That’s a pretty good combination, isn’t it? First the cashmere show and tell. Elf Roberta knit up this beautiful scarf for her sister-in-law out of Sweet Georgia’s CashSilk Lace in the Summer Skin color. The pattern is Felicia’s CashSilk Fern Lace Scarf, which is free on Ravelry. It uses just one skein. I can tell you, it turns into a beautiful, lightweight luxurious scarf. I think that pattern would also look beautiful done up in fingering weight yarn – something like Madelinetosh Sock or Three Irish Glenhaven Cashmerino Fingering.
We tried a new dessert recipe at our house last week. It’s similar to this one (in a rather anemic looking photo) that I’ve shared with you before, but with the addition of peanut butter. YUM.
Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle
1 brownie mix (for 9 x 13 pan) + eggs, oil, water
1 large containter Cool Whip
2 large boxes of instant chocolate pudding
(prepare each box as directed, as you assemble)
1 bag of peanut butter cups, chopped
3/4 cup of smooth peanut butter
1 (8 oz) pck. cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Bake the brownies as directed and let cool. When cool, cute them into bite-sized pieces.
Put the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and add the peanut butter and powdered sugar. Beat until well mixed and smooth. Fold in 1 cup of Cool whip.
Assemble the layers:
1/2 of the brownies
1 box of the pudding prepared as directed and not yet set
1 cup of chopped peanut butter cups
peanut butter/cream cheese/Cool Whip mixture (use the whole thing on this layer)
1/2 of the brownies
1 box of the pudding prepared as directed and not yet set
Frost with the rest of the plain Cool Whip
Top with remaining chopped peanut butter cups
Let set for a few hours (or overnight) and enjoy.
It was fun to read all of your comments on last Friday’s blog post. We’re so glad to have you all here with us on our Sixth Anniversary! I used the Random Number Generator to pick a winner from last week’s comments. The skein of Wollmeise Lace goes to Kimberly in Mt. Pleasant, SC. Congratulations, Kim!
We have another contest this week (since it’s our anniversary month, you know). This week’s question: What’s the best book you’ve read or movie you’ve seen this summer? (I’m looking to add to my book and movie lineup as we move into the fall.) Since this is our second contest of the month, we’ll be giving away two prizes – two of our Sixth Anniversary Kits, which will be making their debut next week. Leave your answers in the comments below and we’ll draw the winners next week!
Sheri goodgrief.OperaonthePandorastation.AbitmuchforFridayAfternoon.
The only movie at the theater I saw was Ice Age 3 and I enjoyed it
I read and loved “Death Comes to Pemberly” by P.D. James, one of my favorite mystery writers. Murder intrudes on the characters we met in Pride and Prejudice. I saw the Bourne Legacy over the weekend. O.K., but Matt Damon held my interest a lot better ,,,,
Oooh, that’s a tough one. For movies I really loved Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer, The Avengers and Men in Black III… oh and Snow White and the Huntsman. For books, I’ve been reading Game of Thrones and it’s SO well written – looking forward to reading the whole series! Oh, and like many others here, I’ve read all the books in the Hunger Games series and the movie was great too (although you won’t “get” the movie very well if you haven’t read the book first)
Best book I read this summer so far is Fall of Giants by Ken Follet.
Blacula
Now I know people are thinking, is she serious? Why yes I am serious. It’s such a window into early 1970’s culture. It was one of, if not the first blaxploitation horror film, and definitely the best one. Besides, most vampire movies are pretty horrible, I can admit this as a fan of the sub genre, and at least Blacula has a fun score and doesn’t suck, pardon my pun, as a modernization of the original Dracula character. Most of the modernizations I find are just awful, awful, awful, Dracula 2000 being perhaps the worst offender of them all. (Nevertheless, I have seen Dracula 2000 many times because it has Gerard Butler as Dracula and Johnny Lee Miller trying to kill him. Two winners I just can not deny enjoying.) ‘2000 is so bad…it’s good. Blacula on the other hand is just pretty darn good. Go into it with an open mind. Don’t expect it to be super serious, and have a good knitting project to work on while you watch.
