Harts and Crafts Blog | Creative Jubilee

Christmas in February

By Christina Lee| February 26th, 2017|Crocheting, DIY Home, Handmade, Holiday Fun, Humbling Hobbies and Habits, Yarn Addict|

Well, we finally did it, Cooper. We put the finishing touches on this blanket and now, Susanna can take home her Christmas present even though it’s now February. Way to sit on it for so long, Cooper!

The idea was to plan ahead for once and start this blanket in October, so I can pair this blanket with the one I’m giving Mom and Dad for Christmas and surprise Susanna with her very own. However, I think I was a bit too ambitious finishing up the other blanket, working on two scarves and then starting on this one. The other projects were also a bit more taxing since I had to constantly read the pattern and tally up each row. So, I decided to give myself a little break and work on this Granny Row crochet pattern – a simple combination of double crochets and skipping spaces – one that I can actually do while watching television and sipping on some red wine.

For the next couple of weeks — and months, this blanket and Netflix became my best friend in the evenings. I started the blanket completing rows of two with each color only to realize that A) I still had a lot more rows to complete and B) two rows of a single color wasn’t going to get me very far, so I began differentiating the count and varying the width to three rows, then five rows and back three rows of one color. The most exciting part was switching to the next color, especially the light purple in the middle. And since we’re in nearing winter, the faster I completed a row, the warmer I got to keep my legs — one advantage of working on this blanket during the winter season.

While I didn’t end up finishing it for Christmas, I was about 90 percent of the way there – close enough to wrap it in a box and gift it to Susanna for Christmas. The look on her face was the most gratifying for me especially since she did not expect a blanket for herself after spending nearly a decade on Mom and Dad’s. But here it is, a blanket just for her in the nick of time to keep her warm this wet and rainy, winter season. Merry Christmas, Susanna. Here’s to keeping the spirit of Christmas alive in February.

In a Cable Knitting Frenzy

By Christina Lee| January 7th, 2017|Handmade, Knitting, Work Hard. Play Hard. Knit Harder., Yarn Addict|

Exploring the Bay Area for new coffee shops and finding that warm, cozy niche is my idea of making the most of a wet, wintry weekend. I’m always on the lookout for coffee shops with the right atmosphere — a balance between community tables with enough elbow room, an area to lounge, good coffee and bite-sized snacks, music and the right temperature. That’s not so much to ask for, right?

While the big chains, Starbucks, Peet’s and Philz are at the turn of every block, I’m a big fan of discovering independent coffee houses. There’s something about the warm, wholesome authentic feeling of being at home while sitting at a ‘mom and pop’ coffee shop that just cannot be replicated by the big leagues. But that’s not to say I’ll shy away from the chains, since you know what to expect for the most part.

We ended up making our way to Redwood City to check out the Starbucks Reserve. I’ve heard several good things about Starbucks Reserve — their freshly brewed reserve coffee, limited edition menu, gourmet wine and food selection — and even affogatos (!) on a hidden or soon to be released menu. I helped myself to a Butterscotch Reserve Latte in a hefty black, Reserve mug while picking up a new knitting pattern. Drunken off the creamy whole milk latte, I found myself tightly wound into a cable knitting frenzy as I braided one stitch over the other. This is my first attempt at cable knitting and I have YouTube to thanks for the step-by-step pattern. I’m looking forward to adding more stitches to this ‘brioche’ scarf, then bundling up to it during San Francisco’s cold, wintry season.

Merry Christmas!

By Christina Lee| December 25th, 2016|DIY Home, Holiday Fun, In the Kitchen|

This is our third Christmas celebration for the weekend and it just wouldn’t complete without having to play some silly game that my sister conjured up — and this is on top of singing two rounds of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” My ear is still ringing from yesterday’s rendition. Of course, this was all caught on camera so we can use this as a baseline for next year’s singing. Don’t be surprised if this magically disappears from your phone, Susanna.

This year’s family game involves pantyhose and balloons. Oh goody. And the fact that this ‘reindeer game’ sits after a round of drinks and hors d’oeuvres, but just before dinner and presents is a skillful maneuver and the perfect way to get the family’s concentrated attention. Each of the ‘kids’ are asked to pair up with an ‘adult’, blow up as many balloons as you can and stuff them in your nylon pantyhose — all within a five minute time constraint. Who comes up with such games?!

My sister ended up being the cameraman and moderator, while each of us tried to be strategic with blowing up balloons, tying them together, replacing the popped balloons and balancing them on each side of the stocking. My Aunt Julie and I rocked this game and we were the first to finish and demo our ‘antlers.’ Demoing them was fine so long as you stayed as far as you could from the mirror. But I’d certainly say they were most fitting on my Dad.

Well, we made it through Game Night holding our ‘antlers’ up high. Now it’s time for some much deserved hot cocoa from our first ever Hot Chocolate Bar.

Here is one holiday where hot chocolate doesn’t fall too far off the menu. I mean, it’s Christmas. Anything goes, right? I’m a sucker when it comes to sweets. Walking up and down the aisles while picking up last minute gifts at Target didn’t exactly curb the craving, but it did inspire this idea of a hot chocolate bar. Peppermint candy canes, Christmas tree-shaped lollipops and chocolate peppermint sticks were plentiful and just calling my name. And red and green marshmallows sitting on top of plain old marshmallows almost made my knees buckle, so I might as well grab a bag of those. Finally, this year’s pick for hot chocolate goes to my friend at Starbucks.

While all those lollipops and marshmallows are pleasing to the eye, I must admit I like my hot chocolate dressed up with mini marshmallows, a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Merry Christmas to you all from the Lee Family!

