beat the heat

It is stupid hot here in Southern California. It's been going on for about a week now. If it lasts much longer I think I really am going to go crazy. Fortunately I think it's supposed to get better by next week. Until then though, I am hiding out in spaces with really strong AC.

Last weekend my parents came for a visit. It was a bit last minute and they haven't been down here to visit in a long time. Of course they always choose the hottest weekend of the year to come. In order not to kill them with the weather, I decided to take them up to Santa Barbara last Saturday. Here are a few pics from our day. Enjoy!

at the sb botanic garden - look at the mountains!

not sure what this is but it looks cool.

i love the way cactus looks.

my favorite part - the redwoods

mission santa barbara

cool chalk drawing on the ground by the mission

weekend update

This is what my weekend looks like so far. Yup, couch potato island. Actually I do have plans with people that include a steak dinner and possibly seeing The Dark Knight. But I got some fun, romantic flicks to keep me busy in the meantime. I plan on doing lots of reading and knitting and hopefully a lot of sleeping as well. I was sick yesterday and I still don't feel 100%. My friend is also letting me borrow her sewing machine for a bit and I hope to play with that this week as well. Maybe I'll get to use some of those fabrics that I bought a few weeks ago.

What are your weekend plans?

what i did on my summer vacation - part 1

Hello again! I know the stats on this blog are totally off because it says that 8 people read my last post and I am pretty sure only two people might read this blog regularly. And I don't blame anyone because I update so rarely and randomly. Anyway, I am back again in the same month (woo!) with some fun stuffs. I am on vacation right now though it's almost over. I've just been hanging out with my family doing way too much shopping and eating and visiting with my new niece.

Last weekend I took a little trip with my parents up to Santa Cruz. Love that place and it always reminds me of when I used to go as a kid. This time I did a little Yelp-ing beforehand to see if there were any fun crafting or yarn stores in the area. I found Hart's Fabrics, which had excellent reviews. We drove up on found the shop easily. It's a little ways away from downtown to parking was plentiful. And the store = AWESOME.  Tons of really new, hip fabrics as well as tons of notions, books, patterns, and buttons, lots of lovely buttons. They sell a wee bit of yarn, though not a lot. They do carry Madelinetosh though if you like that (and who doesn't?).  Check out the pics below!

omg look at all the buttons!

gobs of oilcloth

i really want this chair in my house

this was only about 1/3 of the ribbon

some madtosh for the knitters

one of the fabric aisles

<3

Hart's has a really great selection of new and hip fabrics. I wanted buy pretty much everything in the store! I managed to come away with a good selection of fat quarters as well as some buttons for a baby sweater. I haven't yet managed to take a pic of my fabric haul but I'll try to do it soon and post it for you all. In the meantime, definitely check out Hart's if you are in the area.

Hart's Fabrics
1620 Seabright Avenue
Santa Cruz, California
831-423-5434.
http://www.hartsfabric.com/

a little vacation

Happy Independence Day, everyone. I know it was technically yesterday but hey, I'll take what I can get. Right now I am on a little vacation up at my parents's place. My brother just had the most adorable baby girl a couple of weeks ago and I took the whole week off to just chill out and visit with my niece a lot. I've visited a lot of crafty stores since I've been back. There are some really great yarn and fabric stores not too far from where we are and I am hoping to post about them soon.

Life's been a bit of a whirlwind lately. Last month I went to a ton of book events (for those that don't know, I am a big reader). After my July 4th vacation I will head back home for 2 days and promptly take off again for San Diego Comic Con. I am super excited about Comic Con! It's one of the events I really look forward to every year. I'll try to be good and update again soon. I am leaving you with a picture of my adorable new niece. Have a wonderful weekend!

i like to call this her zoolander face.

susie cakes

Last weekend when I made out a trip to Manhattan Beach, I also stopped by Susie Cakes. Susie Cakes is an adorable and delicious bakery that my friends and I make a point of going to any time we are in the area. I've been to Susie's several times now and I can say that I've never been disappointed. Cupcakes, cakes, cookies and whoopie pies are the main staples of the store. I usually try a variety of items when I am there - whatever happens to look good. I am partial to the lemon bars and my friend loves their butterscotch pudding.

This was the hand pie that I got. It was a strawberry, blueberry flavor and it's cute as heck. Unfortunately I didn't love this as much as I was hoping. It was still tasty but I felt like the filling was a bit bland. The crust was flaky but wasn't as buttery as I like my pie crust. Also, the price point on this was way more than I want to pay for a handheld pie. I can't remember the exact cost right now but I think it was $5-$6. At that price I want more than just a few bites of pie. So even though this was freakin' adorable, I don't think I'll be getting it again.

filling was pretty

The other item I got was one of their red velvet cupcakes. I kind of have a love/hate thing going on with red velvet. On the one hand, I don't love the red velvet cake flavor. I mean, it's fine, but I am really getting it because I know that red velvet always comes with cream cheese frosting and I LOVE cream cheese frosting. Sure, sometimes I can get it on a different flavor cupcakes but you'd be surprised by the lack of cream cheese frosting in bakeries. 

