Weekend Plans 6/29 - 7/1

Happy weekend everyone! I hope you had a great Friday. I spent the day with my mom. We went out to breakfast and saw Brave with every single child that lives in a 10 mile radius of that movie theater. Haha. Let's just say I couldn't easily blend in as a abnormally tall fifth grader. Oh well. Embarrassment aside, the movie was so cute. My favorite part was the three second appearance of a few balls of yarn. Watch for it if you see the movie! :)

As always, I am so ready for a few days of crafty fun. Here are my plans...

1. I am having a mini-marathon of some of my favorite Nora Ephron movies. I was so sad to hear the news of her death this week. Her writing and films have always been an inspiration to me. And yes, that is a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils. Every time I see You've Got Mail I desperately want a boy to send me bouquets of sharpened pencils. I don't know why I find that line so romantic. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

Joe Fox - "Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."


George - "I'm going to get some eucalyptus candles 'cause it makes my apartment smell moss-ay!"


Kathleen Kelley - "What will NY152 say today, I wonder. I turn on my computer. I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: You've got mail. I hear nothing. Not even a sound on the streets of New York, just the beating of my own heart. I have mail. From you."


2. I've been working on crochet Christmas ornaments for my Etsy shop this week! It's never too early to get a start on the holidays, right? 


3. Since some wool I ordered last week still hasn't arrived (ugh) for a project I planned to start over the weekend, I thought I would try a few of the embroidery patterns in the latest issue of Mollie Makes. I am definitely addicted to embroidery already. Hopefully I can add a few decent looking embroidered cakes to a tea towel or something. 


That is pretty much it! I hope you have a lovely weekend! What do you have planned? 

A Crochet Wedding Gift

One of my best friends in the world, Leilani, is getting married soon. She is engaged to such a wonderful man and I couldn't be happier for her! I admire and look up to Leilani in so many ways. She has been there for me since I was a scared little sophomore in high school. She listens to my tearful phone calls, knows when I need to meet and vent over coffee, and is one of those rare friends that actually listens to what I am saying. I don't know where I would be without her friendship. So, I decided to make her something extra special for her wedding shower last weekend. I crocheted a slice of wedding cake for her and a slice for the groom, Keith, and put them on top of a little, scalloped plate. I added their initials on top and their wedding date in the middle to make it extra personal. I gave embroidery a try for the first time with the numbers and letters and let me just say...I'm hooked! As if I need another hobby...haha. I just listed this piece as a made to order item in my Etsy shop too! 

My gift was one of the last to be opened during the shower, so I was extremely anxious to see what she thought. When she opened the box (I also got her a pretty cake stand and some baking tools) she immediately started smiling and showing it to everyone. Leilani is the one who inspired me to open an Etsy shop. When I showed her my latest creations she would say, "Mere, have you heard of Etsy? You should really check it out!" She has no idea how much her support means to me.

I feel so lucky to have friends like her that believe in my craftiness. :)

Sometimes I feel like if she didn't ignite that desire to share my creations through Etsy and the blog world, I never would have learned to believe in myself. Thank you Leilani! I wish you and Keith all of the happiness in the world.

Vanilla Yogurt & Strawberry Popsicles

I'm going to cut to the chase. It is about 1,000 degrees outside and I'm not happy. Ok...1,000 degrees...100 degrees...it's basically the same. At this point, the usual summer high points like farmers markets, fresh fruit, and the fact that it stays light outside longer mean nothing to me. My only desire is to stay cool. Even my air conditioner is feeling the heat because it is 85 degrees in my room at the moment. Not exactly chilly. However, I'm thankful to have air conditioning at all! I'm also thankful for easy to make, icy treats like these popsicles. I found this recipe earlier this week and decided to give it a try. Due to the heat, both my physical and mental health were demanding a cold treat. These pops certainly did the trick!

Vanilla Yogurt & Strawberry Popsicles adapted from Bakers Royale 
- 1 1/2 cups pureed strawberries
- 2 cups vanilla yogurt

I eliminated the crushed vanilla oreos from the recipe and it was still extremely tasty!

- Puree the strawberries. Add a layer of vanilla yogurt to your popsicle mold. Freeze for 30 minutes. Add a layer of strawberry puree. Freeze for 30 minutes. Add the last layer of yogurt and insert your popsicle sticks. Freeze.

Mmm. I love popsicles! I can think of so many fun combinations to try with this popsicle mold. My dad just texted me that he is bringing some fresh peaches home...peach pops next maybe? :)

What are some of your favorite popsicle recipes? I hope you are finding ways to survive this summer heat wave too.

