Fridge Jewelry

lookie lookie what I made! I do indeed to other crafts other than knitting!

So...as I mentioned before, knitting seems to take most of my time, but I do feel the need to branch out now and again. I've been trying to come up with ideas for custom things out of photographs me and my husband have taken - mostly for gifting something personal, but then the mercenary side of me does pop out - in order to offset some of our other hobby costs, we want to sell some of our custom images in the forms of cards, shirts, calendars...that sort of thing. But since we're still hunting for a reputable vendor and trying to decide how to move on those things, I decided to stick my toe in the water with these.

So yes, you heard right. I'm thinking about becoming commercial. Gotta pay for that yarn somehow, right? And since my spinning is somewhat slow...I'm startin' easy with these instead. If you're interested - do let me know. I'm thinking of starting the big ones at $3.00 ea and the little ones at $2.50 ea. Leave me a comment if you're interested...

Perfect Timing!

I've just finished reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...and also received notice that Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is awaiting me at the local Library! Hooray!

Library Expansion

Somehow, every time I have a spare moment when I am traveling for work, I manage to drift into a Japanese Bookstore in search of books. I already have a dreadful issue with regards to collecting books (mostly cookbooks in my case) but then I stumbled into the world of Japanese Craft books. The new additions?

Food Wrappin' - ISBN: 4388058114

This book is loaded with beautiful photos - of food and how to creatively wrap it! What better than lovely food and lovely wrapping combined? :D

Next up, we have:

Amigurumi Collection Volume 2 - ISBN: 4388058114

This books completes my series of three :D. How shameful. I don't even know how to crochet yet. I better get started...especially since the last book to join the library (this time) is another crochet book!

Look!

Title Unknown - it's the Cat book that inspired Matcha!ISBN: 4391130122

I love that book. Not only is it a pattern book, but it shows all colors of cats up to all kinds of mischief!

Eggs - not just for breakfast!

Last Month's IMBB was hosted by Seattle Bon Vivant and it was all about Eggs! IMBB has continued to grow amazingly - and the Egg issue had 81 entries rolled up in two summary posts! If ever you needed inspiration for different ways to prepare eggs of all sorts, go have a look see :D

And in case that isn't enough, there's also the EoMEoTE - #8's summary was just posted!

Leafy Lacework

Continuing with my fascination with knitted lace, I decided to knit Knitty's Branching Out as a hostess gift for a friend who's putting up with me and a mess of other crew in a month or so while we run amok at a local (to her) trade show - and no, it's not a fiber related trade show...it's an outdoor gear trade show. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a little bit of a gear head when it comes to outdoor gear and equipment - but then it seems I'm the same way when it comes to my fiberly pursuits.

Anyhow, I've got enough yarn to do another...or I might use the yarn to do this dayflower scarf...Details (and another photo) on my Branching Out can be found here.

Socklets or full Socks?

I've got some Sock weight Karaoke I'm evaluating - I've cast on for a pair of socks (whoo hoo - two socks on two circs!)...no photos, because there isn't much to look at yet - I've cast on using the Pom Squad Toe-up anklet pattern...but I'm not certain what I think about wool-silk anklet socks - I guess I can just keep right on knitting the leg of the socks if I don't want anklets - these will be my first socks, so I'm not sure how sound that logic is.

Then again, if I knit just the anklets, I might have just enough yarn for two pair....maybe.

What do you guys think?

Am I the Only One...

...who was not sucked in this weekend by Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince?

I was sorely tempted to go and get my hands on a copy - but I held back - I checked my local library queue and I'm currently #13 on the list...In order to bide my time, I've also gone and put Order of the Phoenix also on hold so I can refresh my dreadful memory as to just what happened in book 5. How dreadful that I can't remember...I spent a good portion of one evening this past weekend trying to recall what all happened in book 5 and was embarrassingly unsuccessful....I could easily recall books one through four, but not five. Oh well, timing should work out perfectly - I think I'll be able to pick up Order of the Phoenix, read it through and Half Blood Prince should be ready for pickup just as I finish :D Hooray!

Speaking of Tea...

Looks like July's IMBB is all about Tea. Go visit a la Cuisine for details!

But back to that Matcha thing. I've a whole mess of wool yarn that needs to be dyed...and a small herd of KoolAid packets with which to enhance them...but the idea of having Matcha hued yarn intrigues me. Does anyone know if 1) Matcha can successfully be used to dye wool yarn 2) if so, what ratio is used - matcha powder to ounces of wool to get a saturated color and 3) is it prohibitively expensive (since matcha powder demands a much higher price than KoolAid!)

Matcha Madness!

