tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9593541152836724052024-03-13T11:10:21.666-05:00Three Strands Togethercrochet, knitting, plastic canvas, cross stitch, yarn, floss, thread, stitch, stitches, knit, fabric, needleKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.comBlogger313125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-65481083655993375642015-09-16T11:09:00.002-05:002015-09-16T11:09:33.555-05:00An Idea Who's Time Has Come<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Where has this been until now? Yarn that looks like your cat! It's brilliant, it's beautiful, and it's definitely an idea who's time has come. The Meow Yarn Collection has stunningly beautiful yarns in colors like Blue Persian, Brown Tabby, and Maine Coon - I'm speechless. Check out this amazing collection and get started on a project for that cat lover in your life.<br />
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http://ancientartsfibre.com/Meow_Yarn_Collection/<br />
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And yes, fear not Fido friends, there's a Woof Collection too. http://ancientartsfibre.com/Woof_Yarn_Collection/<br />
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Who doesn't want to look like their Saint Bernard?<br />
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Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01110344114566619279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-85738835383601662452015-04-16T15:08:00.000-05:002015-04-16T15:08:38.738-05:00Baby FeverI've come down with baby fever - not the kind I'd have to change and feed and put through some very expensive schooling - no, this is crochet baby blanket fever. And I've got it bad. What's not to like about baby blankets? They're small, so they work up really quickly. The colors are sweet and bright and the yarn is oh, so soft. I think I'm in love. And they have that great baby smell - wait maybe not.<br />
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I was recently down in Florida and finished this fantastic pattern I found on Ravelry called , Rainbow Dash.<br />
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So fun to make and the colors are amazing. I liked it so well that no sooner had I finished, I picked up the hook again and made a second one.<br />
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And when that one was done, well yes, I've started a third. No picture yet, but it's a tropical theme and it's simply stunning. I really don't see an end in sight at the moment :) The other great thing about these, in addition to the endless combination of colors, is that they are fantastic stash busters. To make the original, I followed the instructions to the letter and purchased 4 balls of Lion Brand Pound of Love - you could easily get two of these made from those four balls. The one I'm currently working is with Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn (btw, I do love that yarn). We'll see how many skeins I need for that. After the tropical I'm thinking of an ocean theme - blues and greens - spectacular!<br />
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Original pattern link is here http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rainbow-dash-baby-blanket<br />
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Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01110344114566619279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-60423988815229946722015-02-16T13:31:00.000-06:002015-02-16T13:31:07.937-06:00(Wo)Man Could Live by This Alone<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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My mother-in-law, Donna, is a fabulous cook and is always trying new recipes. Growing up she regularly made homemade bread for the boys and they still talk about it to this day. Served with her navy beans - that homemade bread has become legendary! Oh boy, I'm suddenly hungry :)<br />
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My dad loved crusty bread. In fact he liked the crust way more than the soft, chewy inside. He liked to bite into a fresh loaf and crunch through that crust - you could actually hear it. He always talked about getting a really crusty loaf and hollowing out the middle, then stuffing it with butter and eating it just like that.<br />
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I too love a crusty loaf of good bread. And I've tried over the years to make homemade bread with varying degrees of success. I even had a breadmaker for a while, but eventually gave it away and went back to store-bought. All the kneading and mess and it never really came out great.<br />
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Well, this past week, I stumbled across a recipe on Pinterest called, "No Knead Dutch Oven Crusty Bread". It calls for a really quick mix of flour, salt, yeast and water and then a LONG resting time before baking it in a really hot cast iron dutch oven. The picture looked amazing and I thought, "Yeah right, mine won't look anything like that!" But I decided to give it a try and to amazement it came out perfectly. Crusty - oh yeah! Delicious and almost no effort! Absolutely no kneading and I got this amazingly beautiful loaf. This bread has changed my life. I can't imagine an easier and more perfect recipe. So if you haven't tried it yet - what are you waiting for?<br />
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Find the recipe at: http://www.jocooks.com/bakery/breads/crusty-bread/<br />
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<br />Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01110344114566619279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-15561007032382228212014-02-15T09:09:00.002-06:002014-02-15T09:09:42.235-06:00Cabin FeverWe've had a bit of a hiatus here at the Three Strands blog - life got busy and we are all off in different directions. For the last few months here in the Midwest it's been snow, cold, snow, and more snow. We're all a little tired of it. It's supposed to hit the 40s next week so maybe some of this will melt off finally.<br />
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Cabin fever is in full swing. I've been spending more of my time reading and cooking things like soup and stew than I have on crochet, but I vow to get back to it soon. I posted a lovely baby blanket today that I finished on Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThreeStrandsTogether). It's such a sweet little pattern, I knew I had to make it the moment I saw it. It was fairly simple too, just a little rosebud granny in 3 different colors, assembled in strips with a ruffly green border. So sweet! I wish we had a little girl in the family to give it to but all our babies are practically in their 20s now!<br />
