EASY Knitting Project

Never judge a project half-way through.  This cute potholder almost got thrown out.  Now I kinda love it!
It started out looking like this:
I knitted straight rows -- easy -- for forty stiches across.  I knitted until it reached about 13 inches.  I knew the colors weren't ideal -- I didn't want to buy new yarn but was itching for a project.  So I pulled yarn from the reserves -- hence the ugly colors.  Then I felted it.  Since the yarn was a 80% wool/ 20% mohair blend, it is able to be felted.  That just means aggitating the yarn in very hot water.  It took about 3 cyclces to look like this:

This was the point where I called it the "World's Ugliest Knitted Potholder".  But with some streching and trimming, it turned out pretty darn cute.  Potholders aren't supposed to be color-coordinated to your kitchen, are they?

Honey Crunch

This is easy and good -- great for giving as gifts in cute holiday bags.

4 cups Crispix Cereal

4 cups Quaker Corn Bran Cereal (the only place in CO I could find this is Super Target)

1 stick butter

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup peanuts

Bring butter, sugar and honey to a boil, then simmer for 8 minutes. Pour over cereal/peanut mix. Stir until evenly coated.

Spread on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Continue to stir while it's cooling to break up clumps.

Honey Banana Punch

This punch is perfect for party. It is so delicious I actually ruined my dinner a few nights ago -- because I drank four glasses! Freeze the mixture in four 1-quart containers -- and then pull them out one at a time and mix with a liter of sprite. Yum!

2 cups frozen OJ concentrate

5 ripe bananas, chunked

1 40 oz. can of pineapple juice

3 cups water

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup powdered lemonade mix

4 liters of Sprite

In blender, blend OJ and bananas until smooth. Pour mixture into a large bowl. Add pineapple juice, water, honey, sugar and lemonade. Stir until lemonade has completely dissolved. Pour into 1 quart containers and freeze until slushy. Mix 1 quart with 1 liter of sprite and serve.

Kate's Chippers

These are a delicious "knock-off" version of Paradise Bakery's Chippers. They are delicious!

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter flavored Crisco

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 T milk

2 t vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

3 cups quick oats

1 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup Health Bits of Toffee

1/2 cup coconut

1 cup crushed corn flakes

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream brown sugar, white sugar and crisco. Then, add eggs, milk and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt.

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet.

Add oats, chocolate chips, toffee chips, coconut and corn flakes. Mix all together.

Use small ice cream scoop to place on greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 9 minutes.

Spectacular Homemade Caramels

Oh lordy, do I have a recipe for you! My friend Suanne and I spent a few hours making these for gifts. Time well spent. You have to set aside nearly an hour to stir -- and then cutting and wrapping them is also a chore. But in the end you have special, handmade, delicious caramels.

3 cups sugar

1 stick butter + 1 T

1/2 stick margarine

2 1/4 cup light Karo syrup

1/4 t salt

3 cups "light cream" or half-n-half (reserve 1 1/2 cup to add once boiling)

Boil all ingredients (EXCEPT 1 1/2 cup of half-n-half) at medium heat -- stirring slowly but constantly. Once boiling, add the reserved 1 1/2 cup of half-n-half. Boil until temperature reaches 230 degrees. Immediately remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla -- then pour into a generously greased (PAM works great) jelly roll pan. Cool completely. Turn candy out onto a cutting board and cut into small squares. Wrap in waxed paper. Enjoy!

Going Green

No doubt my hippie friends are already cleaning this way....but I want to share a great recipe for a do-it-yourself all-natural cleaning solvent that I found in "Gorgeously Green".  Leave it to me to buy a green lifestyle book with a forward by Julia Roberts -- but this book suits my philosophy well -- we can't be perfectly green all the time, but small changes really can make a difference.  

After a visit to Sunflower Market (love!) to get all the ingredients (some I already had) -- I came home, mixed 'er up and cleaned the bejeezus out of my kitchen.  Good stuff! 