Susie's red velvet is pretty tasty with a moist cake with great red color. Their cream cheese frosting is delicious which makes this a winner in my book. 

I am a fan of Susie Cakes and definitely recommend it. There are several locations in SoCal along with one in Northern California (which I am going to the next time I visit my parents).  You can see their menu along with all of their locations on their website. The location that I went to was their Manhattan Beach store and their address is below.  

Susie Cakes
Manhattan Village
3500 N Sepulveda Blvd, Suite 150
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
tel 310 303 3780
fax 310 546 4561
Mon-Sat 10am-7pm

twist, yarns of intrigue

Good morning, everyone. Yikes, I slept in really late today and therefore woke up really late. Isn't it crazy that it's june already? It feels like christmas was just last week but we're already heading into the second half of the year. I am not usually a hug fan of the hot southern california weather but i do love that it stays light out for so long. I feel like a vampire sometimes when i don't get to see sunlight during the day. only without all the good things like supernatural strength and special powers.

This week i had a hankering to fondle some yarn (knitters will understand) but none of the local stores in my area were appealing to me. so on saturday, I wrangled my friend to trek down with me to manhattan beach to go to Twist, Yarns of Intrigue. the owner, Cathy, is fabulous and they have recently moved to a much larger location down the street. they also carry the most fabulous selection of Malabrigo, one of my favorite yarns, as well as their own yarn and other treats. A trip to twist never fails to inspire me to create and i knew it was the thing to get my creative mojo flowing.

We walked in to see the wonderfully large new space. If you have never been to the old store it's hard to compare but the new space is easily 3-4x larger than the old one. It's so open now with a large couch and an area to hang out and look at pattern. There is also a great yarn bar where you can learn about some of the yarns in the shop and actually knit a swatch with them. you can see how the yarn knits up and what it feels like first hand,  which is a great way to try out a new yarn.

yarn bar

books and pattern galore

The malabrigo is always what interests me the most and they really do have the best selection of it that i've ever seen. Mal is notoriously hard to keep in stock in large quantities with a good selection of colors but cathy manages her orders so well and has such a good relationship with them that she always has lots of colors in all their bases.

seriously swoon at the mal sock yarn

Cathy also dyes her own yarn in wonderful colors. There wasn't much in stock unfortunately for me. I think the locals are snatching all of her yarn up before I can get there. I did find some wonderfully soft and beautiful cotton yarn that Cathy dyes. I am not usually a fan of cotton. Ironic since it's perfect for Southern California weather. But I just find it unyielding and hard on the hands. However, this cotton was dyed up vibrant jewel tones that caught my eye straight away. And the swatches showed and amazingly soft and cushy fabric. I wanted to buy it all! But that wasn't possible so I settled on 3 skeins of a beautiful green with blue undertones to try out. I am seriously going to order more for a sweater though and maybe a blanket. If you you visit Twist, you must feel this cotton.

the cotton of my dreams

I was also looking for inspiration for a wedding shawl I am going to make next year. My friend (who was with me) is getting married next year and requested a shawl for the big day. We looked at some books and narrowed down some ideas but none of the patterns was calling to her. Right when we were about to leave we saw a lovely red lace shawl in the corner made from Malabrigo Silky Merino, a really beautiful silk/wool DK blend. Peggy tried on the shawl and it was love.

So we picked up 3 skeins of the Silky Merino in a really pretty lavender/grey colorway called Madre Pearl. It's a gorgeous color and I am really excited about starting the shawl now. 

That was our big day and yarn trip. It was just the pick me up I needed and got me excited about knitting again. If you're ever in the area, you really should stop by and visit the shop. It has something for everyone. I'll leave you with our yarn purchases for the day. Have a wonderful afternoon!

twist cotton in jade

mal silky merino in madre pearl

monster cookies - rawr!

i can't believe it's may already. where is the year going? as you can see, my resolution to blog more really hasn't been working. sorry to the 3 people who actually read this blog. tonight, in a fit of baking mojo, i decided to make the monster cookies that i saw this week on recipe girl. these are well known cookies though i've never actually had them before. it's basically butter, sugar, oats and chocolate. you can totally make this gluten free if you use gluten free peanut butter, vanilla, oats, chocolate chips and M&M's. i would like to try making these gluten free some day.

