Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Yarn Along: It's Here!!!!
Saint Nicholas is here and the Gift-a-Long is here! Hurrah! I am so excited to be involved this year, both as a designer and a knitter. There are 334 other designers from every continent but Antarctica contributing to the sale and the KALs/CALs. I've discovered so many new to me designers and great patterns that may have jumped into my shopping cart. You will see some of their designs in my knitting and featured on the blog over the following five weeks. I have cast on what I'm calling Desert Pines, which is a hat by Miranda Grant, called Coniferae. I'm making it in more neutral colors, and it is to be a gift for someone. Now that I'm finished with Saint Nicholas, I'm allowing myself some time to knit in the GAL for fun.
Also, you really need to check out the stockings that people have made and are working on right now. Their color choices and their modifications are great! I'm always so pleased to see what people do with my designs, and they did not disappoint me at all (people are still linking up their projects, so it make take some time, but if you search for Saint Nicholas in projects on Ravelry, you should see some). I'm offering it for 25% off through the feast of Saint Nicholas! No coupon required for this, the price will go up to its normal cost at 12:01 a.m. PST on November 7.
If you are not already excited about 2016 Indie Designer Gift-a-Long, or don't know what it is, click that link and check it out. I have eight patterns that will be on sale with the coupon coupon code giftalong2016 through 11:59 p.m. EST on November 30. I hope you join us! There are prizes and games and camaraderie with fellow crafters and conversations with your favorite designers and new designers to meet.
All single patterns I sell are eligible for the KAL, but the bundle of patterns will be offered at 25% off during the sale.
Between knitting furiously, editing patterns, promoting the GAL, shopping and cooking for Thanksgiving, finishing up school with the kids, and getting ready for Nutcracker, I have done just about no reading except through the discussion threads on Ravelry and looking through patterns that are part of the sale.
Take a look at Doireann - Achtung Kurve / Dangerous Bend, by Barbara Lösche. This is such a lovely shawl. I have it in my library and am looking for the right yarn to make it.
Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On.
Labels: Design, Family, FOs, GAL2016, Giftalong, Homemaking, Knitting, Patterns, St. Nicholas, Yarn Along
Monday, November 28, 2016
Menu Plan: First Sunday of Advent
Advent is here again. We are anticipating the spiritual growth that is sure to come in this season of preparation. We might also be looking for the physical benefit of eating more modestly. Our fast is not as stringent as our brethren in the East, we are still easing into it as a family. However, if you are learning about this discipline, and wish to have some ideas for meals, I pray that these menu plans will assist you. This year, we are eating meatless for four days a week, with the more stringent rules on Wednesdays and Fridays. You will still see fish, eggs and dairy on most days. I understand that wine and oil are not restricted during the Nativity fast in the way they are in the Lenten fast, but would be glad to be corrected. On the days that we are eating meat, we are still trying to keep it pretty simple and use the meat more as a garnish than a main course. Always, we keep in mind to stop before we are satisfied, and that, as Amira explained when she was little, the reason we fast is so we can better pray. This is a great season for almsgiving, as well, and I will try to post some ways for you to give to organizations we support, if you are interested. In the Church, fasting is always a trinity of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. The Church Fathers called a fast without prayer, the fast of the demons, for they do not eat, and they do not acknowledge the Lord. We pray to be spared from such a fast.
May your Advent be holy and blessed and full of joy!
- Sunday
Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Turkey, Gravy, Rice, Peas, Leftover Pies - Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar and Chopped Apples, Coffee
Dinner: Turkey Tetrazzini - Tuesday
Breakfast: Fried Eggs, Toast, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Macaroni & Cheese, Vegetable Sticks - Wednesday - Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle
Breakfast: Polenta with Maple Syrup, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Potato Kibbeh, Rice Pilaf, Fruit Plate - Thursday
Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding with Craisins and Coconut, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Vegetable Fried Rice, Satsumas - Friday
Breakfast: Ful, Toast, Hot Sauce, Tea with Honey
Dinner: Musgovian Vegetable Soup, Sweet Potato Rolls - Saturday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Home Fries, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Enchiladas Blancas, Black Beans, Salsa Rice
Labels: Advent, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Monday, November 21, 2016
Menu Plan: Thanksgiving Week!
