Happy New Year!

Happy 2012 everyone!

This past year has been a good one for me.  I feel like I've gotten better at cooking and knitting.  Despite my horrible slippers I made for myself, I've now made 2 successful projects!  I'd like to make more things in the future.  One project I have for the new year is to get our oldest sewing machine tuned up so that I don't tear my hair out when I use it.  I've got some projects planned to sew, such as a tablecloth, napkins and possibly curtains for a new house (we're looking to buy one!).  For knitting I plan on making socks for Andy, then from there I'm not sure what I want to do, so if any one has ideas or suggestions I want to hear them!

Fingerless mittens

Last year Andy took over most of the brewing and has done an excellent job.  The beer in the picture is of a Bourbon Barrel Porter from Northern Brewer.  It was delicious!  The excerpt about the beer on the website says it's possibly the best beer ever and I totally agree.  Andy did a wonderful job brewing this and it's been going quickly.  It's a worldly beer, I wouldn't say it's a session beer but it's wonderful to drink and not too heavy.  For Christmas my brother and his family gave us 2 all grain kits, which will get Andy and I going on some more interesting brewing.  You'll be hearing all about in 2012.  In addition to all grain brewing we're participating in Bock Fest at my (other) brother's house in March.  Andy brewed up a wonderful looking Maibock and we're sure to win the competition (there will be prizes!).

Reading at night with toasty hands!

These fingerless mittens are from a pattern I found on Ravelry.  If you are looking to get into knitting, join Ravelry and you'll have endless sources for patterns and help for knitting problems.  These mittens are for reading at night, we keep the house fairly chilly at night and my hands get cold when I read.  So fingerless mittens let me flip pages while keeping the rest of my hands warm.  I've read a couple times with them at night and they work wonderful!  Knitting these was pretty easy, though initially I was afraid of the thumb. Socks were less scary because feet don't have thumbs.  The thumb ended up being pretty easy, it helped to have a tapestry needle to take the extra stitches off when then time came.  I was on vacation when I worked on the first mitten and I used a paperclip, don't do that.  It's amazing what you can make with just knits and pearls!

Up close and personal

Usually I don't make new year resolutions because I think they're silly.  So this year I'm going to be silly and make some new year resolutions.  I have three and I think they're reasonable, they'll be great to accomplish.

1. Go for a hike or go camping once a month
2. Make a new muffin recipe each month
3. Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

You, my dedicated reader, will get the benefit of more posts about all of our different projects.  I would like to get more posts out there to encourage folks to get crafty, get brewing, and get cooking good food.