Yesterday, Adrienne visited The Loopy Room. She lives in Chicago and was on her way to a spinning workshop (how cool is that?) in LaMars. We were talking about spinning wheels when she came in, and she graciously offered to get her Lendrum that was in the car, so that I could try it out. (Knitters and spinners – aren’t they just the best?) She gave me some great spinning tips and it was very fun trying out her wheel. The Lendrum and the Schacht were the two that I most wanted to try out. We made her pose for a photo so that we can start the Loopy Wall of Fame. (Of course I totally forgot to take pictures of the fun people who stopped by today. I must leave the camera out so that I remember….) After shopping hours today, I left Loopy Central in the very capable hands of Susan-the-awesome-assistant and The Elves, and went to my favorite LYS – The Weaving Department. If you live in St. Louis, you know why that’s my favorite local shop. We have some great shops here, but Nancy and her gang have an awesome selection of yarns, always make you feel welcome and appreciated, and are just lovely to deal with. She also sells wheels and looms, and she had a Schacht for me to try. I never should’ve tried it. I was sold on it pretty quickly. 🙂 It helps that Kay – who works there – was an expert teacher and had me spinning away in just 10 minutes. I think I finally “get” it. It just so happens that they have a spinning class going on, so tomorrow I will go to the class (with my second class on 12/1) and at the end of the class tomorrow, I’ll take my new Schacht home. I’m excited!! (And now I’m in the poorhouse. But I’ll be spinning in that poorhouse, so all is well.) I’ll keep you posted on things as I progress. I have also started talking to some roving dyers, and am excited to have that coming here in the new year!
As promised, here is the decadent Pumpkin Dessert recipe that I promised you. Pay no attention to the 2 sticks of butter on the top. (Well, I mean YES, you do need to add those to the top, but NO, you do not need to obsess about how many calories it might add in to your dessert.)
Christy’s Pumpkin Dessert
1 large can of pumpkin (28 – 30 oz)
1 can evaporated milk (10 – 12 oz)
3 eggs
2 sticks of butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 cup of nuts (optional)
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon.
Line a 9 x 13 pan with foil and grease it. Pour the pumpkin mixture in the pan and sprinkle the dry cake mix on top. Pat the cake mix down with a spoon. Sprinkle with nuts (if desired) and drizzle the melted butter over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour (check it at 45 minutes and put a piece of foil over the top if it’s getting a little brown.) Let stand 10 minutes and turn out on a board to cut into pieces, or refrigerate. Great served with whipped topping or ice cream.
And now the November Loopy Loot contest (where you answer my question in the blog comments and I draw a name next Friday to win a gift certificate to The Loopy Ewe!) We love having music going here at Loopy Central, and I think we need some new tunes. Tell me your favorite one or two musical artists. (I know it’s hard to narrow it down. Ok, go ahead and tell me however many you want.) For instrumental music, I really like Matt Bachrach and Michael Faircloth. Matt was an artist that I ran across at our mall, of all places. They had him playing on a stage one day during the holiday season a couple of years ago. Michael has played at our church a couple of times. Both are amazing pianists and I think I have collected all of their albums over time. So suggest some new names – instrumental or otherwise, and I’ll check into them! (Note – this isn’t for playing while people shop here, since we’re not “open” most of the time – it’s just music for us to pack orders to!)
Sheri doanyofyouhavedaughterswhospin?IwonderifKnittingDaughterwouldlikethis?
I work at a local bookstore that has a great music selection and great coffee! My favorite CD is French Kiss. Also the Fiest CD’s are great. My new favorite is Jeremy Fisher.
Well I love hip hop/dance music and if you want those boxes packed fast I can totally recommend King of the Dancehall by Beanie Man; it’s what I listen to when I’m competing in the Fastest Knitter contest.
And it’s my personal belief that the 80’s are the best musical period in history so you can’t go wrong with the classics – Madonna, Pet Shop Boys, New Order. Shriekback is an excellent group that may pleasantly surprise you!
My all time favorite is Rod Stewart. I love everything from the early stuff through the cheesy 80s to his recent big band covers. He’s a classic. And my guilty pleasure is Bon Jovi. What can I say, I’m stuck in the 80s with the hair bands. For something more mellow at work, I recently discovered Rob Costlow on piano. And the best part is you can listen to his entire albums on Magnatune.com. Great site for finding new music. I’ve also been listening to some cello soloists on Magnatune.
For packing yarnny goodness, I’d be dancin’ to Rod for sure!
Anything by Leon Redbone. He’s got that Louisiana/blues vibe but he’s tons of fun.
