An Easter/Birthday Cake

 I don't bake too much any more, I love too, but we also love to eat it!  So, I try and only bake on special occasions, mostly birthdays.  It was so beautiful out today, and it was Easter, so I thought something light for spring, Easter, and Ruth's Birthday was called for.

We are getting a lot of eggs now, so decided to make this white cake, 9 egg whites with a cheesecake filling.  I'd been wanting to try a cake with a cheesecake for the filling for some time now.  I wasn't disappointed with the results either. YUM. I cooked down some raspberries with oj for a little extra flavor. This is a Martha Stewart cake recipe, and I think the cake could be ate with no frosting and taste wonderful.  The filling is from Paula Dean. The whole cake was frosted in a cream cheese frosting. I'm just glad there were enough people to take the leftovers home. Of course we did take a couple of pieces for later though ......

A Taste of Spring

It's been so warm the last couple of weeks, everything is starting to bloom.  I'm not ready!  Well, I'm ready for warm, but we haven't finished trimming up the apple trees and raspberries yet. 

 It's funny, it starts out so slow, you notice one little flower about to bloom, and the next thing you know, there are flowers blooming all over your yard!

And then this morning we wake up to a skiff of snow.............go figure!
 
I have so many projects going. I don't know why I keep doing it, but I keep starting another knit or crochet project before I finish the one I was previously working on.  I feel so scatter brained.  It's like I have so many ideas in my head I want to start them all before I forget.  I'm just going to have to make myself focus on one task until it's done, it's just so hard though, maybe I can blame it on spring fever.

1st Attempt Hairpin Lace

 Hairpin Lace is something I've been wanting to try for quit a while, but just never really got around to it.  Now with all the lacy type tops out there, I figured now was a good time to give it a go.  I had a thinner type yarn in my stash I thought would work pretty good. I couldn't find any patterns I really liked, just directions on how to make the panels and then connect them once they were done.  You-tube is a great source for ideas and directions.

 

I'm ok with how this first top turned out, and it's given me some great ideas for the next one. Yes, it was that easy, there will be a next one!  The one thing to watch are the seems on the sides, they are a little large for my liking. I think I will be doing the next top in a light lavender yarn I have, and I will run the panels up and down.

Much Needed Organization

Craft room = Crap room, well it had been since we moved in. I think I spent about 3 hours upstairs trying to get stuff organized today.  It's come a long way, I still do not have my sewing machine set up, but it's a good start............



 

The walls still need painted, but not this time of year.  It's a small room with slanted ceilings so tall shelves really aren't an option.  I came up with an idea to put a big dowel across the slanted side of the room and put shoe holders on the dowel for the yarn. I think that is going to work pretty good. Now that it's semi organized I can see many projects I want to start on.

Cookie Madness

 When my kids were little I used to bake sugar cookies and we'd decorate them with some of their friends. So, I thought I should pass the insanity on to my grandkids, but at my daughters house......

 It's so much fun when kids don't have to worry about making a mess, and sprinkles really are easy to clean up. I thought they did a pretty good job.  I just noticed one of the heart cookies in the "done" section has a bite out of it! Taste testing at it's best!

I can't wait till the next holiday with the kids!

A Blankie for Hannah

My niece just had a baby! Since she did not do an ultra sound we did not know if she was having a girl or a boy..........I was prepared for either, but I just had a feeling she was going to have a girl.  I was just finishing knitting this blanket when Hannah decided it was time.  This is the before blocking picture.........and the after.  This time I blocked using the wet method instead of steam, I'm thinking even though it takes longer, the results are much better then steaming with an iron.

 My daughter says I always make too big of baby blankets, but I want them to fit the crib, hello!  So this time I took her advice and went smaller, seems way too small, but will fit nicely in a car seat.  You can't see the pink too well in the pictures for some reason, must be this photographer.......

I'm happy with the results, a first for me....knitting a blanket.  I'll include a couple of pairs of booties I had made a while ago, something I like to make when I'm between projects. The white ones are crocheted and the green ones knitted.  Now if I can just get them in the mail before little Miss Hannah outgrows them!

The "Man" Scarf

 After I had finished the big infinity scarf for my niece, my husband decided he needed one to wear in the duck blind. Camouflage please.....

 I worked on this during lunches at work, so it would be a surprise for Christmas for him.  HA, he had no idea, thought I had forgotten him.......

It's the same as my nieces, just front and back posts worked all around, It's made in the Lions Brand Homespun, very soft and thick.

He says it is perfect to wrap around his head, to keep the wind out, and warmth in.  Now all he needs is a nice windy cold day to go duck hunting........