Falling leaves...and falling temperatures

Fall is officially here.  Actually I think it's been fall for about a month now, if I got the equinox right, but it has just now started to get cold.  Friday I woke up to frost on my windshield.  I dug out my hats, gloves, and scarves.  It's my favorite time of year!  Not so cold that I am worried about frostbite, but cold enough to want gloves and a hat.

It makes me want to knit.  Thankfully I have lots of projects to keep me busy over the next few months.

First up is the sweater for William.  I'm knitting up the Grow Like a Weed jacket.  The sleeves are done and I'm onto the body.  It will be my first attempt at steeking.  I'm excited and petrified at the same time.  If it starts to unravel I may break down and cry.  I'm knitting it in Cascade Eco + is this dark green/blue color.  It's pretty awesome and I hope to have it done, steeked and blocked by Thanksgiving.  I love Cascade yarns and I was able to pick this up at my new local yarn shop.  Having a shop 2 blocks from work could be very, very dangerous.  Plus the owners is so sweet.  I may have turned into that annoying customer who's always there.  Oh my, I hope that's not the case...

Next I'm on to wedding knitting.  I am trying to make sure that none of my craft projects have to be completed.  I'm thinking of knitting a Clapotis for each of the ladies in our wedding party (two for me, one for Michael).  Looking at how long it has taken some people I'm a little nervous that I won't be able to get three of them done in time.

I also want a shawl for me and not to sound extremely selfish, but I would rather complete mine if I can only get one done.  I've got to narrow it down.  Right now I'm looking at Elise or maybe Autumn Leaves.  Then there's Umaro or this Entrelac shawl (that has gotten really bad reviews for the directions).  I'm really leaning toward the Autumn Leaves.  I love Jared Floods' designs and the leaves pattern seems appropriate for a fall wedding.  Hm...we shall see.

Now I'm off to look at healthy crock pot recipes.  Yep, it's officially Fall!

How the heck...

I want to steal this woman's flowers. Think she'd mind?

Photo Album - Imgur

They are amazing and if I have abilities in that direction I'd do it. Now I'm off to search out a place to purchase them...or directions.

Any ideas?

Progress on all fronts

In knitting news - I have both sleeves done for William the Weed jacket for my nephew.  I'll be starting on the body this weekend.  I'm so excited to try steeking...and so scared at the same time.

Also, I apologize in advance for future posts but suddenly it seems my life has become completely encompassed by wedding planning.  When did I lose my mind?  I never really thought much about wedding related stuff and suddenly it's all that comes to mind.

We have a date - note the new ticker/countdown.  We have the church reserved and now a reception site with caterer.  I'm getting to start thinking about wedding crafts, which is really what I'm looking forward to the most.  I don't want anything excessive but I'm hoping to complete shawls for each bridesmaid (two) and the groomsmaid (one) as well as myself.  If I find the time, I'm going to knit something for the mothers as well but that will be for later.

Also, I'm so stoked for our centerpieces.  The idea is still evolving but Michael thought of the greatest thing that is totally us.  A stack of antique looking books with vines "growing" around them.  We figure we'll start scouring thrift stores, yard sales, and ebay for some deals.

I'm just trying to not get stressed about it all.  This is supposed to be fun right?

Also - progress on the mini goals:

Step 1 - Drink at least 12 cups of water a day - Success

Step 2 - Complete one round of Power 90 - Today was Day 58.  I've been sporadic, but sticking with it.

Step 3 - Each small meals every 2-3 hours (at least 10g protein, no more than 40g carbs) - I'm not sure this is practical for me right now, but I'm trying

Step 4 - Don't eat within 2 hours of going to bed - Success

Step 5 - No more processed grains - So far, so good

Step 6 - At least one fruit or veggie with each meal - Two out of three meals. Progress

Step 7 - Get a minimum of 7 hours sleep. - Working on it still.

Things are happening in my little world.  So far I'm moving in the right direction!

I came across this quote from Dr. Seuss today and it just fits M and I so well I had to share:

We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love. 

 I'm hoping to find when it was actually said/written to verify the source but I love this.  If we do wedding programs I'm going to suggest it for the cover.  Otherwise maybe M can fit in into the website somehow.

We're planning in earnest now and I find myself obsessively thinking about wedding stuff.  This is not me.  I am not someone who ever really thought about her wedding.  But now it seems to consume my idle mind.  It's actually darn annoying once I walk out of the haze and realize all the day-to-day things that still need to get done.

We aren't getting married for a year.  We've got time to plan the shin-dig.  Someone save me from myself and my obsessive need to plan things.

The Blahs

I have been in a slump.  No time to knit, workout, or cook real meals.  I needed a change.  But let's be honest, change is really hard when your in a slump.  So three weeks ago I decided to make a plan to change in baby steps.  My goal is to get healthy and back into pre-law school shape.  So here's the plan:

Step 1 - Drink at least 12 cups of water a day 

Step 2 - Complete one round of Power 90 (90 days total - start in week 2)

Step 3 - Each small meals every 2-3 hours (at least 10g protein, no more than 40g carbs)

Step 4 - Don't eat within 2 hours of going to bed

Step 5 - No more processed grains

Step 6 - At least one fruit or veggie with each meal

Step 7 - Get a minimum of 7 hours sleep.

