued to wait for the bride and groom to arrive. About 5 minutes later, here comes this old man with a bright orange (crochet) beanie, dungarees, puff vest and treat bag on his side. I thought he was going to get angry with us for going on his property, but he ended up being such a nice old man! He brought us back over to feed his llamas and told us all about them. It turns out that the way llamas greet you and decide if they like you is by sniffing your nose. It was slightly awkward to stand there and let these animals sniff my face. He even taught them how to give kisses for treats! After going through the treats he brought with him, he took us down through his barn and we got to feed them dinner too. This was definitely one of the highlights of my weekend.

On the day of the wedding, my in-laws and I decorated the Wedding Chapel as the bridal party took pictures. I think we did a damn good job with the supplies we were given(2 dozen roses, ivy, tulle and some seat hooks).

Jonathan & Sarah's Wedding. Note: they used the glasses I ordered for them on Etsy! =D

The next day, on our way back to Seattle, I stopped to take some scenic pictures.

We only had two hours to spend in Seattle before taking our flight back home. I would love to go back and stay in the city! We just barely skimmed the surface. I love Pikes Market Place & wish we had something like it nearby! I scored some deliciously fresh Chevre goat cheese and Raspberry Jalepeno Jelly! (amazing together on a cracker!)

Oh, and I was good about staying on track with the couch to 5K running plan, even away from home. There wasn't a treadmill in the hotel, so I went outside and ran in the rain!

Checkout this fantastic view from the airplane:

Hope you all are having a wonderful Monday!

Wine Tasting + Sage Green Cowl

2010-01-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I finished a sage green neckie to match a hat I received in a swap package (seen here). I really love this pattern! It's quick to knit up, and easy to wear with the single button closure. This wool felt really soft to the touch while I was working on it, but when I put it up to my neck, it was really scratchy. Solution: soak the finished neckie in warm water with hair conditioner - worked like a charm!

Yesterday was a beautiful day after a week of heavy rain. To enjoy the perfect weather, we went to a couple wineries in Malibu for some wine tasting! One of my favorite ways to spend a day! =D

Yesterday marked the completion of my second week following the "Couch to 5K" running program! I'm honestly so proud of myself for staying on track - I haven't missed a day yet. Unfortunately, yesterday was also the first time I got shin splints since starting the program. I'm prone to getting them easily so I was kind of shocked that I hadn't yet. I'm hoping my body will adjust and I'll get them less often.

Now back to my lazy Sunday filled with reality TV and a current WIP...

Ahh.. Fresh Bread!

2010-01-22T15:51:00.001-08:00

When I first got a bread maker last year as a wedding present, I used it ALL the time. For the last year its been stored on the top shelf of our pantry, collecting dust. This week has been wet and rainy so I decided to take it down, dust it off, and use it again. Seriously, I forgot how much I love it! It's the lazy bread-baker's best friend. Throw the ingredients in, set it & forget it, then enjoy an amazingly delicious loaf of bread with no work at all. It baked while we were out running errands and coming home to the aroma of freshly baked bread is an amazing thing! This one was a Dill French Bread loaf. Yum! Next on my list is cinnamon raisin bread.

This weeks' completed crochet projects were a green cloche hat for a Ravelry swap:

And another burgandy hooded cowl like this one:

The cowl is for an etsy trade with Alice at VintageMarmalade. In return, I'm receiving this adorable vintage sundress! It should be on my doorstep tonight when I get home from work and I can't wait to try it on!

Alice's shop is super cute, and she's currently having a sale! Who can resist a good sale?

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2010-01-20T21:11:00.000-08:00

For the last 4 hours, since I've been home from work, I've been glued to my computer. I got sucked into looking at, scanning, and posting to facebook a TON of old dance photos. Starting at 1994 through high school. It's been such a trip and it's so fun to share them with old friends through FB. Here are a couple of my favorites that I'd like to share with you!

My first year of dance, we called it "The Aladdin Dance" (1994) There were chiffon pants to match too!

