Coloring books, yogurt and avocado oil

The mandala above is watermarked with a big peace symbol because it's part of a coloring book I'm working on for my absolute favorite coloring book publisher. This is so huge, so amazing that it's been hard to talk about because I'm afraid I'll wake up and it will all be a dream.

However, getting a nasty flu bug twice in 6 weeks wasn't a dream, so now I'm trying to catch up and make the preliminary deadline which is why there hasn't been a printable calendar this year. If you don't mind getting one in January I could do it then.

My kids have been cooking dinner every night while I work on this deadline. My husband is my best cheerleader and he MOSTLY helps keep me on track. Last night though he decided I needed a break and we watched RED 2 together. I adore Helen Mirrin so much, Helen Mirrin with big guns and lots of things going boom is even better.

One thing I haven't mentioned in here is that we've switched to mostly avocado oil for cooking. It handles high heats beautifully and we had been mostly sauteing in it- then we were out of oil and TG was making Tator Tots as part of dinner. Instead of baking them, she decided to fry them. In avocado oil, which I might have been annoyed about because it's a bit more expensive but they tasted so good. She was also careful to only use a little oil. Perfectly crispy, brown and gorgeous with no smokey oil.

Anyway, I'm hooked on the stuff. If you've been thinking about trying it, do. For cooking it's great. But it's also been a life saver for my seriously dry skin in the winter. I keep a little in a small glass bottle and apply it straight from the shower. It just takes a little bit. It's thick and viscous and feels just a little sticky when it goes on, then it absorbs and my skin is loving it. Because it takes so little, it's been more economical than the lotions I was using and works better.

The other big thing in going on is that I ordered some mesophilic yogurt cultures. I've written about yogurt before but always made it using thermophilic methods in the past. So after this deadline- expect a post about making yogurt. The starter batches are currently culturing.

Well, that's it. Back to drawing mandalas for this coloring book.

Christmas was lovely

The last few weeks, between being sick and then trying to get caught up on this coloring book, the holidays and pretty much everything else got away from me. My kids have been cooking gorgeous meals. My husband has been calling to remind me to take a break and there have been insane amounts of coffee drank.

Still behind on that. But slowly starting to catch. Today though we took a break for Christmas.

If you've lost someone you love very much, you know the holidays can be hard. So for everyone out there who was missing someone this holiday season- I hope your memories bought you more joy than sadness, more laughter than tears and more blessings than pain.

My family spoiled each other. My daughter finger knitted bracelets for all of us. I asked her if she would be willing to do an instructional video later to show how she made them. They are soft and fun.

Everybody except my dad and I got something game related- and the only reason he didn't was because William couldn't find the game he wanted to get him! They all loved them.

The stand out gifts?

My dad and son gave me a pair of Wonder Woman sneakers from Journeys.
My husband got me THIS!

Oh yes. There will be foams in the future. I will do foamy light microwave cakes, then top them with whipped yogurt. I will foam all sorts of things because it's shiny and new and wonderful.

My husband got his gifts early because they were things he needed for work. But last month I was sent a video game to review and he was certain he wouldn't like it, but was willing to try it to give me his opinion as well.

From my Amazon review-
 It's like reading a book and being able to put it down after a chapter to get other things done. My son thinks the mini games are too simple and prefers more rpg based games. My daughter likes it for an hour at a time then switches to something with a faster pace and more action.

My husband was the person in my family who was most convinced he probably wasn't going to like it much. Then he started playing. To use that same book comparison- this is the book you stay up all night to read and spend the next day bleary eyed, drinking coffee to come back home and read some more.


I don't recommend it for anyone who has issues with profanities or violence, but he loves it. So Dad and William gave him more of the AC games to try out.
The Amazing Turnip Girl- being the perfect geek got and loved a SuperWhoLock gift set The Geek Studio on Etsy (currently on hiatus until after the New Year). The set includes a laser cut necklace inspired by each show. For Sherlock it's a silhouette of his head inscribed with the words "I believe in Sherlock Holmes", Supernatural it's Rule #1, and a TARDIS for Doctor Who. It also has 4 silicone bracelets, 1 that says SuperWhoLock and the other 3 inspired by the shows and 6 buttons for each show. She was thrilled and showed them off quite happily.
William loves his Threadless shirts. He wants to have as big a collection as mine. He got one with Tesla and Lovecraft on it, and one that's book themed.
Dad was happy with his tool set and happy that I didn't forget the chocolate kiss that's been his traditional gift every year since I was 8. He counts on that great big piece of chocolate.
It's never about the stuff though is it? It's about time with family. 
And I love my impossibly geeky, incredibly funny and always interesting bunch of left-handed geeks! 

Chunky Soft Bobble Bangles- Crochet

I love making soft bangles! This pattern was supposed to be posted yesterday because the one on the far left was done day before yesterday. But then I decided it would look good with 2 colors of yarn and my geeky daughter picked the yarn. She decided on Portal blue and orange

So after I finished one, she also decided she needed one with the opposite colorway. Fortunately they are very quick but that's why the pattern is being posted today instead of yesterday. My examples are in Lily Sugar 'n Cream yarn. The bottom is Psychedelic Ombre, the top two (Portal!) are in Hot Orange and Hot Blue.

You will need:

• Worsted weight yarn in one or two colors- a small amount will do.
• Size H hook (5mm)
• Scissors
• yarn needle

Stitches used: 

ch=chain

sc=single crochet

bobble= 3dc bobble

To make the bobbles- yarn over, insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull loop through stitch, yarn over, pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook), yarn over, insert hook in same stitch, yarn over, pull through stitch, yarn over, pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook), yarn over, inset hook in same stitch, yarn over, pull though stitch, yarn over, pull through 2 loops, yarn over, pull through all loops. 

To work with 2 colors- the contrast color is carried along the main color after the first chain. Pull out some of the contrast color and lay it over the chain with a tail to weave in- crochet over it as you work the first row of single crochets. Then for the next row, the last yarn over of each stitch is done with the color you will use for the next stitch. This is an easy color change here since the color changes with each stitch, so for the single crochets, you'll insert the hook, yarn over, pull through stitch, yarn over with the other color and pull through the 2 loops on the hook. For the bobbles, you'll work in that color until the last yarn over then switch and pull through all loops. Then the final round, work in the main color working over the contrast color across the top of the stitches.

Chain 28 loosely, slip stitch to join, being careful not to twist the ring.

Rnd 1: ch 1 tightly (does not count as first stitch) single crochet in each stitch around. Slip stitch to join.

Rnd 2: ch 1 tightly (does not count as first stitch) single crochet in first stitch, bobble in next stitch, work that way around alternating single crochets and bobbles. Slip stitch to join (14 bobbles)

Rnd 3: ch 1 tightly (does not count as first stitch), single crochet in each stitch around, slip stitch to join. 

Break off, and weave in the ends!

If 28 is too small or too big, you can increase or decrease the size by working any even number of stitches.

These are so fast! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Snowknot gift box to print and make

This month I got two different kinds of flu! One from my daughter, one from my husband. It's been a fun month. So there hasn't been much in the way of arts, crafts or cooking. Mostly just watching Red Dwarf, Doc Martin and reading books on my kindle with the font size made huge so it wouldn't give me a headache.

So that's why there hasn't been much for the holidays. I hope you enjoy this gift box! There is a black and white version for people like Libby to color, and a colored version to put together for last minute gifts.

Click on the images for larger versions, print on card stock, cut out, score folds, fold and glue!