Monthly Archives: December 2017

It’s Been a Co-o-o-ld Holiday Week

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Oh boy, is it ever cold!  I miss going out for my daily walk so much!  I think my soul is suffering from the lack of fresh air and sunshine, but it’s just been way, way too cold.  This morning might be the worst yet—a minus 20 windchill!  And, I know some of you are lots worse off than that. *sigh*

Anyway, we’ve been hibernating and keeping busy inside with puzzles, games, crafty projects, cooking, eating, eating, eating (too much).

On Christmas Eve, I received an order of yarn for some “human makes” and a set of Hiyahiya interchangeable circular knitting needles.  My yarn and needle stash is all geared towards dolly makes (skinny yarn and skinny needles), so I took the plunge and ordered an entire set of larger needles and enough yarn for at least 6 human-sized projects.

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Hiyahiya Sharps are my new favorite needles.  They ARE sharp and make it so much easier to execute K2togs, SSKs, and for knitting lace.  I’ve been using the 8-inch sharp steel DPNs for quite a few months now for my doll knitting and do not want to go back to my other basic tipped needles.  The 8-inch DPNs seem to be the perfect length for all of my dolly items.

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My set of interchangeables was a bit pricey, but if I purchased the needles separately I’d easily spend more than this.  And, I am enjoying knitting with them so much.

My daughter wanted a super bulky and cabled headband to keep her ears warm while walking to her classes.  I found the perfect pattern while perusing Ravelry.  Within one day I completed it!  Seriously, who knew knitting for humans could go so quickly.  I used 2 strands of Knit Picks bulky Swish merino, so soft.  The pattern is from Posh Patterns and is simply called the Cable Knit Headband.

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On Thursday, my daughter wanted to make some delicate beaded necklaces.  I showed her how to work with decorative bead cord which has the flexible needle integrated into one end, bead tips to hide the knots, and my jewelry tools to add jump rings and clasps.  She had so much fun—she made 5 necklaces.  It makes my heart sing to see her make things. ❤

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Here are a few more photos from the Pabst Mansion when we visited last week.  In case you missed those posts and would like to see the other photos you can find them here and here.

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The conservatory is a smallish room that faces south and east.  It was chilly the night we visited, but I cannot help but think about how COLD it is in here today!  On warmer days, though, what a wonderful place to enjoy breakfast.

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The walls and floor and all tiled with very old looking ceramic tiles.  I think the designer decorated it for Christmas very prettily.

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The phone room is so tiny and cozy.  It’s located on the first floor off of the staircase area.  There is a door to close for those private conversations they must have had.

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I haven’t been doing any dolly creating this week, and I really haven’t spent any time at all in my sewing room.  I’ll go in to get something and that’s the extent of it.  We all need a break from “work”, don’t we?

So, that’s some of the recent news from COLD Illinois.  I hope you, too, are staying warm if you are in the frigid zone.

Thanks so much for visiting with me today, and for your support all through 2017, my friends.

❤ ❤ ❤

 

 

 

 

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Pabst Mansion Christmas Twilight Tour

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Merry Christmas Eve to all who celebrate Christmas!  I am sitting here writing to you from cozy and Christmasy northern Illinois.  I have a fire in the fireplace, the Christmas tree is lit, and the finest powdered sugar snow is falling outside.  It’s only been snowing for a short time; the grass is still bare, but the rooftops and paved surfaces are frosted white.

Today I have more photos to show you from our Twilight Tour at the Pabst Mansion.

I wish I was able to capture the entire vertical space of the grand staircase.  It is quite impressive to say the least.  It rises up 3 stories with a landing and multiple turns between each floor.  So, you go up about 8 stairs, turn right and go up some more stairs, then you reach a rectangular landing with doors that open to the outside along the left and a little balcony that oversees the foyer on the right, after walking along the landing you then turn and go up the last 8 or so stairs to get to the next floor.  At the very top of the staircase is a huge stained glass skylight that opens for ventilation on warm days.

The photo below was taken on the main floor looking up to the first two sets of stairs.

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The photo below is taken standing on the first balcony and looking down to the foyer.

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This was taken on the third floor, standing on that floor’s foyer.  You can see the doors or windows that open to the outside for warm weather ventilation.

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And another from the third floor.

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Today I’d also like to show you Elsbeth’s room.  She is the granddaughter whom Captain and Mrs. Pabst adopted.  Elsbeth had a huge bedroom on the second floor.  It faced the front of the house, and must have been a sunny room having southern and western facing windows.