Such a competition dancer (2001)

One of my favorite tap pieces (1999)

And of course Wade Robson... You can often see him now on "So You Think You Can Dance" but back then he wasn't that well known outside of the dance community. My dancer friends and I were completely obsessed with him when we were young teens. Some girls crushed on Justin Timberlake... we crushed on Wade. We would go every Friday to Hollywood (our moms would drive us of course!) and take a master class from him. We thought we were so cool! haha

We even saw Arjay Smith who we knew from "The Journey of Allen Strange" (a Nickelodeon show) at one of the master classes.

Don't you just love reminiscing over old photos?

I've been featured!

2010-01-16T21:59:00.001-08:00

My "Bohemian chic slouch hat" has been featured in an etsy treasury! =D

You can check it out here:

Etsy Treasury

I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend!

I'm... running? me?

2010-01-15T09:56:00.001-08:00

This is the first week that I am following the "Couch to 5K" running plan! If you would've asked me last year, last month, or even last week if I'd like to go for a jog, I probably would've laughed at you. But, I'm doing it! I found this awesome podcast that goes right along with the running program. It plays really pumped up music and tells you when to run, and when to walk. Really helpful so that you're not constantly looking at a watch. Last night was the second night of the first week. It was a lot harder for me to get through, but I did it! Izzie comes with me and she keeps up really well! This is the first time I've ever pursued running, if you have any tips or tricks to share, I'd love to hear them!

This week I finished another pair of mitts for a swap package:

After a full journey around the country, I received one of my travelling scarves back!!

Isn't it awesome?!? I just how it turned out! Couldn't be happier! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Recent Celebrations

2010-01-12T10:38:00.000-08:00

Last week was a blast! On Wednesday I took the day off work and went to Disneyland with my wonderful friend Kelly. Here are some pictures of the fun we had at the "happiest place on earth!"

Waiting for the tram to take us to the park. We were very excited!

Enjoying a margarita in California Adventure

To infinity, and beyond!!

Then on Friday we visited Jena's new, adorable, apartment.

And celebrated Lani's birthday at a wine bar in Pasadena

So much fun!!

So far I've been good about some goals, but not others. I've been avidly reading my bible nightly and exercising more (wii fit and going to the gym). My eating habits still need improvement. I really struggle at night, after dinner, with snacking on crap. Last night I decided to take a BOSU total body conditioning class... it was the hardest class I've ever taken in my life! I'm not usually a quitter, but I only lasted 15 minutes in that class. For those of who aren't familiar with the BOSU ball, its that half balance ball with a flat underside, seen here. The class consisted of step exercises, jumping on the ball, balancing etc. The balancing I could handle, but the constant stepping, kicking, and jumping scared the crap out of me. If you're not perfectly balanced on that ball, you're going down! After coming off an ankle injury over a year ago, I was afraid I would roll my ankle and fall flat on my face, lol. With shaky thighs, I didn't think my balance would last much longer and a new injury would not be fun. So, I hung my head in shame and booked it out of the room as fast as I could!

Hats! Hats! Hats!

2010-01-08T15:58:00.001-08:00

Here are a couple more hats for custom orders!

This earflap cap was made with Lions Brand Homespun yarn. It's a little more pricey than most, but is luxuriously soft and snugly. My leftovers would make an incredible scarf or cowl!

I also made a simple grey slouch hat for a co-worker. I'm thinking I may need one for myself too!

Newest Creation

2010-01-07T20:59:00.000-08:00

Another pair of fingerless mitts! These were made for my mom to give as a Christmas present to one of her coworkers. I love this pattern, it's the second pair I've made from it. The pattern uses a sock yarn (this one was self striping) which makes a really snug and stretchy mitt. I just love how they fit and are not bulky at all!

