One step closer

Today I came one step closer to becoming a grown up

I got a Kitchen Aid...

... and I'm beyond excited.

It all started a few weeks ago when my mom called me and said "we need to talk". She had noticed all the baking I have been doing on my blog and other cooking adventures that I told her about in passing and realized that it was time for me to have my very first Kitchen Aid. "Baking will be so much faster and easier" she promised

I was reluctant. I mean they are big and they are expensive! and they take precious counter space. But mostly it just felt like a grown up thing I wasn't sure I was worthy of yet... What if i didn't use it? What if I broke it?

But my mom made one final point and I was sold... "It's dishwasher safe."

We talked about colors and engine sizes and finally settled on the 5.5L currently being sold at our favorite got to place, Costco. After too-ing and fro-ing between black, white or silver we agreed that silver would be the best bet for an appliance that should last the majority of my baking career.

So today, after my mom arranged for it to be waiting for me at my local Costco, I went and picked it up.

And I love it. And it's beautiful. And I can't stop starring at it. I feel so grown up!

And I can't wait to make some cookies!!

Thank you mom for a wonderful housewarming gift!

Fall

I'm so happy to be back in America for fall... And I must say that Chicago in the fall is gorgeous.

I love the colors, the leaves turning, the crisp chill in the air. It makes me want to cook and knit and just enjoy as we head in to winter.

So while I have been making cupcakes as chicken soup I have also dug deep in my stash to find some orange Posh sock yarn.

I'm making a simple ribbed hat for the hubb. As it gets colder and colder, hats are a daily need these days and that means we need options. Orange is the perfect fall option

FO: Traveling Beaumont

I have been wanting to knit Paper Dolls by Kate Davies (only with camels) for a while now but have been intimidated to test my color work skills on such a large project where it could have gone ALL WRONG! And seeing as it's worked from the bottom up I wouldn't even know it's was ALL WRONG until the project was nearly completed... and you all know how much I hate frogging knits that are almost done

So I decided to give color work a try on a smaller scale, like a hat. That way if it didn't work out then I wouldn't be out hours and hours and hours of work... I would only be out of just a few hours!

But it did work and I'm totally addicted. I love it and I just can't stop. I find it so gratifying and entertaining to watch the patterns emerge row by row until finally a picture begins to form. Also seeing colors paired together really adds a new beauty to my knitting that I just haven't experienced before.

Project Details

Pattern: Beaumont Tam by Jared Flood

Needles: knit using magic loop US size 3 and 6

Yarn: Hand & Hand in white and Handmaiden Cabash Sock in Amethyst

Mods: went down by one needle size in both the small and large needles after reading other's comments. I also cast on with the purple then switched to white instead of knitting the entire band in purple to ensure I would have enough purple to make it to the top!

I've already started my second color work project (details on this one later!) because I just can't get enough!

I'm now looking at my stash in a whole new way. Moving skeins around checking to see if they belong together. The possibilities are endless! Endless I tell you!

Library

I found the Chicago Public Library... and it's huge!

It also happens to be off the same stop as my favorite yarn shop

Now you know where to find me

Happy birthday to me!

It was my birthday longer ago than it feels like. Honestly it felt like it just flew by but I had an amazing day that I just have to share with you.

I know there are many people in my life who think of me and care about me and who try to go out of their way to make me smile but it's quite heart warming when all those people tell you on the same day that you are in their thoughts. I was truly touched that all of my friends and family, that are now spread all across this great little world, took the time to send me a little love.

About a week before my birthday, when I was checking my mail, I found a little slip that said I had a package. Huh... I thought I wonder what it is... I was pretty sure I hadn't ordered any yarn (I'm back on the yarn diet :::pout:::) so I went and collected the box and got excited when I saw it was from my dad and step mom. I ran up stairs and stared at it. Should I open it? Should I wait? My birthday wasn't for another week. A WEEK! I can't wait that long and I'm an adult. There are down sided to being an adult, one of them being paying an electric bill but there are upsides too. The upsides include having ice cream before dinner (let's be honest I've been doing that since I was like 15) wearing your new clothes as soon as you get them and opening presents whenever you feel like it! The hubbs was out of town so I wasn't going to wait for him to get home and I opened it right away.

Here is what I found:

A drop spindle, a HUGE ball of roving and a starbucks card. I nearly passed out with excitement and immediately called my dad and step mom to thank them profusely. I'll show you my spinning progress soon

About a day before my birthday I received another gift. From my mom. : D She knew that I had been umm rather addicted to Bed Bath & Beyond lately (hey when you live with out it and Target for 3 years then we'll talk) and had been hoarding my coupons and wanting some goodies so she sent me the means to get not only a new coffee maker (woot woot!) but also some of the new flexi baking dishes so I could make this lasagna.

This has to be the best lasagna I have made! Ok the only lasagna I ever made but it was pretty darn good!

The hubbs spoiled me as he does everyday. Although I specifically remember a steakhouse being involved. yum.

Then on my birthday it's self not only did my family call and sing to me but I my facebook and ravelry group blew up with messages of birthday wishes! Charmaine even sent me a knitting pattern from my wish list!!! I'm so excited to start it! Jocelyn left me sweet notes on every media site I'm on and Kundi (as always) made sure I knew I was on the top of her mind... (there was lots of purple involved). And Amanda! She gave me a tatting needle that her grandmother passed down to her. I only hope I conveyed to her how much that it means to me.

Thank you everyone for a wonderful birthday. I'm still smiling!