W.I.P. Wednesday

 

 

I am taking a small break (maybe until after the first of the year) from making prayer shawls.

One of my church members, who has an incredible testimony, works with a ministry for the homeless called "Feet on the Street Ministries" (FOTS)

Well...They put out a call for some needs and one thing I heard mentioned was warm hats...so I decided to make what I am calling "Prayer Hats"

Before I start crocheting one, I pray for the person that will receive it and when I am finished with it, I pray for the person again.  I don't know who will receive them.  There are mostly men that come to FOTS in need.  So I am making men hats (of course women can wear them too but I am choosing colors that would appeal more to men).  I pray that the person that receives the hat will be protected from harm, that they will come to know God and that they will be able to beat what-ever challenges they have so they will be able to stop living on the streets.

My goal is to make 20 of them.  So far, I have completed 4...wish me luck.

Finish It Friday - Prayer Shawl 3

 

 I finished my Call-The-Midwife Prayer Shawl.

I mentioned earlier that it was originally a shawl, turned into a baby blanket and I was turning it back into a shawl.

Well...I was a bit off...turns out, the original pattern called a "Shawl" means something different then the kind of shawl I typically think of.

To most people in the U.S., anyway, a shawl is a covering around your head and/or shoulders.  However, in the U.K., a shawl means that but can also mean and heirloom wrap for a baby.

British English: shawl /ʃɔːl/ NOUN. A shawl is a large piece of woollen cloth worn over the shoulders or head, or wrapped around a baby to keep it warm. American English: shawl /ˈʃɔl/

 

Therefore, the shawl that was originally written was actually a baby blanket...but I turned it into a shoulder shawl.   

I am happy with how it came out and I hope it brings the receiver a lot of comfort.

 

 

WIP Wednesday - Prayer Shawl 3

 I have always wanted to make the Call The Midwife Blanket - it is so named because the blanket appeared on the BBC/PBS Program "Call the Midwife" and it became a very much desired pattern.

Look at the wee baby - so cute but that blanket - so, so cute!!  Of course Call the Midwife has lots of beautiful knit and crochet baby items - so sweet!!

Well..I don't know anyone having a baby and I, myself, do  not need a baby blanket so I thought the pattern would make a great prayer shawl for someone at my church.  

As it turns out...the pattern was actually a shawl FIRST, turned into a baby blanket, so I am turning it back into a shawl.

The original Block Shawl was in Patons Shawls by Beehive (Book # 129), which costed a whole 65 cents back in the day.  It used Patons Beehive Baby fil Bebe Solids yarn, which is no longer made.  So, since the yarn was discontinued, so was the pattern.

Luckily though, Call the Midwife, made it popular again.

I wanted to make the pattern in that beautiful soft baby yellow, that I saw on the show, so I decided to make the shawl that color too...hopefully the recipient likes yellow - it is such a pretty, cheerful color.

I am using Red Heart Super Savers in Pale Yellow

It is a fun pattern and easy to memorize (7 row repeat) - I'm glad to have something that is working  up so quickly since the last shawl took so long to make.  I hope I can finish it by Sunday so I can take it to church to give to our Prayer Shawl coordinator.

My little yarn snatcher wanted to model for me in this photo, where I am trying to show the width of the shawl.

McDonald's - ** Sigh **

 I am a patient person...a VERY patient person but man I can see why someone loses it when they visit a fast food place.

I don't go to fast food often...but yesterday after church, I really, really wanted an iced tea and didn't want to stop, get out of the car, go inside QT, pay, go back to the car, etc. 

I passed McDonald's and there was incredibly NO ONE at the drive through (maybe that should have been my first hint).  There was also no customers inside because this particular McDonald's is still only serving through drive through due to short staff (they say).

Here is how it goes...

I pull up to the drive through speaker

McD's Employee:  "Welcome to McDonald's, go ahead with your order"

Me: "I will have a large unsweetened tea with extra ice"

McD's Employee: "A large sweet tea?"

Me: "No, a large UNSWEET tea, please, with extra ice"

McD's Employee: "1.08, please drive up"

I am now at the pay window - remember, I am the only customer there

McD's Employee: <sticks out hand>

Me: <Gave her one dollar bill and a dime>>

McD's Employee: <<Talking to co worker about her Thanksgiving...while holding change in her hand...finally remembers me and gives me change>>

I now pull forward to the other window

McD's Employee:  <<opens window and looks confused as to why I am there...after looking around a bit, says "You had a sweet tea?"

Me: No ma'am, an UNsweet tea, with EXTRA ice please.

McD's Employee: "Sweet?"

Me: No, please, and UNsweet tea, with EXTRA ice - thank you.  (I said it nicely, I promise)

McD's employee hands me the drink below and walks away from the window.

 

 

I am SO GLAD I asked for EXTRA ice - not once, not twice but FOUR times - if I hadn't, I guess I wouldn't have gotten any ice at all.

At least it was Unsweetened.  

** SIGH **

Is the problem with fast food places really that they are short staffed or that they can't find people smart enough to pay attention to their one and only customer?

Ay ya ya!!!

Prayer Shawl - Done!

