crafting | MapleDip

Where’s The Pumpkin Dremel?

October 27, 2008 at 7:37 pm | Posted in Baking, crafting, knitting | 1 Comment
Tags: cooking, crochet, knitting, pumpkin

So I had a fairly productive day. Went to Wal-Mart, applied for a job, carved a pumpkin, roasted pumpkin seeds, made chicken fajitas and made homemade oatmeal! I also managed to upload photos of my knitting and crochet! So feast your eyes on these photos!

: Poodle Bottle Cover Body

The body of my retro poodle bottle cover is nearing completion! Except I wish I had used a different colour of cotton yarn…

Next up, the frogged wavy scarf is now turning into a pretty scarf for my mum!

: A Scarf, for Mum

: My attempt at crochet…

Here’s my lame attempt at crochet. I can make a chain and a round…but building on the round is beyond me.

And here is my lame attempt at a jack o lantern…Hence the question where’s the dremel?? I wanted to use one because of course Ms.Martha recommends it and most templates on her website require a vast array of tools — awls, scrapers, saws, drills, dremel etc–that I feel to be a great carver of pumpkins I need a dremel! Wal-mart didn’t have one. Superstore had a fake one. I just found out Home Depot sells them. For 29.99$. Seriously. If I was employed I would totally buy it!

: Mr. Jack O

Mmm Homemade Oatmeal!

Lastly, my delicious oatmeal! It’s a recipe from Rachel Ray’s cookbook Yum-O. Which is a decent cookbook. I mostly enjoyed her breakfast options. One downside is that she never lists nutritional information. I know many of her recipes aren’t very low-cal or low fat, but you would think that she would list the info since this is a cookbook that is aimed at kids and families. But anyways, it’s a good recipe and made a heck of a lot of oatmeal!

Now I’m off to watch Dragon’s Den on the CBC and sip some green tea!

Fate?

October 22, 2008 at 9:13 pm | Posted in Books, crafting | 1 Comment
Tags: Books, crochet

Today was a fairly ordinary day. I bought pumpkins. I checked the job bank (some good leads!). I also acquired a bag of acrylic yarn. I didn’t really want said yarn. I don’t dig acrylic, but I didn’t have the heart to say no to someone who was obviously thinking of me and actually remembered I knit. I set the bag of acrylic down and promptly forgot it existed until hours later, my nosy pooch Rocky sniffed around and dug through the bag. I decided to pull out the yarn, it’s all those econo-balls of Red Heart; navy, plum, banana. Nothing special. But then I found a pattern book! Alas it was for crochet. Next, I discovered some granny squares (at least I think they were!). The greatest treasure inside this bag? A crochet hook! Now maybe I’m over-excited, but I always wanted to learn to crochet, but didn’t necessarily want to buy hooks, in case I was horrible at it or just gave up. Was it fate that I received a bag of yarn that also included a crochet hook? I don’t know but I’m willing to try it out! Yay! I have my very own hook and alot of acrylic to practice with! I can chain and join to make a round, but that is where my skills end. I also think my technique is waaaaay off but I end up with something resembling what the instructions show. I can’t wait for Jen to return from her travels to assist me with crochet!

In my last post I said I needed to charge my camera’s batteries, which I still need to do, but I just found my charger. Yes it took me a month to find it. It was under my laundry hamper. Don’t ask. I don’t know how it ended up there. So be ready for some picture of my knitting progress and CROCHET!

Good Night!

On my bookshelf : Civil and Strange by Clair Ni Aonghusa

I’m still here!!

September 1, 2008 at 10:02 pm | Posted in crafting, random-ness, Thrifty | 1 Comment

At the urging of Miss Jen over at Persephone’s…I’m updating!! : )

My sister got engaged a few months ago…I’m maid of honour and am learning that my duties are to do everything but get married…so it’s been busy.

My contract at work ended…I was happy for a few weeks because I really didn’t enjoy that job but now that I don’t have a paycheque (meagre as it was..)I’m feeling the crunch to get employment…with health and dental benefits to boot!

Absolutely no crafting has been done. I’m lacking in the creativity dept. at the moment. But here are some pics from recent times to keep you up to date…

Glads

Apron with Chairs!

Oops…Sorry for the teaser. My photo program doesn’t seem to want to work. I even managed to delete a nice picture at Nathan Phillips Square…I’ll figure this out tomorrow.

i have been doing a lot of reading..mostly chic-lit and cookbooks but it’s the summer my reading list can be light!

