Something Different

I'm doing the more girly thing of late (if only on my hands) - the most recent manicure was chipped to heck so I decided I'd try my hand at free-hand application of french tips - the white polish I had isn't terribly opaque, so I dug up some polish I use for marking gear and used that for the tips over the white base...a little bold, but not bad :)

Can't we all just get along?

Gmail has been crashing my Chrome of late...apparently it's a new bug. I've since upgraded to the Beta version (Chrome 2.0) and it's been much happier ever since. It just kinda cracked me up since both of them are Google products. Happy monday ;)

Do you have a discerning eye?

Ever wonder how folks perceive colors in different ways? Perhaps its simply because they have difficulty discriminating between certain colors - this online hue test was quick and easy to take - and it showed me where I have some difficulty telling the difference between certain colors - I forgot to grab a screenshot of my finished "test" and test results, but I think I was probably about average with a score of 11. Different monitors may make it more challenging since the test is web based.

Speedy

We've finally upgraded one of the computers in the house - it's been a minorly traumatic event, what with getting accustomed to Vista (we couldn't wait for Windows 7) and reinstalling all our apps (not to mention the appearance of the infamous BSOD (blue screen of death) within 24 hours of play). Now that it's all configured and happy, the new machine is much faster than the old P4 that it replaced - no surprise considering it's got a Quad Core Extreme processor inside, more RAM and a significantly better graphics card too.

This was our first foray into a non-branded OEM build - and I'm pretty happy with the results - we ordered the system fully customized - we weren't anticipating the see-through window case but apparently the graphics card is a bit of a monster, forcing us into a wider case to accomodate it.

Now that the desktop has been upgraded, I have to admit to having computer envy (and I tend to neglect my laptop in favor of the desktop when I can). I'm now pondering the replacement of the other home system - tho I'm hoping to hold out until the new OS is available...either that or I might give up and switch platforms. I've also been eyeing some of the new netbooks - any of you have one and care to share your experience?

Summer Heat

I'm not sure where the time has gone - one moment it was May and the next thing I know it, 100 degree temps are here and June is upon me. Blogging last month was a bit of a disaster, due primarily due to lack of things to discuss - the day to day goings on have been a bit crazy, and the daily grind has well...been grinding on. The good news is I'm engaged and submerged in work, but it's generally left me a bit wrung out. So. Thanks to those of you who pop by :) I appreciate your looking in on my small corner of the internet. While I haven't been doing much in the way of dye-work I have brought in a new designer's portfolio over in the shop. I've also got some pending orders, hoping to beat the TNNA rush in June...stay tuned.

In knitting news, I've officially put Venizia into hibernation - she's apparently been on needles for over a year and I'm positive my gauge has changed....I need to decide if I'll tear back and start again or if I'll appropriate the yarn for another project. The knitting and spinning corner of the house has been re-organized, and I've picked back up with the Miter Squares...I'm at 7 squares and counting...I need quite a few more to make a throw or blanket that will cover the bed. Other projects are still on the needles, but I've been turning to non-charted relatively easy knitting of late. Sometimes the brain just needs simplicity, you know?

Tilted

And Shifted.  

I hadn't known about tilt-shift photography until a recent spate of photos in my flickr contacts cued me in.  It's rather neat effect - the above photo is a tilt-shift fake of me at the Wave.  I made it using Tilt-shift Maker. Someone pointed out that it actually looks like I'm a wee mini standing on some sort of wood-grain structure in this photo - with the color pushed, it does remind me of cedar or cinnamon.  

Unwinding

This appears to be the state of things of late - I'm still in the process of coming up to speed on a new-ish job, and it's safe to say my brain is full up and I'm not good for much else on the evenings other than unwinding and preparing for the next day.  But I am still here :) and hooping (tho I haven't really learned any new tricks, for fear of accidentally taking out the ceiling fan and I'm too shy to hoop in the greenbelt out in front of the house, and believe it or not, the backyard doesn't offer much more room to experiment than the inside of the house due to the prickly landscaping).  The time sure is flying by - I can't believe it's May already! I completely spaced about Maryland Sheep and Wool - and TNNA is just around the corner in June! 

