domestic bliss

Going camping

Posted on April 24, 2012April 24, 2012 by bekswhoknits

About this time two years ago, the better half and I were on a four week camping holiday where we drove from Perth to Adelaide and back.

So most of the last month I’ve been reminiscing about where we would have been this time last year, and it’s given me the camping bug big time.
We were always planning to go away this weekend, but we were both able to get the time off between Anzac Day and the weekend as well.
I’m pretty excited. It will be our first longer-than-two-day holiday for quite a while. Especially since we’ve both started new jobs within the last year and neither of us took a break in between.

So unexpectedly being able to have a 5 day holiday is all kinds of awesome.
Except we have to go into planning mode pretty quickly. Fortunately we’ve got most of it down pat.

So I placed a food order last night, and more importantly quickly cast on a pair of two at a time toe up socks. I would like to have some socks on the go, but the cast on requires a bit of concentration. So hopefully I can get the toe increases done tonight and then i’ll take that, my green cowl, my blanket of doom, and possibly even cast on another sock-head hat just for good measure. Or maybe that’s a bit too much. I’m not sure! I mean it is only 5 days. And we are taking our bikes, and fishing rods, and possibly hiring kayaks.
Maybe I’m overthinking this. Actually I know I’m overthinking this.

So I have the food sorted, and the knitting sorted. Now all I need to do is actually pack and get down there and start enjoying the impromptu holiday.

On second thoughts – I have sock yarn for my blanket, I might just take my sock-head hat needles, just in case.

I will return to my regular scheduled posts next week. Depending on mobile coverage I may be able to post some photos.
Everyone have a safe Anzac Day – Lest We Forget.

And some nostalgia from our Adelaide trip.
This is what camping is to me.

A knitted bag bag

Posted on April 13, 2012April 7, 2012 by bekswhoknits

One of the downsides about online shopping is that you can’t take your own bags. Everything comes in plastic bags. You can give them back to the driver (when you remember), but there’s already an abundance clogging up my already clogged cupboards.

So I surfed Ravelry, took a couple of ideas and made a bag bag.
It took me about 3 tries to get the increases right but I got there.
The yarn is Moda Vera Cardellino in burnt orange. It’s been in my stash for a while. I bought it because the colour is so rich, but it’s not a colour I usually wear. Then I looked around and realised it was surrounding me in the apartment. So it’s going towards house projects.

So the bag bag.

It’s knitted in the round, with an I-cord hanging hook.

I used 7mm circular needles (because I like magic loop – but it could be adapted to any yarn, any size)

the pattern
Cast on 20 stitches.
Knit in 1×1 rib for ~10cms
Knit front and back (kfb) so you have 40 stitches
Knit in 2×2 rib for 5cms
Knit in basket stitch* until desired length.
Bind off leaving 3 stitches remaining.
Use those three stitches to make an i-cord.
Bind off i-cord and sew into bag.

Done!!

*rows 1-4 [k4 p4] repeat to end of round
rows 5-8 [p4 k4] repeat to end

Is there enough interest for me to post this pattern on Ravelry??
Or would anyone buy one on etsy??
Any thoughts??

How to fold a plastic bag

Posted on April 12, 2012April 7, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I know this seems like an odd post, but in preparation for my finished object (a plastic bag holder) tomorrow, I thought I’d share my patented technique for folding plastic bags.

Well it’s not really mine, I learnt this from an aunty’s friend. It was on a trip down south because they had a farm. I always wanted to grow up on a farm. Mostly because I sounded so cool in Enid Blyton novels. The place had a really awesome stream too.
But the real takeaway is how to fold plastic bags.

Plastic bags are infinitely useful. Going swimming its so easy to just put all your wet things into a plastic bag until you get home.
We use them as a bin too. And I always carry a couple in my bag just for emergencies. And they’re easier to carry if they’re folded.

So here is my tutorial for folding a plastic bag.

Take your plastic bag and lay it flat on the table.

Fold it in half, and then in half again.

