What will you wear?

I've posted a new poll and I hope you all will help me out by answering honestly. What hats will you wear this fall? Feel free to comment here and tell me what fabrics and colors you like, too! As always, I appreciate any help you can give me as I plan out my seasonal hatmaking ventures.

And with fall in mind, I have also been planning out my crochet wardrobe. I love simple clothing designs, and have recently fallen in love with patterns by designer Sys Fredens. Her book came in the mail just the other week and I absolutely MUST make almost everything in it! I've set up a little schedule for myself, with deadlines in September, October, and November. Ambitious? Yes! But it's going to be so much fun!

Today I had a strong hankering for tea and scones, so I whipped up an all-natural box mix I found in the pantry. Unfortunately, there was no expiration date on the package, and I think the mix may have gone bad... I ate two scones and feel a little funny in my tummy now. Oh dear...

Sick day scarf

Guess who picked up a bout of the ickies this week? Yup, me! I felt awful for two days and stayed cooped up in the house, napping under extra blankets. But I did find the time to cheer myself up with this lovely little project:



This is Tracy St. John's "Emerald Scarf" pattern from the Spring 2009 issue of Interweave Crochet, but I like to call it my "Ginkgo Leaves Scarf" because that's what I think the little fans in the body of the scarf look like. I'm so happy with it! And I feel much better, too :-)

Dodging raindrops

Had lunch with my friend Laura today, which was wonderful fun in and of itself, and afterward we had a little photo shoot. I've been wanting to rephotograph some of my older hats for my Etsy shop (and a few new ones, too), and today was the perfect day for pictures. We finished up just as the first rain drops began to fall!

It's the Nannerpuss!

Taking a little break from making hats (since I'm up to my eyeballs in them right now) and working on some selfish projects and our SnB's traveling scarf project. I need to find a crochet stitch that matches the one scarf's K2P2 pattern... have some thoughts, but am still playing with it. Kinda frustrating, really.

While I was at Inside the Cherry Cupboard on Tuesday, I started working on Doris Chan's Fan and Petal Neck Lace using Aunt Lydia's bamboo crochet thread. I think it's going to be my Tuesday/Thursday project until it's finished. Not sure what, exactly, I'll wear it with when it's done, but I really love the way it's turning out.

Today I worked on perfecting my banana bread recipe, among other things. Try it out and tell me what you think!

Banana-Chip Bread

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup organic cane sugar
2 eggs from my friend Bea's chickens
3 overly ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups organic wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup Seven Stars organic whole milk yogurt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup small cacao nibs
1/2 cup oats

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease four small loaf tins with canola oil spray.

2) In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and eggs. Stir in bananas and vanilla. Sift in flour and baking soda; mix well. Blend in yogurt, chocolate chips, cacao nibs, and oats. Pour batter into prepared tins.

3) Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of loaves comes out clean. Cool on wire rack before removing from pans. Enjoy!

Moving on over

Now that I work/volunteer/shop-sit part time at Inside the Cherry Cupboard, I've decided to move my hats from Hard Bean to there. I was never sure I wanted my hats at Hard Bean anyway just because they could get dirty or have coffee spilled on them or get squooshed about by small, unattended children. At Cherry Cupboard, I can keep an eye on them, actually talk to people about my business, and the hats fit in better with the shop's vintage/antique vibe. They also have lots of nice, fancy mirrors for admiring yourself in a lovely hat.

If you've never been to Inside the Cherry Cupboard, it is located at 9 S. Washington Street in Boyertown, PA and features antique and vintage jewelry, accessories, housewares, and furniture along with other random little treasures. It is a fantastic shop, and I am not just saying that because I work there! Our regular hours are currently Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday 1-5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday by chance or appointment.

Speaking of hats, today I must go visit Pamela at Alabaster's to pick up my hats from the weekend show. Oh darn, afternoon tea! ;-) I wonder what kind of scones she's whipped up today?