New Interests

lead to New Books!The Bug has been big into exploring and adventures lately. Most of her imaginary play is dedicated to it. She's been interested in maps for a while and what a perfect joining these two things make. She got the World Atlas for her birthday. The How To Be an Explorer and the Continents of the World Jigsaw books are very recent bargain book finds. She's just eating this stuff up.
As I mentioned in the last post I've been bitten by the sewing bug. Here are my two latest sewing books covered in some fabric. There are so many things I want to make in these books. Oh where to begin?

Curtains

I've been meaning to make The Bug some curtains since we moved into this house over two years ago. Lately I've been struck by some kind of sewing bug. The symptoms have been the purchasing of sewing books and fabric and a very strong desire to cut the fabric then sew it into something. Very odd one might even say unnatural.These two curtains match the one I made for her door way back. At the time I didn't think I wanted the window curtains to be the same as the door curtain. But now I can't remember my reasoning for that. I had a ton of this fabric still; store going out of business minimum five yard rule and all. I found the fuzzy beady stuff in a remnant bin at a craft store. Make's it even more whimsical and child-like.
The strangest part of the whole process, and yes it was very simple two rectangles with hems all around and ribbons sewn on though the fuzzy stuff is sewn on by hand, was that at no point did I get really frustrated and cranky like I used to when I'd sew. Odd indeed. Who knows what this sewing virus will bring in the future.

Beading the Mystery

Above is how I had been placing the beads for the mystery shawl. I'd knit the dental floss onto the stitch even it up then thread the bead on. Not complicated but fiddly and slow.
Recently a friend and knitting group gave me a tiny crochet hook perfect for placing beads. Now I place four or so beads on the crochet hook, pick up the stitch and scoot the bead down. A touch faster and a tad less fiddly.
I'm out of beads, again. It's amazing how many 2650 beads is. It's a lot, more than you think. And results in lots of going back to the store to get more because you really can't believe that you will need that many more beads.

Like a Chameleon...

I test knit this last week and now it is available on Ravelry.It's Karma Chameleon out of Bambino, Flamingo Sunrise to be precise. I like their names, remember Sea Monster?

We've had a recent regression on the coming of spring and this light little scarf has been perfect. And great for that moment of, "I have all this crazy sock yarn but I don't feel like making more crazy socks". Mr. Gnome said it reminded him of a cobbler. Leave it up to a man to see the food in anything.

Saul The Man

Saul passed away this morning. We'd had him for 8 years; we're not sure how old he is. When we went to a pound looking for a kitten he called out to us to adopt him. He would want to be held every day when we got home from work. He's the reason I could look through the mail and get a glass of water with one hand before I ever had a baby.He loved going outside.Really he loved any amount of fresh outside air.He never was too sure of the babe. He loved to wrestle and showed visual restraint to not wrestle with her. He'd start to put his paw up then slowly put it down and sometimes run away to escape temptation.He would not be left out and was totally a part of the family. If you were sad he was right there with you. He wasn't too fond of strangers and would usually hide when people came over. Though once he comforted a friend who'd just had a miscarriage. He knew the therapeutic power of petting a cat.He hated moving and cried every time. Always a nice introduction to the neighbors. Any time I'd get out boxes or suitcases he'd stair at me then walk away to sulk.Being a black cat he refused to have his picture taken with any kind of pumpkin. Halloween is a racist holiday.

He was the best cat. Very loving very playful and very sensitive. Very missed.

Daffodils!

Mr. Gnome got me these daffodils two years ago. I planted them outside and last year they just came up but didn't flower. Not at all unheard of for a bulb, but still sad.This year I was very excited when they came up and buds appeared. Here they are newly bloomed. Oooh lovely spring flowers!

The One Shawl To Rule Them All!!!

Yes I did it last year, but this is this year. This time the group is just doing One Shawl; as opposed to a shawl for each race like in the past. The cast on was yesterday and I got through the first two repeats of the first chart.

The Groups is on Ravelry; One Shawl to Rule Them All. The pattern this year is Haruni. I'm using Knit Pick's Gloss.

No I have not finished the Mystery Shawl; thanks for asking......

Relax

I just love how this cat sleeps with such abandon.

May your weekend be as relaxing.