On Surviving the Holidays & New Year Resolutions

2010-01-04T09:46:00.000-08:00

I'm not quite sure how I got through the holidays this year, but I'm sure glad they're over! I don't say that in a "bahumbug" kind of way, but this year was very stressful! This was the first year I truly felt like an adult and wasn't incredible giddy or excited over Christmas. It's kind of sad actually, I usually enjoy being in the Christmas spirit. This year I had so much to do that I didn't even have time for Christmas baking or mailing out Christmas cards, a couple of things I look forward to! From the church boutique, to custom orders I have been crocheting up a storm! I never would've imagined that my shop would take off as much as it did this Christmas. I've almost hit 60 orders! Very exciting & loving every minute of it! Although I will admit, while working full time and taking night classes, it was hard to keep up. Now, I can take a deep breath and work on getting my Christmas swap packages out! =P

My favorite and most unexpected present this year was a Wii game console and Wii Fit!! I'm loving it, even thought it made my Mii character chubby! lol

One of the many "joys" of family get togethers is anticipating the comments we will get from my crazy Greek Aunts. They have no filter and love to point out when you've put on a few pounds. Last Easter I got asked if I was pregnant. NO, I've just gained weight, thanks! This year my gorgeous cousin was told that she looks 80! What does that even mean? Brandon often gets told that "married life is agreeing with him" while they pat his stomach. Good times! A big "thank you" goes out to my cousins (and wine) for making these holidays bearable!

I have many things to be thankful for from 2009. It was last January that my husband and I purchased our first home. It was also this past May that we adopted Izzie! I am thankful for a steady job amongst economic turmoil and for my ever growing etsy shop! 2009 brought about many changes in my life and I foresee 2010 to do the same! After all, it should be this upcoming Fall semester that I *finally* get into nursing school!

Now, onto my resolutions. I have quite a few this year, but many of them go hand in hand.

1) I want to look and feel confident in my appearance. This is a multifaceted resolution:

a) I want to lose 25-30lbs.

b) I need to wake up early enough to have a morning routine. No more rolling out of bed with 10 minutes to spare, throwing my hair in a messy bun and leaving the house looking like a mess.

c) workout & actually *use* my gym membership. This will be broken down in smaller, more manageable weekly goals. It will also include using my new Wii Fit! =P

d) not letting outside opinions get to me

e) eat better, plan out meals, and "pick" at snacks and junk food less

2) Make God, reading my bible, and going to church a priority

a) Love God, love people.

b) really get involved, volunteer.

I've been debating whether or not to take (dance) classes this Spring semester. Should I take a semester off before starting nursing school? Or, should I take dance for fun, even though it ties up my nights? Any thoughts? Which would you chose?

Recent Projects

2009-12-20T14:17:00.000-08:00

Just another quick post to show you a few recent projects for custom orders.

I just love the teal color on this cowl!

Green "grass" winter knit slouch

Hope everyone is able to stay stress free as the Christmas "crunch time" is upon us!

Rose Earl Grey Slippers

2009-12-15T10:05:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to share a recent project of mine. These are going in a slipper swap package. Hope the recipient likes them!

Also, I just need to mention a recent frustration and hopefully someone has a bit of advice to give. Our dog, Izzie has been potty trained for months now. She goes in and out of her doggie door as she pleases. Lately, it's been cold (relatively speaking of course, we're in southern California for goodness sakes!). Being the princess that she is, instead of going outside, she goes potty inside, right in front of the dog door. She does this at night while were sleeping and she doesn't wake us up. It's a lovely thing to wake up to in the morning, that's for sure! What can we do? She's fine during the day while were at work because the sun is out and its warmer. At night is a whole other story. Any suggestions?

My last final is tonight, and then I have another dance performance tomorrow night (I won't even mention how horrible the first one went last night). Then I should have more time to catch up on my "to-do" list. Hope you all are having a great week!

Success!

2009-12-13T21:48:00.001-08:00

First of all, I'd like to apologize to my readers for my lack of posts. Things have been crazy busy lately! As of this morning, I hit 40 sales on my shop! How awesome is that?! Most are made to order hats so my fingers have been busy crocheting away! =)

Tonight was the annual women's Christmas tea at my church. This years theme was "Accessorize yourself" and they asked me to set up a booth to sell my items. A portion of my sales were donated to the women's ministries. It was a hit! My booth was so successful - I'm so happy!

