Fireworks and Butterflies

Do you think this will grow? My neighbors planted this in my garden over the weekend. I wasn't thrilled that their fireworks were landing a foot from our house. I am glad that the 4th of July only happens once a year. I don't know if I could handle poorly aimed fireworks being launched by drunk neighbors and/or their kids until midnight more than once a year.

Instead of the typical Minnesota 4th of July activities (firework displays, lakes and cabins), my long weekend was filled with to-do list items. Luckily, they weren't the kind of to-do list items that leave me feeling cheated out of my free time. They were all things I had been needing/wanting to do for a while and finally had the time to take care of. I went clothes shopping, spent hours weeding the garden, fertilized the potted plants, washed and blocked some knits (including the newly finished Daybreak Shawl pictured below), helped my mom with some jewelry repair projects, cooked, cleaned, knitted, hung out with Paul and the pets, etc. It wasn't glamorous, but it was a great weekend.

When I was outside working on a bunch of gardening projects, this very friendly Monarch paid a visit to the flowers in my rain garden.

Since we are now in the month of July, I am due for another State of the Garden Report. I'll be posting those updates this week.

May Day

I am definitely belated putting up this post. I didn't want to let May Day go by without a peep out of me, so it belated it must be. For an explanation of why I love this event, see this post from last year's event. This year's theme was Uproar! Here is the explanation of the theme:

Uproar!

A call to be fully present to the uncertainties of these shifting times

In this Year of the Tiger, we stop to inhale the immense beauty of the world we share.

We exhale into a thunderous UPROAR! an embrace of multitudes joining together with collective strength for the present and future health of this world.

Here are some of my photos from the day (taken from a bit far back in the crowd, but you can click them to see larger versions):

Thanks to Missy and Todd for saving us a spot and enjoying the parade with us.

Moth Hater Sachets

Project 365: Day 317

Tomorrow my lunchtime knitting group is exchanging little gifts in honors of Valentine's Day. I made these sachets and stuffed them with things moths are reputed to dislike. My thought is that these sachets can be put in my fellow knitters' yarn stashes to ward off any potential moth infestations. Just talking about moths gives me the willies.

On a brighter note, Happy Birthday Mom!

Hunt & Gather

January 16, 2010
Project 365: Day 288

I recently drove past a store that caught my eye. I made a mental note to go back and check it out sometime because I was on my way elsewhere and didn't have the time to pull over. Missy recently reminded me of the store and suggested that I might find buttons for my vest there. I went there yesterday. Holy cow! I am completely in love with Hunt & Gather. This store is filled with my favorite aesthetics. So, so, so much chipping paint, rusty metal and aged wood is to be found in this store. I had an awesome time browsing the booths and came away with the buttons I had been looking for and a few other treasures. And, next time I go, I am bringing Paul so we can pick out some things for our house.

Dogs and Calendars

Project 365: Day 270

It is a good thing that dogs can't read calendars. I ordered their Christmas gift on December 20th with an expected delivery date of December 24th (according to Fed-Ex). Thanks to the massive snow storm the package didn't arrive until today. I don't think that Jack and Tchazo will hold it against me.

The dogs have been sharing the same pillow bed for about 6 years now. The cover is removable so it got washed regularly, but the fabric has started to shred and the casing on the inner pillow has disintegrated leaving the polyfil to float around inside. The bed sits right in the middle of the main area of the house and has become a nasty little eye sore. It was definitely time that they got a new bed. I found these dog duvets at molly mutt. I like the concept of stuffing the beds with miscellaneous clothes and blankets that can be washed. I also like that they have nice fabrics to chose from. We went to the pet store to look at new beds for the dogs a while ago and they were more expensive, not made as durably and were a heck of a lot less cute.

Now I just have to round up the stuffing and set this pillow out for the pups. They will be ecstatic, I am sure. Laying on soft things is one of their favorite pasttimes and, from experience I can say that they actually appreciate it when their bedding is freshly washed.

Good Afternoon

As a little afternoon break, I present to you a song and video that makes me smile.



Thanks to Brenda Dayne's Cast On podcast for introducing me to this song.

Happy Winter Solstice!

Project 365: Day 262

I look forward to the return of light that this day symbolizes while also being grateful for how the darkness enhances the feeling of warmth and safety that being in my home brings me.

Marketing

Project 365: Day 257

Well placed marketing (click to make the photo bigger). I spotted this ad in the building I work in on a college campus. That dude looks really delighted with his easy money.

Rusty Stuff

Project 365: Day 251

My mom and I stopped into an antique store on the way to hoopdancing tonight. We once again confirmed that I love the old, rusty, chipped deteriorating stuff and my mom loves the old shiny stuff (glass, gold and copper).

