Apple Party: Classic Apple Pie Filling Recipe

Last Thursday, I had the privilege to go to a canning party at my friend Pyper Jean's house. She has three apple trees that are just bursting with fruit this year!! The need to can and preserve is at it's all time peak. The bounty of the county is upon us!!

Pyper invited me over just in time. Autumn is my favorite season. This is the first time I have ever lived outside the Midwest, and it is surprisingly hard. I've felt homesick for people since we moved out here: I miss family and friends to the max. But since fall has...fallen here in Utah, I've found myself missing a season. I miss Midwestern harvest.

Harvest out here is different. Not bad different, but different nonetheless. There are no massive fields of corn here to watch turn from green to brown. No sounds of combines and grain dryers running through the night. Being able to soothe my longing for harvest by getting out in the yard at Pyper's and picking produce was wonderful.

And you can't beat having great company for picking!! Ernest was such good help. He slept through the whole thing. Well, until I ran out of room in the basket and started piling apples on top of him in his car seat. Haha. At least he was a good sport about it.

Dat faaacceeee!

Once we got all the produce inside, it was time to start the real work! Meika, Pyper, and I donned our aprons and set to work. We peeled, cored, sliced, and measured and ended up with ten quarts of apple sauce and ten quarts of apple pie filling. Maybe more? I didn't count exactly. But I can tell you what, it made the whole house smell delicious. And that's what counts.

We were a whirlwind of canning!!

With the permission of the lovely Pyper Jean, I'm going to share her recipe with you all out here in internet land. It is simply lovely, and I guarantee it will make your house smell so astoundingly, autumn-ly intoxicating.

The Recipe: Classic Apple Pie Filling

18 cups baking apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 cups brown sugar
1 cup corn starch
2 tbs cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
8 cups water

In a large bowl mix apples with lemon juice to keep them from browning. Set aside. In a large bowl combine brown sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Add water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.Boil for 2 minutes. Add apples and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until apples are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Have your quart jars and lids hot and ready. Pack each jar with the filling to 1/2 inch from the top. Screw down lids. Process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes. 

Meika brought over her spinning wheel and made a bit of yarn while we gossiped during the processing time of the batches. Despite all the work, there was still time to get some cuddles in and enjoy the view.

If I'm going to miss autumn in the Midwest, at least I'm in a beautiful place.

Pitter Patter: Knitted Baby Socks

As I mentioned earlier this week, our life plans have undergone a massive makeover in the last two months. The job out West fell apart, so we have decided to stick to our roots and buy a house in our hometown in Illinois. In the meantime, my loving parents have graciously opened their house to us while we sort things out. Gotta love family!!

Though we are in a gypsy state of living with my parents until we find a house, my nesting desires are growing stronger everyday. My body doesn't care that my mom would probably flip her lid if I painted the living room while she was out. I want colors! I want to decorate! I want to move furniture around! Okay, I don't want to personally move the furniture, but I want to tell Sailor to move stuff around as much as my prego brain desires.

But alas! Though our house hunt is going well, we are not in our own place yet. So I have to be content with casting on and making some socks. If I can't force my husband to do manual labor, whipping out some adorable socks is the next best thing, right? Right. Don't argue with me. I'm pregnant.

I used the Leftovers Baby Socks pattern that I found on Ravelry. It's free. It's easy. It's adorable.I am pretty sure I'm going make at least a bajillion more. They work up super quick, especially if you are watching Dr. Who on Netflix in you pjs on a rainy day. Just sayin'.

Cuffed or uncuffed, these socks are adorable.

 I really like how tall the socks are. Baby Z is going to be born in August, which means winter will be right around the corner. Gotta keep those darling little newborn legs cozy! Especially if this coming winter is anything like the winter we still have hanging about. Did I mention it snowed last week? Barf.

Pretty proud of these heels. I am indeed. Why was I scared of socks before?

You can bet your sweet biffy that baby-type projects are going to increase dramatically in the coming days. Nothing wrong with that, right? Right. Riiiiggghhhtt.

Knit Some Cozy Mitts: Free Pattern

Need a quick little project that is high in the cozy factor? With the temp dipping back down below zero here again, I did. My hands are ALWAYS COLD. ALWAYS. I have been wanting to make some mitts for a while now, and after seeing this free pattern by Carissa Knits I knew it was time.

While I have not been active online, I have been very active at home. Well, maybe not "very" active. But somewhat active. More active than I have been online, at least. As you can see by the pictures of piles of boxes and moving supplies that I'm not showing you, I've gotten a lot done. And that means I earned knitting time, right? Right.

Siiigghhhh. Moving is so messy.

 I used one of my fave shades of Caron Simply Soft. This saturated, jewel-tone teal is just yummy yummy for my eyes. I love it. I am sort of kind of making a blanket out of jewel tones like this. It's on hold though, so I stole the teal for these mitts.

