First of all, Christmas was wonderful. I got to spent a lot of time with my boyfriend, his family and my brother. We had full tummies all the time and the decoration did it's best to spread a jolly mood on everyone. I hope you got to spend a great time too.
And then holy moly! Pinterest! I just discovered this cool thing! It might be a old book for you but it's a whole new world for me!
I never really understood why one should use pinterest. All I saw were pinned pictures, no source, just the picture, so why should one save a picture? a single picture? my PC could just bookmark the page instead. Obviously I was wrong, completely wrong.
I just was never lucky enough to find something through google that lead me to pinterest that actually had a source linked to it. But what I know now is, MOST things on there are linked just fine. I just never knew how to use it. The last big dissapointment was this lovely brooch:
I've fell in love with it when searching for inspiration for my first granny blanket. This flower made me nervous. It's so marvelous but a pattern was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile I've tracked down this lovely brooch to the original creator (the picture should lead you back to her flickr page) and I made a blanket with a dahlia granny square, so no more trouble there. But sill this brooch wants to be made by me. I want to try to find out the pattern myself, it shouldn't be too hard, but it will take a few tries and a couple of errors. But that's just fine for me.
But the point of this post wasn't drooling about the flower brooch, it was pinterest is soooo cool. I've spent way too much time over christmas procrastinating over there. Started too many boards already and searched through too many boards of others
you might have noticed I've also added the 'pin it' button to my blog just before christmas as well, so it's easier now for you to pin my stuff directly from the blog if you want to
take care, I hope you're feeling well and your new years party won't be too strong for you ^__^ Diana
12/28/2013
12/24/2013
12/23/2013
window #23
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So, just leave a comment with your thoughts of joy and merriness and season greetings. I'd love this day to be full of fun. hohohodiho hugs, Diana
12/22/2013
window #22
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in todays window I will be gifting you the joy of giving
as from today until the 26th of December 2013 (23.59 GMT) you can get all my patterns for 50 % off!
All you need to do is enter the code tistheseason while check out on ravelry. You can find an overview of all my patterns above in the top-tabs.
Below you can see an example picture of the shopping progress through my blog. I've made dots below the "enter coupon code" section. Just enter tistheseason there and you will get 50 % off.
Of course you can use this code on my ravelry store as well. I hope you enjoy my gift and you can make a few amigurumis for your loved one for the holidays. Last minute gifting is the best,
I'm going Christmas gift shopping now as well, hugs Diana
12/21/2013
window #21
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1-2 vanilla beans
300 g sugar
375 g all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg in a pan melt and slowly brown the butter. This will take about 15 minutes, so don't rush. Now pour butter through a sifter and let cool a little.
Cut the vanilla lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the cooling butter. When the butter is firm again add sugar and whisk for 5 minutes until it's white and creamy.
Mix flour and baking powder and add to the butter-mix. Also add the egg and mix well until a dough starts to form.
Put dough on plastic wrap, form rolls of about 3cm / 1.25 inches n diameter and let cool in fridge for 2 hours. (over night is fine too).
cut rolls and place cookies on a baking sheet. Bake in pre-heated oven for 14 minutes at 180°C.
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[in the picture below I used my 1 teaspoon scoop to form single portions, which I then rolled between my palms into balls and pressed down a little with my thumb. The rest went into the fridge and later onto the baking sheet]
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let cool on rack and enjoy!!
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12/20/2013
window #20
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Have you already planned your meal? is your tree put up? Have you decked your halls with boughs of holly? ^__^ I need to admit I've only put up my tree, nothing else, this years holiday spirits are a long time coming for me. It might be the weather, it's super warm for December here in Berlin, so no signs of snow, or even real cold. anyways the meal is planned though, I'm going to make my famous Mousse au Chocolat for Dinner. Of course we'll have some real food before that too. Although only chocolate mousse sounds enticing... and today I'm going to share my recipe with you
__________ Mousse au Chocolat
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3 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
200g good chocolate (I like semi dark or a mix of whole milk and dark)
200g cream
2 teaspoons grand marnier how to make
separate egg whites and yolks.
