Just another reason reality shows rock ... it's because they are SO classy! Since it's Summer I'm sure the filler will have an even less friendly bunch coming on the bube tube. It makes you not want to watch reality TV even more doesn't it (and by not watch I mean leave it on in the background but totally not pay attention to them). And montage:
My AC is working again! This is excellent because now I can tinker around the house without feeling guilty. Richmond's heat wave has been intense with temperatures around 102 degrees and all the humidity that comes along with those temperatures in the South. AC's (like my own) have been struggling to keep up, the time of beautiful Spring breezes that you find in May and June ended abruptly Wednesday with stagnant hot heavy air and haze from the North Carolina Wild-Fires. It's been a brutal change normally we have until July to get ready for this mess.
In my apartment we've been fighting this weather with summer salads, freezie pops and little movement under the fans. Today though the AC has caught up, sadly blinds are closed, but it definitely feels like summer with dark cool spots to hunker down with a good book a glass of iced tea or maybe a good project and some iced coffee.
On a quest to seek out just such a project I found one so fitting for my situation that I had to share. Richmond has enough Summer to go around so I figure what better way to share than a Summer post-card swap. First off I can get down with a swap as I've said before ... it's always lovely to find an unexpected surprise mixed in with the bills and grocery inserts. But this one looks especially wonderful I'm drooling over covering my walls with Summer.
So if you're interested her deadline in June 15th. You can find the swap at Hula Seventy here. I am going to have to start planning what part of Richmond's Summer I want to share -- because I would love for some of the cool air in Portland to travel this way ...
This is a short and sweet post (literally) to say thanks to a wonderful friend of mine even if I was a complete baby about my situation.
My birthday was three weeks ago and this is my first year without a cake. Now to some people this is not a big deal but your talking about the lady who has had themed out cakes for years right until my last birthday when Spongebob and Patrick bobbled atop my Knakal's birthday sheet cake.
Even at work I was without cake and in an office that's full of cakies (it's kinda like a trekkie but without spandex and hand signs its still very involved) I was left cakeless. I felt sort of like Elaine wondering why all the cakes and awkward afternoon coffee breaks, but then regretting wondering when I didn't get my own Cosco cake and awkward afternoon banter.
In fact I've long hinted about this cake crisis but to no avail until Sin told me to stop by Ellwoods today and claim my prize. What I got was more than a cake but THREE different cakes all vegan. Strawberry, lemon berry cake and chocolat cupcakes with chocolat icing and sprinkles. The cupcakes alone make up for the missing birthday cake but he hit a hat trick with three great pastry finds.
Another thing it made me realize is I really need a better camera -- and er um -- some help from some of these foodies on shooting lovely images like from Smitten Kitchen. Now imagine my cupcake photo like that. Better huh!
Anywho I just wish Sin was here to share them with me ... but since he's not I'll probably finish the rest of my milk off the one I've started. (I know the irony of vegan cupcakes with milk). Honestly I LOVE vegan carrot cake and it was a treat to try these other guys -- the icing I find is a lot lighter and the cakes are a bit more dense -- I'm sterotyping here -- but I can vouch that the chocolat was wonderful.
Thanks Sin! Isn't he great!
Lately I’ve begun knitting again. This is unusual for me because I consider knitting a "Winter Sport" one that helps me pass time on cold, dark and quiet nites. Knitting usually goes hand-in-hand with my other favourite hobby which can (and should) be enjoyed year round, drinking wine. This doesn't mean I only knit in the Winter that's just when the majority of my knitting gets done, so in other words I cross-train in the off-season but I save the serious business for the Winter months. Regardless it’s a love/hate relationship with me and knitting I enjoy it but I just cant seem to finish projects hence the frustration. I always get more excited about starting a project, picking out the pretty yarn, buying new needles and gadgets etc. etc. then I actually do in finishing a project. Its that middle stretch that kills me, I go full on in the beginning back off in the middle and in the end I’ll pick it up -- I just have to see that silver lining (tells you a lot about me huh).
That being the case my love/hate relationship is really running hot and cold with this narly Dr. Who Scarf. It was a request that turned into a challenge -- a scarf that’s 65 stitches wide on size 9’s and long, long enough to touch the ground on both sides and wrap around the neck (see Dr. Who, left, in the season 12 scarf) ... so for my scarf it should be at least 14 feet, that’s 14 feet of stockinette stitch and somehow my scarf is 17 inches across.
Anywho I’m working on it -- I’ve hit about mid-pattern thanks to the brilliant man with apparently lots of drive (and time on his hands) he’s figured out the scarf patterns, I've taken some creative liberties, but you can find various seasons and interesting facts on his site here.
This got me thinking about other famous patterns out there especially after the controversy over the knitted versions of Dr. Who characters which you can learn about here. The jist is pictures and patterns were pulled from a website that listed the instructions of how to re-create famous Dr. Who characters (for free) in knit miniature. So I did a search that begun as famous knit-wear but it's interesting to see this issue play out especially with all the amigurumi out there, so I've included some amigurumi patterns in my list which are on the up and up. Oh and if anyone finds The Matrix sweater pattern I'd love to see it the closest I've found is by piggy backing off another bloggers quest you can find her thoughts on that at her blog knitopolis.
It was a beautiful weekend in Richmond with lots going on an Indian Pow Wow, Arts in the Park, First Friday, etc. All great things to enjoy outside. It's definitely Spring!
So on Saturday I went to do lunch with my friend James at Tarrants (they have great chicken salad and I do love wine in the afternoons ...). We walked from his space at the Sound of Music down the back alley onto the street when I looked down and jumped. Out of the corner of my eye I saw an opossum but at second glance it was an opossum, A KNITTED opossum.
James had already seen him (or her) and went through the same motions as me earlier but this little guy is so awesome I just had to share. Hopefully someone is getting great video of clueless people walking by, but hopefully they aren't waiting to watch them go by that's just creepy.
To whoever knitted this little guy, you got me. He's great.