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Hope you are all in fine spirits and staying warm.<br />
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Dawn<br />
Dawnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01110344114566619279noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-77564635914370169682013-06-25T19:13:00.000-05:002013-06-25T19:13:35.268-05:00This Won't Take Long, Will It?The answer to that in the Home Depot ad about the flower tower is: No, it won't take long. My husband doesn't accept that answer. My niece made a flower tower for her mother for Mother's Day. My husband looked at it and decided he would make one for me. This is it.<br />
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He put red, white and blue petunias in it. It needs to fill out a little more. There are a few blank spots in it. If we ever made another one, I think we might go with ground cover type flowers and put them a little closer together. But since my husband says he will never make another one I guess I don't have to worry about what flowers to use. It was very nice of him to make this one.</div>
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I got a cortizone shot in my wrist and thankfully most of the pain is gone and I am trying to do some crocheting. I finished the cupcake pot holders that I was working on. Here is a picture of them.</div>
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What do you think? Do they look enough like cupcakes?<br />
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I am now working on a ruffled scarf for my sister-in-law. I will post it when I am finished. I am trying to decide what to work on next. I have several unfinished projects that need completing. There is also a pair of patriotic baby booties I want to try. I have the yarn for a baby afghan and I want to try making a baby dress. What will it be? Decisions, decisions! Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529136210699494409noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-78424688929923930652013-06-06T22:22:00.000-05:002013-06-06T22:22:08.890-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My Crocheting<br />
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I've been MIA for quite a while. One of the reasons is that I've done very little crocheting since January. I hurt my arm and I wasn't able to do much crocheting. Therefore I don't have much to talk about and nothing to brag about. I have so many things I want to crochet but I can't. The arm is getting better so I can crochet a little now but only for short periods. I have only crocheted two baby afghans for a charity project, four hanging towels, four dishcloths, four pot holders since January. Pathetic, isn't it?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This set if for Halloween and is for sale in our Etsy store.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This set is for Halloween and is for sale in our Etsy store. I think my Jack o'lanterns are kind of cute..</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This set is for Thanksgiving and is for sale in our Etsy store. Does my pot holder look like a turkey?</span></td></tr>
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This set is for Thanksgiving and is for sale in our Etsy shop. The dishcloth and pot holder are supposed to be pumpkin pies.</div>
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I am in the process of making a set of pot holders shaped like cupcakes for a friend of mine. Hopefully I can get back into some larger projects soon. I am in withdrawal here! I need that hook in my hand. At least I can still read as much as I want.</div>
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Donnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05529136210699494409noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-45080604690796815992013-05-13T07:47:00.001-05:002013-05-13T07:47:11.201-05:00WIP ~ Scrap Heart Blanket and Grapevine Basketby Kelly<br />
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I've been so interested in the garden blooming around me that I haven't done much crafting lately. But with all that grapevine all around, I've been inspired again. After making about six simple wreaths, I decided to branch out into something more challenging - basket making.<br />
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I've never made a basket in my life, but the all mighty Internet showed me the way. It actually doesn't seem too hard, if you know who to weave things together. I'm flashing back to Kindergarten, where I learned basic weaving techniques with large pieces of green and white construction paper. I wonder whatever happened to that 'basket' I made back then? I fear my mom might still have it, tucked away somewhere. Moms are like that.<br />
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While I'm learning how to weave grapevine baskets, I've also gone back to a crochet blanket pattern that I've been eyeing for some time.<br />
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It's called the Rainbow and Hearts Blanket, and the free pattern is <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rainbow-and-hearts-blanket">here</a>. The hardest part is hiding the stray ends around the hearts, but Bethany is happy to share her technique in the pattern. Thanks, so much, Bethany!<br />
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But even with all this crafting going on, I still have some gardening on the agenda. For example, I have to go weed my own garden, although that might have to wait until tomorrow. Today is lawn mowing day. Since we have almost two acres here, that's no light chore. My husband and I are currently tag teaming it around our work schedules.<br />
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I think I enjoy it more than he does. There are any number of flowers that I can admire in passing, but he doesn't have a computer or radio attached to the mower.<br />
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Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that possibility...
