KAL Update..!

Just a quick post to update the April KAL. I'm determined to actually finish this one by the end of the month. I've been so busy with the lil' ones and we've adopted not one but two beautiful and loving kittens. I going to share some pictures of them with you this week. I took this shot of my lovelies today, they make my heart melt.





April Mystery KAL: Clue #3

row 22: (k1,p1)2x, p10, k2, p2, k2, p3, k1, p1, k4, p2, k4, p4, k1, p3, (p1,k1)2x
row 24: (k1,p1)2x, p12, k2, p5, k1, p2, k2, p1, k2, p1, k2, p9, (p1,k1)2x
row 26: (k1,p1)2x, p11, k1, p2, k1, p4, k1, p2, k3, p2, k3, p9, (p1,k1)2x
row 28: (k1,p1)2x, p10, k1, p4, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p4, k1, p10, (p1,k1)2x
row 30: (k1,p1)2x, p10, k1, p4, k1, p3, k1, p3, k1, p4, k1, p10, (p1,k1)2x

Happy Knitting!

Saturday Afternoon Cookies...

Cookies are my absolute favorite treat. For me, making them is half the fun. Here's a simple cookie recipe that just about anyone can squeeze into the weekend. It's one of my family's favorites and they are so delicious!



Sugar and Chocolate Sandwich Cookies:

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 15 - 25 min
Yields: 20 Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients:

• 5 oz unsalted butter
  
• 4 oz generous 1/2 cup sugar
  
• 1 egg yolk
  
• 1 cup generous all purpose flour
• 2 oz semisweet chocolate broken into pieces
• 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
   
2. Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, then the flour. Continue beating until well mixed.
   
3. Shape dough into a mound and break off walnut sized pieces rolling them into little balls with the palm of your hands. Place them on parchment paper on a cookie sheet spacing them 2" apart for expansion during cooking. Slightly press down the balls of dough.
   
4. Bake in preheated oven, 325 F/160 C, for 15 - 25 minutes. Cooke time will vary with different ovens, watch for slight browning on edges.
5. Carefully transfer cookies on parchment paper to wire racks to cool completely.
6. Place the semisweet chocolate in a small heatproof bowl and set over pan of barely simmering water, stirring constantly until melted. Remove bowl from heat
7. Remove the cookies from the parchment and spread the melted chocolate on the bases and sandwich another cookie on top. Return assembled cookie to wire rack and dust with confectioners' sugar.
8. Add some melted chocolate to a sandwich bag with a spoon and cut off one of the bottom tips to drizzle chocolate over the tops. Cool completely and serve.
   

April Mystery KAL: Clue #2

row 12: (k1,p1)2x, p2, k1, p1, k2, p5, k4, p1, k1, p2, k1, p4, k4, p3, (k1, p1)x4, (p1,k1)2x
row 14: (k1,p1)2x, p4, k1, p5, k5, p4, k1, p4, k5, p3, k1, p2, k1, p3, (p1,k1)2x
row 16: (k1,p1)2x, (p4, k1)x2, p1, (k1, p2)x2, k5, (p2, k1)x2, p1, k1, p4, k2, p3, (p1,k1)2x
row 18: (k1,p1)2x, p3, k1, p1, k1, p3, k2, p4, (k1, p1)x4, k1, p4, k2, p5, k1, p3, (p1,k1)2x
row 20: (k1,p1)2x, (p4, k1)x2, p6, k7, p6, k1, p4, k1, p1, k1, p2, (p1,k1)2x

April KAL!...

Sometimes when life catches up to you it becomes overwhelming. I tried to overwork myself these past few weeks but it was impossible to find the time for anything design related. Thank you everyone for being patient for this KAL. I'm in love with this pattern! Victor and Ella both helped me design this month's cloth and they are so proud of it. I'm sure you will love it just as much!


We went out the other morning and gathered all the dandelions we could find around our house. Our lovely bouquet lasted only a few days but it did brighten us up during the Spring rains yesterday.


April 2010:

Supplies:

• 1 Ball of Lily's Sugar'n Cream Solid
  

I'm using 01105 Country Blue (Blue), but you can use any color you wish. A light to medium pink, purple or green would go well also.

• US #3/3.25mm needles*
• Tapestry Needle *I used a smaller needle size to obtain denser fabric and to make the picture stand out more.
  
