Tiny Stars

One of the most satisfying things in the world to me is to spend time knitting and crocheting baby items. They are so like the sweet little bundles they will eventually find themselves snuggled around: tiny, soft, warm, delicate, and beautiful. Making a special gift for a baby can be done fairly quickly and conveys love to the expectant parents. When invited to a baby shower or "sprinkle", I much prefer to give a handmade gift than something purchased. A handknit item can be passed down through the years and achieve heirloom status. This set pictured above is one of my favorite baby gifts. I've used various fibers over the years but have decided I prefer Knit Picks Andean Treasure above all else. It's soft, breathable, one hundred percent baby alpaca and is available in an array of beautiful colors. Pictured here are Cherry Blossom, Fog Heather, and Finnley Heather. The hat is "Baby's Cabled Milk-Silk Cap" designed by Susan Boye. The leg warmers are "Cashmere Baby Leg Warmers" designed by Patti Ghezzi. 

 The lovely golden hat pictured above is "Merino-Silk Cables for Baby" designed by Isela Phelps. The buttery soft and bouncy yarn used to make this cabled hat is Sirdar Sublime Baby Cashmere. If you love to knit tiny baby hats you will really love this hat! It is too precious and it's unisex. So it's a win-win pattern and gift! A mommy can pass it along from baby to baby, especially when it's knit in a neutral color. What's not to love?! The patterns for both hats and the leg warmers can be found and purchased in this book on Amazon.

My absolute favorite baby booties (shown at top in the pink set) "Cute Cables" are designed by Frederique Alexandre and can be found in the book featured below, which can also be purchased on Amazon. The somewhat squared toe and multitextured effect of these booties never fails to cause delight, not only in the recipient, but in me every single time I knit a pair. They simply make me happy. Also, once again, they are unisex, making them an absolutely perfect pattern to return to time and time again.

There truly is something special about a couple of stolen hours in an afternoon spent quietly knitting baby items that's different than doing anything else. The stitches hold a particular charm unknown to all other pursuits. One can almost smell that magical essence of baby as the needles glide along smoothly. Baby knitting takes therapeutic value to a whole new level of nirvana. It must be experienced rather than described. If you love it like I do, you understand; it's a feeling, not an action. 

Choice of color and adding embellishment (or not) makes this exquisite cabled earflap hat unisex also. For my favorite go-to crocheted rose and leaf pattern you can hop over to Attic 24 and whip up as many May Roses as you like.

Few things fill my heart with the same measure of joy as the sight of one so fresh from God nestled warmly in one of my handknit items. Babies are like tiny stars dropped down from heaven sent to add sparkle to all the dim corners of the world. They grow and shine their light into every crack and crevice, helping us to focus on the bright and beautiful things in life. For that we owe them a great deal.

•                 “Like stars are to the sky, so are the children to our world. 
•                                          They deserve to shine!”
•                                           Chinonye J. Chidolue

Fresh Friday... You Are What You Eat

 

Here we are in November already.

I think it was just June yesterday...

I have to admit, albeit somewhat grudgingly,
 because I usually cling to summertime white knuckled,
that I am  loving every single beautiful thing
 about this multi-hued Autumn we are experiencing this year.
 The misty grey days provide an ethereal seeming background
 for the sheer profusion of color all of the trees and bushes are bursting with.
 Although I know this must happen all around me every single Fall,
 for some reason my senses are extremely heightened to it this time around.
 I feel as though I am soaking it in through all of my pores
 and every fiber straight into my soul.

These cooler days make me want to stay inside where it's warm
 with my tea kettle going, my doggies around me,
my knitting on the go and something warm and healthy on the stove.

I told you in the last post I would introduce you to my daughter Chelsea.

She's my youngest of two daughters.

My eldest daughter, Hilary, is a Librarian in our local library.

 Chelsea has a Cosmetology license,

 which she uses to specialize as an Aesthetician. 

She works for a dermatologist in a medical day spa.

 Both of my daughters are excellent cooks and healthy, clean eaters. 

Due to ongoing health issues of my own, 

when they were still in grade school and I was in my early thirties,

 I became a vegetarian and thus began my journey 

into grasping hold of the real truth of :

"You Are What You Eat"

Everybody has heard it and even said it at times

 but after years of suffering

 {and I mean truly suffering}

 from serious digestive issues, 

among various other ailments, 

I began the journey of taking hold of that one simple truth

 and what a difference it made and continues to make for me.

