crafty shtuff: fisherman's hat finished!!!

You may remember a long long ago post about knitting a fisherman's rib hat, well I have struggled with this first hat of mine terribly! I have torn it out and started anew a couple of times. The most recent being a week ago. As sad as it can be, frogging your knit project is sometimes the only answer. Honestly all these re-do's have increased my knitting skills on both fisherman's rib and knitting in the round. And I have learned my lesson that you need to stop and redo the first time you realize you've flubbed up!

All this was torn out & redone, ouch...

The final do over, and it's looking good!

I know that I had started this hat for the adorable lad, Che, on the Spike Africa that had lost his hat on our sailing adventure. I totally chickened out and was too nervous to give it to him & now he has gone off to Europe for the winter. So now it sits on Babo the Uglydoll's head. 

I think Babo wears it well!

sshhhhhhh..... silent sundays: ode to wool

etsy shop

I've finally done it, I have opened my Etsy shop!
Limbo Depot is what I've decided it should be called, for the limbo state I'm in awaiting shoe design school & depot for the train station I'm chillin' at whilst I save for my train ticket to London.
 Just a few things thus far with so much more to come!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LimboDepot

My darling friend Claire and I did a couple of photo shoots to showcase my cowls for the shop. We had a bit of a giggle fest trying to get the right shots taken. 

Don't giggle, Don't giggle....

Claire's getting feisty!

Hee-hee.... Take the picture It's cold out here!!

Checkout my shop, I'm very excited for this new adventure & look forward to making something for you one day! Eventually I hope to present handmade shoes for sale too. 

makin' booze

The privatization of alcohol sales in Washington State has made booze pricey! Luckily Costco has big bottles of cheap vodka & my new favorite cookbook The Homemade Pantry has a recipe for Amaretto (there is also one for Kahlua). I'm feeling like a naughty bootlegger! 

One recipe, five ingredients, & one empty bottle waiting to be filled. 

Brown sugar & water combined then melted on the stove. 

Yup, that recipe says cheap vodka!

Three & a half cups o' Vodka, measured! Glug, glug. 

Split that vanilla been to get to the flavor filled seeds inside.

Everybody's in and starting to muddle for some sweet booze! 

Drink time! No ice cubes? Frozen blackberries work just fine.

I have to admit by the time I finished making this recipe I was tipsy! My empty bottle was not big enough to hold all of the ingredients. So, like any smart individual would do... I kept sipping till everything made it in. Note to self find bigger bottle for next go around, because we will be making this again cuz' damn is it good shtuff!

trails of inspiration

I just finished reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed. It was even better than what I had expected from my friend Valerie's rave review. I found myself reading till 1am!  I actually cried a couple of times. It is a story of a woman hiking the Pacific Crest Trail(PCT) alone in 1995. She does only hike a portion of this trail that starts at the Mexico border in California & ends at the Canadian border in Washington. Cheryl's journey was amazing and incredibly inspirational. I wonder if I could be as bold as she was?!

Whilst reading about the Cheryl's ramble along the PCT, Netflix brought me the movie The Way about the Camino De Santiago pilgrimage. The movie was quite heartbreaking with the death of the lead character's son. The son was on his first day of his Camino De Santiago journey. So, yes I cried.. whatever. It was a very eloquently made movie showing the different people who choose to make this venture. Not all were religious, as the original journey was, but all were definitely spiritual journeys.
My wonderful friend, Pinky, has done part of this epic trek! She did it by herself just like Cheryl. I'm still in awe of Pinky's gumption. 
My landlord Tim is planning to experience the Camino as well. He had hoped for this spring but has put it on hold, I think till next year. 
The Way allowed me to see the amazing scenery that my friends have/will experience. It was beautiful.

On another side of the world my friend Jesse is adventuring around New Zealand. He hiked the Kepler Track in the Fiordland. It was a shorter journey than the others I've just mentioned, only 60km (approx 37miles), but it sounds like it was an amazing trek. The pictures Jesse has posted on facebook are breathe taking and I'm sure this trip has been very inspiring for him.
And for me?! I have learned about 3 enlightening excursions in three different corners of the globe. To date though my longest hike in one go was 26 miles (all one day) in Glacier National Park, I spent a summer working & hiking there when I was in my early 20's. 

Not all trails are in the wilderness... So, I hope you all find a trail that alters you.

by the way....

Cow & Pig are back... I have been most negligent in letting you know they were finally returned home to their pasture. I'm sure you were having trouble sleeping. 

They arrived home before Christmas with a few bumps and bruises that required some fixing. Rumor has it some legs had to be reattached. I think it's safe to say that we are all happy to see them back! Welcome home my friends!

Even after being animal-napped they still have greetings of peace!

Nuthin' but luv!!!

sshhhhhhh..... silent sundays: winter sunshine