Rainy Day Goods

every little bit

2010-01-18T19:40:06Z

Have you checked out the Help for Haiti patterns on Ravelry? Knitting and crochet designers around the world are pledging to donate portions of thier pattern sales toward Haiti relief efforts. I'm grateful to have the ability to contribute, and I’m donating 75% of the purchase price of every pattern sold from January 15 - 31 to Doctors Without Borders to assist with their relief efforts in Haiti and around the world. You can find my patterns on Ravelry or here on my website - there are links to Simple Things and the Cotillion Gloves in my sidebar.

I actually increased the percentage I'm donating earlier today (from 50%) because, like many of the designers pledging money from pattern sales at this time, I've been pretty overwhelmed by from this incredible community of ours. When I added my patterns to the Help for Haiti list, I experienced a surge in pattern sales that I honestly didn't expect, and after thinking about it for a while I decided that the best thing for me to do would be to increase the amount that I will donate to Doctors Without Borders from 50% to 75% of the purchase price of the pattern. If you bought a pattern when I had designated 50% of sales, don't worry - I'm doing 75% of all sales from the 15th through the end of the month. I’m definitely not used to selling as many patterns as I have over the last few days, and I am grateful to be able to send a greater percentage of the purchase price. Honestly, watching the news... I'm just so grateful to have water, and a home, and food.

I don't know what I can say about the tragedy in Haiti that hasn't been said or felt by anyone reading this post. It's heartbreaking. I'm grateful to be able to help contribute more than I would normally be able to afford to, thanks to the generous response from the knitting/crochet community; I'm glad to be able to contribute in my own small way. Every little pattern sale is adding up with the others to a larger, greater goal, and I'm so very grateful (I can't say it enough) to be able to contribute in this way. Thank you! Thank you so much.

I'm normally very uncomfortable with sharing the details about charitable donations, as I believe that this is a private, personal thing, but because this donation really comes from the community, from you, I am stepping outside of my comfort zone with this a bit. So far, with the sales from January 15 - 17, I have been able to donate $491.00. From today's sales, I expect to be able to contribute another $150.00 to Doctors without Borders. That's just 4 days of sales. I'm not a wealthy person, and I've never been able to donate amounts like this at once before, not ever, not even close. I cannot express how moved and grateful I am to be able to raise more money for DWB. I can't say it enough: thank you.

New toys

2009-12-13T02:51:20Z

We got iPhones today for early house Christmas presents! Squarespace has an iPhone app so I'm writing this post, slowly, using my phone. This is a fun gadget, I can already tell!

end of November brings Rinconada mitts!

2009-12-01T04:04:31Z

I finished the first Rinconada mitt after quite a few rips and tweaks and swatches. I know it's just a little mitt, but I was being particular! I love the chance we get, in our craft, to rip and redo and make things just the way we want them. I wrote up the pattern and it's now with a group of fabulous test knitters. :) I don't have a scheduled release date but it's exciting to get the pattern ready and work with a fun group of knitters! I set up a Google Wave for the testers, inviting volunteer test knitters who weren't using Wave yet, and it's exciting to use it to communicate with everyone already. I hadn't used it much myself but I can already see that it can be a handy tool for this kind of small-group project - I'll definitely blog more about this as the process continues!

These mitts are going to be a part of a set - the mitts, an earwarming headband, and a cowl, inspired by the beauty of Rinconada Canyon during a winter hike, and also OH MY WORD IT IS SUDDENLY SO COLD HERE.

I've so enjoyed getting back in the swing of blogging and writing in this space. November is ending today, but I know that I will be posting much more regularly here again!

everyday beauty

2009-11-29T03:57:56Z

Even the lines of telephone poles are beautiful agains the sunset sky.

I could never get tired of the sky here.

buy nothing, do little

2009-11-28T03:30:15Z

that pretty much sums up my day.

happy thanksgiving!

2009-11-27T02:34:29Z

Happy Thanksgiving! I love this holiday; good food, quiet time, and thinking about all the many things I'm so very grateful for. Today was a quiet and good one for us, and I hope it was for you, too! I cooked a lot of food (it's all about the leftovers!); one of the dishes, artichoke pie, is such a staple in my family and I sent out the recipe to a few new people each year. This year, I thought I would post it here to share on my blog. If you make it, I hope you like it!

