Late this Fall, I treated myself to this book by cookie a:


I first heard of her at The Creative Stitch in Hingham. One of the nice women who work there was telling me to get on ravelry and to download cookie a's patterns for socks (after telling her I love to knit socks).

So, I also became a member of Ravelry. I'm a newby so I'm not that great at updating my projects, but this site is awesome, I can see that!

COOKIES!
**(Yes, I had my two cookie swaps to go to this year)**

Baker's Soft & Chewy Chocolate Drops



4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ cups flour

Glaze
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

COOKIES:
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Microwave unsweetened chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar; mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour; mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

SHAPE dough into 1-inch balls; place, 2 inches apart, on lightly greased baking sheets.

BAKE 8 min. or just until set. (Do not overbake.) Let stand on baking sheet 1 min.; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely.

GLAZE:
PLACE frozen whipped topping and semi-sweet chocolate in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 ½ min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is shiny and smooth, stirring after 1 min. Let stand 15 min. to thicken. Spread over cookies. Let stand until glaze is set.

Christmas
I hosted Christmas dinner this year and we had a roast, salad, creamy au gratin potatoes, and squash (from our garden) for dinner. It was delicious! I also made a pumpkin pie and fudge for dessert along with my mother-in-law's awesome raspberry linzer cookies, among other treats!

I'm home with the kids this past week for Christmas vacation. It's been hectic, fun, stressful, everything. We saw "The Princess and the Frog," shopped at the South Shore Plaza, stayed in and played with Christmas toys because it was zero degrees outside, and today made these Wilton Gingerbread Pops (marked down at Michael's). Talk about a royal disaster. What a mess--I need to lighten up about it, but talk about microscopic candy beads everywhere when your six year old decides to dump the bag upside down!!!!

the pictures don't tell the whole story:






NEW PROJECTS:
B requested a scarf. He is in kindergarten now and just turned six-years old. So FULL OF ENERGY, it's crazy. He picked the colors and I did this sketch with his help:


We also shopped for the colors today at Michael's, laid them out to the sketches and I am going with the first order (black next to yellow). So it will go:
Black, yellow, orange, brown, blue, ending with black:





I can't wait to get knitting this TONIGHT!! Nothing makes me more happier than being INSIDE on a cold New Year's Eve night with my loved ones, knitting under a blanket.

***I also bought lavender yarn for C's Vintage Owl vest, stay tuned.***

NEWS!
Oh yeah! I wrote a letter to Creative Knitting Magazine and it got published in the January 2010 Issue! It's on newstands now, CHECK IT OUT! :) :) :) I'm excited about it anyway.

Labels: children's knits, cooking/baking, life in the BerryKnitty household

These were a blast to knit (especially Ollie as he was done completely in the round with minimal finishing). B got Ollie and C got the mouse. The patters are on Lion Brand.

Ollie uses almost one whole skein of Vanna's Choice Baby yarn in Goldfish. City Mouse uses a little Goldfish for the ears and Vanna's Choice in Taupe.






I'm also forcing some forsythia and decorated it with Easter ornaments:

Labels: knitted toys, life in the BerryKnitty household

Tree on Boston Common
I hope everyone had a happy holiday season, I know I did. I have been off from work from Christmas until today. I'm fortunate in that I usually am able to take this time each year--do some reflecting and getting ready for the New Year ahead. I feel like I'm back in school! Back to work on Monday . . .

Here's what I've been up to since my last post and most of the reason I haven't been on here in quite some time:

We went to Disney World in Orlando, FL for our vacation this year. First plane trip for the kids. All went okay although C had a few meltdowns during the trip (we pushed it with late nights and no naps) and on the plane ride--thankfully it's a plane full of kids. If we go again, it won't be until 2010.



We had B's 5th birthday party at our house the week after we got home (can't believe he's 5 and will be attending kindergarten next Fall)--I've only done birthday parties at the house so far--haven't gotten sucked into the bowling alley/arcade stuff . . . yet. I made him a pirate cake because, well, Pirates of the Carribbean was hands-down the favorite ride while we were in Disney!!

I found the pirate figurines at Michael's and found a quick idea online--used Nilla wafers for sand and hid a Nestle's Treasure in the cake under the 'x.' B got that piece. I made a two-layer--one chocolate and one vanilla 9" x 13."

Next, "Cookie Swap" season started. My next-door neighbor has one and then my aunt has one the following week--every year. It's loads of fun and I love trying all the cookies--although I did eat so many this year that I felt awful for most of December :)

I made spiced snowcaps (from Woman's Day November 11, 2008 issue):
makes 48
Active: 35 min; total 2 hr.
(includes chilling dough)

1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp chai spice blend or pumpkin pie spice (I used Trader Joe's pumpkin pie spice)
1 tsp each baking powder and baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup molasses
1 large egg
1½ tsp vanilla extract
2¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
Nonpareil-covered chocolate candies

1. Beat butter, brown sugar, chai spice, baking powder and soda, and salt in large bowl with mixer on medium speed until well blended and paler in color. Beat in molasses, egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually beat in flour just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. You'll need a baking sheet(s).