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-36211588818670449542013-05-10T07:59:00.000-05:002013-05-10T07:59:28.010-05:00When Life Hands you Grapevineby Kelly<br />
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One of the things I like about this garden is the sheer photogenic quality of it. No matter where I look, there is something interesting or unique. The best part is, I think a lot of this is accidental. It doesn't have that overly orchestrated feel of a garden that was plotted out on paper before planting. <br />
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Did I mention we have grapevines? Well grapevines have to be pruned every year. The end result of that is better grapes...and a ton of grapevine, perfect for baskets, wreaths and other crafty purposes.<br />
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What you see here, piled up on the picnic table, is only a small fraction of the amount I have available.<br />
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I need to add a little to those wreaths, but I kind of got distracted by some other possibilities:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q563/threestrandstogether/grapevinepumpkin_zps5c236ee7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q563/threestrandstogether/grapevinepumpkin_zps5c236ee7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2009/09/grapevine-pumpkin.html">via Makeitandloveit</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fabyoubliss.com/2012/08/14/crafty-lighted-grapevine-eh-em-balls/">via FabyouBliss</a></td></tr>
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And the best part is, I have SO MUCH grapevine that it doesn't matter if I make some mistakes along the way. Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-23293544684639669022013-05-06T08:59:00.001-05:002013-05-06T08:59:18.969-05:00Flower Pictures and Craft Linksby Kelly<br />
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Sorry for the delay in posting - we were experiencing technical difficulties.<br />
As in the pictures wouldn't go into Blogger for some reason. And yeah, I could have done a text only post, but what fun would that be? I love playing with our camera.<br />
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Thinking of spring but don't have flowers yet? Check out the amazing pop-up cards I stumbled across on <a href="http://extremecards.blogspot.com/">Extreme Cards and Papercrafting</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://extremecards.blogspot.com/2011/05/mothers-day-flower-box-pop-up-card_07.html">Window box cards</a></td></tr>
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Make a pop-up card for someone. Or just for yourself! Don't worry, it might look intimidating, but she offers free lessons and how-to's on her blog.<br />
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For butterfly pop-ups, check <a href="http://www.popthatcard.com/pops/butterflypop.htm">here</a> and <a href="http://pinterest.com/MyButterflyLady/butterfly-cards/">here</a>.<br />
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<span id="goog_1187265090"></span><span id="goog_1187265091"></span><br />If anyone can identify the bush in that picture above, please let me know in the comments. This grows out by my mom's house, and I want one for my garden. The flowers don't have any scent, and grow in small clusters. The leaves are oval and alternate, and red berries show up in the fall. I thought it might be a <a href="http://www.acornfarms.com/Aronia_Chokeberry.htm#.UYe1H1Kyoic">chokeberry</a>, but the stamens on the bush above are yellow, not red. Maybe it's a cultivar? But the flowers of the chokeberry aren't shaped quite right either...<br />
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Speaking of flowers you can't identify, check out these that my husband surprised me with:<br />
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I love them! And he even took the trouble to arrange them in a perfect rainbow. That's my guy - a perfectionist artist even when he's putting flowers in a vase. I usually just cut the stems and shove them in the water. If I'm feeling especially inspired, I'll make sure all the tall ones are in the center.<br />
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Anyway, I'm off to do some lawn-mowing, weeding and other gardening type stuff. Yay for spring!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-48050498849503640272013-04-29T08:16:00.000-05:002013-04-29T08:16:02.835-05:00Spring Flowersby Kelly<br />
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I'm going to resume work on the failed sweater project that I put aside for a while. Hopefully it will be done in time for next winter.<br />
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Meanwhile, I took a walk in my borrowed garden and thought I'd share some pictures.<br />
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Spring has sprung. For some reason, that last picture reminds me of canned Del Monte fruit cocktail - you know <a href="http://www.delmonte.com/products/detail.aspx?id=210">the kind</a> with pears, peaches, and one lonely pink cherry floating in the mix. I remember once when I was a kid, we got a can with two cherries in it, and we thought that whoever was in charge of doling out cherries at the Del Monte factory had slipped up and probably lost their job because of it.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-46532286769183642042013-04-26T12:51:00.002-05:002013-04-26T12:53:54.600-05:00Recently Completed Projects UpdateI have been a busy bee lately and not all due to the fun times of working on crochet projects. However, I have finally managed to squeeze out some time to post pictures of the projects that I've completed.<br />
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The first two are baby blankets for my sisters-in-law. Both of them became pregnant around the same time and delivered just a month apart. So I had to whip something up.<br />