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Elsbeth’s portrait hangs above the fireplace.  She is the only child to be raised in the mansion.  This room is still going through renovation.

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Elsbeth’s bathroom still has the original marble sink and tile.  Off the bathroom is a little dressing room with another gorgeous windowsill and built in closet.

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I hope you enjoyed today’s Pabst Mansion tour of the Grand Staircase and Elsbeth’s Bedroom.  I still have lots more to show you, but…

I’ll say goodbye for today.  I know we all probably still have lots to do for Christmas.

Sending you a Christmas Eve blessing for everything wonderful on this magical day.

❤

December

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Winter Solstice has come and gone; the days are slowly getting longer once again.  It will take awhile though.  The days may still be short and dark, but our homes are cozy and warm and bright.

We still had our 2016 Christmas tree out in back by the fire pit.  My husband set it on fire on the first day of winter to “burn the troubles of the old year away” or something like that.  It was just something fun to do to recognize the shortest day of the year.

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Yesterday we took a drive into Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  We visited the Third Ward District in the afternoon for shopping, and to have an early dinner.  Later on, we planned on attending the Twilight Tour at the Pabst Mansion.

My favorite shop was called Mod Gen, a modern general store.  The shop was very cute and quite busy.  I snapped this during a slower moment.

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 I love when shops mix vintage pieces with new wares.

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Ever wonder what to do with that collection of yardsticks?  They make cute paneling.  This paneling went up about 20 feet!

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We quickly worked up an appetite walking around in the cold.  It was still early for a sit down restaurant so we found the Milwaukee Public Market, a bustling place filled with food stalls of prepared food and grocery items.  We got sandwiches, wraps, and juice at the Green Kitchen and picked up some cannolis to bring home.  We had a view of the river while eating.

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We arrived at the Pabst Mansion before the Twilight Tour started.  Because we were early, we got a parking space right on the property.  While we were waiting, we had a view of the west entrance of the mansion.  This is where there is a covered portico; it is where the horse and buggies would pull up.  This entrance to the mansion is quite high with no stairs.  It really gave us the feeling of how high off the ground the carriages must have been, and what it must have been like to step out of a carriage.

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This is my photo that I took last night, but there is a more complete photo of the facade on their website.  Do you believe this is open for all of us to wander through and explore?  It was especially magical last night as it was completely decorated for Christmas.  There were decorated trees in all of the rooms on all three floors!  Pictures cannot convey what is was like to be here, but I took as many as I could with my phone.  I wanted to remember the magic and show you as best I could what is was like.

These are the first photos I want to show you; there are too many for one blog post, so you will have to check back if you want to see more.  I’m going to jump to a room on the third floor because, well, you can see why.   This is the Principal Guest Bedroom where one of the Pabst daughters and her husband would stay when they visited.  It was decorated by a couple of local doll clubs.  It is overrun by Teddy bears getting the room decorated for Christmas.

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Some of you asked for my Mom’s Birds’ Nest cookie recipe.  Here it is.  I’m warning you, though, they taste much too good, and disappear much too rapidly!

Birds Nest Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

2 egg yolks, unbeaten

1/2 t. vanilla

2 c. sifted all purpose flour

1/4 t. salt

2 egg whites, unbeaten–put in small custard sized cup

1-1/4 c. semi-finely chopped nuts

jam, preserves, or jelly of your choice

  • Cream butter until light and fluffy, gradually add in brown sugar.  Then, add egg yolks and vanilla, mix well.
  • Whisk sifted flour and salt together in a separate bowl, then add to butter mixture.  Mix only until combined.
  • Shape dough into 1-inch balls; dip into egg white then roll in nuts.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet, 1-inch apart.
  • Bake at 350° for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven to add the indentions (but, don’t add the jelly yet) for the jelly.  Use the end of a wooden spoon or thimble to gently make the space for jelly.  Put cookies back in the oven for an additional 8 minutes.
  • Cool slightly, and fill indentions with jam, about 1/4 teaspoon.  The jam will skim over after about an hour or so.

Don’t forget to “test” a few to make sure they are “good enough”.  It may take a few cookies before you know for sure. 😉

That’s all for today, my friends.  Watch for more photos from the Pabst Mansion.  (Wish I could go back today.) *sigh*

Enjoy your day! ❤