3. Place granulated sugar in a small bowl. Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into balls; roll in sugar to coat. Place 1½ in. apart on ungreased baking sheet(s). Bake 12 minutes or until tops crack but cookies are still soft to the touch.

4. Place baking sheet on a wire rack. Immediately press a nonpareil candy in center of each cookie. Transfer cookies to rack to cool completely.

We celebrate Christmas and it was fun this year. B & C are at the age when it's most fun and believable: 5 and 2.9 yrs. We made dinner at our house and my parents and brother came over (turkey with squash, stuffing, turnip potatoes--like Thanksgiving). One of my sisters, my brother-in-law, and my in-law's came by for dessert (my fudge, pumpkin and cherry pies, wine . . .)

if you're wondering, I didn't make B's sweater vest

While it was enjoyable, I'm itching to take the decorations down--most likely next weekend.

This New Year's Eve was a snowy one here.

Being off from work, I kept the kids home from school and we made the spiced snowcaps (my 3rd friggin' time in one month). I think they had the most fun cracking the egg and C really got into rolling the dough--ya, it was all over her pants, floor, everything, but it kept her occupied. The kids are cooking in school this week so I thought it was appropriate on a day they didn't attend to keep up with the cooking! B is wearing his chef's hat that he made earlier in the week at school:



I love snow days!

And, I finished B's sweater. It's autumn stripes without stripes! from Kids' Knitted Sweaters & More. I made size 4 but lengthed the body. I used Plymouth Encore Bulky in denim with size 10 bamboos:



HAPPY, AND HEALTHY 2009!

Labels: children's knits, life in the BerryKnitty household

Yes, I've been baking in this extreme heat we've had these last couple of weeks here. Don't know why I get the urge to bake in the heat, but I love to bake and I guess the heat just doesn't stop me.

I made oatmeal raisin cookies


and the 'grab 'n go crunchy granola bars' from The Sneaky Chef book for the kids (they love 'em)


and would it be summer without my brown sugar zucchini bread? It's been breakfast for me--I'm the only one in the house that'll eat it. Go figure.


and a blueberry upside-down cake!


I finished 'fixing' B's twisted cables pullover sweater. I pulled out what I did on the collar to fix it originally because it just didn't fit over his head--too tight (after being too loose). I picked up 88 original cast-on stitches and did 2x2 rib, then decreased after about a ½ inch to 84 stitches went up another ½ inch and bound off in rib. It fits better now and hopefully this collar doesn't stretch beyond oblivion. I also added about three inches to the length of the sweater--he might be able to wear this for a while now!




I also found a monarch egg--caterpillar hatched this week!


And isn't this cute? I had to include it in my blog post. It's a honey bear bottle filled with Dial soap on our bathroom sink. I got the idea in a magazine--Good Housekeeping/Woman's Day/Parenting? Funny thing is that they mentioned where you could purchase the plastic bear containers--I just used an empty honey bottle from making those granola bars! I think it's cute, especially having young kids in the house.


To the dog-days of summer!

Labels: cooking/baking, life in the BerryKnitty household, twisted cables pullover

My holiday season was stressful. Not in the ordinary/last-minute-shopping/frantic-meal-preparation/insane-decorating kind of way. That I wouldn't have minded. In fact I was ready for that kind of stress. I was looking forward to B's 5th Christmas at 4 years old--the Christmas where they are so believing in all of it.

Now, don't get me wrong, Christmas turned out to be very fun but I just wish I didn't have a breast biopsy looming in the background to worry about. Right after Thanksgiving I was called back due to 'calcifications' in my left breast after a baseline mammogram.

Got good news on Dec. 26th that it is all negative/benign. Thank goodness, but coming down off that kind of worry is not as easy as it appears to sound. That's where the knitting comes in! It's definitely a stress-reliever but it was the last thing I wanted to do for most of the month of December.

I also obviously have not been on here to blog. I keep writing that I'll be on here more often and then there's always something to stop me--dag it all! I have read no blogs either--not in the mood--I'm slowly getting there.

Here's B's sweater progress (I had a whirlwind of knitting enthusiasm recently especially during yesterday's snowstorm):





I plan to finish it by the end of this month!

Labels: children's knits, life in the BerryKnitty household, twisted cables pullover

I took a snow day today. The weather is intense outside. Up to a foot of snow expected in the Boston area today--all happening into the evening commute. No thank you. It's pretty to watch from inside a warm house

making gingerbread cookies!


I just ate one with a cup of tea--heaven.

