thimbly things

The weekend makes me tired.  I think for most people, the weekend is a time to recharge.  For me, it’s my chance to get out and get things done.  So sometimes I overdo it.  And then I crash.  I napped on Saturday and on Sunday, just as I did last weekend, and then I suffered from slight insomnia last night.  Just couldn’t get it quite right.

It was a lovely weekend though.  I went to the tried and true Quality Thrift Store a quarter-mile away and picked up some neat finds.  Instead of crocheting my own, I found a random-stripe ripple afghan for $5.  And it’s already broken in.

I also found this tediously embroidered tree.  No lie–about 7 people stopped me at the thrift store to comment on it.   Lots of Oh, that’s interesting!s.  I agree.  Though it is also a bit strange.  I’m thinking of embellishing it somehow.  Perhaps with birds or flowers.  Any ideas?

And here is my Mystery WIP.  I began it while watching Barton Fink with Evan, and it evolved into I don’t know what.  A scarf?  A purse?  A pillow?  I really don’t know.  At first, I was working from a pattern in Pretty Knits.  I knew my gauge was off, but I didn’t realize how off.  I decided to make a ruffle to slim things down, and now I don’t know what this is anymore.  But it started as a bag.  Hmmm…

Speaking of Barton Fink, Evan is doing a Coen Brothers Month over at Movie Zeal.  He talked me into watching all 12 of their films sequentially with him.  I’ve never studied a director (or two) in this way before, and it’s very interesting to see their work evolve.  I find that I feel strongly about every film–I either love it or hate it.  But then I also think Perhaps this will be better upon a second viewing…  I don’t know.  I’ve always loved Raising Arizona.  Since I was about 8 years old.  Knowing the quirkiness of this film helped me appreciate Blood Simple.  I couldn’t help but notice similar themes, camera angles, and even a splash of their Coen humor.  But when we got to Miller’s Crossing and Barton Fink, I was pretty disappointed.  But like I said, maybe if I watch them again?

Last night was The Hudsucker Proxy night.

And The Brothers redeemed themselves.  At least, for now.

The latest addition to the yarn basket:

Rag Balls.  These are scraps of old clothes that have seen better days.  I was up until 1 am making these.  And there are many more to come.

I hope to make a rug out of these, but I’m sure I’ll need to shred many more old T-shirts and such before I have enough for anything substantial.  I checked Mason-Dixon Knitting out of the library, and there’s a neat pattern for a log cabin-style rug.  It actually calls for yarn and scraps of woven material, but it’s one of those patterns where it doesn’t really matter.  The ultimate goal is a rectangle big enough to stand on.  (Note: I just did a quick search on mason-dixon knitting, and I quickly came across the authors’ blog.  The latest entry talks about making rag balls and, a few entries later, the log cabin rug (which is actually called “The Tailgate Rag Rug”)!  Pretty neat.  Guess I can return that library book without making photocopies first…)

This Friday’s WIP: Cleaning the house for tomorrow.  And that’s a major WIP.  And I need to write an article for the church’s women’s newsletter.  Yet here I am telling you about fabric balls that have nothing to do with anything I should be doing.

Must step away from the Mac… unless I’m writing that article…

As it turns out, the tension rod in the kitchen is too long for the little nook in the bathroom.  I think I’ll just take my time and ponder the possibilities of my new fabric before I jump in.  I always have that initial excitement that makes me a bit irrational with new crafting supplies.  But if I sit on my ideas and materials for too long, I don’t do anything.  Hopefully blogging about all this will help me be both productive and rational all at once…

Speaking of productivity, while Evan had a Super Smash Bros. Wii party last night, I entertained the girls and finished a WIP.  These little blossoms are from Pretty Knits by Susan Cropper (another great library find!).

The pattern is for a brooch, but I used larger needles than called for (#6) and made a bouquet instead.

These are intended as decoration for my upcoming baby shower (hence my silly rhyming title).  Though some friends are throwing it for me, I can’t let go of the opportunity to make lots and lots of stuff.  I’m now obsessing over favors, but I must keep those a secret.

I will tell you that I’m making Cream Cheese Mints to freeze for the party.  With only 4 ingredients (2 of which are sugar…), they are delicious and addictive.  Thanks to my dear friend Page, who introduced me to these years ago.  If I remember correctly, the recipe goes like this:

1 bag powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 8 oz.  block cream cheese
several drops oil of peppermint (to taste)
food coloring (optional)

*You’ll also need a candy mold, though you could just smoosh the mints between your fingers if you don’t have one.  I found my mold at Michaels, where I also found oil of peppermint in a set with other candy flavorings.

Combine powdered sugar and cream cheese.  This gets tough, but you just have to get your hands dirty.  Then add mint to your liking.  Don’t overdo it though!  And, as Page always said, you must use oil of peppermint and not mint extract!   Just keep tasting it until you know it’s right.  At this stage, you can also add a drop or two of food coloring.

The next part is time-consuming, and you should probably enlist the help of a friend or two.  With cream cheese concoction thoroughly mixed and a bowl of granulated sugar, pinch off quarter-sized bits of mixture, roll in your hands, coat in sugar, and then press into candy mold.  The granulated sugar should help in removing the mints from the mold.  If you have trouble releasing them, try sprinkling sugar into the mold before pressing mints into it.

Set mints out on a paper towel or plate to dry for an hour or two.  Once dried to your liking, you can freeze them for your upcoming party where they’re sure to be a hit!  Just try not to eat them all in the meantime.

OK, Page, did I get all that right?  I hope so, since I’ll be making some quite soon!

I think the finale airs tonight, but I sure couldn’t figure it out from Bravo’s website.  So I’m about to go turn on the TV and just wait for a commercial that clarifies this mystery.  In the meantime, I have my own little fashion creation to share:

What a great little model Miss Emily is!  Even when Mama puts her in something this chunky and unflattering to her bulbous figure, she still smiles and poses for me.

I’m hoping that it will look much sweeter with a super-simple dress.  The flowers on her shirt today and the ribbon on her pants were just too much with the chunky bolero.  Emily’s tummy really does bulge a bit.  Since the bottom of the sweater hit her right above her midsection, it just didn’t work well over a shirt.  But it might be OK with a summer dress… ?  I may try again in another color and make it longer.

For now, it’s time to sit down to a bit of this:

This being Evan’s homemade, San Francisco-style sourdough bread, some berries, and a splash of kefir.  Yum.

Emily may get a rose-colored jacket instead of a gray one. I thought I had a skein of gray yarn, but I appear to be all out. I do, however, have lots of this rose stuff from the Vanna’s Choice line. It’s cheap, but Emily doesn’t care and doesn’t wear anything for more than a few months anyway. I’m developing the pattern from scratch with only a basic idea of kimonos… and I’m leaving the sleeves very short. I hope this works. If so, I’ll try my hand at actually writing the pattern and sharing it!