Love is the Ultimate Outlaw -printable quote

I wasn't planning to do a printable quote today, but this is a favorite. The Facebook shareable version shown above is on Don't Eat the Paste Quotes on FB.

“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet. That would mean that security is out of the question. The words "make" and "stay" become inappropriate. My love for you has no strings attached. I love you for free.” 

― Tom Robbins, Still Life with Woodpecker

Click the image below for a large printable version-

What I was planning was a craft project which has been postponed. In other news: last week a tire blew out on the car. My husband was in it by himself and nobody was hurt, but because we still budgeting, it meant he had to find inexpensive, good condition, used tires to replace the 2 that got very worn with all the snow last year. He found them yesterday, and using the wonder of the internet, found instructions on YouTube for mounting tires on rims. That's done now. So hopefully we will be able to go on a day trip soon to get more pretty photos.

Pattern Coloring Page

I haven't done a coloring page based on patterns in a while. Hopefully you enjoy this one. The base for the pattern is a basketweave, which was then reflected using a kaleidoscope filter to create this tiling repeat.
Click on the images for a larger version. You can use this for wrapping paper for small gifts, just for fun to color in, and for scrapbooking elements. Or as usual, for any crafty purpose. There is another coloring pattern page available here.
JPG version:

Lg Transparent PNG :

Colored in version- large.

Book Review- Cast On, Bind Off

I have to admit that I'm not very good at knitting. Mostly it's hats, bags and scarves in simple patterns and occasional lace patterns. Since I'm trying to become a better knitter to realize some of the ideas in my head, learning more ways to start and end projects is essential. Leslie Ann Bestor's Cast On Bind Off: 54 Step by Step Methods has helped with that goal.

This book is spiral bound to lie flat while you're working and printed in full color.

There lots of types of cast ons and bind offs for different applications. The step by step instructions have photos as well as well written text. 

It starts with a quick start guide to help out people just beginning. Then it goes into the cast ons. Each cast on lists the characteristics of it, and possible applications.

Basic cast ons are the ones we may have started with, and are the foundation to many kinds of projects. 

Stretchy cast ons are the ones you'll want to use where you need a good amount of stretch, top down socks, bottom up hats, and things like that. 

Decorative cast ons are a lot of fun. There are two types, a lacy edge and a picot edge.

Circular cast ons are worked in small rounds for beginning things that are knitted out from a center like circular shawls, top down hats, and bowl shapes.

Double sided is my current favorite. Casting on stitches on 2 needles to knit bags and other things in the round that are joined from the beginning. I followed the instructions for Judy's Magic Cast On to start a sock type cozy for an iPod.

Multicolor use different color yarns for a very decorative beginning.

Provisional means you are working around a waste yarn, or in her tips, she suggests a circular knitting needle so you can knit off of it later to do a second side. 

Tubular edge also starts with waste yarn, works well for ribbing and looks just fantastic.

The final cast on method is a perfect Möbius for scarves. 

Then the bind offs- how to finish projects. There are only 4 different types, but many styles in this section.

Basic includes shapes like sloped and gathered. 

Stretchy has several kinds of elastic bind offs that can be used for areas you need to be able to stretch. 

Decorative includes the edge I used for the iPod cozy, it's an I cord knit edge. There is also a lacy edge and two picot variations.

Sewn bind offs is the last type of bind off, and includes very useful Kitchener stitch. 

It's well indexed at the end, and the inner cover front has a list of the cast ons, and the inner back cover has a list of the bind offs, making them all very easy to find.

 Published by Storey. 

 I received a complimentary copy of this book to review, my reviews are always my personal and honest opinion. You can read more about my review policy here.

Wild Rose Simple Syrup

Remember 10 Rose Recipes I Want to Try?

The thing I wanted to try most was making a rose flavored simple syrup to mix into carbonated water to make rose soda. Yes. Rose soda. Roses have a lovely flavor and scent, and with summer, it seemed like a nice variation.

My son and daughter went out and picked rose petals for me. You will need to have roses that don't have disgusting chemicals on them. I know the ones they picked are not sprayed with anything and don't have fertilizers used on them (my own garden, I use organic fertilizer and compost on.)

They could only get a cup and a half of petals. Which is just enough for 16 oz of rose flavored simple syrup.

Isn't that gorgeous?  No artificial coloring.

You will need:

• 1 part rose petals- firmly packed
• 1 part water
• 1 part sugar- white sugar maintains the color best
• lemon juice
• pan
• potato masher or large spoon
• bowl
• strainer (small enough to fit in the bowl)
• warm, clean, sterile jar
• canning funnel

I used 1.5 cups of rose petals, water and sugar and 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice to make 16 oz of syrup.

Put the rose petals in a pan and bruise them with a spoon or potato masher. Pour the water over the rose petals and bring to a boil. Turn down and cover the pan and simmer for an hour. Take it off the heat and let it set overnight.

Put the strainer over the bowl and strain out the petals. Squeeze out the mass of petals to get as much of the floral water out of them as you can. The petals will be translucent and white, they would probably be wonderful to use in a paper pulp for casting and are still lightly scented.

Pour the liquid back into the pan, and add the sugar. I used C&H Baker's Sugar which is a cane sugar that's very fine. Heat up, but don't boil! You want to heat it gently so you don't destroy the delicate flavor oils. Dissolve the sugar completely in the mixture.

I kept my jar in the water I sterilized it in to keep it warm. Pour the sugar rose water in the jar. It's still just light brown. So now it's time for the fun "seems like magic" part.
Stir in the lemon juice.
The light, pale, barely brewed tea color changes as you mix in the lemon juice to the gorgeous rose color shown above.
I didn't seal the jar, just let it cool and put it in the fridge for immediate use.

To make rose flavored soda- put 2 Tablespoons of simple rose syrup into a tall glass. Pour 12 oz of carbonated water over the syrup and stir gently. Add ice and rose petals to serve.

My daughter wants to try it over vanilla ice cream and over lemon sherbet, the delicate rose flavor is just lovely.