Yesterday was a wonderfully inspirational day! The library is having a mini sewing workshop led by the multi-talented Jean W. Last week they made lounge pants and this week tote bags! Unfortunately, I have to work so I can't participate. Fortunately, Jean (who organizes our knit/crochet group too) filled my fabric void with a hearty stack of 8x8 inch squares and a copy of the tote pattern. So I'll be dusting off my sewing machine this weekend and giving it a go! In the mean time, I'm itching to do some hand stitching so I'm making a batch of flowers following the (fabulous) pincushion tutorial Truly Myrtle posted recently. I won't be making the pincushion though as I'm planning on attaching the flowers to barrettes or a headband for my hair. Keeping with the sewing theme, this wonderful new book, 101 One Yard Wonders came home with me yesterday as well. With sew many (sorry!) neat things and instructions that seem clear and easy to follow I'm not sure what I want to make first. I'm torn between a holder for my hooks or a new apron. I continue to make swift progress on the Juliana Mod Wrap. Last night I finished the set up row of the mesh section. Working the 2DC Cluster is a little awkward at first, and it took a bit to get my grove, but it's easy to memorize and in no time I was at the end. I panicked for a moment when it looked like I was one stitch short (I counted 240 three times!) but I worked into the top stitch of the turning chain below and breathed a sigh of relief! The even rows of this section are a breeze. I'm so glad I decided to give this a go!
Now, how about that Nora Roberts book?! I am literally pages away from the end her latest offering, The Last Boyfriend. It's book two in the Inn BoonsBoro trilogy. What do I think? I'll fill you in on my thoughts on this one and Catching Fire (another book two!) later in the week. Guess what's up next? Finally it's my turn for 50 Shades of Grey. It's gotten so much hype - can it really be that good? Just a few more stops to make before I have to get to work. I'd love it if you'd join me while I visit Ginny, Tami and Sue. We can take a look at what everyone else has been inspired by this week. What inspires you? Until next time friends, Be blessed and stitch & read with love!
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That's my Juliana Mod Wrap under the book! The Body in the Boudoir by Katherine Hall Page Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: William Morrow (May 1, 2012) In the twentieth installment of the Faith Fairchild Mystery series we find out how the heroine met and married her husband, Tom Fairchild. It’s 1990 and Faith Sibley is the owner of an up and coming catering company, Have Faith, in New York City. The daughter (and grand-daughter) of a preacher, she has sworn to leave parish life behind for good. While catering a wedding, Faith unexpectedly meets Tom (the Reverend!) and it’s love at first sight for both of them. A whirl wind romance leads to wedding plans for the happy couple. However it’s not all flowers and gift registries. As the planning progresses, the mysteries unfold. Faith’s new employee Francesca has a secret. Her sister Hope is experiencing strange phone calls and trouble with clients at her high powered job on Wall Street. When Faith visits her Uncle’s Long Island estate where the wedding will take place a pile of falling bricks narrowly misses her. And then there is the body in the boudoir. All of these pieces should work together to tell a love story speckled with mystery and intrigue. But for me it never comes together. I enjoyed learning about Faith, Tom and their families. They’re funny and quirky and I remember them from other books. Faith is spunky and smart and I can see how the 1990’s version has grown into the character who I like traveling and solving mysteries with. And I could feel the chemistry between Faith and Tom that is evident in the other books in the series that I’ve read. The love story worked for me. The mystery did not. There are sub plots (Francesca and Hope) that have little relevance to the rest of the story, and I don’t think they add anything entertaining or important. If I’m honest, it feels like the body in the boudoir was only included because we expect Faith to solve a murder. Overall I’m disappointed with this offering. I haven’t read all of the other 19 in the series, but the few that I have were woven together in a more interesting fashion that formed a more entertaining story. If you’re a fan I say to go ahead and give it a read for the love story and family history. If you’re new to Faith Fairchild Mysteries, I recommend choosing another title. The Body in the Ivy and The Body in the Gazebo are two that hit the mark. Join me next time when I review Catching Fire, by Suzanne Collins – The second book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. Until next time friends, Be blessed and stitch & read with love! What a productive week! Finishing my cardigan seems to have given me a spark and today I have three projects to share. First up is the Angry Red Bird Hat. I'm testing this pattern for Sue, you may know her blog: SusanD1408 Crochet Addict. When she asked for pattern testers I just had to volunteer for this crazy, fun hat. As you can see, I'm very nearly done - and pleased to report the pattern has been a breeze to follow. Last week I started a wrap using