Merry Christmas!

So the weather here is about as un-Christmas-y as it gets:  I’m in League City (Houston area) and it’s about in the 60s.  When we left Dallas this morning, the roads were icy and it was in the upper 30s.  Tonight, in Houston, I had to make an emergency Wal-Mart run for flip- flops!!   I should have come better- prepared for the eternally kooky weather here, but, silly me, I thought that the weather in Houston would only be about 5 degrees warmer than it was in Dallas. 

Speaking of being unprepared… I also neglected to bring my camera cable so I could upload some Christmas photos onto my (poor, neglected) blog, so instead of family photos, wannabe arty photos of Christmas lights, or those shots I took last year of the live nativity scene,you’ll just have to make do with this (exceedingly bad) shot of these little flannel Christmas trees that I made last year.  You’ll also have to wait to see all of the crafty things I’ve been working on this Christmas!  But all of this isn’t what Christmas is really about anyway, right?  I wish I were more eloquent, but it’s been a really long week, so I will just close by wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas, wherever you may be spending the holidays (and whether you’re wearing your flip-flops or bundled up from head to toe in woolies).  I hope that you and your family and friends are blessed by the very best Gift of all- our Reason for the Season! 

Merry Christmas!

Happy Halloween! (Or, what I did instead of working on my grad school application essay)

Some people have picture-less posts; this is going to be (more or less) a wordless post.

I was trying so hard to get this little guy done, photographed, and posted about on Halloween, but as you can see, I’m running a bit late….  The pumpkin came from a kit from Teresa of Sewing Stars fame (you can see the color photo that came with the kit peeking out from the second picture).  I have one of her apple kits, too, but what I’m really holding out for is one of her snowman kits.  I missed out on them (and her finished snowman softies) last year and was so crushed!  Hopefully this year I’ll manage to get one.  They’re my favorite (no offense to my little orange friend)!   Happy Halloween!

White Rock Artist’s Studio Tour!!

   

                                                                                               So on Saturday, my friend Kari and I went to the White Rock Artist’s Studio Tour.  The studio tour entails more than forty-three artists opening their homes or studios each fall to the art-starved public, and I had been eagerly waiting for the event to come around since Kari had first mentioned it, and the weather was truly beautiful; we had one of those true fall days that is such a rarity in Texas.  I was excited about the opportunity to see and buy art that I wouldn’t normally have access to, but I was thrilled to get to see the artists’ studios.  With only a few exceptions, these lucky people had freestanding studios- their own little places, separate from their main houses, where they could create and get away from the reminders of regular life.  My favorite studio was Connie Chantilis’ studio, but as per her request, I wasn’t able to take a single picture of anything there.  Not the great salvaged metal (dentist’s?) cabinets or the stainless steel tabletops that she had a friend of hers make into workstations for her mosaic work and sculptures.  Sadly, I didn’t get pictures of most of the other studios we visited, either; I was just too busy taking it all in or chatting with the artists.  I did snap this picture of a cabinet in sculptor Terry K. Smith’s studio, though- although it doesn’t depict any of her work, I liked that it captures some of the inspiration behind it.  After drooling over the artists’ studios, I did pick up a few things… some original pen-and-ink sketches by Susan Giller, some little things here and there for Christmas gifts, and one of potter and sculptor Marty Ray’s pinch pot birds.  (Marty was also commissioned to design a totem pole sculpture for the Texas State Fair this year).  But one of my very favorite things on the tour was without a doubt Glo Coalson’s raku- fired ceramic pigeon sculptures.  I wasn’t able to take one home with me this year, but consoled myself with helping my friend Kari pick out one and taking pictures of the flock as they rested quietly on their table in the shade.  Inside Glo’s studio, there was a sign on her kiln saying that she had made something like over 20,000 of these birds over the span of her career.  A tattered leather jacket that she presumably wore when removing the finished birds from the kiln lay across its open mouth, silently attesting to her many hours of work.  But even though she’s made thousands of the little sculptures, each one is as individual and unique as the real bird it depicts. 