No Coast Craft-O-Rama

Project 365: Day 246

Today was craft central in Minneapolis. As per last year, Jill is my No Coast Craft-O-Rama compatriot. We spent about 4 hours perusing the awesome variety of locally, handmade goods.

Some of my favorites from the day include:

Jenna Lou Designs

I pretty much loved everything at Jenna Lou Designs' booth. Her sewing is impeccable, her designs are useful and fun, her fabric choices are just my taste and her prices are a steal. Need I say more?

Figs & Ginger

Figs & Ginger's jewelry is simultaneously classy and whimsical, simple and playful. I liked a lot of the designs, but my favorites were the ones that included birds, trees and/or deer. In addition to the great designs and craftsmanship, the makers of this jewelry are committed to using recycled materials whenever possible.

Fawn in the Forest Necklace

Elizabeth Hurley Illustrations

Elizabeth Hurley Illustrations are full of childlike and fantastical imagery that is appliqued on to lively background fabrics. None of my favorites from the show were on her Etsy page, but this owl was similar to an owl that I liked at the show. These pictures are stimulating for the imagination and have a lot of tactile appeal. They would be totally at home hanging in a baby's or kid's room.

Julie Meyer

Julie Meyer has a great solution to my disposable sandwich bag guilt. Oil cloth fabric and velcro make these sandwich and snack bags reusable. Hooray!

There were many, many other favorites from the day, but instead of posting them, I am going to take some of the inspiration I've gleaned from seeing all of these awesome creations today to go and spend some time creating some things myself. Happy Crafting!

Wooden DPN Case

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I bought a wooden DPN case when I was at Rhinebeck and it is not a Knitzi. Although the Knitzi is quite beautiful, I am very happy with my new case. This one is handmade by John Douglass of Indiana, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, he has absolutely zero internet presence, so I can't link you to anything. But, because I bought the wrong size and had to make an exchange, I do have their contact information. I contacted Autumn House Fiber Works, the vendor that was selling them at the festival, and they put me in touch with John's wife Delores. Delores and John were kind enough to ship me a new one at no charge. They told me that I could share their phone number with people who may be interested in buying a case. So, if you would like to buy one and don't want to wait until Rhinebeck 2010, feel free to email me. Being that a Knitzi is $40 and I only paid $25 for my case, which I think is equally as functional and beautiful, I am glad that I went with the one I got.

Grandma's Quilt

This photo didn't make the cut for Project 365 on a recent visit to my dad's house because the blackberries overshadowed it.

This is the quilt I sleep under when I stay at my dad's house. My Grandma Shirley (my dad's mom) made it. I remember it being around for as far back as my memory goes so I am guessing it is older than I am. It is made from a colorful mix of 1960s and 1970s fabrics including lots of corduroy and tons of synthetics. The pattern is a simple arrangement of fabric squares with a huge variety of textures. It isn't a quilted quilt, but rather, it is a tied quilt. This is the type of quilt that, when you put it over you, it has real weight to it.

My Grandma Shirley is an accomplished quilter. She makes elaborate applique quilts, ornate quilting stitch patterns and has made many, many challenging quilt patterns. When I visited her, I showed her my photo of the quilt and told her how much I liked it. She remarked that she doesn't make that kind of quilt anymore because it is too boring. She also mentioned that she has promised my sister Jessy a quilt and that Jessy said she wants a quilt like the one in the picture. Grandma said Jessy isn't going to get one like that because it is too boring for her to make.

It struck me how much her reaction to that quilt resembles my reaction to my earlier knitting projects. My skills have advanced to the point where a simple stockinette stitch hat with a rolled brim is boring. I can do much more exciting things! I can make cabled sweaters! I can make lacy socks! Heck, I can even improvise my own pattern when the mood strikes me. So, when I see those garter stitch scarves I used to be so proud of, they seem so simple.

But, somehow I don't go to the same place my grandma does with this "boring" stuff. I am still willing to knit it because sometimes I want something I know I am not likely to mess up. Sometimes I know it is just what the intended recipient wants. Sometimes I want to knit something simple. And, sometimes I want to knit something that will challenge me. Even though we don't totally agree about what to do with the "boring" stuff, it is nice to be interacting with my Grandma on common ground.

10 Honest Things

A long, long time ago, I was tagged by Lauren of LostMitten for this meme. Thanks, Lauren! I am FINALLY getting around to posting it.

There are a few requirements and they are as follows:
- I must thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link it
- I must list 10 honest things about myself
- I must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog.
- I must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers & list their links
- I must notify the bloggers of the award and hopefully they will follow the above requirements.

10 Honest Things About Me
1. I don't enjoy shopping for clothes. Shopping for household stuff is ok. The only shopping I really enjoy is shopping for materials like beads and yarn and shopping at the occasional yard sale or thrift store.