Thanksgiving week is here again! I'm not doing quite as much as I normally do, and our friends are bringing more. Since it is the first weekend of Nutcracker performances, too, we are busier than ever this week. Yasmina's name day is Friday, and I'm trying to think of something to do to mark the day, since it will be otherwise taken up with dress rehearsal.
We are on our final week of feasting before Advent, too, so we're living it up.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Cereal and Biscotti, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Lentil Stew with Lemon and Cilantro, Rolls, Banana Cake and Espresso Mocha Ice Cream - Monday - Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar, Sliced Apples, Coffee
Dinner: Papas con Chorizo, Sour Cream, Salsa, Mandarin Oranges - Tuesday
Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos with Leftover Papas con Chorizo, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Italian Sausage and Potato Bake, Italian Bread, Fruit - Wednesday
Breakfast: Vanilla Yogurt with Berry Compote, Buttered Toast, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Roasted Vegetable Pizzas, Salad - Thursday
Breakfast: Farmer's Breakfast Casserole, Caramel Apple French Toast Strata, Fruit, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cranberry Horseradish Relish, Stuffing/Dressing, Sweet Potato Rolls, Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans, Elotes (Mexican Corn Dish), Green Salad, Pumpkin Pies, Cranberry Cherry Pies, Nantucket Cranberry Pies, Apple Pies, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pies, Key Lime Pie with Chocolate Crust, French Coconut Pies, Gingerbread with Chantilly Cream - Friday - Feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Breakfast: Leftover Pie, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Split Pea Soup, Salad - Saturday
Breakfast: More Pie, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers
Labels: Blessed Virgin, Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Name Day, Tales from the Kitchen, Theotokos
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Menu Along: 2016 Gift-a-Long
I called it Friday night (that photo is my progress from Friday night). I probably could have gotten the pattern for Saint Nicholas released in time to be included in my sale bundle, but it would have meant staying up until around 2:00 or 3:00 a.m., so I decided it was better to sleep enough and release it this week as I initially planned. The goal is still to release it Thursday, but I'm having a couple hiccups, so it may be Friday.
However, I am officially participating in the 2016 Indie Designer Gift-a-Long. I have eight patterns that will be on sale with the coupon coupon code found in my bundle description and on the Ravelry group between 5:00 p.m. PST on November 22 and 8:59 p.m. PST on November 30. I hope you join us!
All single patterns I sell are eligible for the KAL, but the bundle will be offered at 25% off during the sale. It's only a week away!
As for books, I read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child this week. I enjoyed the story and the development of characters in it. It was a quick read. I started and finished it in one day.
Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On and Yarn Fanatic.
The harvest dinner was a great success this year, which pleases us quite a bit. It's always nice to get a good response to our invitations.
I shook things up and roasted squash wedges and made Nantucket cranberry pies. Or rather, Rich did, because I was out all day with two girls who had a Nutcracker rehearsal, knitting and running errands and so on. It was great to see so many neighbors, and to share in the great food. Someone made the best lemon bars, they were a layer of crisp shortbread with tart lemon curd and lemon icing over that. So good!
We are knee deep in Nutcracker rehearsals and preparations. Oh, and Thanksgiving, too. So, it's busy around here. Also, poor Dominic is getting a reprieve from school work, but not for anything fun. He got a scratch on his eye from a flying Pikachu toy, which healed, but developed into iritis, and he looks terrible and is in tons of pain. When I called our doctor, she said to call the eye doctor, as we were fairly certain that it wasn't pink eye, and she wanted to make sure that if there was scarring or infection that his eye sight was preserved. Blessedly, the abrasion had healed and there was no infection, but his iris and cornea are essentially a giant bruise right now. So, he's on anti-inflammatory drops and lots of ibuprofen. We're heading back to the eye doctor later this week to see if enough progress has been made with the medicine and rest.
