lady cordelia

A weekend of lights and gifts

Pretty, no? First time stringing twinkly Christmas lights in the garden.  Kids will really bring out that Christmas magic in a person, you know what I mean?  I love my kids so much I really think my heart is going to explode.   They inspire me to make the world a more sparkly place.  And a Chirstmas-lighty place.  You know what I mean?

I love Christmas lights.  I love my kids.  I love this little area of our yard.  Especially since all the millions of leaves are temporarily cleaned up.

Now. Let's talk knit:

I woke up in a panic last night because it seems, once again, I set the bar too high.  This time, the "bar" is making Christmas gifts. Knitting them, mostly.  I'm not a good knitter, but after a year of doing it, I'm ok.  I have tenacity.  And I persevere.

At 6:46 a.m. this morning I finished....(drum roll please)...The Big Lace Scarf! (modeled by daughter.)

Then I finished the Hurricane Hat! Modeled begrudgingly by my dad.  He's from the Bronx. Got it?   He really doesn't have time for crap like modeling a imperfectly knitted hat that makes him "look homeless."   My dad doesn't mince words.  (I fully received that gene. It rocks.)

Both gifts turned out on the rough side. I know you'll say..."commme onnn....they look grrreat!"  But, photography can also make my skin look perfect.  So.  Cut it out right now. If you saw the top of the Hurricane hat, you would think quietly to yourself..."Man, Hurricane Katrina was less devistating!"

So, you'll understand that I was hesitant to give the gifts away because they weren't "perfect."  But, give them away to the "giftees" I did, so they could be worn now, when cold weather is here (because you can be SURE I'm not re-knitting them AGAIN. Hell. No.)

Two down.  And more imperfect knitted gifts to come!  How lucky for the receivers!

I wonder if my knitted gifts are those that get shoved in the back of the closet once unwrapped and fakely oogled over.  Hmm.  That's a very sad thought.  I want to cry.  Guess I'll have to go knit to make myself feel better.  Try, try again!  I love to knit.  I really do.  Sniff.

 

 linking with Miss Amanda.

an artistic messy blur of a weekend.

Good Morning!  Up and at'em! 

I get in these creative flows that have really no foresight or organization. A blur of yarn and material, cleaning products (natural of course), recipes and food surround me.  In other words, I want to clean, cook, knit and sew.  And two children to take care of in the midst of it.  (Yes, in the midst of it, I make myself take them to the park.  I don't really want to, per se, but I do it anyway.)

First, let me talk to you about the Big Lace Scarf.  I call it a Big Lace Pain in the A**.  I love, love, love the pattern.  But.  You can not..let me rephrase that..I can not successfully pull out rows on this thing when I make a mistake.  All the yarn overs and SK2P's and all that stuff...come on!  How in the hell can one make sense of a pulled out row?  You can't.  Or, rather I can't.  And so I have to start All. Over. Again. when I make a mistake.  But I'm determined.  I will finish the Big Lace A** in time to give it for a Christmas gift.  I will.  I will.  I will.

So, there was that mayhem this weekend.  The trying ever-so-hard not to hang myself from the rafters when, for the 9th time, I am pulling out about 30 rows.  I'm sure it isn't healthy for me, The Big Lace Scarf... but it beats chain smoking or binge drinking or abusive relationships so I'm feeling pretty ok about it as far as obsessions go.

Then, I decided I wanted to make some sock elephants for a non-profit that saves Asian elephants (I will tell you more about the organization in a later post.).  I put about 7 hours into sock elephants. One turned out hella ugly.  The other just a little bit worse than that.  I emailed photos of my sock elephants to the head of the organization who I had been emailing back and forth with.  I had been trying to figure out how to help her and so came up with the sock elephant idea.  I have not heard from her since.  I can feel her thinking to herself: How can I tell this nice lady that those sock elephants are really scary.

My mom asked me this weekend:  Why do you take on so much?  Sock elephants?  Now?  It's right before Christmas! Don't you have enough projects going on?

DUH Mom!  Just trying to save an elephant or two!  K???????????