I know that it might have been possible for Kari and I to see more artists’ homes, but I really enjoyed the relaxed pace that we took which allowed for lots of conversation with the artists and lots of time to get inspired by their studios.  Oddly, several of the artists we visited kept chickens in coops in their expansive yards (what is it with artists and chickens?) and one even proudly told me that her prized black and white purebred rooster was of a breed she affectionately dubbed the “Dolly Partons or Arnold Schwarzeneggers of the chicken world”- due to his large breast, which he proudly stuck out as if he was a bodybuilder showing off his overdeveloped pecs.  It was absorbing this kind of “local color” that made visiting the artists so fun and so much better than cruising the typical craft show.  In their own studios, it seemed like they felt more comfortable and relaxed, and it was such an interesting experience to get to see how the environment of peoples’ studios informed their art.  And it was a perfect time to gather ideas for the dream studio of my own that I’d like to have some day!

Good moon rising?

When I got home from the gym Monday night, I was thinking of little else besides eating when I pulled up out in front of the house.  Before I even made it out of the car, though, I could hear music coming from someplace (and it wasn’t my stereo).  When I opened the door, I realized that it was the high school band practicing in the parking lot of the school (which is only a block from the house).  When I was growing up, I hated my neighborhood– the houses are ranches and were built with remarkable similarity in floor plans, which I disliked, and I thought it was “snooty” (stuck up), and then there was the proximity to the high school- argh!  As I leaned back against my car door, though, staring up at a beautiful night sky with a large and bright full moon and listening to the music as it rose to a crescendo, I reflected upon how foolish I had been.  Now, faced with the necessity of having to leave the neighborhood, I could finally see the many little amenities that I had taken for granted for so many years.  It’s still fairly safe, is ethnically diverse and well kept, and most of the neighbors are very nice.  And there was all the free music in the fall when the marching band practiced in the morning and evening!    Why hadn’t I seen this until it was almost too late to enjoy it?

More bread!

Artisan Bread- Courrone

As I mentioned before, my baking skills are still very much a work in progress, but I finished baking off the last of the original batch of dough last weekend.  This time, I tried the Courrone, and I managed to get it done just within the suggested 2-week- maximum for fridge storage time.  (I also baked another loaf last weekend- the baguette.)  This week’s refrigerated dough smelled just like an opened can of beer!  Whoo-eee!  That’s some strong sourdough!  The artisan bread book did suggest that a sourdough flavor would start to emerge as the bread dough aged in the fridge- I certainly found that to be true!  What I also discovered along the way is that I am not so crazy about strong sourdough flavors! 

Artisan bread with chocolate peanut butter & berries

I found myself “toning down” the flavor of the finished bread by slathering it with chocolate peanut butter.  Maybe this means that I don’t have a very sophisticated palate.  Or maybe sourdough is an acquired taste?  Anyway, I did find that the prep of the second and third loaves went much more quickly- much closer to the 5 minutes a day suggested by the book’s title.  Since I have conquered (haha) the master recipe, I think I’d like to try branching out to one of the fancier recipes in the back- maybe one of the flatbread recipes (Little Tiny wants to try a pizza dough) or one of the enriched breads (there’s a chocolate bread recipe)?   It sure was nice having homemade bread every morning for breakfast!

 

An abundance of blessings!

