Coffee!

For the love of COFFEE!




I have always loved coffee since I was probably 8.

For my coffee addiction I have learned how to make an assortment of coffees thus purchasing many coffee makers. My favorite is the a very simple french press which I recently dressed up with a skein of yarn from a swap.




Along with that, I have a run of the mill drip coffee maker for normal people who enjoy a regular cup of coffee. Lastly an old fashion percolator coffee maker, for the stove top or mainly camping as it's easy to clean and use and requires no electric.

To make a long story short I was doing some spring cleaning and much to my surprise I found back my awesome and much loved Turkish coffee grinder. I accquired mine at a Bosnian flee market in Tusla, but I'm sure they have them around here. So, this morning I rushed to get up and make myself a cup of traditional Bosnian coffee or sludge as we nicknamed it. This closes mimics a Turkish coffee only the more old fashion, lets say. I took apart the ginder and cleaned it since it hadn't been used in about 5 years and put it all back together. Simple! I ground my coffee into the fine powder and it smells like heaven already and I test the powder to see if it's just as fine as I remember and much to my surprise it is even more fine. Eek! I whip up a batch in my saucepan pour myself a small coffee cup full. Mind you their coffee cups hold maybe 2 oz and our regular cups measure about 6-8 oz and mind is a full 14 oucner. Eep!






I am in pure bliss with my coffee this morning. Did my taste change? Have I now grown more accustom to the stronger coffee. Trust me, I'm totally wired this morning as this coffee has those superfine grounds mixed right in the water and there is no filter.





Lastly, here is a picture of my Bosnian coffee set which was taken right before Kadira and I had coffee. I think this was the first time I made the coffee and she said it was okay. Yay!

Where did spring go?

It is super cold and the public schools are on spring break. So of course it is snowing out and private schools were canceled. It's all good though. I just wanted spring.







On the bright side, I've had time to work my behind off and get pretty far on my scarf for a KAL swap project thing. I've also finished one sock from yarn I hand dyed and I've got an entrelac class tomorrow. Woot! Let's not forget the mittens I need to get done for another swap for charity. This weather is just reminding I have enough stuff to get done.


The crazy yarn I picked out for my entrelac class.

Dying my own yarn!

So, I thought I should get back into my grove and share my yarn experiences.

Today I finished up a ball of yarn. It is dried and already on my needles this morning after chores. :)

I think pictures would make for a better story!

Used Kool-Aid and Pals Easter Egg dying kit. Very easy and fun!


All dried and waiting to be used!


Makes a very pretty ball of yarn!

Learning

Holy cow!!! I learned it. I know I took the class and all about 6 months ago, but I finally learned it and how it works. What's that you ask? I learned magic loop knitting. You know with one long circular needle instead of double points?! Well, I was making some uber cute longies for a friend who is expecting and deserves these like nobody else and it finally "clicked" in my head. Not only did I learn how to do magic loop, but I figured out/learned how to do two at a time right after. Way cool and makes it go so much faster. Maybe not faster, but I like being able to do the legs two at a time.

Yay!

Looking Ahead.

So, I finished everything Brandon needed for hunting and he brought us home tons of meat. It was great! The downside is after I tackled those heavy duty wool pants I was done and needed a break from sewing. Don't get me wrong, I've been knitting away like a mad woman, but I need to get my sewing done too. I made a purse since then for a swap and that's been it, in the last two weeks. I did make each of the kiddos a pair of clogs as well as myself. Yeah!

So, Caleb really wants to have a huge birthday party but with a birthday just days before Christmas I fear there would be few who showed up even after inviting his entire class. I just don't see many families having free time the Saturday before Christmas to run their kids to a party and then to pick them up and shop for an additional gift. I know as a parent I would probably pass on that party. Ack! Anyway, now I need something exciting for Caleb so he gives up on the party. He wants a DS thingy, I don't know what all it does, but it's about $200. Now before I get my panties in a twist I looked at the cost of a party anywhere except here and whoa! Expensive!!! So it makes the $200 DS look much cheaper. I feel bad buying him off though. Ack!

Anyway, I've got some fun ideas for Christmas and now I need to get moving!!! WooHoo!

Wallet!

After I made my list and was downstairs looking at my fabric when I decided to look for a pattern for a wallet. This might help me use up some of my fabric stash and be perfect for my brother and other boys on my list. So I found a few patterns but nothing really struck me as awesome, until I ran across this http://www.craftpassion.com/2010/07/sewing-trifold-floral-wallet-tutorial-pattern.html. At first I wasn't impressed because I'm not really thrilled with that kind of thing, but with some adaptions and some creativity I came up with my own.

Inside. (It even fits a standard credit card!!!)

All folded up. You can kind of see the zipper with a pocket on the other side.

Caleb just had to model it for me and since he is so cute, here is the picture.

I think my brother will like it. He likes orange and skulls and plays the guitar. I assume he needs a wallet and I thought I put some $$ in there for him to buy his own gift. Now I need one more present for his birthday.

Adding to list!!!

Adding to list? Yes I am!!!

Grandma
Large size rag quilt

Mom and Dad
Purse/Wallet
Truck cover

Friends
5 purses
6 draw string bag things

Guess I better get downstairs and get sewing.