Monthly Archives: May 2013

Me-Made-May Week 3

It's the Me-Made-May Weekly Wrap-up!

Part of last week and the beginning of this week I was traveling, but was still able to bring along a thing or two of hand-made goodness.  I wore this comfy travel ensemble to Prague where I fit right in. This is the Iris Pullover from last year combined with the Amaranth headband.  I love wearing it what can I say? 

Re: Prague - The locals like to dress really funky, and I loved their personal style!


Then, when I came back to Munich, I wore a completely me-made outfit.  From head to toe, I wore a cowl (cross-hatch cowl) and top (to be named) both designed by Amanda of Dilettant Knits, and then hand-made jeans made with Jalie's 2908 pattern.


missing photo here>>> http://twistcollective.com/collection/blog_images/mjandadriana.jpg


Later in the week, I walked about town and wore the plaid skirt I made for the Sew Weekly along with the cross-hatch cowl previously mentioned.  That's the thing about cowls - they become your go-to accessory and especially in Munich's fickle weather, you just don't know if it's going to be cool or warm or what!  So, a cowl is a great flexible item to have.  And yes, my hair was a bit crazy yesterday...
Today I'm wearing a hand-knit camisole, the Orange Blossom Camisole I designed last year.  And, as I was writing, I realized I missed a photo from this week.  I met up with a friend and wore my hand-knit lace Apres Surf Hoodie (designed by Connie Chang Chinchio).  Hmm. Maybe I can ask her for the pic when she has some down time?  Ah well.  In the meantime, here's today's outfit...

Also, the giveaway winners have all been in contact and their loot is on the way!

Homesick in Pictures

I just realized that I have been away from my flock for more than two weeks. My life had been such a blur of activity– moving from one farm to another, my birthday, driving to Texas, meetings, doctors appointments, pneumonia, more doctors appointments– that I only just now realized how powerfully homesick I am.

I thought that looking at pictures would make me feel better last night, but honestly? It just made me want to jump on the next flight home.

LyraMiss Lyra

CiniCini

ChurchillChurchill

PatmorePatmore

RoquefortRoquefort the Pest

GnocchiGnocchi

SamSam

HughesHughes

I will be heading back to Virginia in a few weeks, but the whole summer is jam-packed with travel and obligations, so I won’t be there long. I’ve got a photo shoot in Boston in June and then I leave almost immediately for Scotland. Then back to to Texas for more meetings and medical stuff, and then to the Pacific Northwest, where I will be throwing out the first baseball at the Seattle Mariner’s Stitch ‘n Pitch. (I still hope to get some practice, you know, touching a baseball between now and then.)

It is so nice having the opportunity to travel, to meet new people and try new thing. The only thing that’s better is coming home again.

Balance

I started my new job back in January, and it feels like life has been a big blur since then. Life changes are often a mix of good and bad things, and this move was no different. The job itself...

Free Pattern! Chapman Shawl

I’m so pleased to bring you this lovely new pattern by Corrina Ferguson designed for Findley Dappled and in colorway #110 Wisteria.

Corrina knits and designs in Florida where there are only about three sweater days per year. But she keeps on knitting anyway and dreams of someday retiring somewhere where it snows. Corrina blogs at http://picnicknits.com/

ChapmanShawl1

Corrina designed a number of patterns which are available in our Findley Dappled 2013 booklet which can be purchased at a LYS near you. But the Chapman Shawl is available to you for the low, low price of FREE!

DSC_0070

This shawl is knit sideways and is designed to use up a single ball of Findley, which makes this shawl affordable as well as long enough to wrap around yourself in the air-conditioned office or on a cool summer evening.

Art Shot

This shawl matches the Chapman Cardigan pattern, in case you just can’t get enough of this dainty lace motif.

You can download the Chapman Shawl right here, or on the Free Pattern Page for Findley.

A NOTE! There was a small error in the key for a previous version, but this updated version 05.20.13 is correct. Thank you!

What I’m Reading Now

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris. You know, the guy who wore the Herriot owl on his head. In addition to his fine taste in head gear, Davis Sedaris is an incredible writer, because he can make you laugh until you cry and then, suddenly actually cry. I think that’s because Sedaris has the ability to see the beauty and honesty in the most absurd situations and in even the most broken people.

Denise Mina

My friend and book twin JellenP has apparently been urging me to read Denise Mina for ages but I have no memory of it whatsoever. So I am really happy Anna Quindlen wrote about her a few weeks ago in the New York Times. I have read every single thing Denise Mina has written, save a final book from one of her trilogies that I am nearly through with. Her books are smart, and suspenseful and the characters are so flawed that it’s difficult to love them, although you want desperately to love them. That is writing, my friends. I recommend you start with the Paddy Meehan series, which starts with Field of Blood, followed by The Dead Hour and Slip of the Knife. The Alex Marrow series is really good too. The Garnethill trilogy was Mina’s first and it is somehow more raw and, as a result, terrifying. It’s also super annoying because all Garnethill books but the first are available on Kindle, which is just weird.

