Happy New Year! Random Tidbits ~ Handiwork Updates

Happy New Year!  Did you stay up until midnight and watch the ball drop?  We did not, ha ha!  We were fast asleep watching "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."  We'll have to back up the next time we watch it, ha ha!  Hubby fell asleep way before me. 

The deconstruction process of the Christmas decor has already started.  We'll have to bring in the totes and take them back out in one trip.  It's cold.  I do not make "resolutions" for the new year, I simply keep on, keeping on (but better).


I made my first cup of hot basil tea.  Not "Holy Basil" but regular, good ol' herb garden basil.  I keep a fresh pot growing indoors during winter.  I ran out of dandelion root, then ran out of dandelion teabags, so I made basil tea for a "detox" tea.  

It is said to help fight off illnesses and infections, clean the kidneys, builds the blood (purifying it), and kills bacteria. It's also said to be a circulatory stimulant.  My brain could use a boost of oxygen, so I made the tea.  It was pleasantly delicious.  I could also simply eat the basil in a meal too.  It's good for preventing tension headaches, as it strengthens the nervous system as well.

Finished!

One more double wrap infinity scarf with a matching slouchy hat.  The slouchy hats are selling quickly, so I hope January goes slow.  Really slow.  I need to restock items.

....this will become another scarf soon.
   

Here was my dilemma.  The one on the left was the yarn color I could not locate.  I was one granny square from re-creating a scarf I made back in 2010.  I made one for a daughter and it came up missing.  I even have a matching hat before I realized I needed more yarn.  Hence why I bought yarn keys.

The colors are so nice together, so I have kept the two granny squares in case I do find it.  It's like a cranberry color, but with orange in it.  I can't remember if it's Red Heart or Bernat.  I want to say Red Heart. So, hence the burgundy squares for the scarf this time.  It's not even close to the color.  I found one similar (Lion Brand), but the skein was small, and the price was twice what the other brands are.

I also crocheted myself a "messy bun" hat using the free pattern on Ravelry, but skipped rows 9-11.  It's still not as tight as I'd like, so I'm making it again with a smaller hook to try and get a better fit.  That's the problem with free patterns.  I get better luck using patterns from books. 

I got a few more heart keychains crocheted.

I'm back to finishing this baby blanket now too.

It's a whopping 3°F here this morning, and Hubby said, "it's actually warm in here today."  Ha ha!  It's dipping back down again before it warms up.  The sun is shining, so that is good.

Christmas Traditions - Hot Cranberry Punch (family recipe) ~ Messy Bun Hat

Friday was like my typical Monday - busy, busy, busy.  I removed everything from kitchen counters, sorted, washed, washed and dried and put away, washed some more and scrubbed and .....reclaiming my kitchen.   I set the rules straight with the girls, but this morning I woke up to dishes drying on a towel.  Sigh.  I had high hopes they'd get the message when I told them the kitchen was closed until they finished their "to-do" list I gave them.  I want to wake up to a clean kitchen every morning now.  That is the goal anyway.

I posted a few days ago, that I made our traditional Hot Cranberry Punch on Christmas this year.   I guess over the years I have forgotten to share the recipe.   Although it's a Christmas/New Year's tradition,  I have made this punch throughout winter.  Just be sure to stock up your fresh cranberries while they are in season in the fall first.  I freeze mine, and they work just fine for this recipe.  In our area, after the season is over, you can't find them anywhere.

The recipe comes from our family recipe book.  Back in the day, I collected family recipes and typed up a recipe book and gave each family one.  Each page was computer printed, and placed in a plastic page protector, and into a 3 ring binder.  My kids drew the photos for each category.  A cover was made, glossary and even family stories.  Now-a-days, you can just send recipes off to companies and have them printed for a price.  Which reminds me, there are a few kids that moved out that do not have one of the "family" cookbooks.  Hm.  I may have to work on that as a gift next year, but one for the vegetarian with just our family vegetarian recipes.

Anyway....

You can use any brand of these ingredients, but I do use organic for ours.  Organic cranberries are now found in most grocery stores, as well as organic orange juice and lemon juice (and organic whole cloves).

I typically double this recipe, because it's enjoyed so much and goes fast.  Any leftovers can be cooled and placed in the refrigerator, reheating as necessary.

Hot Cranberry Punch
(organic ingredients)
2 quarts water
1 lb. fresh organic cranberries (or frozen)
2 Tbsp. grated organic orange peel
12 whole organic cloves
6 cinnamon sticks

Combine in large pan, and gently gook until cranberries are soft and have "popped."

Strain.  I simply place a strainer on another large pot, lined to help strain out the cranberry seeds.

To the strained liquid, add 1 1/2 cups organic sugar, 4 cups organic orange juice, and 1 cup of organic lemon juice. Heat until sugar is dissolved, and serve warm.  

Note:  If you'd like to use the cranberries, after straining them, for another use (bread perhaps?) put your cloves in  cheesecloth and tie it up before tossing in.  The cinnamon sticks are large enough to just pick out.


It's snowing here again.  We've heated up to a whopping 15°F outside this morning.  Hubby and I both slept in and boy if felt great.  We needed the rest, as we plan to cut barn wood again today.

Oh, I crocheted my first messy bun hat too.  I used a free pattern on Ravelry. 

It was "It's all about the messy bun" pattern by June Nemeth, but I was disappointed in the final results.  However, one daughter was absolutely happy with it.  The photo on the pattern shows the hat with a flat brim.  The final hat ended up so long it has to be folded up to fit correctly.  To make the brim flat I will have to leave 3 rows of DC out before the brim.

Either way, I now have a pattern to work with.  I had yarn that matched a color in my daughter's double wrap scarf, and she is a happy, happy gal.  She now has a matching set and she says she always has a messy bun, and loves it.  I may have to give her and my other daughters business cards to had out when someone asks where they got it.  My one daughter wearing her "Harry Potter" scarf gets compliments all the time too.  

I do believe I'll be crocheting myself a "messy bun" hat.  I would like to have one for outdoor work, barn work days.  For now I simply do a side braid to get my hat to stay down.  I do not function with work very well, with my long hair straight down.

Now that all of my crochet orders are finished, I need to spend time and clean up all my yarn today, ha ha!  It's been crazy, busy and good.