Adventures in Homemaking Arts

I'm not sure that a year ago would have thought that I'd ever be trying my hand at knitting or bread making, but here I am, and it's a good place to be. I have truly been awakened to the "homemaking arts" by the lovely and talented women of Redeemer, and I'm loving learning and being inspired by them. I'm learning how to take what they offer and make it my own, enjoy it for the sake of creating with my hands, and not out of expectations or comparisons that we women are so prone to pile on ourselves. Perhaps more about that later.

The knitting began when Stephanie offered to teach me and Cory. I was a little impatient and first tried crocheting on my own, and then later took up knitting under Steph's careful guidance. She is a teacher at heart and explained it this way. "See, I think about this knot as the doorknob, and then you go in the door. And then wait, it's an intruder! So you strangle him, push him to the front, and then get outta there." If you are a knitter yourself, you may or may not understand this colorful instruction, but it worked for me! There's something about the rhythm of the needles, and the way the stitches feel, that makes me enjoy knitting a little bit more than crochet at this point. Hopefully I'll someday have something to show for it.

In the bread making realm . . . I've never considered myself much of a baker, as much as I love to cook. Then one day I was in Publix and saw this bread mix, which just requires you to add water, so I figured it was a good place to start (And I'll give Melissa the credit for planting the idea in my head.) I still got to experience the joy of kneading, letting it rise, etc., and it turned out really good! Added bonus, Keith LOVED it! So, I was hooked. A rabbit trail starting with Stephanie's blog lead me to this rustic baguette recipe, and I've tried it three times! The first time it was way too dense and salty, the second time it was pretty awesome, the third was kinda in between--great flavor, but a little denser of a crust than I was looking for. I think I may be addicted, and I wont stop until I get a light, airy crumb and a crisp, shiny crust the crackles when you press on it. Best part? I get to enjoy my favorite breakfast of all time every day with the added satisfaction of knowing it is the fruit of my labor.

(check out my new table cloth)