Happy New Year!!!

I just want to wish you all a great and happy New Year!!


May 2012 be a wonderful year from you, with lots of love, health, good food and happy people around you!

See you next year!
S.

Christmas eve...

How's everyone's Christmas going on???
I hope you are having a wonderful day.... we are used to have the "big" celebration on Christmas eve, more than on Christmas day.
So yesterday night we had a big dinner and a few friends over...
MG finished his work early on Friday so we started our cooking... we like the idea of a big dinner, and by big I mean with multiple dishes so even when it had been just the 2 of us, we've had the big dinner... so I was glad to have friends over to help with the food. :o)

Yesterday morning we went to see Annie to the downtown theatre with the local theatre company... it was incredible and magical play that I enjoy tons... MG had never see it before and had a great time too.
Then a little stop at the Yarn shop to say hello, Merry Christmas catch up about the last day things and off back home to finish with the cooking and cleaning...

We did a very good job with the cooking-preparing whatever and cleaning/washing immediatly afterwards, so by the time we finished the cooking the kitchen was actually all tidy and neat just waiting for the final heating of the food and the arrival of our guests.

You see, I was very excited about having this little party because it was not only our first Christmas together and with more people, but really it was the first time we had people over for dinner, our first "entreteinment party" since we got married and live together.
I've had friends over before, but more in the middle of the day, maybe an ocassional lunch, but not really a dinner. And I was SO excited!!!!

We had 3 people over. 2 of my yarn friends and the husband of one of them.
The food was amazing...
For apetizers we had some cheeses and cold meats with fresh bread...

 

And then the dinner... buffet kind so every one could get whatever they wanted as many times as they wanted.

Stuffed mushrooms with cheese and the same insides of the mushrooms...

breaded and cheesed shrimps...

4 cheese ravioli with marinara cream sause...

and turkey!!!

We did the turkey injecting both white and red wine in it the day before... then covering it inside and out with a lemon-honey-onion-garlic mixture... and stuffed with minced meat with apple, bacon and raisins.

 

Here's already carved and with the stuffing next to it.

We did the turkey injecting both white and red wine in it the day before... then covering it inside and out with a lemon-honey-onion-garlic mixture... and stuffed with minced meat with apple, bacon and raisins.

Everything was delicious! our guests enjoyed it and served several times :o)

And for dessert we had baklava and salted caramel toffee bars that one of my friends brought...
And kamelado, which I made. I don't have a picture of it, but I'll post a recipe soon... it's delicious!!!

Then we had presents... that's for another post...
How was your Christmas????
Did you get any presents???

See you soon!
S.

Merry Christmas!!!

This is my 200th post!!!!

Merry Christmas, Hanukka, season or whatever you celebrate!!!

Shanti

Viking knit necklace...

One of my friends at the shop saw a necklace I've made with Viking knit technique and asked that as a Christmas present... so I had an order made.

I'm REALLY pleased on how it came out... Here are some pictures:::

See you soon!
S.

Christmas has arrived!!!

Last Sunday that I said we were going out to buy presents, we ended up buying our Christmas tree and some comic books for MG's presents.

Today, finally Christmas tree is full with lights and ornaments... I still have wrapping to do, but I hope tomorrow...
Our tree this year is short and fat... ;o)
It makes me happy... we have a tendency to name things... so the tree name is Stanley, Stan for short!

We put all out not round ornaments, all my crocheted and some clay like figurines that we bought our first Christmas together. Some stockins and some small round ornaments... not a lot.

I did a little mantle (I'm not sure if that's the word) on top of the corner bookshelf with our little nativity and Christmas tree... we don't have a lot of ornament things because it has been an uncertain time of when we'll be going back home so we try to not to buy tons of things that later we won't be able to keep.

I got that Nativity set last year at a Holiday bazar, it was very cheap because the head of one of the wise man was broken... I love it.

