Resolutions of 2011!

Happy New Years!!
A lot of people don't like New Year's resolutions but I do.  These are mine for 2011...
1.  Run 1000 Miles
2.  Read 12 Books
3.  Write a bucket list
4.  Only eat 2 sweets a week
5.  Go on at least 9 weekend/day trips
6.  Only watch 4 hours of TV/shows a week
7.  Improve rock climbing skills

DIY Christmas Gift 13

Make your own picture frames!  The ideas are endless...

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy place where the Most High dwells. 
God is within her, she will not fall;
   God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
   he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see what the LORD has done,
   the desolations he has brought on the earth. 
He makes wars cease
   to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
   he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth.”
The LORD Almighty is with us; 
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.

DIY Christmas Gift 12

This is a fun gift for kids and thought I would post it.  
HAT AND MITTENS!
It wouldn't be spin to describe this craft as ridiculously easy. Although in some ways that's exactly what you do with a Knitwit: spin (well, wrap) thread around a circular or square-shaped tool to create loopy rosettes. Rendered with luxurious yarns such as mohair, these florets look decidedly modern. 
To determine how much yarn you'll need per rosette, follow this rule of thumb: Winding once around the tool requires two yards, winding twice requires three yards, and so on. The Knitwit kit ($20, knitwit.com) comes with instructions, so we've limited the how-tos to our modifications.The basic technique involves wrapping the yarn and then twisting the tool's stem to release the floret with a satisfying pop. 
Hat and Mittens How-ToMake your little one's winter wear even cozier with rosettes. These call for angora, wrapped three times each. To attach them as earflaps, first put on the hat (high on the head). Hold the rosettes to cover the ears, and mark the position. Use the same yarn and a needle to stitch the earflaps to the hat. To embellish the mittens, affix florets at their centers and at each knot (you'll know where they are from the Knitwit instructions) around the perimeter.
Editor's Tip Creating these blossomlike designs calls for a different kind of holiday wrapping. Wind thread around a Knitwit, knotting at each loop with a needle. For thicker yarn, use a tapestry needle; for thinner, a sewing one. To alter the "pattern," play with thread type and the number of times it's wound around the tool.