belated ta-dah

Ohayo  from Sapporo, or just good morning!

I'm so amazed we're here and you can read more about my adventures on our travel blog: www.springinsapporo.blogspot.com

Since I'm writing a second blog, I doubt there is much time or subject matter for this little crafty, cooking, gardening, "lifestyle" blog. 

What I'm getting at: a small 3 month hiatus. 

Before that though, let me share what I was up to those last hectic 2 weeks before we left!

Spring had sprung!

Family dinners of bacon topped pork tenderloin roasted on carrots and onions. Yum!

Dessert was creme brulee. Yummer!

 

Enjoying my orchid before we left.

Chasing this muffin down who has learned to stand on her own so quickly!

 

That hair!

 

 We miss this guy a whole lot.

And this naughty kitty.

Oh wait, what's she on?

I finished my blanket before we left!

 

TA-DAH!

 

80 squares, 8x10 rows, a thick border.

I didn't measure it but it's spread out on our queen size bed if that gives you an idea.

 

The border is just hdc around.

 

I tried fitting it in the frame (too lazy to switch lenses) by putting it on the floor and standing on the couch. Muffin didn't get it. But at least you can see how big it is in comparison to her!

 

the back.

 

I'm super in love and it turned out better than I could have hoped for.

I can't wait to use it next fall and winter snuggled on the couch. :)

And now I can start my white border sunshine starburst here!

I hope you'll check out our other blog linked above.

Have a great spring!

Sneaking a moment...

I'm sneaking a moment to share my latest going-ons... I feel naptime might be running out so I'll make it brief!

 Meal planning.

It sounds boring and tedious to decide what you're going to eat for the next week. I used to think so anyway.

We've been doing this for a month or two and it's changed the way we cook (healthier!) and the way we spend money at the grocery store (less!).

Here's a spaghetti dinner we made. I just love the look of the pasta :D

Pussy willows. 

The first sign of spring. I can't believe the winter we've had and how fast spring has come.

(even though it's snowing outside at the moment, it's supposed to melt by Friday).

 

I haven't gotten around to crocheting or knitting much since last time. 

Unfortunately! 

But my knitting machine Aunt whipped out TWO pairs of baby socks for Elisabeth while she was in town! :)

 

The border is growing. Slowly. 

I made a whole row of sc in the light gray... only to get about 15 stitches from the end of the WHOLE ROW and run out of yarn! GRRRR!

It pissed me off enough that only today have I picked up the hook again. 

Now I'm just going to do hdc rows of green and the dark gray. 

This blanket is already getting used though, even with some ends hanging off. It's perfectly large and thick!

As an anniversary present from my aunt, we got a pot of pansies. 

(I had just complained about how I will miss out on pansies on my balcony this year). 

They are so very pretty!

 

My muffin is growing at warp speed and now she can stand up all by herself against any table or chair that she chooses. 

 

This face is so cute that I can't even handle it.

I have this photo as my background on the laptop and it makes me smile every time. 

Just over a week left until we are headed to Japan... 

I can't handle that either! 

There is so much still up in the air about living there AS WELL AS after we get home... 

If ever, now is the time to just say, what happens happens and hope for the best!

Life's an adventure, right?!

Valentine's recap and handicrafts and so on

Happy belated Valentine's Day! ;)

Ok, so I really did mean to post something for then, but understandably, time gets away from me. I had a great Valentine's Day though, spent with my two most favoritest people eating good food! We made homemade chicken pizza from scratch (including the crust!), topped with lots of fresh veggies. We ate the pizza with arugula (rocket) on top. I've seen it on pinterest like that before and the idea stuck. It was definitely delicious that way! 

Dessert was heavenly fudgy thick peanut butter swirl brownies. Yeah. Yum! (just not very photogenic...)

Obviously Valentine's Day = flowers. 

I bought myself pink and purple tulips this year, since we were at the store a  few days before and I couldn't decide which color I wanted more. Hubby's answer: get both. Ooooooh twist my arm why don't ya! ;) 

  (blue inside the purple ones!)

My sister bought Elisabeth a beeeeeeeeeautiful (and surprisingly a little fragrant) pink rose. Ah. ♥

I've been crocheting and knitting quite a bit when I get a chance... It is my stress/anxiety medication. 

I have made more owls. (check out my last post).

 Not pictured is the blue on blue one I made for my sister.

I've been knitting more of this simple garter stitch scarf. I love the stripe. I love variegated yarn. I love blue. So um, yeah. There's a love thing going on with this, even if I do find it a little repetitive. 

I have all my blues and greens used up for my starburst blanket. I got to 80 squares! My mom and her friend came over last Monday, and she actually crocheted I think the last 4-5 squares while I knit! I have them assembled in piles to be crocheted on... but suddenly I'm stalling! I don't know why. I guess because crocheting them together and sewing in the ends is so dreadful? :D 

I have a major yarn swooning thing going on with these here.

