Woolarina
Saturday, July 26, 2008
kits!
I made a bunch of kits for Crafty Bastards Silver Spring, and am finally photographing them..
Some are up on my etsy shop!
Felt catnip toy kits are on woolarina
And these support the Craft Mutiny!
Pin kit from Tina Seamonster:
Dabbler Zine #1, focusing on the amazing world of bottle caps - collectors, crafters, projects YOU can do!
Some are up on my etsy shop!
Felt catnip toy kits are on woolarina
And these support the Craft Mutiny!
Pin kit from Tina Seamonster:
Dabbler Zine #1, focusing on the amazing world of bottle caps - collectors, crafters, projects YOU can do!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
tired of the green veggies, already!
There are still the remnants of a dozen cucumbers and several zucchini in my fridge, despite eating and eating them.. and a tub of frozen blackberries that didn't thaw in time to make it into jelly and jam last weekend. Let's just say that I do not need to get to the farmers market in a while.
The watermelons are growing wild, including one that is hanging down from a fence! (um? what do I do here? stick a box under it?!) The zucchinis are coming quick, and there are tons and tons of peppers - just waiting for them to change color!
My favorite guy at the moment in the garden is this - summer squash. This picture has a little tiny baby squash! :) or look here.
My husband is already rolling his eyes at the veggie eating happening around here.. will have to start giving it away, or hiding it better in food! :)
one yummy thing from this week: cucumber salad! Basically, vinegar and sugar and some spices and onion (added later). YUM!
Next time - knitting! I have been inspired by all the green I suppose, and am finally working on finishing up my linen (ick!) shell border t-shirt kit I got at stitches two years ago. man it hurts my fingers, but I am past the sleeves and just have the raglan top to do! This would be great to wear in the summer heat, so maybe by the end of the month I'll have it done?
The watermelons are growing wild, including one that is hanging down from a fence! (um? what do I do here? stick a box under it?!) The zucchinis are coming quick, and there are tons and tons of peppers - just waiting for them to change color!
My favorite guy at the moment in the garden is this - summer squash. This picture has a little tiny baby squash! :) or look here.
My husband is already rolling his eyes at the veggie eating happening around here.. will have to start giving it away, or hiding it better in food! :)
one yummy thing from this week: cucumber salad! Basically, vinegar and sugar and some spices and onion (added later). YUM!
Next time - knitting! I have been inspired by all the green I suppose, and am finally working on finishing up my linen (ick!) shell border t-shirt kit I got at stitches two years ago. man it hurts my fingers, but I am past the sleeves and just have the raglan top to do! This would be great to wear in the summer heat, so maybe by the end of the month I'll have it done?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
DC spinning?
Any local spinners out there? It looks like there will be a spinning group on Saturday.. Details here!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
gardening fun
The produce is starting to pour in - sort of lopsidedly, unfortunately! I'm swimming in cucumbers, which is lovely, but wow - after the 8th one, I'm hoping they save some for later in the summer!
The peppers are also out in full force, though none have turned red/yellow/orange as they should. Yet. There are nearly a dozen each on two of my plants, so hopefully they will color before I have to pluck em! Some of them started getting soft bruised spots so I pulled them off before they were ruined.
The onions are starting to fall over so I've had little onion-lets. Some were planted rather late spring, so not a lot of growth. I will have to plan better next year. I tried to alternate where my plants were planted (like, not all zucchinis in one spot, tomatoes interspersed with onions, etc.) to try and fool the critters that tend to eat the plants, and it seems to be working ok. I will do this better next year though!
Garlics are also getting pulled as they fade. They are all tiny, but still pretty fragrant. Yum.. I am going to eat a few but save most of them to replant once it's cooler again. They are really an over-winter crop so next summer I'll be rolling in garlic! :P
Oh! And I got.... a bean! A single solitary bean from one of my midget bean plants (they were decimated numerous times by groundhogs and deer, poor things)...
The peppers are also out in full force, though none have turned red/yellow/orange as they should. Yet. There are nearly a dozen each on two of my plants, so hopefully they will color before I have to pluck em! Some of them started getting soft bruised spots so I pulled them off before they were ruined.
The onions are starting to fall over so I've had little onion-lets. Some were planted rather late spring, so not a lot of growth. I will have to plan better next year. I tried to alternate where my plants were planted (like, not all zucchinis in one spot, tomatoes interspersed with onions, etc.) to try and fool the critters that tend to eat the plants, and it seems to be working ok. I will do this better next year though!