some of the stash wool that I received from my knitting/crochet club. The Spring Snow Shawl pattern is an easy repeat of fan like stitches. One row is worked in dc and the next in trc. These alternating rows work up quickly and so far seem to be a suitable way to show off this rather stiff yarn. Today the temperature is in the high 90s (F) and humid, so I was happy to set aside the wool for my next project! This morning I began the Juliana (Modified) Wrap. Mary from Needles and Hooks and Books, oh my! is hosting a CAL for this pattern on the Ravelry group Crochet Shoulder Wrappers. They started at the beginning of the month, but that's worked out to my benefit! I was able to take advantage of a pattern modification that produces a half-circle shaped garment instead of the half-oval the original design creates. I'm using the Extended Single Crochet stitch and I'm really pleased with the way it looks and how fast it's going. I was afraid the white was going to be boring, but now that I see it I think it's going to be pretty. I'm going to add beads to the trim (see the 3 white ones?) for a little something extra. This week I'm reading Catching Fire, book two in the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I really enjoyed the first book and was worried that this one would let me down. It took a few chapters to capture me but the author has succeed again and I find myself reading just one more page even though I can barely keep my eyes open! In the kitchen I've been listening to Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner. I've read several of her books and always enjoy them. This story of a mother and her adolescent daughter hasn't disappointed.
That's all for today friends! I just looked at the clock - argh! I'm late for work!! Until next time, Be blessed and stitch and read with love! Don't forget to check out the wonderful projects and books my crafting friends are working on: This week I’ve had a lot on my mind and I needed a project that didn’t require me to pay rapt attention and that I could finish in a short period of time. Browsing my favorite internet haunts, I quickly realized that Amigurumi was the answer. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and anthropomorphic creatures. Of course I needed patterns and more information so I did what I always do and went to the library. Let me tell you all about the book I found.
The book wastes no time and simply begins with the patterns. There are 30 in all and they don’t seem to be in any kind of order (easy – difficult, similar shapes, kinds of animal etc.) The Patterns are followed by: Techniques, Conversions, Abbreviations, Index and The Art of Amigurumi. Taking a closer look at the patterns, they list the materials required, special techniques (stitches used) and the size of the finished item. It looks like the majority of the projects call for something other than yarn to be used for the eyes. The instructions are given round by round as well as in a chart. Making Up tells you how to assemble the pieces you’ve made. The Techniques section offers information that I would have preferred to see in the beginning. It’s made up of a page on What is Amigurumi? Then a brief description of crochet, hooks, and choosing yarn is followed by detailed written instructions and pictures of the basic crochet stitches. There are 9 pictures to show you how to make the Magic Circle and more for joining rounds and changing colors. There’s also a bit on spiral charts. After reading through I felt ready to give it a go and I decided on Mini Mouse. I thought I should practice the Magic Circle since this is the beginning of all of the pieces. I struggled and struggled, but I just couldn’t get it. I am very adept at following instructions, but I could not make this happen. Luckily, I had seen instructions for an Adjustable Ring in the resources section of the July/August 2012 issue of Crochet Today!. Four steps, first try, bam! I’m in business. The next hurtle I needed to overcome was the dc. Every pattern uses a dc for everything! I’m typically pretty bright, but I could not figure out why they wanted me to use a dc when everyone knows that these little guys are always made in sc. At least they are when you’re in the US. And silly me, I just assumed (yeah, you know what that means!) that my book was from the US. I’m not sure when the light bulb went off, but it did and I realized that even though the pattern says dc, I should go ahead and use the sc in its place. Well thank goodness for that! Now I’m really ready! I started with the ears. Round 1: Using MC (that’s an adjustable ring to me! – not Main Color or Magic Circle) and B, work 6 dc (that means 6 sc!). Okay I got it. Change to A. Round 2: 2dc into each st. 12 sts. No problem, I’m cruising now! Round 3: (dc in next dc, dc in next dc) rep around 18 sts. Break yarn, leaving a long tail. What?? You want me to dc in next dc, and do it again and repeat it around and end up with 18 stitches? That’s not possible. There’s something wrong! Clearly there is a mistake in the pattern. I realized I needed to increase in every other stitch to get to 18 stitches. And there you have it, an ear! Happily it was easy going for the rest of the pattern and by the end of the morning our kitty had a new toy. I’m not sure that this is the easy distraction I had in mind when I began, but it did keep me busy.