  

Finished Measurements : Approx. 10"x10"

Pattern:

co 47s

(k1, p1) to last stitch, k1 repeat for 6 rows

row 1: "and all odd rows" (k1,p1) 2x, K to last 4s, (p1,k1)

row 2: (k1,p1)2x, p39, (p1,k1)2x
row 4: (k1,p1)2x, p2, k35, p2, (p1,k1)2x
row 6: (k1,p1)2x, p4, k2, p4, k1, p2, k1, p1, k1, p7, k1, p1, k1, p2, k1, p3, k2, p1, k1, p3, (p1,k1)2x
row 8: (k1,p1)2x, p3, k2, p1, k1, p4, k4, p2, k2, p5, k4, p4, k1, p1, k2, p3, (p1,k1)2x
row 10: (k1,p1)2x, p2, k1, p1, k1, p6, k4, p1, k1, p2, k1, p4, k1, p2, k1, p4, k1, p2, k2, p2, (p1,k1)2x

Click Here for the Project Page on Ravelry!

Happy Easter!...

Happy Easter everyone! We had so much fun yesterday at the party and I have lots of pictures to share. I haven't moved them over from my camera yet but I will tomorrow night after I take more easter shots. I'm going to post the last update for the March cloth at the bottom. Monday will start the April Mystery Cloth KAL. I haven't decided yet but I'm going to use either a soft blue, green or grey cotton yarn to knit mine.

We made these Easter eggs on Thursday and I'm so proud how they came out. I used water-proof stickers and masking tape to create the effects of the stenciled and plaid eggs. It turned out to be a very easy method and wasn't messy at all. After the eggs were dyed I used an X-Acto knife to pull up the stickers so I wouldn't smudge the colors.


This is a picture of what my kitchen looked like the night before the party. I had my girlfriend come over and we ended up baking the night away. I love the rushed atmosphere when getting ready for a party, I just wish there were more excuses to have one.



March Mystery Cloth KAL Clue # 6

row 52: (k1,p1)2x, p7, k1, p8, (k1, p2)x2, k1, p8, k1, p7, (p1,k1)2x
row 54: (k1,p1)2x, k1, p7, k1, p7, k1, p2, k2, p2, k1, p6, k1, p7, k1, (p1,k1)2x
row 56: (k1,p1)2x, k1, p2, k1, p5, k1, p6, k2, p1, k1, p1, k2, p6, k1, p5, k1, p2, k1, (p1,k1)2x
row 58: (k1,p1)2x, p1, k2, p7, k1, p6, k1, p1, k1, p8, k1, p7, k2, p1, (p1,k1)2x
row 60: (k1,p1)2x, k3, p2, k1, p5, k2, p5, k1, p7, k2, p5, k1, p2, k3, (p1,k1)2x
row 62: (k1,p1)2x, k2, p1, k2, p8, k3, p7, k3, p8, k2, p1, k2, (p1,k1)2x
row 64: (k1,p1)2x, k1, p1, k3, p11, k7, p11, k3, p1, k1, (p1,k1)2x
row 66: (k1,p1)2x, p1, k3, p1, k2, p25, k2, p1, k3, p1, (p1,k1)2x

row 68: (k1,p1) to last stitch, k1 Repeat for 4 more rows
next row: bo in pattern

Weave in ends.

A Taste of Spring...

I went out this morning for a walk with my Mother to enjoy the first real day of sunshine in a week. I took a few pictures of the flowers that are sprouting and wanted to share. Our March KAL update is at the bottom!







March Mystery Cloth KAL Clue # 5

row 42: (k1,p1)2x, p5, k1, p6, (k1, p2)x2, k3, p12, k1, p5, (p1,k1)2x
row 44: (k1,p1)2x, p5, k1, p7, k1, p4, k1, p14, k1, p5, (p1,k1)2x
row 46: (k1,p1)2x, p5, k1, p8, k3, p2, k2, p12, k1, p5, (p1,k1)2x
row 48: (k1,p1)2x, p6, k1, p9, k2, p3, k1, p10, k1, p6, (p1,k1)2x
row 50: (k1,p1)2x, p6, k1, p9, k1, p1, k1, p3, k1, p9, k1, p6, (p1,k1)2x

Happy Knitting!