September 24, 2011

Chevron Baby Hat and some others






Chevron is all the rage right now and I was very surprised that I could not find any chevron knitting patterns.  I searched the internet a bit so there could be ones out there but I couldn't find a single image or website with chevron.  So I decided to make my own.

For a first attempt I am pretty pleased with it.  Not going to lie, the scrap yarn I used is a little bright and depending on your screen and settings and how large you view the pictures it can get pretty psychedelic.  You know when you look directly into the sun and it hurts and then everything you look at afterwards is on fire?  Yea, that's how these photos can look.  It's actually quite awful so hopefully you are viewing nice, clear, crisp photos right now.
(If not, my apologies.  Please don't judge the Chevron pattern until you've seen the nice subdued ones 
I am working on now.  K, thanks.)






For the first time ever I actually wrote down the pattern.  When I knit I usually just wing it and make it up as I go.  This time I actually used grid paper to draw it out and then I wrote it out.  The grid paper made it way easier to write out.  I'm knitting up a few more chevron hats in different colors and styles and even some different variations so when I have a nice collection started I will share the pattern here. Just wait a little longer.



I've been knitting a lot lately and here are some of my latest projects.










Somewhat Simple   freckled laundry    

September 19, 2011

Share the love hgtv

I love HGTV!  Then again, who doesn't? I think my husband is even a closet fan.  With that said, I have a bone to pick with HGTV and the Scripps Network.


Stop neglecting the midwest and share the remodeling and decorating love with us.  
I mean Chicago is large enough to support a film crew and there are plenty of fun-loving, adventurous couples/families with extremely desperate spaces that need that HGTV magic.

I mean seriously - I think the West and East coasts have had enough style and fun - even Atlanta and Minnesota (and Dallas and Canada) have been spruced up by the amazing designers.

Now it's our turn! Chicago/Midwest UNITE!  Let's tell Scripps it's time to share the love with the forgotten and neglected fans of the midwest. (Sorry, I guess I have a flare for the dramatic.)

But seriously, being the HGTV fan that I am, I am always going on the website and checking out the various shows that are casting and NEVER are they casting for Chicago.  Unless I am looking to purchase a home (which I have already done) there are no opportunities to try for the experience of being a part of an HGTV show and obviously getting a killer room that is impossible to do on your own.  Sad face.

Well there is one new show that shares the love with the entire country.....

HGTV'd

A great show that I am totally trying to get on.  I know my chances are extremely minimal and more than that I really have no dire circumstances that make my house a need but I will not give up.

While I would gladly submit any room in my tiny house for the show there is one in particular that I would DIE to have HGTV'd!

My basement.  It is a neglected, boring, dingy and dark space that we NEED to finish.  We have a super tiny, 1,200 sq. ft. home that does not give us a ton of space for our GIANT dogs and hopefully sometime soon little babies that have a ton of junk.

Here is the grey, cement square.

Future family hang out area.

Future gorgeous laundry room.

Future stairs that you don't run up as fast as you can.

 Future craft, storage area connected to the family area.

Future illegal guest room which will be labeled "storage space" for the building permit since there is no window.  Legal stuff.

Future full bath.

So much potential and no idea how to make it happen.  Well I do - money and HGTV.

I'm a dreamer and I have been dreaming of this basement since we signed our life away to this little home.  And thanks to Pinterest my dreaming became so much easier and exciting (and a total time suck).  Here are some inspirational spaces that I am dreaming of for our basement. 


I love everything about the above room But with a craft area behind the couch!  I mean what am I going to do when we have kids and they have to live in my craft room?


I love these built-ins.  So necessary and so gorgeous.


Also totally love the look of this room.  The color scheme is fun and exciting and I adore the farm door.  Someday I will own one of those.


And a bed/bench under the stairs would be the perfect fit.  I love nooks.


Oh and my craft space.  Where I can sew, knit, work on photography, preserve memories and whatever crazy, DIY projects I may find on Pinterest or a great blog.

oh bummer, don't know where this is from....

Great storage space.


And this would be the bathroom - especially the shower.  We need an open shower like this to bath our giant dogs that do not fit in the bathtub anymore.  Very necessary.  Plus if we had overnight guests they  could also bathe.


Hello laundry room!  Look at all that folding space.  I actually like doing laundry and I would LOVE to do it in that space.

no credit for this photo

Or this space.


Are you catching theme now?  Counter space, storage space.....LIGHT.


So dreamy.


I love the built-in shelf on the counter.


And that sink.


Genius.

Well I think that covers the spaces.  Except for our "storage room".
Now HGTV you can accept this as my official submission to be HGTV'd 
and try and say no to these faces.......




September 18, 2011

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana Smoothie




I am discovering that I have an extremely addictive personality.  Whether it is babies, knitting, Pinterest, terrible reality tv or dried green mangos from Trader Joes, once I fall in love with something - I fall HARD.  So when my friend and co-worker told me about her morning smoothies that taste like a milkshake but have the nutrition of a healthy breakfast I knew I was in big trouble.  I was right.  And now that I am addicted (as in I definitely have one EVERY day and sometimes several times a day) I must share her recipe with you.  It's super easy.

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana Smoothie

1      Banana
1      Spoonful of PB
2-3   Tblsp. Cocoa
Handful of Ice
And it's optional but I like to add some Dark Chocolate Almond Milk and some protein powder to give it a little something extra



Put it in a blender and puree.


Then pour and enjoy.  
Oh and definitely don't forget the straw - another addiction of mine! 



September 16, 2011

End of Summer Bash




This year we wanted to start a tradition of gathering all of our friends together to catch up, celebrate the wonderful summer and look ahead to a fun fall.  So we had our 1st Annual End of Summer Bash.  I hope this becomes a yearly tradition where we look forward to gathering together no matter how busy our lives all become.  This year we went with a "Movie Under the Stars" theme.











It was a really fun night - so fun that we never got to watch the movie.  Of course the boys were able to watch the Michigan/Notre Dame Game.  The football game worked so well on the screen we will be watching all the Bears night games out there - maybe with hot cocoa instead of beer.  And we won't have the real popcorn maker.  A friend from work lent that to me for our party and it was so fun and yummy to pop our own movie theater popcorn.

Oh and lastly I just had to share my little lollipop tree from the candy bar.  It just made me smile.



Now what theme will we come up with for next year?  Good thing I have a full year to plan.