Tag Archives: crochet

The Death Star Crafty Cookie Coma Craziness

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About six months ago my my brother, Self-acclaimed Star Wars Freak, said he wanted a crochet Death Star Pillow for Christmas. So I started Saturday December 13th. It seemed like plenty of time, but alas, it’s now December 17th and it’s looking a little wonky. I’m a bad stitch counter I think. Here’s the one he wants, and two photos of what I’ve made.

The one he wants
Earlier this week
Wonky Now

I started making a big sphere with this pattern thanks to mspremiseconclusion.com, who did the advanced math for me which I either forgot how to do or never understood how to do. I planned to use that plus the makezine pattern and kind of put them together. Now, I’m wondering whether it’s a fail.  Do I go on with the pattern to show that I tried? Will it be funny to have a bumpy Death Star? Luckily I got him another present today, a T-shirt with Darth Vader and Storm Troopers opening presents in front of a Christmas tree.

I simultaneously baked Gluten Free Springerle and Cranberry Orange cookies for Saturday’s Annual Holiday Cookie Party. I wish I’d looked at my own Paleo Christmas Cookie Post from a couple of weeks ago.  But I wanted to make cookies without going to the store, so I made these.

The Springerles turned out great despite the substitution of Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking mix for the flour and baking soda, and the fact that I only had 3 eggs instead of four. Springerles are an old tradition in my family. An old-style German cookie made with Anise seeds and a special decorative rolling pin.

Unfortunately for the Cranberry Orange, also made with Pamela’s Baking Mix, I used Coconut Sugar instead of regular sugar. These were great fresh out of the oven, but after a few hours they got limp and soggy. Flaccid cookies–not a good thing.  Still tasted good though.

The party photo!
Springerles before baking
Cranberry Orange after baking

Coming home with a big box of cookies put me in a sugar coma for a couple of days. I definitely can’t eat sugar. I love baking though, and baking Christmas Cookies is a tradition for me since before I can remember. The party was fun though and I’m glad I participated. More attempts gluten-free-sugar-coma-free traditional cookies to come next year.

 

 

Colorful Grey Day

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IMG_4261  IMG_4269

It’s December and time for some color therapy! I have been keeping myself busy with crochet and Pupper walks.  Even though the sky is grey, I feel happy when I look at these colors!

This is my first post for Photo101Rehab, sponsored by a lovely and very smart blogger from my Photo101 class. Thanks for the idea and motivation Lucille!

For this post, I just tried to collect colorful images with my iphone.  I did a little photo hack with the yarn by placing it on a piece of woodgrain paper and cropping it with iphoto.  The Pupper picture just came out that way.  Pupper and I were both really taken with the turquoise steps and green door of the house we passed this morning between rain showers.

Weekly Photo Recap

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Hemp Aventurine Necklace Projecteasier.com
Hemp Aventurine Wrap Bracelet Projecteasier.com

My online photo class is over and I thought I’d put up the weekly photo recap today to celebrate! It has been a challenge to keep up with Nablopomo and Photo101 this month, and I feel proud and a little fatigued.  And strangely, a little bored.

I’m curious about the relationship between fatigue, boredom, and the ending of a chapter in one’s work life. I feel it with this month’s ending, a sense of relaxation and relief, mixed with a “what now” feeling.  It’s a microcosm of the ending of my teaching career. For the last year or so, I’ve been working at not working, and strange as it sounds, it’s not easy. I have to learn to be free.

What if there is no “they” out there telling me what to do? Telling me the “shoulds” and “have tos” of life?  Sometimes, it’s easy as pie.  Relax, do some crafts, read, watch tv, go for a walk, visit with friends, do chores. But sometimes, it’s hard, like, “how do I do nothing?” “Am I allowed to do nothing?” “What do I want to do?” How to we get so accustomed to just following directions, coloring within the lines, buying our lives off the shelf?