 Another fun tidbit about this project: it was my first experience with cables!! I am smitten. I want to cable everything.

Socks. Underwear. Shower curtains. Pants. Sweaters. Vests. A box.

Everything.

 I also would like to note that I discovered I was doing "make 1"s wrong. I suspected it was incorrect when I was working on Sailor's Christmas present and ended up with a vampire-bite looking hole where I had done two m1's. I had increased stitches before in other projects, but had been with the knit through the back of the stitchy thing method. So I looked up how to ACTUALLY make one using the "raise the bar" technique. And look how clean it looks! That niiceeee lil row of new stitches. So proud.

This pattern is really quite easy. I would recommend, though, checking the sizing a bit. My hands are itty bitty baby hands, and these mitts are a lil too big for me. I prefer skin-tight, my-fingers-are-turning-purple gloves. You know, the kind that...fit like a glove. Right.

I don't fault the pattern with this, because my hands are freakishly small.

Give this pattern a try! Your hands deserve to be stylishly warm like mine are.

Happy Friday!!
-Carolyn
Linkin' up at these fine sites!

Free Printables: I Love You More Than Yarn Valentines Card

I have decided to try and make free printables a monthly thing. After all, I am obsessed with them and I love finding fun ones, so why shouldn't I offer some too? This month's freebie is coming at you a little early, but there's a good reason for that which I will explain later.

Happy February!! The month of looovveee. I'm not a big fan of the commercialism surrounding any holiday, so the amount of stuff I already see in the stores for Valentine's Day makes me a little grumpy. But still. I find it to be a fun, light-hearted, happy day amid some of the coldest months of the year. And there is nothing bad about sharing a little lovin' with those you hold dear.

This printable is a spin-off of a valentine's day card I made for Sailor while we were dating. He got a little laugh out of it, and said, "Oh, gee, thaanks. I was really worried," very sarcastically. Little did he understand (after only having been with me for a year) the full compliment of the sentiment I had expressed. I think he is FULLY aware now of my yarn nerdiness, so perhaps this year the card will mean a little more.

Especially considering he has lived with me and my yarn stash for closing in on two years now.

Find the Download Here!!

It prints on a full sheet of paper, so if you want smaller cards, you will have to resize it. It would also be super cute printed on kraft paper or glittery cardstock! Alas, I do not have either of those right now and I am too lazy to do what I normally do in want of kraft paper: cut up a paper grocery bag. But it looks cute on white still.

You could even make banners out of the card!! Too cute right? I love holidays and coordination and cute things.

Speaking of cute things....

Dat Bunny. Check out Tara Lea Photography here!

My sister, the very clever photographer, took some stinkin' cute pictures of Arlo while we were visiting family at Christmas. This is one of my favorites! He was so intrigued by his gift from my parent's dog, Roxy. Spoiler alert: It was a sweater. How cuuuttee is thaattt??

On to the last bit of business before I close out this post: the reason why the free printable for February is a few weeks early. There are some big changes going on here at the Carrot Cottage. Boxes are everywhere I look, and the sound of packing tape cannot be escaped. You know what that means...

We are moving!

I can't give all the details now, but I wanted to post a bit of a disclaimer as to why my posts are going to be pretty sporadic throughout the next two weeks. By February, we should be all settled in to our brand new (albeit still temporary) home. This is not a forever move, but rather a nine month to a year long move. After this...we will begin the adventure of looking for a house to own.

!!!!!!!

I am so excited. Baby Z is on the way, moving is underway, and I am currently in the way. -flees to dodge couches and boxes being moved-

Hopefully I'll sneak in a few more posts before we go, but do not be surprised if I suddenly become silent. This also means that Last in Line Shop on Etsy will be closed in a week or so until we get all set up in the new place.

Happy -early- Valentine's Day! Can't wait to get back in the swing of posting and show your our new home!

-Carolyn
Linkin' up at these fine sites!

Free Patterns: Nerd Crafts

I've been vowing to make more things for my own use for as long as I can remember. It is hard to dedicate a large amount of time on a project for myself. It feels selfish! Only certain projects can really stir up the desire to make something for myself. Usually those projects have a certain...geekiness to them.

Here we have a round-up of some free patterns for the crafty nerd in each of us. Perhaps you can convince yourself to whip up a little something for you if the project is delightfully nerdy. -winkwink-

Find the pattern here

I could not resist setting to work on this pattern as my first foray in knitting dishcloths. It is bigger on the inside, you know. (Hurhurhurrr) The chart is very easy to read, and it worked up quickly!! I made two of these cloths: one for me and one for my dear friend Becca. I have quite a bit of blue cotton yarn left from these projects, so there may be a few more in the future.

