Today's juice

Here's the blend for today's juice. I can't wait to taste it! My sister made a great recommendation to check out the local farmer's markets so I will start looking as I am out running errands for one. There are some fruits and veggies I want to try to get my hands on to try in my juice.
Making Juice is a snap with this juicer. I first prep the veggies by washing them, then removing pits from the peachs and peeling the carrots and oranges. (2 minutes)
Then everything goes down the chute. You can see from the size of the chute I don't have to cut up the fruit first. Everything goes in and only the yummy juice comes out into the colletion pitcher, the rest is pulp which I can use in other recipes for baking, soups, cassaroles, or for composting.

Fresh Juice

Here is some fresh orange, apple, strawberry, mango, and pineapple juice I had just juiced yesterday morning for our daily juice. I made it in two batches since the amount I made was larger than the pitcher included with my juicer.
This fruity combo was a hit with everybody in the house. Today I'm going to add a veggie or two into the juice I make. Since I got the juicer to help with increasing the nutritional intake of fresh fruits and veggies in my family, especially for the boys it will be important that I put veggies in the mix too. The awesome thing is that they still really like the juice I make even if it has veggies in it!

Sock WIPS

Lorna's, some super soft merino superwash wool from my sis. This yarn is worsted, the needles are US 5's. I ribbed the whole cuff to kee these thicker socks up. These will be fun to wear with my merlot or navy birkenstocks!
Fleece Artist sock kit. The more I work with it the more I like this colorway! Yarn is fingering weight, needles are US 1.5's. This is my first pair of socks on fingering weight yarn and first project with needles this tiny. It's not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. I need to make some more this weight as they will be very comfy in most of my shoes.

Gifties

Beatuiful OOAK, signed and numbered handmade glass bowl from a Seattle Artisan at Pikes Place. Thanks Tink!


Comfy slippers for me and cute mittens for Charmie. Both are the perfect color and fit for our tastes, handknit and waiting for me upon my return from the west coast. Thanks Uma!
The easiest, cleanest, coolest juice extractor, the Breville Juice Fountain Compact. A gift purchased with early birthday money. Thanks Mom and Dad Ray and Rocky!
I'll have more on juicing later. I can't get enough of this stuff it's sooooooo good!

Seattle

Last week I went to Bellevue/Redmond/Seattle Wasington area to help my sister with Jada, my new niece, upon her return to work and also to visit one of my closests and dearest friends, Elizabeth.
IDK why but I kept forgetting my camera so I didn't get many pictures. Here's one I took of Jada on the flight there resting in the middle seat between Janet and I and the lower (cheesy) one my friend Elizabeth quickly snapped while I was packing up when she found and started playng with my camera. Thanks Sis and Tink, it was wonderful!

Ms Gina's bag

This is a bag request from 3 years ago. . . Let me start by saying I am a bad person because I knew that I hadn't made this, I was just putting it off. I'm glad to have waited because I believe that only now could I have found this combination of materials, tools and experiences to have this finished product but it's way way overdue.
Ms. Gina is Charmie and Mardie's dance teacher for ballet, tap and jazzy frestyle dance. They started this class 2 weeks ago. Tomorrow will be our 3rd class. I've known Gina for years as a friend and sister in my church. She saw the very first diaper bag I attempted to make from my own ideas and designs and requested a similar bag for her dance stuff. She didn't have her studio at that time, she just wanted it to have a ballet theme and pink. I wasn't happy with the bag I made for myself so I lacked confidence that I would be able to produce one for her so I never made her bag.
Fast forward 3 years to a few weeks ago while as we agreed to sign up Ch and M, she noticed some of the bags I had with me (purse, wallet, camera bag) and she reminded me hat I had agreed to make one for her.
The POINTE! studio is decorated beatuifuly with rich chocolate brown, Hot pink and ballet pink. Her new request was that this bag bear the studio name and theme colors.
Here's the finished product. I used a very soft and hard to work with chocolate brown embossed microsuede for the exterior and pocket lining and trim, and a Alexander Henry print of pointe shoes for the interior.
I hope she loves it.
Here's a closer picture of the bag. It is 18"wide x 2" deep x 14" tall and a 20" drop for the straps. There is a magnetic closure under the generous flap. The inside has 5 pockets.
I need to start experimenting with filters or my lens shade. I had difficulty getting a photo that showed the true colors of the bag, any of you photographers out there drop me a line and let me know what I'm doing wrong.

Close up on embroidery.
Lining detail.

Crayon Roll

I made this little roll up for the boy's fat crayons and fat pencils. It holds 19 but the pack was for only 16 as usual for crayola. I need to saw off some of their big pencils to fit in and we'll be set. I like this better than a pencil box/bag, or the ratty crayon box after it's been opened about 1 time by a 2yo.
I guess this is "bag" #2 for my stash buster. I used a fq without trimming or cutting. I attempted to put a velcro closure but some how I messed up and sewed the hook on rs to the fabric so it doesn't grip, secondly I placed my lable inside and I meant for it to be outside. I'm going to have to get more sleep or start making prototypes.
I'm still happy with it, the crayons have a place so it's easy to find the missing one, this can take on different shapes for travel, it's really hard to pick this up and dump the crayons everywhere, they have to be more intentionally removed ;-)
*Since posting I removed the errant velcro hook and attached a replacement rs out. I also sawed the pencils and they fit perfectly. The roll closes tighly just like I wanted. Now if I could just find an eraser stick that's the same lenght I'll be in business!

Snow day

Last night and into today it snowed. I took the boys outside to play.

Emergency Backlava

It snowed today, not a ton, no blizzard, but enough to stick and enough for the boys to be able to play in it.
In wanting to ensure the boys were bundled I wanted them to have ski masks but we didn't have any and I wasn't going to go to the store to buy them in this weather so I made some. the snow flake one is for Charmie and the Teal one is for Mardie. I actually laid them on my cutting table to make the pattern shape of their head.
I left the back open behind their neck to make them easier to get on and off. I cut enlarged openings for their eyes and sewed up the area under their chin. Once put on they provided the coverage I hoped for. the boys' cheeks, mouth, nostrils and most of their face was covered. Only their eyes showed through.

After we played in the snow, see our family blog for photos, I made crackers for the boys. They were not that hard to make and Charmie really liked them. Mardie ate one, but didn't want a 2nd. He may like them better wtih cheese.