Celebrate with those you love.

I just wanted to wish everyone a happy holiday.  No matter what religion (or lack of one) you choose to believe or practice I hope you find time in these next few weeks to spend time with those you love and show them some appreciation for what they add to your life.

By showing appreciation I don't mean going to the mall and hunting down some new fancy whatever.  Give them your time, or your empathy.  Bake a cake, knit a shawl, or just sit and really listen.

If you haven't read The Christmas Box by Richard Paul before, you should try it.  It's a beautiful story that I try to read each year to put this season in perspective.

I wish you love and peace.

Challah!

My wonderful boyfriend Joe is jewish and I am very excitable about holidays, so I decided to go all out this September and make a fancy Rosh Hashanah dinner!  I had never made bread before (or anything with yeast) but that is no reason to hold back.

I found this recipe on allrecipes, and followed it for the most part:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/miriams-not-so-secret-challah/detail.aspx

A word to the wise:  this takes a LONG TIME.  Three hours according to my source, longer for me in practice.  That whole waiting for it to rise part is annoying, and if you get impatient and hungry like me you should start an hour earlier than you think is necessary.

Football Baby Cocoon

Holy Moly it's been a long time.  School picked up and I have many a project to post!

This is a project I did in early fall for a friend of our who just had a baby. I had seen an etsy listing for a similar hat and baby sack combo and being an inventive (read: cheap) person I have a hard time paying for patterns and an even harder time paying for something I think I could make myself.  So I made it up!  And all-in-all I think it came out pretty well.  It's on the small side- especially for our little one month old chubster- but it's a pretty dang good first try. All of the white stitching was added after with a crochet hook.


Unfortunately, I didn't write down my pattern, but I do have pictures!
(Please forgive the very dirty-looking ottoman underneath)