2. Before Paul and I bought our house, we walked our dogs at least twice a day. We said that when we got the house, we would still walk them. We lied. I can count on my fingers the number of walks the dogs have gotten since we moved into the house 4 months ago. They really love the fenced in yard, though!

3. I believe the saying: "If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back."

4. I LOVE the smell of a cat's fur once he/she has been in the fresh air. It is a very distinct smell.

5. I am 30 and I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

6. I can't watch scary movies. They make me feel ill and I carry that feeling around with me long after the movie is over.

7. If I fall asleep with socks on and get overheated while I sleep, I have bad dreams. If I wake up and take my socks off, I can sleep easy again. If I wake up and fall back asleep without taking my socks off, I go right back to the bad dream.

8. I once got a card from my friend Jamie that summed up my clothing choices. It had a quote from Gilda Radner that said, "I base most of my fashion taste on what doesn't itch." Here! Here!

9. I never thought I would settle down where I consider myself to be from, but here I am. And, it isn't so bad! I did have to live in a few other places to figure out that Minneapolis is a pretty cool place with an affordable cost of living.

10. I have been a vegetarian since I was 12 years old and I am pretty sure I will never eat meat again. I don't miss it one bit.

Now it is your turn:
(I'll follow the "notify" rule when I get back in town. For now, I'll just link to you.)
Beth
Jerri
Gretchen
Jamie
Mike
Kala
Amanda
Missy

Project 365: Day 173

New Shoes

I haven't had new shoes in a LONG time. My mom bought these for me as a really early birthday present. I like them because they are comfy and they show off my fancy handknit socks.

If you love Born shoes like I do, you might want to check out the newly opened Nordstrom Rack in Maple Grove. The shelves are stocked with Born shoes. Also, when my mom and I were shoe shopping over the weekend, the lady at the shoe store convinced me to try on some maryjane shoes from Naot. Wow, do they feel good! Does anyone own any of these shoes and want to share their opinions? Since they run around $180 a pair, I wanted to do a little research before buying them.

Project 365: Day 160

Thursday Lunches

It is mighty nice having a standing Thursday lunch date with my friend Sally. Being able to catch up over lunch and being sure that we will see each other at least once a week are both great benefits of our regular lunch date. I really value my friendship with Sally for many reasons, including that she is an intelligent, witty and caring person with whom I always have interesting conversations. Whether you know Sally or not, you may want to check out her great blog called Already Pretty. She is an active blogger with a ton of positive and interesting things to say. And, sometimes she gives away stuff, too!

Weekend Recap

Since I am out of town this weekend and can't post until I get back, I am going to share some things from last weekend so you don't get too bored with my blog.

Last Sunday morning, Sally, Mike, Paul and I all played disc golf together. We played at the 12 hole course at Plymouth Creek Park. It is a really nice course, with a good balance of easy and tricky holes. This was the first time that Sally and Mike have played disc golf. I hope they enjoyed it enough to want to play with us again, because Paul and I had a good time.

While we were there, we saw this mammoth dragonfly. It nearly lost a battle with a bee, so while it was recovering, it held still long enough for me to take a photo.

I have been busy trying my best to preserve a bunch of produce my dad gave me recently before it is past its prime. It is a lot of pressure to have so much produce that you have to deal with immediately. All of the information I read about freezing, drying and canning all stress that you have to process things immediately after they are picked or else it won't taste good. I made dill refrigerator pickles, sundried tomatoes and dried peppers. I love the aesthetic of stuff in mason jars.

Words of wisdom from a church in my neighborhood.

Project 365: Day 145

Train to Canada

I should go there sometime. I hear it is quite nice.

Camp Needlepoint

At first glance, I totally thought this ad was for a needle-working camp for kids! You can tell where my mind is, huh?!

Tidbits

I have had so many instances in the past week or so where I have thought "I should put this on the blog." And then, I didn't take the photo I meant to or I finished whatever it was I was doing and was too tired to write about it. So, the blog is terribly neglected because of it. I am already feeling as if I am juggling enough at the moment, so I think you might see fewer posts from me in the near future. For now, though, here are a few tidbits from the recent past:

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I was walking the dogs and I passed a teen-aged boy on the sidewalk.

He asked me, "What kind of dog is that you have there. That little one."

To which I replied, "He's a mutt."

Laughing, the obviously multi-racial teenager said "Same here!"
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As we were packing up our stuff to leave the last session of our homebuyer workshop, one of our fellow classmates went up to the instructor and had the following exchange:

Classmate: "So, what do I owe you for the workshop?"
Instructor: "$35"
Classmate: "Do you accept money orders?"
Instructor: "You just happen to have a money order on you?"
Classmate: "Yeah. I have to put my money into a money order so I don't blow it all at the bar."

Ummm...signs point to this person not being quite ready for home ownership.
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Daffodils

Yay for spring-like weather! Yay for lighter coats! Yay for more sunlight!