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Christina Lee| November 25th, 2016|Holiday Fun, In the Kitchen|

This year, we started Thanksgiving off on the right foot, with dessert front and center. Well, not really. I was late to dinner, so I missed out on seeing the turkey intact, all 25lbs of it, along with the famous carving of the turkey and a picture with it. But I was tardied for a very good reason since I had to make sure my candied pecan yams and sauteed brussels sprouts with pancetta, caramelized onions, roasted garlic slivered almonds and white wine sauce came out piping hot from the oven — and they did! Trust me, it’s worth the wait.

Isn’t the color of the brussels sprouts fantastic? Every year, this becomes one of my favorite dishes to make, not only because it is healthy and fresh, but the aromas from the caramelized onions, roasted garlic, white wine and brussels sprouts really come together and it is a beautiful presentation.

Everyone made it to the dinner table with a healthy appetite and a reason to give thanks. A lot happened during this past year and I doubt that anyone was able to make it out completely unscathed. However I do have to admit, I am one of the luckier ones to have all my family members with me at the dinner table accompanied by a warm meal. Thank you, 2016, for helping me remember the things that really matter in life.

Chihuly In My Living Room

By Christina Lee| June 18th, 2016|Creative Inspiration, DIY Home|

During a sisters’ trip to Seattle, we visited Chihuly Garden and Glass near the Space Needle. Little did I know I’d fall in love with all of his strikingly beautiful glass art. From wall to ceiling, spirals of hand-blown glass took center stage and commanded the room’s attention. The ornate designs and vibrant colors of reds, yellows, blues and greens were fascinating and stained your eyes. With every delicate piece, came fine art that radiated with beauty. Chihuly knew exactly how to stun his audience.

One day after I work a little harder and make some more money, I hope to take home one of his flawless designs. Until now, I’ve got my high resolution Samsung 6 Edge camera and this snapshot I can now hang on my wall at home.

Chihuly, you are a master of design.

And Finally, It’s Done!

By Christina Lee| November 8th, 2016|Crocheting, Handmade, Humbling Hobbies and Habits, Oh My Crafts!, Yarn Addict|

Cooper, I’m glad that you find my crocheted blanket so comfy. Now please scoot over, so I can finally wrap this up. It’s taken me years, well probably a decade with all the breaks I took from making this blanket. This was a my very first crochet project that got me started on scarves, towels, amigurumi and other accessories. I’m especially thankful to the lady who taught me this granny square pattern in my good old days of working for a real estate company. This pattern is rich with a combination of stitches and taught me single, double and treble crochet along with the ‘popcorn’ stitch. I am proud to say I can now do this pattern with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back. A whopping seventy squares later, plus a few extras on the side for practice of course, I am finally done.

All in all, I didn’t mind crocheting the single squares as I did sewing them together and weaving in the loose ends. In reality I think it was the combination of light blue and dark blue that had me dizzy at times. With the help of my cousin, I was able to sew this blanket together. The final test of sturdiness was throwing this baby in the washing machine and praying that it didn’t fall apart.

In the end, it came out the same way it went in, intact and in one piece. However, I did have to mend a few strands, but other than that, it is one big throw that I’m gifting to my parents for Christmas. I honestly can’t track the number of hours spent on this blanket, but it is no comparison to the number of hours, weeks, months and years that my parents have spent on me. I hope they like it.

Pumpkin Carving Galore

By Christina Lee| October 29th, 2016|Craft Day, Holiday Fun, Humbling Hobbies and Habits, Oh My Crafts!|

It must of been in high school or grammar school when I last carved a pumpkin, so I might be a little rusty. In fact, I think I might need a lesson or two from the kids who seem to be pros at picking out their pumpkins, coming up with a design and digging right in. With over ten kids in the house at a pumpkin per kid, I’d say we have quite a lot of work to do. But with a cup of sangria/fungria, anything is possible this Saturday afternoon.

Miss Kendall was nice enough to let me partner with her. We got our stencil, pumpkin-carving tools, a bowl and some clean hands. She dove right in and carved off the stem like a pro, while I stood to the side with my sleeve up ready to take her cue. Since she did such a good job with hers, she was in high demand with all the other kids to help them remove their stems. I continued to gut the pumpkin and separate the seeds, so we can roast them in the oven later for a tasty treat. Afterwards, she came back to create an imprint of the stencil by poking a series of holes to align with the ghost design. Since we gutted the pumpkin to its core, it made it a lot easier to puncture because the walls weren’t as thick. The kids considered that the fun part.

It took us into the early evening to finish and by nightfall. We ended up with ghosts, black cats, witches, bats and classic jacks. Wow, pumpkin carving is a lot of work. Thank goodness for the kids. Now it’s time to admire all the hard work and sweat, and top them off with a tea candle.

Lights on, lights off. Here is our pumpkin line up for the evening. Hope you have a Happy Halloween!

The Ribbed Diamond Pattern Scarf

By Christina Lee| October 1st, 2016|Handmade, Knitting, Work Hard. Play Hard. Knit Harder., Yarn Addict|

It’s craft day and I’m ready to pick out a new knitting pattern for a scarf. In flipping through my e-reader, I came across the Ribbed Diamond Pattern which caught my attention. This pattern is both reversible and symmetrical, so it’s perfect for a knitted scarf or cowl. I especially like the delicate texture and the flow of the ribbed diamonds as they cascade downwards.

Initially, I wanted to bring this scarf with me on a trip, but found it better to accompany me on my reading chair. There’s plenty of tallying and counting that comes along with the pattern, so my glass of red wine will just need to sit on the side. I’ve been working on it a little bit each week and have made some good progress, but there’s still quite a bit of work that needs to be done aside from the fringes that everybody loves. That said, this scarf is going to a very special Aunt and I’m hoping it will keep her warm in her daily commute to work.

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