Just what is this Matcha anyway? Well, Matcha is the name of a rather adorable crochet cat - and while he has his own following, I'm referring to a specific type of Green Tea. The literal translations I've found for "Matcha" include "liquid Jade" and "rubbed tea." It is a brilliant green tea powder that is typically used in the Japanese Tea Ceremony, Chanoyu. Interestingly enough, it is also used to dye foods such as soba noodles and mochi green, and is used in the making of Green Tea Ice Cream. Matcha is made from gyokuro, a green tea that is shaded during the weeks prior to harvest to ensure their deep green color. Post harvest, the leaves are steamed to prevent fermentation, and are processed to remove their veins - at this point they are laid flat to dry - and are now known as "tencha." The tencha is then ground into a fine powder and is then known as Matcha. There are two types of matcha - koicha and usucha, with koicha having a milder and sweeter flavor than usucha.

Anyhow, Matcha green tea is all the rage these days. Starbucks now offers a Matcha Creme Frappuccino as well as a Matcha shaken iced tea. I've not yet had the opportunity to try either....what I have tried is one of the new Matcha additions to the Jamba Juice lineup...while they offer several Matcha blended smoothies, I opted for a Matcha Shot - paired with soymilk. Interestingly enough, it tastes like Lucky Charms. I kid you not - and it had me perky all morning long :)

Keen What?!

Quinoa! It might look like birdseed, but it isn't. Well...if it is, people eat it too...and they have been for thousands of years.

Just what can you do with Quinoa? Well, it can be used to substitute rice in many dishes, it can be turned into salad similarly to taboule, and it can be ground into flour! In my case, I turned it into a tasty salad...read more here.

Meme me up, Scotty!

Imagine my surprise, when another Stephanie tagged me for Delicious Days' cook next door meme! I find it pleasantly surprising that people stumble into my blogs - especially my companion blogs since they see so few updates! In any case, if you'd like to see my answers, please go visit my woefully neglected food blog. Perhaps I should update it with my recent and somewhat embarrassing craving...guess what's for dinner...Spam & Pineapple Fried Rice. That's right. Spam. How frightening is that? I even went to the trouble of making rice last night so it would be of the proper consistency for frying...

a little Greenery

Lookie lookie, a soft and lovely green scarf with a climbing vine or trellis work motif...

Incidentally, it is another test knit for SouthWest Trading Co, based on the motif on one of their Karaoke Pullovers.

Though not intricate in the way of elaborate lacework, this scarf would be a great way to learn to read your stitches, in my opinion - it looks a lot more complex than it actually is, and it's very easy to spot mistakes (like a misplaced yarnover).

I'm still trying to decide if I think the scarf will suit men & women equally well...I'm trying to decide if I will cast on for a pair (or three!) of these on a set of needles for holiday knitting...

Bigger photo and a bit more information is available here.

Good as New!

After playing with my crayons and wearing them down while preparing my orange and green paper to wrap that bunny into a carrot I found myself lamenting the poor flattened tips. New-fangled colors or not, all crayons deserve to look perfect and newly cast. Those dreadful sharpeners that come in the box of 96 (or at least in my box anyway) just don't do the job right - oversharpening the tips to a sharp point that no self-respecting crayon wants. To the rescue? our friends at X-acto - not only do they make nice sharp knives for crafting, but they also make a crayon sharpener that re-tips your crayons good as new! Available in both hand held and battery operated! I don't have one yet, but I suspect I might just have to get one to re-perk those crayons of mine.

I can't read

em, but I can still appreciate them! Behold! My first ever Japanese Craft Books!

Fullhearted Wrapping - ISBN: 453720088X
Amigurumi Crochet Collection Volume 3 - ISBN: 4309267610

And for the record, I do not read Japanese, nor do I crochet. I do plan on starting though - after all, I can't very well have a crochet craft book and *not* learn how to crochet!

In order to learn, I expanded my library by adding the following to my collection:

Crocheting School and Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Needlework. Both have lots and lots of photos and seem clear and easy to use - though I have not actually done any crocheting with the exception of some slip stitch joining on a Triceratops.

My enabler? Amy of course :D

Incidentally, I have another craft book acquired via a swap with Amy - that complements my Amigurumi Vol 3 book - it's the original Amigurumi Collection! ISBN 4309265723 - there is an adorable kitten (I don't see her on this cover shot) I intend to make :) once I decode the pattern that is...

Get yer Party Clothes On!

Once again, I find myself lacking small human models, so I have to resort to dressing my stuffed animals. Behold, my Butter Cream Vermont Teddy Bear, all dressed and ready to party in an Anouk destined for a friend. If I could just size it down, it would make an adorable frock for Skimima. For the details, and a shot of just the pinafore, go here.

Horrible Three Horned Face

I think he's kinda cute, don't you? Though Triceratops Horridus may translate to Horrid Three Horned Face, he has always been my favorite Dino.

And now for your science lesson of the day: Triceratops was one of the largest ceratopsians - measuring up to thirty feet (nine meters!) in length and weighing in from six to twelve tons! He lived in the late Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era.

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming - all you want to know about the lil fellow photographed above, can be found here!

Cult of Knit

Have you seen this? It's all true!

