funky cowl.

this didn't turn out nearly as cool as i had hoped.... but i can tell you one thing... it's pretty darn warm. it's funky and maybe the buttons are a bit too much... but they are all i have on hand right now. when we get to the city in a few weeks perhaps i'll switch them out.  thoughts??

the cowl is just a simple seed stitch... i casted on 25 stitches in a super chunky yarn and knit back and forth in a row (in seed stitch) till i ran out of yarn... made a couple button holes and binded off.

cool wool.

a hat knitted sideways was a first for me...and quite fun with short rows and a twist. i used a bulky skein of 100% wool yarn and ran out.... so it ended up not being as big as i had hoped. 

will definitely be making another soon! 

pattern found here.

dreamy cream scones.

i just had to share the best scone recipe ever.  

the dreamy cream scone.

instead of currants i used fresh chopped up strawberries.

enjoy!

freeze up.

it had been awhile since i took a walk and really embraced the simple beauties in life. it's freeze up time here in rural alaska...the changing of the seasons. it's quite lovely if you stop to embrace the beauty and inhale cool crisp air. i walked slowly and took it all in. i noticed the details of which i might normally pass up. i thought about all the simple pleasures in my life that should be celebrated daily. i came home feeling refreshed and thankful. i have much to be grateful for... sometimes i get too caught up in the negatives in life. i forget to be thankful for good things... and there are many many good things. i needed this reminder to live a life of gratitude... to appreciate the little things in life everyday. it's amazing what a good walk can do for your body and spirit.

happy halloween!

the lovelies and i were browsing on pinterest for party treats for school. 

they chose these silly candy corn marshmallow people. 

i used mini choc chips for the eyes because i didn't have black gel.

happy halloween friends!

little gnome hat.

this sweet little gnome hat i made from qiviut (brown) and wool (white). 

i found the pattern here. 

it fits my sweet little 14 month old quite well.

upcycled wool blanket.

when it comes to quilting i know VERY little. so when i feel like making a blanket/quilt (which is not very often) i pretty much just make up my own rules and really do whatever says yes to me. i free hand everything and 'eye it' to see if it looks good enough. the meticulous cutting and measuring of quilting i don't have the patience or time for.... so i just do my own thing and appreciate the imperfections. 

this past summer i scored some heavy wool jackets at a thrift store that i really wanted for the groovy buttons on them. once i rescued the buttons i felt bad for all the glorious wool with no purpose, so i cut them into squares and rectangles. then i  sewed them together randomly, added some fabulous anna maria horner flannel, applied a bird applique...and viola! a cozy, heavy wool lap blanket just in time for winter. it is no where near perfect.... but i like it and it makes me happy.

more apple goodness.

apple cake.

apple muffins.

apple pull-apart bread.

three really delicious apple baking discoveries this week. all were really REALLY good. however the apple cake will be the one i go to again and again. it was simple and full of such greatness. if you are out to the apple orchards soon or have good friends that send you boxes full of apples.. you must try these recipes! they will not disappoint.

quirky qiviut mitts.

i made these mittens the other day and they turned out a bit quirky. after i finished the one side i thought it looked a bit odd... but decided to go ahead and make the other side. i figured they may fit someone somewhere that would appreciate their character. they are incredibly soft and amazingly warm. i made them with the qiviut i combed out here. it's a worsted weight, 70% qiviut/20% merino/10% silk blend.

apple fritters.

this week in the mail we were so lucky to receive a glorious box of fresh picked organic apples from washington. what a treat. they are sweet and juicy and just so lovely and delicious! i love knowing exactly where they came from and who picked them. makes me feel so much better about eating them.  apple fritters were first up for these green beauties. a simple recipe found here, at the pioneer woman. i tossed mine in cinnamon and sugar and a few with powered. they were best warm and fresh. stayed tuned for more apple baking. seems to be turning into tradition this fall apple baking business. my collection of go to apple treats is growing. i always always bake apple pie...most often with blueberries tossed in.. but these recipes here are new discoveries.

2011-dutch apple bread

2010-apple cake

blueberry braid.

there was a time in my life when i knew very little about baking... and cooking. i used to bring instant muffins to potlucks and sometimes have a can of corn for dinner. in my mid twenties i was a young, single teacher in a remote village of 250 people.... waaaay up river in rural northwest alaska. my principal and dear friend was this amazing cook. she could make anything from scratch and i was always so impressed and in awe of her baking and cooking skills. for morning staff meetings or inservice days she would sometimes bake for the staff. this blueberry braid was a highlight of mine. it was soooooo good. man oh man.. with a cup of black coffee and this sweet treat i was able to handle any staff meeting coming my way. a couple years ago i asked her for the recipe. my first attempt was an epic failure....so i let a couple years pass and pulled it out again the other day. sweet success! the recipe is a bit time intensive and there are like 107 steps to it... but oh sooo worth it! 

needless to say... i've come a long way from those 'just add water' muffins!

serpentine.

my husband has been talking this place up since the day i met him. he's been going to this hot springs ever since he was 5. i finally experienced serpentine...... and it did not disappoint. a breathtaking experience,  almost surreal. too good for words really... i'll just show you.

summer stitching.

i'm slightly embarrassed to admit that my summer project was a bit lofty and perhaps not very realistic. i started it back in may and had high hopes of finishing it by the end of this summer. HA! this qiviut scarf at introduction looked like this:

and nearly 3 months later it only looks like this:

i actually thought i'd be able to knit, much less LACE knit, while sitting on an airplane or driving to the end of the road or while relaxing in the cabin with three little lovelies... silly me.. between enjoying one of the best summers ever...at camp with 24 hours of sunshine...and having a 9/10 month old, i didn't do much sitting and knitting! so this my friends... is my three months worth of lace knitting on this scarf!!


i did however spend a few rainy days and late nights relaxing to some stitches much less complex... some mindless knitting that i could drop and pick up at a moment's notice without much thought.  i ended up making these:

 

 

 

caribou button bracelets

 

warmest mittens

i LOVED making these mittens. my first pair ever and the pattern was simple and perfect for a beginner. i've casted on for pair number two as fall is just around the corner!

note to self: do not try to lace knit in the summer when you have three lovlies that are 5 and under and you are living at camp.