Blog Doll

Perhaps you've seen her... Or maybe you've heard her while reading... In any case, that's my blog doll, -Nina-. Bucket helped me make her. She picked out the car, the doll, and the name. Please feed her (by clicking on the ice cream truck). She survives solely on ice cream. And if you fill up the yellow present (by feeding her), you can give her a gift. Don't feed her poop though! I think it eventually kills her...After all, it is poop.

Kitty Eared Bib

Skill level: Easy

Abbreviations:
sts = stitches
k2tog = knit to together
DPNs = double pointed needles

Materials:
Size 8 US straight needles
Size 7 US DPNs
Worsted weight cotton yarn

Guage: Not important

Instructions:
CO 30 sts
Knit every row until piece is squared

Neck
Knit 6 sts. BO 18 sts. Knit remaining 6.
Ignoring the first live 6 sts, turn work and knit the "kitty ear" as follows:
[*K 5 rows even
K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog*
Repeat * until you have 2 sts remaining.
Switch to DPNs and work an I-Cord for about 11-12 inches.]

Repeat [ ] for second "kitty ear"

Honey Wheat Bread - as requested (^_~)

• 1 1/2 c warm water (about 110 degrees F)
• 1 pkg. active dry yeast
• 2 Tablespoons & 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 1/2 c white bread flour
• 1 tablespoon and 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, melted
• 2 Tablespoons & 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
• olive oil for greasing
  

In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons honey. Add 2 1/2 cups white bread flour. It'll look a lot like thick pancake batter. Let set for 30 minutes or until big and bubbly.

Mix in 1 tablespoon melted butter, 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons honey, and salt. Stir in 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead the whole wheat flour for about 10 minutes, until it's not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter but still sticky to the thouch. This may take an extra 1 to 2 cups of whole wheat flour. This is why I usually add an extra 1/3 of a cup before kneading. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled (a stove with a warming plate is a good place).

I would suggest in not cleaning up the floured area...

Punch down dough. Lay it down on a floured surface. Form a flat rectangle (about double the size of the pan) and roll it up. Tuck the ends under and place in a greased bread pan. Allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until internal temp is 200 degrees F; do not over bake. Lightly brush with the top with 1 tablespoon of melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.

This is best suited for sandwich bread and makes wonderful toast. If you wish to use nothing but whole wheat flour, remember that you'll use less flour (by about a third). I used a fast rise yeast (rises 50% faster! so the package claims), and it took about three hours from prep time to finished loaf.

Yes, That's Right...

I'm making another bib. I had an idea for one and I want to see how it will look.

This time, I must keep notes!

I hope I can get it to work though.

Sometimes I don't particularly enjoy designing something. At least not in the beginning. It can get quite frustrating....what with the unraveling and all.

And it's never particularly easy to do things when there's an imp in your lap.

Another Happy FO

I finished the bib I was making for my friend. I'm quite pleased with it, naturally. I hope she likes it. She's having a girl and this bib is gender neutral...

I took pictures and had my son model it. Unfortunately, I'll have to upload the pictures tomorrow. The camera batteries need recharged. I'll post the pattern for it tomorrow as well.

I want to make her something else. But I'm not sure if I'll have the time to before the package gets sent off (by this weekend).

I'm in the process of making some delicious honey whole wheat bread. I've recently gotten into the habit of making our own bread. I don't use a bread machine, so it is a bit time consuming. But it's well worth it. Our tummy's had a bit of a difficult time adjusting to the lack of preservatives at first. Which, makes me all the more happy to be making our own.

Dia's also sick - again. She's been missing a lot of school because of it. She's missed yesterday and today...and probably won't go in tomorrow. :sigh: And of course, I have it now too. I also think I have a bit of the stomach virus again as well...Or either that, I ate something icky...I'm not sure.

Have to go check on my bread...

Oh me goodness

My, how I suck at updating...

We got our tax return. Which is our Christmas since we can't ever afford it during Christmas time. We spend most of our money on others and leave none for ourselves. Which I don't mind. I love buying for others.

Then the flu hit our house. Oh joy. That wasn't fun. And I think it's starting to circulate again.

I've managed to fix things at home.

And Dillinger's personality is really starting to blossom. It's crazy. However, he's also an imp. He antagonizes Dia like crazy. Pulls her hair, gets in her face when she's trying to play on the computer. He also absolutely loves to dump chips and whatnot on my floor. On average I'm vacuuming about 3 times a day. He also got into my stash while I was sick...I spent quite some time detangling everything. :sigh: I just vacuumed up a Cheetos mess 20 minutes ago. He got ahold of some Fritos I didn't know my husband gave to Dia. And now. They're on my floor.

Dillinger's mittens did not turn out so well. For some reason, the thumb was all wonky in the knuckle part. Luckily though (or maybe unlucky?), winter was over by the time I finished them. Ohio weather...

I'm now working on another bib. Yes. Another one. A friend in internet-land let me borrow some of her cloth diapers a while back. She's going to be having her second child soon. I figure the least I can do as a thank you is make some bibs for her little one. I love cotton bibs. The ones I made for Dillinger when he was a baby were my favorite. So absorbent. Hopefully, she likes them just as much.

I started it the other night and work on it in stints. I'm almost done with it. I just need to do the other tie.