Just watched Sabrina today and loved it (the old one!).
The best book I’ve read (or actually listened to on Audible) is David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I’m somewhat ashamed to say I had never read it before, but now I’ve bought a bunch of other Dickens books from Audible because I liked it so much.
I haven’t seen any movies at all this summer, other than a 4D movie at the National Aquarium in Baltimore . But I did like that, probably because it was great fun to be misted and poked in the back.
My favorite book this summer has been The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen. After reading The Girl with series, having been to Copenhagen a few years ago and my husband giving it a thumbs up I decided to read it. What a suspense/thriller/mystery!
I haven’t seen too many movies this summer thanks to a two year old and there not being many movies that I wanted to see…after DVRing this movie multiple times (due to not being able to watch it before the dvr filled up), my husband and I watched Midnight in Paris. I’m not a big Woody Allen fan but I LOVED this movie!
I’ve been catching up with Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs mystery series. Set in England during the late 1920’s & early 30’s, Maisie is a woman who worked her way up from “below stairs” to become an inquiry agent in London.
Just started reading A Game of Thrones after watching through what is available of the TV show it inspired, so that’s getting my vote for the moment 🙂 The TV show was really good, so I can only imagine the books will be even more awesome!
The best book I read this summer is A Storm of Swords, The third book in the series that the Game of Thrones TV series is based on. It is probably also the longest book I’ve ever read.
I read the Hunger Games trilogy this summer and saw the movie in theaters. I’d highly recommend it!
I know that several of you will laugh at my best movie and best book of this summer, but since I live in IL – Land of Lincoln, here goes. My favorite book this summer was “Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter” by Seth Grahame-Smith and my favorite movie was the same. I think I enjoyed them so much is that I’ve always been intrigued by Abraham Lincoln’s life and the book and move threw such impossible/improbable things into actual history.
Shadow of Night the second installment of The Discovery of Witches. It’s a great blend of a Vampire, Witch and Historical story.
the best isn’t a book or movie, but i finally watched the first 2 seasons of the TV series “downton abbey” = love love love! OH…i did go see ‘the best exotic marigold hotel’ with a friend & really enjoyed it! favorite quote: “Everything will be all right in the end,” he tells his disgruntled guests. “So, if it’s not all right,” he adds, “it’s not yet the end.” right now i’m trying to read “the history of love” by nicole krauss. in april i participated in world book night where i think we all gave away over a million books throughout the world! “the history of love” was one of my choices, but i’m finding it a bit confusing. hopefully when i attend book club night soon all will be made clearer. am planning to go see “hope springs” on friday with a friend, it looks like a good movie.
The best movie I have seen this summer is Brave. We don’t see grown up movies anymore since we had kids, but Brave was wonderful and beautiful.
Reread my favorite David Rakoff after his untimely death. “Don’t Get Too Comfortable” is a true gem.
Does anything by Dr. Seuss count? 🙂
Earlier this year, I read “Knowing Your Value” by Mika Brzezinski of “Morning Joe.” It’s about how women need to learn to know their value in the workplace, as told through her own story, and it is one of the best business books I’ve read in years. Thanks very much!
Best movie I went to the movies to see so far has been Hunger Games. I read the book for the first time just before seeing the movie and really enjoyed it – as much as you can enjoy such a depressing idea.
I have not had much time to read this summer. The only book I read was, “The Postmistress”, but it was a struggle to get through it.
Started The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton but haven’t gotten too far along with it yet. Too much to enjoy outside this time if year! When I’m sitting, I’m knitting!
I’m reading The Art of Fielding right now. My favorite is “The Opinionated Knitter”.
I enjoyed reading “Broken for You” by Stephanie Kallos and
“A Breath of Snow and Ashes” by Diana Gabaldon.
The Avengers!
Oh, and the best book was Rebecca for book club. Oldie but goodie!
Read the last of Jane Austen books I had never read: persuasion. Very good.
Also the last Maeve binchy book. No movies! But I do agree with all those who love downton abbey!
I think the best book I’ve read so far this summer is “Here is New York” by E. B. White. He wrote such beautiful words.