Today is the fifth anniversary of our losing Rayan. Five years ago, it was a Tuesday also, and we were a week from Thanksgiving. This is always a hard time around our house. Rich and I share the memorial each year, and both of us find ourselves a little more depressed at this time of year. We would be blessed by your prayers.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Leftover Nantucket Cranberry Pie, Buttered Toast, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: White Chicken Chili with Cheese, Salsa, Guacamole and Chips, Roasted Squash - Monday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar, Sliced Apples, Coffee
Dinner: Hamburger Stew, Cornbread - Tuesday
Breakfast: Cream Cheese Toast with Za'atar and Olive Oil, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Leftovers - Wednesday
Breakfast: Ful, Hot Sauce, Toast, Sliced Apples, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner:
Macaroni & Cheese, Vegetable Sticks, Fruit Plate - Thursday
Breakfast: Tunisian Shakshouka, Peppers and Onions, Toast, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Baked Kofta with Potatoes and Tomatoes, Rice, Harissa - Friday
Breakfast: Cereal and Milk, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Black Bean and Butternut Squash Quesadillas, Salad - Saturday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Sausage and Cheese, Fruit, Toast, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Boys Are Making Dinner
Labels: Books, Design, Family, GAL2016, Giftalong, Homemaking, Knitting, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen, Yarn Along
Tuesday, November 08, 2016
Yarn Along: All St. Nick, All the Time
Have I mentioned that I'm crazy? I initially planned to release Saint Nicholas on the 17th, but since I want to include this design in the 2016 Indie Designer Gift-a-Long, I am hustling to get it finished and photographed by November 12. Like I said, crazy. If all else fails, I can still publish when I originally intended, but I'd really like to promote this with the GAL this year. It might give it the boost I need, to have a new release for sale as well as a 25% discount on it. (25% off, folks!)
In case you missed it, Marine Layer has been published in Knotions Magazine's November 2016 Issue, which thrills me. The whole set is free, and I can't wait to see what people do with my design.
I have read a bit of fluff this week. I finished Attachments and Christmas Caramel Murder. Rainbow Rowell is an author with whom I'm sure I would disagree entirely. I'm positive of it, in fact. I really enjoy her writing, though, she captures human character and thought and experience in a way that is realistic to me. Her writing is smart, interesting, touching and funny. I've read three of her books, and I'm interested in the other two. The other book was just a happy little murder that I knew would be light and fun. We've had a rough week and light was really all I could handle. Our family could use prayer.
Rich and I are still reading Hillbilly Elegy, sort of. I think we've read one more chapter. And we have finished Life, the Universe, and Everything
with the kids. We're taking a break before moving on to the next book. Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On and Yarn Fanatic.
Labels: Books, Design, Family, Homemaking, Knitting, Yarn Along
Sunday, November 06, 2016
Menu Plan: November 6 - 12
We had our pork delivered this week, so we ate ham and our own home grown corn with steamed peas for dinner instead of the plan I had for Saturday. That was not the only menu change we had this week, either. I had planned on making cream of onion soup, but forgot that we were out of milk and didn't get it in time.
Rich and the kids gathered the absolute last of our main garden (Jerome still has some carrots and turnips in his garden box) and Rich used it to make a hash with the leftover ham from last night's dinner. All of it except for the salt and ground pepper was home grown: The ham, the tomatoes, the potatoes, the corn, the peppers, the crookneck squash, the scallions. That was pretty cool, making a meal that was almost entirely raised on our property.
Our neighborhood has an annual harvest dinner, and this is the week. I've been bringing the same dish for the past three or four years. I'm trying to decide if I want to mix things up this time.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Home Grown Ham Hash, Bananas, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Mini-Sliders, Carrots, Ice Cream - Monday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Homemade Hamburger Helper, Biscuits - Tuesday
Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding with Craisins and Coconut, Coffee and Milk
Dinner: Pork Tacos, Black Beans, Salsa Rice, Guacamole, Sour Cream - Wednesday
Breakfast: Feta, Za'atar and Olive Oil on Toast, Sliced Apples, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Roast Cauliflower Cooked in Tahina with Pinenuts and Parsley, Rice - Thursday
Breakfast: Chilaquiles, Sliced Pears, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Hamburger Stew, Cornbread - Friday - Feast of Saint Martin of Tours
Breakfast: Cereal and Milk, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Black Bean and Butternut Squash Quesadillas, Salad - Saturday
Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Waffles with Butter, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Indian Summer Gratin
Labels: Church Year, Family, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen
Saturday, November 05, 2016
Marine Layer, Live and In Pictures!