Thanks for joining me for today’s book review. Next time it’s back to fiction with my thoughts on the most recent Faith Fairchild Mystery, The Body in the Boudoir, by Katherine Hall Page.
Until next time friends, Be blessed and stitch & read with love! Setting up to take this mornings picture I realized a color theme had developed. Funny how that happens when you're occupied with other things! This week has been challenging as health issues have reared their ugly head and demanded my attention. It's been necessary and therapeutic for me to keep my hands and mind busy on some simple projects. So I decided to give amigurumi a try. The spiral that you see is the beginning of Sammy Snail. I imagine that he'll be whole by the end of the day. I don't think the same can be said of the socks. But that's okay. I'm still working on finding the perfect sock pattern for me. That's why I have two toes started here. One from my default pattern - Socks That Fit, and the other is something new called Round and Round Toe Up Socks. I'll let you know where my preference lies after working them each a bit more.
This week's book is Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, the second installment in the Hunger Games Trilogy. I haven't started yet as I just closed the case on The Body in the Boudoir by Katherine Hall Page. Stop in tomorrow when I share my review. I'm off to check out other great projects and books with Tami, Ginny, and Susan. Why don't you join me? Until next time friends, Be blessed and stitch & read with love! I was drawn to The Lost Years, the most recent offering by Mary Higgins Clark, because the inside cover told me, "(it) is at once a breathless murder mystery and a hunt for what may be the most precious religious and archeological treasure of all time." Sounds exciting doesn't it? Unfortunately, for me the book falls short of being "breathless" or any kind of treasure hunt.
The story begins in the Vatican Library in 1474 A.D., where thousands of sacred manuscripts are stored. The most controversial of these is know as both the Joseph of Arimathea Parchment and the Vatican Letter, believed by many to be the only letter ever written by the Christ. Fearful that it will be destroyed by Pope Sixtus IV who believes it to be a fake, a monk removes the letter from the Vatican and it is never seen again. Jonathan Lyons is a biblical scholar who, while cataloging documents from an ancient monastery, discovers what he thinks is the Vatican Letter. Within a few days of sharing his discovery with his closest colleagues Jonathan is found murdered in his home by his adult daughter. His wife, who suffers from dementia and advanced Alzheimer's, becomes the prime suspect as she is found hiding in the office closet holding the murder weapon. Mariah Lyons is convinced that her mother is innocent and sets about trying to discover who really killed her father and to find the missing letter. There's tremendous potential for a really great mystery here, but the book just doesn't take advantage of any of the characters or the significance of the missing document. The author introduces us to many people (too many?). I don't think any of them are well developed and as much as I wanted to, I just didn't care about any of them. Except maybe the mother. I was a little worried about her. The book reads really quickly. I admit that I didn't figure out "who-dun-it", and there were some unexpected little twist. Overall, I'd say it was a fair offering from Mary Higgins Clark. Not worth going out of your way for, but acceptable if you find it in the library of the B & B when you're looking for an easy read on a long weekend! Currently I'm reading The Body in the Boudoir by Katherine Hall Page. This is a Faith Fairchild Mystery and in this installment the author goes back in time and tells of the story of how Faith (the caterer) and her pastor husband Tom met. I'm about 70 pages in and so far the story is moving easily and the characters are as unique and entertaining as I hoped they would be. Check back next Thursday and I'll tell you if it holds its own or misses the mark! Interested in seeing what others are reading this week? Come with me to An Accidental Knitter where I link up on Thursdays. I may not have loved this book, but what do you think of the latest addition to my yarn stash? This is a bulky weight wool from Canada that I got for free from my terrific crochet/knitting group. The label says it's from Candide Yarns and is color 79. I have 6 skeins (about 1140 yds. / 24 oz.) of this wooly goodness - now what am I going to make with it!?! That's all for now. Until next time friends, Be blessed and stitch & read with love! It's been a busy and productive week! I have several irons in the fire right now, but I'm very pleased to report that instead of feeling overwhelmed by this I am in fact very EXCITED! Balance is so necessary to me, and when I start to waiver I need to remind myself to step back and take time to meditate and pray. This allows me to calmly evaluate the things that are going on. Then I can make decisions and assign priority to things that are important. It also helps me to see where I'm wasting energy on things that don't deserve it. And then things fall into place and I'm having fun and enjoying life instead of fretting!
