Author: Caryn

Switching skeins

On By CarynIn Craft

I’m ready to add in a new skein on Grandma’s blanket. I actually made it through the skein she was working on, which bodes well for the project! Grandma did not let the yarn run out willy nilly, but gauged if she had enough for a new row, and did her joins at the edges with an overhand knot. I’m guessing that she addressed the ends when she added the border.

Joining yarn at the edge of the project

I can appreciate this method because making joins in the middle of a row can leave unsightly lumps. There are many methods of joining (that might be another post), but leaving them on the edge is a sure fire way of avoiding seeing them in the field of work. Now I’m really hoping Grandma added the yarn waste into her yardage calculations.

Longest lived stuffed toy

On By CarynIn dog

When we brought home Missy as a puppy a year and a half ago, my eldest picked out a stuffed animal for her to cuddle in her crate so she would miss her litter mates less. While other toys have come and gone, this stuffed jaguar has been a consistent companion.

Missy (2 months old) with the jaguar toy
Missy (1.5 years) with jaguar toy

The jaguar doesn’t stay in the crate anymore, but she still regularly brings it out for a tussle on the living room rug.

Taste test: crepe edition

On By CarynIn Recipe

Yes, this is what I called it when I presented two different batches of crepes for a taste test. My youngest thought it was hilarious. I decided to make both corn starch based crepes and heritage wheat based crepes. I have two different recipes and wanted to see which tasted better. To try to even the board, I used the same amount of sugar in both batches. I did not match fats; the corn starch version uses butter and the wheat version uses vegetable oil. On my second batch of crepes, I started seeing faces in the bubbles, so decided to make my own face. I may have spent too much time over the skillet.

Smiley crepe (face done in batter first, then rest of batter added after about 30 seconds)
Corn starch based crepes on left, heritage wheat based on the right

Results were mixed. Both crepes were OK, but the corn starch version had more flavor (possibly because of the butter). My youngest liked the wheat version because it had smiley faces, so three votes for taste, one for presentation. There we go.

If you give a cat …

On By CarynIn Cats

a plastic egg, she’ll ask you for a curtain. If you roll the egg under the curtain, she will attack and grapple it. After mock murdering it, she will play in the curtain.

Playing in the curtain will remind her of her favorite toy. She’ll ask you for the feather on a stick.

Playing with the feather on a stick will give her the rip-tears. She will zip up and down the hall, then hide behind the door. Chances are, when her paws are under the door, she’ll ask you for a plastic egg.

(With many apologies and much love to Laura Numeroff.)

Third Anniversary

On By CarynIn photography

Yesterday marked my three-year anniversary for this blog! In tribute, I made a glass “3” … digitally. I found a pretty glass bottle, took a picture of the bottom, and used Adobe Fresco to manipulate the image. The original number on the bottom of the bottle was 08, which I masked off and enlarged, then erased bits until I had a 3. Adding a few highlights and blending helped bring out the number, while still looking like it was pressed into the glass.

Glass anniversary