For my Sweetheart

I baked this cake for my husband today!!!

BANANA WALNUT UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Topping1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter3 tablespoons pure maple syrup1/4 cup coarsely chopped tasted walnuts4 large ripe bananas. peeled, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Cake1 cup all purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/4 teaspoon salt3/4 cup sugar6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature1 large egg1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract6 tablespoons milk

Sweetened whipped cream

For topping:Preheat oven to 325�F. Combine sugar and butterin heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heatuntil butter melts and mixture is well blended.Pour into 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Spread to coat bottom of pan. Pourmaple syrup over sugar mixture. Sprinkle nutsevenly over. Place banana slices in concentriccircles on nuts, overlapping slightly andcovering bottom.

For cake:Stir flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt inmedium bowl to blend. Beat sugar and butter inanother medium bowl until creamy. Add egg andvanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Beat inflour mixture alternately with milk in 3 additions.Spoon batter over bananas. Bake until testerinserted into center of cake comes out clean,about 55 minutes.

Transfer cake to rack. Run knife around pan sides.Cool cake on rack 30 minutes. Place plate over pan;invert cake. Let stand 3 minutes, then gently liftoff pan. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Serves 8.

Beata Folk Mittens

Beata is a Scandinavian name that means Blessed. I used a self striping yarn for the contrasting yarn in this pattern, and I love the effect of the self striping yarn, on the look of the Fair Isle. The black main color makes the contrasting color Pop!! This mitten measures 9 inches long, and is 7 1/2 inches around. It is knit with worsted weight wool, on size 2 1/2 needles. This mitten is sure to keep your fingers toasty warm in the winter!! This pattern can be found at www.freewebs.com/folkmittens

Monkey Socks

It only took me 3 tries, but finally I have finished my Monkey socks. http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTmonkey.html
Like they say the third time is the charm. I used Knit Picks Essential sock yarn, in the color Meteor Twist!! I LOVE my new monkey socks!!

Casey's Tea Party

Casey made a fort, and it having a Tea Party with Elvis, at Grandma's house!!

My Daughter is in the paper

http://tinyurl.com/cd8t3j

Mardi Gras

I dyed this wool with purple and teal professional dyes, then I spun it into 390 yards, of 15 WPI, Sport weight yarn. The purple , and teal colors in this yarn are very dark, rich, festive colors. You would see color like this while strolling down Bourbon Street, in the French Quarter, during the Mardi Gras Carnival. Their is Beautiful, rich texture and color in this yarn. http://mrae123.etsy.com/

Purple and Teal Roving

This is my Purple and Teal Roving. I used acid dyes on this roving. The purple is a very deep purple, and the teal is a very deep teal. It will be exciting to see how this spins up. I probably won't get to my wheel today. Casey is coming over for a bit this afternoon. My daughter Jeni has a meeting with one of our legislators. She is going to be doing a little Lobbying. There is some bill about dogs that she wants passed, and I guess she has to schmooze with this legislator, or get the legislator on her side. Any way while Jeni is off talking with her legislator I will be playing with Casey. Fun for me :). Spending time with my Granddaughter is one of my very favorite things to do!!!

Navajo Creek Handspun Yarn

Navajo Creek is hand dyed and handspun merino wool. I used Turquoise and brown dyes. I got a wonderful mix of Turquoise, brown, and green. These colors all together remind me of a Beautiful flowing creek on a sunny afternoon. So refreshing and peaceful. The turquoise reminds me of the water in the creek, the brown reminds me of the stones in the creek, and the green is the color of moss growing on the stone. This yarn is very soft and has great texture. You can knit or crochet something very Beautiful with this yarn. You will receive 2 skeins of this yarn, that is 5.7 ounces,16 WPI, so it is Sport weight yarn, and 400 yards.
With 400 yards of Sport weight yarn you could knit a scarf, or 2 hats, or a pair of mittens, or fingerless mitts, even socks.http://mrae123.etsy.com

Turquoise and Brown Roving

You just never know where inspiration is going to come from. I was sitting home yesterday watching TV. Nothing was on . It is Super Bowl Sunday. So of course I am thinking about wool, dyeing wool. spinning wool, designing with wool, and knitting wool. So I flip through the channels on TV. I stop at QVC. Joan Rivers is selling her jewelry. She is selling a necklace, the colors in that necklace are turquoise and brown. I am thinking, how would turquoise and brown look on wool. So I tried it and this is the result.I was very surprised by the green color showing up in the mix. But I am happy with it. I think that turquoise, green and brown go together nicely. What do you think??

Spirit in the Sky

Have I told you that I LOVE to spin??? I love to dye the wool and watch amazing color combinations spin up before my very eyes. This is so very exciting for me. This is how my Royal Blue and Rose pink wool spun up. It is just Beautiful with blues, pinks, and even purple. At 17 WPI this is 338 yards of Sport weight yarn. So very soft, Beautiful and full of character! I Love it.

http://mrae123.etsy.com/