Knit Tip Pattern for a Collar

I love all of the cool shirts I've seen lately with fancy metal tips on the collars, like these cute blue ones here. I decided to try my own version with yarn and see what happened. I love how these cute knit collar tips turned out! They are super easy to make and are a perfect warm weather project. If it is cooler in your part of the world, they would look great on a collared dress or coat! I am definitely going to try that in the winter too. You know me, if I can find any excuse to add a bit of yarn to an outfit I will take it. :)

Knit Collar Tips:

Materials:
- Yarn - I used Debbie Bliss cotton dk
- Needles - I used US 4 / 3.5 mm
- Two safety pins
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors

Knit triangle pattern (Make 4)
*Measure the width of your collar to get an idea of how wide you want your collar tips to be. Adjust the pattern accordingly to fit your collar.

- Cast on 13 stitches
- Row 1: Knit 1 (K1), slip one, knit one, pass the slipped stitch over, (skpo), knit to the end of the row. Skpo decreases one stitch from the row so you get an angle for the triangle. (Now you have 12 stitches on your needle)
- Row 2: Purl
- Row 3: K1, skpo, knit to the end of the row
- Row 4: Purl to the last 3 stitches on the needle, purl one, pass the purled stitch back onto the left needle and pass the next stitch on the left needle over the stitch just purled. Put the purled stitch on the right needle. This is called ppno and is a decrease on the purl side.
- Continue repeating these four rows until there are 3 stitches left on the needle.
- Skpo, K1
- Final row: skpo

Bind off.

Embroidered heart:
- I used the chain stitch to embroider the heart free-hand. I recommend this YouTube video if you need help on embroidering with yarn! Maybe try it on a few old swatches for practice.

- Using your tapestry needle, sew together two of the knit triangles leaving the widest side open. Weave in all ends. Attach one of the safety pins to the inside of the knit tip and then fasten it to the tip of your collar. Repeat for the second knit collar tip. That's it!


I thought this would be a fun summer project to keep my knitting fingers busy, even in the heat! I love how it looks with this shirt too. I can think of so many fun color combinations for this pattern!

Enjoy! :)

Sponsor One Sheepish Girl in July!

I got a little carried away with the yarn yesterday...haha. I am now creating fireworks with my yarn scraps. I think I have a serious problem people...

July is one of my favorite summer months because it is so patriotic, we celebrate my dad's birthday, my parent's anniversary, and I am so excited about the opening ceremonies for the London Olympics! There is a lot to look forward to in the month ahead!

I would love to have you as a sponsor if you are interested! The XL space is still available and I have several large, medium, and small spaces too. If you have any questions, please visit my sponsor page and email me at sheepishknitcrochet(at)gmail(dot)com.

It is going to be a wonderfully crafty summer! :)

Happy Monday!

The Blush List - First Week of Summer Finds

Knitting // This knit tote bag is gorgeous! I love the embroidered flowers. It would be a perfect shopping bag for the farmers market. 

Crochet // My rusty bike definitely needs a summer makeover. I don't think it could ever be a cute as this one though! 

Etsy // These vintage glasses are perfect for cool summer drinks.

Style // This flowy dress is perfect for warm weather. I love all of the outfits in that blog post from Simon Flip.

Art // A bunch of summer strawberries by artist Becca Stadlander.

Food // I tried these flavored ice cubes from Spoon Fork Bacon after seeing them on Pinterest Friday afternoon. They are so yummy in sparkling water! Very refreshing too.

The 100 degree temperatures have officially arrived in Texas! I guess that is fitting since it is the first official week of summer. How was your weekend? Hopefully great! I worked on some projects and went to my friend's wedding shower this afternoon. It was a great summer weekend for sure!

Also, I have a winner for the Meghann Rader giveaway! Congratulations Anne! I will contact you soon! :)

Right now I'm watching Lost on Netflix with some popcorn! I was the biggest fan of the show when it was on the air so I decided to start from the beginning again. Oh my gosh. I love it even more the second time. I also love that I have time to watch shows like this! Another two points for summer! ;)

Video // How To Make Blackberry Jam

Along with the yummy peaches we got at the orchard on Sunday, we also brought home some fresh blackberries to make jam. I've made peach and strawberry jam before, so I decided to give blackberry a try. Jam is probably the easiest and most rewarding thing I've ever made! It seems like it would be super complicated, but it couldn't be easier. 

Blackberry Jam // Recipe from Bobby Flay

4 cups of blackberries

1/2 cup superfine sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1. Put the blackberries in a food processor and pulse until chopped. 

2. Pour the mixture into a skillet. Mix in the sugar and lemon juice. 

3. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture begins to bubble slightly, set your timer to cook the jam for about 10 minutes, or until it begins to thicken.

4. Transfer to a container and let it come to room temperature. 

Easy right? I decided to make a little video of the jam-tastic fun too. Haha. It's been awhile since my last iPhone video. I love making these things. Hopefully I will have time to film a few more with the 8mm app over the summer. I hope you like it!

Next on the list of jams to make...blueberry! Have you ever made jam before? What is your favorite flavor?

The new knit tutorial I had planned is coming early next week. A few cloudy days got in the way of the picture-taking process. I hope you have a happy Friday and a great weekend! Maybe you could give this jam recipe a try for breakfast. :)

Crochet Collar Obsessed!

