Green tea cookies

I really apologize for the sparse, barely-there blogging. I'm in the middle of the third week at my new job, and although I like what I'm doing, it really is a huge time sink. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, because I'm really not, but I work such long days now and put in enough time on the weekends that when I actually have a break, I'm just plain tired. I also spend most of the free time I now have running errands and doing chores that pile up during the week, so there's not a lot of crafting or creativity going on at chez Seedless Grape. I haven't even gotten to take a decent picture of my Sockapalooza socks.

I did take a few minutes yesterday, though, to pretty up some pictures that should go well with my last post. Over the summer, as a break from bar studying, I made some green tea cookies:


I got the recipe from Caitlyn, who also made a batch earlier this year. Although I was really intrigued by Caitlyn's original post, it took me a while to get around to making these because I couldn't find the matcha tea that gives them the green tea taste and color! I thought it'd be easy to find some matcha at one of the many Asian food markets there are in Houston, but I clearly thought wrong. I tried three different groceries before I gave up and ordered some on-line (I think I ordered from Teanobi, which looked cheapest after a cursory glance through some green tea websites).


They turned out really nicely. The recipe was fairly easy and the sugar coating makes them look particularly elegant, in my book. I liked the leaf shapes that the original recipe used, but I couldn't find anything similar, so I made hearts instead, just like Caitlyn did. And they really do taste like green tea! I still have leftover matcha and would like to try making green tea ice cream.


I'd definitely recommend the recipe. Thanks again for the link, Caitlyn!

Green tea socks

I just started my new job working for the Judge on Monday, and life since then has been non-stop craziness. The learning curve is steep, and I'm clawing my way up as fast as I can (but slipping and sliding all the way, unfortunately). All non-work life has suffered as a result; I haven't knit a stitch since Sunday.

I have managed to document one of my more recent pre-job knits, however, and I think it's safe to blog about them since the recipient has probably already gotten them in the mail. Here are the Green Tea socks!


I made these socks for the Aspiring Ecologist's birthday, which was way back in June. Life was so crazy with studying for the bar that I initially forgot her birthday (but only for a week! Sorry, AE!) and then had to scramble to get something knit up.

Unfortunately, my mind has gotten so stuffed with information from the bar and now work that I can't even remember the pattern I used! I know that I got it out of the new Favorite Socks book, but the name of it completely slips my mind. I'll have to look it up later (that's what happens when you blog at work, I guess).

I can tell you about the yarn, though. It's the Green Tea colorway from See Jayne Knits, and it's lovely. The yarn is thin--noticeably thinner than most sock yarns like Socks that Rock, Fleece Artist, and Koigu--but very smooth, squooshy, and soft. It was perfect on size US2 needles and a lacy pattern that knit up quickly, and I have a TON left--probably enough to make a pair of ankle socks, at least. Beautiful colorway, squooshy yarn, generous yardage--what's not to love? I definitely recommend visiting Jayne's etsy shop!

Hope the end of the week is treating everyone well. And a Happy REALLY Belated Birthday to the Aspiring Ecologist!!!

Message to Sock Pal: The Package Is HERE!

Dear Sock Pal:

I believe that your socks have arrived! I received a notice from my apartment complex office that they have a package waiting for me. Unfortunately, as my new job gets me out of the house before the office opens and back well after it closes, I have not yet had a chance to pick it up. But I hope to fetch if by this weekend at the latest. I just wanted to let you know that it's here! I'm sorry the job delays the fun of opening the package and blogging about it!

Seedless Grape

Eye Candy Friday: Living Proof

I guess my resolution to blog more didn't take into account the fact that I'm leaving town to visit my brother and family in Alabama for the weekend.

At any rate, I have for Eye Candy Friday living proof that I did in fact take the bar exam in California last week:


Some of the other test-takers were mighty funny-looking . . .

Just kidding! My partner-in-arms and I actually went to Disneyland the day after the bar, and luckily enough, we happened upon Mickey in a remote area of the California Adventure theme park.

(I wonder if Disney isn't putting out as many characters in costume because of the heat. I would imagine it gets pretty hot under the mask and all the layers.)

Disney was fun, and we managed to ride all the "fun" rides that I think are the only ones worth standing in line for: the roller coasters. So we rode California Screamin', the Matterhorn, and Space Mountain. (I know there's some other roller coaster-ish ride that involves water, but we didn't ride that because we didn't want to get wet.) I'm not a Disney fanatic, by any means, and I'm usually more disturbed by the glossy, over-packaged quality of the Disney parks than I am excited about being in the happiest place on earth. But it was just the thing we needed after the bar, and I concede that there are genuinely happiness-inducing things in Disneyland.

Hope everyone has a good weekend!