Friday, June 29, 2007

insert some saying about agony and good stuff here

Agony. Defeat. De feet. Ecstasy.

First, the agony:
I finished the first inside-out sock from the STR club. It's gorgeous. My first attempt at toe-up (I tried on the foot before starting on the leg, and it fits perfectly), the cables are divine, and it's a work of stunning beauty, if I do say so myself.

"So, Soph," you're saying, "where's the agony in this? Sounds pretty good to me!"

Dear readers, those gorgeous cables are too tight. I can't fit them over my heel. I have to rip out the leg and re-knit. Hours and hours of work for nought. I don't mind that so much; what I do mind is that I finished the dang thing, and can't try it on!! I wanna!! lol


Now that that's out of the way, on to the good stuff:

I've been doing a lot of self-work, lately, and decided to do something symbolic to reflect this. I'm a talker, as those that have met me know, but it's often superficial waggishness; I often have difficulty articulating what I want and need - even to myself. Since the colour of the throat chakra (which governs communication) is blue, and since in dreams and archetypal imagery the ocean represents the unconscious, I decided to make a blue and turquoise necklace - to hang around my throat - that represented my reclamation of my voice.

I haven't done any beading in a long time, and have (had) never made a necklace. Over the last week, I made a few forays, adventures, and pilgrimages to various bead shops and picked up a variety of things to supplement the materials I already had. When I examined my modest stash, it turns out I've been collecting for this necklace for years without realising it.

And so, verily, it was strung and worn by me.

And each full day I've worn it, someone's inquired as to whether I sell them. My editorial grammar instructor has commissioned one.
I'm all aflutter.


Monday, June 18, 2007

music for my paranormal life

...with apologies to Neuroticfish for the paraphrased rip-off of one of his song titles.

All I can say is (to quote Jacquie): OMGWTFBBQ!!!!

I was wandering through the local HMV about half an hour ago, and heard the Smiths...well, a cover of the Smiths. An absolutely brilliant cover of Stop Me. I had to ask, and was pointed to a listening post, where lounged (insouciantly, no less), an album entitled Version, by one Mark Ronson, who I have discovered is some hotshot London dj.

With the help of folks such as Robbie Williams, Kasabian, etc., he's recorded covers of songs by a plethora of artists, including the aforementioned Smiths, Britney Spears, Radiohead, the Charlatans, etc.

Brilliant. Abso-brilliant. Fucking weird, but brilliant. Not everyone is as jazzed about it, but it's amusing the biscuits out of me.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

the newest knitter

Last night, I got to meet Natalie, who was only four days old, and born on her mum's birthday. Congratulations, Heather! Happy birthday to both of you!
Natalie has the most incredible feet - with the longest toes - I've ever seen on any baby. Perhaps she'll use them to hold her knitting needles...

Monday, June 11, 2007

Knitalong sneak preview

More to come soon, but for now, this is my thousand words. Sandi, you are an absolute delight.

Tea Swap - Thanks Dorene!

Dorene sent me a little bit of Southern hospitality from her holiday home in South Carolina. We have virtually identical tastes - both in teas and in colours - so the treats I got were absolutely perfect!
Here we have: loose Darjeeling from the mighty Republic of Tea (love their stuff!), a little candle in a warm-drinky-themed box, some Southern Raspberry Mix, which Tom has already busted into and pronounced perfect in Diet Coke, Nana's Been-a-Nut Bread, and some Indian Breakfast tea, which is a lovely, punchy black blend that me loves. I'll have to see if I can get this again.

I particularly like the recipe on the nut bread bag. An excerpt: Git ya muffin pans out an greez 'em up real good. Set dis aside jus a minute.

Har.

And then there's the yarn - Cherry Tree Hill supersock in a fabbo colourway called Misty Moor.

Thanks so much, Dorene! You did a super job on your first swap - good on ya'!

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

various gallivanty, frolicky stuff

...must...take...photos!

I've finished some things (a vest and more armwarmers), and started some things (multi-yarn knittery knittishness, the first STR sock club pattern, seaming up the first of the sideways socks).

The Knitalong is this weekend! Hooray!

And today I'm having a tiny knitalong with Jacquie, including stops at Lettuce and Dangerous Romni, the Aladdin's cave of yarn. *stuffs wallet into cheek so she can't pull it out*