Standard – polka-dots & sparkles

A moment of genius

Posted on July 17, 2012July 16, 2012 by bekswhoknits

My rissole recipe, but instead of breadcrumbs crushed potato crisps.

It’s never going to win a weight watchers recipe contest, but it was very tasty. Rissoles taste better the next day in a sandwich, but that’s if they last that long.

basic rissoles
Put all these ingredients in a bowl
500g mince, 1 egg, 1 slice bread soaked in water, 1 diced onion, 1 squeeze of BBQ sauce, salt & pepper
Get squelchy and mix all together, hands work great.
(always make sure that you prepare the breadcrumbs/crushed potato crisps before you start mixing. It makes it easier)

Make into patty shapes. Coat in crushed potato crisps.

Put into fridge for about half an hour.

Give to the gentleman friend to cook on the barbecue. (I’m hopeless at pan frying these.)

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Stuck in my head – the shins (covering the postal service)

Posted on July 11, 2012July 11, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I don’t think it’s a secret that I adore Death Cab for Cutie and in particular Ben Gibbard’s voice. It therefore follows that I adore The Postal Service.

And I also adore the Shins doing covers of The Postal Service.

Here’s the spotify link.

And here’s the best fan made video I could find. (trust me when I say even though this is very literal, it’s not the most literal one out there).

And the original radio edit

My eyes are dim

Posted on June 29, 2012July 8, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I cannot see.

Well I can see but my eyes are giving me a lot of trouble.
And when you’re feeling downtrodden, everything else treads on you.

So I’ve been saving my eyes for work and not knitting in the evenings.
But I’ve been asleep by 7:30 so I haven’t missed it too much.

If you don’t see me around much it’s because I’m saving my eyes for seeing.

All I have to show is an update on my ten stitch blanket.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Peanut butter cookies

Posted on June 26, 2012June 26, 2012 by bekswhoknits

My sweet tooth has been playing up recently.

It’s getting to the point where I’m snacking on chocolate at 2:30 (on the dot!) most afternoons.
And I’m buying chocolate from the many multitudes of fundraising chockies in the lunchroom.

So I thought I’d bake something.

There’s a cozy casserole heating up the kitchen, and now there’s some peanut butter biscuits.

I love this recipe. It’s 4 ingredients. Which are probably all in your cupboard right now.

Which makes this a great recipe to pull out when you have visitors on their way over, or when you want something quick to make while you have a casserole in the oven.

Go forth – bake!!

(and if you’re in the Perth area, Col Panna has a giveaway on at the moment – check it out!)

Riff socks

Posted on June 15, 2012June 20, 2012 by bekswhoknits

Well this is my second attempt at Riff socks.

The first one (if you’re playing along at home) was a disaster.

The second pair were a little better.

Firstly, I do love the bare pattern. So much that I’ve cast on another pair with the same needles (2.5mm addis), same yarn (Moda Vera noro purple blend), same amount of stiches (60 all up – 30 a side) just without the riff part.

The riff part simply took too long. And it isn’t really seem worth it in the end.
It doesn’t stand out like I thought it would. It needs a plain coloured yarn choice.

I’m not the biggest fan of long socks, so I cut these short after three repeats of the normal pattern. I did start the transition pattern, but they were getting too long for me.
They would have looked fantastic, but I wouldnt have worn them. And I am a selfish knitter.

I’m only going to knit things for people who want them.

Maybe if someone looks at my socks, and says that they’d want a pair but longer I’d knit them properly.
But for now I think in retiring this pattern. Well the riff part anyway.

Tea cozy

Posted on June 8, 2012June 8, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I was struck the other day when I was at the post office.
They always get you when you’re waiting in line to pick up a parcel, and all you can do is look at the books, DVDs, nick-nacks that are on the shelves.

I spotted these two books and after reading a bit of them in line I had to have them.

I started reading the knitting section, realised that the author really knew what she was talking about, and that there were sections on things I didnt even know about.
Then I saw the sewing one and thought if its the same quality as the knitting section this will be a great investment.
And I have learnt so much.

They were both $25 each, from Australia Post but I’ve liked them both so far.

And my first creation inspired by one of these books is my tea cup cozy.

The reason I was at the post office was that my new favourite jeans had a hole in them, and so I’d ordered another pair. But they were $40 and if you spent $50 you got free postage. So I spent just a little bit more than that. But one of the things I bought was this mix it cup with a pink mix it lid .
For $4 I now have a new tea cup which I can take on the train in the mornings.

But it gets a bit hot, so using on of the basic cables in the book I made a cozy for it.

I have to say I’m not all that happy with it.
I forgot how much Moda Vera Ella stretches. And so most of the time it ends up falling off the cup.

But it was so quick to make i’ll probably make another one really soon.
I’m thinking maybe a bow – that would be really cute.

Has anyone ever made a tea cozy?? Any tips I should know about??

The versatile blogger award

Posted on June 7, 2012June 7, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I was nominated for the versatile blogger award from caity rosey who is a very talented knitter and I always enjoy reading her adventures in knitting. She has a wonderful sense of humour and I always look forward to reading her latest posts.