Artichoke Pie

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and coarsely chopped (you can use canned artichoke hearts packed in water; if you do, use 2 cans and an extra egg)
3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (plus more to sprinkle on top…)
1/4 cup half and half
3 beaten eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Fine dry bread crumbs for the crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Heat oil in a small skillet. Add the onion and saute over moderate heat until translucent. Add garlic and continue to saute until onion is golden. Set aside and cool slightly.
In a mixing bowl, combine the beaten eggs with the onion mixture and all the remaining ingredients except the bread crumbs and stir well.
Oil a 9- or 10- inch glass pie dish or tart pan. Line the bottom with a generous sprinkling of bread crumbs. Pour in the artichoke mixture and top with another light sprinkling of crumbs. If you want to, sprinkle additional parsley on top, as well as some extra Parmesan cheese (MH note: I always want to).
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until set and lightly golden on top.
Let cool to warm or room temperature. Cut into thin wedges to serve.

Enjoy!

off to a good start

2009-11-26T02:52:24Z

I love Thanksgiving! Wherever you are, whatever your plans are for the weekend, I hope that you're having a wonderful time.

cheerful charlie

2009-11-25T04:57:22Z

Such a happy boy! He makes me happy, too.

begin again

2009-11-24T04:50:32Z

I thought of some ways to make the Rinconada mitts better (improving the placement of the thumb gusset, which means changing the pattern multiple slightly, so I ripped them out this weekend.

It's nice, with knitting, to have the option to so easily start once more and make it right.

charlie browne is absolutely not allowed on the bed.

2009-11-22T15:27:03Z

and yet...

This is what happens at bedtime when the people start being softies and inviting the pup up into the bed for morningsnuggles. There was a very wishful dog ready for bed before we were last night.

happy saturday

2009-11-22T01:52:07Z

Very productive morning and restful afternoon here. I hope you had a good day, too!

nothing to write but I made a commitment, goshdarnit

2009-11-21T01:58:56Z

It's Friday night, we got pizza from our favorite place, Jacob and I have fixed our cocktails, and Charlie is happy after a walk with his girlfriend (a neighbor's boxer named Espe - they're really cute together). That's about all I have to say at the moment! My Potter is calling to me - it's been a few days since I've worked on it. It's time.

Would you like to see the cuff of the Rinconada mitts? I was thinking and thinking about what to do and just wasn't sure, and then it hit me when I was out on a walk: I'm doing a garter stitch but carrying the slipped stitches up from the bottom.

I'm happy! Well, truthfully: I LOVE IT and I'm ridiculously pleased with myself and the little mitts. I'm working on the thumb gusset now. I've also obviously stopped caring about whether the pictures I post of myself are flattering, but whatever! My goal is to finish one mitt this weekend and write up the pattern in this size... if I can get all three sizes worked out to try, that would be great, but I want to see how this gusset goes, first.

I hope you have a great weekend!

glowing jars

2009-11-20T03:18:39Z

I got an awesome package of canned yummies from Helloyarn Adrian! I got quite a haul, because the two of us had agreed to do a jar swap earlier in the summer, and then she happened to get my name for the awesome Can It swap that Earthchick Stacey organized.

What we have here is two pints of canned goodies: Vanilla Sweet Pickles (um.. the jar was full when it arrived. Ahem.), cranberry ketchup, spiced cider and husk cherry jam, and apple paste (with instructions to eat with cheese... yes ma'am! When Adrian says to eat something with cheese, it's best to listen, I think).

I taste-tested everything last night, and it's all delicious! YAY for can swaps! Thanks so much to Adrian and Stacey! I sent out lots of swap goodies this morning (including an embarrassingly late cowl for a cowl swap), too - it was really fun to send out some fun packages to friends!

swatching

2009-11-19T01:35:38Z

I love swatching. Getting to know the yarn, the stitch pattern, trying something new. So much possibility in beginning. This stitch will be the main part of the Rinconada mitts; I'm now working on different rib patterns for the cuff that will flow nicely into this. I do most of my knitting in the morning, right after waking. Looking forward to waking up to these!

28 seconds of very good advice, plus: ROCK

2009-11-18T03:25:15Z

some words of wisdom:

and now for some St. Vincent: