I received this book last fall and immediately earmarked several projects.  The book then got placed alongside my knitting books and was sort of forgotten until Libby started reading a book she thought she couldn't read around her brothers.  The back cover had some "girl content" and she knew they would see it.
I remembered the book cover project which was perfect for concealing what she wanted to hide.
We picked out some fabric and used a contrasting brown linen scrap for the lining.  A ribbon saved from a gift from my sisters travels to Italy.  Gusto: Vigorous enjoyment.  Perfect.
There are several other projects in the book I would love to make.
A new apron may be in order.  I'm thinking brown linen would be nice.
And maybe a new set of summertime coasters.  

Have you ever made something, that you thought was too tight, so you block the you know what out of it, and then it is too big?  Yeah.  Me, too.  I'll be back after I re-block with all the specifics.

The beginning of the summer pretty much kicks my butt every year.  I have visions of days like this saturday... but they are anything but that.  I will get used to all this running soon.  I am sure of it.
Last Sunday was a bit of what I had been wanting.  A day at home.  I mean ALL day at home.  I spent most of the day in the kitchen, with an occasional helper floating in and out.  There was a fathers day breakfast of challah french toast, granola and bagels (didn't make them) with vegetable cream cheese. Then, hummus, pita chips, lots of  raw vegetables, grilled shrimp with mango salsa, grilled vegetables, a huge salad, corn on the cob, sour dough bread with garlic scape pesto, and warm peach cobbler.
I marinated the shrimp in lime juice, olive oil and cilantro.  For the mango salsa, I used 2 mangos diced, 1/2 red onion, minced, lime juice and a pinch of cayenne.
My absolute favorite was the bread.  I posted a photo on flickr asking what it was.  I have never seen a scape.  Seriously! I know! And Julie mentioned Brian's post and the next thing I knew I was making this.  I spread the scape pesto on sour dough bread, sprinkled feta cheese and criss crossed roasted red peppers on top.  Baked at 350˚ for 20 minutes.  Sliced on the diagonal about every 1 1/2 inches.  Seriously delicious.  My sister makes this bread with an Italian loaf,  basil pesto and jack cheese.  Still including the red peppers.
It stayed light until around 9:15 pm.  Love that.  It was just long enough to knit two rows before falling into bed.  Not nearly enough knitting time, but I plan on changing that this week.

Last friday, after I put my kids on the bus, I hopped in the car and headed for Columbus, OH, for TNNA. Meeting my sister and mother there for the same reasons as before.  If you don't know anything about TNNA, it is where the retailers go to buy for their shops.  When I tell people where I am going, most look at me like I have lost my mind.  They can't believe I actually enjoy this sort of thing.  My kids call it the "knitting show" and I do believe they still think that I am on the stage, knitting.

Andrew's pick for cookie of the week. "Chocolate", was all he said.  I found this recipe.
Hit our s'more stash for the chocolate.
And voila, chocolate cookies.  My dough was a little like brownie batter.  You know, a little thinner than cookie dough.  So it required a couple of hours in the refrigerator.  Also, the recipe said it will make 3 dozen.  I got 16 cookies out of it.  They were chewy in the middle and crispy on the outside.  And if we had more would have been seriously delicious with ice cream. Unfortunately, those sixteen disappeared before they even had a chance to be served with ice cream.  Maybe next time.

Don't you just love being the first one up in your home? Nothing but the birds and your coffee and the sunrise. And to steal a couple of moments alone to knit or read or be. I know! It is the best.

I wanted to share the squares that I received from the other participants of the twelve square. Remember the concept?
Back in January I mailed out little bundles of fabric to eleven women.  I told them that the finished quilt will be for Libby and that "anything goes".  Just have fun.