no real issues with the recipe except that i ran out of oats and had to go get more in the middle of making them. and i used my large cookie scoop to make these. they're not mean to be petite. like recipe girl suggested, i dotted extra chips and M&Ms onto the uncooked mounds before baking so that they'd look prettier. and they do.

yeah there is flour in this pic. that's my bad. i totally pulled out the flour thinking that there was some in this recipe but nope, held together with peanut butter and love.

then throw in some pretty m&ms....

dotted my uncooked cookie mounds with MORE CHOCOLATE!

cook for 10 minutes....

and voila! giant cookies!

now here is the recipe from recipe girl

monster cookies
Yield: 36 regular sized or 22 giant cookies
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated white sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup M&M's plain chocolate candies

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper or a silpat mats.

2. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter with the sugars and butter. Use an electric mixer to mix until well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Mix in the oats and baking soda. Then stir in the chips and M&M's.

3. Drop the cookies by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. If you'd like your cookies to look pretty (like the photo), dot a few extra M&M's and chocolate chips on each mound of dough before baking.

4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheets until cookies are set. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
Tips:

*If you are preparing this cookie as gluten-free, just be sure to make sure you are using brands of the following items that are known to be GF: peanut butter, vanilla, oats, chocolate chips and M&M's.
*If you'd prefer to make giant cookies, use an ice cream scoop instead to scoop the dough onto the cookie sheet. They'll need to bake for 18 to 20 minutes, and you'll end up with about 22 cookies.

i will be sharing these with my book club tomorrow morning. i already ate one cookie and wow, am i full. very easy to make and highly recommended. 

anyone have any good plans for tomorrow? i am going to read. and sleep. and read some more. and then maybe eat some cake. have a great weekend, everyone!

first so cal yarn crawl

yesterday was the start of the first los angeles couty yarn crawl. now i've heard of yarn crawls happening in cities before but there's never been one in mine. i am super excited about the crawl and kicked it off last night with a champagne party at unwind. if you're in the los angeles area, definitely check out the website and check out all the fun events happening this weekend. tomorrow morning i'll be back at unwind to help out with a book signing event. mac barnett and illustration jon klassen will be on hand to sign their book, extra yarn. 

there will be a reading and snacks and teaching kids to knit afterwards. i am very excited about it and can't wait to get my copy of extra yarn signed. i don't really know if i am going to have a ton of time to visit any other stores but we'll see. i'd love to make it to the westside to wildfiber or even to manhattan beach to twist. anyone wanna carpool?  :) hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

may the odds be ever in your favor

yes, it's finally the release day for the hunger games. no, i did not go to a midnight screening. i decided to save my sleep and just go on sunday with friends. i am really looking forward to it, though, and hope that it's a good movie.

my only other plans for this weekend are to read, sleep and make some oroeo stuffed chocolate chip cookies. it might sound gross but they are awesome.

are you going to see the hunger games or have you already? :) have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

book review: knits for nerds

Knits For Nerds by Joan of Dark (aka Toni Carr)

Publication date: 21 February 2012 by Andrews McMeel

ISBN 10/13: 1449407919 | 9781449407919
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

From Goodreads:

The best of science fiction, manga, and animaguiri meets knit one, purl two as knit siren and part-time roller derby girl Joan of Dark offers up an out-of-this-world assortment of knitting nerdiness inside Knits for Nerds. The patterns for 30 iconic clothing and accessory items inspired by popular TV shows, books, films, comics, and more--including Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Firefly--are presented alongside full-color photographs showcasing completed projects, such as:

* Lieutenant Uhura's sexy Star Trek minidress
* Hobbit feet slippers
* Firefly-inspired scarf, socks, hat, and jacket
* Tank Girl socks
* Hermione Granger's secret beaded bag
* Manga-inspired leg warmers
* The Big Bang Theory-inspired his and hers sweater-vests
* Lord of the Rings-inspired shrug

In addition to a wardrobe of costume finery, hobbyists will also find instructions for practical projects such as an e-reader cover or a laptop bag crafted of checkered fabric that serves double-duty as a chessboard and carryall, as well as patterns for plush toys inspired by Star Trek, robots, and the comic book Squee! Wear (and knit!) your nerdiness on your sleeve with Knits for Nerds.

Review:

How could I resist a book called Knits For Nerds? I couldn’t really. As a knitter and a lover of many things considered “nerdy,” I was excited to pick this one up. Knits for Nerds is by Joan of Dark (aka Tori Carr) whose last book, Knockdown Knits, was inspired by roller derby. This time she tackles the nerd community with patterns inspired by things considered geeky, including television shows, books, comics and video games.