Mix the egg yolks with sugar and beat til creamy.
melt 100 g of the chocolate (either in the microwave, be careful not burn, or over a water bath, be careful not to spill and water inside)
mix melted and not too warm chocolate into yolk/sugar mix. Stir in quickly and thoroughly.
chop the rest of chocolate and set aside.
Beat the cream until it's stiff and fold in. Also beat the egg whites until it's stiff and fold in as well.
Mix in the grand marnier and fill into decorative glasses. Chill for at least two hours or until firm. I make my mousse at night and let it chill over night.
If you're making this for children change the alcohol for two teaspoons of coffee or just skip it ^__^ yummi hugs, Diana
12/19/2013
window #19
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Make two of each,
first part in a dark pupil color, a dark brown or maybe even black
1 - make a double magic ring with sc6, close ring and BO with a slst Now use an eye color for the next part, I used a very pale blue
1 - make a double magic ring with: ch1, hdc3, dc3, hdc3
Close ring and BO with a slst bra:
1 - into a magic double ring work the following sts: sc1, hdc2, dc3, hdc2, sc1
pull ring tight and close with a slst, BO
That's it for the bra, make two of these little shapes. I guess how to sew together the eyes is sort of self explaining. So go ahead and start sewing them together and secure them to the head. The bra needs a little more embroidery and maybe a picture. I will post these as soon as I get home tomorrow. So long have a blissful day, Diana
12/18/2013
window #18
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some fishing line. To decorate: LED fairy lights, some glitter and baubles if you wish, I used my amigurumi ornaments. what I did: I started with making the stand by just screwing the sofa leg to the board I had (I put some cardboard underneath as my board was thinner than my screws were long - a little cheater here), then I glued some felt below to make it not scratch my floor.
To make the tree itself I curled the wire. I needed two tryings to find the right circumference, but the wire was bendable enough to do everything I wanted. I always checked on the final form and height by lifting the spiral. Once I knew how much wire I needed I cut it and bent the rest into shape.
Then I fixed the beginning of the spiral to the top of the broomstick and slowly started to bend the wire into a flatter form. I didn't want a classic round shape for the simple reason that I didn't have enough room. This took a little time but was a lot easier than bending it this way right from the start. To keep the shape I wanted I added the fishing line.
Now it was time to decorate: Starting from the bottom I wound the fairy lights around the wire. Also wound some glitter around and hung in some ornaments. And that was it.
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12/17/2013
window #17
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1 - cast on 5 sts using Judy's magic cast on [5]
2 - hold both strands together, knit 5 sts and therefore create 10 loops [10]
3 - k1, (m1, k2) x4, m1, k1 [15]
4 - (k3, m1) x5 [20]
5 - k1, (m1, k4) x4, m1, k3 [25]
now start the leaves, I found it easiest to use magic loop technique because I could leave all sts I wouldn't use for a leave on the needle. Of course DPNs will work perfectly fine as well. Just leave all sts you won't knit on a spare needle
6 - k2, m1, k1, m1, k2
7 - turn / WS - p7
8 - RS - k3, m1, k1, m1, k3
9 - WS - p9
10 - RS - k4, m1, k1, m1, k4
11 - WS - p11
12 & 14 - RS - k11
13 & 15 - WS - p11
16 - RS - k2tog, k7, ssk
17 - WS - p9
18 - RS - k2tog, k5, ssk
19 - WS - p7
20 - RS - k2tog, k3, ssk
21 - WS - p5
22 - RS - k2tog, k1, ssk
23 - WS - p3
24 - RS - slip 2 sts together knitwise, k1, pull both slipped sts over the knitted st
25 - WS - p1
Bind off now pick up the next five sts that you left on your needle and repeat rows 6-25.
