Here are some socks that I posted on other boards (craftalongs and such), but never here.

First up: Spring Forward socks for my sister. More info here.



Next: Gray Cabled socks for me! Strongly inspired by this pattern.



The next two are really similar. I had a big bag of leftover bits of sock yarn so I made these two pairs of scrappy socks. They're basic Elizabeth Zimmerman socks with a bit of a twist. They were a lot of fun to make though weaving in all the ends was a bit of a pain.





I have more info and photos on my blog. Let me know if you want links for any of them.

I'm not usually a crocheter but I kept seeing that adorable doily rug all over pinterest and I just had to make one of my own. It's small - the perfect size to fit in my little bitty bathroom - and made from tee shirt yarn.

I've been wanting to make a squashy cabled afghan only just forever. So... I finally took the plunge and and made it! And can I just say? I really love this thing. I love the color and the soft, squishy yarn and and the big ol' cables. It's definitely one of my favorite knits that I've ever, well, knit.

The pattern is called Lover's Knot Afghan and it's by Lion Brand. The yarn is knitpicks Swish Worsted in Peapod.

oh and ps. I totally messed up the cable pattern in a few places but I kind of love it that way. It makes it feel more personal and handmade, I think.

I'm working on this for my 16 year old brother as a Christmas gift. I'd love to get some feedback before I finish it. Constructive criticism is welcome.

It's pen and ink wash on watercolor paper, 7"x10"

Hidey ho there crafty peoples! Instead of making a new thread for each Christmas thing I make, I'm just going to put them all right here, starting with...

Christmas Cards!



I made 50 of these suckers. To make them, I carved the lino cut and printed it in silver ink on the black paper. Then I stamped the letters in red using this nifty old school stamp kit thingy. (Sort of like this one, but not exactly.)

I think I'm going to be a bit boring and ask for sock yarn this year. What crafty swag is on your wish list?

[Turkey:]

I'm hosting Thanksgiving at my house for the first time this year! It'll be small, just 5 of us. I'm really excited and nervous about it!

Here's what I'm planning to make:
Turkey:
- I'm doing it a little different. I'm going to cut the turkey into pieces and make confit with the legs and wings. That's going to be served over some greens. The breast is going to get rubbed with herbs and roasted.
Sides:
- Wild Rice and Porcini Stuffing
- Mashed Potatoes
- Green Beans
Extras:
- Gravy
- Cranberry Sauce (from a can)
- Relish Tray with dill pickles, pickled beets, olives and pepperoncinis
Dessert:
- Apple Crisp
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream

How about you? What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

[Sinus clearing ginger and cayenne noodle soup for one:]

I'm getting over the flu right now. Not the stomach flu. No, this is the achy-exhausted-feel-like-you-got-hit-by-a-truck variety of flu, complete with sore throat, headache, cough and congestion. (Woo! Fun times!) So I'm getting over it and all of a sudden the pollen count skyrockets and I get hit with allergies on top of it. Yay for sinus pressure, another headache and more congestion! So my question to you is, what do you like to eat when you have a head cold from hell? My favorite so far is a simple, spicy noodle soup that takes about 15 minutes to make, including boiling the water. Here's the recipe.

Sinus clearing ginger and cayenne noodle soup for one:

- In one medium/small pot bring some water to a rolling boil. Add a handful of thin rice noodles (also called rice stick, found in the asian section of your supermarket) and boil for 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a good sized soup bowl. (I have also used ramen noodles with good results. Throw away the flavor packet because it's mostly msg.)

- At the same time, in a second small pot, bring 2 cups of your favorite broth to a boil.
- Toss in a bunch of cayenne powder and powdered ginger. (I never measure but I probably use about 1/2 tsp of each.)
- Add some garlic in whatever form floats your boat. Since it's spring, I've been using minced green garlic, which is like green onions, but from garlic plants.
- Add some veggies if you like. I usually add diced carrots to mine.
- If you want some protein in your soup, you can also add some chopped, precooked meat or an egg. Once, I poached an egg in the broth and it turned out pretty good! Shrimp would also be lovely.

- After a couple of minutes, pour the broth over noodles in your bowl and season with a dash of soy sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, a little rice wine vinegar and some thinly sliced green onion.

Hey gals and guys! I would love some breakfast ideas! I've never been a breakfast eater. But lately I've been trying to take better care of myself and I think breakfast would be a good place to start. I never have much of an appetite first thing in the morning so something light but sustaining would be ideal.  Sometimes I have oatmeal if my hubby has already made it, though I'm not the biggest fan. And if I plan ahead, I'll make a batch of muffins for the week. But that doesn't happen too often. This week I've been trying plain whole milk yogurt with some fruit and honey. It's pretty good, but I think maybe a bit too sweet. That's the other thing. I'm pretty sensitive to sugar so things like pancakes just mess up my blood sugar and then I feel crummy all day.

Thanks for your suggestions!

I had a pair of uggs and a pair of mi woolies (similar to uggs) that were old and past their prime - soles and uppers worn out and holey. So I chopped off the tops, tossed the bottoms and now I have four pieces of shearling fleece. Each is sort of rectangular and about 6" by 14". I feel like there should be something awesome or at least useful that I can make with it. Any ideas?

Thanks!