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This one is one of my favorites. My sister-in-law obviously had a girl and she loves dragonflies. She is such a girly-girl that I thought to spring for the fur trim to make it look that much more special. I think it turned out great and I actually had a lot of fun working with the fur for the first time. I might try it again on a scarf or hat next time.<br />
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The next is for my other sister-in-law who had her second boy. She's more simple and classic so I thought this pattern would look great for her with a little bit of shine to make it special.<br />
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Now the only problem is trying to find the time and money to mail these off to Australia. :P<br />
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This next blanket is another baby blanket and it's the semi-finished result of my first attempt at the Jacquar practice of inserting color into a pattern. I say semi-finished because the downside of this effect is that you have all these strings in the back. I weaved the ends in but there's still dragged strings from the work itself. So I added about a half an inch of sc to the edge of the blanked and I'm going to try to sew some fabric around the border so that the back is covered. Since the only time I've ever attempted to use a sewing machine was in high school home ec class when I had to make a flour baby out of a t-shirt and a sack of flour then I decided to wait until my mom came to visit next week before attempting to finish this one. I'll let you know how it turns out. :)<br />
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My last project was actually a commissioned project. One of my mom friends is about to deliver and she was asking around about whether anyone would be able to make a hat she saw on Etsy but for cheaper. I told her I could do it and would do it for $5 less than the listing price. Below is what I came up with. And the great thing about this is that one of her friends saw it and asked that I make her a girl version with a flower as well. So I'm currently working on this one and will provide pictures....eventually. :)<br />
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I hope you enjoyed the peek into my life as the crochet guru. :)Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14323454875918370760noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-49071560216289473152013-04-26T09:00:00.000-05:002013-04-26T09:00:09.329-05:00Not Quite May Flowersby Kelly<br />
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Any day now, I'm expecting the above cherry tree to break out into beautiful, fragrant white flowers. While I'm waiting, I've been poking about in this borrowed garden of mine, looking for treasure. I've found any number of surprising things, and also some flowers:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/indiana/journeywithnature/spring-beauty-wildflower.xml">Spring Beauty Wildflower?</a></td></tr>
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I really enjoy wandering about in the yard in the spring, dreaming of what summer can bring. It reminds me of when I was a very little girl, walking in 'the woods', (which was actually a vacant lot nearby where a house had burned down twenty years before) and picking a huge bouquet of violets. Helpful tip - violets only last about two days in a glass of water.<br />
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There are any number of plants that may be flowers that I can't identify yet. And of course, there is the unique and beautiful (if hardly rare) Taraxacum officianale, bursting forth with tiny sun yellow flowers:<br />
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Poor, much maligned dandelion. I don't think that all the poison and mowing in the world will ever eliminate you completely.<br />
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Single orchids that only bloom once in their lives (despite much pampering) sell for $30.00 a shot, while you bloom year round in the very worst conditions.<br />
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Maybe you try too hard?<br />
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Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-33553804463658980702013-04-19T08:09:00.001-05:002013-04-19T08:09:39.618-05:00Floodingby Kelly<br />
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I think it's fair to say that the drought is over. This is what spring is supposed to be around here - tons of rain, which leads to foggy mornings and what the weathermen always refer to as 'localized flooding'. The annual crop of soggy basement carpeting and furniture has just appeared on the curbs. Oh, and nearly freezing temperatures. Yes, Illinois is glorious in the spring.<br />
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Looks like I planted my flower seeds at just the right time. The packages did say "water frequently in the first two weeks". Hey, no problem...I'll get right on that.<br />
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So in honor of the localized flooding, I'm starting one more baby blanket for Dawn's charity drive, this one in all the lovely shades of blue that I have on hand in my scrap basket:<br />
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Sorry for the gloomy picture, but it is raining here again. That's okay, though - I love rainy days curled up in front of a warm Internet connection. Maybe I'll do a quick search for new crochet and knitting projects to try...that will only take a few minutes....Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-43960399477592441612013-04-15T08:10:00.001-05:002013-04-15T08:21:38.484-05:00Signs of Springby Kelly<br />
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Spring is finally here, and I can't wait to get started.<br />
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I have also finished one scrap busting baby blanket, in the colors of early spring:<br />
