March Forth!

Sooooo  .  . . who else out there is stunned that it's March?! I've heard mention of just how speedy this February was on at least two blogs and in several Facebook posts this morning, so I'm know I'm not alone in my incredulity. February may be a short month, but I'm pretty sure we only got a half February this year. Ah well, no reason to dwell on the time that's already flown by. Now's the time to march forth . . . into March!


While March has a reputation for being rather blustery and harsh at times (in lion, out like a lamb, eh?), I've always had a soft spot for this month. To me, it's a month filled momentum as we gear up spring and summer. Granted, all that momentum pretty much falls flat on its face come April's mud season, but I truly appreciate March's optimism before the dull reality of April sets in.

March is slated to be a busy month around here and I'm rather looking forward to it. Along with all of the regular goings-on, here's what's on the docket for March at Of Woods and Words:

Wrapping up two rather large freelance projects. It will feel great to finish them and even better to invoice for them. (Kidding about the invoicing. Okay, not really.)

Hockey tourney time! That glorious weekend of the year where I watch so much hockey and knit socks. God bless the Minnesota State High School Boys Hockey tournament.  

Hockey tourney time means birthday time and while birthdays have less and less significance with each passing year, I'm not opposed to a little birthday sugar (here's lookin' at you key lime pie) to start the new year on a good note. 

Beware the Ides of March. I'm not really preparing for anything truly horrific on March 15, but it is deadline day around these parts, so there's that.

St. Patrick's Day. I love any excuse to be sentimental about Ireland. (In case you hadn't noticed.) If you need help getting your Irish on, check out the fun St. Paddy's Day inspired items in my Etsy shop.

I'll be the lower peninsula of Michigan for St. Paddy's Day this year visiting brother and girlfriend with my mom. I'm looking forward to the trip (especially since we're flying rather than making the 15+ hour drive), but dear brother, please move to Hawaii.

Grand Rapids, MI

And once I return from Michigan, it will be spring. Huzzah! Time for starting seeds, days longer than the nights, and the start of cookouts!


Whether March came in like a lion or a lamb in your neck of the woods today, I hope you're also looking forward to a wonderful, full and fulfilling month.

 

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Etsy Shop Update: The Wearing of the Green

Happy President's Day! I hope some of you are enjoying a fabulous long weekend. For the rest of us schmucks, it's just another day without mail delivery. C'est le vie.

Truth be told, I'm already looking forward to next month's big holiday: St. Patrick's Day! As must of you know, I have a major soft spot when it comes to shamrocks, cables, green, and anything else Irish. My Etsy shop logo is from a picture I snapped of sheep in the field on one of my many rambling walks through the Irish countryside while I studied abroad in rural Co. Mayo, Ireland in spring 2005. Although I won't be heading across the pond for a visit to Ireland this spring as I'd hoped (when Subarus get sick, they get sick big time. *sigh*), at least my heart traveled to Ireland while I crafted these Irish inspired designs for Yes Sir, Yes Sir!

Irish Flag Coffee Cup Cozy - $7.95

Shamrock Applique Coffee Cup Cozy - $7.95

Green Heather Irish Knot Fingerless Gloves - $29.95

Green Heather Irish Knot Fingerless Gloves - $29.95

I'm thisclose to making my 50th sale in the shop and as a thank you to whoever helps me reach that milestone, I'll throw in a free owl cozy (your choice of color) with that 50th sale. No need for a promo code, just need to be the lucky 50th customer to scoop up this sweet deal.

Erin Go Braugh!

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Gettin' Crafty for St. Paddy's

Maybe it's all this talk of an upcoming trip to Ireland. (And yes, by upcoming, I mean 2013). Maybe I'm just ready for spring. Whatever the reason, I'm feeling it's high time to swap out my felted hearts for some St. Paddy's Day appropriate decorations.

Over the years, I've amassed quite a few St. Paddy's Day decorations, thanks to friends, family and having spent a semester living in Ireland. I have a beautiful tablecloth embroidered with shamrocks, a figurine of Irish snowmen, and a collection of St. Paddy's Day kitsch, which includes a set of super classy plastic shot glasses. But that's not enough for this Irish gal and so I have a few plans for adding to the collection this year.

Source: youaremyfave.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Despite having an ever growing collection of houseplants, one houseplant I don't have is a shamrock. I know, right! Actually, back in college, a friend gave me a shamrock for my birthday. Cleverly referred to as "Sam the Sham," the poor little shamrock had a lifespan of about four months before dying of neglect. Hey, it was college and I was easily distracted. It's a sad story, but I'm ready to do better by Sam the Sham II. Time for a live shamrock to be a permanent Irish inspired decoration in the cabin. 

Source: Uploaded by user via Ada on Pinterest

I found these little knit shamrocks on Ravelry last spring. They're made using little bits of sock yarn and I have all sorts of green sock yarn I'm looking to use up. I probably won't "bejewel" my shamrock, but I might knit up enough so that I can make a St. Paddy's Day garland with them.

