NOT Wordless

Not a wordless Wednesday, for sure, but. . .far more eye candy than words!  Hey, it's what you do after a fabulous first birthday party!

Mork and Mindy spent much of the weekend focused on the birthday Peanut! Weeks of party prep gave us this scrumptious spread:

And the cupcakes. . .

The cupcakes didn't go like we thought they would, but in the end, they were super, super-cute!

The birthday girl supervised set-up. . .

. . .she taste-tested the punch with Dollface. . .

. . .she was so happy to open presents (new shoes!). . .

. . .and so many Minnie Mouse toys and accessories!  Oh, and she got to eat that giant cupcake (came from a bakery, they did an excellent job). . .

It was a super-fun day, with lots of new clothes and toys and fun memories for her family.  In the end, she decided the sheep sweater looked pretty good on Beagle-face. . .

Hmmm, I guess I'll take it.  lolz!  It's been too warm for the baby to wear her sweaters around here lately anyway. . .I don't know where winter has gone, but it's not here lately!  And even the grand-DOG is pretty cute in the sweater and hat!

So, not wordless, but less wordy than usual.  I hope that you enjoyed the pix!    Thanks for stopping by, and knit in good health!

St. Peanut's Day Recipe

I know that today is St. Patrick's Day, and I know that St. Patrick's Day is all about the green, but. . .since Peanut's daddy did not make it home in time for a party last Saturday, we are celebrating St. Peanut's (Birth)Day today. . .and that means lots of PINK!!!  Actually, we've been celebrating all week, but today is the day for sharing the celebration with family and friends.  There has been much preparation, and Minnie Mouse (her favorite) has played a big part in our theme for the day...

(Disclaimer: If you are coming to the party later today, please act surprised at our kitchen craftiness. . .K?  K.  Thanks!)

The cupcakes were Mindy's idea, and they looked great when we finished them yesterday.  This morning, I am just praying that the icing held up and they still look lovely for the party...  Yes, the cupcakes turned out really cute, but the thing that really got me excited is the new recipe for sugar cookies I found...they are super yummy!  I love my old recipes, but finding a new gem is sometimes just as priceless, and getting to use my Grandma's rolling pin in the process is a super bonus!

Keep reading for the recipe to these super-yummy cookies, but don't forget to stop and marvel at the craftiness of taking cookies, cut with a Micky-Mouse cutter...

...and turning them into super-girly Minnie Mouse treats for our little Peanut!

Mmmmmm!, and while I was at it this week, the baking and cooking for the party, I  did manage to stop long enough to knit a letter M. . .there is just no end to the creativity at Pretty's house!

Now, I'm off to finish my end of the party prep.  Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (or, bake some yummy sugar cookies) in Good Health!  Here's the recipe:

Sugar Cookies from the Crisco Sticks Label

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time (350ºF): 6 min

Yield: 6 dozen 2-inch cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening Sticks
OR 1 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening
2 large eggs
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour, plus 4 tablespoons
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. HEAT oven to 350º F. 
2. COMBINE sugar and shortening in bowl of electric mixer; beat at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, corn syrup and vanilla; beat until well blended and fluffy.
3. COMBINE 3 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl; gradually add to shortening mixture, beating at low speed until well blended.
4. DIVIDE dough into 4 equal pieces; shape each into disk. Wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
5. SPRINKLE about 1 tablespoon flour on large sheet of waxed paper. Place disk of dough on floured paper; flatten slightly with hands. Turn dough over; cover with another large sheet of waxed paper. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove top sheet of waxed paper.
6. CUT into desired shapes with floured cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
7. BAKE 5 to 7 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet; transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

You deserve a break today. . .

Everyone needs a break now and then, and I am thankful that our military has seen fit to give mid-tour leave to the boys and girls serving in the current "over there."  My last post was all about Dollface, so it's no surprise that today is all about her brother, who is in the middle of a tour in a very sandy place.  He came "home" to Mindy and Peanut last week, and they were so happy to be together again!

Peanut was a little apprehensive at first. . .he's been gone for more than half of her little life!  Despite that, she has already fallen in love with her Daddy again:

She has her moments, when she would rather have Mommy for sure, but every kid has that sometimes.  It's just so good to see them all together again, and I am thankful that they are together in my neighborhood for this leave.  It's every soldier's mom's dream to have that boy or girl back so close. . .so I am a happy Pretty!  Here's another reason I am so happy:

All of them were sitting together in church on Sunday with Sweetie and I.  It's been a long time since I even had the opportunity for a photo like this, and I even got a "bonus kid" in there!!!  A friend of Mindy's has been coming to church the last couple of weeks, so she joined the group as they found their seats and settled in for the morning's worship. . .my eyes welled up as I set for this picture, and then Dollface rolled hers and whispered, "Mommmm!!! Really?!?  It's just church!"  lol!  