Roll the bag up.

Pull one loop between the other and tie.

And there you go.
One convenient plastic bag, all wrapped up and ready for anything.

Tomorrow I have a knitting pattern to store all of these plastic bags neatly.

The polka-dots remind me of sunshine.

Posted on April 5, 2012April 5, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I made another hairpin skirt.
This time with a sewing machine and with more material.

I adore it!

I used more material than last time to make it really gathered. I also made it even longer as I’m sick and tired of skirts that I can’t bend over in. This skirt design is so super easy it took me less than an hour. Three seams, some elastic and you’re done.
And top tip, the polka dots mean that it’s really easy to see where you’re cutting. I measured everything in polka-dots!

I want to twirl around and sing songs to woodland creatures.
(Maybe it’s because of my new The Little Mermaid iphone case that I’m thinking disney. I’m so supercool.)

I may even attempt to take some decent outfit photos for this one (instead of hiding out in the work bathrooms). Now that’s me stepping outside of my comfort zone.

4 day weekend has passed with a whimper

Posted on January 31, 2012 by bekswhoknits

Australia day, we drank Aussie beer, watched cricket, and listened to the hottest 100.

The day after Australia day (hangover day), I resigned myself to my hangover and watched an entire season on My Family and had some quality bonding time with my couch.
Air con was appreciated, particularly as it was pretty hot (42 I think) outside.

Saturday we went shopping for a new tv, and some more lazy viewing.
I bought a crepe maker (guess what we had for dinner) and we watched the Perth Scorchers lose the grand final (boo).

Sunday I finished my sockhead hat, and started a new sock, Scylla.
And started watching series 1 of Buffy. (and since bought the box set). I thought I’d have nightmares about creepy ventriloquist dolls but thank fully I didn’t.

And look what arrived Monday afternoon. The books I thought I’d read on the long weekend.

A certain ambience

Posted on January 19, 2012 by bekswhoknits

We got new curtains installed! That has been on the list since day 1.

When I bought the apartment it had some hideous blue curtains.
Hideous and really didn’t match what I wanted this space to look like.
I bought some grey and black striped curtains pretty soon after, but I didn’t do the research well enough. They were expensive and they didn’t fit.
That annoyed me no end.
They were a constant reminder of how much I spent on an ill fitting product.

So when it came to replace them I didn’t have a big budget. So ikea to the rescue. The curtain rail was ~$10 (score!). I didn’t like any of the non-sheer curtains, but we need privacy. So I had the idea to buy bulk sheer ones and group them.
I think it’s worked well.
I love the flexibility I now have.

They can be sheer during the day, and bulked up during the night.

With the new couch, the place is starting to look cohesive.

It’s so nice having a space to call my own to come home to.

Getting organised

Posted on January 12, 2012 by bekswhoknits

Well even if I haven’t kept to my blogging schedule (a weekend camping festival kinda ranks on the priority scale) I have been busy organising things at home.

I went through my stash with a box of glad bags and a permanent marker.
Now I don’t have the hugest stash (it fits quite neatly in a hamper in the living room), but it was getting out of control.
I could never find what I was looking for, my circular needles were getting all tangled, and it was starting to overflow.

So now all my circular needles have their own bag (clearly labelled by size and length), and all my yarn is all in bags labelled and ready to go.
I also put my yarn and needles on Ravelry.
I aim is to use Ravelry more this year so I don’t have the same Christmas panic as I did this year. And also so others can learn from my mistakes and successes.

The other thing I’ve done is made a cleaning schedule.
I’m not a clean person. I don’t get any satisfaction from cleaning when I could be doing more important things like sitting on the couch.
But the mess is starting to get to me more and more. So I wrote down everything in the apartment that needs cleaning. I divided that into frequency and then put that onto a calendar as recurring tasks with that frequency.
That was the fun part.
Now I have to stick with it.

