Happy 4th of July!

I hope you are having a great holiday weekend! Our view will look like this most of the weekend....



Lil' Snowboarder is in left field and one of her best softball friends is up to bat! Fun game this afternoon, despite the loss. But more games tomorrow and Sunday, which also means plenty of knitting time too! I'm trying to not think about the 93 degree weather predicted for tomorrow!



These crazy big bows were not a thing when I played softball, but boy are they a hit now! Who knew?



And we knew these would be a hit. Not just any Rice Krispies for the 4th.

We also started our IGK Ravelry Group KAL this week! It is sure to be a fun one with WIPS, Summer Wind and finding the next Summer Wind! To celebrate, I'm having a KAL/Holiday sale! From now through July 8, receive 25% off any IGK pattern ($6.00 or less) when you use the coupon code: FIREWORKS

Now it is time to head down to the hotel pool!

Happy 4th of July!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Blessings

Happy Easter! My weekend was filled with lots of family and fun.





These two just make me smile so much. I'm a very blessed auntie.



We had a lovely Easter brunch this morning. I made  a goat cheese, asparagus, and green onion frittata, a fruit salad, and.....



buttermilk drop biscuits. Everyone raved about the biscuits, a recipe I love from Jennifer Perillo's Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie's Kitchen

Bailey and I both took a nap this afternoon....all this fun = tired. It was perfect. I hope you all had a lovely weekend too! 

Happy Easter!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Let the good times roll!

Although I wasn't in New Orleans this week celebrating Mardi Gras, it was nice to get out of the house a couple evenings to hang out with friends. Nice to be getting back to some routine :)

Knit nite on Tuesday.....



Of course, I don't think I actually knit a lot at knit nite this week. But that's not the point, right? Beer, friends, laughter, maybe some knitting...my kind of evening.

Then Thursday night a few of us drove up to the city to hear the Yarn Harlot's reading from her new book,


This is one you'll be able to share with everyone in your life, not just knitters. I loved the two essays she shared at the reading....another great book Steph! Congrats!



It was nice to see so many bay area knitters come out to support her and so nice to catch up with knitting friends I don't see enough.



Before the book signing, we had an amazing dinner at Brenda's. I can't wait to go back. It was that good.So good.



Crawfish Beignets were sooooo good. Amazing.



The shrimp and grits were yummy too. So rich though.



Beignets! I'm so glad the three of us ordered a bit of everything and shared, allowing us to try a bit of everything.



I'm ready to go back just for the cafe au lait. I took a photo of the brand....yes, ordering some online this weekend if I can't find it at my local gourmet grocery store (doubt it, but worth a try).

A perfectly lovely week! Hope yours was good too.

Happy Weekend!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

52 Weeks of Happy (14/52)

Lunch at Katie's was fabulous!  Note the water line on the right hand side from Katrina.


The seafood beignet appetizer was ridiculously amazing!!


Catfish and Shrimp Creole

• beignets and iced cafe au lait from Cafe du Monde

• cafe au lait taste testing.  I'll admit the families I work with in NOLA spoil me rotten when I'm there!  I came home with this
   and have made somewhat decent cafe au laits the past two mornings.

• new restaurants and new favorites....that seafood beignet at Katie's was ridiculously decadent and delicious!

• being home. As nice at it is to travel a bit, it is nice to be home and back to a routine.

• airplane knitting. Can't wait to show you my next project :)

• Sunday night tv. Mad Men. Game of Thrones. Call the Midwife. The Bletchley Circle. Mr. Seflridge.  I can't watch it all...I think it is a way of making Monday a bit more tolerable.

I hope your week has been filled with happy.  Anything in particular?  This week will be back on the healthy eating and smackdown exercising after the indulgent week in NOLA.

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

Not Complaining

I can't complain about the past few days here in New Orleans. I'm here for business to work with a family and team I've worked with for six years and I always look forward to these trips.  I had a day to myself in the French Quarter Sunday and I just loved strolling Jackson square, wandering through the shops on Royal Street, eating beignets at Cafe du Monde, listening to jazz music around every corner. Just perfect.













And then there is the food.....

Stanley for brunch.



Clancy's for dinner.



Crawfish etouffee. Mama crawfish trying to protect her babies....hahaha.... I'm not sure I could handle a crawfish boil!

Tonight was Mosca's Restaurant, which was an awesome Italian restaurant. The shrimp was to die for.  Plus, Drew Brees and Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints were there and then we met the owner and chatted with him a bit at the end of the meal. Everyone seems to know everyone here in Nawlins.

I even was able to get some pattern writing done Sunday and Monday and can't wait to release my next two designs!  Here's a sneak peek....



Hope you all are having a good week too!!

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

A Grand Day

Twas a grand day celebrating St. Patrick's Day.  I mean, how else can you explain a 9-year-old singing the lyrics to Wild Rover at the top of her lungs....