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I used <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/easy-woven-look-baby-blanket-to-crochet">this</a> great free pattern for the blanket itself, then I just added a single crochet border around the whole thing, did another row of triple crochet, and finished it off with a simple shell stitch.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JyfAvwvf1ss/UWv-SDL8V0I/AAAAAAAABnw/XlZkaEvTwDA/s1600/2013-04-15_12-53-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JyfAvwvf1ss/UWv-SDL8V0I/AAAAAAAABnw/XlZkaEvTwDA/s400/2013-04-15_12-53-07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It turned out pretty well, although my initial reservation when I started this project still stands - the rows of yellow alternating with white are not the best color combination for this pattern, since the blanket looks like it's made of sweet corn. So if you do decide to make a blanket with this pattern, you might want to consider choosing other colors. Just saying.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-21389938587627595302013-04-12T09:00:00.000-05:002013-04-15T08:24:34.581-05:00Blanket Edgingsby Kelly<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JiNhPfs5xRk/UWcYKbkhZwI/AAAAAAAABnA/VS7Pk0YScvE/s1600/2013-04-11_18-07-59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JiNhPfs5xRk/UWcYKbkhZwI/AAAAAAAABnA/VS7Pk0YScvE/s400/2013-04-11_18-07-59.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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While I was looking for a neat edging for this blanket that I've just finished, I turned, of course, to the Internet, and discovered several beautiful things on Pintrest. The trouble with Pintrest, of course, is that once you've seen the breathtaking photo and decided that you MUST make that blanket / scarf / pillowcover / impossibly difficult cardigan, you have to find the pattern. And finding the pattern may lead you down many obscure Internet pathways, where you will discover even more beautiful things that you absolutely MUST make, right away, if only you could find the pattern.<br />
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You see where I'm going here.<br />
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An additional problem with Pintrest is that photos break the language barrier. This means that the blogs or sites those photos are from could be written by anyone in the world, with the result that the patterns may be in Dutch (or is that Danish?), Italian, German, Chinese, or possibly something even more obscure. And running these patterns through a translator program is usually an exercise in futility. Trust me on this one.<br />
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But here is one of the images anyway, with a link to where I found the pattern. And if you do manage to make one of these, please drop me a line with the pattern you used and save me a lot of hair pulling. Thanks!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2942" height="300" src="http://charami.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ILS-09b-500x375.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="ILS 09b" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://charami.com/2012/05/06/rand-rond-hartjesdeken/">CharAmi</a></td></tr>
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Meanwhile, I'm going to add a shell stitch edging and call it a day. I've wasted enough time on the computer today.<br />
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Now, should I continue in the white yarn, for a lacy look, or switch to yellow again?Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-11610755001666564792013-04-08T08:27:00.004-05:002013-04-08T08:27:39.590-05:00Springby Kelly<br />
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Today we're going to interrupt our normally scheduled crafting posts to talk about <i>Science!, </i>mostly<i> </i>because I haven't made much photogenic progress on the baby blanket, except for making it quite a bit larger.<br />
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Meet the newest member of our extended outdoor family: <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n25mdQQcFvc/UWKw9i9shKI/AAAAAAAABmM/bGjdDR44_Vs/s1600/2013-04-07_12-09-05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n25mdQQcFvc/UWKw9i9shKI/AAAAAAAABmM/bGjdDR44_Vs/s400/2013-04-07_12-09-05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The interesting and sciencey thing about this little guy is that he's a red squirrel, but all the other squirrels in the neighborhood are grey. I always thought that red and grey squirrels were separate species. So is there a new family of red squirrels nearby? Or will this baby get grey fur when he's older? Is the gene that gives squirrels red fur a recessive trait that just pops up once in a while? Am I the only one who finds this stuff interesting? I know our cat is interested in squirrels, but I think his fascination is a little less abstract than mine.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wvyjLs8EGQs/UWLAytNsTtI/AAAAAAAABmc/vPtPJdIk_3Q/s1600/2013-04-05_20-14-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wvyjLs8EGQs/UWLAytNsTtI/AAAAAAAABmc/vPtPJdIk_3Q/s400/2013-04-05_20-14-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Oh, and there's another sciencey thing we've done lately - we bought a Fallout Shelter sign from <a href="http://www.sciplus.com/">American Science and Surplus</a>. It was actually an afterthought, because the thing about AS&S is that your order has to total a certain amount or they won't ship. Since most things in the catalog are $5 or under, this can sometimes be a challenge, and we often have to pass the catalog back and forth between us for a while before we can come up with enough stuff so they will ship the few things that we actually want/need. And so now we have a Fallout Shelter sign. <a href="http://www.whatonearthcatalog.com/">What on Earth</a> will we do with it?? Time will tell....<br />
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Oh, and as for the other item in that picture above, that's the free gift you will receive if you can identify the April Fool's Day item in their printed catalog. Hint: the fake item isn't <a href="http://www.sciplus.com/p/SUNFORCE-PRODUCTS-600-WATT-WIND-TURBINE_49367">this one</a>.<br />
