What are you reading?

I finished some books this last week........
and this magazine..........

This book on socks is excellent and a great reference too.  I'll be knitting some socks this Year of Projects season from this book.  Ann Budd is a wonderful teacher and she really knows her socks!

If you read my blog regularly then you know I received this book this week and read from start to finish in one day!  I loved it!  Big plans utilizing this book!

This book was $%#&*!  It was about "cashing in" on her name but I could get so much more from Pinterest for free than I got out of this excuse of a book.  All pictures and all of professional artists and crafts people that make a good living from it and have become famous and wealthy.  There was even one room that had sliding walls so she could design her quilts.  Really?  They all had dedicated rooms and big ones too.  They were professional studios and not within anyone's budget that I could tell.  The author is Jo Packham who made her fortune publishing Where Women Create magazines.  I should have known when a publisher publishes her own book.

I love Sylvia Brown and she is such an uplifting person to listen to whether you believe in an afterlife or not.  She spent her life comforting and helping others.   I've known Sylvia since I was a little girl as my Mother would buy her horoscope magazines.  She came from humble and hard time beginnings and she definitely had "the gift".  This was my audio book that I finished. 

As for what I am currently reading...........I used to have a subscription to this magazine and I am still going through them along with many other magazines.  This is a good one with Real Simple ideas, meals and great tips on any subject you can imagine and the articles are short and to the point.

My fiction book is the 2nd book in the Harry potter series.............

for my non-fiction I am reading this classic by a master knitter.........

I haven't chosen another audio book yet but I'll let you know when I do. Today was laundry, hanging it outside, ironing and that was about it for the day.  It's supposed to be sunny all week so there will be catch up outside this week for sure!  A little rain and then sun makes for tall grass and weeds proliferating!  It's also spray painting season and I have lots to paint! 
I hope you are enjoying your books that you are reading.  You are reading I hope?
Happy Trails!

YOP Week #49

Week 49 of 52!  I am so excited to start again!  I love a fresh start of anything. LOL!
I am sure to be more organized this year....or do I say that every year?

I am organizing and making lists and I have yarn and supplies to order and I am having so much fun!  I am dedicating Sunday's to YOP projects and organizing and probably Saturdays too. The week days are just too busy with household maintenance.  I work on projects when I sit down and take a break  and in the evening but on the weekends it's going to be all YOP!
For my weekly update I am just starting the toe of sock #2 of my Hudson Bay Blanket sock............

I was beginning to find my wooden needles grabbing too much which was fine when I started out with DPNs and beginning my knitting journey but now they are starting to hamper my speed....can you believe it?  Me.....Sam like a slug....I actually went back to the old aluminum cheap sticks and they seem to work much better although these are a little bit long 7" as opposed to 5" that I was used to.  I may order some carbons and try them.  Have any of you tried carbons?  What are your favorite needles before I place an order? 
I am also going back down YOP  "memory lane" to revisit projects I never finished, or frogged or wasn't quite skilled enough yet to tackle. My knitting confidence is pretty high now so I started back on some old projects. This is a gift so I won't say too much but I understand patterns so much better and I can focus more whereas in the beginning there was so much to think about.  Again, I found a pair of old aluminum needles that are working better than the wood ones I started out with.

 I also got supplies in this week so I can continue on with another secret gift project and a wonderful book that I bought which I read cover to cover already.............

I loved it and plan on gathering my supplies today to start making numerous idea books.  I first got the "idea" watching Stitched in Sweden podcasts where Maria uses a yarn journal to take notes about her projects, list any changes she makes to the pattern, yarn choices and labels, sketches of future designs, needles used etc.  I thought it was a great idea and then I saw Arne & Carlos's book and that "sealed the deal" ...finally a way to organize all those little 'bits and bobs" of cute items or pictures or inspiration and also to clear my head as it seems like it would burst some days with all my ideas!  No wonder I can't focus! LOL!  I'm not a scrap booking person  but I am a paper lover and idea books are right up my alley!  I highly recommend this book and it gets 5 stars from me!  Have any of you read any of their other books on crochet or knitting?  They are also on You Tube so there is something else to watch.  Oh, did I tell you I cancelled my satellite?  I'm so happy I did!  What a waste for me anyway.  I am immersed in podcasts and learning and old movies and the Feeln channel which costs less for the whole year than satellite cost me for one month and all I got was local channels.
For a little peek into YOP 2016-17 here are my categories..........
KNITTING
CROCHETING
QUILTING
SEWING
EMBROIDERY
CROSS STITCH
WOOL APPLIQUE
WOOL RUG HOOKING
HAND SPINNING
PAPERCRAFTS
 There you have it folks!  Onward and upward!
Oh also...a question....in watching knitting podcasts they mention ripping back like it is very easy and I don't hear them mentioning a life-life when they do it.  Is there something I don't know?  If I rip back in knitting it is tearing out the whole project.  I have no idea how to go back just a few rows to where there is a mistake but it seems there are knitters out there that do it all the time.  Is there a class I can take on this?  I want to make sweaters and bigger projects but I am afraid....very afraid! LOL!  Any information would be appreciated.  I do know about life lines and if  I were to do a big project they would be utilized for sure! 
I am also reading this book.  I got a  used copy on Thrift Books 
my favorite book store! 

