Dandelion Picker

I’ve never blocked anything before, I didn’t even know you were supposed to do it. So, hopefully I’m doing this right.

There’s Nana’s shawl. I finally finished it this afternoon. I hope the blocking ends the curling up problem. Overall I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.

I’m steam blocking my mom’s alpaca cabled scarf right now. It really seems to be helping the curling of that one.

I still have presents to wrap and packing to do. I didn’t get anything done today!

Matt wanted to get a new hat so we ventured downtown. I wanted to have lunch at Vivo so we walked over there afterwards, but they’re not open for lunch on the weekends. So we ended up at Abuelo’s instead. Then we went to World Market and I found some Christmas ornaments and a tree skirt for half off. Oh, and some stockings too! I’d post a pic, but I already packed them away for next year since we don’t have a tree or anything this year.

We stopped at the Salvation Army on the way home. I found two cute sweaters that I’m going to make into star ornaments (check out Through the Loops she’s so crafty and its the best blog!) and I found a great wool sweater that I’m going to thrift the yarn from. I’ve never done that before, but I like the idea. One sweater = $4.99…which will turn out to be more than a few balls of chunky wool in three pretty colors…not bad!

Ok, I’m off to wrap presents and get packing! Merry Christmas everyone!

This:

I bet you can’t tell they’re missing chicken!

And this:

Bloglines

Thank you FlintKnits! I was reading your blog and had to check out what Bloglines was. You just made my life a thousand times easier!

This is what I did in order to stay in and hide from the snow and the scary people at the stores yesterday. Um, well, it was SUPPOSED to be honey wheat bread, and although it tastes pretty darn good, it just wouldn’t rise for me!

It was delish with that jelly Aunt Beth sent me. Yes I still have some…I’m hording it and making it last as long as possible!

Winter in Cleveland has begun…and I’m afraid to go look at my car.

You can’t really tell from the pictures, but its snowing like crazy.

I’m staying inside where its warm. I’m making Indian food (since they’re carrying Paneer at Giant Eagle now!) and working on the shawl. I still haven’t gotten around to those cut out cookies…ahhhh someday this week.

Well here’s the Christmas cookie update. This is what I have done so far. I have no pics of the bread cause Matt has graciously scarfed it all down.

Yes, those apricot and almond ones are supposed to be Kolachki but I didn’t roll them, instead I did them thumbprint style, because, yes, I’m a lazy baker and I wanted to get back to the knitting!

Speaking of the knitting…

Nana’s shawl is half way done. (Don’t mind those clothes on the bed, they’re clean and the closet threw up). Here’s a closeup of the pattern. I wouldn’t suggest it, its a pain. But it is pretty and I hope she likes it. It needs to be blocked badly.

And finally, I went and picked up the homasote I needed to make the blocking board so I can finish up this stuff! Man, does homasote STINK! Its finally airing out in here. I covered it and ended up getting three pretty big pieces about 34″x48″ so that should be sufficient for blocking whatever.

I like the fabric too! I read that if you use something checked it helps with lining things up.

I’m supposed to be cutting out the sugar cookies right now, but I’m procrastinating. I like doing it, I’m just tired from work today.

Matt and I went to the late show Saturday night and saw “Dan In Real Life”, yes I know, its been out forever. It wasn’t as funny as I expected it to be, but it was a good movie. This weekend I’m dragging him to the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” opening. Yes, I’m serious. It looks cute and I don’t want to see it alone!

Saturday I ran into my friend Marie at the garden center. Seems great minds think alike because she was out doing the same thing I was…checking out the stores to see which ones had the best Christmas decorations so we know where to run the day after Christmas to buy what we want at 75% off!

So that was the weekend. Next to come…more cookie pics!

Christmas Meme
Until I feel like taking pics to post, here’s something to keep you all reading…

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags, its just so much easier.
2. Real or artificial tree? I love real trees, unfortunately I live in an apartment and I’m not allowed to have one for fire-safety reasons. But when I get my own house (and insurance), it will be real.
3. When do you put up the tree? The day after Thanksgiving.
4. When do you take it down? Right after New Year’s
5. Do you like eggnog? Not so much, unless its of the Silk variety.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I remember being *really* excited about getting a bike one year. I’m not sure other than that, I always got lots of cool stuff.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Um, NO
8. Hardest person to buy for? My sister or my brother.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Me! Duh!
10. Worst Christmas present you ever got? Bibles, Luggage and Tupperware from my mom when I was like 16 (I think she was trying to tell me it was time to move out), matching sweaters for me and my sister (not so bad right? well, it wouldn’t have been except that I was 14 and she was 5).
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? As much as I love email, I snail mail them cause its just not the same!
12. Favorite Christmas movie? Definitely National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation!!!
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? October
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don’t think so
15. Favorite thing to eat on Christmas? My aunt Kathleen’s Christmas cookies…especially the meringue mushrooms
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear. I like traditional or “old Christmas” decorations…no plastic blow up Santas, thankyouverymuch.
17. Favorite Christmas song? I know you’re not going to believe this, but, O Holy Night! LOL, followed closely by The Chipmunks singing the Christmas song.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel, but someday I’ll start having it at my home…after I buy one.
19. Can you name all of Santa’s Reindeer? If I sing it.
20. Angel or star on top of tree? Star
21. Open presents Christmas Eve or morning. Depends - my dad’s side on Christmas Eve, my mom’s side on Christmas.
22. Most annoying thing this time of year? Rude Christmas shoppers, especially the ones that leave their carts in the middle of the aisle while they shop.
23. Do you decorate your tree in any theme or color? My theme is: no ugly plastic crap, other than that I like pinecones, cranberries and popcorn strings, red bows, pretty bulbs, etc.
24. What do you leave for Santa? Cookies and Silk

Okay, so I’m not the best roommate sometimes. Sometimes I leave dishes in the sink, sometimes I complain about taking out the trash, and sometimes I open mail that’s not addressed to me.

I came home from work today to a box from JoAnn Fabrics, and although I didn’t remember ordering anything from them, it didn’t stop me from ripping into it because hey, if I didn’t order it, but they sent it anyways its fair game, right? Well, after pulling out the packing slip I noticed that it wasn’t really addressed to me, it was for my brother.

And YEAH I got a new yarn swift and ball winder for Christmas!

Just been a busy bee! I baked all last weekend. I was hoping to have some pics for you, but I don’t…just yet.

I made Buckeyes (what’s Christmas without some yummy buckeye cookies!?), cinnamon raisin walnut bread, banana bread, Oreo bark, peppermint bark…and my Christmas casualty - coconut wreath cookies, which turned out NOTHING like they were supposed to.

On the cookie sheets this weekend:
Cut out cookies
Rice krispies
Meringue mushrooms
Kolachki
Koulurakia (I have no idea how to spell that but they’re Greek and they’re delish!)
and those yummy cherry in the middle cookies that I have no idea what they’re callled.

Tonight I made rosemary focaccia…its pretty good for my first attempt.

In knitting news:
I’m STILL working on Nana’s shawl. Ran out of yarn and had to place another order.
Beth’s sock yarn is trying to be delivered to me via UPS but I’m not home to sign for it

That’s about it for now. I’ll post again this weekend when I have pretty cookie pictures to share