Recycle old kitchen towels

Just yesterday I had to shortened hubby's jeans and when I finished it I thought about sewing the kitchen towels I found in Red Cross second hand store about 2 months ago.  I found a very interesting inspirations in one of Mollie Makes magazine about a woman who turned old kitchen towels with bold nice pictures.  And I want to make them too, so when I score some kitchen towels in Red Cross second hand store I know I had to buy them.

Here is a picture of the three pillow cases I made yesterday.  The crocheted one I finished sometime ago but have just finished it into a case. While the other two are the ones from kitchen towels I found.

Here is a picture of the kitchen towel pillow case (the one on the back) :

I choose red and yellow buttons to add more interest to it and sew it with embroidery thread.

And the small long pillow :

I love the picture in this kitchen towel, it's about cheeses from all over France.

Spring is about to arrive .... enjoy the sun ....

PENNYLANE BROWNIES recipe

On Friday I bake brownies cause a friend is coming and wants to have a good time with her.  So, since I have not bake anything for quiet some time I think I make something easy first.  Also cause the ingredients that I have at home allow me to make this cake.  Some friends ask for the recipe when I put up the picture on fb.  

I used to have the book from NCC (Natural Cooking Club) with this recipe in it, but since I lent it out to a friend and have not got it back, I go their (NCC) page to get the recipe.

But I will write it here for everyone who wants to try it.

Pennylane Brownies - Killer Brownies

Ingriedients:

4 eggs

450 gr castor sugar (I use 360 gr)
225 ml vegetable oil
60 gr chocolate powder (like Van Houten)
210 gr all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla powder
120 gr walnuts (or any kind of peanuts you like)
85 gr chocolate chips

Method:

- Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and butter/oil. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 

- Mix the cocoa powder, flour and vanilla powder. 

- Beat eggs and sugar until the sugar granules become more refined (don't over beat or you won't get the fudgy texture) . Add salt, beat again until blended. 

- Turn off the mixer, sift flour mixture into the egg mixture and stir well. Pour cooking oil, stir well. 

- Enter the walnuts and chocolate chips and stir. 

- Pour batter into pan, bake approximately 35 minutes. Test with a toothpick / stick clean. 

- Refrigerate before removed from the pan and cut into pieces. 

Sources: 18 Favorite Cake & Cookies Step by Step + Jurus-jurus jitu by Fatmah Bahalwan & NCC Team

Changing blog name

I am thinking of changing the blog name to 'my life in finland' since I want to share about some things in my life too in this blog.  While I still blog about things I make, I can also share of what I do what I think.

Winter has just begun here in Finland, I mean just because the snow has started only like two weeks ago.  Today it is not that cold, when Mikael want to play on the swing outside, so I thought why not.

After putting on all clothes we are ready to play outside.  The breeze of winter cold welcome us as I opened the flat building door, Mika just ran out to the snow which is about 15 - 20 cm high.  It is so fun, throwing snow at each other and pushing him on the swing ... he also play on the slide and got his body in the snow, listening to him laughing was so good.  He is a happy boy ....

have a wonderful winter everyone ..

New Year Plans

Christmas is gone and in a few days New Year is coming.  A lot of us has done their 'Resolution for the next year', while I am still holding a book with blank pages in it.  What do I think about next year?  What my plans are?   Hmmm ... shall I make a Resolution list of what I am going to do next year?  i don't really like the word 'Resolution' for this particular thing.  Maybe I'll just call it '2014 forecast list', which to me is more flexible than resolution.

So, last night I came up with two main things I will put on my forecast list for 2014, and that is:
*  Weekly Crochet Block, and
*  Weekly Knit Block
*  Sew more
*  Start on the selling items I make and make it happen.

I have put the name of blocks that I will be making every week for the crochet blocks, but haven't found any yet for knit ones.  As far as color theme I just going with what stash I have now so I can use them little by little.  In the meantime, I will have to work on my schedule list to make it happen for the work I am doing from home, house chores, gym and my crafts.

Will see how it's going in January, as I want things to be flexible so I can be making a block a week or maybe there will come 2 blocks.  I have to make sure that I work harder  than this year.

Have a Happy New Year every body .... see you all in January 2014!

New Crochet Book came

I forgot to blog about the new crochet book I received on Monday.  This book I ordered from Netherland and I was very exited when it came, I know that I want to make a few already.

Ik hou van Holland & haken by Christel Krukkert

As a matter of fact I have begun with the kissing pair

This is the Kussend paartje (kissing pair)

... and this is what I am at right now ...

Can't wait to finish the girl and begin with the boy ...

There is also crochet pattern for Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet, but that has to wait for a while ... have to much on the hook at the moment ..

Present for a little baby girl

Yesterday I go for coffee time at a friend's house, she had a baby girl about  5 months ago and I have not seen her since before summer holiday.  It's been so long .....

I can't go to her place not bringing anything for the baby, can I?  Nooo, noo .... so the night before I looked for any crochet idea that can be make in a short time .... a very short time actually, just one night.  Huh huh ..., so I start browsing through my favorite blog Annemarie's Haakblog, there you can find all great links to other crochet blogs. It is from her blog I found the link to .... uups I forget the name of the blog (damn) ...- I will look for it and when i find it I link it here.

Anyway, I made this with Primavera Cotton and it turn out so cute, my first attempt to this baby toy ...

I am happy with it, even my 9,5 yrs old son said it is cute ....

I had a great time at her place, chatting having coffee and eating macaroni casserole that she made.

Too bad I had to go home at 14:00 cause my son didn't bring his key and I had a business call to attend to between 14:00 - 15:00 ....

a little lady bug

I went with Niko, my first son to the shop to get some ice cream and milk, on the way back we saw some cute lady bugs on a couple of leaves and I just had to take a picture of it.
i love lady bugs since i was a small girl.

my sweet lady bug