Buy You a Penny Lick

For my fellow Downton Abbey fans, the Penny Lick shawl gets its name from one of the last lines of season four when Bates offers to buy Anna a penny lick as a peace offering after a season of tension and brooding between them. Plus, I'm like a twelve year old and it sounded kind of dirty, so...

Jimmy Beans Wool hosted a mystery knitalong for this season of Downton Abbey, the result of which was this beautiful and cozy shawl that I knit from Pepperberry Knits 100% cashmere in a retired colorway Mixed Berries. I've had this particular yarn in my stash for about two years, but because I had significant yardage of a single color (as opposed to enough to make one hat) I wanted to find just the right project and I think I did!

Crescent-shaped with a seashell lace edging, it will wrap around people of all shapes and sizes, swathing you in comfort, with the cashmere adding a touch of luxury. Whether you're going to work or curling up with a book on the weekend, I think this piece fits the bill! I had a lot of fun knitting it, and if you love it as well it can be yours! Just click on over...

Meal plan Monday Tuesday

Better late than never, right? This week marks the beginning of Lent, and with it the return if Fish Fridays. Here's what we have on tap for the next two weeks. I'm trying to clear out my freezer of some of the meat that's been there awhile, so I can make way for a partial beef and pig purchase.

Week of March 3rd:

Monday: Fruit, Cheese and Crackers-the first two Mondays of the month are Cub Scout meetings so it's a quick and dirty dinner after homework.

Tuesday: Fat Tusday! I'm trying The Pioneer Woman's new take on pancakes and putting them in mini muffin tins. Use whatever pancake recipe you love and scoop them out into mini tins, bake at 425 for 8 minutes for a crispy edge or 400 for 11 minutes for a softer finish.

Wednesday: rice noodles with tofu and peanut sauce

Thursday: pork chops and applesauce (just try to say it without curling your lip over your top teeth a la Alice.

Friday: salmon burgers and salad

Saturday: Manda's birthday celebration

Sunday: frittata and salad

Week of March 10th:

Monday: Quesadillas and fruit

Tuesday: Taco stuffed pasta shells

Wednesday: Slow cooker Salsa Chicken with brown rice and salad

Thursday: home made pizza: build-your-own

Friday: Grilled Halibut and salad (drill weekend)

Saturday: Spaghetti and Meatballs (drill weekend)

Sunday: Breakfast for dinner; WW English muffin breakfast sandwiches (drill weekend)

For Lent, my kids are giving up Candy! I will be holding them to that. They aren't giving up all sweets, but candy is a biggie because little treats add up over time. Movie night treats will still happen, but they won't be candy.

Cozy Up to the Oscars

This week's stash-buster is brought to you by my desire for a mindless craft that I could do while watching my favorite awards show. While the stars glammed it up, I slummed it on my couch with a glass of Washington White and a pile o' wool felt.

This craft is ridiculously easy and you can make a handful of them in minutes. Mind you, one side of the stitching is totally janked because I didn't take the time to fix the tension but, hey, I was whipping them out on a commercial break!

All you need is a stack of felt (make sure you get actual wool felt) a cut-out of this template, scissors and some pins.

I cut out the cozies while Pink rocked a tribute to Judy Garland and then stitched them up quickly using the chain piecing method during the next commercial.  These are cute, simple, and would be a great addition to a teacher gift, hostess gift or a simple thank you for a friend. Also, Easter is a'coming.

hmmm...which little xy placed a cup right in the middle of my coffee table?!