(Side Note: Sweetie was ordained as an elder in our church this week, and all the kids were there for him...yay!  I am one lucky Pretty!)

So that's what's going on here.  How's the weather in your neck of the woods?    I hope that you find loved ones around you, and that you also take a break now and then to stop and smell the crocuses, daffodils and tulips that signal Spring's joyous arrival!  Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

We go together. . .

Heard at my house, one evening this week:

"I guess knitting is just like riding a bike. . .a stupid, yarny bike!!!"

Since Dollface got married, I have missed our time together.  I know that's the natural order of things, but when she showed me this picture that she took with her phone the other day:

It really got me thinking that I'd like to spend more time with her when I can.  So, when she asked if I wanted to go to lunch this week, I was super glad to say yes!  Because we had so much fun at lunch that day, and since both Snake and Sweetie had previous engagements that evening, we decided to extend the fun with an old-fashioned craft night at my house - Yay!

We started with paints.  Remember the painted bowls from a couple years back?  Well, I still had some of the paints, and a few leftover serving platters from those sets of dishes, so we set out to decorate!  Here's what we came up with:

Not too shabby for a couple of semi-sometimes-crafty chicks, eh!?!  We were quite proud of ourselves, but neither of us was ready for the fun to end. I remembered when Dollface and I learned together how to knit, at a baseball tournament out of town, in the sun with all the other sisters and moms, while dads and brothers were busy on the field. . .and I asked if she'd like to try that again.  She said yes, so we got some yarn and needles.  She started slow at first, shy around the purl stitches, and a bit awkward:

. . .but eventually, she was knitting like the wind!

Even though she resisted a pattern in her knitting at first, she eventually insisted on casting on some of the stitches and knitting the simple pattern of the 1-row scarf, and then berated herself a little at fearing the purl stitch  Eventually, she declared (through clenched teeth), "I guess knitting is just like riding a bike. . .a stupid, yarny bike!!!," as her fingers started to automatically remember what they were supposed to do.

We both laughed, as we had been prone to doing throughout our crafty evening, and she claimed her knitting victory.  When it was time to go home, she took her yarn and needles, and let me know that this scarf would likely be my Christmas present this year.  I can't wait for December!

Now that I have yarn in her hands, my next challenge is getting her on Ravelry. . .I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!  What's your next project?

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Buying and Knitting Rhymes

This week I did it again, I bought yarn.
From a friend a-destashing
I bought yarn, I bought yarn!!!

I thought I could hold off 'til Wool-Fest, I did.
But I couldn't, by golly...
Just look what I did:

Some's been discontinued, and some are my faves,
But all of the colors in that box - 
They're all my faves!

Besides the yarn-buying, I also did knit.
But socks and secret hats are not
All that I've knit. . .

See here, I have knitted a fine letter "J"!
Letter "F" will soon follow
That fine letter "J".

And now that I've bought and knitted this rhyme,
It's time to wrap up,
My newest blog rhyme!

Don't judge, I know this isn't Pulitzer-Prize-winning stuff, but rhyming is hard work for an early Wednesday morning!  Off I go now to my real job, and then more knitting (and less rhyming), for sure. . .

Thanks for stopping by, and knit in good health!

Sox and photos. . .

Sooo, this post was going to be all about sox. . .safe sox, pictures of sox, hints about sox, and advice about sox. . .but then I got some better pictures (thank you, Connie!) of the Abalone.  So, here's the sweater:

And here's the detail of that front corner, which no longer puckers anywhere, because the rip and redo were successful:

Turns out that I love it, and I love the way it photographs!  Of course, I also love sox!  As a matter of fact, sox were my first knitting love some years ago, and I have now enabled another knitter to the world of the sock-obsessed:

Her Ravelry name is EternalSocks, because she never thought she would finish her first pair, but after these were finished this week, she exclaimed that she needs to always have socks on the needles!  Welcome to the Dark Side, EternalSocks. . .  I know that the slope to the sock-obsessed is slippery, but there's some wiggle room for other projects.  Still, I have two pair on the needles myself these days!  There are my Back Socks, in the color of Fruit Loops. . .

. . .and the Pretty Helen socks, in more neutral tones:

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle those toes!

Yes, those are my ugly toes. . .quick!  Look at another sweater picture!

Whew!  That's better!  I LOVE THIS SWEATER!  And I love knitting Sox, too!  Maybe there will be more sox in the next post, maybe not.  But, all in all it's been a great knitting week for me, and I hope that it has been a good one for you, too!

Thanks for stopping by, and until next time, Knit what you love in Good Health!

How to celebrate...

