Vikings Vest

The Front.

Alrighty, So both me and Mr. Sir (my husband) grew up in the frigid north also known as Minnesota, USA. At least most winters it is pretty darn frigid, not this one. Anyways, Mr. Sir is a diehard Vikings fan. They didn't do so great this year, but it's not about winning, its about how they play the game and the fact that they represent our home state. Last Christmas I made Mr. Sir a vikings scarf, but this Christmas I decided to use my college education and actually sew him something that will keep him warm.
He had been asking for a vest, so I made him this. Yes I used a pattern, good ole Simplicity. Got it on sale 5 patterns for $5. Not bad.

Merry Christmas dear.

Live and Love 

The Back.

Easy Peasy Croutons

If there is one thing that I love to eat, it is salads. You can do so much with them to give them different tastes and textures but some of my favorite toppings are homeade croutons.

No, these are not those croutons where you start chewing them and it sounds like fireworks in your head. These croutons have just a pleasant  crunch (unless you burn them, that is a whole other problem).
What you need:
-One loaf of store brought bread (or stale bread, or that homeade loaf that you can't do anything with because you messed it up and its all crumbly *guilty*) I used to get my bread at the day old bread store where I would get 2 loaves for a dollar and freeze it until I wanted croutons.
-1/3 cup olive oil mixed with herbs of your choice (I usually just smell the herbs and decide what I prefer that day) and garlic salt
-Cookie sheets

 

 First, I mix my olive oil, herbs, and garlic salt together to get the herbs to re-hydrate a little bit.

Then cube up your loaf of bread.

When you are ready, toss the bread with the olive oil mix, add the mix a little bit at a time so that it evenly covers the bread crumbs.

Spread out on a cookie sheet and stick in the oven for 10 minutes, pull out and stir a little bit with a spatula and put in for another 5 minutes. Then keep a close eye on the croutons and take out when they are done to your liking. I like them best at a little bit darker golden color. I don't have a picture of the finished croutons, but I can guarantee that they are deeelicous. I usually store them in a tupperware container on the counter. Hope you enjoy!

Live and Love

A Carrot Colored Bunny

Now that Christmas is over I must start posting all of the lovely gifts that I made. If I made them myself I will start doing tutorials but if I used a pattern I will just post the finished product.
My earliest gift that I got finished was a knitted carrot colored bunny that I made my (gonna be 3 years old next week) little niece who from here on out I will call Bug. So here you go....

 This is what the finished bunny was SUPPOSED to look like from the book "Knitted Toys", I got the book from the library and finished the bunny in about 2 weeks. The picture below is me working on the separate pieces. Also below is the finished bunny. I messed up on a few things, I'm pretty sure the weight of the yarn was bigger so my bunny got long and skinny. Also, some of the directions were a little confusing for an amateur knitter like myself. But all in all I am pretty proud of the finished bunny. Bug sure likes the bunny too.
~Live and Love

Sign Language in Use

In High School and College, I took Spanish as my foreign language and yes I still remember some of it. As I was growing up I also picked up a little bit American Sign Language (ASL). Some of it I taught myself, like the alphabet, and most of the song "Jesus Loves Me". Other signs I picked up from a high school friend who knew a lot of it including some of the pleasantries, like "thank you" and "please". Well, getting to the point....

I work retail at a fabric store, and occasionally I have to use my limited knowledge of Spanish and/or ASL. Today while I was at work, I had a deaf couple walk up to the cutting counter at my job.. I must say the fact that we both were in very good moods and I didn't have a line to cut fabric made it quite a good time. She only needed a couple of inches of a fuzzy purple trim cut to decorate her husbands pen. After a couple of misinterpretations, for example, me signing "h-a-l-f....y-a-r-d" and her frantically signing "no no no h-a-l-f....i-n-c-h" She ended up getting 3 inches because I can't sell by the half inch and she wanted a little bit extra. At this point I took out pen and paper because she was wondering if we had aqua blue instead of purple. I doubt it is really necessary to write out my entire conversation with her, I think you are getting the point.

For being only a .17 cent sale, it will probably be one of my most memorable sales. She left the store happy, laughing, and with exactly what she needed. I was happy that I made myself understood and I was able to use my limited ASL. Something tells me that the next time that I am sitting in a retail interview and they ask the question "Tell me about a time that you provided exceptional customer service." (I have always hated this question, they expect me to rack my brain on the SPOT?!?) I will remember this sale. Sure it was only a .17 cent sale, but something tells me that this customer will be back because she knows that we will make the attempt to understand her.

Actually having to use Spanish and ASL in the real world just makes me realize just how little I know. It also gives me more incentive to learn more. Right now I am just happy that I know the pleasantries and some basics.
But for now.............


Vivir y