 Oh my goodness!  I thought I would NEVER finish this prayer shawl.  It is by far the biggest thing I think I have knitted.  I have prayed and prayed a long time for the person that will be receiving this shawl (I don't know yet who it will go to since it will go to the next person in need of one), but let me tell you...as long as I worked on this and the number of hours that went into it, the person will be covered in prayers.

I enjoyed making the shawl, it was a fun pattern and it was easy to memorize.  My only complaint was that I never thought I would finish those decreases since you only decrease one stitch every 4th row.  Whew!

At any rate...it is finished...now I will finally start another one, but the next one will be crochet and will not be as huge as this one was.  

Yarn: Caron Cakes in Vanilla Bean
Needle: US 8

Funny Friday - I'm in Hog Heaven

 

Funny Friday - Ask Me Again, I'll Tell You The Same

 

Lazy Day Macaroni Salad

I have had this recipe for years.  It actually comes from 2 sources.
1) Sublime Hodgepodge 
2) Tasty Kitchen

Sublime Hodgepodge actually indicates that the recipe was originally credited to Tasty Kitchen.  Initially, I found this The American Kitchen, which I believe the same blogger managed then one day * poof * it was gone because they decided to get rid of the blog (as you can see if you click on the link).  Luckily I was able to find it by searching archives.  Then Sublime Hodgepodge shut down the "new" blog in 2011 but luckily didn't delete it (even though she indicates that she was going to probably get rid of the blog in her last post)

 So...I thought before I lose it again, I should place it here on my blog where I will always be able to find it.

Lazy Day Macaroni Salad

• 1 pound box Elbow Mac (or your choice of macaroni shape - I also like cavatappi)
• 1 whole Small Onion Chopped
• 2 stalks Of Celery, Chopped
• 4 whole Hard Boiled Eggs, Chopped
  
• Paprika, Salt  & Pepper to taste
• Approx. 1/8 cup sugar  (again, to taste)
• 1 cup Marzetti's Original Cole Slaw Dressing (or more to taste)
• 2 whole Hard-boiled Eggs, Sliced (as edible decoration on top, optional)

Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the box.

While it cooks, chop your onions, celery, and eggs.

When pasta is cooked, drain. While it is still warm add the cole slaw dressing, onions, celery, chopped eggs, and add sugar, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Mix together well, adding more dressing if you desire
.
Place salad in your serving bowl. Smooth out the top and place the sliced eggs on top. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

W.I.P. Wednesday - Tale of Two Shawls

On April 1st, Malabrigo started a knit-a-long (KAL) for the Temperance Shawl.  Since I am currently knitting prayer shawls for church members, I thought this would be a great KAL to join.

However,  I hadn't finished my current WIP - Sideways Shawl and I really, really wanted to finish it first.  It is a rather large shawl and you only increase every 4th row and then once you start decreasing, you only decrease one stitch every 4th row and trust me, there is a lot of decreasing to do - I have to get from 92 stitches down to 6.  That is 86 decrease stitches or 344 rows !!  Mercy!!

Anyway...progress has been made

Since I was felt I was falling further behind on the Malabrigo KAL, my sister suggested I just set the Sideways Shawl aside and go ahead and start the Temperance Shawl, so I decided to take her advise.

The Temperance Shawl is done in sections and I finished Section 1 - at least it is a start. It is challenging for me to work with this yarn (sock yarn) because it is a fine weight (1) and I have been used to working with worsted weight yarn (4) so it is a big difference.

Here is my yarn selection for the Temperance shawl - oh so pretty

And...here is the progress after completing Section 1

 

W.I.P. Wednesday

 I am happy because I have been wanting this for years, but  no one at church seemed interested at the time.  I don't really have the time to be the "leader" of the group so I never pushed for it, but we finally have a small prayer shawl ministry at our church.

They've mostly talked about knitted prayer shawls and as I have said many times, I am not the fastest knitter but I am getting faster than I was so that is something.  I am sure we can crochet some shawls too.

I am currently knitting a prayer shawl and it is called "Sideways Shawl" - I happened to have seen the pattern in a book at Michael's and I really liked the ruffled edge so decided to make it my first prayer shawl.  I am about 35% - 40% done.  It is a pretty easy pattern to memorize, but I  just don't have a lot of free time and when I do have some free time, I am often too tired to knit.

So...here is my progress so far.  I am using Caron Cakes in the color "Vanilla Bean".  

At the moment, I am feeling pretty motivated to finish it because a Malabrigo Knit-a-Long (KAL) starts on April 1st and it is is for a ...... SHAWL - perfect - so I can be part of a KAL and complete another prayer shawl at the same time! 

Since the KAL starts April 1st - I have to finish the current shawl first.  I just won't allow myself to start another project until the current one is done.  

So....wish me luck in completing this within the next couple of weeks.

My Busy Weekend

 I had a busy weekend this weekend but a good kind of busy.