So I checked out the versatile blogger award website for the instructions.

“When you consider nominating a fellow blogger for the Versatile Blogger Award, consider the quality of the writing, the uniqueness of the subjects covered, the level of love displayed in the words on the virtual page. Or, of course, the quality of the photographs and the level of love displayed in the taking of them.

Honor those bloggers who bring something special to your life whether every day or only now and then.

If you are nominated, you’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger Award.
Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy — if you can figure out how to do it.
Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. ( I would add, pick blogs or bloggers that are excellent!)
Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.”

So without further ado here are 15 blogs which I read regularly and enjoy.

1- caity rosey thanks for the award!
2- when did I become a knitter always knits wonderful things
3- not all tea and scones is cooking herself through the CWA cookbook and has been the inspiration for quite a few meals in the Sparkles household
4-her name was Greta is on a bit of a break at the moment, but her blog is still a place I go for inspiration. She always finds the best stuff from around the web. (she also has a new blog which is chock full of pretty things to knit
5- sarahcastically has such a great sense of humour, some awesome tastes in music, and loves sport.
6- from wonderland with love takes the most beautiful photographs. Her blog is always so beautiful.
7-sweet spy necessity makes me want to sew better
8-living apockylypse is a geeky, multicrafter who is always on the go
9- silver sparkly lining bakes cupcakes good enough to eat through a computer screen
10- magical day dream gives me polka-dot envy.
11- wee pleasures another great knitting blog. Anyone that knits cabled socks is a sorcerer to me
12- scathingly brilliant has a gorgeous blog, with gorgeous pink hair.
13- one sheepish girl knits beautiful things also.
14- dots or stripes knits, bakes, and crotchets
15- the hairpin I just love it so, even if it’s not a blog in the strictest sense

And so 7 things about me.
1 I eat lemons. I love the way they finish off a meal.
2 I hate brushing my teeth, but it has to be done.
3 I collect tea pots and tea cups. I just need a bigger house.
4 A good hot cup of tea solves most of life’s ills
5 I have a stubby holder from most events I’ve been to. Festivals, sporting events, gigs, I have a stubby holder.
6 I’m always picking the dirt from underneath my fingernails.
7 My feet are always cold. Always.

Items for sale

Posted on June 5, 2012June 6, 2012 by bekswhoknits

Hey guys.

I’ve got a pair of super cute polka doy converse for sale on eBay.

These were a birthday present to myself, but they don’t fit. 😦

So if anyone out there is a UK size 9 (which is 42.5 in other numbers), go and check them out.

I’m devastated that they don’t fit because they are really cute and pretty rare.
So rare I can’t find them in my size.

I was really hoping that my first sale post here was something really awesome that I made myself. But these polka dot converse deserve an awesome home.

Lesson learnt.

Posted on June 4, 2012June 4, 2012 by bekswhoknits

Always, always write down why projects you’re working on.

Particularly when you run out of yarn and don’t know when you’ll buy more.
Particularly when it ends up being about 6 months between shopping trips.

Because you’ll probably forget what pattern you were working too. There’s a lot of lacy baktus scarf patterns around.

Lesson number 2? When you don’t know what pattern you’re using, put a lifeline in place so when you have to frog back it’s a bit easier.

And frog back I did. 4 times.

I really was ready to thrown the damn thing out the window. Perhaps use it as a mop, or leave it in a draw with velcro.
But I persevered and ended up finding this photo still on my phone.

So apologies to whoever created the pattern because I’ve lost all other evidence.

But I’ve finished the damn thing and now I don’t know what to do with it.
I really don’t like it.
It’s not something I would ever wear, and dear ol Mumsi took one look at it and declared it not to be her either.

So it will sit in the gift bin until someone deserving comes along.

It’s such a pretty yarn too (Moda Vera Beauvardia) and fortunately I have a lot left to make something that’s actually pretty.

I’m a sucker for a quiz meme

Posted on May 24, 2012May 20, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I love an opportunity to talk about books, and this meme is courtesy of sarahcastically

These are the rules, because Myspace surveys always have rules:
1. Post these rules
2. Post a photo of your favorite book cover
3. Answer the questions below
4. Tag a few people to pass the Q&A on to: Well if you want to continue it, go forth!

Favorite book cover:

I know I’ve spoken about this book before, but it’s influence on my life was so profound.
And it really does have a great cover.
It sums up this book so well.

What are you reading right now?
I’m still trying to read the Sweetheart Season by Karen Joy Fowler.
I’ve started it so many times, but each time I get to the end and have no idea what has happened.

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?
I have a lot of books which need a first read but I’ll probably end up reading Persuasion again. It’s such a comfort book, which starts calling to me in winter.

What 5 books have you always wanted to read but haven’t got round to?
On my shelf I have Game of Thrones by George R Martin, The Red Queen and The White Queen by Phillipa Gregory, The Captive Queen by Alison Weir, and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams, all sitting on my shelf waiting to be read.