There are four things I want to do everyday.
– make my bed
– clear up all the dishes (from the bedroom, lounge etc
– wash all the dishes
– no clothes on the floor

Last night I got off to a good start, I swept the floor (as it was Wednesday), did all the dishes, and did a few loads of washing in an attempt to get all our clothes organised (post-camping festival).
I now remember I forgot to make my bed this morning, so day 2 isn’t going quite so well, but it will go better once the Mister is back at work and I’m not getting ready in the dark trying not o wake him.

Hopefully the schedule will keep me motivated about the small stuff, and get me to remember the big stuff that only happens now and again.

cherry ripe cupcakes

Posted on November 23, 2011November 23, 2011 by bekswhoknits

I work with cake lovers.
Every occasion is celebrated with cake.
You’re the new starter? You bring cake.
It’s your birthday? You bring cake.
You happened to swing past the cake shop on your way to work? You bring cake.
You do something noteworthy at work? You bring cake.

In my case, I’m leaving.
Which means I have to bring cake.

So I made a batch of Red Velvet cupcakes, and a batch of cherry ripe cupcakes.

Taste.com.au has the super easy recipe which I made into a cherry ripe cupcakes.

What you need
The Cupcakes
2 cups Self Raising Flour
¾ cup castor sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 eggs
125 g melted butter
¾ cup milk
2 (50g) packets glace cherries (chopped)

The Icing
400g icing sugar
50g soft butter
200g cream cheese
½ cup desiccated coconut.

The Method
Mix dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa powder) in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.
Mix wet ingredients (eggs, butter, milk) together and then pour into dry ingredients.
Stir until just combined and then add the glace cherries.

Pour into patty cake lined cupcake tray.
Place in 200deg oven for 20 – 25 minutes.

While that’s in the oven make the icing.

With a mixer beat the butter and the icing sugar together.
Once that’s started to cream together, add the cream cheese until it looks smooth.
Add the coconut.

You need to wait for the cupcakes to cool before you can ice them – but once they’re iced, mmmm.

When only biscuits will do

Posted on November 8, 2011November 8, 2011 by bekswhoknits

a basic biscuit recipe with three variations.

The first one has chai latte tea in it.
I only had chai tea bags so I tried to dilute it as much as possible.

The second ones have a hershey’s kiss on top of them.

The third ones have choc mint flavoring. Well choc mint drinking chocolate, and lots of it to flavour it.

I have no idea what we’re having for dinner but we have biscuits.

Here’s my amended recipe for chocolate mint biscuits

Ingredients
125g butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, at room temperature
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons chocolate mint powder
1 tablespoon milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl until pale and creamy. Add egg and mix until well combined. Sift flour and baking powder over butter mixture. Add milk, chocolate mint powder, and stir until just combined.

Spoon onto baking trays.
Place a Hershey’s Kiss on top of of each biscuit. Alternatively squish top of biscuit with a fork.

Cook in oven for 12-15 minutes.

Enjoy with a hot cup of tea. Or mug of hot chocolate mint drink for extra indulgence.

Chicken Casserole, courtesy of Not All Tea & Scones

Posted on October 24, 2011October 24, 2011 by bekswhoknits

A recipe from the cookbook of the lovely not all tea and scones. As well as having some gorgeous photos on instagram, she’s working her way through the CWA cookbook.

My Great-nan (as well as being an inspirational woman) was a member of the CWA. She worked on a farm all her life, and these recipes remind me of visits to the farm.

So I’ve been wanting to try one of these recipes for a while. So when the bestie had to come over for dinner (because she’s just moved into the area and her fridge is being delivered tomorrow but she doesn’t have a tv yet and needed some company – yay for bestie being within walking distance) I didn’t want pasta, and I didn’t want salad, but I did want a casserole.

So this fit the bill.

Some minor alterations included the use of hp sauce ( just because), the tinned tomatoes being flavored with garlic and herbs (I love shortcuts), and not using two whole chickens (because I too was not feeding a football team).

The end result? Very delicious. With some vegies on the side, and some rice to soak up the juices, it had rave reviews.

Thank you CWA.