I'm hoping that with mini goals I can get the feeling of success to keep me motivated and start making them habits.  Each step is given one week to be completed.  I'm already on week three and I think I'm doing pretty good.

Wish me luck!

S'mores - big kid style!

I have joined an adult organization - with meetings, events, and fundraisers.  Apparently a lot of fundraisers for adult organizations consist of feeds.  I've been invited to spaghetti feeds, beef feeds, fish feeds, pork feeds...and my particular organization is hosting it's annual Chili Feed!  Fortunately for me, I have no idea how to make chili. I do however make a mean dessert and with M working for a chocolate company I know make a seriously mean chocolate dessert.

On the menu today - Chocolate Peanut Butter S'more Bars.  They are easy, pretty dang quick and ooooh so delicious.

Preheat Oven to 350.  Make a Graham Cracker Crust -I use this recipe doubled, substituting chocolate graham crackers for the standard issue.  I put in in a 9x13 pan and cover the bottom and up the sides.  This is important as marshmallows and the chocolate stick to the pan, breaking your bars, otherwise.

Once the crust has cooled (yeah for a fridge that's mostly empty) I put in my Peanut Butter Chocolate wafers down in a single layer, covering most of the bottom of the crust.  This goes in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until soft and spreadable.  Smooth out the Chocolate to cover the entire bottom. and slightly up the edge.  Then I dump in mini marshmallows.  Remember these will expand as they heat, so you don't need to fill it up to the top of the pan.  About half-way is good, or at least enough to cover the chocolate.

Bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes until the top layer of marshmallows are golden brown.

You should have a beautiful pan of golden lumps like the one above.  You'll also have a wonderful smell in your kitchen.  Resist the temptation and let them cool completely before cutting.  Sadly some of the fluff in the marshmallows will have deflated, but they are still oh so good.

Enjoy!

Spilling the Beans

I have a lovely couch.  A beautiful red couch.  I'm extremely proud of my couch.  However, I still sprawl on the floor 80% of the time.  Unfortunately, this gets pretty uncomfortable after a while. It's further my misfortune that a bean bag chair is more college dorm chic than young-professional.  So I went on a quest - to find a floor pillow that didn't remind me of my days back at USF.  That's when I stumbled across a Gumdrop Pillow by Amy Butler, but OUCH, $12 for a pattern to a pillow.  Especially since I could tell by the construction was really just two pieces (the 8 sides, and an octagon covering the central piece).  Um, no thanks. Off I went again to find an alternative.

I found a blog post where she created her own pattern, but she just linked to another DIY tutorial for a Moroccan Pouf.  The original blogger was surprised that the tutorial didn't mention the Amy Butler pattern.  It's not like Ms. Butler invented the idea.  It's a style of pillow that's been around for a while, and anyone who doesn't mind the math can do it themselves.  It's about geometry.

Anyway - here's what I did step by step to get my lovely Moroccan Pouf (which sounds much better than a Gumdrop Pillow, and no in the least dorm room-esque).

I found fabric that I loved at Joann Fabrics on sale, and bean bag filing half-off at Shopko - Score!

I created the pattern on poster board.  Then end goal was to make two house shapes, connect them on the bottom edge and Viola - I have an outline of my pattern.  I couldn't follow the DIY directions exactly as finding a 36" piece of poster board was impossible and folding poster board seems silly.

I measured out 18 inches on a piece of poster board, this would be half the length of my patter piece.  Then four strips with a  width of five inches.(My side B).  Put the sort sides of my "houses" at 7 inches (making my Pouf 14 inches tall).  And Viola - a house with a really tall roof.

At first I was going to put the houses together - floor to floor- and create one pattern piece.  This was a bit unwieldy though, and would require more cuts than simply folding the fabric in half a few times and using the half pattern.  So I opted for that instead.  I measured 40 inches, just over the full length of my end piece, and folded it over so I had a doubled 40 inch piece.  I folded again, so I have a four think 20 inch length of fabric.  Once more fold, this one from the side, and I had a 20 inch length that was about 23 inches wide.

This allowed me to law the pattern pieces next to each other and only have to cut out two shapes to come up with 8 total pieces.

I laid out my pieces to make sure I hadn't botched anything too badly. Then is was simply sewing my pieces together.  That part was easy.  It took about two hours total at this point.  I left a 3 inch gap on the bottom to put in the filling.  I figured this part would be quick...I was wrong.

Filling was a pain.
And made me realize that I should have opted for fiberfill.  The 4 inches was way too small and pouring beans - much harder than expected.  Filling this stupid thing took about an hour. And a full bag of beans.  Way more than I expected too.

Plus I think the final look would be better.



I'm still pretty dang happy with the final product - behold the Moroccan Pouf!

   

I will probably add the octagon to cover the middle, but maybe not.  :)  I'm feeling pretty good with it just as it is!