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What will we do with a Hurry-Up Hamster? We have even less use for this free item than the one we got last year, which was a <a href="http://www.sciplus.com/p/CHOCOLATESCENTED-SOLAR-CALCULATOR_48906">semi-functional chocolate bar shaped calculator</a>. We tried to give the hamster to our cat, but when it was squeaking and running around on the floor, he minced around it warily, much like a bomb tech investigating an abandoned piece of luggage at an airport waiting area.<br />
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I suppose I'll just toss it in the large basket of other unloved cat toys. Unless I sell it on Ebay. I've managed to sell some surprising things on Ebay, so that might just be worth a shot.<br />
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-67471803825379294842013-04-05T07:18:00.000-05:002013-04-05T07:18:06.833-05:00Baby Blanket Progress and Inspirationby Kelly<br />
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Work on the baby blanket continues...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0uqypEHpCZ4/UV69dGm7CDI/AAAAAAAABl4/4H2n0mBSCIU/s1600/2013-04-05_11-59-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0uqypEHpCZ4/UV69dGm7CDI/AAAAAAAABl4/4H2n0mBSCIU/s400/2013-04-05_11-59-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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As you can see, it's crocheted. I'm a little bummed on knitting right now, after my recent knit sweater fail. For anyone interested in making a similar blanket, I'm using the Easy Woven Baby Blanket pattern, found <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/easy-woven-look-baby-blanket-to-crochet">here</a>.<br />
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Meanwhile, I found<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bedtime-story-afghan"> this great free pattern</a> for a baby blanket with embroidery.<br />
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<a href="http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q563/threestrandstogether/babyblanket_zpsd11b8793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q563/threestrandstogether/babyblanket_zpsd11b8793.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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Imagine that in pink or blue with darker pink or blue animals. Awww!Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-81025849103163729792013-04-01T06:46:00.002-05:002013-04-01T06:46:16.458-05:00Blanketsby Kelly<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Q_kKZF2sKs/UVlyfOKzD6I/AAAAAAAABlU/ZiwQgxwyUl0/s1600/2013-04-01_11-38-36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Q_kKZF2sKs/UVlyfOKzD6I/AAAAAAAABlU/ZiwQgxwyUl0/s400/2013-04-01_11-38-36.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've put the sweater aside for another week, since it appears I'm going to have to reknit the sleeves. Instead, I'm working on a baby blanket for a local charity.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yvfHqBvp-PE/UVly45pUUOI/AAAAAAAABlc/564hqFKJTTQ/s1600/2013-04-01_11-37-44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yvfHqBvp-PE/UVly45pUUOI/AAAAAAAABlc/564hqFKJTTQ/s400/2013-04-01_11-37-44.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you are doing something similar and need some inspiration, look no further than the eye candy on <a href="http://pinterest.com/pollywick/crochet-afghans-baby-i/">this</a> Pintrest page. If only I had yarn enough and time...Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-77688473693295677962013-03-25T07:00:00.002-05:002013-03-25T07:00:57.867-05:00Spring Happinessby Kelly<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i25q3ekGpjs/UVA7AK0FAVI/AAAAAAAABk4/lCLZHVvpVIw/s1600/2013-03-24_21-29-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i25q3ekGpjs/UVA7AK0FAVI/AAAAAAAABk4/lCLZHVvpVIw/s400/2013-03-24_21-29-24.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I had a difficult day yesterday, but there was a little glimpse of happiness when this little guy came to visit us. The bluebird of happiness seems a little grumpy. I don't blame him much at all - spring is here, and yet we keep getting snow.<br />
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Today:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J62Zjfceb2c/UVA8Ovo2SaI/AAAAAAAABlE/GHmD9wcdfpo/s1600/2013-03-25_11-58-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J62Zjfceb2c/UVA8Ovo2SaI/AAAAAAAABlE/GHmD9wcdfpo/s400/2013-03-25_11-58-12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm going to go put food outside for the grumpy, cold birds. That groundhog has a lot to answer for.<br />
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<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-19434783218474412042013-03-22T09:00:00.000-05:002013-03-22T09:00:00.896-05:00Work in Progressby Kelly<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4IlxwhoyxKc/UUsC7PFldEI/AAAAAAAABkk/fX2dp9dX2ug/s1600/2013-03-20_11-36-00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4IlxwhoyxKc/UUsC7PFldEI/AAAAAAAABkk/fX2dp9dX2ug/s400/2013-03-20_11-36-00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Spring is officially here, so crack out the gardening tools and seeds and....oh, wait, it's currently 23 degrees outside. Fahrenheit. Maybe I'll cross out the F on my thermometer and pencil in a C for Celsius, which would make it about 73-74 degrees. There, that's better!<br />
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If only it was so easy.<br />
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Meanwhile, I have determined that sweaters are not easy either. I have basted the thing together, and the disaster is finally official in my mind - the sleeve seam doesn't match with the body. Grrr.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9rTSibohXVE/UUsF3jlgBVI/AAAAAAAABko/XwDSTn2jntY/s1600/2013-03-21_12-49-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9rTSibohXVE/UUsF3jlgBVI/AAAAAAAABko/XwDSTn2jntY/s400/2013-03-21_12-49-21.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=2177&bcfps=1">Bernat Turtleneck Sweater</a></td></tr>