I also made about 4 lbs of fudge:

Labels: cooking/baking, life in the BerryKnitty household

In-between knitting B's sweater (I need to purchase sizes 6 & 8 16" needles before I can begin) and C in her new dress/jumper:

A picture of her jumper (before I've woven a ribbon in the bottom of it):




B will not have his sweater before I take the Christmas picture and may not have it in time for Christmas at all--busy times . . . -- but he'll have it soon enough to wear this winter.

I've started socks for myself with Online sock yarn--the colors are very different but I like them for some funky weekend socks:




I also purchased a Canon Powershot SD1000 Digital Elph camera--hoping these and following blog pics are somewhat improved!

Labels: children's knits, Festive Occasion Jumper, holiday knitting, life in the BerryKnitty household, socks

The back and front are knitted up to C's Christmas dress. The bottom picot hem is done and the edging along the armholes and neck is also done. I have to get a 7/8" ribbon to weave through the bottom yarn-over holes and I also need to tie in some loose yarn ends. Oh, and there's the minor detail that I did the edging to the neck and armholes in a simple chain crochet instead of the picot crochet that the pattern calls for. Not realizing how 'unforgiving' the chain stitch is, the neck and armholes are super-tight . . . so I have the neck hole of the dress stretched over my video camera bag (with the video camera in it) - about the size of C's head. I'm going to leave it stretched this way for another 24 hrs. at least, hoping this helps. Otherwise, I'll have to pull out this edging and try something else. Not being a crocheter at all, I can't figure out the picot thing to save my life. I think it's really simple looking in the "Crocheting for Dummies" book, but to do it for an edging has me confused and the pattern doesn't help hence the reason I consulted the "Dummies" book in the first place. Being in a rush doesn't help either.

C's walking across her dress last night while I'm trying to take a picture of it (this is before hemming and armhole and neck edging done):

my camera takes horrible-quality indoor shots--and sometimes outdoor ones too. I apologize for this. Hoping to get a better camera within the next year.


Yesterday, B's yarn came in the mail from the wonderful Showers of Flowers Yarn Shop. I ordered five hanks or approximately 1200 yards. I only need 600-something yards to finish his sweater so I have two hanks too many. In my haste (and the fact that I think B's pattern is an Australian one), I saw that for his size 4 sweater I'd need 5 balls so I ordered 5 hanks. Later I thought--no wonder the price was so out of whack! But it was too late. BUT, the yarn won't go to waste. It's the beautious S.R. Kertzer Butterfly Super 10 mercerized cotton. I'm familiar with this yarn as I used it before on B's "precious jewel cardi" back when he was only about six months old--awwwwww!!!!

B's Christmas-sweater yarn in the color "Persian." I love this color! I was going to get it in "Crimson" but I'm so glad I decided on the Persian color--lovely.


In other "progress," we got a Schwinn recumbent bike! I am in love with this bike. We had a 30+ yr.-old upright that we borrowed from my parent's that had a huge, uncomfortable seat--we finally burned a hole in the front tire from overuse (between the two of us we put about 1,400 miles on the thing!). We got over a year's worth of use out of it, but the poor thing definitely needed to be put out to pasture so to speak.

new bike!!!!


I'm still getting used to the recumbent position vs. the upright, but I really love this bike--it counts calories, records your heart rate, etc. It plugs into the wall, so no need for batteries, has a space for your water bottle and even something to read! AND . . . it's QUIET.

**next post** C in her dress in (hopefully) some natural light (scarce as it is this time of year) and some progress on B's sweater.

stay warm.

Labels: children's knits, holiday knitting, life in the BerryKnitty household, twisted cables pullover

Yield thus far:

zucchini: 10 or so. Three breads made. Maybe a fourth.

bell peppers: 5 or 6

butternut squash: 4 picked; one small runt growing/ripening on vine. Not as big of a crop as last year's 20+ or so. Hoping to save two to have for Thanksgiving.

cucumbers: 5 or 6--again, not as big of a crop as prior year.

pumpkins: 2--one real big one and one real little one. Both still ripening on the vine.

tomatoes: approx. 75 and counting!!!

But what's really funny is that two different neighbors of ours have left us vegetables on our doorstep from their own gardens reciprocating what we did last year (they probably think that because they didn't get any from us this year that we didn't have a garden of our own--but it is only because I haven't had the time to bag them up and walk over with them--good thing I suppose!).

After inundating co-workers with some--lugging bags of tomatoes in on the subway--I look like I just came from Haymarket Sq.--I may put some in a food processor and freeze for sauce, to make with lots of paste. Who has the time for canning? I did this last year and it's wonderful.


garden loot from last week:


tomatoes picked just last night--I counted 40:


pizza I made last night for dinner on a whole-wheat crust using tomatoes from our garden:





**knitting progress?**
second sleeve is almost finished--¾ done--and then the seaming will commence on the beautiful Gypsy Mesh. I hope to have the finished pics up and posted the first week of September.

Happy Friday,

Labels: cooking/baking, life in the BerryKnitty household