popsicle, popsicle, popsicle

I finally bit the bullet and bought myself a Vitamix.  I've been making green smoothies for over 4 years and have been using my trusty blender to do so.  It has served the wonderful purpose and I couldn't be more proud of that blender for hanging in there with me.  However, I finally reached the point where I just couldn't bear to chew one more smoothie.  
I ordered the Vitamix and we became fast best friends.  Having a blast together, daily!  We've made ice cream, soup, cocktails and of course my favorite green smoothies.  We've added smoothie recipe's (hello carrot, hello beet), too.   
I've been playing with our popsicle maker as well.


Blueberry:
1 cup blueberries
1 cup coconut milk yogurt (yumm)
Blend until completely smooth.

Banana:
3 banana's
1 cup coconut milk
Blend until completely smooth.


For this yummy chocolate banana one, I tried something different adding trader joes' organic hot cocoa mix.  Just for the heck of it.  And guess what?  We thought they were the most delicious.  Will definitely continue to make these.

Chocolate Banana Popsicle:  
3 bananas 
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 package trader joe's organic hot cocoa mix.

*None of these recipes made a complete 10 pops.  I mixed the trays to experiment.  You can, too!


JORD watch winner + first 25 lovelies

The random number generator chose number 82, willowcaroline.  Congrarts!
Please email me and I will pass on your information so that you can be sporting your new watch in no time!

Also, the awesome peeps at JORD watches would also like to give a 5% discount off your order to 25 of my readers.
So, the first 25 lovelies that email me, (my address in sidebar)  I will email you back with a code to receive your discount.

Happy Sunday!

JORD watch giveaway

Something new and different for me to give away and tell you about.  A watch.  But not just any watch.  This is a JORD watch made of diverse and sustainable wood from around the world.  JORD is actually a swedish word that means earth, soil and land. (Gotta love that.)  And guess what?  They are made in the USA.  St. Louis to be exact.  Yep, just a bunch of friends with an awesome, innovative idea that they put to use.  All natural.  I'm all in.
In recent years, I have gotten away from wearing a watch.  Probably because I always have my phone with me or near me to check the time.  But let's face it.  Watches are more than just about the time.  They are a timeless accessory that is not only functional but totally fun to wear.
JORD watches are one of a kind.  No two are exactly the same because of the natural materials, so each one is unique.  They are super light and also unisex. (I had a jeweler remove links.)   Each watch is presented in a beautiful wooden box which adds to the beauty of this watch.  Opening mine was a true treat.
I'm wearing Fieldcrest in Natural Green.
{Filedcrest :: black}
The awesome peeps at JORD would like to give away one of their watches to one of my readers.  The winner will receive a coupon code valued at $120.00, same price as the Fieldcrest.  The winner may choose whichever watch they would like in the Fieldcrest series or choose to put it towards another model and pay the difference.  The code will also include free shipping.  If you can't see your lovely self wearing one, enter for another!  It's an awesome gift.  Please leave a comment here before Wednesday July 23, 5pm EST, and I'll have the random generator choose a number.  And send your husband, boyfriend, lover, fella, son, friend over to enter as well.  I am smitten with these watches and I think you would be, too.

Enjoy your time!

we went to vero beach

 Where my parents new neighborhood has glorious Oak lined streets.
 Where the sunrises are well worth getting out of bed to experience.
 Where beach days are not unappreciated.
 Where my girl still likes to play in the sand.
 Where my three children still hit the water all together.
Where knitting happens.  (And progress is made!)

Where the time with my parents goes much too quickly but fills each of us with memories, laughter and and a whole lotta love.

we went to michigan

It was our first time to Upper Michigan.  I certainly hope it's not our last.  What a special spot.  
We rented a suburban and hit the road.  I knit all the way there and then didn't pick up my needles once over the course of 4 days.  I soaked it all in and if anything was in my hands it was my camera.  
 Frankfort Lighthouse.
 Sleeping bear dunes. Jumping is mandatory.
 Flipping into Lake Michigan.
 At Point Betsie Lighthouse.  The sunsets are epic.
Point Betsie Lighthouse.

And the Michiganders?  Some of the most gracious of hosts. And so darn proud of their state.  I would be, too.

Hope your fireworks were the most beautiful you have ever seen.
Happy weekend!

scape me!

