Stormy weather today. I do like that it's been chilly lately so I can still wear my hand knit socks. 

This is what I did this week. Found a denim shirt for $3.00 and decided to give it a little cross stitch. I haven't stitched in a long time and I really enjoyed it. Plus I have a new shirt.

Did some cooking today. Made risotto and tofu "chik'n" marsala in the slow cookers and some oatmeal coconut cookies. It's always nice on a rainy, chilly day to have the cookers going.

Went up to Main Street Yarns the other day http://mainstreetyarnsmason.com/ and got this kit http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/butin-collar. I've been looking at it for quite some time and just decided to go ahead and buy it. I'll more than likely make a few of them. I like Laura Nelkin's designs and am taking her lace class on Craftsy.

Okay. I'm off to finish my Helleborus sweater so I'll be back soon.

See, I did come back!

Busy weekend for me ...lots of running around and yesterday and today were soooo windy that it's just exhausting to be out.

Let's see. Yesterday. Started out with a venti iced soy latte and newspaper from Starbucks (mmmmm) and then drove to the park to enjoy the beautiful morning. (This was before the wind really picked up). It was a lovely morning and the park was great.

Then we decided to go to Hyde Park and kick around there for awhile. Stopped at Fresh Market http://www.thefreshmarket.com/ to get some of their ciabatta rolls and some quinoa as they were having a very good sale on that. The rolls make great sandwiches so I got regular and multi-grain. Yummy.

Then went to Sur La Table to pick up a glass container for juice drinks. Oh yeah...a few weeks ago I broke down and got a VitaMix www.vitamix.com and have been making vegetable/fruit drinks everyday. I haven't used it for anything else but am working my way up to it. I tend not to use machines for any cooking if I don't have to but this will be good, especially for crushing nuts because it's so strong that I don't have to soak them overnight anymore. Also got a tiny whisk to use for mixing egg replacer as I figured it will work better than a fork.

Next we stopped at Popeye's because mom loves their jambalaya. I just sit and watch her enjoy it because there isn't anything there for me to eat but that's fine with me. After the latte I wasn't hungry anyway.

Next was a stop at Hank www.hankyarn.com to get a pair of size 7 dpn's. Now I know that I have some because I used them a few months ago but I can't find them anywhere! I keep all needles in the same place but it's not the worst thing because I didn't really like that pair..old and plastic ..so I bought a pair of HiyaHiya stainless steel's 6". Much better. I had to have them because the other day I inadvertantly shrunk (whisper that) one of my socks that I designed. *GASP*. I didn't realize that I had thrown it in the wash. I was surprised that it felted since it's a front loader but the good thing is that I had only washed one so I only have to reknit one. So now I have a lovely set of dpn's to work with.

Let's see....where did we go next? Oh yes...Coffee Emporium http://www.coffee-emporium.com/ to get some tea. I bought some Walnut green, which has pieces of walnut and  pineapple (I'm having a pot now), and a few other kinds. Plus they have a tea/coffee club where you buy so much and then you get 2 ounces of tea free and I think it's a half pound of coffee. So I got my free 2 oz of walnut green and now I'm set for awhile.

The last stop was Penzey's spice store www.penzeys.com which was great fun. We went a few weeks ago but I was running out of the dehydrated garlic (the Best!!!) and I was there so why not? Picked up some different spices and can't wait to try them.

The other day was so chilly that I stayed and did some slow cooking in the crock pots. Made some bean and cabbage soup and tempeh choucroute garnie which is basically tempeh and sausage with sauerkraut,potatoes, caraway seeds and juniper berries. Just delicious. I will definately make both again.

Just finished another kal for the solidsockknitters group on Ravelry. The theme was yellow and the yarn is something that I had in my stash. I made them for Amanda and I hope she likes them.

Okay. Off to make some more tea and knit. Have a great night. 

Went to the park today and saw this guy with his friend. Quite the big iguana but he had a great time at the park.

More tomorrow.

Thought I'd sit down for a few minutes and try and catch up here. I've been knitting alot but just haven't really sat down at the computer to do much of anything.

The weather has been crazy here the past few days. 83* yesterday and low 60*s today. At least we didn't have any rain and storms today. Although quite a bit last night.

Here's another shot of my finished mystery kal shawl. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/knitsensei/knitting-like-crazy-mystery-shawl-2012. The name of the pattern is "Belle Haven" and I really like it. It's somewhat smaller than I would have liked and I guess I should've gone up a needle size but I still am pleased with it. I was glad that the weather was cool enough the other day that I could wear it. Just perfect for spring weather. Plus I have enough left over to make a pair of socks. The yarn is "Mandarin Lime" by Done Roving Frolicking Feet and I love this yarn. I made another pair of socks using another colorway and the yarn is great.

I'm doing another kal...the theme is "yellow" and I'm knitting socks (it's for the solidsockknitters group) and using a dk weight doubled for the pattern. I am making them for Amanda so I hope they are good and comfy. I had started another pair with them but got to the foot and decided that I just didn't like them at all. So I ripped them all out (don't read that part Amanda!) and started the new pair which are much better.

This was the original pattern that I knit but it just didn't work with this yarn. But I am definately going to make it again. Not my favorite yarn but it was the only yellow that I had. I'm trying to finish everything on the needles so I can start on my Rowan piece "Holly"

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/holly-14. I have done colorwork  before but I'm nervous about this one. I don't know if it's the large charts or the fact that this is the most I've spent on yarn for a project. I have a lovely box of Rowan felted tweed that silently reproaches me everytime I look in it's general direction. Or maybe that's just my imagination.

Did some cooking this week. This is the most delicious french toast I've ever eaten!!

It's called "sticky carmel baked french toast" from "Vegan Junk Food" and ohhhhhhhhhh myyyyyyyyy. Served it with some lovely fresh sliced strawberries and it was fabulous!! I also made some of her "chicken" salad today. I haven't made one thing that hasn't been wonderful from the cookbook. http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Junk-Food-Sinful-Snacks/dp/1440528977/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1333583818&sr=1-1. I highly recommend it to anyone, vegan or not.

A few weeks ago we drove up to Dayton to HealthFood Unlimited http://www.healthfoodsunlimited.com/ because they have items there that they don't carry here. And it's fun to poke around. I found Tofutti's Ricotta  that I'd been looking for and bought a few containers as they were so obliging as to have it on sale! And am I glad that I did. It's really creamy and so good and here are the stuffed shells that I made using it and also some sauteed kale and made my own sauce (fancy,no?)

Yummy.

Okay, the laundry is done and I have to go switch the load and watch season 4 of Chuck (thanks Target for having it on sale!!).

Have a great week and keep on knitting.

I know, I know. But here's partly why. 

And I'll be back in a day or two.