Fun Fur Knitted Purse

I knitted up this purse for my daughter's friend that is having a birthday soon. The pattern is from Lion Brand, Fun Bag.

It was very easy and quick to knit up. I made a few changes by making the bag a bit smaller and I didn't have enough yarn to add the ties. I also knitted the handles with a cast on of 7 sts instead of 9

Carnival Party

It is that time AGAIN!!
Happy 7th Birthday to my very big boy!

My son wanted his party at a local fair with a bunch of rides for the kids to go on. So I thought it would be cute to do a carnival theme and I found a Carnival Set from Typewink on Etsy. It is adorable! it came with a bunch of printable items.

Popcorn cupcakes anyone?

the cupcakes were a huge hit.

I was worried about the warm weather melting the marshmallows but it actually made for a nice soft gooey marshmallow to bit into, they were yummy and so fun to make.

My Friend Jen had the perfect idea to hang the Happy Birthday Banner in the tree, it looked great!

Tinker Town!

This place has been around since I was a little girl! I have memories of being on the same rides that are still here!

The loot!
each child got

a sucker

a box with two bags of fruit gummies and 2 pieces of hubba bubba

a mini Knex box/ girls got a recorder(flute)

$5 gift card to Chapters(book store)

(The little printable box was party of the party package)

I packed everything in these little premade popcorn bags that I found. The set came with a printable popcorn box but unfortunately I misplaced the file and didn't have time to get it printed for the party. I printed out little "thank you" labels and attached them to the bag.

Pink Zebra Party

It is that time of year again!

Happy 5th Birthday Baby Girl!

I love planning my kids parties. My daughter wanted a Zebra party so I went with a pink, black and white theme. First I ordered a party pack from print.creat.celebrate on Etsy.

I ordered the Pink Zebra party set and made the invitations, party hats, banner and cup labels.

Time to decorate!

I made simple tissue paper poms(same as last years party) I love the look of them so I had to make them again.

A few games.
We played musical chairs(always a favorite) and pink the tail on the Zebra. we used a fancy pink feather for the Zebras tail and my daughter helped colour the zebra for the party.

Time for cake!

I made this Zebra cake. I have never made a two tiered cake before and really wanted to give it a try. I baked 2 8inch and 2 6inch cakes, put homemade strawberry jam in between the layers and decorated with white butter cream icing and zebra ribbon. I also used a cake board and dowels as per Wilton's suggestions. I would have hated the cake to fall into itself so I used the board and dowels to be on the safe side. The cake actually took no time at all to put together and I was very happy with the results. My daughter loved her "mini wedding cake"

Time to go home.

We always do a Pinata at our home parties and finding a Zebra Pinata was tricky. So we had a great idea to turn Pinkie Pie into a pink Zebra!

Goodie bags consisted of bubbles, a giant jeweled ring(the boys got silly putty!), candy from the Pinata and a marshmallow pop that I made a few days before the party.
Just melt some chocolate melts, put pop sticks in your marshmallows, freeze your marshmallows for a few minutes in the freezer and then dip them into the melted chocolate. Put them on wax paper and set them in the fridge to cool.

I can not believe my baby girl is already 5 years old, the time has seemed to go by so fast. I love throwing parties for my children and celebrating them.

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. ~Oprah Winfrey

Knitted Sundress

Perfect Sundress by Lion Brand

I knitted this very cute sundress for my daughter(she picked the colours). I used an Acrylic and Cotton blend yarn from Bernat, Baby Cakes in Ballerina(pink) and a soft purple that is currently unavailable. This yarn is a worsted weight, easy to knit with but I am hoping it washes well, only time will tell.

I knitted the largest size and should have knitted the size 4, but at least my daughter can grow into it over the next couple of years. This is the first garment that I have ever knitted and although I found the pattern easy to follow I had a difficult time with sewing it together. The pattern has a lot of decreases and this left some messy edging when I was finished. I am not too happy about that part, but all in all I think this dress is adorable, and most important after all my work my daughter wants to wear it!

The purple trim and oh so adorable flower was done by my talented Friend Jen T. She saved me after I was having a hard time getting the trim done correctly, and she crocheted this very cute flower that my daughter just had to have.

School is out for Summer!

And boy do I miss my son and the free time I was able to have with him before he went to school full days. I miss those lazy afternoons and exciting days at the park, or those late nights watching a movie together. Having my son in full days was a big adjustment not only for him but for me as well and I honestly feel it just isn't natural to be away from our children for such a long periods of time.

I am looking forward to stress free days of playing in the park or swimming at the beach, snuggling on the couch reading stories and eating Popsicles in the back yard.

To new adventures and discoveries I hope summer brings something new for everyone.

Knitted "green" Tote

My first attempt at knitting a bag and I have to say it was a lot easier then I thought it would be. This is a one handled bag knitted in 100% cotton yarn. You can really use this bag for anything and everything. I thought it would be great in the summer for the beach as the sand will just fall through the holes and with it being cotton it will dry fast if it gets wet. These bags are also perfect for groceries as they are easy to wash and keep clean of bacteria and mold from food.

