The best part of my day was leaving work at 3 PM and having a couple extra hours of daylight to spend at home and work on this.
Category Archives: Handmade
Day 348/365: First Monday of Work All Year
Did you ever sit in an all-day workshop or some sort of hours-long class where you got hit with so much new information that you thought your head would explode?
That was me today. This week I have to attend a mandatory five-day training from 7 AM to 3 PM. Mondays are normally my day off, so it was especially hard to be at work today. I did make sure to get to the classroom by 6:45 AM in order to secure the best seat (which I successfully accomplished), but that meant getting up at an hour when most sane people are still in bed– i.e. even earlier than the ass-crack of dawn.
On the plus side, I did get home while there was still daylight, and I was able to add a few more stitches to the Coastal Ripple afghan. It was exactly the kind of thing I needed to calm my overheated brain.
Day 347/365: Rainy Sunday
This week I have to work from Monday to Friday because of a mandatory training course for all mental health staff. It had been a long time since I only had a two-day weekend. These last two days just felt too short of a time to recover from the past four ten-hour days. I told Sean, “This two-day weekend gig, I don’t like it.”
“Wait until tomorrow,” he suggested. “And then tell me how you feel when you get home at 3 PM, and you’ve got the whole rest of the afternoon ahead of you.”
Anyway, it rained most of today. I did a lot of sitting around and crocheting. I added several more rows to the Coastal Ripples afghan, and I got to enjoy a nice view out of our sunroom windows. At least tomorrow when I get home, it’ll still be light and I’ll have a chance to watch the sunset over the water.
Day 343/365: Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes
The other night I made Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes to take to work. (You can search online to find any variations of recipes; I used the one from Tasty.)
Cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and sugar whipped together to make cheesecake. Yum.
Place an Oreo on the bottom of each cupcake liner and dollop the cheesecake mixture on top of that. I used mint Oreos for the holiday season.
I made the mistake of doubling the recipe when I only had one muffin tin. This meant that I had to wait a half hour for the first batch to cool before I could remove the cheesecake cupcakes and prep the second dozen. It took 45 minutes for each batch to bake. By the time the second batch was cool enough to refrigerate, it was almost midnight.
I wanted to sprinkle crushed peppermint candies and chocolate chips on the tops, but I didn’t have any mints.
I didn’t get around to taking any After photos, and there were no leftovers to bring back home. So you will just have to imagine how they looked and tasted, or you can make a batch and see for yourself. I highly recommend it.
Day 341/365: A Few Ripples
I still have a long way to go before I finish this afghan, but the colors are certainly pretty.
Day 338/365: Coastal Waves
Tonight I’m working on this and putting the week behind me. Hope you are all enjoying a relaxing Friday this evening!
Day 335/365: A Sweater Half Empty (Or Half Full?)
Here is how far I’ve gotten with the sweater. I still have to knit the neckline and the rest of the body and figure out what I want to do with the cuffs. It’s not an incredible amount of knitting left, but now I’m feeling like it’s time for a break. The Coast Ripple afghan is calling to be finished.
Day 334/365: The Shabby Chic Quilt, aka My Favorite Quilt
This morning, Facebook reminded me that I shared this photo on my timeline a year ago today.
This is the third quilt that I made after I took a beginner’s quilting class last year. I’d pulled the pink striped fabric and the green gingham print from my fabric stash, but it took me a few weeks of searching various fabric shops until I came across that perfect accompanying print of flowers against a yellow background.
For the backing, I used a flannel print that I’d purchased around 2003-2004, when we’d just moved to Ventura.
I love the color combination of this quilt, and the flannel backing is so soft and comfy. I use it all the time when I’m lounging on the couch. The only problem is that it’s not very large, so my feet stick out from underneath if I pull it up to my chin. I think about making another quilt with a flannel backing, but I’ve got so many other projects I’d like to complete. So many projects, so little time! I am glad to see among my fellow bloggers that this is a perfectly common feeling.
Day 333/365: Sweater Progress
My formerly one-armed sweater now has a second sleeve in the works.
Now I am trying to decide how long I want the sleeve, and whether I should end with ribbing or some other style of cuff.
Day 328/365: Why I’m Loving This Month of November
I realized something the other day. This year, there are five Mondays in the month of November. Monday is my regular day off (I work 10-hour days from Tuesday to Friday), so that’s five days this month that I don’t have to go in to work.
Also, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, and the day after Thanksgiving are all state holidays in November. Tomorrow is the last day that I have to work this month. Times like these make me even more thankful for my full-time permanent salaried position with the state of California.
All of these days off = more time to knit, or crochet, or sew, and do as I please.
365 Days Handmade 