This is an old photo. I have a nasty cold so I’m not going out, although I would like to. The sky today is exactly the same color as this though, gray and not very inspiring. There is much more snow though.
I’m all done with the body of the brown sweater and I’ve started knitting the front bands. I have also started embroidering a the green and white hat. There will be photo when I’m a little better.
Until then check out my updated free pattern page, and my resource page. I’m updating them both these day’s and new free patterns will be added soon.
These were taken last weekend – before today’s storm. Now there is much more snow in and around the capital, all roads from the south are closed and the road to Keflavík too. The road to the west and north is open – but just barely. The weather here on the south coast is just fine, a little cold, but relatively quiet. I’m going out and I will post some photos later today.
I’m not a great baker. I bake bread often, and waffles or pancakes are not unheard of on weekends. But a cake, even a very simple one as the lemon cake on the photo, on a weekday is not a common occurrence in my home. But yesterday I did bake one. Very easy, but very good lemon cake. Here is the recipe.
Lemon Cake Recipe:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
a pinch of salt
Zest of 1 lemon (outer yellow skin of lemon)
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
The juice from one lemon
Lemon Frosting:
1 cup confectioners’ (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted The juice of one lemon Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Melt the butter. Beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the butter, salt, zest, juice and floor until you have a smooth batter. Pour the batter into a buttered pan. Bake in the lower part of the oven, about 40 – 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Lemon Frosting
Place the sifted confectioners sugar in a bowl. Add lemon juice and stir until you have a thick and smooth glaze. Add more lemon juice or powdered sugar, as needed. Pour the frosting over the top of the cake. Let the frosting dry before covering and storing. This cake will keep for several days in an airtight container. I skip the frosting, because my family doesn’t like it. The cake is equally good without it.
These shoes are really something, right? They are so colorful and special, and yet very wearable too. The idea isn’t mine. I borrowed the photo from the Swedish designers Anna Lindström’s blog (with her permission of course).
DIY SHOES
You can decorate your shoes like this. Anna has a detailed tutorial on her blog. It’s in Swedish, but the photos are really clear so that should be enough, with this mini glossary, containing words and phrases from the tutorial:
SWEDISH-ENGLISH MINI GLOSSARY
Decoupage: is the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cutouts onto it.
Klack/ar: heel or high heeled shoes.
Tejpade sulorna: put tape on the soles (of the shoes).
Sprayade dem med svart halvmatt lackfärg: Spray the shoes with black semi matte spray varnish. Fixerade allt med tre lager sidenmatt spraylack : Spray over everything with three layers of silk matte spray varnish.
För att ge en extra hållbar yta använde jag decoupagelack: To get extra strong finish, add decoupage varnish on top.
För att sammanfoga papper och sko fyllde jag igen alla ytterkanter med lacket. Precis som att spackla : Fill in all edges with decoupage varnish.
DIY Decoupage Shoes. Designer and photograph: Anna Lindström
This is an old photo (my camera in being cleaned) but the winter is still going strong. The snow melts a bit, comes again and sometimes the roads is closed by fierce storms. I like the snow, it’s beautiful and it keeps the air crisp and fresh. I could do without the storms though, but they pass quickly and I just stay inside while they shake the house.
Lately I have been fleshing out my resource page. It’s still growing, but at the moment it contains links to embroidery tutorials, both video and with drawings, all kinds of knitting resources, the link to my favorite cast off video and much more. It has even got links to some hairstyles!
The Photography resource page is newer and this “slimmer”. But it is growing like a lamb in summer, so be sure to check in, if you are interested in photography.
The brown sweater is beginning to look promising. The bust darts are all done and I have just started the yoke pattern. I’m not altering that much, just adding a color, tweaking some stripes, just to put my mark on it, otherwise it stays as it is.
I have no reason to change is much, Var is a beautiful and well designed pattern and a very popular one too.
The MC is running out. I have exactly in skein left – and there is to be a hood and all. Hopefully the store has more, I will find out very soon.
This is the coolest fashion video I have seen in a long time. I’m a bit to old for the dress versions (and Iceland is too cold), but I’m definitely going to try some of the skirt- and top ideas next summer.
It’s finally done. My little Grey Heart. And I do like it a lot.
I’m going to make another, it’s going to have grey lace also, but different embroidery. After that I’m going to embroider this hat
- and when that is done, I’m going to make the lace adorned caplet I have been thinking about for over a year. I have collected some vintage lace (thank you Tom!) but I probably need some more.