On Brunch and Burgers

Mmmm. Brunch and burgers, not together of course, but both things I enjoy :)  I think both chefs got it right in their respective books:

There is just something to be said for a weekend brunch, whether it's just you and your family, or with additional guests for weekend entertaining.  I have good memories of brunching while growing up, and now that I've a home of my own, it's a nice break from my weekday routine.

Gale Gand's Brunch! is a great compilation of fantastic things to prepare for brunch, or even for other meals (who says you can't have breakfast all day?) - the book is laden with gorgeous photography, and each recipe has a nice introduction.  Split into multiple chapters, each focusing on different aspects of brunch such as: drinks, basics, more eggs, pancakes, waffles, french toast and other sweets, bakery items, brunch bits, savories and sides, salads and soups, and finally fruits and condiments - the book includes a total of 100 recipes.  The back of the book also includes some menu plan suggestions, in case you need some assistance in making selections.  In case you're wondering, the basics section features old standards such as omelets, strata, fritattas, quiche and crepes - each with a number of variations listed.  The "more eggs" section features some other egg preparations including the stunner on the cover - baked eggs in ham cups.  The "bakery" section includes both sweet and savory preparations (heavier on the sweet than the savory, but all look delicious) including scones, pretzels, muffins, coffeecake, turnovers, tarts and doughnuts.  I'm looking forward to digging into this book the next lazy weekend I've got at home :)

Now then....onto Burgers.

While I am trying to cut down on the general meat intake, and red meat in particular, there are times when I crave a nice big steak - or more simply, a really good hamburger.

Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes is a cookbook based on the chef's restaurant Bobby's Burger Palace.  At home, I tend to go for plain old cheeseburgers, but sometimes have a craving for something a little "more" - and this cookbook has plenty of variations to choose from, each beautifully photographed.  33 mouth-watering burger variations (in all fairness, there are a few that are fish-burgers and one turkey burger), 10 sides (regular fries, plaintain fries, sweet potato fries, potato chips and onion rings) and a slew of milkshakes.  If you're curious for what you might be in for, you can sneak a peek over on the Amazon listing where you'll find the recipe for the Miami burger and Sweet Potato fries posted.

Distractions...

...not much knitting going on...I've been kept entertained at work.  While it seems wildflower season didn't do much here (that I managed to capture anyhow), the yucca around campus are in bloom.   These delicate flowers are found on some rather gigantic yucca (some of the foliage is as tall as I am, it seems!) and are only open in the morning when I go into work.  By the time I wrap things up to head home, all the buds on the stalk are closed tight!  Hopefully they leave the stalks intact so I can see what the fruit looks like later this year.

Shorn

With the temps flirting with the low 100's I finally decided to go in and have my hair chopped off.  It's in braids because it's being donated to Locks of Love.  For those that are interested, but don't think you can get your hair out to 10-inches, it looks like the minimum length requirement for Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program is only 8-inches.

 
I wound up donating somewhere between 10 and 12 inches of hair - I gave the stylist the opportunity to play, with the only requirement being that the hairstyle be easy to maintain and not require much fuss in the morning.  They opted to leave it a little longer than I usually go for, mostly because I've been thinking about doing something interesting with color (yes, apparently they can put color into my hair without totally ruining it (I went to an Aveda salon)) - so we'll see, if by the time I'm up for the next trim I'm also up for the color experiment (we're thinking of hiding the color underneath, so it peeks out and doesn't require as much touching up).  Anyhow, it's much cooler now :) and definitely dries a heck of a lot faster!  Now if I could just remember not to go to bed with my hair wet....it does strange things now that it's short when I do that ;)

Happy Earth Day!

While this last winter has been crazy across the country, I can't help but wonder if we've damaged the environment past the point of repair - ever the optimist, I've continued pondering ways to reduce the ways I strain the environment. We do recycle a lot, we've installed compact fluorescents throughout the house, I carry reusable bags to reduce our consumption of plastic ones, we pay a little extra to have green energy put on the grid. Our home landscaping is xerescaped, and our houseplants are watered with gray water or rinsewater from when I wash veggies for cooking. We try not to overconsume by way of purchasing extraneous "stuff" and we try to dispose of what we do have to throw away responsibly. If I need to go to the store on the weekends, I try to walk over, after all, it isn't far. Every little bit helps, I figure.