I bought them for my next big blankie. I am so in love with the starburst pattern, that I'm doing a brighter version with a "classic" white border. The white is actually more of a cream but you get it, right. 

Anywho, I am sooooooo in love with these jewel tones. Ah, perfect! ♥

This will be the bright sunny sister to my shadowy blue and green blanket. :)

 We had a sushi night on Sunday with the family... It was super fun and was our late Valentine's celebration and kind of sorta a celebration because we bought the tickets and it's 100% sure we will be living in Japan from the end of March-late June!! 

:) 

(my roll was a little heavy on the rice...)

But yep, Japan. Us three. Three months. 

Spring! 

I'm so thrilled, happy, excited, scared, nervous, happy, excited, well I think you're getting the idea.

A lot for us to arrange but when adventure comes knocking, we aren't the type to tell it to go away. I think there is probably a meme with Bilbo out there that describes this situation right now. ;)

We will be on the North island, Hokkaido and living in Sapporo. I am kind of torn as to whether or not I should 

a)blog about the life there

b) blog about our life there on this blog

c) start a travel blog?

I'm kind of leaning towards option C because I kind of like my personal little blog and I think of this as my (private) journal where I log in all my makes and eats and flower pictures for me to look back on. :D 

And I think I'd like to share my travels more openly (=linking on facebook) and possibly do it in both Finnish and English so that everyone could read it? 

If you have an opinion, leave and comment or send me a message! 

Well, it's dinner time for a muffin I know. I'm surprised I managed to get around doing this to the end, seeing as she woke up half way through! 

I'll leave you on a cutie pie note:

Benjamin the British Blue. ♥ 

I super mega love this kitten and might just steal him when my friend's not looking ;)

Thanks for reading.

Until next time, cheerio!

Some things are certain.

What a strange year this is turning out to be!

We have had NO SNOW since mid-December or so. Very weird and made for a strange Christmas and New Years. Now, we have snow again which makes me so very happy as there is reflected light --> even cloudy days aren't so gloomy anymore. Today however (this picture was from yesterday), we have actual blue skies and sunshine. It's lifted my mood a lot and now that I think of it...when was the last time we even had a sunny day?!

One characteristic of this year is that it's totally unpredictable. It increases my anxiety levels but makes for a sense of adventure too. Who doesn't love spontaneity and adventure?!

The last time I had an unpredictable year like this was when I was about 19... And choices I made then, still affect me today (mostly in a good way!), so let's hope that the same can be said later about this year!

Adventure? What adventure?

The possibility of going to Japan again! (lots of reading this book and drinking tea and coffee at the moment)

Adventure of becoming an entrepreneur! It's in the cards and is my resolution. Although, I really don't do resolutions. Hubby and I do mottos. This year we haven't decided on it yet totally, but I think it's getting financially stable. Something definitely related to that! 

One thing that isn't uncertain: we eat well.

This gorgeous cinnamon rolls were consumed in honor of the new year. With cream cheese frosting of course!

This cake was my mom's birthday cake. It was a gluten-free sponge cake with a layer of meringue on top. And in between the layers and on top, a creamy coffee chocolate filling. And on top of that, ganache!! 

Oh. My. Word.

This was totally improvised. Totally delicious.

And it hasn't all been desserts. We've made yummy curries, savory casseroles, and there's a high consumption of these below at the moment. 

We really need the vitamin C now, since we are all a little sick. Poor muffin has her first cold. ;(  

She's still mostly in a good mood.

And no cold is going to get in the way of learning how to crawl!! 

She's 7 months and rocking on her hands and knees. 

We are going to be in mega trouble soon! :D

Another certainty: I will always be taking flower photos. 

This amaryllis has been blooming since New Years. First one stem. 

Now the one below. A nice little surprise too, a THIRD bud is coming up!

:)

For the first time this year, one of my all time favorites: tulips.

I don't think I've ever bought them so early in the year before, but I'm not one to argue with sales. ;) 

And my favorite, flowers on the nightstand. ♥

I got a cute Vera Bradley tote from my sister for Christmas, in which I've been stashing my yarny crafts. 

I gave up on the mittens since hubby broke my bamboo needles! 

So instead I started knitting this thick and chunky basic scarf.

My mom gave me some gorgeous yarn, so after long debate with myself and ravelry, I decided to make another south bay shawlette. I made 3 or 4 of these a few years ago as Christmas gifts, but never with a variegated yarn. I love this pattern and I love how it worked with the yarn!

It's quite big but super cozy.

The last pictures I wanted to share make me giggle. 

The aftermath of taking down the tree a month after having it.

:)