Nana's Afghan

I have finally finished one bag of the granny squares that my Nana sent me. I crocheted them all together using single crochet. I think it looks pretty good and even better it is no longer sitting in a bag in the bottom of the closet.

Techie Cozy's

This is my first crochet project this year, "the techie cozy". I told everyone in my family that my feelings would be hurt if they didn't use it. I am learning to crochet on Craftsy and I have so far learnt how to single, double and half crochet-next granny squares. I'm not sure if I have got the gauge right because I have been using old wool and a crochet hook I had lying around. The two camouflage cozy's are for the boys in the house and just have a chain loop over the top to hold the phone in. The turquoise one is of course for the girl and her one has a flap.

No Bake Chewy Granola Bars

Its a snow day,the kids have gone back to bed and husband is working from home. So, as I was searching my favourite Pinterest I came across these granola bars. I like that you can add your own toppings so I added 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. You can find the full recipe here.

Organizing 101

This weekend I started organizing the laundry room again and decided it was time to clean out the freezer. We had started using the food on the top only and just adding more food after each grocery shop. So since it is garbage pick up early in the week I decided that Sunday would be the best day to start this task and I am embarrassed to say I ended up with two garbage bags filled of food that was not fit for consumption.....such a waste of money. I did have a good helper today-my dear son helped me clear the ice build-up and to pick up the hundred + popsicles. He surprised me with how helpful and strong he is getting.The line of today from my son was "bring me a chisel"!! This is what happens when you don't know what is at the bottom of your freezer and you have a son that loves popsicles but is not good at closing boxes. This is not even all of them! with recycling bins, they fit perfectly and are easy to remove with the handles. I had wire baskets on the bottom of the freezer that I had forgotten about and did not serve too much of a purpose. The bottom three bins have chicken, pork and beef and the top has fruit. I need two more for veges and seafood but the kids will have to eat all the popsicle first so I can fit them in. The packaged food fits nicely in the spaces and the bread and juice cans on the side shelf and basket.

Coconut Carrot Cake

Today I made a birthday cake for Jenn at work, another friend gave me this recipe quite awhile ago and this is the first time I have made it. It looks OK, fingers crossed that it tastes good tomorrow. The cake itself is coconut and carrot with lots of spices and the frosting is mascarpone/cream cheese with more spice. As usual the recipe did not make enough frosting to cover the entire cake so instead of going overboard on the frosting I just filled the layers and did roses on the top and then sprinkled toasted coconut on top. Hopefully she likes both coconut and carrots! Check out the recipe here.

Happy New Year Downunder!

Happy New Year to all my friends and family in New Zealand, Australia and the general South Pacific region who have already rang in the new year and to all my Northern Hemisphere peeps who will be celebrating the New Year tonight and tomorrow. Tonight here in Canada we are following our annual tradition of trying out a new restaurant from a different culture and then a movie. This year we are eating at Che Resto Bar for some Latin American cuisine followed by a trip to Middle Earth in the "Desolation of Smaug". Hopefully everyone is in tip top condition tonight because it has been touch and go with stomach ailments and cold symptoms over the past couple of days.Nothing like Cerviche on a upset tummy to push you over the edge. On a brighter note, I have signed up for yet another Craftsy class but surprise, surprise it is not a cake design class although I do need alot more practice my dear husband has requested I learn something a little less fattening this year. So, I have decided to revisit my crocheting skills hoping that it will be a little easier on my hands then knitting is. Over the years I have made a couple of afghans but have never started one on my own-always had help from my Nana to start them. I also have several bags filled with granny squares that my Nana has crocheted that need to be sewed or attached somehow so I am hoping that this course will help me do that.Not only will I be updating my skills but I will be cleaning out my closet! Stay tuned for the first creation.

A New Year and a New Look.

I've been thinking about starting a new diary for 2014, I love the idea of writing in a diary-actually I love anything that involves the written word....reading, writing letters. I have started several over the years but have yet to complete one fully, possibly this is because I often find that I am just complaining about my day and who wants to read back over that nonsense in years to come. I did write one when I was a teenager that I ended up burning so that there would be no record remaining of my turbulent years and a bit of a travel diary when I was travelling in the UK and Europe that I also burnt mainly because I have never been happy with my efforts or the penmanship. So, in the meantime I have decided to focus on my blog this year with more of a good living and trying new things in the spirit of Annabel Langbein theme. Those of you that are unfamiliar with Annabel can check out her link here.