Pink Rose Cottage

Seeing Red

2009-11-06T15:54:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already spent several hours playing on Polyvore you really are in for a treat. Pick out all sorts of fun images online and put your own collage together. As you can see I'm having a blast.

Seeing Red by pinkrosecottage featuring Kenneth Jay Lane jewelry

Items in this set:
Keds shoes, $30
Kenneth Jay Lane ring, 42 GBP
Bbcgoodfood.com
Melbourne
Apparel Classic Clothing at..., $269

I'm a Winner!

2009-11-05T11:50:00.000-08:00

On Halloween day I visited Urban Yarns in North Vancouver to pick up some yarn for a special gift for my sister. While paying for my purchase I noticed they were having a draw for a $50 gift certificate. So I popped my name in the entry container and when I got home there was a message on my machine that I'd won! Now what should I do with $50 worth of yarn - the choices are endless!

I Need to Learn to Sew

2009-11-03T15:50:00.001-08:00

Why I Need to Learn to Sew by pinkrosecottage on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Vintagefashionlibrary.com, $16
Skirts at LAURA ASHLEY, 70 GBP
ADRIENNE - dramatic...
Historic Edwardian Gowns
The Vintage Connection

My Girl

2009-10-27T11:39:00.001-07:00

I am a minority in my own home. Its true - I am the only female in a household with three men. Well, let me qualify that, I am the only female human. Willow is the other girl around here. She's my girl, well that is now since my older son is in Asia. She's always been mine, but before I had to share her. I got her a few years ago as a kitten and I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm her Mom. I never had a baby girl cat when I was little but I think if I had I would have dressed her up in a bonnet and pushed her around in a pram. Willow has gotten to the lazy stage in her life already where she sleeps probably 22 out of every 24 hours. About 7 of those hours are spent on my chair behind me as I work. We have a constant tussle over how much chair each one of us gets and if I am winning she extends one of her claws and gives me a little poke on the bottom to tell me to move up. And I do - she's got me wound around her little paw!

Halloween Costume (sort of)

2009-10-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

OK - I realize this is a little lame - but my official Halloween outfit this year is meant to be the Owls Sweater. I am in a panic to finish it before Saturday - the second sleeve is almost done and I'm about to start the fun part - the yoke (Owls). Wish me luck.

Olympic Knitting

2009-10-22T10:31:00.000-07:00

Don't get me wrong, I love the Olympics - especially the winter Olympics and ESPECIALLY the 2010 which are being held here in Vancouver. BUT - I'm really disappointed that the Olympic honchos don't see how hypocritical they are being. Here's the scoop. The Cowichan sweater is an item of clothing most of us Canadians a very familiar with - its a bulky heavy weight sweater with multi-colour designs. It is made by a particular native tribe - the Cowichans from Vancouver Island. Apparently the band made a proposal to the Vancouver 2010 Olympics to make their sweaters for the Canadian athletes at a cost of $215 each. Now any knitter will know that $215 for a handmade sweater is barely turning a profit. Instead, the Hudson's Bay Company (which by the way is no longer a Canadian company) is making them - and the cost is over $300 a piece and I highly doubt that they've got knitters on the job, but rather machines. Now to put this in perspective, the Olympic committee is chasing every Tom, Dick and Harry who use the word Olympic in any form. They are threatening law suits all over the place for infringement on the word including a local business called Olympic pizza and an author who has written a book about hiking the Olympic peninsula - HELLO - the area is called "Olympia" and its the capital of Washington state! So how can these folks justify the total rip off of this iconic local native design? Its downright shameful!