Happy Trails! 

So much going on............

 I literally have had to drop everything and go out and get work done as the rains just keep coming!  Memorial Day I mowed and it rained that night and has continued then yesterday I finally got out and got some laundry on the line and some painting outside done.  The bench is done and the old rusty chair is primed.

 This morning I made dog treat dough and cooked up one tray full of apple cheddar dog biscuits.......

This is the first time I've tried this recipe and I ended up adding about 5 T of water not 3 and next time I will bake for 25 minutes not 30 as they stated.  They got  a little brown.  The rest of the dough I double wrapped in plastic wrap and put in a Lock n' Lock container for later.  I had lots to do today!

Here's the recipe...........

Ingredients

• 2 cups barley flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients and about 3 tablespoons water to form a dough. Roll out mixture between two sheets of plastic wrap to 1/4-inch thick; remove plastic wrap and cut out biscuits with a 3 1/2-inch bone-shaped cookie cutter. Reroll scraps and continue cutting out biscuits.
3. Space biscuits 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until nicely browned and firm.
4. Transfer biscuits to a wire rack. Turn off oven and place biscuits on wire rack in oven overnight. Remove from oven and store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

I owe an apology to one of my dearest blogging friends....Betsy from the Simple Life of a Queen (she's on my sidebar)......in my little mind I thought I had posted about her gift to me and yet in reality I hadn't.  Do you ever do that?  Think about something and your mind checks it off your mental list as if you really did it?  I am so sorry Betsy and all of you will understand why when I show you the most generous gift she sent to me...........little balls of sock yarn for making a Cozy Memories blanket which is all over the knitting podcasts and Ravelry.  I had mentioned I wanted to start one but didn't have much sock yarn since I haven't made that many socks and Betsy picked right up on it and sent me all those pretty yarns!  Thank you, Betsy......you are a Queen!

  I remember what happened now too.....I had it on my kitchen table to take a picture of and Miss Peeps got on the table and into that bag of yarn and I was so mad, angry, ready to banish her from the kingdom distraught that I put the yarn in the guest bedroom and put Miss Peeps in "timeout" on the porch and promptly forgot all about it!  There was also a death in the family last week that was on my mind and there were phone calls and conversations.  It was my ex-MIL and my children's grandmother.  She was 92 and had a good life and did not linger or suffer so that was a blessing but another piece of your history dies with each person.  This woman knew me from the time I was 16 years old.  All you can do is celebrate the good memories you have of that person but there is still grieving.  So, again, I apologize to you Betsy and thank you again so very much! (Those are sock yarns right?  I just want to make sure before I start the blanket)

 The magnolia trees are blooming and they are HUGE blooms some are more than 6 inches across.......they have a strong scent and one flower will perfume an entire room!  

I'm on the gusset of my 2nd sock and I'm joining some sock KAL's that are on Ravelry.  There are several where you can win prizes.  Bakery Bears, Fawn Knits, Knit Girls, Grocery Girls and Pinfeathers and Purls just in case you're interested.

I also received a treasure in the mail that I had ordered and it did not disappoint!  

I'm almost done reading it and it just arrived this morning!  These 2 are so inspiring and talented and like me they have multiple interests.  I've also finished a few other books but this post is already too long so I'll save them for tomorrow.
Happy Trails!

My baby is a year old!