Steve Earle is really great for sort of an alternative country vibe.
I would also recommend any of the “kid” albums by Dan Zanes. Zanes was in the alternative band the Del Fuegos out of Boston in the early 80s. He now does albums of classic folk tunes and interesting originals. The best thing is the people who join him on the albums: Bob Weir on Wabash Cannonball, Lou Reed on What a Wonderful Wrold, Debbie Harry doing Waltzing Matilda, songs featuring Rosanne Cash, Loudon Wainwright, Sandra Bernhard, Natalie Merchant, etc. They are children’s albums only in the sense that they appeal to any generation, but we’ve really loved them.
Oh My where do I begin Sheri!
Feist is really good
Wren Ross – Greatest Knits is great!!!!
Rainbow Chasers – Some Colours Fly – esp like Knitting Song and Brambles on a Hill
Hawksley Workman – Almost a Full Moon
The Clancy Brothers Irish Folk Songs – they have quite a few and I like a lot of them
Joss Stone – any album
James Blunt – Back to Bedlam
Five for Fighting – Two Lights
Gary Jules – Trading Snake Oil for Wolf Tickets
Wilco – Kicking Television
Tristan Prettyman – Twenty Three
Tift Merritt – any
Thelonious Monk
Josh Groban
John Mayer
Musical
Gustav Mahler – any but really Kindertotenlieder
Also love the songs from the ABC show Men in Trees. I guess the songs must be a big hit because the ABC website has an area just for the songs played on the show. If I really like it I then go to iTunes and buy the singles, placing a comment Men in Trees and create a playlist of the same name.
LOL okay I’ll leave these for now LOL.
Hugs!!!!
Cat
teegan & sara
the weepies
james taylor – always
christmas…
nat king cole – classic
christmas harp – lovely and very relaxing
windham hill sampler – a winter solstice
james taylor – at christmas
wynonna – A classic christmas
the forrester sisters – a christmas card
I like to listen to the Mad about Cartoons cd when I clean, it really gets me moving. It’s the classical music that was played on various shows of the Looney Toons. So you imagine Bugs shaving heads in the “Rabbit of Seville” and the rest.
I also like Jack Johnson when I really need to be in a good mood.
Congratulations! (Toldja.) That point about the poorhouse, and being able to spin while there? Yes. It makes spinnerly sense to me!.
Oh man. I am a major mix-CD freak. I would totally make you a sampler if you wanted. 🙂
If not, I would recommend Great Big Sea, the Decemberists, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, Fall Out Boy (if you like your punk poppy), and Amy Winehouse. There are so many more, but those are just a (weak) start.
Enjoy!
I was just talking with the BF about groups we listened to in the 80s,90s, etc. Erasure is one of my faves. Prince/TAFKAP is a musical GENIUS! And a few weeks ago, I went to a National Symphony Orchestra concert where Ivan Fischer conducted, and Nikolaj Znaider was the guest violinist for Beethoven’s Concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 61. Brilliant! Jubilant!
I know it’s not an artist exactly but try the soundtrack of Mozart’s Barber of Seville. It’s really upbeat and you’ll probably recognize some of the music from movies/old cartoons. D.
I’m a huge fan of George Winston. He’s one of the few artists that I liked everything he ever did. James Taylor still rocks my world, way back when he was stilla gorilla 🙂
Hands down, Jack Johnson is my favorite musician. Others I like are:
Ben Harper
Donavon Frankenreiter
g. love
Ben Lee
Ozomatli
Buena Vista Social Club
The Shins
The Bravery
Modest Mouse
The Shins
The Kinks
The Flaming Lips
There are more, I just can’t think of them right now.
Hi Sheri! It was good to see you again on Saturday. How’s the wheel? I finally got it late Saturday night. If you want to see the small project bags that I have on etsy, the website is at my bolg site or at kim4life.etsy.com. See you in a couple of weeks.
I am a classical music fan so most of my favorite “artists” have been dead a while. I like Yo-yo Ma and Wynton Marsalis for performers.
Sheri, Check out Anna Nalick’s album Wreck of the Day. I love her voice. Smooth as silk. Like so many, my ipod is loaded with the craziest mix of music you can imagine…from Cake to Johnny Cash to Eminem to The Cranberries to Etta James. And let’s not forget about the one and only John Mayer. Oh, what his voice does to me! Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?
Enjoy your new wheel! I’m staying strong for now. 🙂
At this time of the year music that doesn’t do my head in is Michael Buble and Ella Fitzgerald. You really need crooners to soothe you mind and not clutter it up. I also love classical music that can transport you to a magical place.
