Shopping and Planning for Christmas 2020

November 26, 2020 // No Comments

With lockdown restrictions returning to Ireland taking place up until the two weeks before Christmas, it is important to remain calm about anything that isn’t life or death. This year has been so hard for so many, I remain grateful... Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Dinner - Source Archives of Cranberry Magazine

Your Guide to American Thanksgiving History, Recipes, and Crafts

November 19, 2020 // No Comments

As an American living in Ireland, I have had to adapt to Thanksgiving Thursday being just another day. I shared my thoughts on this several years ago in an article in The Irish Examiner. Today, I’m not reflecting on my... Continue reading →

Interview with Stuart Simmonds, author of the Hannah the Spanner series of books and Harry the Karate Monkey

November 17, 2020 // No Comments

Q&A with Stuart Simmonds, author of the Hannah the Spanner series of books and Harry the Karate Monkey How long have you been writing? Other than the odd article or report, I started writing my cricket book “Watching With... Continue reading →

Redressing the balance of climate change – how can we can all help in our own way

November 10, 2020 // No Comments

Today, I’m sharing guest post today by Louise Palmer-Masterton, founder of multiple award-winning restaurants Stem & Glory. Though I am not 100% on a plant-based diet, I eat several aligned meals each week and gravitate toward meat-free foods in general. I... Continue reading →

Mother with black hair and peach shirt sitting on the curb holding toddler with train conductor hat.

My Mom’s Recipe Repertoire

October 22, 2020 // 1 Comment

Most of these recipes were ones she learned from friends who were born or have strong family ties to a certain country or region. I think, for my mom, cooking her friends’ recipes was a way of keeping them close... Continue reading →

Top tips for new cyclists – Guest post by Catherine Bedford, Dashel

October 20, 2020 // No Comments

I’m thrilled to be able to share this guest post today by Catherine Bedford of Dashel. She has some valuable expertise and insight into getting a bicycle, cycling safety, and all the relevant matters to consider. As a family who... Continue reading →

Collaborating on the Planetary Sisters Countdown Calendar

October 15, 2020 // No Comments

One of the unexpected silver linings of a semi-lockdown existence this year has been collaborating with creators virtually. Sometimes, even when you’re local it offers the chance to focus with clarity on your own value. I think 2020 gave me a... Continue reading →

child reaching to touch a mural of the Atlantic ocean

Should I become an expat? 5 Unexpected benefits of expat life

October 13, 2020 // 1 Comment

Although you may have dreamed of living and working abroad for many years, there is still a lot to consider before you make the decision to become an expat. I’ve teamed up with Allianz Care to discuss some of the... Continue reading →

French Toast with Raspberry-Maple Syrup

October 6, 2020 // No Comments

French toast is easy and forgiving. This is my go-to recipes since I was a kid, but I play with the syrup any chance I get. This raspberry-maple combination is popular with my family, but sometimes I use a blend... Continue reading →

Feeding problems: Breastfeeding in Ireland with Orla Dorgan via Irish Examiner

Breastfeeding: Latching On and Letting Go

October 1, 2020 // No Comments

This is a different post than my usual because it is very personal. Heck, it includes a photo of me breastfeeding so this is clearly not a post about how I made blackberry waffles with Siracha-maple syrup. Here, today, I... Continue reading →

Sid Madge, author of the ‘Meee in a minute’ series of books

How to get the best from the last 3 months of a challenging 2020

September 29, 2020 // No Comments

Today, I’m sharing an insightful guest post by Sid Madge, author of the ‘Meee in a minute’ series of books. And I have a special discount code for my readers! Entering the code EVINOK will give my readers 20% off books via... Continue reading →

I’m on LoveCrafts. All My Knitwear Designs Listed with Photos, Description, and Download Options

September 24, 2020 // 2 Comments

After a summer of Thursday blog posts sharing details about my knitwear designs, I thought this post would be useful to give an overview of ALL my designs. I’ll organise them by type, describe them, and suggest yarn options. This blog... Continue reading →

A photo collage showing all 12 knit samples from the Ultraviolet Knits book.

Ultraviolet Knits: Twelve knitting patterns featuring UV-reactive hand-dyed wool

September 23, 2020 // No Comments

As of today, all 12 patterns from Ultraviolet Knits: Twelve knitting patterns featuring UV-reactive hand-dyed wool (Anchor and Bee, 2020) are available for individual purchase on LoveCrafts. This collection features 12 original accessory knitting patterns designed with black light-reactive hand-dyed wool-based yarns. for individual patterns for... Continue reading →

Kindness, Sharing, and Emma Rattray’s The Rug Bear

September 22, 2020 // No Comments

It was a fun surprise when I was gifted a copy of Emma Rattray’s book The Rug Bear. We are really into bedtime reading (and afternoon reading) in our home, so new books quickly become favourites being toted from room-to-room... Continue reading →

Woman with green and amber multicolour eyes looking into camera with hand knit shawl held to her face. The yarn in the shawl matches her eyes.

School Gate Shawlette Knitting Pattern & ECIYC Back2School Campaign

September 19, 2020 // No Comments

Introducing the School Gate Shawlette. It was inspired by the ironwork openings and lattice textures of my son’s school gate. This pattern is being released as part of a fundraiser for Every Child Is Your Child Ireland’s Back2School GoFundMe. All proceeds from this... Continue reading →

Marking Down Memories in My Creativity Book

September 17, 2020 // No Comments

When My Creativity Book came out, I saw it posted on @FitziesFood Instagram and fell in love with the bright illustrations and brilliant concept. Naturally, being a bibliophile, I had to have a copy for Optimus (8), but then he... Continue reading →

Interview with Michael Harrigan, author of Travel-inspired Knits

September 15, 2020 // No Comments

If you’re an avid knitter, you may have already Michael Harrigan’s designs (Ravelry link) or eyed one with a plan to knit it. Completely understandable, I have felt that way too! I met Michael through the online knitting community and was... Continue reading →

Mushrooms – Good Things Come In Small Packages

September 8, 2020 // No Comments

Mushrooms can so easily be overlooked in the grocery market. Not only are they small, but also a pale khaki color. At first glance, it makes you wonder who first thought of picking a mushroom from the dirt in a... Continue reading →

Beefy Comfort Food: Meatloaf, Burgers, and Shepherd’s Pie

September 1, 2020 // No Comments

Nothing warms up a house like a hot oven and these three recipes are sure to do just that. Each recipe uses two pounds of ground beef in a different and delicious way. Of course, you can substitute ground turkey... Continue reading →

Berry coloured yarn knit in a shawl draped around a white dress form mannequin against a white wall.

I Want to Knit

August 27, 2020 // No Comments

I have made several I Want To Knit lists before and it seems like each time it gets longer and longer. So many beautiful patterns and inspiring yarns and colorways…and only so much time to knit. This year’s list will repeat... Continue reading →

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