I also have to include a pic of this adorable child's "Hello Kitty" hat I made this morning. It was the first thing to sell! Unfortunately, this is the only picture I got of it, although I'm sure I'll be making more.

Tomorrow I have the day off! =D I'll be helping in my mother's classroom with their Christmas craft! Have a great night all!

Random Goodies

2009-12-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

Check out these AMAZING knit socks/slippers!! I got them in the mail yesterday in a fantastic slipper swap package from the UK. I'll post about all the other fun goodies later, how how awesome are these socks?!? I've never worn a pair of hand knit socks before, these have little leather soles on the bottom. How beautiful are these cables?? You bet I was dancing around the house in them! (PS. its not easy taking pictures of your own feet.)

I never thought I'd be one to dress my dog up... but how cute is Izzie in her new Christmas sweater?? It's got a hood with fur and a little kangaroo pocket on the back with white snowflakes.

I am loving the weather lately. It rained yesterday and it's actually cold enough today to wear knitted goodies! The entire front lawn this morning was frosted over as was my car. Love it.

Oh Bring Us a Figgy Puddin' Hat

2009-12-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

This was a Wendy Winter Beret for a custom order in the color of Fig =D

One of my customers who purchased a Bella Swan hat is an amazing ceramicist. I've already added a few of her pieces to my Xmas wish list. She sent me this photo of how she embellished her Bella hat with some ceramic buttons! How neat is that??

Over the weekend I went to this store called Dream Dinners as suggested by my friend Lani. It was such a neat experience, I have to share it with you all! So, I arrive at the store and they have a little drawer with my name on it with my planned menu (items I chose online) and an apron for me to wear. They had a shelf in the freezer with my name on it too so that as I prepared my meals I could store them there. Everyone was super friendly and they brought me tea, a bagel, and appetizers! As I enjoyed my yummy snacks I was able to prepare some quick meals to eat throughout the month. All the ingredients were fresh and already chopped, peeled, diced etc. All I had to do was follow the recipe and put the meals in ziploc freezer bags and/or aluminum cooking trays. Each prepared meal came with cooking instructions and the prepared date along with the suggested shelf time. Everything is portioned and the nutrition facts are given for each meal, how easy is that?! When I got home I just had to freeze it all and they're ready to go for quick meals during the week! It was great because I didn't have to worry about finding recipes or forgetting an ingredient. The best part? Not having to clean up my mess! The first Dream Dinner we ate was the bruschetta chicken skewers- yum. This morning we made the breakfast bread pudding! A 9x9 tray is supposed to be 3 servings, but there was so much of it, it will feed us for a few days! It was delicious, especially for a low calorie bread pudding!

Tonight we are having the cheese ravioli with chicken and a creamy pesto sauce.

New Projects

2009-12-06T21:30:00.000-08:00

Finished 2 more projects for custom orders:

Lady Gaga Hooded Cowl

And a Flower Power Scarf

Must I really go back to work tomorrow? I could use another day!

Bathroom Before

2009-12-06T13:41:00.001-08:00

I was going through some photos today and found these before pictures of our bathroom, the one we just re-did. These should help show you what a HUGE transformation it was:

In case you missed it, here's a link to the after photos.

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

Why I love My Work

2009-12-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

This week we celebrated one of my co workers 25th year with the company. When it's time for a party, we have the best luncheons! My father in law and my husband have both been to culinary school and take the lead on the lunch planning and cooking. With the help of a few others, they cook the most amazing meals!

The chefs

They spent all morning chopping and prepping the meal. The whole office smelled amazing!

Especially from this chipotle cranberry sauce for the meat. The aroma of garlic, onion, cranberries and spices tickled my nose as I tried really hard to focus on working.

Guys at the grill. Those of you back East, how do you feel about us barbecuing outside in tee shirts in December?

Elias and the tri tip.