Source: blog.craftzine.com via Ada on Pinterest

I found this adorable embroidered Irish gal when I was wasting time on browsing on Pinterest the other day. I think she is just about the sweetest thing I've ever seen and she definitely needs a place in the cabin this St. Paddy's Day. I've been doing a lot of embroidery this winter, finishing up a tablecloth I started last winter, so my embroidery chops are all warmed up this project. I just need some supplies - a hoop, muslin, and transfer pencil - and I'm totally making this sweet little Irish lass. 

By the way, if you're looking for some simple and effortless St. Paddy's Day decorations, Katherine over at Irish Italian Blessings has some super cute (and free!) St. Patrick's Day printables. Remember, everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day. ;)

Are you preparing for the wearing o' the green yet?

 

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Happy St. Paddy's Day! (With Irish Soda Bread recipe)

Rainbow in Waterford, Ireland, April 2008

 Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! I hope today brings you a bit o' Irish luck and finds you wearing a touch of green. If not, you'd best get some green on, else you're liable to be pinched! Personally, I'm debating between pulling on my "Kiss Me I'm Irish" t-shirt or my "Made in Ireland" t-shirt this morning. Ah, life's tough decisions, eh? 

I was planning to have an Irish Soda Bread tutorial today, but ran out of milk. The result of our milk "outage" is two-fold. One, I've been forced to eat dry Cheerios for breakfast. (True story. Things are pretty grim around here.)  Two, you're getting pictures of my St. Paddy's decorations instead of step-by-step bread instructions.The recipe and story for the Irish Soda Bread is at the bottom of the post.

My family's always celebrated St. Paddy's Day.  My dad's paternal grandparents are from Ireland and I was lucky enough to study abroad just 20 odd miles from my great-grandfather's hometown during my sophomore year of college. I returned to Ireland in 2008 and now am experiencing the heartbreak of watching first my brother and now my parents head off to the Emerald Isle this winter. (Boo to good financial decisions!) Thankfully, my brother was sweet enough to share a taste of Ireland with me. A box of 12 Cadbury Mint Crisp bars (deliciousness) arrived on my doorstep yesterday.

I've accumulated a fair amount of St. Paddy's Day decorations over the years. A friend gave me these snowman a few years back and I love them so much, they're on display from Christmas through the end of March.

 Remember Beanie Babies? This little lass, "Erin," I think, comes out every St. Paddy's Day.

 I bought my Irish flag in the Dublin airport back when I was studying abroad in 2005. It's huge, so it always ends up over a door.

No St. Paddy's Day celebration is complete at our house without a loaf of Irish Soda Bread. My (English) mom found the recipe in a magazine/newspaper in her newlywed days and made it for my (Irish) dad each March. I brought the recipe with me when I studied in Ireland and I can assure you, this bread has graced many an Irish oven. Because yeast doesn't always cooperate in Ireland's damp, cool climate, you'll find soda bread, a quick bread, on just about every traditional Irish breakfast table. Although the sugar coating in this recipe isn't traditional, it's too yummy to pass up. I always put the raisins in, but you can take 'em or leave 'em, depending on your feelings towards raisins. Don't worry, even though we're out of milk today, I made a pre-St. Paddy's Day batch earlier this month.

Bantry Brown Bread 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup raisins, chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/4 cup buttermilk (or just add a little vinegar to the bottom of your measuring cup and use regular milk)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Stir in whole-wheat flour and currants. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles small peas. Stir in buttermilk. Turn dough out onto lightly floured pastry cloth or board. Knead 10 times (or until all the dry ingredients are worked in . . . I've never had a problem with "overworking" this dough). Shape into 7-inch round loaf. Place on cookie sheet. Cut a cross in top of dough. Bake for 40 minutes, remove from oven. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and water in saucepan; bring to boiling. Brush over hot loaf. Return to oven for 5 minutes, or until bottom is golden brown.

Best enjoyed hot out of the oven, slathered with Kerry Gold butter, but also transports well for treks in search of the end of the rainbow. Until you find your pot of gold, here's some more Irish scenery and a blessing to wish you well this St. Paddy's Day.

Irish Road, Inishmor, Aran Islands, April 2008

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

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Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

No time for a bonafide blog entry, but wanted to wish everyone the best of St. Patrick's Day. My mother and I went out for lunch today and had Guinness Stout cake and Bailey's cheesecake respectively. It brought back lovely memories of the Queen of Tarts bakery in Dublin. To celebrate the Irishness of the day, here are some pictures from St. Paddy's Days past as well as some lovely Irish scenery. Erin Go Braugh!

 

St. Patrick's Day, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo, Ireland. 2005.

County Mayo Countryside, 2005. 

Looking towards the Holy Mountain Croagh Patrick, the highest point in Ireland. Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland. 2008

Carrowmore Beach, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo, Ireland. 2008

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