Now about those crochet projects!! Marie at Underground Crafter is hosting the Holiday Stashdown Challenge which has been helping me to get organized and motivated. One of the projects that I'm making for gifts this year are her adorable Chubby Sheep! The pattern is a FREE Ravelry download and has been a breeze so far. (I made this much of him last night - after 10 PM!) Last week I was gifted (by my knitting/crochet group) this great sock yarn of unknown wooly goodness that I've named Autumn Stroll. As you can see I haven't made a lot of progress, but truthfully, getting the toe started is still a little hard for me and takes some time. With it done I'm at the point I can just start rolling round and round until I get to the heal decrease/increase. I'm following my go-to guide for Socks-That-Fit which has proven to be invaluable! In case you're wondering, I'm still not done with the cardigan - but I have finished the sleeves! One more row on the body (it's not quite long enough) then a little trim and voila! Ready to block and wear. This week I'm reading The Body in the Boudoir by Katherine Hall Page. This is a Faith Fairchild Mystery. I have read several in this series whose main character is Faith Fairchild, the owner of a catering company called Have Faith, and the wife of Reverend Tom Fairchild a pastor in a small Massachusetts parish. Faith is down to earth, funny and spunky and can't resist a good mystery. I've enjoyed all of the titles I read in this series. Even after several they are fresh and always draw me right in. This book is the story of how Faith and Tom met. I'm only 40 pages in, and so far it hasn't disappointed! Check in on Thursday when I'll review the book I just finished: The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark. Now I'm off to see what everyone else is creating and reading this week and Tami's Amis WIP Wednesday and Small Things Yarn Along. I'd love it if you joined me! Thanks for stopping by! Until next time friends, Be blessed and stitch & read with love!
Amanda Quick writes novels set in the past. Jayne Ann Krantz writes in contemporary times and Jayne Castle's novels take place in the future. She usually writes in series (often trilogies) with one book by each author making up the group. Confusing right? The thing that makes it all okay for me is that I enjoy her books. Not so much things in the future, but the others always seem to work, so I'm willing to accept her multiple personalities. Her formula is pretty consistent - murder/mystery, a love story, and paranormal energy / psychic talents. This book is no exception.
The Crystal Gardens is the first book in the Ladies of Lantern Street series. (I expect that there will be three, but I'm not sure and I couldn't find any info from the usual sources). Set in a time that is unidentified, but clearly the past, in Little Dixby which is "far from the streets of London", we are introduced to Novelist and Professional Companion Evangeline Ames. Ms. Ames has taken refuge in a rented cottage to mend and restore her well being following an attempt on her life. Lucas Sebastian is the new owner of Crystal Gardens, and Ms. Ames' landlord. The Gardens, which he inherited from his recently departed uncle, possess mystical powers and energy that draw the two toward it (and each other) while terrifying the townspeople. Following a second attack Ms. Ames takes shelter in the Garden. Together she and Mr. Sebastian attempt to determine who is trying to murder her and why. In addition to this main story line several sub plots develop creating unexpected twists, an interesting blend of intrigue, romance and paranormal treasure hunting! So what did I think? I enjoyed it. It felt a bit familiar, but I've read many of her books - and being predictable isn't always a bad thing. It's light (well for murder!), it's easy and kept me interested all the way through. A good escape from the everyday and I'm sure I'll read the next in the series. With Crystal Gardens finished, I immediately dove into The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark. Another mystery, this one involving murder, adultery and a parchment thought to be the only know writing of Jesus Christ! Be sure to stop back and see how I liked this one. I'm linking up today's post with An Accidental Knitter. She's been running something called the Thursday Book Challenge. Although interest may have waned some, I'd doing my part to help revive it - because I think sharing books once a week is a great idea! If you're interested drop by and give her a nod. I'm sure she'd love to hear from you. Alrighty friends, that'll do it for today. So glad you came on by. Until next time, Be