Knitted Neck Warmer

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Victoria Vitale

The gift giving season took on a whole new meaning for me this year. Learning to knit again has been such a fun experience these past few months, and I can’t seem to get enough of it. I knit my sister, Elisabeth, a neck warmer to keep her cozy during these cold months. Rather than knitting a looser and longer scarf, this accessory sits (somewhat) snugly around her neck. The the yarn color I chose, Berry Pie Mix, complements her wonderfully wild and curly brown hair.

The Materials:

1 skein of Berroco Ultra Alpaca yarn
Size 8 knitting needles
Tapestry needle
Scissors

How-To:

Cast on 25 stitches.
Garter stitch for as many rows as needed to fit over your head.
Bind off, leaving a three-foot tail of yarn for sewing.
This pattern calls for a special twist at the end. Here is a picture tutorial of how to create this:

This is a versatile accessory that could be worn in the fall, winter, and even early spring. Choose a yarn color for a loved one and whip one of these up in no time for an upcoming birthday or Valentine’s Day!

Note: Pattern by Judy.

Day Trip: Milwaukee, WI

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Victoria Vitale

There are many cities in the U.S. that don’t get the credit that they deserve. Between New York and Los Angeles lie a bounty of small cities that offer cultural experiences unique to their regions. One among them is Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As the state’s most populous city, Milwaukee and her triple-threat attractions (beer, cheese, and sausage) do not disappoint.

This year, Anne and I spent the Christmas season with her family outside of Chicago. As the festivities died down and the whirlwind of crafting, wrapping presents, and eating slowed, we all decided to take a day trip to Milwaukee. A recent article in the Travel section of The New York Times piqued Janet’s interest.

Milwaukee lies an hour and a half north of Chicago, along Lake Michigan. Upon our arrival, some of us explored the Historic Third Ward neighborhood while others went to the Harley-Davidson Museum. Some favorite spots in this neighborhood included: Colectivo Coffee Roasters, Hot Pop Gallery, and Milwaukee Public Market (the equivalent of Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia).

Our journey continued onward when we met up for a tour of Lakefront Brewery along the Milwaukee River. It proved to be a fun and informative tour for all. We tasted a white ale, an amber lager, a pumpkin lager, and a kolsch-style ale. Lakefront Brewery was the second brewery in the nation to brew beer with pumpkin, and the first brewery since prohibition to brew a fruit beer. Pretty neat!

Believe it or not, we ended the evening at Milwaukee Brat House. Before even ordering brats, we enjoyed a giant soft pretzel that came in a pizza box. Go big or go home, right? It was amazing. We should have stopped there, but alas… Our day trip was capped off with Kopp’s Frozen Custard. Despite feeling as though we might keel over, our trip to Milwaukee was a success! The weather was beautiful, and the city broadened our (Lake Michigan) horizons.

Note: Click images to view in slideshow. Images taken by Victoria Vitale and Janet Kenealy.

Great coffee shop in downtown Mikwaukee

Wisconsinites take cheese very seriously!

And they fry most foods

Milwaukee Public Market

Hot Pop Gallery

Gus the Beagle

For my Brooklyn kinfolk

Milwaukee is the home of Harley-Davidson

Sibling love

Lakefront Brewery tour

Christmas Wood Carvings

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Victoria Vitale

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the traditions, both old and new, that come along with it. This week’s post features the handiwork of my dad, Sal. Every year, he embarks on a new wood carving project, either making a Christmas gift for a loved one, or simply adding to his own ornament collection.

There he is every year, whittling away after breakfast or while watching a television show. He says it is therapeutic, and I can understand why. His wood blocks turn into santas, snowmen, North Pole people, and others of the like. Some carvings become ornaments, and others are stand-alone decorative pieces.

The type of wood that he uses is a hard wood called basswood. His tool collection consists of chisels, gougers, and scoopers of many shapes and sizes (i.e. “v” shape, regular blade, curved scooper, etc). Most importantly, he shared, his tools are very sharp.

Before carving, he makes a pencil sketch on the block of basswood. As he whittles away, he continuously re-sketches in order to keep the image on the wood. Carving away from a block of wood proves challenging in that it is not possible to put back any wood: work slowly and diligently, and take off small amounts at a time. After he finishes carving, he uses fine grit sandpaper (around 400) to take off any rough edges on the face, cheeks, or hat. The final step is to use blends of acrylic paints to bring the piece to life.For pieces that become ornaments, he screws an eye hook into its top and uses thread to hang it on the Christmas tree. These wood carvings are true works of art, and I look forward to seeing his toolbox come out every holiday season. His creativity broadens each year (see the violin snowman below), and it is always a surprise as to what he will make next!
Note: All photographs taken by Sal.

Quick & Simple Fudge

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Victoria Vitale

If you’re searching for a little something festive to whip up for your family and friends this holiday season, look no further! This fudge is fun and very easy to make, and it is sure to please the masses. The recipe comes from the back of a good old Domino Sugar box, and Anne has been making it for years. The texture is smooth and silky, and each square practically melts in your mouth.

Quick & Simple Fudge (via Domino Sugar)

Ingredients:

1 package of Domino confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
(optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans)

Instructions:

Grease 1 cookie sheet and set aside.
In a large saucepan, add all ingredients except the nuts.
Stir the mixture constantly over a simmer until it is well-combined and uniform.
Remove from heat and add nuts, if desired.
Spread the mixture quickly into the cookie sheet, smoothing it with a spatula.
Refrigerate for 2+ hours and cut into squares.

Makes approximately two dozen bite-sized pieces. (We tripled the recipe for holiday gifts.)

From Scissors & Sage

Packaging the fudge: here’s where hoarding comes in handy! In the photo above, the fudge has been packaged to share in a repurposed stationery box. Use waxed paper to line the box and you’ll be good to go! This box’s clear plastic lid displays the cool geometrical pattern of the folded wax paper.

In the below photo, blocks of fudge have been individually wrapped and packaged in berry cartons (thanks for collecting them, Mom!). Wrap each block in waxed paper and secure with a knot of baker’s twine.

In order to cut even blocks, some edges needed to be trimmed. Keep the scraps in a Ziploc bag in the freezer, and take them out as an ice cream topping or to whip up a batch of fudge chunk cookies.

Happy baking!

Special Edition: Holiday Playlist

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Victoria Vitale

Get your cheer on with this holiday mix! Listen on the go, while you’re at work, or when you’re writing up those last few Christmas cards. (Or let’s be real, when you start writing up those Christmas cards.) This mix is has some oldies (see: Chuck Berry) and some goodies (see: Sufjan Stevens). Let me know what you think. I hope to create more seasonal mixes in the future!

“It’s Coming On Christmas”