Paper Dolls

Last week The Bug made some paper dolls. She started by drawing the people. There's a Queen, a Prince and a baby. She had me draw two dresses. She then drew some shoes, a mirror and a dresser. Then she cut these things out and has been playing with them with great gusto. I love her creativity and as hard as it can be I do love to allow the freedom for the creativity. Even if there are lots of little pieces of paper that need to be swept up.

Never an Empty Knitting Spot

Generally there are about three knitting pots. The complex downstairs thing, this has been the Mystery Shawl for the past eternity. The less complex thing, can at least be done with the husband in the room; still can't do lace with him around. Tried the other week; screwed up almost immediately. And the Traveling thing; used to be socks until the sock burn out of 2009. Lastly the traveling thing was the mittens. Those being done I cast on for a pair of Marywarmers. I've wanted to do these fingerless gloves since the Fingerless Glove Fanatics did it for a knit along last Autumn. Totally not being able to do it then I do it now. In the lovely KA hand dye from January.

I like how it's knitting up. Kind of stripey but not.

Photographed on a green blanket for green day.

Clue 5 Part1

Finally the first part of Clue 5 is done for the Mystery Shawl. The mystery is starting to be if this will ever finish! Just one more chart.... one ...... more..... chart......

March DAL

The theme for March is Green. St. Patrick's Day and Spring you know.

This was our green. It was done in the pot, 5 packets of Lemon-Lime sprinkled ontop. Then I went through and sprinkled 2 packets of Slammin' Strawberry-Kiwi on the lighter spots. I was going for flowers in the green field thing.

Then I knit up a pair of leg warmers for the bug.

Before and After

Before

After

I got this shirt during a dollar sale at a local resale shop. I had no intentions of wearing it as a

shirt I hope you know. Not really my style. But very fun fabric to make into a skirt for a little girl. She proclaims that it is Groovy!

Ready to Partay!!!

Crafts are ready
Icing is done. This is 3 cups of sugar and 1/4 cup of Cranberry juice. It's light pink in color but I couldn't get it to photograph right.

Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Party Favors are done. 12 Pop Daisies from Nicky Epsteins Knitted Flowers.

Bit of card decoration.

And very soon there will be friends.

5

Can't believe this was five years ago.

My baby is five, she has declared that she is almost grown up. She believes she can walk around a store without me because she is so grown up. But she is only almost because she can't read on her own yet. She sings and dances everywhere. When she meets someone new she freely tells them her name and spells it out. She loves doing crafts, reading, practicing her tricycle, playing with her babies and telling stories. She wants to be a fashion designer, a ballerina, an artist, and a mom.

She will run anywhere decreeing that she is full of Magic.

Designs for your Home by The Bug

This is what The Bug was working on in that Works In Progress Post last month.

She started this completely on her own. Adding a bit here a bit there. Using different mediums; stamps, markers, collage and stickers.

I suggester we string them up on a ribbon to hang in her room and she jumped all over the idea. But first she said she had to finish them. She works on her craft slowly and with purpose a little here and little there until it is just right. Very different from her mommy who just wants it done and perfect; Now.

Winter Mittens

Just in time for some lovely spring weather I finish the Vespergyle Mittens. Ah well I'll have warm hands come winter time again.Vespergyle with O-Wool on size 0s and 1s. Fun easy pattern. I'm quite happy with how they turned out. Though somehow the second mitten is a tad shorter than the first. Not sure what's up with that. Change in gauge obviously but why tighter? Usually I get looser the better I know a stitch pattern. Not going to be noticeable when they're on.

New Foods

The Bug recently took this picture of my cookbook shelf. The top shelf being the books I use the most and the most recent issues of Vegetarian Times. Now there is a new cookbook up there; Vegan Soul Kitchen.

This is one for the recently tried recipes; Open Faced BBQ Tempeh Sandwich with Carrot-Cayenne Coleslaw. It was quite good and filling. I have a bunch of the coleslaw left so tonight we're having "hotdogs", the coleslaw and Cumin-Cayenne Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions, which was a part of out Thanksgiving dinner and quite tasty.

Now I grew up in Virginia but never really experienced soul food. I think it's a deeper south thing and I know it's generally not at all vegetarian friendly. This book is going to a be fun bit of new experiences and I'm really looking forward to that.

Signs of Spring

We spent the day at a Birthday Party at a park. Oh glorious lovely weather. The Bug and I both have pink cheeks from all the sun!