Just to prove I wasn't totally slacking

I managed to finish up a few projects before the end of December, 2013. Granted, I started some of those projects at least several months ago, but I consider it a victory when I actually finish a project.

The socks and the washcloths are knitted but the hat is crocheted. It has a funky swirl pattern on top, which was what drew me to it in the first place. I owe Robin thanks for helping me get started on the complicated looking pattern.

What projects did you finish up at long last by the end of 2013?

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

Someone please give me back a month of my life

How did the month pass by so quickly?  How did the three weeks that my sister was visiting for fly by?

Well, it wasn't as if we slept through 3 weeks or drank ourselves silly through it - although we did try the latter.  We weren't even just sitting around scratching our butts either!  In fact, we were pretty productive.

We cleaned out my art room so now you can actually walk into it!

We made soaps together - or, more accurately, my sister made soaps mostly on her own after doing one set with me.  She turns out to be super at it!  Sooo, she's taken over my soaping biz (such as it was, or wasn't).  Woohoo!!  I know she'll do well.

My sis also finished off a latch hook rug project that I started 17 years ago...no kidding...I'm pathetic.

Not to be outdone, I finished the pair of socks I was knitting for ds#2:

Together, she and I tried out the tortilla press I bought in Vancouver last fall.

Here they are, flattened out and resting:

My sister fried them up in the Le Creuset pan that I love:

She also helped harvest strawberries, which was not entirely altruistic as she wanted to eat some good, home-grown berries.  ;)

In between working hard, we also enjoyed some great meals courtesy of my talented dh - meals such as this vegetarian Thai sesame noodles with grilled asparagus (yeah, baby, that's our home-grown asparagus!!) marinated with a soy-sesame sauce:

She's now safely back home, despite the crazy mid-west weather trying to foil her plans (yes, we survived the severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, thanks for asking). 

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." ~ Douglas Adams

DIY projects for the holidays, Spotted Cow's Giveaway

Moth Chaser Sachets from Garden Fresh Living

Various fun projects from SoapyLove

Babylegs Tutorial from Heidi (Soapaholics Anonymous)

The next two projects are courtesy of The Soap Queen Blog. Be sure to peruse Anne-Marie's whole blog, going back a few pages or more because she has tons of good and fun ideas!
Painted Ornament Project
Christmas Tree Soap Centerpiece

Spotted Cow Soaps has another Giveaway - hurry and enter!

p.s. the artisan bread I made actually didn't turn out doughy and soggy. It was just like the baguettes we buy at the local bakery (or used to buy; I've been making my own for a couple of years now)! We had it with lasagne last night, and made French toast with it this morning. It was really tasty.

"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet." ~ James Oppenheim