So I have to admit that I was feeling a bit discouraged on Saturday morning after reflecting on my recent apartment- hunting experiences.  In particular, I had visited one place on Friday afternoon that had taken my I.D. (as a supposed security measure) and then neglected to give it back.  Despite my desperate phone call, they never did contact me to let me know that they had my license- I had to keep calling the next day until someone finally answered the phone.  It was obviously not a high priority for them!  (It made me wonder what would it would be like to live there and have a maintenance emergency!)  Anyway, my mood instantly improved when I saw the day’s mail:  there was a neatly-wrapped, brown paper-covered parcel addressed to me from someone in British Columbia, Canada!  The apartment-hunting hassle flew right out of my mind as I peeled the paper wrapping from the box and peeked inside.  My eyes went straight to the socks: beautiful socks in yarn hand-dyed several different shades of purple and knit in an interesting pattern stitch.  Hmm… I recognize that pattern stitch… is this the famous Monkey pattern designed by Cookie A. for Knitty.com?  I have been admiring this pattern for quite a while in its many incarnations in Ravelry and around the web but just hadn’t managed to get around to knitting a pair for myself, so I was thrilled to see that now I would be able to sport my very own pair, thanks to my secret pal, Sheryl!  And the socks were not the only thing in the box!  My pal included all sorts of other goodies, too!  There were 2 kinds of pretty beaded stitch markers and a matching bracelet-style row counter, and the cutest little chocolate hedgehogs.  Chocolate hedgehogs!   

But the assortment of beautiful handmade cards really took the “wow factor” over the top.  In addition to her talents as a knitter, my pal was obviously blessed with a great deal of card-making skill as well.  Each card is unique and wonderfully made with lovely, perfectly-chosen papers and embellishments.  The only problem is that they are all so beautiful that I can’t imagine wanting to part with any of them!  (I know, greedy, huh?)  Maybe I should just frame all of them so that I can enjoy them forever.    In one of the handmade cards, she had written the nicest note in which she let me know that she had been praying for me all summer; one of the specific issues that she had been praying for was my apartment search!  Because I am a person of faith, I do not believe in coincidences, and I believe that the timing of the package’s (and letter’s) arrival spoke directly to my discouragement about the apartment search.  The ultimate message I got was that it will all work out all right in the end because God has the situation in his hands!  Thank you very much, Sheryl, for helping to remind me of that!  (And I love the presents, too!)    You are a great Secret Pal!

Secret Pal goodies

A few months ago, I signed up for a swap through the Ravelry group “Christian Knitters and Crocheters”.  I had participated in swaps before, but this one was a bit different; in addition to knitting a pair of socks for our secret pal, we also agreed to pray for them daily during the 3-month swap period.  I seriously deliberated and prayed about whether to sign up for the swap, because I knew that it would be a big time commitment and I wanted to take it seriously.  I decided that I was feeling led to participate, so I signed up and was matched with a pal that has almost my exact taste in color!  That made it easy to pick the yarn for her socks; I simply chose something that I would have bought for myself!    The yarn I used for the socks is the fabulous Duet sock yarn, purchased from the Loopy Ewe, in the colorway “Wednesday.”  Because I tend to not be the quickest of knitters, I deliberately chose a yarn that was thicker than fingering weight and avoided a complicated stitch pattern.

 I did choose to do a picot cuff to add a bit of visual interest to the plain stockinette, and to help me learn this new-to-me skill, I used Booga J’s tutorial, which I thought was really well-written and easy to follow.  I particularly liked that you sew the fold-over cuff down as you go along so that you don’t have to bother with going back to do it later.  For the body of the sock and foot, I used Mary Lyle’s basic sock booklet, but I switched to Knitty’s Universal Toe-Up Sock Formula for the short-row heel, which I thought would look nice in the contrasting color. 

A couple of my other little handmade goodies made it into the box along with the pair of socks- it’s a bit hard to see, but there’s a bookmark with a teeny little prayer box on one end and beads and a cross charm on the other.  I also put a lavender “wand” in there with the socks (but it didn’t make it into the photo).  Little Tiny and I picked the lavender last summer at a local farm that allows you to pick your own fresh flowers (you pay by the bunch).  We also learned how to make our own lavender wands and wreaths while we sipped some lavender- infused lemonade (surprisingly tasty).  Anyway, I hope that the socks fit my pal and that she likes the colorway I chose- I had a great time knitting them for her and it was nice to pray for her & her family each day.  It’s interesting how two such totally different activities can still forge connections and create bonds with those we knit or pray for, whether they be half a mile- or a world- away.

New knitting magazines!