Dare I recommend, since it’s That Time of Year- but go with the spirit and go Christmas music! Croon and Swoon is a great compilation of the great 50s songs.
I like to groove when I do manual tasks like packing. Our mailroom guy at work plays funk all day and it is fun to be in their working and dancing at the same time. If you want mellow– Lyle Lovett. I really like Dead Can Dance for atmospheric mellow backgound music, but it can be weird.
And after leaving my vote, I read the list. And have a huge list of music to check out! Thank you all
I’ll second the Allison Krause votes and add Ryan Adams and Rhett Miller both solo and with the Old 97s.
And abotu the spinning. Na-na-na-na-I can’t hear you– I will not be influenced!
My musical tastes are pretty eclectic. Right now, I’m on a jazz kick and enjoy listening to Thelonious Monk and Wynton Marsalis. Jazz during christmas has a combo effect of energizing and soothing. It’s the perfect stress release for me right now. I also like Tito Puente, who is not jazz, but very lively salsa/latino. His music is so much fun to listen too!! You’ll be dancing and packing at the same time!
As far as classical, what Christmas wouldn’t be complete without Handel’s Messiah? I would suggest The Nutcracker, but it seems to be overplayed in all the stores to the point that it gets stuck in my head for weeks. Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” would be a good choice too.
There are some great suggestions in the comments, hope you find something that makes you “sing!” LOL!!
Love your blog and site!
My 2 favorite artists right now are Rob Thomas and Fergie. I am too old to admit this in public…but I have to have one or the other playing, right now.
If asked, in public, my favorite artist is my 10yo daughter, a budding flautist.
I have to recommend Ingrid Michaelson. She is the current artist to watch on my favorite radio station and I’ve been enjoying her album Boys and Girls.
I’m also going to second Pink Martini. I have two of their albums and they have a very interesting mix of music.
My favorites to listen to while knitting are Rachael Lampa and I second (or third) Allison Krause.
Congrats on your wheel purchase–I know you will love your Schacht!
As for music, I love the Gipsy Kings-especially their “Este Mundo” CD. Your elves will be packing, and singing up a storm!
At this time of year, I can’t resist recommending the Carpenters’ Christmas album. While I don’t normally listen to the Carpenters (though I have a Greatest Hits CD), I really enjoy their Christmas album and play it a lot through the holidays. I just had it on, yesterday, for the first time this year, as I put up the tree. It really puts me in the Christmas spirit!
Happy Knitting!
Lisa Kay
Michael Buble and Feist are whats playing on my ipod right now! Their voices are amazing!
Enjoy spinning! I have a couple of spindles but have never learned how to use them 🙁
As far as music, my absolute favorite is John Mayer. Check out his newest album (Continuum), I swear – it makes me drool because it is just SO relaxing. Another band that I really love is Coldplay – another relaxing group that can always put a smile on my face.
Take care!
geez how do you expect me to narrow down absolute favorite instead of favorite in a specific genre. Oh well. I love Vivaldi and Rob Costlow. 🙂 There are many others but I think I have to go with what I choose to listen to the most.
Happy you found a wheel!
We have a sattelite radio, Sirrius. I love that no matter what genre I am in the mood for ,there is a station playing that very thing. No commercials and it exposes me to new artists. I think our monthy fee is all of $10. A great addition to any music library.
I am going to give you 2 from me and 2 from my husband.
Me:
bluegrass: Union Station just great stuff! (performed many of the songs on O’ Brother sound track)
For Funny Interesting Lyrics: Keller Williams (also side note, his plays all of the instruments you hear in a loop by himself… and some of them are not even instruments, like the trumpet)
Husband:
Good and Up and Coming : New Pornographers ( not as risky as they sound… just a name for the band, giving no clue to the music they play)
Southern Rock with awesome lyrics: Drive-By Truckers
If you do not want to research these bands… I think your kids should. Great Music.
I have been enjoying NRBQ a lot lately, some fast, some slow, always fun to listen to.
My daughter doesn’t spin yet, but she really wants to. After the holidays I think we’ll be taking lessons — she with a spindle, me with my wheel.
So glad you found one you love!
Okay Sheri – I had to reach for my second choice – my old lady’s brain just wasn’t coming up with the correct name. Luckily one of my colleagues figured it out (go Jim!). Two fine musicians from Virginia are Robin Thompson and Bruce Hornsby. Robin has had some national success with his popular music, Bruce has had substantial success with his popular and his classical music (Bruce is a pianist). Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!!
