Felting Frenzy

Good Things this month was my turn. I had been requested to do a felting project, so I came up with three things to keep us busy.

I had played with felting soap with Mom, Carey, and Tracy, and I knew Janice was a pro at it so I wanted to do that with the group. I think we all enjoyed it, but none so much as Grace, who barely let Janice come up for air while trying to use every color of fiber we had (and we had lots).

Carolyn liked taking her agressions out on a bar of soap! Chrissy made a fall color soap, I made a candy corn-inspired soap, and Carolyn did a funky pink and purple soap. Carey of course, got complicated and made a cute one like a pumpkin. She'll have to show you the photo (hint hint).

We also had a regular felt gift card holder for fall that was shaped like a candy corn, but could be adapted to a Christmas tree, heart, wedding cake, just using simple shapes and blanket stitching and embroidery. I liked that one, but some of us are more needle-friendly than others. Speaking of which, Janice brought her needle felting needles and I didn't even have to visit the ER. Yay!

The last project we did was a cute little felt peony that I saw on whipup.net. It was so simple since the template was available for download, and it took literally 2 stitches to hold the entire thing together. Tracy did hers out of purple felt and put some yellow french knots on it, and it was a beautiful violet. I really liked this. Cute and simple. Perfect.

I was excited to get the Good Things gals together with Janice, she is so talented I had to show her off to the group. I think we all had fun. We each came away with something different, but we got a chance to play around with lots of different things. A good thing!

We interrupt this knitting blog for some sewing

...not of my own free will. It was a "mommy" project, one that I used to enjoy but now that I am working and time is precious, sewing a costume is not something I look forward to. I read in the paper the other day that "sewing is the new knitting." That sounded to me like when you hear ____ is the new black, but that never really happens, black always rules. Likewise, knitting will always be better than sewing. No contest. Right?

It did turn out pretty nicely. Alex made a dashing "lord" for the medieval feast for school, complete with a jaunty hat with peacock feather, and doublet jacket that called for eleven buttons and button loops down the front. I did sew buttons on, but the time consuming loops were replaced with hidden velcro to hold it together.

He even looks good with his "lady" sitting at the feast rehearsal. The entire class had nice costumes, it was impressive. Although I don't think real medieval courts had so many jesters. Ha.
Good Things met at Tracy's the other day. She made herself a brown button tree, and had it on display. Nice.

We made two cute magnets for the frig out of the cardboard coasters that you get at bars. Carey did the dirty work of visiting all the bars to collect them. Ha again. Why doesn't my camera take good close up photos? Is it me?

Tracy did her usual fabulous job with dessert.

Now it is time to get back to business on the entrelac socks. My sock needs a sibling.

Oh, one last thing. Tracy got the socks. I think she knew that the minute she saw them. You couldn't ask for a better "knitting gift receiver." She knows just when to show them off, and she wears them proudly. Looks like this won't be the last time.

Just don't ask me to sew.

Good Things

Well, it is official. 2008 is here and the Good Things group is up to its eyeballs in planning a bunch of cool stuff for the year. Here's the breakdown!

February 7
Button craft hosted by Cindy/Carolyn

March 11
Egg craft hosted by Carey/Chrissy

April 8
Paper craft hosted by Carey/Tracy

May 6
Patriotic craft hosted by Chrissy/Bonnie

June 10 Summer gift exchange hosted by Tammi/Cheri

July 8
Idea and stuff exchange hosted by Cheri/Elisha

August 5
Movie night hosted by Nola

September 2
Tea party hosted by Tammi/Cheri

October 9
Felt craft hosted by Cindy/Nola

November 3
Christmas craft hosted by Lori/Carolyn

December 9
Cookie exchange and gift exchange hosted by Chrissy/Bonnie

Recipe for Lisa

Here is the recipe for my cookies I made for the Good Things Cookie Exchange.

Cranberry Crackle Bars
By Cindy

6 cups tiny pretzel twists
2 T. packed brown sugar
½ c. butter, melted
2 c. dried cranberries
2 c. salted mixed nuts, coarsely chopped
1 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. butter
2/3 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a jelly roll pan with Pam. Combine pretzels, brown sugar and melted butter in food processor, pulse until mixture resembles crumbs. Press into pan and bake for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle cranberries, nuts, and chips over crust.

Combine granulated sugar, butter, and corn syrup in saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly (this will take 5-10 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda. Pour syrup evenly over cranberry nut layer.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until syrup is bubbly over entire surface. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 60.

Store in airtight container. Can be frozen.

This is a modified recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookie Magazine from this year. I doubled the amount of syrup, chopped up the nuts, and made it in a bigger pan to make a thinner crust layer.

Yummy!

Clear the Cobwebs!

I'm back!

It is all Carey's fault. Really. She had to go and conjure up a wedding full of opportunities to create things. We have all taken the bait. Tracy masterminded the shower, Cheri is helping with the flowers, Mom has made the flower girl basket, and baked, oh, a billion cookies for wedding favors in between keeping Carey on task (Not an easy task) and supplying Dad with a never ending Honey-do list. We girls got together last weekend to decorate those cookies, and Carey swears she will blog the photos of that.

Carey herself is, of course, doing lots too. She designed and printed the invitations and programs, and along with Mom, is putting together the whole sha-bang. I'm sure I have forgotten to mention about 80% of what they have done.

Anyway, having waited until the last minute (did anyone expect anything less?) to do the ring bearer pillow, I figured I should get busy. I intended to do a silk ribbon embroidery in the corner design, but it has been a very long time since I did any silk ribbon embroidery and my supplies were a little dated looking and not all the right colors for this fall wedding. I looked all over town in the usual places and was very disappointed to find most every place had stopped selling silk ribbon. Crafting fads! By chance I found a beautiful supply at the new quilting store in town, Cottage Quilts. She printed me a pattern of a heart that I immediately knew was perfect for the pillow.