 I have been waiting for these beauties for a pretty long time.  Summer of '10 to be exact.
So, when they showed up this week in my CSA box, I was beyond thrilled.
The recipe is simple.  
With three little ingredients.  
But one of those ingredients is parmesan cheese.  
Cheese. Oh, yes.  I'm onto a new food venture.  Omitting dairy from my diet.  I've tired a lot of things over the years, I know.  And you've been there for them all. There was the ice addiction.  (I kicked the ice eating habit and started taking iron pills.) There was the green smoothie challenge in May '10.  (I've been drinking a green smoothie 4-5 days a week ever since.)  Then there was the gluten-free attempt where I went gluten free for 3 months to try to help my excema.  (It did help, and I still watch my gluten but am not gluten free.) I tried going fully raw.  (That lasted for 3 days. I like some of my food hot.) And now,  now I am attempting to eliminate dairy from my diet.  Why?  Well, I have read a lot of studies about dairy.  And the one that really caught my eye and made me get serious about giving it up was that without it,  it can help eliminate asthma symptoms. (There goes my friend Michelle's eye rolling.) I have been an asthmatic my entire life, so I figured why not give it a try.  To be free of my inhalers would be a dream.  (I may just prove you wrong, Michelle. :) )
So, I made a version of parmesan cheese.  It's not bad, either.  And the scape pesto?  Fabulous!

Cashew Parmesan:
1 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (You just have to get over the name.)
1 tsp salt

Scape Pesto:
7-8 garlic scapes
1 cup parmesan cheese (The real stuff or the cashew parmesan above.)
3/4 cup good olive oil

Put all ingredients in a food processor and let it do it's thing.

You can use the pesto as a dip, or tossed with your favorite pasta, or with your zuchinni noodles, or as a spread on a sandwich.  I made hummus and threw in a big spoonful instead of the garlic.  Yumm.

Enjoy your weekend and your yarn!

summer '14

It's official.  School is out.  
So looking forward to once again doing not much of anything and a little bit of everything.  
Kids:  "Mom, this is so queer. "  
Me:  "I know!  Isn't it wonderful!"

I've been making them jump since '08, I wasn't about to let Charlie's last year of high school go without a final group jump.  He'll be off to college in the fall.  Super, duper hard to believe.

Happy summer!

chive blossom vinegar

I just love the recipes that come alive with the changing seasons.
I have seen chive blossom vinegar recipes sprinkled on the internet and found some blowing in the wind so decided to try some of our own.
These little flowers are so beautiful, I almost hated to cut them for this purpose.  Almost.
I used this recipe but forgot to boil the vinegar before pouring on the blossoms.  Two weeks in a dark spot in the kitchen to see if it made a difference.  So looking forward to it.

may

I seriously don't know what has happened to May. I was thinking that it just flew by without much happening. I decided to look through my photos so that perhaps I could feel a little better.  And I did.
Life was lived.
Beautiful moments happened.
::  spent a weekend in kiawah :: rode bikes on the beach :: i knit ::  my parents came for a 10 day visit :: they brought their adorable dog lily :: we ate outside for the first time since last year  ::
 i made our favorite chocolate chip cookies, weekly :: we enjoyed a lovely mother's day ::
i survived Charlie's senior prom :: i worked.  a lot :: i knit :: the house was shown ::  i practiced yoga :: i made pancakes.  and ate five ::  i knit  ::  i cut libby's hair ::
 my car was taken to the doctor.  it still is not back ::  i won a yoga workshop with my handstand photo on instagram  :: i knit :: i contemplated eating a raw diet.  i tried it for three days  ::  i let andrew have more kids over than usual  ::  we went to see ingrid michaelson :: i laughed.  a lot ::  i ripped out my sweater  ::  i cast on, again :: 
we celebrated a friends birthday with wine, homemade ravioli and a delicious salad  ::  we decorated the house for memorial day  ::  we had fun contests  ::  i knit ::  we went to a memorial day parade to show love and support to all who serve and have served  ::
we gathered to remember those who served and celebrate our freedom  ::  we swung on an awesome tree swing  ::  i made vintage picnic food using my grandmothers recipe's  ::  fell in love with a wood watch ::  i went out on lovely dates with my guy ::  i knit :: we started counting down to summer break ::  i listened ::
 i picked the iris's from my garden as soon as they bloomed ::  i had a lovely visit from my friend Kristyn ::  i signed up for my CSA and can't wait till next week  :: i knit ::  i went to two wine tastings  ::  we planted basil  

May has been lovely.  Hope yours has been, too.

See you in June!

start again

 It took me 7 weeks to get to this point in this sweater.
And 24 minutes to get to this point.  
I knew it. The entire time I was knitting that it just felt too big. I decided to take it off the needles and try it on for size.  I was right.  Tooooooo big.
I stared at it for an entire day.  And then did what we all sometimes need to do.
I cast on again last night.