It seems like yesterday that this was us:

But, as you may be able to tell by the photos flanking ours. . .you know, our kids' wedding photos. . .it's been a few years since we "tied the knot."  As a matter of fact, Mr. Pretty and I were recently doing the math, and the end of February marks our silver anniversary!  It seems like just yesterday that we made all the promises, wide-eyed and all smiles (with a few happy tears), and pledged to remain. . .through better and worse, sickness and health, richer and poorer, yada-yada-yada. . .and we placed bands of gold on the third fingers of our left hands.  But the fact that our youngest got married, and our oldest made us grandparents last year. . .

Well, that really brings it home.  It's definitely been 25 years!  There's been better and worse, and sickness and health, and richer and poorer, and more.  There were times that it was so difficult that I didn't really know if we were gonna make it, but we did, and I am so glad!  If you had asked back then, I am sure I would have said that I'd rather not have to endure the hard parts. . .but there's something about going through the difficulties together that has grown us both as individuals and as a couple.  As high school sweethearts, we have basically grown up together, and I love him more than I ever thought possible. . .exponentially more than I already did on our wedding day!

Sooo, how does Pretty celebrate 25 years with Mr. Pretty?  Well, I started by finishing that sweater so I could wear it. . .

. . .and then there was a little trip over to Texas Roadhouse for a steak dinner.  Woo! Hoo!  Yep, we are wild and crazy still!!

Thanks for indulging me.  Now, back to life as usual (and, of course, knitting).  

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Finishing?

I thought I heard you say that February is for FISHING. . .

*smacks forehead*

. . .so I have finally ripped out the border on my Abalone sweater (I know, I know, technically it's a mollusk), and I am working on the redo, and finishing the armholes.  (There was funny bunching to the stockinette fabric at the corners in front on my first attempt, and I think this has been in Time Out for over a month.  Upon closer inspection of the photos on the actual pattern, I don't think this was a mistake, but a design element.  Either way, I didn't like it, so there was frogging of 16 garter ridges, knit in the round. . .yuck!)

It's been a long couple of days on this one. . .but I may actually finish it in February, too!  Go Pretty!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

C-A-T, and other words. . .

Why is it that when I am taking pictures that do NOT involve a C-A-T of any kind, one of my furry friends seriously wants to hone in on the action?  BUT, when I want to take a picture of this:

I have to include a toy kitty, because the others cannot be bothered to jump down from their regal positions on the back of the sofa!  Silly girls!  But, I did finish the letter C and the letter T this week, so even a toy C-A-T seemed appropriate!

At first, I was going to take lone pics, like this:

But look how lonely the "T" looks.  In that last picture, it looks like it's missing a V...I wonder what color V will be...black, like the remote?  Maybe.  But, for now anyway, it can hook up with C and A (or B and U, or C and O, or B and A. . .you get the picture!) and not be quite so lonely.  Whew!  There's nothing quite as sad and pathetic as lonely letters!. . .or is there?  Sweetie and I were both pretty sad and pathetic this past week. . .nothing too major, but we both "tweaked" our backs at different times, and ended up at the doctor's office over it.  Of course, with all the down time, I also started two pair of socks.  One pair waiting for him at the doctor:

(These are my "Back Socks" on Ravelry.  Name's not too

original, it's just a plain vanilla sock in a crazy yarn, 

so I didn't have to think too much while I worried.)

This other pair is "Helen Socks" from a pattern I found on Ravelry, by verybusymonkey.  It's such a pretty lace, but only a 4 row repeat, and very easy to do without too much thought. . .you know, like when you don't want to tax yourself too much, but you need something to take your mind off of your hurty back. . .sigh!

So there's been a lot of sitting at my house this week. . .which means there's been a lot of knitting, and that's a good thing - yay!  And our backs are mostly better (or at least getting there) - yay!  And, although February has not really been about finishing for me, I have gotten a LOT done, in the knitting world anyway - yay!  I hope that you have had a productive week (free from injury), and that it's been mostly good for you, too.  =D

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

All about U, Y? B-cause!

Cryptic title, no?  Well, not really, I suppose. . .here's what I've been knitting the past few days. . .the letter "U". . .

. . .which means that the vowels volume is now complete.

Well, unless you include "Y" as a vowel.  Y would you do that?  Well, it's just a silly rule of the language.  The vowels are A, E, I, O and U. . .and sometimes Y.  Sooo. . .

. . .the vowels are now complete, even if you include Y!  B-cause I am (apparently) very obsessed with motivated to make a complete, 26-letter pot of Alphabet Soup!  See?

The cats, they are not so impressed with the soup. . .

Whatever.

. . .but they are glad that the toys provide so many new "hiding places" when the dogs come over with the baby!

They'll NEVER see me HERE!

lolz, Cat!

What's your latest obsession?  Is it craft related?  Something else?  Inquiring minds want to know everything!  (see how I used all the vowels?  haha!)

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (or whatever) in Good Health!