The Ree’son I’m So Giddy

 

 

Okay… I don’t even know where to begin other than just admitting – straight up – that I’m a fan-girl.  A big PW fan-girl.  If you’re in the know, then you know who I’m talking about.  If not, you will be. 

 

I’m not much for entering in whatever flavor of the moment contests or drawings the world-wide web has to offer, that’s not me.  There is always a borderline healthy and yet sometimes tragic veil of doubt swirling like water vapor off of a piping hot cup of cocoa in whatever I do.  The space between humility and the ugly truth is hard to find.  It’s good, it’s not-so-good, better try again, give it up and girl… this just sucks. 

 

I’ve been really busy on the photography side of things, sessions that I haven’t posted are backlogged and will probably not make it – at least on this site.  There has been a recent upward swing of downs lately that I was really lost in the thick of it, a shower room of doubt and frustration if you will.  Prints gone poopy, calibration chaos and enough techno-acronym babble to make the opthamalically blessed go cross-eyed with a slight tick of Tourettes.

 

I happened to be in a que sera, sera attitude the other night and while visiting one of my usual haunts I decided to send in two submissions to PW’s Holiday Bokeh  photo pool knowing that my two little shots would be in a virtual sea of thousands of wonderful work I only hope of someday attaining.  “There, it is done” and I went on my merry way.

 

Saturday evening I got a chance to sneak away and peek online.  This is what I found.

 

 

 

 

It was an after Christmas, Christmas present.  Miz commented on my picture…  wow!  Miz, PW’s photo cohort and snap-happy extraordinaire.  I couldn’t believe it!  I love her style and practical, vanilla explanations of spumoni that any ice cream lover can understand and appreciate without the use of an “Everyday Italian” dictionary.  Wow…

 

This evening I got another unexpected wow.  WOW! 

 

That’s me!!  On Ree’s site, The Pioneer Woman herself,  flanked by a gingerbread boy and sleeping beauty.  My leaf bokeh I took in the backyard after our sledding trip.  Just a snap and other than the fact I liked it, I never thought anything more.  Utterly breathtaking!  No way.  NO WAY….  See, I’m giddy.  Full-on, valley girl, OMGosh, about to burst giddy. 

 

Just thought I’d tell you… 

A Little Rosy

 

 

 

 

This year I didn’t seem to get the gumption nor the time to bake all the usual goodies that I usually do.  Sure, my thighs appreciate it, but that’s about it.  No Almond Roca cookies, no sugar cookies, no fudge or Russian tea cakes.  Forget the home-made hot buttered rum mix, almond joys, toffee, lemon and seven layer bars – just forget it. 

 

Earlier this year I picked up a couple of rosette irons and molds in their original, 1960’s something box with instructions and various recipes.  I remember going over to Aunt Karen and Uncle Gordon’s Christmas parties and having these and other yummy treats.  (Fried mushrooms, prawns, zucchini, cheese sticks and the list goes on.)   In fact, I remember getting a “grown-up” truffle on year…   shh, don’t tell.

 

Christmas was officially packed up and in the attic by six o’clock in the evening of the 26th and this morning I was bound and determined to get some very neglected house work and laundry done, that is until I walked in the pantry and saw the faded boxes.  Chef Tell, a proud user of Nordicware products pictured on the front – afro and all, whispered in my ear, “Laundry sucks, make cookies instead.”   Curse you Chef Tell.  I made the cookies. 

 

Honestly, I thought it was a good way to remember Uncle Gordon who passed away this fall. Devin enjoyed tapping the stuck-on cookies off the mold and all the Farmers devoured them with or without the sugar.  I think I might have to add them to my Christmas goodie repertoire next year.

 

Merry Christmas

 

 

Last weekend we had the opportunity to travel to Salt Lake for the family Christmas party. We stopped by Temple Square to show the Farmers the sights.  D.J.’s favorite part was the “hall of orange” where we walked through a tunnel of orange lighted trees on the other side of the Assembly Hall.  Devin really liked the Tabernacle, “the big, open area and old pipe organ.  All the old wood and old wavy glass too.”  I think he liked the old things! lol  Miss Is liked listening to the Nativity Story and seeing the manger scene (though she and I sat on a bench yards away.  Is said she wanted to sit, but looked a little teary-eyed to tell the truth) and Jesus echoing in the clouds.  (Translation; the Christus.)

