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Colorful Noro Kureyon 75 -- yes, I've finally picked up the kntiting needles again! I'm working on the "Bigger Booga Bag" and enjoying this colorway quite a bit. I've finished knitting up the bag portion, but I need to get to work on the handles. I'm trying to decide exactly what I want to do with them. I have an idea brewing. . .
I've also finished up a couple of books that I need to review -- World without End
sigh.
I think I'm about halfway finished with the Mystery Sampler that I've been working on. I'm having so much fun stitching it that I hardly want to do anything else!
And speaking of cross stitch -- I spent a little of my birthday money on some Blackbird Designs stuff. I got a kit for Strawberry Garden and I bought the great new book (more like a booklet, but very nicely done) from Blackbird Designs too -- With Needle and Thread. There are a few designs in here that I could definitly see myself stitching. My favorite is this one:
It's called My Quaker House. There's also a simple alphabet sampler and a monochrome design that I like quite a bit -- there are even a few pinkeeps!
I also just downloaded the trial version of PC Stitch Pro -- I'm thinking of designing a few cross stitch charts myself and I'm looking forward to playing around with this software. Does anyone have any experience with any cross stitch software? I'm really curious to hear your opinions.
Oops! I forgot to put my henna questions in my last post! Here goes. . .
Lately I've been trying to live a healthier lifestyle -- more whole foods, less chemicals, etc. Well, I'm afraid that I am prematurely quite grey. Quite. So I've been coloring my hair since my early 20's to cover it. (yes, early 20's!) And I started using the mild semi-permenant color, but the greyness advanced quickly and soon that wouldn't cover it.
It seems that everytime I color my hair, I end up with allergies -- I get a sinus headache and all that. And lately my scalp even itches. Not good. So I've decided to give henna a try. I'm a little nervous about this though. I've read tons of info online, but I really would love to hear from someone who has dyed their hair with henna. I'm thinking of doing a henna-indigo mix so that my hair doesn't go too bright orange. I'm thinking grey hair + henna = orange.
Any advice? Any reliable suppliers I should check out? Please, I would love to hear your thoughts!
I've been busy with work -- packing up orders for Stamping Online (my rubber stamp store) and making patterns for Black Sheep Bags. However, I did sneak in some time for a little fabric shopping. Do you see that bag on the left? Well, here's what's inside:
Those are some fun red prints for my next quilt project -- a red and white quilt. I love the graphic loveliness of this combo and have been itching to try one, so I'm starting to collect 1/4 yards and fq's in different red/white prints. Oh -- and I had to pick up that orange print and those little remnants. I'm thinking there will also be a 30's, Aunt Grace-ish, quilt in the future too!
Time to get back to work -- more packing and shipping to do!
My grandmother on my mom's side was Irish, so I suppose I have a good bit of Irish in me. Growing up my mom often made corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day and I always loved it. A special treat that only appeared once a year. Since I've left home, I've tried making this dish a few times, but it was never quite as good as I remembered my mom's being. This year I brought out the big heavy cast iron pot and started over 3 hours before dinner time. This heavy pot and the long cooking time did the trick! It was so good!
I also made some Irish bread. And while not very authentic, it was delicious. I made it in an angel food cake pan to cut down on cooking time -- thus the shape. And if you are interested -- I used the recipe from the The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion
And you can't for get the beer! Some nice Irish Stout -- Beamish Irish Stout to be exact.
I also made a non-Irish dessert -- the Salt Lick Bars that were posted over at Bake and Shake. Yummy! (Although I didn't use enough salt on the top. I only had the fine grained sel de mare and really needed the flaked or larger grained stuff.)
Lots of crafting to photograph and talk about soon! Knitting and Quilting and Cross Stich -- Oh My!
Once again, my husband is having his head shaved to help fight childhood cancer. Keep in mind, this is right in the middle of his job search (and he did it right before my sister's wedding last year!) He is committed to this cause. So if you think it's a good cause too, pop on over to his blog -- Pete Lit -- for all the details. He's even doing a give away!
What the heck? Has the internet gone wonky because of the time change? My blog has been up off and on and Stitch-Cast hasn't been up for most of the day so far. TypePad system status says everything is working, but it most definitely is not. Anyone else having issues, or is it just me?
New Stitch-Cast Episode now uploaded.
I've been crafting, but I have no photos. I do however, have a list of cool tutorials I've seen around the blogs:
And I've been browsing through this book:
When Bad Things Happen to Good Knitters: An Emergency Survival Guide
This would be a great book for new knitters, as it covers all the basics -- casting on and off, gauge and it's importance, increases and decreases. But I like that it also covers yarn substitution and pattern alterations. And of course there is a whole section devoted to fixing mistakes -- hence the name of the book. There is also a section devoted to finishing (yeah!) as well as washing and caring for your knitted items.
There's lots more packed in this book -- you'd have to see it to believe it. Thanks to the folks at Taunton Press for sending me a copy --- this is a book I actually feel good recommending. Check it out!
I swear I've been crafting, but I've been doing far more reading over the last few days because of this book. Let me start by saying -- If you haven't read The Kite Runner
So, what is this riveting book about? Well, I guess I would say it's a story about a boy who grew up in Afghanistan and immigrated to the US, but who goes back as an adult on a "mission" to save a boy. However, there is so much more to it than that. It really helped me to understand the history of Afghanistan -- something that I didn't know all that much about before reading this book.
And on another level, it's a story about redemption -- personal and national. Hosseini is an amazing storyteller! And while the foreshadowing was a bit overt and some coincidences were a bit too. . . coincidental, shall we say -- I wasn't bothered by it. I was so tied up in the characters and the plot that I just wanted it to go on and on.
Really, if you haven't read it yet -- I highly recommend it!
by David Wiesner. 