Purl and Knit

For Christmas this year, I decided to pick up a past hobby again and personalize a couple of my gifts.  I changed it up a little by picking up new knitting patterns and was really happy with the results!

Left - Basket weave pattern scarf (k2, p2)

Right - k2, p1 (but 2 at a time)

As you can see, the scarf on the left is a little fuller, while the scarf on the right is a little more "holey".  Both came out beautifully!

Ready for gifting!   

Crusted Salmon

Last week, in hopes of consuming a healthy, yet delicious meal, I tried out a new recipe: Alaska Salmon Bake with Pecan Crunch Coating .  This dish was simple to make with minimal ingredients.  I ended up baking the salmon for 20 mins vs. 10 mins as suggested in the recipe.  With some vegetables and rice on the side, it was the perfect meal!

All prepped and ready to bake in the oven

Finished product!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

We purchased and decorated my very first Christmas tree this year!  It is a beautiful Noble tree sold for a modest $39 at Home Depot and stands 6-7 ft tall!  I love the elegance of the tree with its ornaments and the festive scent of pine in the mornings.  Just in time for my family white elephant get together this weekend!  Here are the before and after shots!

My Christmas Wish List

I discovered this neat tool online to create a collage of images and thought what better way to utilize this tool than to create my very first Christmas wish list!  It took me an hour and a half to come up with just ten items - what can I say, I already have everything I've ever wanted!  In no particular order...

1. Gucci Envy - Thank you secret santa, for getting this for me!

2. Roseark Sideways Cross Silver Necklace

3. Roomba

4. Naked Palette and Powder Foundation Santa Fe

5. Cute coffee mugs

6. Gift cards to my favorite stores

7. Tory Burch flats

8. MacBook Pro

9. DSL Camera

10. A puppy! - This really is a wish as I probably can't take care of one by my lonesome right now