Anyway... After getting the tree last week... we went to the yarn shop party, with all my friends.
It was great and I was very happy.
We did a "Dirty Santa" which means that everyone brings a gift, and you put it in the center of the room. Then you make little paper with numbers for the total of presents that people brought.
And then you pick a paper and you get a number. So the number one pick a present and opens it.
#2 can decide to pick a new present and open or "steal" the one that #1 picked, shich would make that #1 has to pick something else.
and from #3 to the end of the numbers they can pick something new or steal.
everyone gets a present at the end.

I got a long necklace

I think you can't see it good there... I'll try to take a closer picture to show you because it is beauuuutiful!
That's one of my friends in the picture... she's spending Christmas eve with us and I'm excited about it.

that's all for now...
Hope to be back soon!
S.

Football Field Baby Blanket...

Someone called to the shop the other day asking for someone to crochet a blanket for her.
Then a few days later, an older man came to the shop asking for the same thing. Result it was the brother of the one who called.
I had already planned the pattern I would be using and was ready to giving him the option of colors and yarns... and then he says::

"So, you'll be able to make the football field then?"

"Excuse me????"- I said.


Apparently, the father-to-be was a former profesional football player, so the man (I'm guessing the grandpa) wanted a football field blanket to give the baby as a present...


So here I am...

... in the making of a crib size football field blanket...

It had been very funny to say "I'm in yard 20"... "I got to yard 30"... "I just have 60 yards to go"...
So that picture is from yesterday... today I'm almost at yard 90... I hope to finish the field and the goal line tomorrow.

Then the goal post made in slip stitch on each side and then a white border of 2 inches all around...
I'm still debating if I should emborider the yard numbers...

That's all for today!
See you soon!
S.

Edited to add:: I just realized I never said anything else about this blanket. Well, I finished it in time and the gey loved it... you can see the details and more photos on my Ravelry projects page.

Going out...

just about to go out with dear MG to buy Christmas pressies!!! and then the Christmas party with my friends from the Yarn shop!

See you soon!
S.

Yarn Swap!!!

Almost mid December!!! where did the year go??? there's only 2 Mondays in the year after this... Oh my!!!

I'm excited today to tell you about a yarn swap I just had.
It was organized by the 'We love Lucy' group at Ravelry... This was my second swap.

We got our names drawn in mid November, package sent by Dec 5th, and finally on Dec 8th, I got my package!!! a big box full of wonderful pressies!!!

Now... first what I sent to a lovely girl in New Jersey...

A box packed with goodies... lots of goodies!!!

3 balls of Tonic yarn... blue, green and hot pink!

Some crocheted Christmas trees... And flowers...

The package must contained a handmade item... so I put a pair of earrings and a cowl.

And a lot more of little things...

A project bag from Knit Picks (Fabulous bag)... a set of rainbow crochet hooks, some colorful pens, a set of stencils to decorate cookies or coffee, a couple of patterns, a ball of Lustra yarn, and a couple of notes.

I loved putting it together and I think my 'partner' loved it too... she said it was a great gift and was happy with it...

Well she did wonderful too!!!!
Here's what she sent me.... a HUGE box came by UPS! I was so excited...

Of course I opened it imediatly... it was full of packing peanuts... so I dove in them in the look for the presents...

Look I found the first one...

And they kept coming and coming... a lot of them!!!

And then the opening... first came her Handmade item... a bunch of lovely buterflies and dragonflies (which I'm in love with)... I think she did an amazing job with them!

Then the most fun pair of sock!!! bright green and orange-red polka dots, very elf-ish... which I'm wearing right now of course...

More goodies!!! a little stocking with 2 bags of hot chocolate powder (Yum!! I love Hot Choc)... a string of glass beads, a bag of pompoms and a bag of paper cups for my baking!!! in polka dots!

A Fabulous-GoRgEoUs-amazing Christmas tree that you plug in the wall and changes colors!!!!
And a bag of Haribo Gummy Bears that MG claimed as his own :o)

This incredible book!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been wanting that book for so long... I have the edgins one and this one is just perfect, besides super inspirational and happy with all the great colors!

