This year for Christmas I decided to put a little more effort into handmade goodies and gifts.  Of course having surgery has created some forced time off, which gave me the time to do some small things for my friends and family. 🙂

Carole's post a few weeks back kind of got the creative juices rolling for me.  Who doesn't love real Vanilla extract?  Myself, I keep opening the bottles and sucking in all of the yummy good smells.  The extract really needs to sit for 6 weeks to be at it's full potency, so for now I just keep sniffing and smiling.

So following Carole's que, I purchased my 4 ounce bottles here and my vanilla beans here.  I went with the Madagascar beans, but next time I will experiment with a few others as well.
  Once everything arrived, I set about cutting my beans in half and then sliced them up the middle leaving about 1/2 inch.  Each bottle was stuffed with 4 halves and then topped off with Vodka….well a few of the bottles were filled with brandy and one with some rum.  It will be fun to see how the different alcohol flavors blend with the vanilla.

Then came the labels.  After reading Carole's post, I did a little blog surfing on homemade Vanilla Extract and came across this blog .  I love the clean simple lines of the labels that Elaine created, so I have to admit I copied hers completely, which she is ok with.  Elaine gave the type and sizes to a number of the people in her comment section. :-)  You can find the labels here.  Oh my…so much fun can be had with these different labels!!  I LOVE the Italian Dish's entire blog….such a great read!

Making the sea salted caramel was a bit more challenging the first time around, but once you get the right temperature it takes to get just the right texture it's very easy….and oh SO good!  My first batch came out so hard, it qualified as toffee, not caramel…LOL, but those will be used in toffee cookies later this week.  The key temperature is 250 degrees on a candy thermometer…not a point higher or lower and you will get perfect caramel each and every time.
I basically followed this recipe, except for one ingredient.

Lyle's Golden Syrup instead of corn syrup.   I had read on a few blogs that you get a nicer texture and flavor from Lyle's Syrup, but ey yi yi, finding it up here in this neck of the woods was not a happening thing.  I ended up ordering it online and thankfully it arrived very quickly.  You can also order it from King Arthur's Flour, but the turn around time was not quite as fast.

I had so much fun making these simple yet satisfying treats and I think that the recipients have enjoyed them as well. 🙂
~
The next post will be about the Holiday Knitting, which is a FIRST for me. 🙂

…to all of my friends both far and near…..

Wishing you and yours the very best Christmas of all.:-)

Last week I took a refresher class on binding a quilt.  When I signed up for the class the owner of the shop sounded shocked.  "Don't you know how to put on a binding?" she asked.  Of course I do, but it's been so long since I have really done any serious quilting and that was all by hand.  I figure that it's a good thing to relearn these skills the way they should be done instead of my typical "fly by the seat of my pants" method. 🙂

Last 4th of July was a quiet one for Ken and I.  We were supposed to travel down to Pete and Terry's annual party, but if I remember correctly our youngest had given us a reason to stay home, so to console myself I spent the afternoon in the studio working on this little table runner….perfect for the holiday.

….and there in the studio it has been sitting waiting for the final finish…..

When I saw the advertisement for this class it gave me the perfect opportunity finish this little table runner.  It will be nice to have it on a table next year for the holiday.

  This is the first time I have machine stippled a quilt as well.  It's not perfect, but I think it turned out pretty well for the newbie that I am…and it was fun!  I really enjoy the machine quilting part of the process a lot.  There are so many ways to be creative with it.
I was VERY happy with how nice the points came out. I worked hard getting those right on this little quilt, and it paid off.

….and if I turn it over, it almost looks like Christmas instead of the 4th of July. 😉

On the 12th day of Christmas……..

Every year my friend, Barb, sends me a Christmas box of gifts representing the 12 days of Christmas.  Barb is the breeder of 3 of my Cavaliers here and has become a dear friend over the years.

This year when I opened the box, not only was it a box in my favorite greens…but it is full of glitter too!  Earlier this fall I established that I have become in touch with the part of me that loves sparkly things…LOL

This year instead of placing the box under the tree, I decided to leave it in my studio, so that I would have something to smile about every day until Christmas.
Day one, yesterday, was a sweet lavender filled sachet….perfect for those knits packed in my dresser.

