Magnificent Brownies and More Scarves

Hi friends and happy Sunday.  It is a happy Sunday because I have the next week off from school so I can spend glorious time in my craft room.  I am a happy camper!  I would love to experiment with my husband's Valentine gift to me but I don't know if I can but more on that later.  I know I will be making jewelry and doing a little sewing, maybe some knitting.

I know everyone is probably familiar with these ruffly scarves that are popular now.  I have made a few of them.  The one in the picture matches one I made my sister for her birthday a couple of weeks ago.  The Sashay yarn used to make them has another style that I really love.

I love these rope scarves made with the same yarn.  They couldn't be easier.  Just use an "N" crochet hook and chain the whole skein.  That's it.  I think they are really unusual.  The bottom one has metallic strands in it so it is a little dressier but I love the colors in the yellow,grey and green one.  I have a lot I can wear both scarves with.  I think I have gone scarf crazy!  I am going to try to create something that is not a scarf next week!

You may remember that I mentioned my oldest son turned 23 on February 8th.  I made him his favorite brownies as his birthday dessert and they went over BIG!

These rocky road brownies disappeared very fast and everyone loved them.  Just prepare a 20 oz.(give or take) brownie mix as the package directs.  Add 1 cup of chopped pecans and transfer batter to a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake in a 350 oven for 25 minutes.  As soon as you take the pan out of the oven, sprinkle 3 cups of miniature marshmallows on the brownies.  In a heavy saucepan over low heat, combine  2 oz unsweetened chocolate, 1/3 cup milk, and 1/2 cup butter.  Cook until everything is melted together and combined.  Take off the heat and add a 16 oz. package of powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla.  Stir until it is of a loose frosting consistency.  Spread over the marshmallow layer and cool completely.  They are pretty easy for something that tastes so good.

I have been complaining for some time now that I don't feel safe wearing either of my expensive charm bracelets because I am afraid of losing the charms.  Several people have advised me to get the charms soldered on at a jewelers to make the bracelet safe to wear.  I asked at a couple of jewelers and the prices were ridiculously high.  I kept thinking that soldering would be a useful skill to learn.  Now that I make jewelry, I occasionally run into a jump ring that won't stay closed so it would be nice to solder those types of things.  Well my husband knows the way to my heart is through my craft room!  He gave me this for Valentine's Day:

I love it!  I have been watching tutorials on soldering on YouTube and I realize I need a couple of things before I try it out:  a heat-proof mat, a holder would be nice and some flux.  I may not get everything to try it out this week but I will do it soon.  I can't wait.  They sell 14 karat gold soldering wire and even though it is naturally expensive, it will save me a ton compared to the jeweler's quotes.

I hope you all have a great week ahead.  Our temperatures are supposed to be going up this week so I plan on trying to get outside and take in some fresh air when that happens.  Take care.  Nancy

Look What I Got From a T-shirt!!

Hi and happy Sunday.  It was a very busy week for me.  We had three early dismissals at school because of severe Wintery weather and on Thursday I had two doctor appointments, my son and his fiance's graduation from LPN school and dinner with her parents.  Friday brought a doctor appointment that I had to reschedule due to the horrible weather Tuesday.  I was exhausted this weekend and I was lazy all day yesterday.  I figured I had it coming!

On to the fun stuff!  I am very proud of the mileage I got from a plain grey t-shirt.

First I made another t-shirt scarf like the black one I made.  I wear alot of grey so I am sure it will get alot of use.  Then I have been eyeballing all the cute fabric flowers that are so popular right now.  They remind me of something Carrie would wear on Sex in the City.  Anyway, I found an easy tutorial from Emily at Emily's Little World  and I was very pleased with the results.  I sewed a pin on the back so I can wear it with or without the scarf.  I had some shirt left and I thought of another little garment I would like from the grey knit.

  I made a modesty panel.  I bought some modesty panels a while back and the pack came with white, cream, black and navy.  I wear them alot so I thought it would be great to have a grey one.  I followed a tutorial on YouTube and it worked out pretty well.  I had to piece it a little more than it showed because I was working with limited material but it all came out ok.  I put the buttons and elastic on it that it called for but I will probably just safety pin it to my bra straps like I do the other ones!  I find it slides down too low and kind of defeats the purpose if I use the closures like this.  It will get lots of use though and I love that I used the whole shirt.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead.  I have my oldest son's 23rd birthday next weekend and I am thrilled to have a less busy schedule ahead this week! I have so many projects I want to make.  I need to lock myself in my craft room and get going!  Take care.  Nancy