Saturday, I woke up early to try to finish a gift for a friend's birthday.  I didn't finish it (almost but not quite)

Then we went to Cheesecake Factory for my friend's birthday lunch.  I haven't been there in years!!  They did very well with social distancing.  My sister and I have recommitted to a healthier lifestyle and I am proud to report that we both got something off the "skinnylicious" menu and we passed on the cheesecake (not an easy thing to do at the Cheesecake Factory"

 

 

This next photo - I took quickly in the bathroom (which is why it is blurry) - I just thought it was funny- the ladies hygiene dispenser looked like a face to me complete with a tear drop 😀

After lunch, it started raining & sleeting a bit, but my sister and I drove over to locate "Meals on Wheels" since she has an interview with them this week (fingers crossed).  Since we were near a Walmart, we went in there to pick up some items I need to make a dinner on Sunday.  

My sis then ordered a coffee from a nearby Starbucks using her app and we had trouble locating the actual shop, but fortunetly, finally did and made it home safely.

That evening, I watched Dead Poets Society and finished my friend's gift - a Rubix Cube Tissue Holder, like Sheldon has on Big Bang Theory.

 

Sunday morning started with on-line church.  Then I went to the grocery store because the day before, I couldn't find a Tres Leche Cake (I wanted to get a small cake to go with the meal I was making for my church friend).

Luckily Publix had a cake, then I came home and started working on a Mystery Game Day Crochet Along

 

Marly Bird does one every Super Bowl Sunday - it started at 8 am and it was almost 1 pm by the time I got around to starting so I already felt very far behind.  Then a friend called me and we talked for almost and hour and by then it was time to start making the dinner to take to my other friend.

So...I didn't get very far and after seeing everyone's finished projects (a small bag), I don't think I will make it.  It just isn't my style.  I might make the knitted version, I seemed to like it a little better.  We shall see.

So...about 3:30ish, I started making my friend's dinner....Chicken Enchiladas (using THIS recipe), Mexican Rice, Black Beans and (store bought) Tres Leche Cake and Mango Lemonade.

I then got in the car and drove to midtown to deliver my friend's dinner.  I had a little trouble finding the placed because her address is on a certain road but her house and driveway is actually on a different road (corner lot) - it was a little confusing but I located it and she happily met me at the door with some beautiful flowers from her award winning garden. (Literally, she has won AWARDS for her garden)

 

 I told her that I was supposed to give her flowers not the other way around!! They are beautiful and fragrant a totally made my day!

By the time I got home, it was time for the game, a friend called me and then I called my mom and made some Rotel Cups and settled down to watch the game about 7:15 pm.

WHEW !!  A busy, busy but good kind of busy weekend.  

I need another couple of days off to recover from the weekend !

 

Blog Recipes - Pasta Pet Peeve

I was browsing Pinterest the other day (looking for Valentine Craft Ideas) and noticed this recipe for Instant Pot Baked Ziti.  I immediately was a bit annoyed because look at the picture of the baked "ZITI"

Do you notice something unusual about the baked "ZITI" - that is right ladies and gentlemen, it is NOT ZITI - it is CAVATAPPI.  The blog writer, even said that she uses cavatappi in this baked ziti recipe.  

So why doesn't she call it Baked Cavatappi ?  Well, for that matter, it is made in the Instant Pot, so it isn't even baked, really.  

This is ZITI

T

 This is CAVATAPPI

It reminds me of how often I see Macaroni & Cheese using the wrong pasta.  This happens a lot on blogs but even in restaurants....a local BBQ place I go to has great "Macaroni & Cheese" - only they don't use macaroni - they use Penne.  So it isn't Mac & Cheese, it is technically Penne & Cheese.

Here is a recipe I found on Pinterest for Macaroni & Cheese

 

 

Do you see the problem?  There is NO MACARONI in this picture at all - again we have CAVATAPPI

So is Cavatappi and Ziti the same or is Cavatappi and Macaroni the same?

Here is Macaroni

 

 So for the record...this is SHELLS and Cheese (not Macaroni & Cheese as the blogger calls it.)

The blogger put this as the ingredient for her "Mac & Cheese"

1 pound elbow macaroni (such as shells or cavatappi)

 No, no, no !!  Not "SUCH AS" - if she said "OR" instead of "SUCH AS" it wouldn't bug me as much... I don't care that you use shells or cavatappi but neither one of those is elbow macaroni.  

Now I know in the scheme of life, this is no big deal and honestly, I don't care WHAT kind of pasta someone chooses in a recipe, but it is just a pet peeve that they call pastas by their wrong names in recipes. 

How can a recipe be called "Baked Ziti" when there is no ziti in it?  How can a recipe be called "Penne with Peas", when there is no Penne it it?  How can a recipe be called "Spaghetti & Meatballs" when it is made with Bowtie pasta ?

Oh well...just had to get that off my chest.  😂

Project Life 2020 - Final Week

 We didn't technically have 53 weeks in 2020 but...the last week, which is kind of like week 1 for 2021, had a partial week in 2020 so....I am just calling it the "final week"

Here are my final weekly layouts for 2020

I have been doing for many years but this is the first year that I posted each week on my blog.

I will continue with my photo a day in 2021 but not sure I will keep posting here.  

If you want me to continue....leave me a comment.  

Happy New Year...may 2021 be a good year for us all !