elliemoon

CROCHETING FOR BEATRICE

i've featured this crocheted baby's blanket a thousand times. it's the hooded baby blanket pattern from lion brand and it's free on their site. i never make the hood and i chain 114 to make the blanket a bit wider. this time around, inspired by a beautiful version my friend meghann recently made, i decided to do the edging according to the pattern. such a nice change from my usual picot edging::

using the pattern stitch to finish really adds a nice flow to the overall construction too. an old favorite, a new way (thanks meg!).

this blanket was for the newest arrival of a good friend and fellow crafty mama. i was very far behind in starting it. the week she told me she was pregnant i purchased all materials. the baby came earlier this month and i had nothing to show for myself. i've got to work on that. i'm very adept at the procuring of all necessary materials for a project (i even procure extra stuff while i'm at it, you know, just in case i finish up early and want to start five additional projects). i've just got to get a better handle on the starting, it's really all about the starting. luckily i finished this up before the new little miss started walking or talking::

and a little something for the big sisters::

welcome to the world beatrice pearl! you are so very tiny and cute, i just love you!

 

 

BANANA CHUNK MUFFINS

i've been wanting to try this since making the blueberry muffins. i used the same recipe, which you can find here. this time i didn't double it, just in case the results were disastrous. i made a single batch and substituted a cup of chopped up, very ripe banana's for the blueberries::

these were wonderful. very, very good. i'm so glad i found this muffin recipe. i wonder what other variations would work? 

 

 

COOL HAT, BY KAI

i guess this is an extension of my "can kids crochet" post. kai revisited the hook recently and worked up his first hat. he wanted a basic boys hat. i introduced him to ravelry and twenty minutes later he was printing up this great pattern. it is the perfect pattern for kids that are just starting out. very straightforward::

there was some unintentional decreasing, or maybe accidentally skipped increasing, we never really figured it out. no matter, overall it came out great. the irregularities smooth out when he puts it on, so no worries. he was a little put off when he realized the error, but all's well that ends well and it looks super cute on everyone::

he now has a list of people he will be making them for. i hope i'm on it. 

 

 

HAPPY HARVEST HOME

i can't believe it's here already, though all signs point to fall::

time for the annual "squashing of the dogwood berries" around here.

all is (mostly) picked, processed and stored for the winter. i may have to dig out the baking stone and the soup recipes soon. hope you all have a lovely weekend and a wonderful equinox tomorrow. see you monday!

 

 

IN THE WORKS AS WELL...

along with everything else. i have more half finished and/or just started projects lying around than (perhaps) ever before. i'm not sure what's up right now, but over the last few weeks, i've managed to start multiple projects in each and almost every crafting category. here's the latest::

part of this upsweep is in an attempt to freshen up my etsy shop. i'd also like to do a few giveaways next month to gift out some of the new crafty bits to all of you! so that explains that. luckily ellie had her own project to attend to! and so, i got to sew! very satisfying to be able to check even just a couple of things off of my ever growing list.

she washed and dried every rock! this was such an improvement on our very old, and very loved up kitchen table, that i actually thought about gluing them down. just for a second. it is good to know that my over-the-top crafting tendencies do, in fact, have a limit. phew.

 

 

BACK TO BEADING

over the weekend the boys and i dug out my jewelry making supplies. i had forgotten how much stuff i actually had. inspired, we made a trip to the bead emporium. and then, after more research, i made an additional trip on my own. i'm playing around with something very exciting::

can anyone guess where i'm going with this? i'll give you a hint, it has something to do with robert redford. more soon!

 

 

BY THE YARD

i went out the other day on a mission. a fabric hunt. i was looking for a specific alexander henry design. while poking around i also found and snagged the last two yards of this sweet moda nursery print::

that flying monkey was the clincher i think. here's the fabric i was after. i don't know what i'll end up doing with it but i had to get some. this is from the folklorico collection. it's called zocalo::

i'm thinking a few margarita's and something will come to me. 

 

 

HOMEGROWN FENNEL

this year i tried growing fennel again. the last time i attempted it, kai was a baby, we were living in a different house and our tiny garden got hardly any light. needless to say, very unsuccessful. this time around? the bulbs are gigantic! i possibly could have harvested them a tad earlier but they just kept getting bigger and bigger and i couldn't do it. yesterday ellie and i were gathering basil for our frozen stores of pesto when i realized the fronds were taller than her, and decided it was time::

i ate the first bulb sliced up just like that, tossed into a bowl of ice water, cool and crisp and by the handful. so sweet and fresh and delicious. now, what to do with the rest? i have a recipe somewhere for a fennel potato gratin. and i'd love to try pickling some. though i have a feeling most will be gobbled up raw, which is fine by me. 

 

 

KNITTING BABY SOCKS

special orders and special deliveries::

so many baby toes, so little time. i love knitting these socks. and i just found out that one of my most loveliest friends is going to be a mama for the first time! so exciting. better keep on knitting. and knitting. and knitting.

 

 

BEST STEAK MARINADE OF ALL TIME

also "in the world", or "on earth", or just plain "ever". i am not exaggerating. in the least. you will only need to make and consume this once to get what i'm saying. i got this recipe from my friend jen's mom a long time ago. sometime in our 20's we happened to be both home visiting at the same time, and i had the pleasure of eating at her parents house when her dad was grilling this up. life was never the same::

i double the recipe because we use more than the 3 pounds of sirloin and because a marinade this good calls for some serious submergence.

this will marinate for two days. shake it up once or twice each day just to show it some love. here's an added bonus: after grilling, while the steak is resting, strain out the solids from the leftover marinade. add a bit of cornstarch slurry and bring to a simmer.....that's right, gravy. it just keeps getting better::

in our house, no steak feast is complete without a nice big serving bowl of sauteed mushrooms (i use button mushrooms and quarter them, then just saute in a little olive oil and a touch of garlic). some form of potatoes are also a must. and sometimes steamed spinach, which was something my mom always served with steak::

words escape me. really. i have nothing more to say. except that that last shot is making me want to have this again tomorrow. and the next day. ad infinitum. forevermore.

steak marinade with beer, the recipe:

3 pounds sirloin

2 TBSP olive oil

1/2 cup soy sauce

3 TBSP dark brown sugar

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp dry mustard

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

12 oz. beer

combine all ingredients, whisk, whisk, add sirloin. marinate for two days. when grilling, baste with marinade. make the gravy, i implore you! pretty simple for something so incredible. if you're a steak and potatoes kind of person, this may just alter the course of the rest of your life. or it will just be your new favorite steak recipe. whichever!