Then, I realized mid weekend I needed to clean The Brads studio.  WOAH!  This is not a simple or easy task.  He is a photographer and does all his own matting and framing.  Which means there is a LOT of paper waste that needs to be recycled.  AND, he does not pick any of it up.  So, I left all 800 lbs. of the recycling up at the top of the stairs for him so he can't really get into the studio unless he removes it.  Smart, right? 

Then I did a deeper clean on my sewing/craft/whatever room. Pretty no?  Not perfect, but certainly ready for the finishing of older daughters quilt.  (Oh, and for making more sock elephants! Much to the annoyance of the head of the elephant organization.) K.  Still with me?  Come on!  Keep up, would you?  I then had an impromptu dinner with some friends (The Brad was gone all weekend for work, by the way.) And I tacked this recipe  WHICH rocks.  Though it came out a little dry.  Still, I fully impressed my dinner guests! Wow.  Can you imagine if I would have showed them my sock elephants?  Right.  It would have ruined everything.  Which is why I did not.  And I why I will not show them to you. Ever.  I know you say you would not laugh.  But you would.  And then my feelings would be hurt.   I'm ever so sensitive like that.

posting late to weekending with A.

 

things involving yarn and carbs.

Stop with the breakfast options already.  Right?  Come on.  This is fresh homemade granola and homemade strawberry compote THAT I froze and took out months later. With yogurt.  Greek style.  Come on.   But- you know all about this stuff.   I won't link to the recipes.  I just thought the pic was pretty.  Not even 6 months ago I could barely crack an egg.  Look at me now, ma!  Right?  Right.

Yeasted Bread.  Tassahara Bread Book.  Made it a million times.  (Or, maybe 10 times, or 15.  Close enough.) Check it out:  Tablespoons & Teaspoons.  Different.  K?  I have a dough ball just like the one you see above in my trash right now cause I thought I was way too cool to look at the recipe today.  If you like salt a lot, the one in the trash was the loaf for you.  (What a waste of 7 cups of flour.  And 4 tablespoons of salt)

Now.  Check this out.  Bag of already made granny squares at local thrift.  FULL ON BAG.  (Just sampling the amount in the pic.)  Now I can totally make the gran blanket I've been dreaming of without having to learn to make the squares!!!!  NOW you are jealous.  No?  But wait, it gets better.  $6.  Yes!!!  (Sigh. Blowing on fingernails and shining on shirt.)

And, on the serious side a little- a hurricane hat for a friends son who is undergoing 2 years of chemo for leukemia.  He will most likely push it into a lifetime of remission with this treatment.  But, it's been immensely hard for the family, as you can imagine.  He is a senior in college and still going to school because he wants to graduate with his friends.   

 I want to link with Yarn Along today, so I have to mention a book:
See it in my sidebar.  It's a bio of a famous Rolling Stone writer/editor.   Pretty cool read, actually.
My dad got it for me cause he knew the dude.  And, well, my dad's name is listed in the index.  He's even quoted in the book!   Kind of....you know....FULLY RAD!  My dad is just very cool.  He's going to be 80 next year.  That does not stop him from being super rock n'roll. 

I could measure.

It is raining today for the first time since last Spring.
I'm happy to be home, getting ready to clean the bathrooms.  Then laundry.   Then knit.   I do hope I get to the knitting part. 
Had a knitting accident yesterday, speaking of.
Asked The Brad if he thought the bottom of the blouse I'm knitting for O looked like it was 11 inches yet.
He said: Looks like it to me.
He said: Sure.
Sure.  So I started in with shaping the armholes.  And all that.  You know, the binding off and stuff.  Then, a few rows into that, I decided to measure the part that was supposed to be 11 inches.   A few rows into shaping the armholes, I decided to measure the bottom of the blouse. 

A friend of mine once said to me when I was dating a man who was both a cheater and liar: people change but not that much.

I'm not a cheater.  And I'm not a liar. But I'm not much for measuring. And according to my friend's quote- I may never be.  It took me about an hour to pull out the armhole shaping, stitch by stitch, which is the only way I know how to do it on circular needles.  As I pulled it out, I thought to myself, might as well enjoy it.  So I did. Sort of.  Knowing I could pull it out. Appreciating that I had the ability to go back and fix it. Knowing next time, I could measure.  If I wanted.  The choice would be there, hovering above me like a tangible little light.  The choice will always be there.  If I want to, you know, save some time.