The book consists of 30 patterns divided into the categories of Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Comics & Manga, and Other Stuff. The patterns range from easy to intermediate with the Browncoat sweater or lace shrug probably being the most complicated projects. The patterns range from small accessories such as fingerless gloves, hats and scarves to larger items like shawls and sweaters. There are quite a few toys to knit in the book as well as a pair of socks. There is a brief Tips & Techniques section at the back of the book but it’s more of a refresher than a how to knit section. I’d suggest getting a book dedicated to learning to knit if don’t already know how before starting.

I had a lot of fun going through this book. The projects are inspired by things near and dear to my heart. The photos were even shot in Neil Gaiman’s house, which made me do a fangirl squee when I read it. My favorite projects were the most wearable ones, such as the Vampire Academy inspired Alchemy Scarf and the Firefly Browncoat Sweater. There’s a really beautiful cable shawl inspired by Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series. Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is represented by a pair of really cute, striped arm warmers. There are a pair of vests for men and woman from The Big Bang Theory that look quite cute and wearable. The Space Princess Hat and Cape (seen on the cover) are really cool but are items that I, personally, would not wear and therefore I would not make. I was kind of disappointed in the Dr. Who inspired Time Traveler Scarf. The colors are more pastel than the Dr. Who scarf I am used to and I would not have made the connection if not for the project title. There are also some fun, little projects like a checkerboard and a Gryffindor bag that would make good gifts.

While not all of the projects in this book are the most practical (do I want my feet to look like hairy hobbit feet?), it was certainly fun to go through this book and see projects that were inspired by some of my favorite movies, games and comics. For me, this gets a little bit of a lower rating because I can’t see myself, personally, wearing too many of these knits. However, I can see a lot of these projects appealing to others. Fans of cosplay will find lots of cool, inspiring things to make in this book.

Filled with a wide variety of patterns, Knits for Nerds is a great gift for the fanboy, fangirl or crafty person in your life.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

This review is cross posted on Nite Lite - Read Now Sleep Later.

riveting

good weekend, y'all. so far it's been an extremely lazy saturday for me. right now i am making some delicious s'mores bars while waiting for a friend to come over and watch this week's the voice. so far the big thing i've done is gone up and ordered the entire hunger games nail polish collection by china glaze. yes, china glaze is releasing an entire collection inspired by the hunger games to coincide with the film's release date later this month. as my friends are away, i am a huge nail polish junkie. i also love reading and really loved the first hunger games book. this is a obvious one for me so i ordered the entire collection this morning. one color was sold out. luckily i had seen some of the hg polishes earlier this week at my local sally beauty. i was really hoping that they had missing polish and, lo and behold, they did. now i have the rest of the collection winging its way towards me.

see how pretty? there are two in this picture because i picked one up for a friend. not much else going on. i hope to finish a book or two before the weekend ends. i just read a hilarious regency romance last night called a tryst with trouble. comes out april1 and i highly recommend it. 

what are your weekend plans?

new beginnings

wow i really can't believe that it's practically march already. how insane is that? and my resolution to blog more hasn't really been working that well, but that's ok. sometimes life happens which is a good thing. i've still been in a bit of a funk but am trying to will myself out of it. hopefully with good friends and good food things will be a little more optimistic soon. i have been knitting more though. i got a new laptop and have been able to watch some hulu streaming. so far i am into alcatraz, the voice and once upon a time. i still have tons to catch up on, but it's a start.

this is a wee baby cupcake hat a recently made for my soon to be niece. these things are kind of addictive and, even though i hate making bobbles, the results are great.

ravelry link

made from a mix of wool scraps like lamb's bride and malabrigo, this hat is a tiny ball of fun. seriously it's so cute and needs a baby heat in it - stat! they're so easy that i've started another one already. this one will be chocolate. :) 

what's new with you?

on life

This isn't a real post but this is how I feel today. Some days it just feels like your best really isn't good enough no matter what you do and how hard you try. I know it's just a bad day but I feel like there have been more of them lately.

But I still try to find small pleasures in life. A good book, a delicious pastry, all help remind me that I am lucky to be living in this crazy world. I got my new laptop this week, which is a million times faster than my old one. I am also looking forward to a book signing and a yarn sale this weekend. See, I feel better already.

current obsession: all knitwear

i am in the midst of crazy holiday shopping and haven't had any time to update. instead i will distract you with this. i just found this fun line called all knitwear. it's machine knitting in all shapes, sizes and colors. i am in love with these hats! and the sweaters are ridiculously bright and fun. i don't know if i could actually wear any of them but they're beautiful.  have you found any fun and inspiring things you'd like to share?