And it's all Raquel's fault. She dragged me in (she's good at doing that - and it doesn't help that I'm so weak and malleable ;) ). She's such an enabler! But I can't say I'm complaining too loudly. I really do enjoy knitting - and it's opened my eyes to some pretty crafty people out there! Though there are times I'm dreadfully resentful of my knitting - it's sometimes an obsession...I blame it on its portability. What other hobby can be thrown into ones purse to be worked on covertly in all manner of locations? Unlike reading, I can happily knit in a car without getting carsick. While I prefer to finish a row, I start and stop in any manner of locations on my "travel" project - much more convenient than a book or magazine that way - where I always feel compelled to finish the chapter or article before putting the book or magazine down.

And because I can fit in scraps of knitting all over the place, it seems to be my hobby of choice - but it's now being challenged by my newly acquired obsession - Spinning! - neither requiring little setup or preparation - unlike my kitchen and sewing experiments...or the various new crafting things I want to get into.

Knitting is like a jealous mistress I tell you. Or a small harem of them...especially since I rarely only have one project on needles at any given time. *sigh*

Anyway, Spinning is progressing slowly - but I almost have a full spindle :) that means I just need to spin up another full spindle so I can ply! I seem to have some issues with adding new roving, even though I predraft my fibers, I have a hard time getting my new roving to "take" if you know what I mean. I also have not successfully progressed to dropping the spindle to spin - I'm still stuck "parking and drafting." Every time I try to drop the spindle to spin, I seem to lack coordination and I wind up breaking my yarn because I draft too much fiber out and it lacks twist...so the fiber just slips past itself and the spindle falls to the ground all forlorn. And since I have issues adding new fiber, getting re-started is proving to be quite challenging!

a Name can be a Powerful Thing.

In addition to getting in my farmer's market fix taken care of this weekend, Raquel and I headed down to the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene for some fiber time where we petted, stroked and fondled all kinds of lovely yarns. While the gathering did have finished fiber products on display, they also had fiber arts in all stages of "production" if you will - from sheep, bunnies and alpacas to fleeces, rovings, yarn and knitted, woven and/or felted products! Of course, there were also knitting needles, crochet hooks, looms, carders, and spinning wheels, spindles and all kinds of other accessories to be had.

But what does this have to do with anything - much less a name, as alluded to in the title of this post? Well...neither Raquel nor myself walked out of the Gathering with yarn...that is unless you count the yarn that we made ourselves. That's right - we've taken up Spinning. Perhaps it was just a portent of things to come far into the future - a long ago nickname while I was learning how to skydive was "Spinner" - why? Because for some reason, I couldn't keep a heading while falling towards the Earth. It's finally come full circle :)

Care to ogle my roving? See a photo of it and my spindle over at Raquel's...I left my camera at home...Raquel's is on the left, mine on the right. Details? My spindle is a one ounce Emily Top Whorl Spindle with a Kingswood on Birdseye Maple Whorl and a Walnut shaft made by Adam's Woodshop. The roving is from Fantasy Fibers and is a multicolored merino in shades of dark reds, reminiscent of the desert southwest. Care to join us in our madness? Learn about handspinning here.

Market Fix

mmmm fresh produce. There's nothin in the world like it.

I was up in Portland staying with the gracious Raquel and we were busy busy busy! Saturday found us at the Portland Farmers Market where all kinds of goodies were to be had...amongst the items that traveled back to make lovely meals: Artichokes the size of a dessert plate, cherries (of various varieties), fava beans, Porcinis (mmmmmm fungus!), tomatoes, fresh young garlic, a fantastic baguette and varieties of heirloom potatoes. While Raquel's husband was busy toiling over malt and yeast (and impressing me with his variety of mad scientist equipment), we packed up and headed off to the local strawberry field for heaps of fresh berries. Want to know what became of them? A good portion graced this absolutely lovely cake (and it was very tasty too!).

Getting together with Raquel is always fun - but it's dreadful when you're weak like I am and her such a strong enabler...added to the wishlist? A draining cooler for brining (I never have room in my fridge for brining whole poultry) and a Pressure Cooker. :) At least it's not yarn, right?

(oh - and as if I needed further enabling. As if the Culinary Gods have spoken, I was minding my own business, watching Food Network while eating my dinner - and who should come on, but Alton Brown! And what was his show about? Pressure Cooking. It Must be a Sign, don't you think?)

Rabbit in Disguise

I've always been fascinated with different and creative ways of wrapping gifts...so I had to come up with something unique for the little bunny. I came up with this idea - wrap the bunny as a carrot!

Unfortunately I had no orange or green tissue/wrapping paper - so I had to make do with my crayons. Sadly, on retrieving my handy Big Box of crayons, I had to set on to reminiscing...because my Big Box is missing a mess of colors I had when growing up. I think I acquired my Big Box sometime while I was in college...but it was after the big Crayola Color Reorg. I now have to contend with a "lavender" that doesn't look like any lavender I've ever seen, "shocking pink", "outrageous orange", and "macaroni and cheese" amongst others. I want my classics back!