A tube of the sweetest Christmas ornaments!!! bright colors, yei!!

And some definetelly yummy yarn!!!!!!!

Oh!!! and I almost forgot... the most amazing wire rack to hand my jewelry!!!! I love it!!!!!

Here! All my treasures together!!!!

Isn't that amazing???? I was truly spoiled and I'm SO happy with it... Oh and I see I didn't take an individual pic, but there's also a red silicone Christmas-Tree-Ice-cube tray... and 2 notes! including 2 of her family Christmas recipes!!!!

Fabulous, isn't it???

See you soon!
S.

Divine Slouchy Hat---and Snow....

Yesterday we had snow.... the first official of the season!!!

I was at the Yarn Shop... and I have to say it was magical!
We were "complaining" that it had been raining all day long... and then around 3pm it started to snow... slowly at first, mixed with the rain and it melted as soon as it touched the floor. Then it started to fall heavier and heavier and sticking a little more... and then suddenly it was a heavy snow!! it covered the cars and awnings like in half hour.
It was amazing to be sitted warmly surrounded by beautiful color yarns, and see the snow fall... we even had hot apple cider!! it was perfect!!!
I tried to take pictures but it didn't work...
And of course, all of it will melt today as from now to Sunday the weather is supposed to be clear and sunny!

I worked on a hat for an upcoming class that we'll offer in January for the intermediate level.

It's the Divine Hat by Sarah Arnold... it's a good project for someone that is starting to crochet but has already the knowledge of the stitches.
It has increases and decreases and uses fpdc and bpdc with are a little more advanced that just a dc.
And... while I was looking for a right hat pattern for the class, I noticed that this one is the crochet pattern with more projects done in Ravelry!!!!!!!!!!

I added some increase rounds to make it a little slouchy...

I love the swirl on the top!!It used almost the whole skein of yarn... a pretty tonal purple-lilac Ultra Alpaca by Berroco.

With the remaining I had just enough to make a flower::: 

I loved it! I might make a tutorial on it one of this days... when I can have MG to take pics of my hands working.

See you soon!
S.

Thanksgiving review...

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How was your Thanksgiving???

I hope you had a wonderful weekend, full of magic and nice things.

We had wonderful times... dear MG took all 4 days off work and it was a blessing.
I started crocheting a little stocking to welcome MG on Wednesday night... he loved it!!!
I saw a post on Ravelry pointing to it (post done by Lucy from Attic24)... and then follow the instructions on Le Monde de Sucrette blog (wonderful and nice colorful blog I must say!)

It was rainy outside so I didn0t have good light to take the picture... I played with my camera settings but none gave the right colors... but you can still get the idea...

We cooked a "Cranberry Ham" on Thursday morning...

... then went for lunch to a nice restaurant in campus...

...and then took the ham to a party with MG's friends... It was fun to get together and meet new people.

Thanksgiving is not something we have in Mexico, and we didn't grew up with it, but since we've lived in the US it had become MG's favorite holliday. He awaits it the whole year and he counts days to it on the last month.

Here are some reasons I'm thankful for this year:::

• I have a really wonderful and sweet husband that loves me completely and makes me feel really like the most special girl in the world.
• We are both happy and healthy and loving each other more and more.
• We both have amazing families that love and support us.
• MG has a work he loves, were he's inspired and happy.
• I have a whole bunch of incredible friends at the yarn shop. 
• I have someone to love, something to do and something to wait and wish for. 

Friday started early (6am) at the mall... where we got nice deals in some clothes for me and tennis shoes for him. Not a lot more shopping. But it was nice and fun.
Nice breakfast and then a good amount of yarn shopping in a different yarn shop, since my loved shop doesn't carry the colors I needed (more on that later).
And then all afternoon spent with my friends and MG at my usual YS. Happy times!

Saturday with friends and a college football game!!!

Sunday of relax and laziness with MG at home... I stayed all day in my pj's!! that's happyness!

How was your weekend??? What are you thankful for?
See you soon!

S.