Models: Julie Ellis and Yours, Truly. Photography Credit: Kris Emerson from Special Moments by Kris (used with permission).
You guys! You guys! Marine Layer, the cowl (and scarf) and the mitts are up on Knotions' November 2016 Issue! The patterns are free, too!
Go check it out and knit lots of them for yourself and your friends and family! Don't forget to make project pages and share your photos with me. I want to see what you do with this design.
I cannot say enough good about working with Knotions' editor, Jody. She was prompt in replying, she was helpful and nice, she did excellent work in editing, formatting, making schematics, promoting, and so on. I've never worked with anyone so responsive. (She even did a huge favor and changed something I didn't notice until the magazine had done a soft launch for the issue. Even though she had already had her "Phew, that's finished!" glasses of wine.) I'm still new enough at third party publishing that I was thrilled when I saw (four or five!!!) of her promotion pages and posts featuring photos of my designs and told everyone I knew. If you have something you have designed and think it might fit their magazine, I encourage you to submit. I'm not a big name designer, and I've only worked with two third party publishers, but I've been blessed to have great experiences with both. Knotions is definitely on my list of publishers to keep in mind for future designs.
Labels: Design, Free Patterns, Knitting, Patterns
Tuesday, November 01, 2016
Menu Along: Thriller, Saint Nicholas and All Saints
While I wish I could say I finished Nejat's blanket, all I've been working on is Saint Nicholas. Aside from the fact that I need to get a finished photo to the editor, I realized that I wanted to include this design in the 2016 Indie Designer Gift-a-Long, and that means it needs to be published no later than November 12. Yikes! So, I'm hustling. In between taking care of the eleventy billion things going on at home, with the kids, in our neighborhood, and so on. This also means that my photo is from this past Saturday instead of yesterday or today, so there is actually more knit now.
Rich and I are still reading Hillbilly Elegy. It's slow going, because we are reading it aloud in bed, and only when we are not too exhausted to read.
After finishing Persuasion with the kids for their literature, we took another turn at Life, the Universe, and Everything
for fun. We're just about finished, and will move on to the fifth book of the increasingly ill named trilogy. Also posting to Keep Calm and Craft On and Yarn Fanatic.
We have been slammed over the past couple
Today, though, Kim is on my mind. Along with all the people we love who have died to this world in the love and faith of God, she is on my mind especially on this All Saints' Feast. We are thankful for all those who have gone before us, who lived as examples of the life of Christ, and whose work continues as they pray for us in the presence of God. We also pray for all those who have passed that they might find eternal rest and joy in the resurrection. One thing we always try to do is to listen to the Litany of the Saints. Our children love to listen for their names. They usually hear the litany at three liturgies of the year, unless there is a funeral mass. But each year we play it on the feast of All Saints.
- Sunday
Breakfast: Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon Sugar, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Penne with Meat Sauce, Caesar Salad, Italian Bread, Pumpkin Cupcakes - Monday
Breakfast: Toast with Feta, Tomatoes, Za'atar and Olive Oil, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Takeout Pizza (We had two vouchers for a free giant sized that we used, since we knew we'd be late with the whole Thriller performance thing), Salad - Tuesday - Feast of All Saints
Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Leftover Poundcake, Sliced Asian Pears, Coffee and Milk
Dinner: Fancy Hot Dogs, Egg Noodles, Salad - Wednesday - Commemoration of All Souls Departed
Breakfast: Chilaquiles with Poblanos and Onions, Mint Tea with Honey
Dinner: Cream of Onion Soup, Herbed Biscuits, Winter Carrot Slaw - Thursday
Breakfast: BLTs, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Arabian Spaghetti (with Lamb), Slow Sauteed Green Beans - Friday
Breakfast: Cold Cereal and Milk, Fruit Plate, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Pasta with Sardines, Leftover Slaw - Saturday
Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Waffles with Butter, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
Dinner: Enchiladas Blancas, Black Beans, Salsa Rice, Salad, Ice Cream
Labels: All Saints, Books, Church Year, Design, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Homesteading, Knitting, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen, Yarn Along