32 ounce spray bottle

2 cups water

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon pure castile soap (peppermint)

3/4 cup hydrogen peroxide

20 drops tea tree oil

20 drops lavender oil (or lemon grass)

Even though my greener friends may already be cleaning with all-natural products, I thought you guys would like to try this recipe.  It's great!

The Write Stuff

My office job has played match maker with me and the Staples brand OptiFlow pens. These pens make your handwriting look better than it is! Sound crazy? Try them. These pens are flying off the shelves at my offce -- likely taking the stealing of office supplies to the next level.

In the (Cosmetic) Bag

I love great makeup -- and over the years I seem to have tried it all. From splurges to cheapies, I've compiled my "must have" makeup items below. I consider these to be the best of the best -- whatever the price. Mac Studio Fix pressed power -- this stuff is a miracle. Layered over a light foundation, it smooths out the coloring of your complextion and elimiates shine. Love this stuff.

Nars Blush in Orgasm -- I even got my mother to buy this blush. It's a great mix of peach and pink -- doesn't go on too dark and has a hint of shimmer. Easy to apply and easy to blend.

DiorShow Mascara -- If I were a contestant on Survivor, I think my luxury item might be mascara. Just kidding. Sorta. This stuff is pricy but worth it -- REALLY! It is the most volumizing mascara I have ever used. Truly amazing. You'll have to try it to believe it. After reading about the umpteenth celebrity to rave about it -- I finally caved. AMAZING.

Benefit Erase Paste -- I call this stuff my spackel. It covers blemishes but also works wonders on under-the-eye circles. I was first introduced to the stuff at Sephora, where the makeup artist used it on one eye only so I could see the results compared to "au natural". I bought it immediately.

Good 'ole Bag Balm. This stuff is oh-so-cheap. A huge tub is $5.99 at Target. I put in on my lips every night before bed. In Colorado, you really need good "lip stuff" and Bag Balm fits the bill.

Aveda Lip Gloss in Wineberry -- If/when Aveda discontinues this color lip gloss, I may cry. And then stock up. I just find this color to be great for everyone -- and the texture is just right -- not too sticky.

What are you beauty go-to's?

Friday Night Movie Night

I love renting a movie on a Friday night -- espeically when it has a "stamp of approval" from a friend. These are some of my favorite flicks -- in no particular order:



Another must-have for movie night: The Oringal Atom Popper. This thing is a miracle of a popcorn popper! Simple, stove-top popcorn in less than 3 mintues. Soooo much better than microwave popcorn -- and it's small and easy to wash and store.

Crocs Come Cute?

This seems almost too good to be true: a sole by Crocs, a super-cute design and they're on sale! I'm putting my order in tonight.  If they are as comfortable as traditional Crocs, I'll be a raving fan.  

Need a Wedding Gift?

I love the Silhouette Blue Shop at Etsy.com.  The above "4-Ever" print shows initials carved into a tree -- the best part is YOU get to pick the initials and the colors of the print.  What a unique gift for a wedding. 

THE Big Pink Cookie

Many dare to compete -- but lurking on the shelves at 7-11 under the imported mexican baked goods and the infamous Hostess Sno-Balls is a little known delight:  Granny B's Big Pink Cookies.  Friends of mine (I've only admitted this vice to my true friends -- those who won't judge the ghetto-fabulous-ness of The Big Pink Cookie) know that I plan to have these cookies as favors at my wedding.  You may be asking yourself, "Wedding?  What wedding?"  GREAT QUESTION.  But that's another blog post.  Get yourself to a 7-11 today and try a Granny B's Big Pink Cookie or click HERE to order online.  But do yourself a favor and don't look at the nutritional information.  And if you do, try not to notice that there are 4 servings in each package resulting in approximately 40 grams of fat in one of these little sprinkled goodies.  Not to fear -- every gram of fat is worth it!  They're delish!

Reminis-SCENT

Remember these oldies but goodies? In elementary school, I would scope out my academic competition based on who got one of the coveted scratch-n-sniff stickers on a spelling test! Even years later, the very sight of these stickers brought back a wave of nostalgia (not to mention the distinct memory of fake-popcorn and fake-chocolate scents).

What retro goodies open your nostalgic flood gates?