A Friend to Knit With

2009-10-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

It really is a small world - even apparently in the blogging world. For the past year or so I've been reading a lovely blog by a knitter called "A Friend to Knit With". Earlier this week I popped over to see what was new on her blog and saw a link to Rosemary's Old Time Gingersnaps, which of course I followed. Little did I know I'd end up at my very dear friend, Rosemary's blog. Rosemary and I have been friends since our children who just entered high school started Kindergarten together. She is a dear person who shares many of my interests including knitting. In fact the year that all that "eyelash" yarn was a big hit, it was Rosemary who pointed me in the direction of our local yarn shop. And since then I've dropped the eyelash yarn (phew) and have gone crazy into knitting! In the last few years Rosemary has gone back to school and then to a new career while still taking care of her family. In that time I've also been busy working (and knitting). About a month ago we met at the first band concert of our grade 8 children. I turned around to see her wearing none other than the February Lady sweater. Having made two of them myself this year there was lots to talk about none the least of which was Ravelry! Yesterday we finally got together for tea and a short but good visit! Here's to friends - both those we find through the usual ways and those we find through our computers.

An Autumn Recipe for You.

2009-10-21T14:03:00.000-07:00

This is our family favorite muffin recipe. Perfect for coffee break at this time of year:

Autumn Glory Muffins

2/3 C sugar
2/3 C wheat bran
2/3 C whole wheat flour
4 Tbsp. ground flax seed
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl combine:

2 eggs (beaten)
1/4 C sunflower or canola oil
1 C canned pumpkin
1/2 C buttermilk

Add wet ingredients to dry.

To mixture add:

1/4 C pumpkin seeds
1/4 C dried cranberries

Divide into muffin tins (either 6 large muffins or 12 small). Bake in 375 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes. Cool and enjoy with a nice hot cup of coffee.

A New Sweater!

2009-10-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

Sweater: The "Librarian" sweater is done! I'm not sure why I decided to call my "Garter Yoke Sweater" "Librarian". The simple practicality of the design paired with the warm brown yarn brought to mind the image of the librarian. That plus I just wanted to photograph my new hand made Italian journal :) This was my first time using "Green Mountain Spinnery" yarn and I loved it! The sweater has a luxurious texture - I'm a happy knitter today. I used buttons I had purchased a number of years ago at an antique store. They are beautiful opalescent smokey coloured glass buttons - they are all the same size but the patterns are mismatched, which I love! Also worth mentioning is the great waist shaping in the pattern - it fits perfectly. Overall I'd sum it up as feminine & functional.

Long Time No Post

2009-10-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

For some odd reason I have not been posting here - could be more knitting less typing. Since my last post I've made two hats and started two sweaters. Currently I'm working on sleeves on my Librarian sweater. Is it just me or are sleeves a royal pain in the petutti? I really love wearing them, but hate knitting them. I don't know if its just the boring round and round knitting or if its the fact that I'm getting antsy to move onto another project. Whatever the reason, I really am ready for some lace in my knitting life, but with the unselfish Christmas knitting in my near future I fear that will be on hold for a while. Unless of course my husband wants a lace shawl ;)

Shawl for a Pickle

2009-09-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

I knit this textured shawl for a nice break from all the lace knitting I've been doing this year, but without a recipient in mind. I called it "Miss Elinor Dashwood" because I was reading Sense and Sensibility at the time and the worsted non-lace product made me think of the pretty yet practical Elinor. Last Friday a lovely lady who is the mother of one of my friends kindly came over to teach me how to make dill pickles. I've always wanted to learn this and unfortunately did not learn it from my Grandmother who passed away last January at the age of 93. So it really was special for me to finally learn. As a thank you I gave Miss Dashwood to my friend's Mom who really loved it and that made it all the more happy!

Italian Knitting Break

2009-08-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

Oh I had such great plans for airport knitting, but none of it materialized - I was totally distracted by the fun of being on vacation!

Fit for a Princess

2009-07-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

This little frock is a birthday gift for Millie. Millie is really a princess. She was born just over two years ago to parents who waited until quite late in life to have children. Her parents are very well established business people who have done very well for themselves and who enjoy lavishing their attention and wealth on their little Princess. So what do you give a princess who already has everything for her 2nd birthday? Something hand-made I think...

Coffee and Comtemplation....