I love crafty magazines and patternbooks.  As a matter of fact, I love browsing through, reading, and drooling over patternbooks almost as much as I actually enjoy the crafting itself.  I think while I’m reading through a new book (and I usually read each new craft magazine or book from cover to cover), my mind is totally alive to all of the possibilities contained within the pages.  I daydream about knitting that intricate lace shawl, those socks, that great cardigan.  I picture myself wrapping the beautiful shawl around my shoulders when I get chilly at work, or curled up at home reading while wearing a cozy pair of handknitted socks.  (I am such a sucker for pretty photography in patternbooks & magazines!)  So when Sue from the Woolie Ewe mentioned that there were two new knitting magazines coming out, I perked up my ears.  And  last night after getting together with the knitgirls, I went by Barnes and Noble to check for them. 

The first one I picked up is Fons and Porter’s Love of Knitting magazine.  I know that the Fons and Porter’s empire extends to magazines, books, quilting tools, and who-knows-what-all else, so I was excited to see a knitting magazine produced by the same team.  Unfortunately, as I flipped through the magazine at the bookstore, there was nothing that just absolutely made me weak in the knees.  I have to say that I was kind of disappointed– most of the designs in there just weren’t to my taste, although there were some good basic designs in there.  But at this point, I think I’ve gotten the basics pretty much covered in my pattern collection!  Maybe I’ll like future issues more than I liked this first one. 

On to the Debbie Bliss Magazine (which coincidentally has a beautiful full-page ad for the Ewe on p.9):  evidently this is being produced by the Vogue Knitting people (that tiny printing at the top left of the cover says Vogue Knitting Presents…), and I’m a bit uncertain as to whether this will be just a special issue or a regular serial publication.  Apparently, somewhere in the magazine there is a mention of it being published twice a year but there aren’t any subscription cards in the magazine.  Maybe the publisher wants to see how well this issue sells before committing to any further issues?  Well, if it were up to me, I would certainly choose to see a few more issues!  Of course, I’m a big fan of Debbie Bliss anyway, so I wasn’t exactly a hard sell for a Debbie Bliss-designed magazine, but these are good patterns, people!  I will try to photograph a couple of the designs when I get a chance.

Artisan Bread in 5 hours a day?

Since most who know me would attest to the fact that I’m not exactly known for my cooking prowess, it seems kind of funny that my first blog post would be about my first attempt at bread-making.  It’s not really that I dislike cooking, it’s that I hate the subsequent cleanup.  Actually, my hatred for washing dishes is so great that I will sometimes avoid cooking more complicated (and tasty & well-balanced) meals just because they dirty “too many” pots and pans.  That being said, I have noticed that I don’t seem to mind dirtying cooking implements as much if they are going to be used in baking (especially the baking of, say, an elaborate chocolate-riddled dessert), and I am pretty fond of fresh bread, as well.  Add to this the fact that I had seen many of my favorite bloggers making ridiculously tasty-looking breads with the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and I decided that I had to try bread-making for myself!

Artisan bread in progress

For those of you who haven’t heard the buzz surrounding this book, the main concept is that it is possible to make artisan- style breads in only a few minutes a day by using one of a few basic master recipes to mix up a large batch of dough and then baking off a loaf’s worth every other day or so (the batch of dough is supposed to last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.)  As far as bread-making recipes go, it really is simple: you don’t have to proof the yeast, knead the bread, or let it rise twice.  It did take several hours to make, but that is counting the time it took me to let the dough rise, let the formed loaf rest, and to be totally disorganized and very picky (fussy!) about following the directions to a “T”.  I used the most basic recipe in the book, and I was pleased with the results.  My only (small) complaint with the book so far is that I was at times unhappy with the way it was organized.  For instance, it would have been helpful to know find the tip about the King Arthur all-purpose flour’s being a high-protein flour instead of medium in the ingredients section of the master recipe, which is where I was looking when I was stocking up on ingredients at the store.  But because I’ve still got a giant (not air-tight!!) container full of bread in my fridge, just waiting to be turned into Baguettes, Batards, loaves of Pan d’Epi, and so forth, my complaints are few!

The finished loaf