I re-instated the healthy life plan..TODAY! Eating well took a backseat there for awhile. But I was begining to feel gross so it’s back. Even though I had those damn Bear Paw cookies…And I will certainly miss that Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake with Tiramisu Ice Cream from Caffe Demetre’s, and that Almond Joy Ice Cream from the Marble Slab…but I’ll get over it. At least I hope so….

Anyways. There’s a poor excuse for an update!

I’d like to thank my fans…

June 3, 2008 at 6:15 pm | Posted in crafting, knitting, random-ness | 2 Comments
Tags: life, sewing

for reading this!

I’ve officially made it to 301 hits on my little blog! I’m pretty excited about it! I know I have some faithful readers because they have left comments, but there are some annonymous ones too who have reached this place by some pretty random searches! But I welcome all readers and comments! I feel pretty special to have people actually reading/looking at this site! So thanks!

Well not much has been going on…I started knitting the body for a Poodle Bottle Cover, started a new Ballband and while at a supper/creating night at Jen’s, I made a pin cushion! The progress on the knitting is so miniscule I’m not even going to bother with a picture. But here’s the pin cushion:

pin cushion.

I’m heading to the city for a friend’s 25th birthday in a couple days…I hope the weather is nice….I detest driving in the rain…especially on the highway!

I’ve derailed on the Healthy Living Plan…Sometimes life gets in the way and I make poor food choices…such as Irish Cream Cheesecake…which when you try to limit sugar and chocolate and generally really good desserts, once you eat something like that your body totally craves it all the time. Or at least that is what happened with me! I’ve lost 10 Lbs so far which is nice, another 10 to go, but I am worried that the work I’ve done has been undone by poor food choices of the last two weeks…Guess I better get in gear and try to stay on track!!!

I’m off to Value Village!

Adventures in Bread Making, Day 2

April 2, 2008 at 1:11 pm | Posted in Baking, crafting | 2 Comments
Tags: Baking, bread, dishcloth, dog, knitting

(Where’s Day 1 you ask? Well it wasn’t captured on film. Sorry. It was way better than Day 2 so I am really kicking myself for not documenting my first stab at making bread, without a bread machine.)

I was so thrilled with the way my bread turned out on Day 1 that I decided to make more today.

Things started off well enough… Dough, rising It rose beautifully. Twice. Then when it came time to “bake”, it all went to hell in a handbasket pretty quickly. I swear the drama is needed! Bread. Doesn’t it kind of look like it’s frowning? Like it knows it didn’t do it’s job and cook properly? There’s a pretty big divot in the middle, where it sunk down…I blame Libby the Dog for that. She was running amok in the kitchen at the time. I was also on the phone, which may have had something to do with it as well…who knows. Anyways, in case you wanted to know exactly what this bread is, I shall tell you! It is Microwave “Baked” English Muffin Bread, from a Weight Watchers Cookbook. Like English Muffins, this is best toasted, with jam…The first bread I “baked” turned out beautifully and was gobbled up pretty quickly too! This one, just isn’t aesthetically pleasing…Oh well. I’ll still eat it for brekkies!

I realized in my last post that I didn’t put up a picture of my knitting! So here are a bunch o’ knitting pictures. Dishcloths for Grandma! The top white blob thing, is actually supposed to be the circular scrubbie from the dishcloth duo pattern from Knitability. It looks nothing like it is supposed to. I don’t know where I went wrong! Then there is the Ballband, which I made smaller because I found the first one I made was too bulky and cumbersome when doing the dishes.

Next up is “Nubbins”. Nubbins! It’s a pretty easy knit! I like the nubbins on the edge, makes it look all fancy! The pattern is from here: http://inahappycamper.eponym.com/Nubbins%20Dishcloth.pdf

I think that’s all for now! I hope to find time to break in the sewing machine! I have to make an apron by May for a gift, and I need to beef up my sewing skills! Here’s hoping the weekend brings lots of spare time! It’s also Cupcake Week on Martha! I am OBSESSED with CUPCAKES!!!!! I love eating them. I love baking them. I love looking at them. So, maybe I will make cupcakes this weekend…maybe I can find a “diet” version…since I don’t think cupcakes fit into the healthy living plan…

I’ll leave you with a pic of Libby, who I found sleeping on my bed. Doesn’t her expression say, “What the hell? I was sleeping here, leave me alone!” ??

10 cm of Snow?!