I've been a wild rover for many's the year
I've spent all me money on whiskey and beer
But now I'm returning with gold in great store
And I never will play the wild rover no more
And it's No, Nay, never,
No, nay never no more
Will I play the wild rover,
No never no more

Yes, whiskey and beer....oh goodness!





Our day started off with green pancakes, and then dinner was delish!! Pa got a big new pot for all the corned beef he was making.



It may not look pretty in there, but goodness, so yummy!





My sister made her Irish soda bread (yes, extra raisins).  A simple meal, but one my family has been enjoying for years.  Filled with so many happy memories.  I love hearing my dad talk about my Goggy and how he liked his soda bread (or in some cases, from a certain bakery, how it was hard as a rock and you could only eat it if you dipped it in your tea).  I know Mimi and Cotty loved my sister's soda bread.

And thank you guys so much for supporting my IGK BOGO free pattern sale!! It has been a great success and you still have one more day (sale through Monday, March 18, 11:59pm PST).  You know, in case you were partying too hard yesterday and missed it :)





First, head over to my Ravelry shop and enter the coupon code: lucky

Buy one pattern, get one free (lesser priced pattern will be free; Merrily and Sleepy Hollow Collections included, but other ebook collections excluded)!

Only includes patterns published by Irish Girlie Knits Designs in my Ravelry Shop (e.g., does not include patterns published by Kollage Yarns, BMFA).

Discount can be used more than once, but patterns must be purchased in multiples of 2 (e.g., 2, 4, 6...) at a time. 

If you can't decide, well, may I suggest Naylor Street as the perfect pattern for the entire family.  I just love that Erica sent me this picture of Padraig and her mom in the Naylor St. hat she knit him.  So fun!

Isn't he the cutest?!?!?! His 1st St. Patrick's Day! Yes, he's in a pub :)  Check out Erica's post for their fabulous week of St. Patrick's Day fun.  As much as I love our relaxed holiday today, I may just have to visit Erica for her St. Patrick's Day traditions!

Hey, look at that leprechaun in the tree!?!



Happy St. Patrick's Day!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

52 Weeks of Happy (7/52)

• Look who lost his first tooth!!  Talk about a happy auntie when I saw this picture.  Can't wait to see him in person this weekend!!

•  Farmer's market delivered!!  For just $3.99 delivery charge (or you can pick it up).  All of the yummies above are from my delivery this week.  Good Eggs, I love you.  Seriously.  And small victory, I resisted the cupcakes they deliver (yes, cupcake delivery).  However, maybe next week.

• Eating healthy all week, with minimal sugar, and feeling good.  Makes me happy that I'm making this a priority.

• A cuppa tea on a rainy night right now.  After I post this, knitting on that sock for the rest of the evening.

And very, very happy that tomorrow is Friday!!  I'm looking forward to seeing Lil' Guy and the family this weekend!  My sister-in-law wants to move past all the garter stitch scarves she has been knitting.  Any recommendations for a next step cute scarf project I can show her?  Or easy stockinette tank top?

What happy has been going on for you guys?  All the comments on these happy posts makes me smile, so I think the happy project is working :)

Happy Almost Friday!!!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

p.s.  If you haven't had a chance to enter the Sock Yarn Shawls Giveaway, still time to do so on the post.  And just a little over a week until the big Buy One Get One free IGK pattern sale on St. Patrick's Day.  Join the IGK ravelry group to stay in the loop :)

The First Good Things.

1. Less than 24 hours until Notre Dame plays in the National Championship!!  Go Irish!



2.  Friends who know you take this stuff seriously and ensure you celebrate in style!

3. Childhood memories and a bestest friend in the whole wide world who helps remind you of them.



When we were in the 4th or 5th grade, a group of us girls made our own library.  We kept our index card box on our desks and checked out books at recess, etc.  Back before Kindles :) My best friend is home for the week and she brought this for me!  I love the date stamper the best I think.

4. Healthy food made for the week!  We made Winter Minestrone again (it was a hit!!) and a fabulous turkey chili.  So, so good. 





5.  Lazy mornings.  I've certainly enjoyed them the past few days.  Oh, Monday morning, you are going to hurt. 

6. Tea.  I now have a tea stash too.  Fortunately it is much smaller than the yarn stash. 

7. Downton Abbey Season 3 started tonight!! It was lovely!!



And I enjoyed it properly :)  Sunday nights are going to be good for the next few weeks.

Back to work tomorrow.  But I can't complain about the goods things so far this year.

Happy Knitting!
xoxo Irishgirlieknits

P.S. New Year Sale! I am so very grateful for each and every one of you and truly appreciate all the support as I continue designing!  From now through January 7, 2013, receive 20% off any individual Irish Girlie Knits Designs pattern (excluding Cotty Fingerless Gloves which are already on sale) and the Merrily Collection (excludes other Collections). No coupon needed.