The Fun Never Stops!

 I wanted to check in and tell you about the fun we had here after dinner last night, but because it was so much fun I forgot to take pictures and have inserted some yarn eye candy instead.

First, here are our hats again, but in a better 'Artsy Fartsy' kind of angled shot.  The focus was beads.

Speaking of beads a few weeks ago I met some friends in Oakville for lunch. 
I found Knit One Bead Too and had a peak.  I came home with this HABU Silk and Silk Stainless and of course some pretty matching beads.

Someday... 

So my daughter and I are heading to another Dance Competition this weekend and yesterday I was busy making some stuff to take with us and to leave for the guys.  Last competition (o.k. this is going to be a longer story than I thought!) we visited the Hershey's store while in Niagara Falls...

(Hey! I actually have a photo---wait here, I'm going to try to insert it)  IT WORKED AND IN THE APPROPRIATE SPOT!!  COOL!!  Anyway, we went to the store and I bought a little something for everybody...I got baking cocoa.  Woot, woot. 
There's a recipe on the container for brownies and as you may recall I do enjoy brownies (see birthday post); I made them, my daughter loved them and so I thought I would make them for the trip.  Now, when I was growing up one of my mom's tips was to make the recipes on the packages of things.  She said, "They're usually pretty good and they want you to think that it's their ingredient that makes it, but you can substitute and use whatever you have."  I was passing this info along to my daughter and to prove it I thought, well why don't I bake two batches of brownies, one with the Hershey's and one with Fry's?  And then, I don't know what happened here---chocolate fumes mixed with the ever present yarn fumes perhaps, but I thought if we're going to have a taste test we should include the recipe that I've been making my whole adult life to prove that it indeed is the superior brownie recipe!
So, 3 batches of brownies later, I had a taste testing planned for dessert!  Each brownie was marked with a different coloured toothpick and I tucked the master list away; so that I didn't even know which was which (except for the old standby) when it came time to rate them.  I put together score cards  and asked everybody to give their honest opinion.  I did have to remind them that just because one was bigger than the rest it didn't mean that that one was better.
Well, knock me over and call me Susan, (that's funnier when a man says it) my son was the only one who liked the old standby best.  Even I had been won over by the new guy in town!  But, it was not a landslide, by any means!  My daughter liked the new recipe using Hershey's Cocoa; my husband and I?  We liked the new recipe, but with Fry's! 
Now that that's been settled...I think we're good for Brownies for awhile.

I wasn't especially thrilled with the sock shot that I left you with last time; so here's another one.  There's a lot of prep required prior to a sock shot.  Just Sayin'

Wish us luck!  I'll try to check back soon.

It's Sad, Really.

This is today's story...I had to go into work this morning to make a baby...it's what I do; when I finished I headed over to the local Coffee shop...let's call it "MoonDoe".  (think about it) 

I ordered a Grande Green Tea Latte...with half of one pump of syrup.  I also ordered a slice of Lemon Raspberry Loaf.  I paid and was given...some kind of scone...it took me 3 times to explain and finally pointed to what I wanted, but I did eventually get the Lemon Raspberry Loaf.  (should've stuck with the Lemon Poppyseed)

I then went down to wait for my tea and was given a drink with one and a half pumps of syrup.  I said I only wanted half of one pump. 

He made me another drink.

THIS WAS A BIG DEAL FOR ME!! 

I spoke up, I didn't just accept it, I didn't not say anything so that nobody felt bad, I actually made sure that I got just what I wanted!! 

It's sad really, but who knew that it was o.k. to choose what you want, pay for it and then make sure to get it?!  Huh!

I must be getting old.

As promised:

KAL #3 Sock Shot.

EXCITEDLY RANDOM!!!

 O.K. it' been so long since I've blogged (insert apologies here), blogger has launched a whole new format that I've just spent the last half hour or so playing with and....

I'M EXCITED!!

One of my biggest complaints with blogger was that I couldn't load more than 5 pictures for each post and sometimes 5 just didn't cut it!  Today (once I figured out how to post even 2 pics) I kept choosing photos---higildy pigildy---until I was sure that, yes, I could post as many as I like!  Yay, Blogger!  Thanks!

So, first up.  I made a shawl...wait; I spun yarn and then I knit a shawl.  Yeah, that sounds better.

This project has been a long time in the making and I have posted on Ravelry about it.  I'm very pleased with the results and the intended recipient is my dear Mother-in-law, Jelena.  I'm hopeful that it will get to her soon.

Next, this past weekend I attended the 14th Annual Knitter's Frolic in Toronto.  This was of course after performing Dance Mom duty in the morning.  :-)  I wasn't able to take any classes this year, but I did manage to score a photo op with Franklin Habit.  Thanks TDC for the celeb-siting and subsequent photo (iPhone) taking.  I didn't want to to take up too much of his time; so after the photo I told him how much I enjoyed his work and left him to pose with the other stalkers  fans and when I turned to see how that was going...that's when I noticed the kilt.

Yarn fumes were extensive.

Here is the fruits of my Frolic labour.  Not too much at all and I'm quite pleased with all my purchases.  The Tanis was earmarked for our next KAL (#5 for all of you who are keeping score), but having seen the project, I may change to some yarn that I already own, ie. knit from stash.  Crazy!  I know.

I even won a prize; sock yarn from Estelle.  Thank-you Estelle!

Speaking of KAL's...

We completed KAL 3 and 4.  This is one of the photos for #4.  I don't think I showed you 3 yet, so tune in again folks!  I completed mine in record time over the March Break for no other reason than I was in Whistler and in need of a hat, and when knitters need hats; knitters knit hats.

We all enjoyed working with the beads and some have taken their bead knitting to the next level and have knit a scarf and (one ambitious knitter) some fingerless gloves!  All very lovely projects indeed.

 

So that covers a lot of what's been going on Knit-wise here at Creativehands Central, but as you know there's always something new to try.  My daughter is a dancer and this year was offered a solo; she is Amazing Mayzie from Seussical the Musical.  I made the costume (again, tune in again folks) and some props, because well....I'm a glutten for punishment. 

Here are the Bird Girls!  Well, our interpretation anyway.  :-)

 Made from plywood, I used a skill saw to create some interest in the shape, I've added a few feathers to give it a touch of realism (?), giant googly eyes for some pop, sketched, painted and shaded (with a little help from my friend) and am REALLY pleased with the results.  Transportation and set up is a bit challenging, but after 2 competitions all seems well.  Two more to go! 

The sign I made is peaking through---I'll show you that another day too.

Today, I took the time to sit down with a cup of tea using my Cast Off Christmas gift and blogged.  Hopefully others will get a chance to do something fun like that too; while I haven't been blogging...I sure have been following and miss my blog friends when they get too busy to blog too.

One last bit of housekeeping here.  Last night was Thursday night knitting and at least two of our Cast Offs weren't able to make it.  Apparently they have "other" friends.  (I'm trying to learn to share.)  Anyway, we also had quite a few birthdays to celebrate over the past couple of weeks so I made cupcakes to take along last night.  Have a look at the paper cups...balls of yarn!  P and E?  You were missed.  The cupcakes were good.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME!!