This morning, Barb asked me if I had opened today's gift as she thought it might be appropriate for the day.  I hadn't, but that got my curiosity up so out I went to the shop and opened the day's present.  Wow….she was right….definitely apropos!

Some of you know I am facing back surgery tomorrow and without I doubt my nervous self will give this spray a try on my pillow tonight….and I am going to ask all of you out there to send healing vibes and prayers that my surgeon will have steady and careful hands during surgery.
~xoxo
Me

Put forth your effort
With no thought of gain.
Deng Ming~Dao

2 years ago as a Christmas present for Ashley I told her I would make a quilt. 
I had absolutely fallen in love with the quilt that Terry made for her daughter Gillian and thought it would be such a nice present for Ashley and Brian as they were planning their future at that time.

So, Ashley and I headed down to Keepsake Quilting to pick out her fabric.  For the most part she chose what she loved most with a little color help here and there…. I am pretty good with color, so I have been told. (wink).

So after Christmas, I set about cutting squares and piecing blocks and it seemed that even though I was cranking out a lot of blocks it was taking me so much longer than Terry's had.  Granted, she made the throw size and I was making a queen sized quilt, but still??
One day while I was talking to Terry and maybe complained a wee bit about how long it was taking, she gently told me that she had made Happy Hour, whereas I was making Snapshots.  Both patterns are from the same book and both patterns are almost identical, except that Happy Hour's pieces are MUCH bigger, so less blocks.
Ey yi yi!  Thunk on the forehead!!!

I will admit that I lost interest there for a while, but Ashley kept asking about her quilt and as her bridal shower approached, I really made a concerted effort to get it finished.  I sat down and pretty much put the rest of the top together in less than a week…
but then I realized it really needed a border to frame it………(Happy Hour did not..one more step.)

So, I ran down to Keepsake and found some very sweet fabric that made my heart sing….little birds against a brown background.  This motivated me once again, but as I was spreading everything out and crawling around the floor, I knew on that day I was not going to be able to complete it myself because of the ongoing back issues I have been dealing with.

What to do??  Well, I called a local woman who does machine quilting and asked her if she would be willing to help me finish this quilt before Christmas.  Pat has written a few books and is very talented, so my fingers were crossed.  I had all of the pieces and parts, I just couldn't handle putting this large of a quilt together on the floor with my back.  Thankfully she said yes and did an amazing job. 🙂
(I now have a setup that will not have me crawling on the floor anymore, thankfully)

Ashley came home this weekend to visit and pick up a few things that I had been storing for her from the wedding and her quilt.  She was SO excited!!  Crazy kid….if you have ever seen "New Girl" on tv….these two could be sistah's from different mistah's. 😉

There are blocks that I wished I had not put next to each other here and there, but overall, I was so happy with how it came out.  This is the very first bed sized quilt I have ever made and I think it came out pretty darn good…for a beginner. 🙂

I think she likes it. 🙂

Pattern:  Regina
Yarn:  WW Kashmir
Colorway:  Pomegranate
Needles:  US size 6 and 8

 Last time I visited with you, I had just finished Vitamin D and needed some quick knits to feel as though I am still a real knitter. First on the list was this absolutely charming knit…"Regina".  It knit up quickly and was fun!

I am a HUGE fan of the Roaring 20's and this hat fit the bill perfectly.  The pattern is well written and moves right along.  The techniques used were ones that were a bit new to me, which kept it interesting.  Hannah was feeling agreeable and did a great job modeling this new hat, don't you think?

 With Regina completed I have moved right along to a pair of Spruce Tree Mittens to match Regina.  Sadly last year I lost my most favorite pair of Red mittens.  While these are not really red, they are soft and warm…and oh so pretty!  Now I wonder if it will ever get cold enough up here to wear them….such a strange start to winter in New England this year…..

Pattern:  Vitamin D
Yarn:  Woolen Rabbit Oasis
Colorway:  Grey Goose
Needles: US 2 and US 3

Finally, the sweater that I never thought I would see the end of.  Now mind you, I enjoyed every stitch, but the number of stitches row after row after row seemed completely endless.