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I'm thinking there really is a problem with the sleeve numbers for the medium size. So, I'm going to have to frog the sleeves and start over. Sigh.<br />
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The only way I can think of to do this is to count the decreases I have on the body seams and format my sleeves so that their decrease slopes match. Before I do that, I'm going to pin the body pieces together and make sure they fit me. If not, the whole sweater may have to be redone, which I'm afraid is not going to happen. In that case, I will frog the whole thing to salvage the yarn, shove the yarn in the bag and the bag in my closet, and never look at it again until I regain my temper.<br />
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At any rate, I have a baby blanket on the agenda for Dawn's charity drive, so that will help me regain my composure. A side benefit of a big, simple project like a blanket is that I can catch up on all the TV shows that are currently piled up on the DVR. <br />
<br />Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-86939420183811455922013-03-18T20:48:00.000-05:002013-03-18T20:48:12.191-05:00Nitrate Free Corned Beefby Kelly<br />
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Nothing says St. Patrick's Day more than green beer and drunken altercations in Chicago bars. Lacking that, however, the aroma of corned beef and cabbage makes a good substitute. <br />
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But nothing is ever as simple as it looks.<br />
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Quick back story: my husband despises the diet his gout forces him to live with, and constantly seeks ways around it. There are certain things that will trigger a gout attack, namely anything that contains sodium nitrate, a preservative commonly found in lunchmeat, sausage and many other yummy things...including corned beef.<br />
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So I suggested that we make our own, without the 'bad salt' that he has to avoid. The only reason I made this crazy offer was because I was confident, without doing any research, that there would be a recipe on the Internet.<br />
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And guess what...I was <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/home_cured_corned_beef/">right</a>. In fact, there are quite a few different versions, some with remarkable variations <a href="http://blog.junbelen.com/2010/03/15/how-to-make-corned-beef-brisket-nitrate-free-at-home/">including juniper berries</a>, <a href="http://wellnessmama.com/4420/corned-beef-brisket-recipe-nitrate-free/">beet juice</a> and possibly<a href="http://southernfood.about.com/od/cornedbeefandbrisket/r/home-cured-corned-beef-t1.htm"> the simplest one.</a> <br />
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We chose <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/home_cured_corned_beef/">this one</a>, from Simply Recipes. Of course, we didn't have half of the spices required, but luckily the spice fairy came to our rescue and mailed us the rest (thanks, Dawn!). <br />
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Toasting spices is quite an adventure in its own right, or at least it is for those of us who've never done it before. Make sure you have the window open, so you don't asphyxiate yourself. Also make sure that all pets are out of the room, because when tiny mustard seeds are popping out of the pan like crazy they will be right under your feet trying to find out what on earth you're doing, and you may step on them and possibly drop your last clean spatula and say a very dirty word.<br />
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After the spices are <strike>burned</strike> toasted, add them to the water with salt and sugar and make your brine. Then it's just a matter of adding the meat and patiently waiting for five to seven days (we chose seven, with good results). Turn the meat once a day. If you have a pet, every day they will nose in to find out what you're up to. Ignore them.<br />
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Then cook. At this point, we altered the recipe slightly. At my mom's advice, we added a raw beet to try to get the pink color that will be lacking without that sodium nitrate. We also didn't add the cabbage and potatoes, because the one thing my husband hates more than a restricted diet is being told that vegetables are part of the recipe.<br />
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Three to five hours later, depending on the patience of your other family members, remove the meat and slice.<br />
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Make sure to cut across the grain, or the meat will shred into little bits and not make good sandwiches.<br />
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If you have pretty, restaurant quality plates, please feel free to use them. The rest of us will keep it real with the standard paper kind.<br />
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And the end result was very gratifying. The taste was spot on. The beet, however, gave mixed results. The meat was slightly pink when first cut, but rapidly turned the color of good Gyro meat. My husband suggested that we add beet juice to the brine next time.<br />
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Next time?? We'll see....<br />
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Also, the beet didn't taste like corned beef at all. My mom said it tasted like boiled beet. The rest of us didn't try it.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-13642244742504615522013-03-15T09:21:00.003-05:002013-03-15T09:21:39.124-05:00Seaming the Sweaterby Kelly<br />
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You'd think that the spring snowstorm would encourage me to finish my sweater project...but sadly, that's not true. The seaming has become problematic, because it seems to me that things aren't lining up properly. When I pinned it together, I had extra material on the sleeves. Gah!<br />
