Zuma Giveaway

What's better than buying a new knitting bag? Getting one for free!! Click here to get the details on the Zuma Giveaway.

Froggy

Isn't he just the cutest. I made him for my Cocoa Swap Pal Becca. One of the swap requirements is a "Buddy Buster." She said that tree frogs were one of her favorite animals. He's not exactly a tree frog but I put him in my apricot tree.

Cocoa Swap Weekly Topic #3

This is my weekly question:

Marshmallows/Whipped Cream - The big debate.
How do you prefer you top your cocoa? If you like marshmallows, do they need to be the big ones, little ones, homemade, gourmet, flavored? If it’s whipped cream, is it fresh, the kind in the can, flavored? Or are you a fluff gal? Or… do you like your cocoa naked? Tell us about how you top off your favorite cup of chocolate!

Marshmallows win it for me hands down. Marshmallows are a perfect food. Melted in hot chocolate, toasted over a fire, fluff in a sandwich with peanut butter, in chocolate, out of chocolate, in hot cocoa. Yep, marshmallows are just wonderful.

Hmmmm, gourmet marshmallows....... never tried one.......... bet I'd love them.

Marlene's scarves

Over the years I've blogged about a scarf or two that I've made for Marlene. I asked her to line them up in color order and take a picture of them. She says that there are 17 of them. I don't see any yellow in there. Maybe next Christmas. :-)

Cocoa Swap Weekly Topic #2

This week's assignment for the Cocoa Swap is to post our favorite homemade cocoa recipe. I've never made homemade cocoa (I'm a pre-packaged gal) except warmed up milk and Hershey's powdered mix. I do garnish with marshmallows. Since I don't really consider that a homemade recipe I searched on the internet and found this one. You can't go wrong with Hershey's.

Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• Dash salt
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 4 cups (1 qt.) milk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Miniature marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream(optional)

Directions:
1. Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk; stirring constantly, heat to serving temperature. Do Not Boil.

2 Remove from heat; add vanilla. Beat with rotary beater or whisk until foamy. Serve topped with marshmallows or whipped cream, if desired. Five 8-oz. servings.

VARIATIONS: Add one of the following with the vanilla extract:

SPICED COCOA: 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Serve with cinnamon stick, if desired.

MINT COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon mint extract OR 3 tablespoons crushed hard peppermint candy OR 2 to 3 tablespoons white creme de menthe. Serve with peppermint candy stick, if desired.

CITRUS COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon orange extract OR 2 to 3 tablespoons orange liqueur.

SWISS MOCHA: 2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee.

COCOA AU LAIT: Omit marshmallows or whipped cream. Spoon 2 tablespoons softened vanilla ice cream on top of each cup of cocoa at serving time.

SLIM-TRIM COCOA: Omit sugar. Combine cocoa, salt and water; substitute nonfat milk. Proceed as above. With vanilla, stir in sugar substitute with sweetening equivalence of 1/2 cup sugar.

CANADIAN COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon maple extract.

Cocoa Swap Scavenger Hunt

This was fun. I had to search the participant list and find the answers to the following questions. At least I knew my answer already. I'm sure there are several answers to each question but I picked the first one I found.

1. Who wants to try plant fibers? Emily
2. Who wants to learn to crochet? Jenn
3. Who collects yarn? Mary Lynn Ruth
4. Who loves yellow? Alicia
5. Who doesn’t like fruit flavors? Jenn
6. Who loves Malabrigo (who doesn’t??? hahaha) ? Alicia
7. Who has one mitt to go to finish her Endpaper Mitts? Elizabeth
8. Who’s favorite animal is a dog? Channon
9. Who likes to paint? Penny
10. Who has too many stitch markers? Michelle
11. Who likes Bailey’s in their cocoa? Sarah Becca
12. Who likes Starbucks salted caramel cocoa? Darcy
13. Who can’t stand vanilla flavored cocoa? Channon
14. Who’s favorite animal is a hedgehog? Ariel
15. Who might stab themselves over Neon Yarn? Laurie
16. Who’s oldest UFO is at least 15 years old? Kate
17. Who likes crystallized ginger? Chelle
18. Who likes whipped cream in their cocoa? Monica
19. Who likes marshmallow fluff in their cocoa? Becca. I've never considered it, bet it's yummy.
20. Who needs stitch holders? Laurie

Cocoa Swap Questionnaire can be found here.

Christmas knitting for Mona

I just found this in my drafts.......... oops.

Mona is my swap partner in my Christmas Swap with my Knotty Friends Yahoo Group.

I made this scarf in September but couldn't post it until now that she's received it. The pattern came from December 18 - Little Shell Pattern - 365 Knitting Stitches A Year. I used Knit Picks Swish in the color Bubblegum.

Since pink is her favorite color I couldn't very well let a gift box go out without a bag. This is the first one I added charms to. She likes a bit of "bling" and I was hoping she'd like these. ETA - she did. :-)

First FO of 2009

I was messing around and made a long hat with danglies on the end. It was a lot of fun to make and made me smile when it was finished.

Last two FO's for 2008

Since I was in a hat knitting mode I made these two chemo caps. I'll knit up a few more and send them out.

Austin's Hat

Austin didn't want a lavender hat with tassels but did want a beanie. :-)

Susie's Book Cover

Dona's mom loved the book cozie I made Dona for Christmas. I thought it was a silly gift but if Susie wants one, Susie should have one.

Marlene's Hat

Marlene asked for a hat to match her scarf. Just a simple beanie she said. This was easy. :-)

Kenzie's hat

My friend Dona loved the hats for Bayard and Carson and asked for one for her granddaughter.

Hats for Bayard and Carson

These are for my friends twins. I'm going to go see them tomorrow - I sure hope they fit. :-)

Marlene's Scarf

My hubby reminded me that I hadn't knit Marlene a scarf for a long time. She loves them and is coming into town from Utah (brrrrrrrrr) so I made this one for her. She'll get it tomorrow.




Size 17 needles - double strand of Lion Brand Homespun - seed stitch for five feet.

Bunny on the table

I sent this picture to a friend of mine and said to her "I have no idea how she gets up there." She replied and said "She bunny hops up there."

Shannon's hat and scarf

Shannon (my son's friend) asked me for a floppy hat made out of the same yarn I used for Dona's Ruana. I couldn't find a pattern I liked so I made it up as I went.

Size 11 needles with a cast on of 70. Two inches of ribbing and then I increased it to 84 stitches. The yarn was so pretty I didn't think it needed a pattern so I knit all rounds. 6 inches later I started the decrease. She looked so cute in the hat I offered to make her a scarf to match. 24 stitches, size 11 needles, garter stitch and fringe. She loves it and told me it was the most beautiful set she'd ever seen. You can't ask for anything better than that especially since both were so easy.

Dona's Ruana

I think this is my final Christmas knitted item. It's for my friend Dona (who's been forbidden to look at my blog until after Christmas). I used this pattern and it was an easy but looooooooong knit.

Click to hear She's Sinking