memorial day yard sale scores and winner of book giveaway

vintage marimekko pillow cases 2 for $.75 ea.

hand embroidered packard '48 coupe for my nephew who is obessed with all things train and car related- $1

cool drip-glaze mugs - $1
glass bead necklace from the 40's - $2

I also got a very cool vintage steamer trunk pet carrier with little holes cut out of the side ($2). While I think Crumpet - who is a tad on the, um, stocky side, would likley fall out of the bottom of it, I think it will make a great place to store my stash of scrap fabric.

And now, onto important matters...the winner of this week's book giveaway is Ravenhill!! - send me an e-mail, or DM me on Twitter with your contact details and I'll get the book out to you - hope you enjoy : )

Thank you to everyone who entered and shared their knitting project stories. I enjoyed reading them all. Lots of inspiring stories and cool projects going on.

memorial day knitting book giveaway

Aviara - ruffled surplus top by Marnie MacLean

Haleakala - Beach Chair by Heather Broadhurst

The Book!

Knitting in the Sun - 32 Projects for Warm Weather by Kristi Porter (Wiley, 2009)

To celebrate the warm weather that seems to have finally arrived, and because the long weekend is so nearly, nearly here, I'm offering a giveaway of a cool new favorite knitting book made specifically for warm weather. The top two images are projects from the book - I'm particularly digging the beach chair. There's also a bunch of sleeveless and short sleeved tops, some summer-weight cardigans, and even a few skirts. A really cute beach hat uses wire in the rim to keep it stiff (so smart!), and a bathing suit that is knitted with cotton-lycra to give it stretch, and encased elastic with criss cross straps, so that you can actually venture into the water without fear of flashing someone inadvertently!

So if you want to enter, post a comment telling me what knitting projects you're working on right now (or procrastinating on, or hoping to do, or wishing you knew how to do...you get the idea).

I'll announce the winner next week!

Thursday Thoughts

Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself. - Roseanne

Thursday Thoughts

There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics. - Mark Twain

Coffee Crunch Bars

Coffee Crunch Bars (recipe from Bon Appetit Mag March issue), originally uploaded by She Crafty.

Coffee Crunch Bars

(recipe from Molly Wizenberg in the Bon Appetit Magazine, March 2009 issue)

These are totally delicious, seriously crisp and ridiculously easy. Read the story behind them here

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (firmly packed) dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl until blended, about 2 minutes. Add espresso powder and almond extract; beat 1 minute. Stir in flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing until just absorbed after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds (dough will be thick).
• Turn dough out onto ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Using hands, press dough into 12-inch square. Pierce all over with fork at 1-inch intervals.
• Bake until edges are lightly browned and beginning to crisp, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on sheet 1 minute. Cut into 48 bars. Immediately transfer to rack; cool (bars will crisp as they cool). DO AHEAD Can be made 5 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Thursday Thoughts

Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go. - Oscar Wilde

E-book Aerosol Enhancer

This website is hilarious. I just had to share. Scents range from
"New Book Smell"to "Classic Musty Scent". Genius.

http://smellofbooks.com/aromas/new-book-smell/