Do this again for the next three leaves as well until you have made 5 leaves.
wash and wet block your hat and flower (just leave to dry on a towel and pull in place. Then go ahead and sew the flower onto your hat. You can use all the yarn ends of the flower, this way you sew the ends in and sew the flower to the hat at once. my hat looks like this:
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12/16/2013
window #16
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Now how more wonderful would it be to sit down and make the cards you're about to write and send?
_____________ So I've collected some easy and last minute tutorials for Christmas cards or even gift tags for todays calendar window. I'm thinking about making smaller versions of some these card ideas for tags. enjoy!
______ fingerprints
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source leapfrogandladybugs
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source beneaththerowantree
______ glitter and glue
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source makeandtakes
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source casestudychallenge - using the same method as the tree above
______ buttons
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source hopefulhoney
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source unknown, the link was broken
______ paper arts
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source howaboutorange
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source minieco
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source fiskars
______ sort of yarny
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source amyalamode
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I couldn't find a how to link here, but I guess this self explains, right? a ribbon woven into a paper card like shoe laces
______ have a wonderful Dec 16th, Diana
12/15/2013
window #15
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today we will make Chocolate Syrup for hot chocolate milk or even spice up a coffee. And of course it's perfect for a dash of vanilla ice cream and cake.
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1-1/2 cups sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 vanilla bean how to make?
simply add sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder and salt in a sauce pan, start mixing it and add the water. Whisk it and bring it to a boil on medium heat. Once it started boiling let it simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Take pan from the stove. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds out, add the seeds to the syrup and stir it in. Let the syrup cool off a little bit before you pour it into a nice bottle. That's all?
yes that was it, quick and easy and yummy too ^__^ Now search the house for some milk and marshmallows, warm the milk in the microwave and add a tablespoon of the syrup (or more if you like the full dose of chocolate sweetness), top it off with a few marshmallows and enjoy!
Diana
12/14/2013
window #14
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I just got home from our weekly knitnight, had some lovely hungarian food and now try to enjoy my time with my boyfrind, candles are burning, light is dimmed. He's having some midnight snack and I type at the computer. All in all it's nice and cozy. Today we will almost finish our little mermaid friend. Klara will finally get her well deserved arms. What's a mermaid to do without arms? She'll be pretty helpless..
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Or check your ravelry library for the updated pattern. and a little reminder for the group chat on ravelry, I'm quite alone over there at the moment *sad face* so come and join me *happy face*
then again, enjoy the weekend, maybe you already have snow where you live
hugs, Diana
12/13/2013
window #13
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2 - if I could wrap up a kiss by Silje Nergaard - a new find, three years ago I've found the album and fell in love right away. It's so quite and yet so much joy. Siljes voice is perfect for this kind of music and the song "if I could wrap up a kiss" really is everything a good christmas song should be: winter, romance, love and the joy of giving. I just love the idea of wrapping up a kiss as a gift.
3 - a song from my childhood. Frank Schöbel made this album with his family and it contains all the Christmas songs I grew up with. "Hey du, Weihnachtsmann" is a song by a little girl who asks Santa for her wish list. She asks for a new teddy bear or a little sister or brother, or in case, Santa can't fulfill one of her "little" wishes he can always bring her a small pot-bellied pig. The perfect wish list if you ask me ^__^
12/12/2013
window #12
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32 - k6, m1, k70 [77]
33 - k9, (m1, k15) x2, (m1, k14) x2, m1, k10 [82]
34 - k82 [82]
35 - k3, (m1, k19) x4, m1, k3 [87]
36 - k20, wt, p20, sM, p20, wt, k13, m1, k7 [88]
37 - k7, m1, k81 [89]
38 - k9, (m1, k17) x2, (m1, k18) x2, m1, k10 [94]
39 - k94 [94]
40 - k4, (m1, k21) x2, (m1, k22) x2, m1, k4 [99]
41 - k23, wt, p23, sM, p23, wt, k23 [99] by now you probably guessed we are making a pointed hat. The Pixi. This version is the Sylvi Pixi as I call it. For the next couple of rounds please always k99 until your hat is long enough to cover the upper third of your ears. When you try it on, the marker should be at the back of your neck.