March 27, 2008 at 1:09 pm | Posted in crafting, knitting, Thrifty | 3 Comments
Tags: Canisters, knitting, Marshmallow, Thrifting

Ahem. It’s SPRING! That’s all I ‘m saying…I don’t want to anger the weather gods and risk crappy Summer weather…soooo.

I decided to go to Value Village to cheer myself up. I was specifically looking for yarn and knitting needles. There were none to be found! As, I wandered through the aisles, sadly of course, I spotted these crazy tin canisters. Thrifty Canisters

4 for $1.99???? Yeah I could care less if the coffee one has a copper lid with an aqua handle or that they’re incredibly grungy. With tax it came to $2.25. That’s a bargain! They’re “The Queen Line”

Canisters, Again

By A.R.Lite, Made in Canada! I was thinking of keeping my crafting notions in the canisters. Or just displaying them on the baker’s rack in the kitchen. I’ll wash them of course! Although, I am against putting consumables in them. It’s just a rule I have. So yeah I was pretty excited to find these! And the colour! I love it!

Tomorrow, I vow to use my sewing machine. I think I will make a passport wallet. Even though there is no travel in my future. Sadly. I also just discovered that…um. The phone just rang and interupted my train of thought!! Oh right. I was going to say the ADORN Magazine is no longer. Could be a rumour. But I did read it on the internet and everyone one knows that if something is on the internet, well then it’s true!

Here’s the progress I’ve made on my 2nd Ballband. I missed SnB because of a migraine. That is what work does to me. Or it could’ve been due to the fact that I didn’t have my morning coffee or tea. Sometimes, I have tea instead of coffee in the morning. I always have a tea at night. I love visiting my grandma because she always puts my tea in a tea cup! (I drink it out of a mug when I am at home…I know it’s unheard of!). Speaking of my grandma and also of dishcloths, I need to make her some. She has these old ratty knit ones from like 5 years ago. She needs some snazzy new ones, courtesy of moi!

And here is the marshmallow salad, AKA ambrosia salad I made for the potluck. The people who ate it, enjoyed it. But I had a ton of leftovers. I know it looks gross, but I swear it tastes good!

MmmMmmMarshmallows

Ugh. My computer is having issues and frustrating me, that must be a sign that I need to stop writing!

It’s Easter, Yo!

March 22, 2008 at 11:06 am | Posted in crafting, random-ness | 1 Comment
Tags: Easter eggs, Martha Stewart

I should’ve made Easter eggs. I saw a lovely tutorial from Martha. Yeah, I call her “Martha”…no need for silly formalities like last names. She took little bits of lace, tied it around an egg and dunked ’em in veg dye. They were quite pretty. I’d almost want to keep them around all year! I should round up a photo….here you go. Eggs, Martha Style But of course I was under the impression that “adults” don’t colour eggs, that’s for children. But look how sophisticated this is. Children are not sophisticated…but I kind of am. So there.

Oh what else is happening?? Ummmm. Yeah I’m pretty boring in case you haven’t noticed that yet. I missed SnB because I was trying to put together a lesson plan on “Positive Attitude” for work. It (surprisingly!) went over really well. Waaay better than my “Anger Management” lesson. Go figure. I did knit however, at work! It was perfectly acceptable, because the group was learning to knit and crochet as a skill. We do this thing where one person from the group teaches the rest of the group a skill.

So for Easter, things are different this year. My sister is actually hosting the dinner. I’m not sure how I feel about it. It’s a blending of my family with her boyfriend’s family. It’s going to be interesting. Especially with a 10 month old Bloodhound who weighs 115 lbs. and is about as tall as I am when he stands on his hind legs. He also is notorious for stealing food. Mostly I think because he’s not allowed to eat “people” food. But we shall see…I’m apprehensive about this dinner.

At work we’re having an Easter potluck lunch. I am bringing marshmallow salad. I will post pics later of it. It should be good. I mean whipped topping, mandarin oranges, pineapple, grapes, coconut, coloured marshmallows…what more could you want??

So I totally forgot it was Spring. Might have been due to the fact it SNOWED. Yeah, I’m not impressed Mother Nature! Or Weather Fairies. Whoever it is who makes this crazy weather. Where’s the warm sunshine? I need the natural light, it’s good for my well-being.

Well. I suppose I should venture out to the Superstore. Wish me luck. It’ll be a zoo. Because when the grocery store is closed for a day, people freak out and think they’ll never see food again. I’ll try to be on my best behaviour and not yell at the person who stands in the middle of the aisle chatting with a long lost friend of friend’s uncle’s second cousin by marriage. HAPPY EASTER!

