Heading to Hawaii

Scott and I are heading out to Hawaii for vacation. We're heading to Kauai this time and I can't wait. Just one more day of work and then we're off to the beach!

The Learn to be a Better Photographer Project

I've embarked on a "Learn to be a Better Photographer Project". It's all unofficial and has no rules other than me shooting in manual mode versus automatic mode. I've had two sessions with myself and right now I'm angling for teacher's pet.



I choose a subject (today was macaroons and last time was my yellow paper umbrella) and then I try different angles and different settings until I like what I get.



I've also been shooting film and that has been so much fun. My friend gave me a Pentax K1000 camera which works like a dream. I've also been using a lot of my other film cameras.



Basically I've been renewing my love affair with photography and having a grand time.

Talking About The Canvolution

Last weekend I set out to join the Canvolution. In one of those strange roundabout ways, I was already part of the Canvolution through my day job and some of my knitting foodie friends but I knew I wouldn't truly feel that I was a part of this movement unless I canned something.



On the Canning Across America site, they had a list of wonderful recipes. I selected the Lemon-Vanilla Jam from Falling Cloudberries, partly due to the wonderful smells I knew it would produce and also because of the simplicity of the recipe. I do have to say that Falling Cloudberries is now on my Amazon Wishlist because of this one fantastic recipe.



I set out my ingredients and began slicing up the lemons. I felt a bit like Julia Child with my knife in my hand and may have shouted, "Bon Appetit" around the kitchen. I technically know how to hold a knife but whenever I try to do it the proper way, I start to out-think myself and ugh! Once I got past my knife holding fear, I thinly sliced up the lemons and removed any seeds. My hands began to feel a bit pruned after the seed removal from the acidic lemon juice.



I next placed the lemons in a heavy-bottomed pan with water. I simmered the lemons for about an hour. I then added the sugar and vanilla bean to the now soft lemons and let that simmer for another hour.



It was at this point that I should have simmered the jam for another 30 minutes but I thought it looked firm enough. This is just a lesson learned for me. The "jam" is solid-ish but is better for a glaze than as a spread.



This recipe had an interesting way to seal the jars. You pour the jam into the sterilized jars, tighten on the lids and then turned the jars upside down to seal. It worked! I let the jars sit for a few hours and then turned them over to tap on the lids. No pinging!



I took a jar of the Lemon-Vanilla Jam to a friend who later told me that she LOVED it. I then made some blueberry-lemon bread for work and took in the jam as a glaze. They loved it! So the jam, it was a success and next time I make it, I'll just cook it a bit longer so it solidifies even more.



The jam can remain in the fridge for a few months and will be delightful in the cold winter months.

This One Time in Chicago...

A few weekends ago, I went to visit Carolyn and it was super fun. The end!

No, really it was super fun but that is not the end. I've known Carolyn virtually for years and we've met in person a few times but this was the first time we would spend an entire weekend together. Honestly, I was a little nervous that we would end up sitting in her living room staring at the floor and thinking, "OMG! This totally sucks!"

Instead we stayed up until 4 a.m. the night I arrived talking and talking and talking. We then forced ourselves to go to sleep and got up the next day to explore the city. I've been to Chicago a few times before so I've seen the touristy things. This time, I got to see Carolyn's Chicago and it is fun.



We went to the Loop and saw a lot of public art. We stopped into the Art Institute of Chicago to check out the new modern wing where we also saw some photography. Yes, not only do we both knit, but we both love to take photos so honestly we spent the weekend doing both of those things and watching movies.

We went to see a terrible Korean vampire film called, Thirst on Saturday night. Oh it was just terrible but gave us a great laugh. And I had such high hopes for the film. It was the winner of film festivals and all that.



On Sunday, we headed down to the Belmont Harbor which is a quick walk from Carolyn's. It was a perfect Sunday. The sun was bright, there was a slight breeze in the air and people were happy.

We photo strolled and then ended the afternoon with cupcakes and coffee. Then we headed back to Carolyn's so I could catch a cab back to the airport and home. It was a delightful little break in a very busy summer at work. It was just the break I needed. Thanks Carolyn!



You can see my whole Chicago set, here

Of Love and Memories

A few months ago, Scott's grandmother gave me some of her quilting fabric. She told me that she wouldn't be able to use it all before she passed. Unfortunately she was right. She passed a little over a month ago and while we miss her, we know that she lived a wonderful life and got to really, truly enjoy her great-grandchild as they lived across the street from her.



I promised Scott's grandmother that I would make quilts for her great-grandchildren out of the fabric she gave me. I decided to make two coin quilts; one in blue and one in pink.



I started work on the quilts and while I tried, I did not finish them in time to show them to Scott's grandma but I know that she would have liked them.



When we last went down to visit Scott's family, I brought the quilts. Tyler loved his quilt so much and kept telling Scott about the different fabrics. Hailey was excited and loved all the pink coloring.





More quilt photos can be found here

Sock Summit

My sock at the beginning of the trip

This past Friday, I packed up the car, picked up Scott and headed to Portland for the Sock Summit. Traffic was horrible so the drive took a lot longer than usual but we finally arrived at Scott's families house by 8 p.m. I gave the kids their quilts but more on that later. The exciting part of the trip started on Saturday morning.