2009-07-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

hmmm, what should I knit next? Normally I know exactly what I want to knit before I have the current project half way done, but this time I simply am stumped. I want a good portable project to take on the trip to Italy - there will be lots of airport waiting hours to fill - so it has to be small enough but also not so fine as to upset the security people with the small pointy needles. It has to be for me (obviously). I don't want to knit a top because I'm in the midst of a large weight loss and I don't want to knit anything that I can't wear now, or won't fit me next season. (25 lbs and counting). It has to be simple and interesting all at the same time. I'm open to suggestions.
BTW: That is blueberry bread pudding adapted from this Weight Watchers recipe.

Finally - a new project.

2009-07-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

I have been working and working on my Amore (Girasole) blanket to have it ready for our anniversary at the end of the month - but really I needed something else. So I found this darling little girl's dress as a gift for my friend's daughter who has just turned two. I've been longing to knit little girls clothing, but with no small girls in my life (except for this one) I have not done so until now. This is fun to make and I think that whether or not I have a girl to knit for I'll continue making cute little frocks and put them away for some future little girl (granddaughter in the far off future perhaps).

Lots of Pink Roses, Not much Knit

2009-06-18T15:44:00.001-07:00

The single rose is my "if I had to choose only one rose" "Constance Spry". It is the prettiest pink rose of all I think and a very different delicate rose scent.

Bathroom View from the Pink Rose Cottage

2009-06-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

My Namesake

2009-06-15T11:22:00.001-07:00

A Camera Shy Model

2009-06-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

Most everything I knit to wear never gets modeled because since becoming an adult I've shied away from the camera. But I decided to get under a big hat and behind large sunglasses in response to a friend's urging for me to show my knitting on me instead of a hanger. So here I am in my new summer top - I call it Onyx but the pattern is actually "Orangina". It was a lovely simple knit and one that I most definitely do again - soon.

I Could Have Told You That...

2009-05-22T15:12:00.001-07:00

We already knew this didn't we.

New Yarn from Blue Skies Alpaca

2009-05-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love Blue Skies Alpaca, so when I heard they are launching a new line called Spud and Chloe I thought I share my enthusiasm. And whats even more exciting is that Allison who is a pattern designer for BSA is having a contest and giving away three skeins of the new yarn.

Knitting & The Garden

2009-05-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

May and June are certainly the most pretty garden months here on the west coast of British Columbia. My camera is getting more of a workout on the garden than it is with my knitting projects these days, but I'll show you a bit of both.

On the knitting front there are two projects currently on my needles: Orangina top in black - I'm using Elann Lara cotton for this and it is coming a long very nicely. The lace pattern is very simple to remember and I'm loving it. The other project is Girasole - a lovely circular blanket which I am making to commemorate our 10th Anniversary in July. This is my first time using Rowan Calmer and I think it is a beautiful yarn to work with - very soft and springy.

In the garden the Hawthorn trees are just beginning to blossom as are the wisterias and today I saw my first hansa rose just out of bud. But the showstopper is currently the large orange poppies. I used to hate orange in my garden - I was a real snob about only cool colours, but for some reason I now adore almost any flower that chooses to make its home here - planted or volunteeered.

Tulips

2009-05-04T17:12:00.000-07:00

I am so inspired by Jane Brocket's tulips that I am determined to plant more bulbs this fall. These are pretty much all that came up in our garden this spring, but next year will be a different story!

10,795

2009-05-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

When I started my Clapotis, it was the 10,795th on Ravelry. Thats a LOT of any one project don't you think? To be honest, before I jumped on the bandwagon, I looked at the Clapotis a few times and thought it was less than exciting - not really my cup of tea you could say. But for some odd reason - maybe it was pairing my Euroflax with an appropriate pattern, I dove into this very populated pool. And you know what? I really - I mean REALLY like it - a lot! In this yarn it is very organic looking and feeling. It just suits me I think and I want to wear it all the time. So even though I consider myself to be a non-conformist in many ways I guess sometimes its o.k. to go with the flow.

Spring Blossoms

2009-04-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love spring?