Right now I am thumbing through this book and seeing if I feel brave enough to take anything on for next project. 

Joining Yarn Along this Wednesday. 

full on weekending

 
Some know Fall is here because of the change in the air, the falling leaves and so forth.  I know Fall is here because I find myself running a hot bath at once a day.  Or thrice, if I'm particularly chilly.   More clothes and the heat turned up just won't do it.  And so that is how I am ending this long, wonderful weekend. 

I began the weekend with a trip to LA to begin the process of recording a few new songs.  Very fun and exciting.  It has been many years since I have properly been in a studio recording for me (and not a music library.)  Of course I will share when all is finished.  These things take a while.

Saturday took us to my parents to celebrate my moms 71st birthday.  In the afternoon we went to see an acrobatic show; contortionists, trapeze and the like.  Very fun.  Girls loved it.  In the evening we had dinner and cake and a surprise performance from my mom who had learned some beginning tap dancing on youtube.  My dad MC'd the show.  It was amazing!  I only hope when I am her age I will be up to such things.  She is a fine inspiration.  Everyone should be so lucky to have such a mommy.   And daddy.  He is turning 80 a week after I turn 40 (sooner than later.)  I love them. Big.

I also got started on a new knitting project this weekend with a spontaneous (and not inexpensive) trip to a KS.  (KS is shorthand for Knitting Store.  I found this out the other day on someones blog.  I thought it was ridiculously silly. )  I spent way too much money on the yarn.  This was a total accident.  Should not have happened.  Please don't tell The Brad.  Thanks.

Have a wonderul Monday!

Linking with my super wonderful pal Amanda for weekending.

How I appear.

I was inspired reading another blog today, a fave of mine, in which the writer was questioning if we are really as we appear on our blogs.

It's easy to formulate a personality out here in the world wide web. But...

I think I'm pretty much how I appear.

This picture tells a lot: I have a cute cat, dirty windows and usually there is an uncoiled hose lying out. Someone inevitably trips on it.

Knitting projects move around from place to place without actually being knitted on. 

I badly need a pedicure.  I need to sweep up under the doormat.

Have a fondness for wire chickens that cost $1.

I like fresh eggs, and I care about the layers, so I spend time out at the chicken/duck coop making their home nice.  It is a job. It is a very long coop.  If you ever find yourself in need of a place to stay, there is room for you.

 
Furniture is most often second-hand.  Often has pen stains..  Is shredded from cute cat. 

I have lots of "things" here and there.  Found or made minutia. Perhaps, I should get rid of some.  Can't get rid of any.  Oh well. 

Can not seem to throw out any of my kids artwork. It's all over the place.  My desk is covered in it.  It's taking over the house.  I figure it's better than hoarding live animals like you see people do on those weird tv shows.  I can't stand that people do that to animals.  It makes me really freaking upset.

My Children Mean Everything To Me. 
(and see the hose behind them?  Not rolled up.  Of course. Very me.)

Good hearted.  Honest.  No bullshit.  Doesn't roll up the hose.  Me.

I like you.

I like you duck egg.

I like you little thrift-store baskets.

I like you completed (and funky) knitting project done with very cheap yarn.

 
I like you new Kitchen Aid Mixer.  You are so cool especially because when I could finally afford you, my mama went and bought you for me.  Sigh.  I love my mama.   I like you art class that I take with my kids and  just started yesterday.  (Eventually when I complete the sketch I will transfer it onto canvas and paint.  Yes.  I like chickens.)

I like you book  that I just finished.

I like you Amanda Lindhout who I caught on the news last night and I thank you for devoting your life to helping feed the world. 

I thank you for reading my blog.

I like you.

  

today I am joining yarn along and...

 

 

Shall I Shawl?

 

Well, I'm finally beginning the shawl I've been meaning to start. I've had to pull it out a few times already and start over.  (I'm still very much a beginning knitter and at this rate may be for the rest of my life.)  That said, I have learned to not get so frustrated with starting over again and again as it's just part of the learning curve.  I've learned to not get upset when my man walks in the room, looks at the knitting, and says: Isn't that getting smaller rather than bigger?  Knitting is making me a more peacful and tolerant person.  (And if I have to rip this whole thing out again, I will stomp my feet, throw it in the trash and never talk to it again.)

