Everyday we’re craftin’

Aynaria 5 Comments

This past Sunday, I took a break from knitting to work on craft bags for my daughters classmates.

After church, my daughter and I headed to Micheals to purchase card stock, a few clear acrylic stamps, and fun little gadgets/snacks to add to the bags. When we were back home, my daughter picked out a cute turkey digital stamp, she colored most of the turkeys while I cut, printed out names.

My daughter loves glitter glue

 

She added glitter to the names…

While I embossed the brown paper bags with my Cuttlebug, glued and added the turkeys to the bags. It took us about five hours to complete everything.

My daughter colored and added designs to each turkey based on the classmates preferences. She’s pays attention to others, such a remarkable trait. It’s something I’ve taught her since she was born. Often times I put her needs above my own. Not only am I the parent, she’s also a great friend. I enjoy spending time with her.

My daughter colored the bags based on her classmates preferences…

 

But yesterday morning, I couldn’t help but think I could add something more to the turkey. The poor thing didn’t have any feathers after all… and then it hit me! I could use leaves! While part of me was thrilled that I found a solution, the other part really didn’t want to cut the turkeys/names off the old bags, and reapply them (with ‘feathers’) to brand new bags! That was more work, and I didn’t have a lot of time. But that’s exactly what we did.

Thanksgiving bags are ready to go to school!

 

My daughter and I completed the changes before school. Hooray for teamwork!

My daughter thought the boys in her class would think the bags were lame. But they didn’t, they really liked them. Quite a few asked how they were made, and we told them. Of course, I made extras bags just in case… but I didn’t need them. I know all the children in her class, and so the leftovers were given to her teacher who liked our crafty idea too.

Spending the time together, was a great chance to bond with my daughter. It was also a great opportunity to talk about a variety of topics.  She’s told me often, that she appreciates that I like spending time with her. listen to some of her frustrations.

Sometimes parents need to keep their mouths shut, and listen to what their children have to say. You really need to make time, since if you don’t they might not have time for you as they get older.

 

Bonding while cooking; vegetable fried rice

Aynaria 1 Comment

Today, my daughter and I wanted a quick meal. We decided that we wanted fried rice.

In the picture below, you can see our food being prepared in my  hand hammered stainless steel wok. It’s a nicely seasoned wok. I’ve had it since I was in college, so it’s over twenty years old.

I recently discovered that I could cook with it on our smooth top stove, so it’s been seeing a lot of activity.

 

Since we didn’t have any already steamed rice, my daughter decided she would steam more rice. She was the pilot of this meal. I was just along for the ride. My daughter is nine-years old, and knows how to cook a variety of meals. I asked if she wanted chicken or beef to her portion, but she said no. She just wanted vegetables, which is all right by me!

While  my daughter was steaming the rice, I set aside the cutting board, and observed as she sliced and diced; garlic, ginger, yellow onion, broccoli, and thinly sliced carrots.  You know, I was going to do that, but my daughter blocked me. Can you believe that. She told me, she was handling it.I just stood on the sidelines… observing.  It seems she wanted to run the show today. My daughter did add a bit of egg to her portion of the fried rice.

Together we added some herbs/seasonings. I’m glad she let me do that much! 😉 Some of the things we added were… cumin, homemade garlic salt, and my daughter said… “You don’t need to know the rest, it’s my secret!” I’m realizing, that my daughter can be a bit bossy when she prepares a meal. And I must say, that it’s nice to see, since it tells me her confidence with her abilities, has grown. It’s now time time for her to show off her culinary skills, and I’m one proud mama, and am I’m thrilled with whatever other job she assigns to me. 😉

I must say the meal was quite delicious. I love cooking, and enjoy passing on that skill to my daughter. A nice perk is it gives us even more time to bond.

Chaka Demus & Pliers: Murder She Wrote

Knit Picks: Free Biggo yarn with $5 purchase

Aynaria 1 Comment

While browsing Ravelry, I saw that KnitPicks has an amazing deal on Biggo Yarn. If your KnitPicks purchase is over $5.00, you’ll be able to get a free skein of Biggo yarn. I thought, with a name like ‘biggo’ it has to be bulky!

I was right…

I rarely use bulky yarn, but I’m thinking this yarn would be perfect for a hat or mittens.

Biggo Yarn

Content: 50% Superwash Merino Wool, 50% Nylon
Weight: Bulky Weight
Knitting Gauge: 3 – 3.75 sts = 1″ on #10 – 11 needles (6.0mm-8.0mm)
Crochet Gauge: 8–11 sc = 4” on K-M hooks (6.5mm – 9mm)
Amount: 110 yards/100 gram Hank
Care: Machine Wash, Tumble dry low

This super soft blend of superwash merino and nylon is plyed together into a light and lofty 2-ply yarn, making Biggo the perfect choice for easy care garments and accessories. The bulky gauge will have your projects flying off your needles and hooks in no time at all! Biggo is also well suited for cozy, oversized sweaters without the time commitment of finer weight yarns. Bulky, comfy and versatile – Biggo will have you longing for chunky knits all year long.