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I'm not giving up, just putting it off until Sunday. On Sunday I will devote three hours to looking it over again. If at that point I still can't find my way, I will call around to some of the local yarn shops and see if they happen to have a sweater guru on hand that I can consult with. <br />
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I find that when I'm stuck, it's better to schedule my defeat in small stages, rather than giving up altogether. Kind of like having a nagging boss, only<b> I'm</b><br />
the one nagging myself. That way, I'm less likely to shove the project in a bag or box and ignore it for the rest of my life.<br />
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In other news, Google Reader is shutting down. Not really a surprise...I've been wondering how much room they had to build this enormous archive, especially considering that it's free. So now I have to move all my stuff to another Reader service. I'm eyeing <a href="http://www.feedly.com/home#essentials">feedly</a>...but strangely, it seems a really slow interface on the feedly site today. Hmmm...I wonder why?Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-24215042708617670382013-03-04T09:09:00.000-06:002013-03-04T09:09:00.341-06:00In Defense of Dandelionsby Kelly<br />
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Still dreaming of spring.<br />
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Even dandelions would be appreciated right now. Although, truth be told, I have a soft spot for dandelions. The dandelion is a pretty flower that doesn't need the human race to survive - and I think that's why its almost universally despised. We like to think that our gardens need us; that without our care and attention, they would falter and wither away. That makes all those hours we spend on our knees weeding and digging seem more valuable.<br />
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Dandelions don't bug me, though - I freely admit that I like to dig in the dirt for my own satisfaction. So if a bright, sunny little flower wants to pop up on my lawn with no special effort on my part, more power to it. I have never tried to achieve the kind of lawn where each grass blade is identical and exactly 2.8" high, and never will. After all, I'm not interested in golfing on my lawn. <br />
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At any rate, the picture below shows some of my options for gardening this year - seeds care of my loving husband, who, when I first mentioned that I wanted a vegetable garden (years ago, when we were first married), curled his lip, looked me straight in the eye, and said flatly, "I'm NOT weeding it."<br />
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Fair enough, since he hates vegetables anyway. Flowers, on the other hand, he seems to feel differently about:<br />
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We have two packets of Nasturtiums, Pansy, Sunflowers, Cosmos (I love Cosmos), Columbine, and even some Morning Glories. You'll notice there's a packet of catnip seeds in there too. My husband is an enabler for our cat's habit. <br />
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Hurry, spring. I want to walk in the warm sun and dig around in the dirt.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-57977584551581387982013-03-01T09:00:00.000-06:002013-03-01T09:00:08.696-06:00Preparing for Sweater Seaming!by Kelly<br />
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Things to do when it snows like crazy and you have the adult version of a 'snow day':<br />
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1. Mop the floor. This is actually not something I'd recommend, but this seems to be my usual habit. At least the mop is handy for cleaning up tracked in snow.<br />
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2. Vacuum the floor with a Roomba. Especially entertaining if you have a staircase.<br />
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3. Fix a cat's scratching post.<br />
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This project I started myself, but my husband had to finish it. I just didn't have the oomph to pull that sisal rope tight. By the way, my husband says that make sure you have enough rope - I bought 100 feet of 1/4 inch sisal and that wasn't quite enough. A better amount for a two foot scratching post would be 125 feet.<br />
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4. Wash and block a sweater and prepare the pieces for seaming.<br />
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5. Research how to seam a raglan sweater and discover your first mistake before you even make it. The pattern instructions weren't clear, and I was going to start by seaming the sides. Luckily I went online and found out that seaming starts at the raglan shoulders. Whew! One mistake averted.<br />
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6. Optional : Cuddle on the couch with a husband and cat and watch the snow falling outside. Happiness.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-959354115283672405.post-66943374698006992132013-02-25T09:00:00.000-06:002013-02-25T09:00:01.358-06:00Snowy Day Knittingby Kelly<br />
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It's typical of Illinois weather that we only get a serious amount of snow after the groundhog forecast calls for spring. The robins are probably wandering around wondering if their travel agents accidentally booked them for the wrong arrival dates.<br />
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Meanwhile, sweater progress slooowly continues:<br />
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Sleeve number two is 2/3 of the way done. As my husband says, "Now all you have to do is seam it all together."<br />
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Yes. Seaming is in the near future. Sigh. On a brighter note, I have to schedule a dentist appointment soon. Maybe that will delay things.Kellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03250416891306614406noreply@blogger.com0