Recent Artistry

This is something that Ella's taken to doing recently:
drawing faces that actually resemble faces! :)
Her best friend, Clara, is her favorite subject to draw and I thought I'd capture her in the midst of her creativity for your enjoyment~

Knits of 2011

I love knitting just as much (if not more!) as when I started.
And I'm happy to say that in 2011 I accomplished two "major" achievements in knitting.
Firstly, knitting in the round on double pointed needles. Yesssss!!
And secondly, was the duplicate stitch, which I've posted about already. ;)

Now to show you the rundown of everything I knit, both those shown on this blog before and those not. Here goes (blog entries first, followed by never-before-seen photos)!!

- potscrubber
- my armwarmers
- wool soaker
- USC convertible mits
- Clara mittens
- rainbow bra

Now for photos!!

Purple mittens for Ella!

Ariel mittens for Ella...out of commission now due to small size

Rainbow mittens for Ella...did not last long ;_;

A purple tail for Barbie whipped up over the holidays

And now for the ones I have yet to get photos of...
- Shannon's armwarmers
- three phallic chapstick cozies
- rainbow legwarmers for Katie
- Emma's handwarmers
- Moses' mittens
- Elizabeth's convertible mits

Yay!! I kept up the knitting pretty well, all things considered.
And oh so many mittens!!!!!! :D

I just can't wait to keep knitting on into 2012!
First project on my to-do list = socks for Dash!!
He's been asking for socks for months now, and I finally have the confidence to start them (I think!!)
Then I'm supposed to knit some Rapunzel hair for Ella. @_@ That is gonna be interesting~~!


Well, thanks for following along and until I see you again...
Happy Knitting~!!!

2012 New Year's Resolutions

Yahoo! It's the new year! And the last year (possibly...I kid. Or do I? ;) )
Anyway, I am going to review my resolutions from last year and see show you what I have lined up for 2012. Here goes!


2011 Resolutions:
[ ] jog every other day
[x] raise chickens in the backyard
[x] knit at least one thing a month
[x] get involved in the local community more (volunteering, etc)
[ ] insulate the house
[x] establish a thriving worm bin
[x] reduce waste in our lives more
[ ] create a stained glass masterpiece
[x] try a new recipe at least once a week
[x] only eat dessert/drink alcohol for special occasions
[x] get Ella to sleep in her own bed, on her own

Not too shabby!! :D
Now, before I go on, I'd like to talk about why some of the items on the list weren't completed. Here goes:
[ ] jog every other day --- that lasted for all of 3 months...boo.
[ ] insulate the house --- I had Dash look into it for our floors using fiber glass but it was a definite no-go. Either we alter our plans, hire a professional, or quit the whole idea. Will keep you posted on that.
[ ] create a stained glass masterpiece --- I am happy to say that I actually did dig out my stained glass supplies last month for Christmas presents (post coming soon, I swear!) but nothing that I'd call a "masterpiece"

And here are my resolutions for this year!


2012 Resolutions:
[ ] keep up on the news
[ ] get more green plants in the house
[ ] get pre-pregnancy body back (and then some)
[ ] read one survival-related book a month
[ ] watch one survival-related movie a month
[ ] "beautify" the upstairs (curtains, etc)
[ ] master the cable technique in knitting
[ ] knit something for the baby
[ ] wear scarf-shawls more regularly
[ ] establish more community
[ ] get Ella to sleep on her own (for real)

As you can see, a lot of my goals have to do with preparation for something possibly happening on 12/21/12, because I am getting the vibe that things are coming to a head and cannot keep going on the way they have been. Aren't you getting that same vibe? I like to think I'm not the only one who thinks that...
Also, a lot of "nesting" related goals, in preparation of the newest arrival to the family. Gotta get more pure air in here with those plants~!!

Well, I am going to pin up this list of resolutions above my desk where I can see it everyday, and if you have goals in mind too, I suggest you do the same. It's the way to go!! :)


Until then, Happy New Year!!!! ♡

Christmas 2011 Crafting

Hello all!
That does it. We are officially in December now, and that means Holiday Spirit is in the hizouse~!! ☆
And the thrifty way we like to bring that colorful, lively spirit into the home is through DIY projects!

The family table this morning.

First thing's first, our Christmas tree has been revived. This time, with boughs from three different kinds of trees -- douglas fir, blue spruce, and balsam fir!

We're still in the process of trimming it, but what's new this year is crafting actual individual ornaments:

This year's ornament theme: things we love! Hence Ariel...

Made out of a pizza box and old paints. Not too shabby~!

If you've been listening to Kool 99.1 and its 24/7 Christmas line-up, you've probably heard the song "Christmas in the Northwest" by Brenda Kutz White which sums up quite nicely how green it can be up here during the holiday season. Having grown up in upstate New York, I get to missing snow and the classic "White Christmas"...hence homemade paper snowflakes!!

Including the elusive rainbow snowflake!

I must recommend this link for the clearest and most effective paper snowflake instructions.
I hope they work just as well for you and you fill your windows with these pretty crystal homages~!!

Last but not least is a little DIY Christmas bunting~

Wow, those are some sad grape vines outside...