If you've any green tips you'd like to share, please do post them - I'm always looking for new ways to reduce my load on the environment!

Just in time for the 99 degree temps ;)  I finished another "cardigan" - that's right! Marble gave up nesting on top of this particular project and I've got it done!

Well, in all fairness, I knit it up pretty fast, offering up some other woolens for Marble to nest atop....More details?  Of course! Have a look here.

Encyclopedic!

I guess I don't ever often think of all the various crafts I've dabbled in - and I do love my crafting...it's a nice relief from my day job, and it provides a creative way to customize my home and gifts for others. I recently received this book:

It's an extremely solid and heavy tome, beautifully produced and just over 400 pages in length. While it covers 32 different types of crafts, this particular volume does not touch on any of the needle-arts, nor does it touch on various other crafts including stained glass, weaving, or pottery amongst others. Here's a snapshot of the table of contents (sorry, my scanner has taken to being temperamental so I had to try to make do with my camera).

Surprisingly (to me, anyhow) I've actually experimented with a bunch of these craft techniques - though I can't say that I've ever had a resource for all of them in once place. Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts is a photo-rich resource for ideas on various crafts if you're looking to do a little organizing, decorating or embellishing, or if you are looking for possible handmade gift ideas. Each section includes basic information about supplies required and several projects along with basic instructions and plenty of photos.

At the end of the book is a list (complete with photos) of commonly called for tools and materials, each with a brief description of what they are used for. This section is followed with a couple pages on seven must-learn basic techniques including: box wrapping, tying a bow, using a bone folder, making a deckle edge, using a screw punch, brushing on glue and cutting with a craft knife. The book is finished with several pages of templates (each referenced back to the project and page number in the book that they are used on) as well as some recommended sources for craft supplies.

While this book is not quite all-inclusive by way of all the crafts out there, it is very well put together. It brought back fond memories while I browsed the contents, and certainly has given me ideas for plenty of things to try out in the future. If I could just find the time ;)

a knitter's excuse

If ever you wonder why the knitting progress can be slow going, now you know. Would you want to disturb this kitty if she was sleeping on your handknitting projects when it is just as easy to grab a project that she *isn't* sleeping on?

Only a few more...

...before I resume with the knitting, or other things. I promise.

While the glass was amazing, I think my favorite shot was actually this one. Not so happy about the flash, but there was no capturing this little guy without it - the sun was going down and he was going for his evening meal. So brave, there were people all around, and I was snapping photos - totally didn't seem to faze him at all! I was stunned once I reviewed my shots and discovered that I managed to catch him with wings back and nose in the penstemon!

I also really liked this capture - it's actually an HDR modified shot - the blurry bits are actually other visitors wandering around while the 3 exposures were captured. It looks like an alien landscape! I'm pretty certain that that crazy upside-down-flower chandelier is the same one that looked like orange carrots in the sun.

Practicing 'Wichcraft

Throughout the year and especially during the warmer months, it seems I turn to sandwiches. Of late, I've been enamored especially of the breakfast sandwiches at Bertha's Cafe - but Bertha's is a ways away, and they will be moving at the end of this month (and will be closed while they renovate their new space). I was really excited to check this new book - 'wichcraft - out. Both beautiful and a fun read, the book doesn't disappoint. The table of contents features large thumbnails of the detailed sandwich photos throughout the book - it's like a menu of sorts!


I've never had the pleasure of visiting any of the 'wichcraft restaurants, but I certainly look forward to doing so the next time I happen to find myself in proximity to one. In the meantime, I'll satisfy myself by taking some inspiration from the cookbook. 'wichcraft is broken down into several sections including breakfast sandwiches, cool sandwiches, warm sandwiches and sweet (think dessert) sandwiches. There's also a section in the back with recipes for "pantry" items like dressing, sauces and condiments for the sandwiches included in this book. I'll admit, while some of these sandwiches are not anything I would have ever thought of conjuring (boucheron with grapefruit and crispy olives or raw yellow beets with avocado, grapefruit and radish sprouts) - their description and photographs sure make my mouth water. I'm looking forward to giving a bunch of these sandwiches a try over the next few months!