Amazing vegetable and fruit salads

Chef Jeff in the lunchroom kitchen

mmmmm delicious

Everyone enjoying the meal!

Travelling Scarves

2009-12-03T15:49:00.000-08:00

More scarves have arrived, and two more are on their way to Kentucky! Here are the one's I've added to and are going in the mail today. Aren't they great? I can't wait to see what mine looks like =D

I think we might be getting our Christmas tree today!!! =D

I love getting the mail!

2009-11-30T19:44:00.000-08:00

Especially when there are fun packages inside!!

This lovely hat swap package came all the way from Portugal. I'm drinking the mint tea right now, yum! Aren't the colors great? Love the fun flowers on the side.

I also got this adorable iphone case that I won in a giveaway. It's got the most divine lining inside & a convenient pocked on the outside. And who can resist loving the adorable birdie pattern? Not me! You can see her shop here.

In addition to all those goodies, I received the most recent edition of Crochet Today (Jan/Feb) which has some really cute winter & Valentine's day projects. I ALSO got a free sample of a chai tea mix. It's like Christmas already! Can't you see why I love getting the mail?

Bella, Bella, Bella!

2009-11-29T17:51:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I know I enjoyed the extra long weekend that went with it & was able to get caught up on a lot of unfinished things.

My Bella Swan hat has been featured in an Etsy Treasury!! You can check it out here. Very exciting!! Tomorrow I will be mailing out 5.... yes, 5 of them!! I've also got a few special orders in the works. <3

Last night I saw the movie Julie & Julia. Loved it! It has totally inspired me & now I really want to cook some French cuisine - yum! If you haven't seen the movie yet, I highly recommend it.

I originally had tomorrow off of work too, but my boss called me today and asked if I could come in. Of course, I'm a sucker and said yes. Now the rest of my evening will be spent prepping for my pharmacology midterm since I was counting on doing that tomorrow =(

Have a great night all!

Bathroom Unveiling

2009-11-29T17:37:00.001-08:00

Here's our (almost)completed bathroom redo! All we need now is some artwork to hang above the ''throne". It was so nice to have it completed for Thanksgiving!

Speaking of Thanksgiving, it went really well! 17 people sounded like a lot on paper, but felt like even more once everyone arrived. Great food & fun was had by all, and no one left hungry! We served turkey, duck & prime rib along with various side dishes. The meal was completed with delicious homemade pecan pies and pumpkin spice whoopie pies! Leftovers anyone?

Our Little Pug's an Attack Dog?

2009-11-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

My husband and I were out on our patio, enjoying the warm & windy night when a couple of little birds started flying around us. It kind of freaked us out because they were flying really low and close to our heads, so we headed for the grass area. They seemed to be attracted to the lights on our patio cover, maybe they had a nest there? One flew away, but the other one stayed. It ran into our slider a couple times and then took a breather on the ledge. Izzie was very attentive and followed every move the bird made. Meanwhile our cat Misty (who used to be quite the huntress in her day) just watched from inside.

At this point it was just funny because there was no way that Izzie could ever reach a flying bird. Until the bird went full force into the slider and became disoriented causing it to hit the ground. In an instant the fun and games turned into a very traumatic experience. It was all a whirlwind of screams and shouts as I covered my eyes and turned away. I'll spare you the details...

Brandon insists that the bird flew away. I'm really going to try to believe him since I got inside as soon as I could! I can't help but feel bad for the poor, dumb bird. =(

A Few Checks on My "To-Do" List

2009-11-22T15:44:00.000-08:00

I've been running all over town this morning getting some last minute shopping done. I can now check off: grocery shopping, install new chandelier (pictured below), install vanity lights and mirror, and find linens and table settings for Thanksgiving. Here's a sneak peak at what my table set up will look like this year (minus the food). We're going to have 2 tables set up like this:

As much as I wanted to make it fancy and use our fine china, we still only have 4 complete settings. Instead, we will be using the plastic chinett dishes, which are sturdy enough to wash and reuse again. Plates, napkins, & table cloths are from the party store, and the table runner is from Home Goods. I couldn't find a nice fabric table cloth that matched so I just went with a simple white disposable one. Figured, were messy eaters and throwing it away afterwards is easier. The silverware is part of our fine china set, at least we have 8 of those sets (the other table will use our daily cutlery set). The centerpiece has a pumpkin spice candle and the pine cones smell like cinnamon. yum! I will also have some tall candlesticks on the table, I just have to find my holders!

