Crochet Hat with a Brim

From a pattern I bought on http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrocheTrend/, I made a hat for a good friend for Christmas. And had my sister model it.

Until the End...

Yesterday around 6pm, I started reading the massive book (which contains 3 books in it) I got from my sister for Christmas. I read about 3 or 400 pages last night from 6-11pm. I continued this morning when I woke up around 10am. I took very few breaks to shower, eat, play Just Dance 3, and eat again. I finished at 10pm tonight. It was 846 pages long, and it was definitely a satisfying read. The book was called Until the End by Christopher Pike, it contained The Party, The Dance and The Graduation. It was hard to put down. I just put the book Thirst on hold at the library, that series (containing 8 books) are all rolled into 4 volumes of 3 books in 2 volumes, and 1 book in the last 2. I am very excited to get it, and start reading. Though, I think I will get just as preoccupied with it as I did with Until the End.

On another note, I should have some more posts up by the end of this week, as I have gotten some projects done, and have some pictures to put up from Zoo Lights.

Knitting :D

YAY! I took advantage of a sale at Michael's and got some knitting needles so I can start teaching myself to knit. I am excited as i finally got down the knit stitch, and now am working on the purl stitch. This is exciting, I am just now discovering how versatile I am at doing artsy things. But I would like to, as with crocheting and crafting, sell stuff. If you are interested just shoot me an email.

Baked Marble Necklace

I saw this cool project online where you could bake marbles, put them in ice cold water and the inside would crack, looking like a gem stone. So I figured I would try it! 

I went to Michael's and got a bag of clear glass marbles (they have to be translucent in order to be able to see the cracks). First of all I took wax paper and put it in a cake tin and put the marbles on top, and put them in the oven which was pre-heated to 500 degrees. Yeah, I figured out real that wax paper, that is meant for baking wont hold up in those extreme temperatures. I looked in and saw it smoking and burning. So, I would suggest NOT using wax paper. I ended up just putting the marbles straight in the cake tin.  

I left them in there for 20 minutes. 7 minutes before the timer went off though I got the water ready. The colder you can get the water the better. I put about 6 cups of cold water and 10-15 ice cubes. I noted that after the 5 minutes the ice had been in the water, it wasn't melting or it wasn't noticeable. At that point the marbles were done with their 20 minutes! I took them out, and gently dumped them into the bowl of ICE cold water. This is where people have had marbles crack in half, NONE of mine did that!!

*When they are taken out of the water they may be cloudy, it's normal.* Well, I noticed when they had dried off and cleared up some, they weren't really cracked that much on the inside. So I repeated the process over again. Baking them 20 more minutes, and putting them into ice cold water (some new ice cubes). And after I let them dry, they looked better!

I made them into necklaces, but due to the nature of them being cracked inside, they are easily broken if dropped or slammed into something hard. I decided to over look this and make a cage for them. I had some Wild Wire supplies left and used some wire and pliers from it. 

I bought some screw clasps..

And after about 15 minutes I had a spiral cage for the marble, it attached to the string, and the clasps attached to the string!

Finished Necklaces for sale HERE

Apple Pancake

Apple Pancake

*serves 3 to 4*

 2 large or 3 medium apples, preferably tart ones like Granny Smith
4 tablespoons white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
5 eggs
Powdered or cinnamon sugar, to serve

Heat the oven to 400°F. Peel, core, and quarter the apples, then cut them into medium slices (1/4-inch thick or less). Then cut the slices in halves or thirds. You should have about 3 cups of chopped apples.

In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon and ginger and set aside.

Cut the butter into chunks and place them in a deep cast iron skillet or 8x8-inch baking dish. Put the skillet or baking dish in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the butter is melted.

Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle the 1/3 cup brown sugar over the melted butter. Carefully spread the apples on top of the brown sugar and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the apples. Put the pan back in the oven to caramelize the apples and sugar.

Whisk the flour with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly with a large wire whisk to beat out any lumps. When the flour is smoothly incorporated into the milk, beat in the vanilla and the eggs one by one. Beat by hand for 2 minutes, or until foamy. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. By now the sugar should be bubbling around the apples.

Take the pan out of the oven and pour the batter over the apples. 

Bake for about 20 more minutes or until center is set and sides are lightly browned. The pancake will puff up dramatically but fall after a few minutes after you take it out of the oven.

*If you want, serve with powdered sugar or more cinnamon sugar. I usually find that it is just sweet enough as it is.*

I think this recipe was very tasty! I don't think you need quite that much butter, maybe a half a stick would do :) It was a very sweet recipe, and it made me thirsty while eating it, so be sure you have a large glass of milk or juice with it.


*Took about an hour to prepare and get in the oven to cook (with batter)*


http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/breakfast/recipe-weekend-apple-pancake-013112

Lime Module

For 2D Design at PSU we had to make a nature inspired module. Mine is inspired by a lime. This was by far my favorite assignment of the whole term in that class. Hope you like it!

Scrapbook Paper Coasters

Just finished some coasters for Christmas presents. I took a 9.6 cm (3.8 in) square tile (edges were cut straight), then Mod Podged a square of scrapbook paper ( slightly smaller than the tile, to produce a  border) onto the tile. I let that dry, and put Mod Podge over the paper to seal it ( I used the gloss finish). After that dried, I also glued a slightly smaller square of black felt to the bottom. And there you have it, a coaster :)

Crepes

Dessert Crepes                                   

3 eggs                                               

1 cup milk                                           

3 Tbsp melted margarine/butter             

3/4 cup flour                                                                                    

2 Tbsp sugar                                            

1/2 tsp salt                                          


Basic Crepes


3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
3 Tbsp melted margarine/butter
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt 

 1. Melt butter, allow to cool (I like to use butter not margarine)

2. Put eggs, milk (and water if following basic recipe) and melted cooled butter in blender. (I used a hand blender)

3. Add sifted dry ingredients and blend for one minute (I used a hand blender)

4. Turn off and push down un-blended flour with a rubber spatula.
5. Blend again for another minute (or until well blended)
6. Stir batter before pouring each crepe.
7. Heat teflon pan to medium high. Drop of water sizzles and dances when pan is ready. Lift pan off heat.

8. Immediately pour batter in center of pan. A crepe is very thin so avoid too much batter.
9. Tilt and rotate pan quickly so the batter swirls around and covers bottom of pan.
10. Quickly return pan to heat. If the heat is right the crepe will set almost immediately. ( It will look kinda rubbery on the top when it is set)

11. When lightly browned on the underside, loosen around edge with a plastic spatula and flip crepe.

12. Eat close to immediately as they are much better when they are hot.
13. You can add a jam or anything inside, fold and top with whipped cream.
*Makes about 11-13 crepes*

                                                                

Winter Hat

 I have been making these winter beanies, with a size I hook and 
doing a half double crochet takes about a week or two to make one. 

Christmas Time - Tree and Ornaments

             
                                        My first ornament, I was born in Nov. so
                           I was almost a month old on my first Christmas.                                                                                 

Second Christmas!!

Snowflake :)

Our sad artificial tree.... I like real trees better :/

Blur, I like it :)

Another snowflake, but this one looks like it's crocheted.

   Horse ornament I got from my aunt, not the right color horse

    I'd want to be riding, and the hair color on the girl is not right :( 

Oh well :)