What magazines do you have in your bathroom/lounge right now?
I have a readers digest knitting pattern book. I don’t really buy print magazines much, I prefer to read them on my iPad (love Mollie Makes).
I do have a fishing magazine and some Simpsons comics, but they’re not exactly my taste.

What’s the worst book you’ve ever read?
There’s only about 3 books that I’ve taken back to the second hand bookshop, and none of them I really remember their names.
There was one i think called 20 times a lady, who had made a pact with herself to never sleep with more than 20 men, and when she gets to her 19th she figures she should have found her ‘soulmate’ by now and so hunts them all down.
It’s a flimsy premise, but the narrative style and writing style were horrible. As well as it having a really predictable ending.

What book seemed really popular but you actually hated?
Wuthering Heights. I really didn’t get that.

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?
I want to be really profound and say some classic book but Milk Run by Sarah Mlynowski gets recommended the most in real life.
It’s a chick flick waiting to happen.

But seriously everyone should read Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy – its wonderful.

What are your 3 favorite poems?
I tried to like Walt Whitman in high school. Song of Myself I can still quote parts of. But the only poetry I’ve really read was in Lord of the Rings.

Where do you usually get your books?
I have a second hand book exchange love and hate within walking distance of my house.
But I recently bought my first ebook for my ipad (the latest Sophie Kinsella), which wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be.

Where do you usually read your books?
The couch, in bed, in the sunshine on the banana lounge, at the dinner table, doing the dishes… If I’m in the middle of a book just try and make me out it down, I dare you.

When you were little, did you have any particular reading habits?
“Just one more chapter!” And then 5 chapters later, “just one more chapter”, until mum or dad had to put the light out, and I would read under the covers, usually until I tried to fall asleep with a book in my hands (it sounded so romantic in books, but never worked in practice), or I just couldn’t keep my eyes open.

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?
I read the Deathly Hallows twice in one day when it came out. I read all three of the Hunger Games within a week, and I’ll devour any Sophie Kinsella or Maggie Alderson novels when they come out.

Have you ever “faked” reading a book?
Not really. I’ve faked reading a book before seeing the movie, but I’m always scared someone will ask me how did you like ‘this part of the book the movie left out’.

Have you ever bought a book just because you liked the cover?
Not just because of the cover, but I have hunted a particular version of a book to match a set.

What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Anything by Enid Blyton, particularly the naughtiest girl in the school series, or cherry tree farm series, or the faraway tree series.
Then later Guitar Highway Rose (above) and The Wind Blows Backwards by Mary Downing Hahn

What book changed your life?
I’d say without The Famous Five books my childhood would have been a lot more dull.

What is your favorite passage from a book?
The last line of Northanger Abbey.
That book is so full of wit and catchy one liners.

Who are your top five favorite authors?
1. Jane Austen
2. Enid Blyton
3. Sophie Kinsella
4. Maggie Alderson
5. Lauren Weisberger

What book has no one heard about but should read?
Milk Run.
Why it’s not a movie already I don’t know. Maybe because I’ve been reading and re-reading it since I was in high school I overrate it, but I still relate to it and keep finding that it strikes that balance between funny, and romantic.
It would make a great chick flick.

What are your favorite books by a first-time author?
Is this debut novels? I don’t know.

What 3 books are you an “evangelist” for?
I think everyone should read Anne of Green Gables. It’s such a wonderful series, and I’m always sad when I meet someone who has only read the first one, or hasn’t even read that. So everyone should read Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island.
You don’t get the full Anne and Gilbert story otherwise.
And the read Rilla because it’s so full of romance against a hideous backdrop.

What is your favorite classic book?
I think I’ve mentioned two of the 6 Austen’s by name, but Persuasion, and Northanger Abbey are special friends.
Pride & Prejudice because everyone needs some Darcy in their life.
Sense and Sensibility, I swing back and forth who to relate to.
Mansfield Park gets a little squicky and as for Emma, I’d rather watch Clueless.

5 other notable mentions?
1. Mad About The Boy – Maggie Alderson, I still remember reading the first chapter in the book store and laughing hysterically. This started me on the Maggie bandwagon
2. Twenties Girl – Sophie Kinsella, I know I’ve mentioned Sophie before but I never really read the shopaholic series. But I have got 4 of her others, and I think this is my favourite. It really made me laugh, and reminds me of holidays.
3. Chasing Harry Winston – Lauren Wiesberger. It has a chapter title ‘panties is a vile word’
4. Ethel Turner – Seven Little Australians. It’s an Australian classic and one of the first books to make me cry
5. The Constant Princess – Philippa Gregory. Apparently it’s the most fictionalised of the Tudor novels, but I like the story and it’s got me more interested in historical fiction, which I never was previously. But mostly I like the story, even if it isn’t true to history.

Well that’s a bit of a walk through my bookshelf. It’s been pretty culled over the years and it’s not as diverse as I would like, but I do tend to gravitate towards easy reads. And I do love a good romance story.