Here she was when I heard her "mewing" outside my window a year ago in May..............

 it took a long time before she would trust me and I finally got her into the house.....she had the biggest blue eyes............

she stayed on the porch away from the other animals in "quaranteen" until she was old enough to have her shots..........she was only about 4 weeks in the first picture......
 These are pictures I took through the glass door unto the porch and once she had a steady supply of food and water she had some energy and was a blur!

 she would fall asleep on the rocker on the porch after she exhausted herself from playing.....

 or wherever she "crashed"...legs stretched out for all that growing she was doing...........

 After she had all her shots she got to come into the house for good.............and her eyes were now green.  The reason I was able to get such good pictures of her was she watched me everywhere I went and still does.  I think she bonded with me as her Mom big time!

 To this day if I take a bath when I come out she is right there waiting for me....she will even call me when she wakes up from a nap and I tell her where I am and she comes running......she wants to make sure I'm still there I guess...............

We've had our trials and they're not over yet.  She likes tipping over garbages and then getting into them, there's not anything she can't jump to or climb up and I have finally put both cats on the porch at night so I can sleep!  But she's part of our family now and like it or not we're all stuck with each other! LOL!
Here she is with her big sister, Grace.............Happy Birthday Miss Peeps!  We love you!

Happy Trails!

YOP Week #48

I think it's week 48 but not sure..only 4 more weeks  until the new season!  Well, I'm moving along on some projects and at least have the categories for the new year.
My Canadiana socks are definitely coming along and I'm about ready to do the foot.  I'm certainly knitting faster than I used to and not so much starting over like there was in the beginning of my learning curve.  I'm actually on the green stripe now since this picture was taken.

Yesterday and today are the first sunny, dry days we've had in about a week so I have clothes hanging out on the line as tonight and maybe tomorrow there is more rain.....and I need to mow too!  I need a hired hand is what I need! LOL!
This is my 2nd Frida's Flower Basket square and it's not done yet.

The gift I was working on had to be delayed while I ordered some supplies and I am also stopped in my progress for my Maybelle Flower Blanket as I ran out of yarn so I have to order that.
I have no pillow form to fit the Happy Hooky pillow and there was none at Wal-Mart that would fit so I guess I will make one out of muslin or something or maybe buy a piece of foam to use as fiberfill tends to lump and bump when I use it for pillows.....we'll see.
There was a new antique store that opened in town so I had to check it out.........
I got a quilt top for $5.00..............
vintage for sure............

and some fabric for $3.00/yard.............

I'm almost done reading Ann Budd's Sock book and I started reading Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears book.  Great advice in both books and I will be making socks this year from Ann's book for sure.

I hope you are having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and stay safe if you are traveling!
HappyTrails!

Storming and cozy and there's power!

The only unfortunate part is that the satellite is out and I might miss the Dancing With The Stars finale!  Oh no!  I can watch the rerun on Roku tomorrow though and at least I have power as dinner is cooking on the stove and in the oven!  Ed Debevic's pot roast (recipe from his restaurant in Chicago and SO good!) , brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes with gravy but I got a late start and it won't be ready until 8:00 p.m.   I am drooling right now!
I did laundry Sunday and Monday because I knew "the rains" were coming and then yesterday I went to Walmart and I'm glad I did!  It is stormin' Norman..thunder, lightening and pouring rain.  I love it as long as no one gets hurt.
My books came from Thrift Books today before the rain started although they mail them in a plastic bag.  Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear  is the 4th book in the Maisie Dobbs series.

I'm so glad I ordered this, the 2nd Harry Potter book because I'm almost done with the first one.

 

This book is a "classic" by Elizabeth Zimmerman a master knitter....her books are out of print now but I am looking forward to reading it.

 Sunday I planted flowers in my old trough.

The hydrangea has blooms beginning and I bet they are doing a happy dance with all this rain.  They don't call them hydrangeas for nothing!

 I bought herbs and some pepper and tomato plants when I was at Wal-Mart

and some paint and painting supplies.............

 I also took down the hummer feeder and I am replacing it with this impatience plant as it is under the eaves and a Northern exposure. 

I also got some seeds

Also....miracle of miracles.....look at my matching socks!  I couldn't believe it!  They line up perfectly!  The knitting angels must have been working overtime!  I'm so happy!

Dancing with the Stars finale is tonight.....I love them all....I wish they could all win and I loved Wanya and really thought he would be a winner.....but they are all winners in my book!  And Tom Percheron is too funny!  Happy Trails!