Here is the free pattern for Lala's Simple Shawl. And I really wish Lala had not called it "simple" because it's really just not fair to beginners like me. She should have called it Lala's simple shawl for experienced knitters and less simple shawl for less experienced knitters. 

Anyway, one day I shall wear my shawl proudly.  We all know it's a day a comin'.

As we all well know by now I just finished The Dirty Life.  I shan't link to the title again since I've done it twice already in the past week.  I was very sad when the book was over and I didn't know if I could resume normal life (in fact I haven't been able to) but I did find some solace in this book, an old friend: Grow Great Grub: Organic Food From Small Spaces. 

I believe I have the link in my sidebar book list, and if not, I will put it there.  This is just the kind of book I like to read before I drift off to sleep.  I grab tidbits of info and often use them the very next day (As we speak I have some coffee grounds waiting to be dumped on my blueberry bush.)

Have a wonderful Wednesday all!  I'll look forward to seeing  you tomorrow!

 

Joining Ginny today for Yarn Along.

it's not natural

 I finished my first cable knit project a few weeks ago.  And the weather has been so weird lately, there has even been reason for her to wear it!  She is in a stage where she loves everything I make her.  I love this stage and I am sure it will last forever.  (Not.)   This was knitted with Misti Alpaca chunky.   I can find the pattern for you if you would like. (It is free on the Misti site.)

Now I am onto a simple knitted shawl.  As any experienced knitter can sense, the yarn I bought (pictured in box) IS NOT NATURAL! Stop the press!  Call 911! Sorry people, but what's done is done. This yarn is mainly acrylic.  If you hate me now and never want to talk to me again, I understand. 

But seriously.  I was in the "upper end" yarn store (where they sell NO ACRYLIC!!!! and like to say that loudly and very smugly to you and then look at you like you are a martian) and I tried for 45 minutes to make my shawl for under $65 worth of yarn.  It was not to be done.  So, I went otherwise and otherwhere (amazon!) and got this  10% wool yarn.

Now.  Let me tell you this.  The shawl that inspired me to make my own shawl was most certainly made with an acrylic blend.  A friend of mine lent it to me a few chilly spring eve's ago and I loved it so much.  It was so yummy and wonderful.  But, I secretly thought to myself:  Ew.  Acyrlic is [bad words]. 

But, in the end, I find I am not to be confined to expensive, wonderful, natural-fiber yarn. That is, if I want to knit a shawl at this very point in my financial reality.  (And of course I'm open to websites that offer great inexpensive natural fiber yarn if you know of such things!)

Phew!  Ok. The book: The Dandelion Seed.  You can link to it from my book list as it's been there for about 6 months and I will never take it off.  We re-visited this book last night, as we often do.  I cry every single time I read this book (in a good way.)  IMO ( in my opinion) this book is essential for all children and adult libraries.  That is all I'm going to say about that because I have bread to be put in the oven. 

How do I do it all, you ask? Well, with coffee of course!

linking with actual experienced knitters, unlike myself, at yarn along

green, pink & modern antique

The Pink: Misti Alpaca Chunky and this hat pattern which will be my first attempt at knitting a cable.  I got to the first cable row and abruptly put it down because I don't have a cable needle-thingy.  (Do I really need one? I don't think they ask for one. Would love any advice.)

The Green: Farrow and Ball "Arsenic" is an accent wall behind our bed (we had someone at the local paint store match the color in Benjamin Moore paint.)  The alternate walls are the same deal (matched color) in Farrow and Ball "Bone."  Hard to catch these colors on film.  Farrow and Ball website may provide better examples. (I love the Farrow and Ball website, by the way.  Great design ideas.)

The Book: "Modern Vintage Style" by Emily Chalmers.  Basically my bible for home decorating along with "Flea Market Finds" by the same author. The text leaves a little bit to be desired, but the design and photos are exquisite. (If you know of any other good books in this realm, please let me know!)

participating with this post in Yarn Along.