 Plus, I believe it made it easier for my girls to make healthier choices as adults.

Eating as healthy as I possibly can helps in my battle against

 two rheumatoid diseases, which cause digestive issues,

 inflammation throughout my entire system and a whole host of issues.

 I will admit right from the start that I am not a person who has a huge appetite and a lot of the recipes I share with you will be on the simple or light side.

 I don't tolerate "heavy" foods. 

Always bear in mind I do not eat the basic American diet and

 have not done so for more than 22 years.

 In the area of food, I have to travel lightly through this world.

Today's recipe is from Chelsea.

  The measurements provided are just enough for two servings.

It's perfect for lunch with a friend or spouse.

Chelsea and I enjoyed it together for lunch one day last week.

Thai Coconut Stir Fry

1 Cup Thai Coconut Broth

1/2 Cup Brown Rice

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

{Organic Virgin, Cold Pressed, Unrefined - if possible}

1 1/2 Tablespoons Liquid Aminos

1/2 Cup Snap Peas, broken in half

1/4 Cup Match Stick Carrots

1/4 Cup Red Peppers, sliced

1/2 Cup Tempeh, cubed

Cook Brown Rice in Thai Coconut Broth instead of water

 by simply substituting, using exact measurement. 

Saute' Tempeh in Coconut Oil on medium - low for approximately 3 minutes.

Add prepared vegetables and continue cooking until barely tender but still crisp.

This makes two nice sized bowls.

 The first delightful flavor that hits the tongue is coconut. 

It's very filling for lunch or supper for two.

 If you want to stretch it to accommodate more people 

just adjust the proportions and play around with seasonings and add ins.

It's healthy, warm and comforting on a cold day and looks like

 a bowl full of beautiful Fall colors to me!

 I just love it!

You can make it ahead and store it in individual containers

 for your busy work week ahead.

It reheats wonderfully and tastes just as good, if not better.

For those of you who have never used Liquid Aminos,
 this is what you are looking for:

If you like soy sauce you'll love it. This is a healthier alternative. It is gluten free, contains no preservatives, alcohol or fermentation and has 16 healthy amino acids. Also, it is lower in sodium than soy sauce. So run straight to your local grocery market and buy some {and chuck the soy sauce in the trash can}.
Here's what the Thai Coconut Broth looks like as well:

You know I can't leave you without showing at least one thing
 that's been on my needles recently.
In my next post,
which will focus on my current knitting projects at hand,
 I'll show you much more.
However here's a tiny sampling of some baby knits
 I worked on last week during my time at the coffee shop.

Just as I love for my food to be as wholesome,
 chemical free, organic and pure as possible,
I also prefer for the fibers I work with to be as natural as possible.
These cable knit baby ear flap hats and booties are knit on size 3 needles
 using divinely soft, soft, soft pure Baby Alpaca.
There is nothing like the feel of it gliding gently
 across my fingers like a mere whisper.
As I work with it, I daydream of and pray for
  the sweet baby that will be cozied up inside these snuggly little accessories
 in order to keep Winter chills far, far away from delicate fresh from heaven skin.
As most of you know, I am a die hard, constant tea drinker.
However, I occasionally enjoy coffee or a coffee latte like this one pictured.
It's the delicious Fall Signature drink at
 Thirty-Thirty Coffee Shop
in Peoria's Junction City.
 A lovely hot drink is just the perfect thing for an evening of knitting!
I typically choose tea because I actually love it so much more than coffee,
which is hard for the coffee drinkers of the world to even fathom.
Also, it is much easier on my sensitive digestive system.
Keeping myself less acidic is always the goal.
For a final note on today's recipe and any future recipe's I share...
Feel free to toss in some chicken in place of the Tempeh if you have to.
But I would like to encourage you to do two things...
If you are a meat eater, try to eat a meatless meal on occasion.
Also, always purchase the leanest, cleanest form of meat you can.
All of the food I share with you will be vegetarian.
This is what I have to do for my body.
You do what is best for yours.
In the meantime,
I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful Autumn
 if you live in an area where this is your season like it is mine.

"The heart of the home beats in the kitchen
and a healthy one beats three times a day."
Bangambiki Habyarimana
The Great Pearl of Wisdom

"Dear Friend,
 I pray that you may enjoy good health
and that all may go well with you,
even as your soul is getting along well."
3 John 1:2