Garlics are also getting pulled as they fade. They are all tiny, but still pretty fragrant. Yum.. I am going to eat a few but save most of them to replant once it's cooler again. They are really an over-winter crop so next summer I'll be rolling in garlic! :P
Oh! And I got.... a bean! A single solitary bean from one of my midget bean plants (they were decimated numerous times by groundhogs and deer, poor things)...
woolarina sale!
I've actually had this yarn laying around waiting to be rewound for quite some time. Lazy busy girl I am!
It's great stuff - a definite fave - Louet! Sport and Fingering weight to go along with the bulky weight that is already in the shop. It's all superwash. Great for socks or shawls or kid sweaters!
Louet has raised prices for the second time this year, and I'm afraid it's getting on the high end of what I can afford (I already can't afford to wholesale louet!!). So I am thinking I'll move away from it and see if some of the other yarns out there are suitable. What does this mean for you?? $2 off all Louet in the shop! That's skinny merino, speedy sock, and heavyweight.
My favorites of the batch are these two!
It's great stuff - a definite fave - Louet! Sport and Fingering weight to go along with the bulky weight that is already in the shop. It's all superwash. Great for socks or shawls or kid sweaters!
Louet has raised prices for the second time this year, and I'm afraid it's getting on the high end of what I can afford (I already can't afford to wholesale louet!!). So I am thinking I'll move away from it and see if some of the other yarns out there are suitable. What does this mean for you?? $2 off all Louet in the shop! That's skinny merino, speedy sock, and heavyweight.
My favorites of the batch are these two!
Monday, July 14, 2008
inflating cucumbers and deliciousness
That's really the only way to describe them. They appeared since Friday, it seems. It looks like someone blew them up like a balloon. Seriously, Friday they were like half a centimeter wide by 2-3 inches! Hm. There are quite a few of them, so I see some cucumber salad in the future! I wonder how you know if they are ripe? Anyhow, they are on the bottom right here:
Top left are cherry tomatoes, still more popping out. Then my sad looking beans blooming - perhaps there will be a bean or two to eat? Then some bigger tomatoes on the bottom left. I also had a whole bunch of plum-looking tomatoes coming out. Can't wait for them to get bigger and redden!!
the great thing about today was that I took the time (and a bag!) to get over to some of the blackberry bushes near the garden. Man oh man! Perfect timing! I got a bunch, then went to check out bushes on the other side of the gardens, and found even more... I need to go back with a big bowl I think! :)
No pictures yet, but last week I also got a bunch of garlic out of the ground, and my first onion that had fallen over, poor thing. They all smell and look delicious, though the garlic didn't have long enough to form a head of cloves. I'll eat some of it, but am saving most of it to stick back in the ground this fall. It will be nice big garlics next year at this time!
Golly, listen to me all excited about nature! I always dreaded going outdoors when I was younger, or even to see my dad's garden. Loved the produce, hated the itchy grass, mosquitoes, ticks! Bleah. Guess I am willing to go to lengths to have it though! Including scooping a tick out of my car today. EW! At least it wasn't on me!
I should be preparing crafty stuff for Crafty Bastards applications, but it seems so soon already! There has been no break this year - there's always something more to do. sigh.. Am off to find yarn to photograph and think up rad things to sell. (and maybe a blackberry recipe or two!)
Top left are cherry tomatoes, still more popping out. Then my sad looking beans blooming - perhaps there will be a bean or two to eat? Then some bigger tomatoes on the bottom left. I also had a whole bunch of plum-looking tomatoes coming out. Can't wait for them to get bigger and redden!!
the great thing about today was that I took the time (and a bag!) to get over to some of the blackberry bushes near the garden. Man oh man! Perfect timing! I got a bunch, then went to check out bushes on the other side of the gardens, and found even more... I need to go back with a big bowl I think! :)
No pictures yet, but last week I also got a bunch of garlic out of the ground, and my first onion that had fallen over, poor thing. They all smell and look delicious, though the garlic didn't have long enough to form a head of cloves. I'll eat some of it, but am saving most of it to stick back in the ground this fall. It will be nice big garlics next year at this time!
Golly, listen to me all excited about nature! I always dreaded going outdoors when I was younger, or even to see my dad's garden. Loved the produce, hated the itchy grass, mosquitoes, ticks! Bleah. Guess I am willing to go to lengths to have it though! Including scooping a tick out of my car today. EW! At least it wasn't on me!
I should be preparing crafty stuff for Crafty Bastards applications, but it seems so soon already! There has been no break this year - there's always something more to do. sigh.. Am off to find yarn to photograph and think up rad things to sell. (and maybe a blackberry recipe or two!)
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
gardening still going strong!
My super gardener garden neighbor came back from a few weeks away on vacation and told me my garden looks great! Geez I hope so - I have spent hours and hours pulling weeds and deterring animals and replanting (and replanting again) the darn zucchini.
In the upper left are my newest tomatoes - from a plant I got at kmart of all places, in the midst of the groundhog tomato/zucchini feast when I thought the others might not make it much longer! Then teeny little cukes on the right, that now live within a fence trying to keep the deer out. My first peppers on the bottom left, and an onion on the right! I can't wait for the onion! Or the tomatoes!! The plants are blooming like mad now, so hopefully soon! They are finally filling up their cages!
We've already had two meals of basil - once on a nice crisp pizza crust and last night pesto! WOW... why haven't I made pesto before? It is delicious!
The watermelons are the only plant besides garlic and onions I can leave unsupervised - and it is moving to take over the garden!! Some of my squash/zucchinis are in the back within a fence.. I can't bear to lose them again!
Though it's tons of work, I am so glad to have started gardening! It's still proving to be a workout, in addition to the 3/4 mile walk from my office! Sure, it's a drag staying even later at work, but it's so nice to go out there and accomplish something, even if it's just decimating all those weeds! ;) Ask me again when the rains stop coming and I'll have to haul water a mile up a sketchy road, or from a sketchy swamp in a bucket! For now, it's great though!!
bigger photos on flickr.
In the upper left are my newest tomatoes - from a plant I got at kmart of all places, in the midst of the groundhog tomato/zucchini feast when I thought the others might not make it much longer! Then teeny little cukes on the right, that now live within a fence trying to keep the deer out. My first peppers on the bottom left, and an onion on the right! I can't wait for the onion! Or the tomatoes!! The plants are blooming like mad now, so hopefully soon! They are finally filling up their cages!
We've already had two meals of basil - once on a nice crisp pizza crust and last night pesto! WOW... why haven't I made pesto before? It is delicious!
The watermelons are the only plant besides garlic and onions I can leave unsupervised - and it is moving to take over the garden!! Some of my squash/zucchinis are in the back within a fence.. I can't bear to lose them again!
Though it's tons of work, I am so glad to have started gardening! It's still proving to be a workout, in addition to the 3/4 mile walk from my office! Sure, it's a drag staying even later at work, but it's so nice to go out there and accomplish something, even if it's just decimating all those weeds! ;) Ask me again when the rains stop coming and I'll have to haul water a mile up a sketchy road, or from a sketchy swamp in a bucket! For now, it's great though!!
bigger photos on flickr.
happy birthday fireworks!
so going to New York was the best birthday ever! We went up friday and got a sweet hotel deal at a fancy pants hotel! Times Square!
We wandered and wandered and wandered some more... there were new shoes, there was yarn and yarn, and food and drinks. Fireworks on the East River in triplicate (from three barges). A show!
Mostly, it was the best birthday ever! Yay for thirty!
now my legs are still achey and I am still recovering from an awful cold I had the whole time. :( cough cough. I hope my thirties are healthier than this! ;)
We wandered and wandered and wandered some more... there were new shoes, there was yarn and yarn, and food and drinks. Fireworks on the East River in triplicate (from three barges). A show!
Mostly, it was the best birthday ever! Yay for thirty!
now my legs are still achey and I am still recovering from an awful cold I had the whole time. :( cough cough. I hope my thirties are healthier than this! ;)
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
crafty rocked!
As usual! I was so happy to do my yarny thing in Silver Spring this time! My hometown! YAY! The yarning went amazing well - knitters are a crazy crazy bunch, picking up all these yarns and fibers in the 95+ degree weather! Thanks to everyone who came out! I saw a lot of old customers and a bunch of newer people!
The craft Mutiny Craft Supply Swap went well too! We even had a bunch of craft demos that went way better than I imagined! Crochet, Knitting, Gocco, Monster Head Making, and decorating a fridge door! I think we'll have to do this again for the fall crafty!
Now I am recovering from a sinus infection. Bleah. I really really need to go to work today though, (and more importantly, to get my pedicure tonight!) so I will try... wish I was still in bed though!
I'll try to round up some photos later!!
The craft Mutiny Craft Supply Swap went well too! We even had a bunch of craft demos that went way better than I imagined! Crochet, Knitting, Gocco, Monster Head Making, and decorating a fridge door! I think we'll have to do this again for the fall crafty!
Now I am recovering from a sinus infection. Bleah. I really really need to go to work today though, (and more importantly, to get my pedicure tonight!) so I will try... wish I was still in bed though!
I'll try to round up some photos later!!
