Birthdays

Much birthday-ing in February!
Mine:
I decided that since it was my 24th birthday (yeah, don't argue.  Don't even question.  I'm 24 . . . . ) . . . . since it was my 24th birthday, I would treat myself to my very own store-bought bakery cake.  I have a twin brother.  We always shared a cake.  Then I baked my own birthday cake.  And since I am now 24, have been fighting a cold for a month, have been working crazy weird and toying with an Etsy shop (details soon!  OMG Excitement!), I would treat myself to my very own store-bought cake.  A raspberry torte.  With a not-buttercream icing (I forget the icing!) and roses.  My very own roses.  I will admit, it was very, very hard to pay $32 for a cake.  For me.  And I almost changed my mind.  But I'm only 24 once, right?!  (wink-wink!)

A few of my favorite gifts:

My best friend gave me a new tea kettle but that will be another day :-)
And my big teenager also celebrated a birthday.  15!  (Again, don't do the math.  Don't question. Don't argue.  He is 15 and I am 24. . .)
He requested chocolate.  Anything chocolate.

He raked in the cash, scored some good gift cards and enjoyed a case of Mountain Dew.  I'd say not bad for a birthday!!!
Happy-ness is feeling forever 24!  Celebrating birthdays with loved ones.  Really living your days and making every day a celebration with loved ones.  Finding love in each day . . . .
Enjoy this moment of your day.  Enjoy the warmth and sunshine.  Surround yourself with your friends and loved ones and laugh today!

Today

My new favorite happy place.  1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab.  Over The Rhine.  Cincinnati.  I'm speechless.  It's fabulous.

OMG!  The espresso machine!  See the steam?!

The cappuccino was amazing!  And look at the foam art!

I swooned over this brioche.  It's an almond chocolate chip brioche.  Warm.  And I dipped the crust into the espresso like a biscotti.

And the atmosphere?!  Quiet and loverly!!  Delightful and divine!!
I'm just sorry the crummy iPhone pictures are offensive to how extremely wonderful 1215 Wine Bar & Coffee Lab truly is!!
Happy-ness is today.  (Even if it is Valentine's Day!)

Life Imitating Art

It's true.
Happy-ness!

Cupcakes

Some days just require a LOT of woodland fairy cupcakes.  Baked and decorated by woodland fairies, of course.

It's been a week.
. . . . . but there's always next week!
Happy-ness is a cupcake my 8 year old is over the fairy moon for!

Finished Projects

A few years ago, I started this pattern.  I knit.  I re-knit.  I bought buttons.  I returned buttons.  I knit sleeves to length.  I shortened sleeves.  I knit sweater longer.  I made sweater shorter.  This is finally what came off the needles.

I used the pattern that Amanda Blake Soule used, The Garter Yoke Cardigan, from the Fall/Winter 2008 issue of Knit.1 Magazine.  I used Rowan Felted Tweed and I have 6 skeins left (anyone want them?!)  Unlike the incredibly talented Soule Mama, this is NOT my favorite sweater.  In fact, it is being shipped to a long-lost, new-found dear friend of mine in Indiana (happy day!)!! 

And I have decided that this is just the year.  The year to finish the years-long projects and give them to homes where they will be loved and worn!  I have begun to think boldly!  Outside the box, even!  I have "allowed" myself the option of actually ripping out almost-finished sweaters to start newer, more exciting projects (gulp!)!  Projects that I may actually want to finish!  That does make me think, though, that I am a process knitter and not a finished project knitter.  Otherwise, I would be more motivated to finish and wear the darned things!!  It's true.

On a side note, I was sitting at the orthodontist's office this morning and I invented an "app"!!  I was reading a magazine and I wanted the recipe for the french onion soup that was causing my many fantasies.  And I thought, "Huh. Too bad I can't invent an app where I can just hold my iPhone up to this page and scan this recipe into my phone . . . . . " I even talked about my new invention to the other moms and even the orthodontist staff.  They all agreed that I was almost a genius!  Except . . . . . . it's been invented already.  But I'm not paying $6.99 to get it.

Happy-ness!  It's finishing projects!  Connecting with very good friends again!  It's inventing apps, even though they've been invented already!  Make and enjoy your own happy-ness, too!!!!

Love love!

Warm Woolen Mittens

Just in time! Our wishy-washy weather decided to bring winter and stay awhile!

The pattern is The Very Cabley Mittens found here.  A pretty quick knit and definitely very fun.  There will be more of these to come . . . .

Happy-ness is very purpley very cabley warm woolen mittens!

My BFF

I spent an entire Saturday with my BFF!  Oh it was glorious!
We met at Hank, a new yarn store in Hyde Park, Cincinnati, and oohed and aah-ed over yarn and projects.

Projects were started.  I am making the Very Cabley Mittens, found here.  I am using Malabrigo Rios, which is a heavenly soft superwash wool.  I started and finished the first mitten; however, my friend that I am making these mittens for has 2 hands (!!) and so I shall start the second mitten!!

BFF Brooke also started a project.

Something orange.  And maybe a pair of French Press slippers.  Or something.  For someone's birthday.  Maybe.  (Pictures when I get them! Yay!)

We decided that after 5 hours of knitting, we were maybe getting hungry.  We ate lunch and then went to my very most favorite-est fabric store.  OMG.

After spending several hours swooning in the fabric store, we drank bubble tea!  And went to Barnes & Noble for more knitting and talking and hugging and laughing . . . . can we do it again tomorrow?!

Happy-ness is sooooo my BFF!