Side Note: Look at that spiffy coffee mug! The TARDIS disappears and reappears on the other side of the mug when it is filled with a hot beverage. Delightful!

Find the pattern here

 I know I wrote about this Direwolf Cowl before, but it deserves to be mentioned again. The pattern is written for double knitting, but I instead used it as a guide by which to stitch the direwolf onto the cowl afterwards. Very easy!!

Find the pattern here

This pattern marries two of my great loves: yarn crafts and patterns worn by characters on shows/movies I enjoy. This particular scarf is modeled after one worn by Luna Lovegood in the 7th Harry Potter movie. There are many versions of this scarf, but I like this pattern best. It is easy, beautiful, and fun. In fact, I was so fond of the finished product, I rewrote the pattern to make it an infinity scarf and made one for myself. You can expect to see it soon!!

Those are the patterns I have used so far. Here are some free nerdy patterns I want to make soon!

Amy Pond's Pandorica Opens Scarf

Vincent and Amy Pond Scarf

Harry Potter Bookscarves

A Practical Animal Cracker Hat

The Weasley Sweater

Bow Ties Are Cool Washcloth

Have you made any of these patterns? Do you have another favorite nerdy pattern?

Happy Thursday!
-Carolyn
Linkin' up at these fine sites!

Luna Lovegood Scarf: Free Pattern by Jen Valure on Ravlery

Aww, yeah. Luna as in Luna Lovegood, folks. I made this scarf for my Grandma for Christmas. Please note, she is not a Luna Lovegood fan, nor Harry Potter fan at all. The fact that this is an "accessory from a movie that some cool people figured out the pattern for" held no weight in my decision to make this pattern for her. Well, maybe it held a little weight, because it made me smile. But other than that, it was selected on a purely aesthetic basis.

That said, how beautiful is this scarf?? While anguishing over what to make my Grandmother for Christmas, I happened upon this lovely lil thang. I wanted to crochet her something that was not only beautiful, but also warm. I selected a lovely brushed wool for the scarf because it not only has a gorgeous fibery halo, but it is also oh-so cozy.

 The pattern, which can be found here, worked up really fast with stunning results. That is what makes me love crochet work. I've been cheating on it a lot as of late with it's two-needled cousin, and if felt really nice to pick up a hook again. The first love is always the deepest, right? Yeah?

The fibery halo I was talking about earlier. Mhhhhh. Wool.

I think I may even make myself one using this pattern. But perhaps as an infinity scarf? That could take some fiddling, but it'd be worth it.

Holla at me, Luna fans!!




Happy Friday home dogs!
-Carolyn


Pattern (c) Jen Valure

Linkin' up at these fine sites!

New Year, New Planner: Free Printables!!

January 2015 Edit: So glad these pages have been so popular! I've done some editing on them to make the planner even better for 2015. Due to the time I've spent on them, I've listed them for instant download on Etsy for a couple of bucks a piece. You can still score your own awesome planner for less than you'd spend at a big box store! Plus, you have the peace of mind that you are shopping small and supporting a nerdy artist. Thanks again for being so awesome!!

 I do not get excited about New Years basically at all. I am full of whimsy and fairytales about all sorts of things, but I just do not understand the whole obsession with celebrating New Years. Woot woot, the start of another cycle of the calender we adopted as a modern society! Cooooool. Though it's a nice beginning with which to measure change and new commitments, I see no reason to glorify a "new year" as the most important reason to go all "new year new life" and buy a ton of exercise equipment. New Years is a liiiieeee....any day can be the start of a new yeaaaarrrr. It's all about your attitude towards change, not the day of the year!!!! -slapped by everyone who loves new years-

THAT SAID. I find the new year to be a very important time of change for one thing: my planner. Time to get new calendars!! New planners!! And we all know how much I love calendars and planners and office supplies in general. (Hint: It's almost more than chocolate. Which I also love.)

Since I really started getting this blog in shape a few months ago, I started really heavily relying on the freebie planner my mama gave me for planning posts and whatnot. I was also using it to plan events, meals, craft projects, and (for a while) everything I ate. It got a little crowded! But seeing as I started really using it in like, November, I saw no reason to replace it before 2014 rolled into town.

 So, I started thinking about what I would look for in a planner because I knew that once I got into the office supply store, everything would leave my brain and I'd just grab the glittery one. I decided I needed to divide and conquer. I.e., get a planner for life in general, a planner for the blog, a planner for food.....maybe one for pregnancy?? Then I started thinking about THAT idea: What, I'm going to carry four or five planners? I have issues keeping track of two sets of keys. Five planners was not going to happen.