My all-time favorite is anything by Rich Mullins. I also like Larnelle Harris and Twila Paris. Check out “Let Em Run” by The Bills (Canadian folk group)–it’s a lot of fun and the title song is about free-range chickens. Music by Beausoleil is great if you like Cajun, and La Bottine Souriante or Le Vent du Nord are fantastic if you don’t mind that all the words are in French. For classical, I love Monteverdi, Vivaldi, and Rossini.
Happy spinning!
If it were me packing up boxes in the Loopy Room, I’d put on a good audio book. When given my choice I would much rather have a story than music.
However my favorite instrumental CD is “Dream Travels” by Gary Schocker & Jason Vieaux. It’s a flute and guitar duo and is quite lovely.
I love to Listen to Music on my Zune while knitting, cooking or anything really. I like all kinds of but I just got “Some Hearts” by Carrie Underwood and I love that CD!! I’m not a huge country music fan but that is a good one!
-Michele
Why, Brad Paisley, of course!
Well, I am going to make some spanish recommendations! Music that gets me in the mood to dance and get up and do whatever needs to get done around the house. My two faves for this are Mana (Spanish Rock) and Don Omar (Reggaeton) LOOOVE them BOTH! You should at least try Mana if you haven’t already. 🙂
And the wheel is giving me ISSUES! I can’t seem to get the hang of it!
Hi Sheri,
I love the old Carpenters’ Christmas album, and the newer Bare Naked Ladies Holiday album. The first reminds me of what the “real feel” of the holidays should be, probably b/c it’s what my parents always played in the house. The second is fun, with new music, a lot of laughing, and helped introduce me to more Hannukah music. My new all time favorite.
And for a twist and a laugh, Dirty Boyz · All I Want For Christmas (Is To Get Krunk). And Eric Cartman singing O Holy Night from Southpark. He’s trying to sing without missing any of the words or he gets zapped by a cattle prod. Both are absolutely hillarious, and twisted.
Cheers!
I really like Allison Kraus – very folksy, beautiful voice.
I’m partial to vocalists and the letter “K” – so Krisanthi Pappas and Kiri Te Kanawa are the two that I pulled out of my iPod for you!
Three words: National Public Radio!
I also am a huge NPR fan. I like David Bowie and the Beetles for just always good music and Diana Krall (I think I got that right) is a wonderful jazz vocalist.
Good for you for finding the right spinning wheel for you! And OMG, that pumpkin recipe sounds so divine — I will have to try it.
As for my music suggestion, I can’t help but be energized when I hear anything by ABBA, but Dancing Queen is my ultimate favorite (it’s even the ringer on my cell phone). I would be in a blissful state if I were listening to ABBA and packing yarn, drinking my favorite Latte!
I still love listening to Coldplay. They consistently have good, listenable albums (not just singles). Clocks is still my favortie CD of theirs.
First of all, congrats on the wheel!!! Whoo hoo!!! So, does that mean you are going to start selling **your own** line of yarns???? 🙂
As for music, I love classical – I’m into listening to Beethoven’s piano concertos right now. They are the perfect music to knit to. As for other artists, I love Keb Mo – great blues muscian, and
Andrea Bocelli…….Lori LIne……Loon Quest……and Enya….how is that for a bit of variety! smile…..
First of all, congrats on the wheel!!! Whoo hoo!!! So, does that mean you are going to start selling **your own** line of yarns???? 🙂
As for music, I love classical – I’m into listening to Beethoven’s piano concertos right now. They are the perfect music to knit to. As for other artists, I love Keb Mo – great blues muscian, and Iron Butterfly. Don’t ask. Oh, one more from the 60s – the band is called “It’s a Beautiful Day”. The first album, also of the same name, is great. Very earthy music.
Ohh, I forgot that Jackson Browne is good to listen to while working as well.
and for Christmas music Jessica Simpson’s CD is surprisingly good.
Ooh, I’m gonna suggest Andy Chrisman. He has a solo album, One, and a bunch of CDs from 4Him, the group he used to be a part of (they only disbanded in 2005, after 20 years! and I got to go to the farewell concert). Plus he’s the worship leader at my church.
And Josh Groban — he has one that I absolutely love, called Starry Starry Night. I have no idea why, I just love it. He sings a lot of classical, like Italian, and he has a great voice, like chocolate coffee.
The Irish Tenors. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra. And I know this group has been suggested –Celtic Woman. (My taste is officially Eclectic.)
From reading a sampling of comments, I’m not the only one with Eclectic taste.
And I should just clarify, the ‘one’ from Josh Groban that I love is a song — he has a self-titled album, plus a couple of others (I don’t actually own any of them, and it’s been a while since I listened to them, so I can’t tell you any names).