 

I haven’t really taken pictures of lights before, however, I think I’d like to try again.  Should’a, would’a, could’a had my tripod, but didn’t and it shows.  Talk about a lessons in aperture and shutter speed.  Oh well, c’est la vie.

 

Thanks Cindy, George, Robin, Miss Abs and the rest of the grown-ups for hanging out with us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Snow Fun

Braces

 

 

 

 

Last week D.J. started his journey in Orthodontics.  Even though he doesn’t have a full set of permanent teeth in yet, we’re working on what he does.  They’ve moved so much in a week.  D.J. is very diligent about brushing his bling and picks a song from one of my playlists to brush to.  Good boy!   He is back to eating all the stuff he’s used to except, of course, the no-no’s like apples, popcorn, gum, chewy candy and the list goes on.  Since this picture was taken, I’ve been making him carry around a tube of Chapstick. lol

She Can Be Taught: Part Deux

 

 

 

 

 

My very good friend Lora and her family came to visit Thanksgiving weekend.  It was an overnight stop at our bed & breakfast, but we made the best of the short time we had.  What did we do?  Chat and crochet.

 

It was last October that Mrs. P taught me how to crochet .  I learned how to chain and started making a scarf and that’s where it ended until now.  These flowers are so cute that I had to learn.

Doing things the hard way right out of the gate, I decided to be an “over-achiever” and do two colors.  Fact is, I messed it up so badly that I made it into a “carnation” to cover up the boo-boo’s.  This wasn’t the teachers fault… it’s all me.

 

You can dress them up with buttons or other little do-dads of your choosing.  I hot-glued the brown one (I made this afternoon) to an alligator clippie thing so Miss Is can wear it as a barrette or on her hat.  (She made her hat herself, by the way.)

 

The more you do, the better you get – I still need to make more!  And just in case you want to make them too, I’ve included the recipe below.  Happy Stitching!

 

 

 

 

Irish Rose Instructions:

Using size H hook, chain 4.  Join the end to the first chain with a slip stitch to form a ring.

Round 1:  (single crochet in the ring, chain 3) six times.  Join the last stitch to the first single crochet with a slip stitch.

Round 2:  (single crochet, chain 1, 3 double crochets, chain 1, single crochet) in each spacecreated by the chain 3.

Round 3:  Now you begin working in the back of the flower you have started creating.  (single crochet around the first spoke, then chain 4) 6 times.  Join last stitch to first with a slip stitch.

Round 4:  (single crochet, chain 1, 5 double crochets, chain 1, single crochet) in each space created by the chain of 4.  Join last stitch to first with a slip stitch and weave in the ends.

You may add another layer of petals by repeating Round 3 increasing the number of stitches in the chain by one.

 

And when I’m not making flowers, my latest project is a skullcap beanie.  Around and around and around I go…  when will I stop, I don’t know!

 

Since we’re on the subject, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite places/things.

I really like this one, it’s called the Crochet Spot... she's young and trendy-cool.  Most sites I've come across smell like Grandma, not that it's bad, but the sites are hard to navigate (old-skool web, single links etc.) and a Barbie doll toilet paper cozy isn't exactly on my high priority list.

 

 

Crochet Couture; that's what this one is all about.  It's aptly named.  Stitch Diva

 

 

 

And if I'm good enough to ooze with sass and style, I’d make these… Don’t you love them?

 

Okay, I fell in love again - I haven't fallen this much since learning how to do an axel on ice skates -  LOVE THESE!!!!!!!  I have to get good enough to make one, I just have to. So awesome!

 

 

 

 

Do you crochet?  What is your favorite thing to make?  Will you share?  Link a picture of your favorite project in the comments!