Green Living Tote: by Lion Brand

TOTE
Base

With 2 strands of yarn held together, cast on 44 sts.

Rows 1-30: Knit. At end of last row, do not turn. Rotate work and pick up and k14 sts along adjacent short side of Base, 44 sts along long side of Base, and 14 sts along rem side – 116 sts.

Top
Note: Work will now proceed in the round. Join, being careful not to twist sts. Place marker for beg of rnd.
Rnds 1-3: Knit.
Cut 1 strand of yarn, leaving a long tail.
With 1 strand of yarn, work Rnd 1 of Lace Pattern. Rep Rnds 1-4 of Lace Pattern until piece measures about 14 in. (35.5 cm) from Base, ending with a Rnd 4.

Handle Shaping
Next Rnd: K 44 sts, bind off 14 sts, k44 sts and sl to a holder, bind off 14 sts – (2 sets of 44 sts for each side of handle).
Rem 44 sts will be worked back and forth in rows for first half of handle.
Row 1 (RS): K2tog *(yo, k2tog), rep from * to last 2 sts, k2tog – 42 sts.
Row 2 and all WS rows: Purl.
Row 3: K1, ssk, *(yo, ssk) to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 – 40 sts.
Row 5: K1, k2tog, *(yo, k2tog); rep from * to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1 – 38 sts.
Row 7: Ssk, *(ssk, yo); rep from * to last 2 sts, ssk – 36 sts.
Row 8: Purl.
Rep Rows 5-8 until there are 8 sts rem, ending with a Row 8. Work rem 8 sts as follows:
Row 1 (RS): K1, (yo, k2tog) 3 times, k1.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: K1, (ssk, yo) 3 times, k1.
Row 4: Purl.
Rep Rows 1-4 twice more. Bind off loosely. Re-join yarn to 44 sts on holder and work same as for first half of handle.

FINISHING
Sew ends of handle together.

Border
With RS facing and 1 strand of yarn, beg at handle seam, pick up and k100 sts evenly spaced around one side of handle and top of Tote. Join, being careful not to twist. Place marker for beg of rnd.
Rnd 1: Purl.
Rnd 2: Knit.
Bind off loosely.
Rep border on opposite side of Tote. Weave in ends.

Blueberry-Banana Bread

I have made this bread a few times in the past. I was looking for a recipe that contained no refined sugars and found this one. It truly is very yummy and my kids devour it every time I make it. I have changed a couple of things from the original recipe, but only to substitute what I had on hand. Please visit fatfreevega.com for the original recipe.

Blueberry-Banana Bread

• 3 large over-ripe bananas


• 2 tablespoons lemon juice


• 1/3 cup (80 ml) Almond Milk (or apple sauce)


• 1/2 cup (120 ml) maple syrup


• 2 cups (240 g) whole wheat flour


• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder


• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1 cup (240 ml) blueberries(fresh or frozen)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

If you love Chocolate and Peanut Butter you will LOVE this smoothie. The best thing about it, it is SUGAR FREE!!

Enjoy!

• 2 cups almond milk or other non-dairy milk




• 2 large ripe bananas -peeled, broken into pieces and frozen




• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder




• 3 tablespoons unsweetened and unsalted peanut butter or almond butter




• ¼ teaspoon instant espresso coffee(optional)




• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients; blend on high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.

When I make this, I make it without espresso, but I can only imagine it is very good with it.

recipe adapted from Silvana's Kitchen

http://silvanaskitchen.com/2011/01/gluten-free-dairy-free-chocolate-peanut-butter-smoothie/

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDITED recipe

I have experimented with this recipe and came up with a very quick yummy version.

• 1 cup chocolate almond milk or rice milk(rice milk is sugar free)or cows milk



• 2 tbsp peanut butter



• 1 frozen banana (or unfrozen)

blend it all up for a very simple yummy smoothie. The frozen banana will give this a milkshake consistency, but if you don't have any then just use a ripe banana for the flavour. You could also try adding some ice for that smoothie consistency.

The Fit

Here today, gone tomorrow. Just like that our little black car(the Honda Fit) is completely smashed due to some crazy kids running a flashing red light.
First and foremost, my Husband is 100% ok, amazingly not a scratch to be found, maybe a stiff neck and back that could use some physio. He walked away a little shaken, he ended up T-boning a full size van(Toyota Sienna) with a bunch of teenagers driving after curfew, no full license behind their names and passengers that were illegally present in the van.

What have I taken from this experience? Many things.
The Honda Fit is amazing at safety! My husband went from 60k to 0k in 0 seconds flat with a head-on collision and lived to tell about it.
I learned my husband has a lot of strength to move forward from situations that I otherwise would probably be traumatised about for weeks if not months. I already knew I loved my husband more than anything, but when I saw our little car and what was left of it I got very choked up and realised how lucky we really are that nothing serious has come from this.
On a down side, I am saddened that some young kids think they are invisible to risk their lives and others for an evening out. I am also upset that our brand new car(only 1 year old to the day!) is gone and we have to fight with our insurance company to get out of this in some way benefiting us. I find it funny how the accident is not even our fault yet we might have to fight for our rights.