Happy Leap Year!

February 29, 2008 at 10:54 am | Posted in crafting, random-ness, Thrifty, TV | 3 Comments
Tags: Britain, coffee, dishcloth, knitting, patterns

Well, it’s been awhile since I last wrote, so here’s a little update about what I’ve been up to.

First, I finished that Ballband dishcloth. I even weaved in the ends! So far, I am finding it difficult to actually use the dishcloth to wash the dishes, however I did use it as a pot holder and it held up pretty well! I need a new knitting project. Oh and some yarn. I’m itching to set up my new sewing machine, but I just haven’t had the time. Maybe I should make the time. I also finished the coffee cozy.

It’s been “finished” for quite some time, but I just decided to weave in the ends and seam it up. It works fairly well. My sister said she’d use one, so maybe I’ll give it to her. Speaking of my dear sister, she ventured out to an indoor yard sale the other weekend and managed to find ONE book of knitting patterns. It’s for men’s socks, but I am pretty sure they can be decreased in size. Guess I better get some DPNs.

Here’s a picture of the front cover. Pattern Book And here’s a picture of my favourite socks. Socks

Sadly I frogged the “Wavy” scarf. It was beyond my repairing abilities and was incredibly frustrating. I also wasn’t in love with the wool. It was a pretty colour but not nice against the skin. Oh well, I’ll attempt it again when I feel up to it!

I also started work. It’s interesting, but not in the mentally stimulating interesting kind of way. In the clients are interesting way….you get me? I also have really not done alot. There is no money left in the budget for me to have my own computer. Which sucks. So I really can’t do anything! We’ll see how this goes. I’ve also applied for a job with the local Children’s Services agency, so maybe something will come of that. The library has yet to give me an interview. Guess I’ll have to volunteer…

And lastly, I am obsessed with British programming. If I had the BBC I probably wouldn’t leave the house. Good thing W and HGTV provide me with my fixes. What I’m watching right now: Cook Yourself Thin –>Yummy recipes that are good for the waistline!; Colin and Justin’s Home Heist –> I love these guys!!! They have some other shows that are filmed in Britain, but this show is all Canadian! Also, I am still trying to figure out if Steven and Chris are Canada’s answer to Colin and Justin…I’m just not sure.; How Clean is Your House? –> Seriously Kim is awesome. I want to be her when I am old : ); Location –> Just a home hunting show.; How to Look Good Naked –> Way better than the American knock off. Gok is waaaaaay better than Carson. Even though I’ve never actually watched the American version…but I did see a preview on Oprah, so I can make judgements. Go ahead, check your local listings so you can watch these programmes too!

Phew. That’s along one. Now it’s snowing…2nd storm in a week! And I have to go stock up on groceries. Also, I am starting a healthy eating plan. I’m not calling it a diet. I’m eating smaller (i.e correct!) portions of food, lightening up some recipes and trying to get in the recommended servings of fruits and veg, grains, protein and dairy. Next, I need to tackle the exercise part of my plan…Maybe I’ll call it a Healthy Living Plan…

Anywho, I’m off to the market!

(edited to add pics of Colin and Justin and Steven and Chris…just for a visual)

Colin and Justin photo from HGTV.ca

Steven and Chris photo from CBC.ca

Randomness – Perfect for a Wednesday

February 20, 2008 at 4:59 pm | Posted in crafting, random-ness | 1 Comment
Tags: dishcloth, knitting, squirrel

Check out this little guy:

My dog spotted him outside on the deck. I had to take a picture. I mean come on, a squirrel eating a muffin. If that doesn’t scream “Kodak Moment” I don’t know what does! I’m sad to report that a huge crow swooped down and stole that squirrel’s muffin! Stupid crow.

Also, I finished my knitted coffee cozy, I just haven’t taken a picture yet. I started a “Ballband Dishcloth” from the Mason-Dixon Knitting book. Carrie over at Carrie’s Workbasket made one too! Here is what I have so far:

Ballband Dishcloth

The colours are Hot Green and Summer Prints of Bernat Handicrafter Cotton. It reminds me of lemons and limes….and a brick wall…I love it!

Not much else has gone on. A couple of trips to Value Village. I found a cute summer-y skirt only to bring it home and find out it was too big and very unflattering. I am going to try to make it flattering and fit though. So, stay tuned. And EEP! Tomorrow is the first day of work!!! I am super confused about what I actually do, but hopefully it becomes clearer tomorrow. Wish me luck!