Even better...

...when the sun goes down.

More glass from the Chihuly exhibit!

I really adore the combination of the more or less straight uprite blue glass and the swirling blue glass in this installation. It would have been even more perfect if some of the agave were blooming.


More red waving tubes - these were further back in the garden, not right at the entrance. I really think they look more like flame at night with the red, yellow and orange colors.

One of my absolute favorite installations was of this green glass, in an alcove if I remember right. They remind me if pitcher plants or fiddlehead ferns with their swirling knobs on top.

And finallythere is this crazy, amazing installation right inside the main entrance to the garden. It is crazy and huge - and it looks much more spectacular once the sun goes down - at least I think so anyway!

Intermission

We interrupt this blog stream to announce a winner...


Congratulations, Abby! You've won my copy of Knitting and Tea! Email me and let me know your mailing address and I'll pop it off to you shortly :)

And now...we return to our semi-regular programming.

Flora...and fauna too

Here we are, continuing on with the photographic diversion. All these photos are from the botanical garden - seems the wildflower season for me is going to be a bust this year :( Still getting back in shape with the knee, and my other half has been escaping for some much more difficult hikes of late (2nd manuscript in the works!)

I thought these were really pretty - unfortunately there wasn't any signage nearby so I don't even know what they are. I'm guessing they aren't native, but they sure are lovely!

And I always love the gold poppies when they make an appearance. This patch appears to be primarily Arizona wildflowers - the red things in the background were more glass :) and the bokeh-d stick like things are ocotillos.

This guy was busy trying to impress another bird nearby...I'm amazed my camera managed to even capture him as I was shooting with a wee point and shoot (digital elph). Unfortunately the blue sheen on his plumage seems to have been lost in the capture.

Here he is on his perch atop a saguaro.

Knitting news, I'm on the bottom part of Whisper, so you may see this set from the botanical garden broken up with some kniting ;)

And now, a diversion.

Just a warning - the next few posts may or may not have anything to do with knitting (it depends mostly on how fast I knit on that Whisper Cardi)....

I've given artwork a try in several different media - one form I tried while in college was glass blowing.  While I never did get terribly accomplished, I did manage do develop a fine respect for those who do work with glass, and jumped at the opportunity to go have a look at the Chihuly exibit at my local Botanical Garden.  For those thinking of visiting, you'll need to make advance reservations, and I highly recommend scheduling soon - all the better to avoid the oncoming heat, and also catch the exhibit pieces both while the sun is out and then after dark.  Also, I noticed that my limited photography skills were not that great at capturing the glass and surroundings - best to go see it in person if you can!

We managed to take a bunch of photos....and I admit, I'll be spreading them out over several posts :) A couple of my favorites from one of the areas (next to the succulents, I don't remember of that pavillion has a specific focus or not) were these pieces:

twists and curls - a closeup from this rather large sculpture:

it's like a bunch of grapes...but better somehow :)

These orangy carroty things are a closeup of one of the "chandeliers"

 
And these look incredibly fluid - like those fabric sock tubes that you sometimes see blowing around at events - they also remind me of flame - a whole bunch of them are found right at the entrance to the botanical garden.

Fickle

Frolic has been moved from my carry all to the regular knitting bag....I still need to transfer the stitches to a long piece of yarn so I can try the body on for length.  You could say I'm procrastinating and taking a break from the 2x2 ribbing....

In place of Frolic, I've stuffed the year old Persephone socks in my bag for travel/everywhere knitting...of course, this doesn't necessarily mean that I'm getting much done on them - esp since I've gone and cast on for another new project.  

It's the Whisper Cardigan from the spring Interweave Knits! At least it isn't another pair of socks ;) I'm knitting it from Noro Silk Garden Sock in the natural colorway (very nice yarn, I believe this is the first "traditional" Noro I've knit with and I'm finding it to be a pleasure to work with (I discount lotus because it's not really what comes to mind when I think Noro))

Anyhow, I seem to have latched onto this new project, knitting it exclusively while I'm home - and even bringing it with me on occasion if I know I'm going out to knit.  If all goes well, I might have a new cardi by the end of this next weekend! (I'm on the 1x1 round and round ribbing part...1x1 ribbing is no more fun than 2x2 ribbing, in case you were wondering) :P

Knitting and Tea

Tea or Coffee? I seem to enjoy them both...though when I've had a stresssful day, I'm apt to curl up with my knitting and a nice cup of tea by my side.


