bandana cowl

featured
The Bandana Cowl has been around for a while but I guess it took a KAL for me to become aware of it! I am so happy I finally did!

I can see a bunch of these in my future.  It was exactly what I needed to feel some instant gratification and check a few gifts off of my list.  
 
It's a free pattern over on Ravelry and I followed the pattern exactly also using used recommended yarn.  It's soft and cozy with zero itch factor for my skin.  I wouldn't say I am extremely sensitive when it comes to wool around my neck but I certainly am somewhat sensitive.  And this 100% Extra Fine Merino doesn't bother me at all.
While I was knitting, I was ordering more yarn.  That is a true mark of good wool!
I also asked my husband if he would like one.  He mentioned that he would love a cashmere one.  Ha!  Who wouldn't.  But of course, I aim to please, so I ordered the Jade Saphire for his gift.  (You will need 2 skeins, and make sure you order the 8 ply!)

The Plenty yarn leaves you with absolutely tails of yarn left.  That's it.  I LOVE when I don't have any yarn left!  

Purl Soho is hosting a KAL that started in October and runs to the end of this month, November 30.  Hop on over to check out the prizes (Amazing!) and enter to win!

Pattern:  Bandana Cowl
Yarn: Plenty, 139 yards in Reed Grey and Night Blue
Needles:  US 10
Size:  One size

the peach truck

featured
Summer has slipped away and although these memories are a bit distant they still bear mentioning.  
For the past two summers, this was a highlight.  It's a simple pleasure and I am very grateful to have had this experience.  
I think everyone has at least one fruit they associate with summer.  
For me, it's strawberries warmed by the sun, ice cold watermelon cut in cubes and peaches that drip down your hand while you are eating them.  
Has The Peach Truck come to your area? If you ever see it, I am here to tell you they are some of the most amazing peaches I have ever eaten.  You can preorder and then pick up from the giant orange truck dishing out 25lb box's of peaches to be exact.  I plan on making it a reoccurring summer activity.  They are just that good.  And it just screams summer!

Delivering since 2012 but I didn't catch wind of this until last year!  
There were a lot of recipes running through my mind and ideas of things I wanted to do with this batch of peaches.  This recipe was definitely on top of the list.  And it did NOT disappoint!  

In the end, I didn't use many peaches in this recipe but this cheesecake is OUT OF THIS WORLD!  
I highly recommend watching her gorgeous video for all of her tips.  I just love the mindfulness she puts into making.  If you want to give your taste buds a lot of joy get to the kitchen NOW!  And maybe throw a little pumpkin seasoning into the batter.  That is what I will be doing.  

a glorious morning

featured


We had two kids home for Easter this year.  Not a full table, but I'll take it.  

Coffee, Latte's, Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice, Glorious Morning Muffins, Spinach and Ricotta Crepes, Glazed Carrots, Deviled Eggs and a Spring Mix Salad with Watermelon Radishes and a Lemon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing.    It was a lovely brunch.  
I've been making the Glorious Morning Muffins since my kids were little.  A true favorite.

Glorious Morning Muffins:

2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups grated carrots 
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 apple, peeled, cored and grated
3 large eggs
 1 cup avocado oil
2 tsp vanilla

*Preheat oven to 350˚ Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.  Set aside.  Beat eggs with oil until just combined.  Add vanilla.  Add dry ingredients until just combined and then add carrots, coconut and apple.  Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling them to the top.  Makes 12 muffins.  Bake for 35 minutes.   Cool on wire rack.  Eat and have a glorious morning!  

forcing forsythia

cookie of the week

Forcing Forsythia.  Sounds like the name of a book.  Heck, maybe it is.  I just love saying that.  And I must say, I am more excited than ever about Spring this year.  
Bringing in the Forsythia always means Spring is HERE!
We celebrated Easter a few days early this year in order to celebrate with the kids who were in town.
Although we wished we had more kids home, we will always take what we can get!

 I stink at decorating cut out cookies.  And truly would rather be knitting instead of decorating.  However, I sent these in a few care packages and must say they were received with a smile.  And this recipe is a keeper.  
Happy Spring!

feeling festive

diy
Hiya Friends! So... After my last post, I was thinking more about my Thanksgiving tablescape and exactly how that was going to look this year. We have a new dining room table and I want it to look extra festive this year.  I was inspired by a floral arrangement my mother received using a pumpkin as the vase.  
In my mind I thought, we have a perfect flat pumpkin and I do have a glue gun after all.  (Damn I missed that thing!)
I know, this pumpkin almost doesn't look real.  But it is!  I promise!  I bought a few succulents at HomeDepot and headed to Michaels for the few items I wanted to use to embellish it.  
 I literally glued the moss to the top, placed the living succulents around the stem, and then glued a few other earth toned dry items to the moss.  
I absolutely adore the feathers and thought they were the perfect finishing touch.

You can literally make this in about 20 minutes!  Get busy, friends!

so much love

featured
{Lake Tahoe Valentines} 
This week I packaged some Valentines to head to the kids in College.  Libby informed me that she doesn't need all that Valentine stuff, but cookies might be nice.
Until recently, I've never been a huge fan of cut out cookies.  I think it was the time involved that scared me away.  When we moved, I even gave away a GIANT collection of cookie cutters.  (I wish I had them now.) But, to tell you the truth, cut outs don't take that much more time.  I love the dough/cutting tips I learned from this post.  And, that has definitely become my new favorite cutout recipe.
I doodled on the Chalk Lots this week making knit stitches.  It doesn't surprise me that knit stitches look just like hearts.  Considering all the love in hand knit items.
Knit hearts went in the boxes as well.  My sweet friend, Suzanne, gifted me this pattern.  It is such a great one. (Thank you, Suzanne!)  She made me the light pink heart on the left a few years ago.    It's absolutely perfect.  I decided to make it my travel heart and take it in my suitcasewhen I travel.  It will be my little reminder of what I believe in most.  Love.  And all there is in the world.
Before I seam them together, I decided to write secret messages and put them inside each one.  No one will ever know it's there.  Except for me.  Just a little added Love energy inside each hand knit LOVE.

our sunset thanksgiving

featured
Since we were spending Thanksgiving out west we decided to take our Sunset Magazine with us and have a completely non-traditional Thanksgiving.  Sunset featured a FoolProof Feast we decided to try.  We made the list (on a Chalk Lots!), bought the ingredients and then drew names out of a hat as to which dish each person would make.  Getting the kids involved was so much fun!  Just watching them try to figure out how long their recipe would take and exactly how it would be made was comical.  And their personalities completely showed!  I had the joy of making the Pumpkin Ice Cream Gingersnap pie.  Yumm!
We started the day with Pumpkin Scones... they were A M A Z I N G.

the winners

holidays

Happy Halloween, sweet peeps!
Sorry for the delay regarding the book giveaways.
The random number generator did its thing.

Cowl Girls 2 :: #23,  Lise Jackson
Knit a square ::  #42, Mandy
60 quick knits for little kids ::  #14,  Meg
Please email me with your address, and I'll make sure the books land in your mailbox.
{Andrew, October 31, 2010.  Seriously cracks me up.}

My friend, Amy, shared an article.  I think you are gonna love it.  I believe the author to be true.  Knitters really are kind!