Refreshing indeed

"Miss Eliza Bennet, let me persuade you to follow my example, and take a turn about the room. I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long in one attitude."  - Pride and Prejudice

Now most of the things Miss Caroline Bingley say are not quote-worthy, unless of course you are looking for a laugh. She is a bit ridiculous, but nonetheless a genious character created by Miss Jane Austen, for Miss Caroline Bingley is so real. The things she does and says reminds me so much of a few girls I went to high school with. They were SO annoying, I remember thinking I just want to walk by with some scissors, 'accidentally' slip and cut out a chunk of their oh so perfect hair. Anyways the quote above made by Miss Caroline Bingley is so very true, I have just thoroughly experienced it for myself.

All of November and Decemeber were spent devoted to knitting mittens as Christmas gifts. Now don't get me wrong, I still LOVE making mittens, and I was happy with how they all turned out. They were very much admired and appreciated on Christmas morning, making all my late night knitting marathons completely worth it.

However last night I started on a new project (a hat for myself) in the which I needed to learn a new stitch pattern called 'Herringbone' and let me tell you.... it  WAS  refreshing!! I was having so much fun, figuring it out and then clicking along once I got the hang of it. I think I will be making a scarf with the same pattern as well to match my hat. FUN! FUN! FUN!

Learning new stitches, challenging yourself to try something you haven't before is quite refreshing! It's good for the brain and the soul, I look forward to this upcoming new year and the things I will see and learn in it.

my pile of Christmas mittens :)

a Very Jane Austen Christmas

I have to admit a guilty pleasure.... I love Christmas shows! and not just the awesome ones like A Muppet Christmas Carol, White Christmas and Elf. I mean I love all the them, every ridiculous made-for-tv movie/christmas special there is. I have watched tons of low-budget, poorly acted and absurdly storeylined movies, and loved them ALL! With the singular exception of  'Bad Santa' starring Billy Bob Thorton which I know I would despise for a myriad of reasons.

Last night I watched  'Santa Baby' and 'Santa Baby 2' starring Jenny McCarthy in the which she is Santa Claus' daughter. In the first movie she has to take over Christmas after Santa has a heart attack, throwing her back into her old life and eventually causing her to choose her prom king high school sweetheart boyfriend over her selfish all buisness minded city boyfriend, and the second movie Santa goes on a mid-life crisis and abandons Christmas leaving 'Mary' to save it again, with the help of her current and high school boyfriend (who is played by a different less-hot guy)  in the end from a disgruntled elf who is posing as an assistant to help Santa but ultimately trying to take over the holiday!   

RI- DICULOUS.....LY AWESOME!!!

Which leads me to my next question....

Why couldn't Jane Austen have written a Christmas Story of some sort?! I mean really, how hard could it have been!!

Or my follow-up question why hasn't anyone else made a Christmas movie set in the same time period at least?!? I am sure I would enjoy it just as much. When it comes to Christmas movies I am not to picky, as evidenced by my viewing choices last night, and evidenced more by the fact that it was not the first time I had seen 'Santa Baby' so I went on watching it last night in full knowledge of what I was about to see.

I'm not sure if there are many people who read my blog with random posts and rants, but if you have happened to come across it and are reading this and know of a Jane Austen Period type Christmas movie, please tell me about it! It would make my Christmas!!

and also if you are similarly entertained you will know which ridiculous Christmas movie this classic quote comes from:

"cookies..... WHO TOLD YOU YOU COULD EAT MY COOOKIES!!!"

Candy Cane Ornament

I saw an ornament like this and figured out a pattern to make a similar one. It's pretty basic and simple, but those are the best ones to make right?! They go so fast your tree will be bedazzled with candy canes in no time.

What you need:

Size 4mm (US 6) double pointed needles

Red DK Yarn

White DK Yarn
Pipcleaners or other bendable wire (in a pinch I used a coat hanger and it worked but was very hard to bend into a nice shape)

Cast on six stitches with the red yarn

Make a 7 inch i-cord and tie off

Cast on six stitches with the white yarn

Make a 9 inch i-cord and tie off

Stick a pipecleaner or other bendy wire inside the i-cords

Stitch them together at the bottom

Wrap the white i-cord around the red one and stitch together the ends

Bend into the shape of a candy cane

Attach a thread through the top to make a loop so you can hang it on the tree

Sing 'O Chirstnas Tree' very loudly as you hang it on the tree.

The candy cane on the left has pipe cleaners inside to help keep it's shape and the one on the right has pieces from a coat hanger.