When your hat is long enough to easily cover the tops of your ears we'll start the ribbing. And don't pull too much, the pixi point will form better when you don't pull the hat, just make it fit nicely. ribbing: special methods
I use another short row technique here. you pull the stitch across your needle to create a firmer stitch, that won't leave holes. This pdf on socks shows you how to do the methods I'm referring to on a sock heel. I like this method a lot as I found it never leaves any holes for me. The pdf is in german and english.
As the turning point here will be in the last round you can switch to a short row technique of your choice. but the ribbing goes like this:
1 - k1, *(p1, k2)* until 2 stitches before the marker, p1, k1
2 - [knit in established pattern till 4 stitches before the marker, turn with yoyo-method (see link above)] x2
3 - [knit in established pattern till 6 stitches before the marker, turn with yoyo-method (take care here, the wrapped stitch appears with two loops on your needle, only count as one)] x2
4 - [knit in established pattern till 8 stitches before the marker, turn with yoyo-method] x2
5 - [knit in established pattern till 10 stitches before the marker, turn with yoyo-method] x2
6 - [knit in established pattern till 12 stitches before the marker, turn with yoyo-method] x2
7 - [knit in established pattern till 14 stitches before the marker, turn with yoyo-method] x2
8 - now knit 1 round in pattern and knit all the wraps together, sM
9 - knit another round and knit the rest of the wraps together, I find these will be a little harder to identify, but if you count them, you'll never forget one
10 - bind off round - I like the italian bind off very much and would recommend this method. If you prefer another bind off, please feel free to do that method. In case you want to do the italian bind off, do like follows:
10a - go down one needle size to 4 mm - knit all the knit stitches and slip all the purl stitches with yarn n front
10b - (slip 1 knit stitch with yarn in back [=skwyb], p1 into the bar between the two knit stitches [= increase], skwyb, p1) repeat til end
now you basically created a k1/p1 ribbing from the former k2/p1 ribbing, this will make it easier to finish the bind off
please watch this video on the bind off itself, it will help explain the sewing technique a lot and this one was actually the first one that made me understand grafting. Cut yarn approx 4 times longer than the circumference of your hat and start grafting after you put the purl and knit stitches on two separate DPNs. Now let's take a break for today, this was exhausting! don't you think?
Next time we will add the Sylvi touch to this hat ^__^ see you tomorrow, meanwhile I'm eating cookies and wait for snow
oh btw this KAL has a pattern page on ravelry now too :)
12/11/2013
window #11
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download now
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Diana
12/10/2013
window #10
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2 tablespoons oh honey
50 g confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon jamaican rum
270 g all purpose flour
a pinch of salt
80 g pecan nuts, finely chopped
another 100 g confectioners' sugar to decorate mix soft butter with honey, confectioners' sugar and rum for about 3-4 minutes. Add flour, salt and chopped pecans. Mix and form a soft dough. Form small balls (1 tablespoon) and place on a baking sheet, slightly press the balls to flatten them.
Bake at 180°C for about 12 minutes, don't let them brown too much.
Meanwhile put rest of confectioners' sugar into a large bowl. When cookies are done, roll them in the confectioners' sugar while they're still hot. Put on a rack and let cool. These cookies will get even better throughout the next days, so don't eat them all fresh from the oven - even if this is hard to resist, as they are a delight.
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12/09/2013
window #9
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btw. I was surprised to find out that "Chai" originally only refers to "tea" in general. In Germany we use "chai tea" to ask for flavored black tea, weird world.. _______ Masala Chai - Tea Syrup
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1-1/2 cups of water
1-1/3 cups of sugar
4 star anise
4 cinnamon
4 TL cardamom
1 piece ginger (app 5x5cm/2x2inches)
how to make it?
add star anise, cinnamon and cardamom into a pan and slowly start to roast for about 5-10 minutes at medium heat. Don't add any kind of oils and take care not to burn the mixture. Set aside.
In another sauce pan mix water and sugar and start to boil. In the meantime peel and cut the ginger.