Wow. You guys are the absolute best.   Thank you so much for all the plisse love.
Here is the thing though.  If you can make a knit stitch.  And you can make a purl stitch.  And okay, maybe fix a dropped stitch.  Then YOU can make anything.  Honestly.  YOU can.  
The hardest thing about knitting is reading the pattern.  And I guess actually knowing what it means.  However, if you have someone that can help you decipher a pattern, then you can make anything.  
The first thing I ever knit was a sweater.  I learned how to cast on, knit and purl, all within that first project.  My mother helped me and I actually had her sitting next to me every step of the way. (Blessed and lucky, I know.) I was in college on my three week winter break.  Cold weather in Florida meant movie time and okay maybe I should learn to knit time.  I did.  And actually headed back to college wearing my new sweater. 

Well, your friend actually has some finished knitting to show you!
Plisse is my second Hanne Falkenberg style to make.  I find the patterns to be interesting and the construction to be amazing.  This was knit in one piece with only the sleeves seams to be finished.  Although my ballerina's will always be my favorite you can bet this will get its fair share of wear.
Because the kits are not inexpensive (they are actually quite an investment) I wear them a lot. Mostly as a coat.  And on size 3 needles this was not a fast knit.  But certainly one I enjoyed working on.  There were a couple of bumps in the road but after I figured a few things out it was smooth sailing.  (Or should I say driving.) 
With so much going on in the back, Jeeves was probably correct in telling me to leave that little problem I had alone.  
I'm thinking you all will be the only ones to know. (shhh)

We really needed a day like this.





Hope your weekend is filled with everything you need.

I don't know about you, but I couldn't be happier that it is Friday. A beautiful, warm, sunny Friday at that. And the start of a long weekend. Where lunches don't have to be packed again until Tuesday. I love that. I've just been busy over here with that long, never ending, always growing "before school is out" list. 
I am lucky to be involved in twelve square: Twelve women make twelve quilts in twelve months in a virtual quilting bee.
Each month a different quilter mails out fabric to the other members of the quilting bee. Everyone makes a quilt square using that fabric and fabric from their stash, according to some specification, but also bringing their own unique voice to the square. The squares are mailed back to the originator and they have the makings for a full quilt!

I sort of hesitate to show you our new cookie jar because we found it at target on the clearance shelf. I checked on line and didn't see it.... but maybe your store may still have a few.
We are really diggin' this over here, as we love anything with chalk.
I can always trick them with an empty sign. (I'm sure they will be on to that quickly.)
And if you are a trucker then you may be in luck.

I e-mailed my mom this photo earlier this week:
You see, I ask my mom advice on almost everything.  My sisters and I have nicknamed my mother Jeeves.  And when we need to know an answer to anything we don't know, we say, "better call Jeeves".    It is amazing how she always knows the answer.  I truly am so very blessed to have her.

Charlie was having a craving for peanut butter cookies.  So, if you're craving a peanut butter cookie involving a little chocolate action, you should try these.  

My sister drew a name for her wedding dress, Jennifer (blogless?) if you could e-mail my sister, Michelle, at mdflys at cfl dot rr dot com with your address, she will be happy to send it to you. I really hope the dress works. And that the beginning to this chapter to your life will be wonderful.
Have you visited habit yet?  A blog about capturing actual bits of everyday life... and to celebrate life through photos and words.  I'm so excited to be guest blogging over there for the month of May. 

Plisse has been giving me quite a few fits lately.  I've moved onto the pleated section of the body, but every time my mind would wander or one of my kids would try to talk to me, I would get off pattern.  I actually had about 5 inches of the body completed, and decided to rip it back and start over.  I searched for every stinkin' marker I had and put one in between each pleat. SO much easier.  Although a little annoying, I wish I would have done that the first time around.
On the weeks I don't try a new cookie recipe, I make the old standby.  Chocolate Chips.  This week I made them twice.  They are made so often that the recipe is etched in my brain.  I can fly in the door 30 minutes before the bus gets my kids home and have these ready.  It is just the nestle toll house recipe except that I use bread flour and add 1/2 cup and add an extra tsp of vanilla.2 3/4 cups of bread flour :: 1 tsp baking soda :: 1 tsp salt :: 1 cup butter, softened :: 3/4 cup sugar :: 3/4 cup packed brown sugar :: 2 tsp vanilla extract  :: 2 large eggs :: chips and nuts....optional :: bake 350˚ for 11-13 min.