Movie – hmm. I don’t go out to movies often, but watch a lot of DVDs. Probably “Apocalypse now”. For guilty pleasure, “Magic Mike”.
My latest (not necessarily the greatest, but very interesting) was Hemingway’s Boat.
I watched the video of The Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood. I had read the book several years ago, but never got around to the movie. I enjoyed it a lot, especially Maggie Smith. The best book I have recently finished is Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen, of course).
I just finished reading Death Comes to Pemberly. It’s a sequel to Pride and Prejudice written by famous British mystery writer P.D. James, and she did a wonderful job of writing in Austen’s voice. A real treat for this English major!
I enjoyed the Hunger Games, and the movie “The Lorax” (there was knitting in it)
The Fault in our Stars by John Green – it is YA ( young adult ) fiction but really worth reading-
My favorite movie this summer has to be the Avengers. As for book…Game of Thrones.
I read Bill Bryson’s “In a Sunburned Country” (about his travels in Australia) and loved it. Also enjoyed Jo Nesbo’s “The Snowman” and “The Leopard.” Good mysteries.
Best movie was an older one that deserves frequent viewings: “The American President.”
batman, hands down, loved it…the Dark Knight Rises!
Yes, I read the 50 Shades trilogy and enjoyed them all. I also enjoyed Gone Girl and I am now reading Killer Takes All by Erica Spindler. It’s a very engaging mystery.
I finally saw The Rum Diary. I really enjoyed that as well.
I finally read Hunger Games, now I see what all the fuss was about! Also worked through the Percy Jackson series with my son.
I read the Hunger Games Trillogy this summer. Still haven’t seen the movie. Really loved the books though. I read them on my Kindle and read them as fast as I could.
Just finished reading a great book – easy read and interesting topic. The book is “A History of the World in 6 Glasses”. A very different look at world history – a look at how our history might well have been shaped by the development, and our choices of, beverages. Very interesting read.
I finally saw the “The King’s Speech”. I now understand why it received an Oscar.
Lots of good ” summer reading” books this year; so hard pick. Enjoyed “The Witness” by Nora Roberts. Thought it was one of her best.
No movie stands out in my mind.
I read Christine Falls a couple of months ago and found it really good. I like historical fiction, European settings and a bit of mystery and this book hit all three. The author has a really wonderful way of describing the characters. I especially loved it. The last book before that one (besides all the Percy Jackson/Rick Riordan books) was The Apothecary’s Daughter. Another historical fiction set in Italy this time. Really interesting story about a young woman in love who is sent to a nunnery as punishment for falling in love with her music teacher. The Apothecary’s Daughter also lands in the nunnery and she takes the young woman under her wing. Loved it!
Thanks for holding the giveaway,
Betsy in the sunny Seattle suburbs
I have been knitting SO much I haven’t seen a movie or read a book but ask me anything about the Tour deFrance or the Olympics! When I do read I love anything by Philippa Gregory or Elin Hilderbrand.
My book group just read “Gone Girl”, which was full of suspense!! I couldn’t put it down!:)
I never go to the movies anymore–it’s rentals only for me–so I will have to stick to best book.
and the winner is: a 1997 novel by Kate Atkinson called “Human Croquet.” her language is amazing, the subject matter is delightfully odd and ever so slightly disturbing. is it a mystery? a crazy historical fantasy? a coming-of-age tale? or all of these and more?
if susanna clarke (jonathan strange & mr norrell) and john irving collaborated on a book, it might be something like this one … give it a try!
Best story has been “Unbroken”.
The Millennium Trilogy (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) is excellent, though not for the squeamish. Right now, I’m reading the last book in the Outlander series which, although it is very lengthy, is just as fascinating as any historical / romance / fiction I have ever read. Thanks, Sheri!
I actually just got into the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Yeah, I’m pretty late to the party, lol.
I recently saw The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Two thumbs up! And then went out and bought the book of the same name by Deborah Moggach.
I’m a big Inspector Lynley fan. Elizabeth George has a new one in this series out, Believing the Lie.