Happy Knitting!

it's time

Everything has a time.  Along the journey we have been traveling the time has come to put our house on the market.  That has kept us extremely busy.  Three big purges (huge, really) have happened with the help of my awesome mother and sisters.  It feels great.

We will say goodbye to our loving home with a ton of awesome memories.  Looking forward to our future with excitement for the possibilities that lie ahead.

Happy feet.  Gotta have them.

The random number generator chose #21, Miso Crafty Knits.  Please email me with your address and I'll be sure happy feet will land in your mailbox.

Have a Happy weekend!

happy feet

I adore this book.
The title makes me smile.  The photography is awesome.  And the patterns are ADORABLE!  I tried to limit my photos to 5, by choosing my favorite 5, but then ended up with 10 and then I noticed that most of them are on the cover.
If you are new to socks this book is for you.
If you have made a million socks, this book is for you.
Inside are patterns for everyone you know.  It's sort of like looking at the socks and knowing who you could immediately make them for.
The book is filled with over 40 items to knit for your "knees and toes".
Each sock seemed to have come with their own personalities.   For your own special peeps!
If you have never knit socks, no need to worry.  The fundamentals are all there, including the sock vocabulary.  There are top-down patterns, toe-up, afterthought heel and tube or spiral sock.  A section with tips and tricks as well.
A sock book at the perfect time.  Summer time knitting.  Socks are easy to transport and easy on the lap.
Sixth & Spring would like to give away a copy of happy feet to one of my readers.  If interested, please leave a comment here before Friday, May 2nd, 5pm EST.   I'll have the random number generator choose a number.

Oh!  And I forgot to mention here, but for those instagramers who would like to try to win a set of place mats, hop on over to my instagram ( lesliefriend ) and either regram my pic of the placemat  (with the world drawn on it) or just hashtag one of your pics with #giftofgreen and you will be automatically be entered to win a set.

Happy days to you!

happy earth day

Hi there!

Wow.  I didn't mean to be gone so long.  Life got a little busy.

Just wanted to wish you a Happy Earth Day.  Isn't this world just the coolest!  It really is a miracle.  To celebrate, I'd like to offer you 15% OFF your order of the chalkboard place mats.  It's an earth friendly product, made in the USA, that helps celebrate life.  Use them over and over again to write notes, practice school work, decorate for the holidays.  Plan now for gift giving!  It really is the gift of green.  

Enter the coupon code MIRACLE to receive 15% off of your order at checkout.  Coupon will expire on May 1, 2014.

Have a super, beautiful, earth friendly day!

it's about time.

After a long spell of making only quick little projects, I decided it was time to dive into another sweater.
Antler caught my eye.  Dove grey (2203) for the main color.  Citron (2202) for the contrasting color.

I'm headed to see some blue waters and hope to make a little dent in this.  Or not.  At least I have a project for the airplane ride.  My absolute favorite place for uninterrupted knitting.

Enjoy the last of March!

blue monday :: pink thursday

A friend of mine was looking for a pair of cabled fingerless mitts.  I scoured ravelry for a pattern that would be quick and came up with these.  Love them.  I'm excited to be passing them on to her tomorrow.

Pattern:  Blue Monday
Yarn:  Stash, washable wool.
Needles:  US 7
Modifications:  I knit one more cable repeat after the thumb.  A k2, p2 instead of the seed stitch cuff.  And, knit 7 rows for the thumb instead of 3.

I had a much needed manicure today in honor of the first day of spring.  Hello, romper room.

Happy Spring!

magnolia swirl cowl

Ever have one of those projects where knitting them is way more enjoyable than the finishing?  (All of them?!)  Well, this was definitely one of those.  
This pattern calls for you to whip stitch the long strip together using 5 yards of organza ribbon.  I decided to forego that detail and seam the edges together instead.  All 178" of it.  
I played with this knit and put off the seaming as long as I could.
I made hearts, wrote words, threw it around the kids shoulders and even considered wearing it as a knit strand instead of the cowl in which it was intended to be.  
The seaming took me quite a while and therefore the long strip traveled from the kitchen counter, to the den, to the car, to the bedroom.  Just about everywhere I went, it went.
After at least a week, (maybe two),  it was finished and blocked.
The result was completely worth it.  I love how the cables run horizontally.  Something new and different.  The yarn was beautiful to work with.  The merino, silk blend is really, really lovely.
And, it sits tight around your neck blocking air for those super cold days.

Pattern:  Magnolia Swirl Cowl
Yarn:  Magnolia, #5425 berry, 3 balls
Needles:  US 6

Happy Day!