 Next on our list is:
- string popcorn garland while watching Miracle on 34th Street
- craft more and bigger snowflakes!!
- knit up all the gifts on my Christmas To Give list...oh, that reminds me!

So, this year we are officially subscribing to the "$100 Limit Christmas" idea that more and more people seem to be adopting. I think I first read about it on the "Center for a New American Dream" site and having rechecked it recently, they also have this great "Simplify the Holidays Challenge" that you can pledge to. They offer great ideas that curb consumerism and save you money too!

Aaaanyway, that being said, we are looking to accomplish this $100 limit through lots of homemade gifts ranging from baked goods to knit items, and the ever-important intangible things like offering our time and whatnot.

Care to join me?
Let me know what some of your money-saving/anti-consumerism plans are!
Until then, take care, stay warm, and Happy Holiday Spirit!!

Alexis' mits

Hi, all!
So I've been meaning to post about this for a while now, but I'd like to introduce you to one of my new favorite forms of mittens: the convertible mitten!

I made it for my good friend Alexis for his birthday back in September (oops, very late!) and I am happy with how they came out. As is he, phew!
The top flap folds up and over the back to provide more dexterity with the exposed fingers, and yes that is more duplicate stitching there -- Alexis is a loyal alumnus and fan of USC!
Happy Birthday once again Alexis and I hope these mits give you the warmth and nimbleness you need to maneuver your bike on your cold San Francisco morning bicycle commute!

More duplicate stitching coming up next too...
Until then, happy knitting!!

Duplicate Stitching

Hi, everyone!

I'd like to take this time to let you in on this new technique I've learned:

duplicate stitching!!

It has enabled me to now knit little images on any stockinette-knitted items I've created.

So far, I have made these little mittens for Ella's very good friend, Clara Fae:

For her 2nd birthday this past Monday :)

To learn how to do duplicate stitching, I highly recommend this particular video from You Tube.
I hope all you knitters out there give duplicate stitching a go, because it really gives satisfying results at very little effort.
You can bet you'll be seeing a lot of duplicate stitched goods for the upcoming holiday season! ;)

Until then, stay warm and happy duplicate stitching!!!

Anpan(man)!

Hello again, all!
It's been a great month of September, and now here we are in October!! :)
Tonight was the first real rainy day, with the first sounds of jazz wafting through the air (jazz and rain just go so well together, don't you think??), the clacking of knitting needles (already working on Christmas gifts!) and much chamomile tea.

But before the rain hit, Dash was a doll and helped me bake up a batch of anpan bread for my tutee who turned the big 1-0 in August. Double digits!! おたんじょうび　おめでとう、ジョナさん！

If you are not familiar with anpan bread, it is pretty much a milk bread roll with sweet red bean paste (anko) inside. Mm-mm!
A staple Japanese snack. And the basis of the very popular and well-loved (at least in our household) Japanese cartoon super hero, Anpanman!

Please read below to learn how to make this tasty treat for yourself:


Anko Filling

Ingredients:
    •    1 1/2 cups red beans (also known as azuki)
    •    1 1/2 cups sugar
    •    1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Rinse the beans in a colander. Place them in a large bowl with a plenty of water to cover the beans. Let them soak for 3 to 8 hours.

Instructions:
(1) Drain and place the beans in a deep pot with a plenty of water to cover the beans. Bring it to a boil. You will see a lot of foam forming on the surface. Pour out the beans into a colander and rinse them well with running water to remove foam. Clean the pot and refill with fresh water, place the beans back in a pot and bring it to a boil.
(2) Repeat step (1). This time after rinsing the beans, add 5 1/2 cups water and bring it to a boil again. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the beans become so tender that you can mash one with your tongue. (Be careful not to burn your tongue.) Stir more frequently toward the end.
(3) When the beans are completely soft add 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer at low without a lid, stirring very frequently until the mixture becomes somewhat thick.
(4) If you can see the bottom of the pot when you scrape with a wooden spatula, it is ready to remove from heat. Paste will become harder as it cools. Keep it in the refrigerator overnight.

Milk Bread (adapted from The Joy of Cooking)

Combine in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer and let stand until the yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes:

    •    1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast

    •    3 tbsp warm water

Add:
    •    1 cup whole or low-fat milk, warmed to 105 - 115 F
    •    5 tbsp melted butter or margarine
    •    3 tbsp sugar
    •    1 large egg
    •    1 tsp salt

Mix by hand or on low speed for 1 minute. Gradually stir in:
    •    2 cups bread flour

Gradually add until the dough is moist but not sticky:
    •    1 1/2 to 2 cups all-purpose flour

Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn it over once to coat with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Punch the dough down, knead briefly, and refrigerate covered for 30 minutes. At this point, the dough may be shaped into rolls:

Divide the dough equally into 16 pieces. Grease a baking sheet. On a floured surface, roll the dough pieces flat, fill with 1.5 tbsp of anko, and then fold/roll into balls. Place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Let rise in a warm place for 45 min - 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Bake for 12-15 min.

Anpanman's beaming face before hitting the oven

Anpanman is totally baked! Ha!

They are so delightful with a cup of milk be it for breakfast or as a mid-day snack.

Well, I hope you try your hand at this recipe and do let me know the results!

Until then, Happy Anpan Baking, and I hope it makes you "げんき　ひゃくばい!!"