It's no secret that I absolutely HATE having my picture taken but who else could model the sweater that I made just for me?  I bit the bullet and tried to have fun with it. 🙂

When I first saw this pattern, I just loved it.  Do I love it on me?  The jury is still out.  I did make it longer than the original pattern and I love the length of it in the back, I just wish that the front was a bit longer as well.  If I were ever to make it again, I would do less short rows, increase the middle length and just do the regular end radials instead of doing the 3 extra sets of radial increases that I did do.

I chose Oasis for this pattern for a reason.  Back when Anne designed Leaving in Oasis, the mill ran out of the particular base that I had sent to her right around the time she released the pattern.  What they then sent me was not only not what it had been, it was downright unacceptable…a nightmare for me actually.  I went back and forth with them and in their defense, they did everything that they could to get it as close as they could to what it was and what I have now.  The fiber content remained the same, but the silk portion of the yarn has been much different….more rustic.

I wanted to knit a sweater with this yarn to see how it would wear, drape and feel against one's skin.  Will it pill….I think it might at first, but then I think it will settle.  The drape is amazing and as one who itches from the first touch of scratchy wool, I could easily wear this against my skin, so over all, I am very happy with this yarn.  I will revisit this in 6 months after wearing the sweater.

Yep…this is me, feeling pretty darn proud to be wearing this lovely sweater and very happy to be finished knitting it. 🙂

…and just like that 10 days flew by.
How was your Thanksgiving?  We had a very enjoyable one with family and friends.  It's hard to believe that it is time now to actually think about Christmas.

I have just completed what has become dubbed "The Never Ending Sweater".  Between that sweater and the little Whitfield sweater for my grandson, I thought it was time for a few quick knits for some instant gratification, and perhaps some Christmas presents, although, I never put that Christmas pressure on myself, so for now it's just knitting for fun…

I love the "Flapper" period from the Roaring 20's.  I love the clothes, the shoes and really love the hats, so when I saw this pattern on Ravelry, it quickly went onto my list of future knits.  This pattern has a very different setup, which is really making it interesting to knit.  Today I had a doctors appointment (they always keep me waiting), so I had a good chunk of time to really work on it.  FUN pattern!
I am using my WW Kashmir yarn in Pomegranate, which will make it so soft against the skin.  I have a feeling this one will be done in no time. 🙂
There are a few cloche type hat patterns that I love, so I am looking forward to these fast knits.

I had hoped to have a photo session with the NES yesterday before Courtney headed back off to school, but it was just too dark and gloomy.  It looks like it is going to be gloomy for most of the week, so I will wait for a brighter day to debut Vitamin D here.  This was a very interesting design as well. 🙂

I think my Friday posts from now on is going to be about my favorite things.

All of you have seen my middle daughter Ashley here on my blog, but it's been a long time since my two youngest have appeared.
Courtney the older of the two is fun loving, chatty and knows how to have fun.
Hannah on the other hand is a bit more serious and a very determined hard working young woman.  When she puts her mind to something, you can be sure it will be finished.
So different from each other and both so lovable each in their own unique way.

Yes….definitely 2 of my most favorite people. 🙂

Feel free to join along with me on Fridays…..Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Wherever I wander, wherever I roam
I couldn't be fonder of my big home
The bees are buzzing in the tree
To make some honey just for me…….
Bare Necessities from the Junglebook

Pattern:  Whitfield Shorty
Yarn:  Woolen Rabbit Frolic
Colorway:  Junglebook
Needles: US 5and 6

Whenever my grandson Aidan comes over he loves to come out to my studio to see all of the yarns.  He has been fascinated with all of the fiber for many years……going right back to the love for his blanket.

Aidan for years has been asking me to make him a sweater, so when I saw Anne's little sweater that she made for her nephew, I begged her to write the pattern because I knew it would be perfect for Aidan.

A year later, Mr. Aidan has his sweater and he loves it!  He told me that it smells like Grammy's house and how happy he is to be able to wear his "blanket" to school.  Of course I did ask him if smelling like Grammy's house was a good thing…LOL….thankfully he said a resounding yes. 🙂

Enjoy your sweater little guy!