Now add ginger and roasted herbs to the boiling water/sugar mix and let it simmer for another 15-20 minutes.
Set aside and let it cool before you start pouring the syrup into decorative bottles. want a Chai Tea right away?
Make a black tea (I prefer earl gray), add a 1-2 tablespoons of the syrup to the tea and you have a Masala Chai Tea.
Make it the latte version? just add milk ^__^ let's toast!
12/08/2013
window #8
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Yes her little snub nose is included right away. To make it I'm introducing a new stitch: a bobble stitch, I use a B3, which is a bobble stitch made from 3 double crochet stitches. If you don't know how to make a bobble stitch check out this video on youtube, BUT don't skip a stitch before you start the B3 like she did in the video. Just work the B3 right into the next stitch. so again click the download button or check your ravelry library, an update will wait there for you :) download now
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12/07/2013
window #7
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doesn't rhyme very well, but hey, let's knit anyways. Do we want a mystery knit? well I want to - so we will want to as well ^__^ what do we need?
worsted weight yarn and 4.5 mm needles, preferably circulars, or if you prefer them DPNs will do as well. Gauge?
19sts - 4 inches / 10 cm
(just for your final check, if that helps you, at the end we want to have a circumference which is about 1 inch smaller than your head, as I think a hat should fit close/snugly and not be too loose) Any special stitches?
well, yes for cast on: I've used Judy's magic Cast On for small circles to start for short rows: wrap and turn, with one extra trick here, I couldn't find a video on how I do them exactly, but the trick is actually quite simple, after you wrapped and turned instead of knitting the next stitch, knit into the stitch below that stitch, so you knit the next stitch and the stitch below that one together. This will make the transition a lot smoother and therfore less visible for increases: use the make1 increase (click here for a video how to; I prefer the left lean one as I find it is easier and therefore quicker to do. If you do the right or left leaning one doesn't matter, as long as you keep doing one of either throughout the whole hat) besides that: k (knit), p (purl), wt (wrap and turn), sM (slip Marker) _________
1 - cast on 5 sts with Judy's Magic cast on
2 - with both ends together knit 5 sts (you will have 10 loops on your needles now, just like in the link of Judy's)
3 - now k10
4 - k10 again
5 - k1, (m1, k2) x4, m1, k1 [15]
6 - k4, wt, p4, sM, p4, wt, k2, m1, m2, sM [15]
7 - k2, m1, k til end (k14) [17]
8 - k1, (m1, k3) x4, m1 [22]
9 - k22
10 - k3, (m1, k4) x4, m1, k3 [27]
11 - k7, wt, p7, sM, p7, wt, k5, m1, k2 [28]
12 - k2, m1, k26 [29]
13 - k4, m1, k3, m1, k7, m1, k7, m1, k3, m1, k5 [34]
14 - k34 [34]
15 - k3, (m1, k7) x2, m1, k8, m1, k6, m1, k3 [39]
16 - k9, wt, p9, sM, p9, wt, k7, m1, k2 [40]
17 - k2, m1, k38 [41]
18 - k5, (m1, k8) x4, m1, k4[46]
19 - k46 [46]
20 - k3, m1, k10, m1, k9, m1, k9, m1, k12, m1, k3 [51]
21 - k12, wt, p12, sM, p12, wt, k10, m1, k2 [52]
22 - k2, m1, k50 [53]
23 - k6, (m1, k10) x4, m1, k7 [58]
24 - k58 [58]
25 - k3, (m1, k13) x4, m1, k3 [63]
26 - k15, wt, p15, sM, p15, wt, k8, m1, k7 [64]
27 - k7, m1, k til end [65]
28 - k6, m1, k14, m1, k13, m1, k13, m1, k14, m1, k5 [70]
29 - k70 [70]
30 - k3, m1, k16, m1, k15, m1, k17, m1, k16, m1, k3 [75]
let's put the needles aside for today and have a cup of hot chocolate together, it's time to enjoy the holiday season
Abonnieren
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