Stitch Markers!

A friend had a Gumbo and stitch marker making party! It was a lot of free fun! Here's what I made:



I'm super excited!

Always eager to do my part, I baked some cupcakes for the get-together:


It's a sad day when a bit of loose change is all the booty you can find in your household. Note the predominance of copper there. The cupcakes are just from a box mix, but I made a homemade lime glaze and added some pomegranate to the top for fanciness.

And more things are happening. I finished this yarn:


Because it is brown and rolled into a skein, I can't help but think it looks a bit like a turd.

But it's' a really soft and fuzzy turd!

Now, I'm working on this fiber:


It's some hand dyed merino wool that I got at the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art festival that I'm finally getting around to spinning. I'm actually drafting it out completely before hitting the wheel because that's the only way I've found to spin bulky yarn!

It's going to be a super bulky three-ply!! SUPER BULKY!

I'd also like to show off my favorite furry things:


Awwwwwwwwwwwww...

PS: I changed my blogger template because I noticed that my photos were being "cut" to fit the template. Because I have some OCD qualities, I could stand it no longer. I'd rather have a boring template where my photos aren't messed with than a flashy background and photos that look like I have no idea how to frame a photograph.

Obligatory Post part III

So, here I am again, posting once more without much of an idea as to what I am going to say. I have not been knitting much. I just haven't felt like it. I have been lurking in forums, thinking about crafting, practicing down dogs, and writing as much as my stubborn mind will let me. I feel good about the fact that I'm writing more lately, but I think there should be room for writing and knitting. I have been feeling the urge to knit more and more in the past few days, but I haven't acted on it and I think it is because I always end up in a great deal of pain afterwards. I am not very diligent about sitting up straight as I knit which is a recipe for disaster!

Anyone have any neck pain/posture tips/exercises? I've been doing what I can in terms of exercise, but any advice would really be helpful. :)

I have done a little bit of spinning, but not in the past week or so. I've started spinning up a nice turquoisey blue merino and tencel blend. Right now, as a singles, i think it is at laceweight...which is sort of a bummer because I wanted to ply it INTO a laceweight. I may or may not decide to use it as a singles (I'm afraid of it biasing and I tend to prefer stockinette lace over garter lace, which would help balance out the slanting effect of the singles).



It's really soft and silky. Yay!

I made asparagus and shallots to go with some lentil shmush for dinner tonight:



The lentils don't look appetizing, but really they were delish!

Another note: I am feeling a little less cranky, but I'm not completely over it yet. I've been trying to focus on good things and slowing down.

To live on bread alone

Today began with a plan...a really cool plan...a really cool plan that cost me EVERY bit of my tip money this week for supplies.

It involved a thermometer, a huge glass bowl, a cookie sheet, and a rolling pin.

It was bread.

I found a super simple recipe for a loaf of French bread...and went to town.

Lots of kneading:


Lots of rising:


A little bit of knitting:


Lots of shaping:



Lots of baking:


Lots of cooling on wire racks:


Lots of happy!:


Mmmm, I'm really looking forward to the gluttony that will be this evening. I'm making a pasta dish out of real simple magazine tonight as well. It's going to be fabulous with freshly baked bread.

Oh, we will be giving one loaf to Max's parents. Russians like their bread, you know.

And these fat asses...


...won't be getting ANY! Hedonists!