But how, oh how would I find a planner that fit all my needs? I have so many need, you know. I need separation of topics but in one book; lots of room to write but not just a blank book; and, oh yeah, it has to be cutely colored....but not SO MANY COLORS. I can't commit to an outfit for the whole day. How am I to be expected to commit to a very specific color scheme for 365 days?? What if I suddenly decide that fiesta flowers and pictures of crockpots is upsetting??? But...if it's all blank....will I be sad???

Clearly, I was not over thinking the planner thing at alllll. Sarcasm, my dear friends.

Eventually, the stress of thinking about planners made my go troll Pinterest for ideas. I love free printables, so I thought that perhaps there may be a solution to my woes and sadness. First world problems, my dear friends.

 I found a lot of really fantastic, creative, FREE planners available for download. I was so giddy, I could hardly contain myself. While looking about for the perfect one (or perfect several, since mixing and matching is totally legal), I decided on a couple that I loved. Of course that was not enough, so I supplimented some of the pages with my own derpy creations, which I'm going to share with yoooouuuuu!!! Because sharing is caring, and I want to save you the twitching I experienced while trying to find poifect things.

Enough words!! Onto my 2014 Planner!!

 I decided on half a sheet of normal, A4 computer paper for my planner's size. Easy to print, easy to design, easy to carry about in my purse.

Since I could not find a month page that I liked that printed two per A4 paper, I made my own! I went with a write-your-own-month-and-dates style, so I can use it next year if I want. I tell you, I was on my a-game.

 The first section of my planner is for general use: appointments, dates, due dates, birthdays, whatever. Each month starts with my month blank I designed, and is followed by weekly planner pages from JoyKanani.com. Her free printable weekly planner pages come in four colors!! I used the Seagreen for my general pages, and the blue for my blog pages. We'll get to that later.

 Find the free download here!!

 Onto the blog!! Everything is separated out by tabs I got at OfficeMax when I took my planner to be bound. I think the tabs were $3, and the binding/covers were $5. $8 for my perfect planner. Score!! At least, I think it is.

I am already putting this section to very good use! I plan about 2-3 weeks out for my posts, as you can see here. It makes writing so much easier!! I just check the planner, type up the post, and schedule it. If I'm all set to write one that is in three weeks, I write it whenever I have free time and schedule dat bad boy. Easy peasey.

 This section is a big one for me. With all my dietary specialness, I need to at least try to plan things a week in advance for what I'm going to eat. There's no "Oops, I don't have a dinner that's safe for me to eat at home, guess I'll go out" when you have such a restricted diet. Meal planning is my refuge, and my arch enemy. It can get a little overwhelming to figure out what to cook for me, when I know Mr. Sailor can eat whatever he wants. Blarg, another rant for another day. Onwards!!

 I loved the free menu planner from SweetBellaRoos, but it didn't fit the size of planner I wanted to make. So I edited it a bit to make it work for me. Love the design!! You can find the original for free download here!

 It doesn't have to be pretty, folks. Seriously, I scribble and scratch all over it. But it gets done!! Even though one night this week I was feeling so barfy that I abandoned the plan completely and ate cereal, at least there is food in the fridge that I can make that is safe for me to eat.

 This is also genius. Shopping list on the plan page! I just tote my planner into the store and I am set to go. No more reading my list and going, "What....did I need beans for? Musta been nothing..." and then not getting beans because I didn't have my meal plan with me to see I was going to make beans and rice tomorrow!! Dang it!! I would highly, highly recommend doing some meal planning if you haven't before. Get your life on track, yo!!

 The final section is another one that I designed!! Woohooo!!! I wanted a section of the planner to be dedicated to my crafty endeavors, but I didn't want a section for each individual craft. So I devised these pages to be opened enough to work for sewing, crocheting, knitting, whatever, but still structured enough to give me notes to reference back to if I want to remake the project. I seriously love these pages.

 The pages are blank on the back, allowing me more room to doodle and take notes if I need too. Sheer planner perfection right here, home dogs. I tell you what. Want one of your own? Find the download here.

 The cover is pretty plain, but my dear friend who lives overseas sent me some adorable stickers of some cute-tastic ponies I dreamed up a while ago. They went straight onto the white vinyl cover. BOOYAH. Personalized cover with art drawn by a friend. Awwwwww yeah.

Sweet babuuuu. Look at dat face!

Hngggg, sooo cuuuttteeee.

So, there you have it! My planner for 2014. Totally personalized, totally perfect, totally not pricey for all the perfection I required. I printed all the pages at home (so....our ink cartridge is low now. But it was over half gone before I started, so I can't take all the blame), sliced them in half with my handy dandy paper cutter, and stacked them up and trotted off to Office Max to bind 'em. It only took a few minutes! I added the tabs post-binding. Guh. I love this planner.

Project Notes Page Download

Month Page Download

Please leave a lovely comment if you use my printables!! Let me know how you like them or what you use them for!!

Happy New Planner!!
-Carolyn