I woke up early on Saturday and gathered my knitting supplies. I was sock summiting and I couldn't wait. I didn't sign up for any classes but I still knew that I was going to have fun. I headed back up to Portland and got a little lost as usual driving in that city. I finally found the Convention Center and headed in.



The Marketplace wasn't busy yet so I was able to amble around a bit. I quickly headed over to Splityarn's booth. I was so excited to see all the goodies in person and finally have the opportunity to meet Caro in person.



Then I began to roam the Marketplace while waiting for Erin to return from breakfast with her friends. Around 11 a.m. I sent her a text message saying, "I need you here! I need someone to stop me from shopping!"



Erin showed up shortly after that but sadly did not stop me from shopping. She said she didn't believe in hindering me or something like that. We had a great time wondering the floor and Erin even shared her sandwich with me. It was so delicious!



After awhile, we collapsed at the "sea of tables" to fondle our purchases. I think I bought enough yarn to make socks for all the children of the world. It was wonderful. Erin fell into her yarn with a look of bliss on her face.



We decided to sit and knit for awhile while waiting for Jeanne and Jessica to return from their classes. They raved about their classes and said that they had learned a lot. We then checked out the Marketplace again. Along the way, Jessica introduced us to Meg Swansen . I thought for sure Erin was going to die with a happy little grin on her face.

We decided to head out for dinner before the Ravelry Party and ended up at an African restaurant when the Tapas restaurant had much too long of a wait. It was tasty!



The Ravelry party was super fun and I got to meet Mary Heather who is just as chipper as they all say and even more awesome than I imagined.



I also got to meet up with Christy (NotHip) wearing her fabulous hand-knit red dress. It is seriously gorgeous. Heads were turning and people were running up to her to compliment her work.

After a long and fun-filled day, I took the ladies back to their hotel, got lost again and returned to my hotel to meet up with Scott. Scott had spent the day with his family and his niece and nephew. I think they wore him out. It was good practice for him.

On Sunday, we had breakfast with his family before returning home. Unfortunately as you can see, not a lot of sock knitting happened over the weekend but a lot of yarn buying did!

Where the Fun Ends

I've been working steadily along on quilts for Scott's niece and nephew. His grandmother gave me some of her fabric stash and I promised to make quilts for her great-grandchildren. She's now no longer with us and her great-grandchildren miss her dearly.

I showed the children the unfinished quilts this weekend and the excitement in their eyes has spurred me on to finish these blankets. But I'm at the point where another friend (Jocelyn) recently told me, "the fun ends".



I'm not sure why but the binding is so hard and so not fun! I did pin the binding on today and machine sewed one side on both the quilts. I then watched two episodes of "Six Feet Under" (Scott got the entire series and we are watching it from start to finish- what fun!) while hand-sewing the binding.

Sadly I am slow and only got one side of one quilt done. I'll need to work harder this week to get these quilts done by Friday for the promised delivery date.

Skin - The Wonders of It All

I've suffered from skin problems since I was a teenager and as I edge closer to my 35th birthday, I often wonder when my teenage skin problems will disappear as the wrinkles begin closing in.

I was talking to a co-worker the other day about make-up and she told me about bare Escentuals . She mentioned that her break-outs had reduced with the use of this make-up and that she had been a devoted MAC user before.

Well my interest was peaked! I use MAC make-up! I suffer from breakouts! I was interested in new make-up!

So I took myself off to Sephora where I purchased a newbie kit of bareMinerals make-up. Then I started using it and LOVED it. Scott even noted that my skin was looking much nicer.

Basically I'm sold on this stuff. I'm currently using the Mineral Veil, bareMinerals SPF 15 Matte Foundation and the RareMinerals™ Blemish Therapy . While my skin is not perfect yet, I've seen such a huge improvement that I can't help shooting about this product from the hilltops.

The Zoo Makes Everything Better

This past week was a rough one for both Scott and I's families. The only thing I will say is that this week is already so much better!



We headed down to Portland on Saturday to be with Scott's family and ended up at the Portland Zoo on Sunday. Let me just say, going to the zoo with a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old can lift anyone's mood. And if it can't, then there is nothing we can do for you.



The kids were so much fun to be with. We talked about different animals and checked out all the ones we could. We discussed why eagles have such large nests and what a polar bear likes to eat. Then we ate Elephant Ears! Truely a fantastic day.

Yarn Cures All Bad Weeks

It's been a wild and crazy week around the ReeBeckiSupergirl household.



The Spud & Chloe yarn also came in at my favorite yarn store so headed to the store and stocked up on this pretty, pretty yarn. I decided that it's better than eating!

Home Cured Bacon

When we last left the bacon, it was in the fridge being massaged and flipped daily. After about 8 days of this, I decided the bacon was cured.



I pulled it out of the plastic bag and laid it on the broiler pan. I coated both sides with liquid smoke and preheated the oven to 200 degrees. I "smoked" the bacon for about an hour and a half until the inner temp reached 150 degrees.



The recipe I was following said to smoke the bacon for two and half hours but I think it might have turned into a dry crisp if I had done that.



I have to say that the bacon turned out quite well. I quickly fried up a few pieces to enjoy once the smoking was done and my taste buds sighed.



This was the perfect recipe for curing your own bacon with little or no effort.