Birthday Time

Well today was the 1st of Eric's planned birthday parties. A friend of Eric's planned it. I made the cake. His friend helped make the icing and frost the cake. The frosting is an easy
recipe.

Sheri's Quick Butter Creme Icing

1 stick of margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 ounce of water
1 pinch of salt
1 pound of Powdered sugar sometimes called XXX Sugar

Place the first four ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using a low speed on your mixer or by hand, creme until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar with a low speed until incorporated. Now its time to add some air to that frosting. On my Kitchen Aide K5, I turn the speed to 4 which is a slow/medium speed. Beat for 10 minutes, this should leave your frosting light and fluffy.

This makes enough frosting for a small cake. If you double or triple this recipe increase beating time to 15 minutes because of the increased volume. If you would like a white butter creme frosting use a vanilla called Clear Vanilla Extract Available on Amazon. I have included the link.  Most brands are about the same. Link to clear vanilla extract on Amazon.*

Stay tuned to this blog for a KAL. I will tell you it is fast and easy. I designed and hand knit the proto type this evening while watching TV.

*If you decide to use this link to make your purchase on Amazon, Amazon will pay me a small commission.

On the Road to 1 Million

It has been hinted at by various people that my aspiration to knit a million rows and keep track of those rows might be a bit obsessive. That I might even need "to get a life". How can I not aspire to knit a million rows with all that lovely yarn around. Did you also notice that twice a year new yarn collections are released. That means that there is so much more yarn to fall in love with.

These are just some of the lovelies that I have been knitting in the last few weeks. I know some of you read this on your phones so I will not add all the pictures.

 So my answer is no. I am not be obsessive about knitting, just humour me and there maybe something in it for you too.

Moving Along

Well I would like to say if you have not been to my house in the last 6 months you will not recognize it. With the deep house cleaning almost done I have time for knitting and spinning. This is a very good thing. I am doing a benefit show for Eric's Day Program at the Tucson JCC on November 28.  I will post the details as I get them. This would be a good day to do your holiday shopping and get a snack at the bake sale. I will be donating 100% of my sales to the Taglit program. The young people in the program have also designed a line of greeting cards which will be sold. Stay tuned for further details.

Since dinner is cooked I am off to knit.

Just Keeping Up

I am just keeping up with things around the house.  Last night Eric's shower broke. Today I went to Home Depot to get a replacement and fixed it this afternoon. I can do simple plumbing jobs around the house. Which saves a service call. I am not sure if I am up to replacing 2 different sink facets as the appear harder to do. I think I will check out You Tube before I decide whether or not to call the plumber.

This morning the vacuum cleaner motor started to burn. So John went ahead and ordered a bag less model which are all the rage right now.  The kind of remind me of the really old ones my Grandma's both had.  I remember them going out side to dump the cups in the trash and in my child's eyes saw huge puffs of dirt come out of the metal trash cans. It just goes to show us that everything old is new again. I wonder if my grandma's knew that they were being environmentally conscious by using the bag less models?

I did get some knitting done today. The shawl I worked on, now takes about 15 minutes per row to knit. Thank heavens I am on the last skein of yarn for this shawl. House work and laundry took center stage with 5 loads making it from start to finish. If I ever move to a new house and have the chance to design the laundry room I would build it with 2 washers and dryers.

Well it sounds quiet at the back of the house so I hope that this means Eric is settling in for the night.

First Sunday in November

I am happy to report that Eric and I are feeling much better. Thing are getting done around the house. I know this because I told John that 5 hours was my maximum cleaning time and went on to do a full 8 hour day. I know it was to much because I feel sore right down to my bones. I also took the time to delegate some of my chores. I gave John the cooking and half of the filing today. That took some pressure off of me. I did manage to sneak in a little knitting after dinner.  Well it looks like a busy week ahead for me so I. Will call ot a day.

Still Here

It has been a bit crazy around here lately. If you have not been to the house in a while you will not recognize the interior of the house. The house no longer looks like a fiber artist has taken over the house completely. I am beginning to adjust to that, now I just have to remember where I put everything and I will be fine. I still find it a bit disconcerting to have to go to the garage to pull out stash yarn and fiber to work with. I know once my stash is a manageable size, it will all be in the house. Now don't you all hold your breath. It might take another year or 2 to get to that point.

Eric shared his cold with me and I spent all of yesterday sleeping while John was in charge of Eric. Except for a little post viral asthma for Eric all seems to be better today. I am also feeling better but still on the tired side.

Eric even let me spin in his room today. I finished 2 spinning projects today and both are off the spindles. I am still on a hat streak and knitting 3 to 4 hats a week. I will either get tired of knitting them or the scrap basket will get to low to make really awesome hats and I will have to move on to other things.

Well I think I will call it quits for tonight and tuck Eric in.

Dental Work

I have had more dental work done this week. I am dealing with the soreness by taking naps when I get to sore or tired.  I still am managing to get some cleaning and organazing done.

I am still In my hat phase and started on today.  I even got some spinning done while waiting for our slow stream of trick or treaters tonight. Well it seems like it has been a very long day, so I am calling it an early night and hope that Eric sleeps through the night tonight.