TGIF!

2009-11-20T08:34:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for the nice "congratulations" on my last post. To answer your questions, I was born in Montreal, Canada and moved to California when I was really young - about 4 years old. While I was technically a Canadian, I've always really considered myself an American since I grew up here. Now I have the paperwork to back it up & I can vote in the next election! We still have a lot of family in Montreal and go back as often as we can for visits. The US does not recognize dual citizenship, once your American - you're only American! However, as long as I don't renounce my Canadian citizenship in writing, Canada will recognize both.

I have sold 2 Bella Swan Twilight hats in the past 24 hours! *Happy dance* I think there's some Twilight fever going around with the movie coming out. Has anyone seen it yet, or planning to see it? I know I will! =D

Newest shop item, Sunburst Slouch:

I love the rusty-orange color.

Weekend plans include:

Watching the dance show at school

Write a report on it

Hanging our new chandelier

Putting up new vanity lights & mirror in hall bathroom

Meet with group for Pharmacology project

Hair party at Lani's!

Homework

Tidying/deep clean the house

Finalizing Thanksgiving menu

Grocery shopping

Thanksgiving potluck at church

Happy Friday all!

Officially a citizen!!

2009-11-19T23:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my mom and I completed the last step in our citizenship process. We attended an oath ceremony so that we could get sworn in. There were thousands of people there! It was really a big deal. Here are some photos. Cheesy? Absolutely!

Beforehand, with our green cards. It felt so weird to give those up after many years.

At the ceremony, Brandon made me pose for a photo op with the little flags they gave us =D

Afterwards with our certificates!

I look forward to voting for the first time!!

Weekend, Mitts & Whoopie Pies

2009-11-16T10:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday! Do you agree, was this weekend too short? Or is it just me? I still have so much to do & no time to do it!

I am now CPR and First Aid certified thanks to an all day course I took on Saturday! If you're choking, I can help!

Our bathroom is almost done - just need a mirror and vanity lights. But, at least it's usable now and we won't have to keep fighting over one toilet! I promise, pictures coming soon!

My living room has felt like a little sweat shop lately with the piles of headbands and flowers all over my coffee table. I did come up with a new organization/presentation method last night. I'll have to snap a photo tonight and show you =D I also made a pair of fingerless mitts this weekend too! It's a really great pattern. The mitts are very form fitting, snug and not bulky at all. I'd definitely recommend it:

Pattern: Firecracker Gloves by Ria Saakshi, can be found on Ravelry here.

It's no wonder why the numbers on my scale continue to go up, and not down. Look at these delicious sweets my father in law brought into work today! He had us taste test them so he would know which to make for Thanksgiving. First thing in the morning no less! I'm not going to lie, they were really really good! If only you could smell the Pumpkin Spiced Whoopie pies through the computer, or taste the Rice Crispy Peanut Butter/ Chocolate bars.

I've been searching the stores and web for Thanksgiving decoration ideas. I found this pattern for an adorable Turkey wreath. Just have to find the time! Do any of you have suggestions on how I can make my house look & feel festive for Thanksgiving? All the stores have seemed to skip Thanksgiving already and have moved on to Xmas.

My Newest Item

2009-11-15T18:56:00.000-08:00

Here is my newest addition to my etsy shop! It's called the Hayden Flower Headband and will be available in all sizes from infant to adult. It's totally customizable and comes with interchangeable flowers!

I've been making a bunch of these in different sizes & colors for the Xmas boutique.

ps. thanks Alhana & Nicole for letting me know the picture wasn't working. It's fixed now! =D