Live each day like it is your last. Hug your spouse, snuggle your children and eat some good food!

No to Facebook?

I did it, I left Facebook and all the time wasting energy behind.

With some recent events happening in my life I had this overhwleming feeling that Facebook was really nothing but a times waster and I was letting it enable me to do just that.

I actually feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I feel so free now. I might not know when Janet ate her last cookie, or when Sally goes on her next vacation, but I do know that everyone I care deeply about will stay in contact with me through e-mail, phone and coffee chats(which are the best!).

Gingerbread cookies

My little peanut and I made some yummy gluten free/dairy free ginger cookies today.

I have been having so much luck with Slivana Nardone's cook book(Cooking for Isaiah) that I look forward to the next recipe I might try. I like to keep some sweet treats in the freezer for those short notice play dates, or tea with my girlfriends.

These ginger cookies are very good and they have very little sugar, which is a plus. The only negative thing I can say about Cooking for Isaiah is the amount of sugar in the recipes. I have successfully cut the amount of sugar in half when the sugar content seemed to be very high, with great results I am happy to report. But this recipe only has 1/2 a cup of light packed brown sugar and it seems to be the right amount.

Spring Fling

I knitted up this oh so cute little cowl today. My little spring fling, the cowl that wont be enjoyed for very long in hopes that our weather smartens up and I can tuck it away till next year.

I used a basic worsted weight acrylic grey yarn and some fancy accent yarn I found on clearance a long long time ago. I knitted them both together on size 15US needles(in the round) with a CO 52 and K5, P5 pattern until it was as wide as I wanted it.

Gluten free Surprises!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze (and sprinkles!)

Yes, believe it or not these yummy treats are gluten free and oh so good.
I Bought the book Cooking for Isaiah a gluten and dairy free cook book.
When I saw the doughnuts I knew I had to try them and after I hunted down a doughnut pan the project was on. In Winnipeg there is a little Gluten free store called Lorenzo's, it is located on St. Mary's Avenue and they sell some premixed gluten free flour blends for baking.
The only thing I can say is my kids and husband were all fooled and had no idea that these were made with gluten free flours.

I encourage everyone to try something different, you just may very well be surprised at the results.

Oatmeal Date Bars

These are so yummy, and very simple, great for school snacks.

Enjoy!

• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg white

1. In a small saucepan, combine the dates, water and sugar. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened, stirring constantly.
   


2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in the butter and egg white until blended. Pat half of the mixture into an 8-in. square baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully spread with date mixture. Gently pat remaining oat mixture over date mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

Rainbow Mittens

I finally did it! I made a matching pair of mittens and both are the same size!

I have attempted to make mittens a few times now and with perseverance I finally got two mittens that I am happy with.

I used this basic beginners Lion Brand pattern, but instead of using worsted weight yarn which I was suppose to use, my daughter really wanted this yarn but it was a light weight. I doubled up the yarn and it worked out great, the mittens are cozy and warm.

Knitted Marker Bag

I am a bit of a knitting freak these days and I can't seem to get enough of it.

My kids have a little art area set up in our kitchen, with an art wall to display all their "fine art". I picked up this really cute easel from Ikea(of course) and one side has a dry eraser marker board on it but no place to put the markers. I was thinking what could I do with these markers, when it came to me! why not knit a bag! and so I did. I just knitted a simple rectangle and there you have it, a really cute bag to hold the markers.

The Man Scarf

My Little man modeling his Dad's scarf

This Christmas season I ended up knitting a whole load of scarfs. Sadly my memory was horrible and I forgot to take pictures of most of them before I gave them away as gifts.

But I did manage to take a picture of this one. I made it for my husband using this Meandering Rib Scarf pattern from Lion brand. I used about one ball of inexpensive black acrylic yarn. The original pattern is for a very long (130inch) scarf. But I made mine a lot shorter, about 30inch.

SCARF

Cast on 34 sts.

Knit 3 rows.

Rows 1 and 2: K2, *k3, p3; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.

Row 3: K2, p1, *k3, p3; rep from * to last 7 sts, k3, p2, k2.

Row 4: K4, *p3, k3; rep from * to last 6 sts, p3, k3.

Row 5: K2, p2, *k3, p3; rep from * to last 6 sts, k3, p1, k2.

Row 6: K3, *p3, k3; rep from * to last 7 sts, p3, k4.

Rows 7 and 8: K2, *p3, k3; rep from * to last 2 sts, k2.

Row 9: Rep Row 6.

Row 10: Rep Row 5.

Row 11: Rep Row 4.

Row 12: Rep Row 3.

Rows 13 and 14: Rep Row 1.

Rows 15 and 16: Rep Rows 11 and 12.

Rows 17 and 18: Rep Rows 9 and 10.

Rows 19 and 20: Rep Rows 7 and 8.

Rows 21 and 22: Rep Rows 5 and 6.

Rows 23 and 24: Rep Rows 3 and 4.

Rep Rows 1-24 until piece measures about 130 in. (330 cm) from beginning, end with Row 2.

Knit 2 rows.

Bind off.