Here is what it looks like so far -

Still have to finish the beads.

I'm really liking it. I had a few fits of indecision on what to do with the pillow edges. A ruffle would be too busy I think, so I am making some tassles. I will also try to put a little ribbon or strap type thing for little Patrick to hold on to.

Will post finshed photos sometime before the wedding. Ha! Like I'm not going to finish seconds before the rehearsal.

We had October Good Things last night. We decorated little monogram letters. I chose H for Halloween. We had a lot of fun, almost everyone was there, and the projects were cute. Tracy made raisin pound cake, yummy!

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I got my stuff back from the fair. My socks had in fact gotten a first place - I thought they hadn't received anything, but apparently it wasn't labeled or something.

And, the biggest shocker was I had an extra jumbo ribbon in the bag. I won the People's Choice award for the Home Arts Building! Way to stuff a ballot box friends and family! You make me proud.

My soul is refreshed

Two weeks ago, my very good friend, future bridesmaid and co-worker lost her 17-year-old son to a horrible accident. After a week fighting for his life, Zach got to be comforted in the arms of Jesus. I have peace because of that, but I am mourning the death of this great kid. The black days after Zach's accident are a blur now. Busy at work. Worried sick about my friend. Prayer with other friends, church family and co-workers. A huge, huge outpouring of support from those co-workers.

In the midst of it all, I felt the Lord at work. He was there during it all, helping me get through each day. I learned this week that getting through each day means getting back into routine. The Good Things meeting was scheduled way before any of this happened, but after a horrible couple of weeks filled with drama, sadness and a whopper of a cold, planning the projects was the very last thing I wanted to do.


Funny thing, though. It was exactly what I needed. I don't know how, but I healed a little bit by getting my hands in ink and playing with my scissors in the days before the meeting. My soul was refreshed during the meeting just by being with Tracy, Cheri, Lori and the gang. We laughed over silly things and surrounded me love. Thanks for that. I appreciate it more than you know.

We did three projects. Here they are:




Cindy and Tracy show off their hard work.





Lori and Carolyn enjoy strawberry cheesecake squares.

Cupcakes everywhere!

Good Things dabbled in the world of the cupcake yesterday. We made lots - some like flowers, Easter baskets, bunnies, shamrocks, snowflakes and even a teacup.


Here is Lori starting her bunny--
















And here is Tracy showing off her Latte' (she's a coffee gal)--















And Karley and Emily proved that it is never too early to be creative with frosting--



















Everyone went home with several different creations and a knitted cupcake party favor courtesy of Nolamom (I made a few).

Speaking of knitting, I made a decision. Can you tell what this is going to be?

Frosting alert!

Nolamom and I had cupcake practice day. We made the cutest cupcake that turns into a teacup. See?

That is the best one. The cupcake bottom is covered in softened candy melts, and candy melts make up the saucer and handle. Icing swirl and little piped hearts are topped with candy melts turned into steam.

Here are the rest we practiced with. We are also going to do a little easter basket with green coconut for grass and pipe cleaners bent for the handle. Oh and a bunny made with marshmallows. Ill show those when I make them Monday.

Edit: I deleted the photos and reloaded them. I did them the same way I always do, so maybe Blogger is having a bad day.

It was truly painful...

Emily signed up for a junior high elective at her school to make things using the "Nifty Knitter." While appalled that I may be associated with such "fake knitting," I am a supportive mom, and realize that the alternatives weren't all that great.

Then she told me what supplies she needed. Nifty Knitter loom, ok. Then she said the words that made me nearly swoon. Two skeins of yarn they sell by the pound. WHAT? Not that. Not only acrylic, but acrylic of the "pound o'yarn" variety. I told her she might need to find someone else to take her to the store, in case I was spotted. Worse than being caught at Kmart.

Anyway, we went, we sought yarn, we bought.

I am officially a Yarn Snob.

On other topics, the green bag is actually resembling a bag now. My dilemma now is I want to put Squiggle on the top. Do I do it before or after felting? Hmmm... I don't know. I think I have to do a swatch and wash it. Stay tuned.

I am working now on cupcakes for the Good Things cupcake extravaganza on Monday night. We will be decorating cupcakes in all sorts of cute ways and everyone will take home a cute knitted cupcake like I posted earlier. Nolamom is helping me in this endeavor (meaning she had made 5 and I have made parts of one). Stay tuned for more on that topic as well.

Good Things are Coming!

Our Good Things gals met last night and planned our year. Of course, we made sure we were well fed before we got down to business. Boy, are we good cooks (and crafters, and shoppers, etc.)!

Here's the plan --

Tues, Feb 6 - Tea Party at Cheri's, tea exchange, bring your favorite teacup
Monday, March 12 - Decorate cupcakes at Nola's, Cindy will organize the craft
Tues, April 17 - Scrapbooking canvas things by Carey and Tracy, at Tracy's
Thursday, May 10 at Tammi's, "Patriotic" gingerbread houses by Nola (Cindy on frosting duty)
Thursday, June 7 at Chrissy's, Summer gift exchange
Thursday, July 12 - Go to a movie or something, Carolyn and Lori organizing
Thursday, August 16 - Carey's house, Carey's craft (stamping? I might be wrong)
Tuesday, September 11 - Carolyn's house, Christmas is coming craft by Lori
Tuesday, October 16 - Cindy's kitchen, Tracy makes Pretzels by hand (yum)
Thursday, November 8 - Chrissy's house and craft (I missed what the craft was)
Tuesday, December 4 - Christmas gift exchange, cookie exchange, at Tammi's

Doesn't this sound like fun?