Spice: The History of a Temptation

Spice: The History of a Temptation is non-fiction but it reads like a novel. As one reviewer said, there was a time someone would have killed you for a handful of peppercorns. In fact, dozens and dozens of explorers risked their own lives and those of their crews to while search for The Spice Islands. Jack Turner tells a spell-binding tale and you’ll find yourself sharing anecdotes from this book with everyone who crosses your path.

What are you reading these days?

May Lilacs …

Campground – Oak Bluffs – Martha’s Vineyard

copyright 2013

copyright 2013

- by Joan -

(www.mvobsession.com)


One year



fresh baby Lydia

Lydia's Birthday - 5/16/12

Lydia's Homecoming - 5/17/12

oh baby hand, how I love thee

5-21-12 -- Five days old

Lydia - four weeks old today

1) Oh hey I am so strong!

just hangin' out

mommy made a headband

definitely needs more banjo

berry sweet

9/19

<3

halloween 2012

new sweater

12-2

seven months old!

all smiles

bear coat

big girl!

some hat fun

1

4-1

Easter Sunday 2013

4-3

HOORAY

4-10

4-10

4-17

4-24

5-3

more cuteness

Mother's Day 2013

Happy birthday, littlest one! It has been a year of unimaginable joy watching you grow. You are incredible in every way and I love you so very much. So proud to be your mama!

“I am eating zee stars!”*

Strawberry Season

We are in high strawberry season here in Texas and, because I hate for any of these delicious gems go to waste, I’ve made it my mission to eat them all. We’ve got a big bowl of them on the kitchen counter but we can’t keep up with the garden. I swear I’m picking two for every one that we eat!

I know what you’re thinking; it’s a great problem to have. And you’re right.

In addition to Strawberry Goat Cheese Muffins, I’ve made a batch of Strawberry Curd. I’ll be making a big batch of Strawberry Balsamic Goat Cheese Ice Cream this weekend, but today’s recipe wins the prize for fancy-fancy.

Strawberry Champagne Gelee.

Gelee is basically a high-brow, homemade version of Jello. It’s dead easy to make, but the results are so impressive!

Strawberry Champagne Gelee

Ingredients: 

1 pint strawberries, sliced (plus a few more for garnish)

2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 bottle sparkling wine, Processco or Champagne, chilled

Instructions:

Divide the strawberry slices evenly amongst the molds. (You can use almost anything as a mold– egg cups, tea cups, ramekins.) Put the molds in the refrigerator, alongside the sparkling wine. The wow factor of Champagne Gelee comes from capturing the bubbles, and in order to do that, everything needs to be as cold as possible when you assemble it.

Place 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin on top. This is referred to as “blooming” the gelatin. After five minutes, place the saucepan over low heat and add the sugar, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and allow the mixture to sit room temperature for two or three minutes.

Working quickly, gently add the cold sparkling wine to the gelatin mixture and pour it over the fruit in the molds. Place the molds in the fridge and chill until completely set– four to six hours.

Strawberry Champagne Gelee

To un-mold the gelees, place the molds into a bowl of hot water, filled to a half inch below the top of the molds. When the edges are slightly liquidy (it only takes a couple of minutes), place an inverted plate on top of each mold and flip the gelee out on to the plate. Garnish with more berries and serve with the rest of the sparking wine.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since the sparkling wine in this recipe isn’t heated at all, it retains 100% of it’s alcohol content. Fun, fun, fun for adults; not so much for non-drinkers and/or children. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the sparkling wine with a 12 ounces bottle of ginger ale. You can also use whatever berries are in season.

*”Come quickly, I am drinking zee stars!” is a quote attributed to the monk Dom Perignon when he discovered champagne.

Returns

btt button

What book(s) do you find yourself going back to? Beloved children’s classics? Favorites from college? Something that touched you and just makes you long to visit?

(Because, doesn’t everybody have at least one book they would like to curl up with, even if they don’t make a habit of rereading books? Even if they maybe don’t even have the time to visit and just think back longingly?)


Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!


Lydia’s Party Dress

Getting started.

I thought my big almost-one-year-old (tomorrow!) needed a special party dress for her big day. This is what we came up with.

You might be shocked to hear that sewing like this accomplishes almost nothing!

Still watching that camera carefully.

a little progress

as of last night

button placement idea

back button placement plan

The fitting looked so promising!

perfect!!!

front buttons done

back buttons on

done!

Lydia models her (too big) party dress

Lydia models her (too big) party dress

Lydia models her (too big) party dress

Unfortunately, it's a little bit too big, but instead of taking it in, I think I might try to whip up a smaller one before Saturday. She'll grow into this one soon enough!

Lydia models her (too big) party dress