Knitting and Tea combines both.  Each of the six chapters reveals information about a type of tea or the traditions that have sprung up around it, and are followed by patterns, a recipe and a bit more information about a "site of interest".  Patterns in the book are classic and retro in nature and run the gamut from accessories for the home (egg and tea cozies, a cushion, and a tablecloth),  to accessories for wearing (gloves, socks, wraps, a hat and a purse), to the expected sweaters and cardigans.  Skill levels range from Easy to Experienced and patterns are included for men, women and children (though the patterns for women are definitely by far in the majority).  Each of the patterns has at least one large shot of the finished project, and often has additional smaller detail images include.  Charts and diagrams were clear and included as appropriate.  I really enjoyed paging through this book, and learning a bit more about tea. 

I'd like to offer this up to anyone interested - US only please, just leave me a comment and a way to get a hold of you should you be selected by the random number generator!   You have til April 5th to leave me a note :)

Slipped and Cabled

...sometimes I feel slipped and cabled what with all the goings on LOL

Happy Spring :) I think I forgot to pop in on the Equinox!

Unfortunately, I havent been having much luck with finding wildflowers out here in the desert - I'm hoping the wildflower season didn't just pass us by this year.  

I spied these daffodils at the local grocery and thought they looked incredibly happy and spring-like :)  I've also managed to finish off another pair of socks - these are much more bright, riotous and girly than the last pair....the pattern is formed by slipping and then cabling some stitches.

Of course, as usual, there is more information over here 

oh my.

Keeping it in the family

I love my knitting "group" - and I especially enjoy my time with the LG family - can you imagine? An entire family that knits! They are creative and inspiring and always renew my interest in craft :)

I was intrigued when offered this book up for review:


Mother-Daughter Knits - it's written by the mother-daughter team of Sally Melville and Caddy Melville Ledbetter.  The book features 30 patterns for mother and/or daughter - the patterns are fairly classic in design, and many will suit knitters of all ages.  The book starts out with a great chapter on fitting your handknits to best flatter your body-type and includes information on customizing knitting patterns to achieve the best look.   Building on this opening, the patterns do call out opportunities for customization as appropriate.

The patterns included in the book range from basic accessories (hairbands, fingerless gloves, spats/legwarmers, shrugs and scarves/mufflers and a bag) to easy-knit sweaters and tanks to more challenging garments including a coat, shawl collar pullover, a fantastic sheer button down shirt.  There are also some offerings for more experienced knitters, including a really nice shaped textured hoodie and a lacey cardigan.

While I can't say I'm drawn to every single pattern in the book (I rarely am!) There's more than enough to keep me occupied and keen on knitting - I really like the reversible tank, the sophisticated hoodie, classic shirt and dare I admit it? The mini dress!  I've found I rarely knit straight from a pattern, and I found the opening chapter on fit to be a welcome refresher and reference on how best to customize my knits.   Definitely a nice book to have on hand to make your handknits that much more unique!

Around and around....

And now, a diversion while I finish going round and round on the socks on the needles...

There is a hooping bug going round amongst my Flickr friends...and it looks like a fun way to get a core workout...way better than crunches and planks anyhow :)

So I gave in and got myself some dvds and a hoop:

Curiously enough, the hoop ships just like this from the place I got it - just wrapped in bubble wrap...and a postage label. The people at the post office gave me the strangest looks when I went to pick it up. I gleefully grabbed it and dashed off for home to give it a whirl.

Incidentally, I am able to get my heart rate up into the very low end of my training zone by hooping continuously - this evening I managed to learn how to go both directions, but I still drop the hoop a fair bit. Groovelectric podcasts for running work real well for hooping too ;)

Progress...

Oops. Sorry this was so long in coming - I've had this post just needing to be written for a while, but I kept getting distracted. Drat that day job ;)

oooh pretty! Twisted cable stitches, how I do love knitting them....I did indeed finish these off earlier this month - cruise over here for more info and photos!