My obsession with cute collars is well-documented, so when I saw this pattern by the lovely Emma of Lulu Loves I just had to try it. I love discovering new crochet patterns that only require a little bit of yarn from my stash. It's nice to use up those scrap bits and make something beautiful in a short amount of time! That means less UFOs (unfinished objects) and, believe me, I have plenty. Maybe I should finish a few of those projects instead of starting new, cute, crochet collars? Nah. That's just silly. ;)

I worked on this collar while enjoying my morning coffee over the past few days. I love the way these two colors look together. Cream and black is such a classy combination, especially with a sparkly vintage button on top. I found that button a few years ago in a store in Colorado Springs (I wish I could remember the name!) when I was visiting for my cousin's graduation. I bought several buttons that day and I can't believe this is the first one I've used. They are too pretty to use on just anything. I can't even take them off of the paper tags they came with because...well...they are just too pretty.

I really need to find some more projects that could use vintage button accent. These beauties need to be worn instead of collecting dust on my shelf.

My friend has her wedding shower on Sunday. This occasion deserves a dainty crochet collar, don't you think? ;)

What projects are you working on at the moment?

CLOSED - Giveaway // Win a Handmade Accessory from Meghann Rader

Today I am happy to share this wonderful giveaway from Canadian artist, Meghann Rader. Her Etsy shop is filled with beautiful, handmade jewelry and original artwork. Her work is inspired by her home, Port Alberni on the west coast of Canada, where she spends her time recreating her love for the forest and animals. Her necklaces and brooches are pieces of wearable art, hand-painted on wood. Meghann is sweetly offering an accessory from her shop that is $35 or less for One Sheepish Girl readers! 

Here is how you can enter to win: (This giveaway is open to international readers!)

Mandatory Entry:

- Visit Meghann's Etsy shop and check out her beautiful creations, like her hand-painted brooches and original artwork. Come back here and leave a comment telling me your favorite item valued at $35 or lower that you hope to win in the giveaway! Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. If there is no way to contact you, your entry will not count.

Bonus Entries: (Leave a separate comment for each entry.)

1.) Follow Meghann Rader on Pinterest. 

2.) Pin one of the images above onto Pinterest. Use the following sentence in your caption, "Giveaway // Win a handmade accessory from Meghann Rader on One Sheepish Girl blog." Please include the link to your pin.

3.) Like Meghann Rader on Facebook and post the link to this giveaway on your page. 
4.) Tweet this giveaway! Use the following sentence, "Enter to win a handmade accessory from Meghann Rader on @sheepishknit blog! http://onesheepishgirl.blogspot.com/2012/06/giveaway-win-handmade-accessory-from.html"

5.) Share this giveaway on your blog or tumblr. Please include the link to your post in the comments.

There are a total of six ways to enter this giveaway. Don't forget to include your email address!

That's it! This giveaway will end on June 23 and I will announce the winner over the weekend! 


Have a wonderful day! :)

Day Trip to Ham Peach Orchards

I guess discovering fresh local produce is becoming a weekend tradition! Clearly I have a thing for peaches right now, too. ;) I've heard people talk about Ham Orchards in Terrell, TX, so we decided to take a father's day trip to the orchards and see it for ourselves. After a delicious diner breakfast (eggs, toast, fruit, and coffee! yum!) we took the drive out to the country to see what we could see. The entrance to the market store was right on the side of the road so we hopped out and started oohing-and-ahhing at the fresh produce. I was hesitant about using my camera because the market store was inside a little building, not in the open air like last week's farmers market. I don't know why, but it is easier for me to be brave and take pictures outside rather than inside. I've said this before, but it's like the camera sounds ten times louder with each photo I snap! I'm getting better about forgetting what other people think and taking pictures for the sake of having beautiful memories. I even asked the lady working if it was ok to take pictures instead of doing my usual sneak attack shots, that usually result in blurry photos of the inside of my purse as I shove my camera in a little too quickly. When she smiled and gave me the go-ahead, I went to town!

Their peaches are so beautiful! I had no idea there were so many different varieties. We tasted a white peach, harvester peach, and a delicious donut peach. That's what we ended up taking home in the bag my mom is holding. They are so sweet! We also bought blackberries to make some jam. Along with their beautiful peaches, they had honey, cherries, all sorts of jams and jellies, veggies, peach pie, homemade fudge, and their famous peach ice cream. Of course, we had to try the ice cream! Ooh...so creamy and delicious. It tasted like summer.

I was actually surprised by how much fun we had at this little place! It makes me realize that even though I complain about how hot and yucky Texas can be this time of year, there are some pretty cool sights to see on our little country roads. Plus, my dad loves ice cream, so he was really happy with his father's day treat! :)

Hooray for confidently taking pictures when no one else is wielding a camera and for taking mini-adventures near my own town!

What are your favorite hidden treasures in your city?