 

Although Knit Picks doesn’t  have a super huge selection of Biggo yarn (about 15 total)  I’ve chosen asphalt heather. It’s currently hanging out in my online shopping cart as I decide if I should purchase or should I just wait to see what deals they have on Cyber Monday.

Oh by the way, the promotion code you’ll need too take advantage of this awesome deal is trybiggo.

My newest yarn from Knit Picks

Aynaria 9 Comments

Almost two weeks ago, I placed my first Knit Picks yarn order and four days afterwards, it arrived. I’ve had a chance to play around with some of my yarn. I started knitting some yellow mittens..

Look at all the colorful yarn! The bright colors make me smile. 🙂

 

And while some rave about Wool of the Andes yarn, I wasn’t a fan… well at least not for myself since it feels itchy against my skin. Also, I didn’t find this wool as soft as some of the other wool yarn that I’ve worked with, like Patons Classic Wool. But, I really liked Knit Picks Swish! Swish, didn’t make my skin get all prickly like Knit Picks WOTA, and I thought it was softer. Of course, my reaction to a finished object made with Swish  might be completely different.

Take for example the lovely crocheted scarf, that I made with Patons Classic Wool. I didn’t have an issue while working with the yarn. I even held it up to my skin/neck while working on the scarf,  but now that it’s complete.  It’s itchy. I’m a bit sad since the scarf is so lovey. The good news, is that I already know who’ll be the recipient of that scarf. I have a few finishing touches to add to the scarf, like beads, but I know the recipient will be happy. I’ll be making Sarah’s Windblown leaves scarf for myself, but I’ll use yarn that my skin will tolerate.

Flavor: Tofu Scramble

Aynaria 3 Comments

We’re not big tofu eaters in my house, but now and again I’ll prepare a dish that calls for tofu.

I love color!

What’s amazing about tofu is that it takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with. I think of it as my blank canvas that I can turn into whatever I want. A few years ago I made a chocolate truffle pie. The secret ingredient was tofu. A few of my friends didn’t believe that tofu was in there, until they saw me make one.

Last week I made tofu scramble for my daughter and myself. My daughter was pleased since she loves tofu scramble, and I was thrilled that because the meal was colorful, nutritious, and on the table in under ten minutes.

For Thanksgiving, my daughter wants Indian and Caribbean food. I suggested we go out to eat, but she wants us to make the food at home. Uhm, ok… looks like we’ll be cooking on our unturkey day. 😉

Craig Mack: Flava in Ya Ear (ReMix)

Rounding up my equipment; cold process soap

Aynaria 9 Comments

My daughter and I are both counting down the days; we share one countdown, soapmaking which we’ll be doing during the Thanksgiving holidays. She also has two more countdowns; Thanksgiving, and Christmas. She’s excited seeing me pull out my soapmaking equipment….

Getting ready for soapmaking!

 

I’ve already set aside my stock pots, immersion blender, and my dependable Kitchen Aid mixer which I purchased about six years ago. If I remember correctly, I spent a little over $300, for that, it was a great investment. All the items I’ve listed are used exclusively for making skin care products..

The above mentioned items, along with essential oils, herbs, and my carrier oils; jojoba, coconut, olive oil, and palm oil, are in the basement. Jojoba oil, finds it way into many of my soaps, and skin care recipes since with soapmaking it adds lather, and conditioning properties to the soap. Also, jojoba oil mimics the sebum, which is naturally found in human skin, and can make a great ingredient to add to skin products. If used correctly.

You can use a variety of items for soap molds.

 

My sodium hydroxide (NaOH) aka Lye should be arriving toward the end of this week. I have lye in my garage, but I don’t think it’s good since I’m thinking it’s been exposed to moisture. My ‘soap molds’ are actually bread loaf pans, which I purchase at the local department store. I also have my goggles, mask, and rubber apron that I’ll be wearing while making the soap. I don’t play when handling caustic chemicals.

Since cold process soap normally takes three – six weeks to cure the process won’t be instant gratification, but I still have enough homemade soap to tide us over until my new batch cures.

I’ll be sure to take pictures of the process. I imagine you’ll see photos from my daughter and myself. This will be her first year, that she gets to play an active role making the cold processed soap, and she’s excited.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Aynaria 4 Comments

Oh my the time has flown by so quickly!

My daughter and I are looking forward to next month when we can finally go see The Hobbit, at the movie theaters.

We don’t watch too many movies at the theater, since we both seem to prefer watching them at home on our large flat screen television, without the potential crowding/noise that can accompany a theater… but I do believe we’ll make an exception for The Hobbit.

 

Last evening, I started making a cowl that I most likely will give away to someone, but I’ve decided to hold off and knit a few hobbity items for my daughter and myself. Now, I’ll just have to narrow down what I want to knit.

On Ravelry, The Lord of the Rings group, has numerous Hobbity patterns. I’ve already knitted a few over the past several months. And so I’ll be browsing those, and the pattern section at Ravelry so I can knit some hobbit inspired items for my daughter and me.