blessed and stitch & read with love! So it goes like this... I stall, I make progress, I stall again, then I make a little more progress. Honestly I'm a bit embarrassed that I'm once again talking about this cardigan. Will I ever get it finished? I suppose if the weather were cooler and I could wear it when it's done I might move a little quicker, but that's questionable. The progress report goes like this: I have reached what I believe to be the desired body length. I'm unsure so I've left the ball of yarn I used attached just in case I want to add another row or two. Last night I began sleeve one. Like my recent foray into socks, this pattern is more of a guide than a step by step and it leaves a bit to interpretation. Note to self - this is best done before midnight when you're able to think clearly. The instructions told me to attach on the 7th stitch of the under arm, ch 3 (first dc) and work in pattern across. (But it's really around) Join with a slip stitch, turn and continue to work in pattern to desired length. I tried. It didn't work. I ripped. I have encountered patterns in the past (for mittens) that wanted me to work my round by turning. I'm sure it can be done and there's a reason for it, I just haven't figured out how. Being the creative problem solver that I am I did this instead: join in 7th stitch, ch 3 and work in pattern across. When I got to the beginning ch 3 I joined with a slip stitch and then put another slip stitch in the next dc to bring me to the right place to begin the pattern. I continued working the pattern in the round joining each this way. So far I've done 6 rounds and it looks great. (Pat on the back here!) It feels good to have encountered a "problem" and created a "solution". For me this is testimony that my skills are advancing! Now if I can only stay motivated long enough to finish this thing!
The book that I'm reading today is The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark. I'm a mystery fan, and haven't read a MH Clark in a long time. This story centers on a the murder of a biblical scholar who may have discovered the only know writings of Jesus Christ. A letter to Joseph of Arimathea thought to have been stolen from the Vatican in 1474 AD. Who is responsible for his murder? His wife who's suffering from advanced Alzheimers? His mistress whom he has just broken things off with? Or maybe one of his colleagues who is intent on possessing the parchment? Face-paced with plenty of twists I'm enjoying this interesting bit of fiction - when I'm not working on my sweater of course! Don't forget to to stop by Tami's Amis and Small Wonders to see all the great projects going on today! Until next time friends, Be blessed and stitch & read with love!
A satisfying late lunch on an early (almost) summer afternoon! Here is my take on Mollie’s recipe for Spinach-Ricotta Pie:
The Crust: I use the ready to go Pillsbury crust from the refrigerator section of the grocery. Use whatever (unbaked) single crust you like best. The Filling: Olive Oil to sauté veggies 1 medium onion, minced 1 lb. spinach, kale, collards, mustard or any kind of fresh or frozen green you have on hand. Stem and chop finely. You can use frozen straight from the bag. ½ tsp. salt (I don’t use it, because of J.’s heart, but you can) Freshly ground pepper to taste A generous dash of nutmeg 2 or 3 beaten eggs 3 Tbs. flour 1 lb. ricotta cheese ½ - ¾ cup (packed) swiss cheese or sharp cheese (or combo) of your liking Paprika Preheat oven to 375° F. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add spinach, salt, pepper and nutmeg, and cook, stirring until the spinach is wilted (or no-longer frozen). Remove from heat. In a large bowl beat eggs and flour together. Stir in ricotta then swiss cheese. Add spinach/onion mixture and mix well. Spread into the unbaked pie shell and dust generously with paprika. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature. Orange wedges are one of our favorite accompaniments. They just taste great together! So there you have it. Give it a try, or any of the recipes from this (or any) of the Moosewood books. In my humble opinion they know where it’s at when it comes to vegetarian delights! Until next time friends, Be blessed and stitch & read with love! |
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My name is Robin. I am a wife, mother and strong believer in the power of faith. I'm a maker, a crafter and an artist. I love exploring new mediums and sharing my adventures with you. Did you enjoy your visit? Let me know by leaving a comment. I love knowing you dropped by, and hope to see you again soon! Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love! |