Geometric Rainbow Box and Coloring Page

Because it seemed like a rainbow-y day and in theory, simple geometric designs are easy. I started this one thinking "Okay, I'll have it done in an hour or two" and well.. that was a few hours ago. Click on the images for the full sized versions. The coloring page is only 100 dpi. Hope you enjoy them!

In other news, on other sites. I posted a new beadwork project on BellaOnline Beadwork. 

Pretty Cauliflower Fractals

This weekend we went to one of the local farmer's markets and the hardware store. At the market we found these gorgeous fractal cauliflowers. Click on images to see larger versions.

Resized, but otherwise unretouched. They are just that gorgeous. Then I did retouch some, increased the contrast, greyscaled then added color layers.

Here's a box I made with one of the psychedelic recolored versions.

At the hardware store, I needed bolt cutters for my thick copper wire. So I picked up a pair of bolt cutters. Turnip Girl made herself a very pretty scarf on big needles, and wanted to make herself a pair of big hardwood needles so we also got her some oak dowels 3/8 inch. Then we found out that 1/4 inch copper couplers fit perfectly on them. So she got those for the ends. She'll be making herself a pair of needles this week.

This is the scarf she made, the glove/mitts were made by Shelane Adu who was selling at the market. I swear, that snow cone is NOT poison and that she actually really enjoyed it. It was lime and mango, and she ate the whole thing. 

The shirt is from Threadless.

Book Review - Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It and Other Kitchen Projects

Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It and Other Kitchen Projects is a new book by freelance food author Karen Solomon.

This is just a lovely primer on making things from scratch that are normally convenience or grocery store purchases. Because they are made from scratch, they combine unexpected flavors for gourmet goodies that would make wonderful gifts.

The photography of the colorful food is gorgeously photographed. The recipes and techniques are well explained.  It's separated into clear chapters by type of food and well indexed at the back as well the table of contents in the beginning.

I was going to do a chapter by chapter breakdown, but there are a lot of chapters with a few recipes in each one. This book covers a lot of cook-ahead things for stocking your fridge, freezer and pantry.

Highlights for me include instructions for making your own masa harina and your own hot dogs with more information on how to turn those two things into corn dogs completely made from scratch.  A wonderful curry powder recipe, corned beef and how to smoke your homemade corned beef to make pastrami, how to roast coffee beans in a heavy skillet, homemade chocolate/hazelnut spread, and how to make different kinds of non-dairy milk including a recipe for horchata.  With some homemade sodas and icy sweet treats this book is just great. The sodas are yeast carbonated which is one of my favorite ways to make soda pop.

It's easy and inspiring. My daughter has pages marked for recipes she wants to try.  A wonderful cookbook for people who are really getting into making things themselves and the DIY lifestyle.




You can get more information about my review policy here.

Lamar's Scrubbie- crochet pattern

My family loves the soft cotton crocheted scrubbies and they are one of my favorite television watching projects. But I make them in different ways. You can find other patterns here and here for this style scrubbie using different stitch patterns. This one is big, dense and fairly hefty. It would probably also make a good soft ball.
I made this one for my Uncle Lamar. He says he likes it a lot.

The basic idea behind any of them is regular increases in each round to make a single plane ruffle up into something big and fluffy. This one, I decide to make the hanging string separately.

You'll need:

Cotton worsted weight yarn (still working off my stash of garage sale balls and cones!)

Size F hook (3.75 mm)

Yarn needle

scissors

American terminology

ch=chain

dc= double crochet

sl st= slip stitch

st or sts= stitch or stitches

Repeat ** means repeat the instructions between the * 

Start by making the hanging string.

Ch 6, sl st to join

Round 1: ch 3, work 8 dc in ring, sl st to join

Ch 80, sl st to join on next dc on the ring. Break off and weave in ends.

Scrubbie:

 Chain 8, sl st to join

Round 1: Ch 4(counts as first dc and ch 1), dc in ring, ch 1, *dc in ring, ch 1*, repeat ** 5 times. Sl st to join in 3rd st of ch 4. (8 spaces)

Round 2: Ch 4 c(counts as first dc and ch 1), dc in space, ch 1, *dc in next dc, ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1*, repeat **, sl st to join in 3rd st of chain 4 (16 spaces)

Round 3-5: repeat round 2. Number of spaces doubles each time.  You may be happy with the fullness and size at 4 rounds, if you are, break off and weave in ends. If you want that extra round of fullness, add the 5 round and break off and weave in ends.

Pull away the ruffles to see the ch 8 hole in the middle, thread the long loop from the hanging string through that and pull until it stops on the crocheted disk at the bottom. Tie the loop in an overhand knot, sliding the knot down until it's on top of the hole.

Makes a great gift. I included an Essential Shampoo bar from Gladheart Acres. The shampoo bars work on hair and body, and these are what I use at the gym.

Uncle Lamar- summer 2010

He says he loves the scrubbie and the shampoo bar. We have totally different hair types, so I was curious what he would think. He loves math and science so the fact it was a single plane was interesting to him.