::cheer me up buttercup::

Yesterday was a tough day for me. I don’t know how to incorporate personal drama into this blog and I’m not sure I even want to. So suffice it to say the boyfriend and I hit a bump in the relationship road and are now working things out but it’s been tough and emotionally draining (I forced myself to act professional and go to work, thus increasing the drain).

Anyway, I thought I’d post about a few things that are cheering me up:

My bon dance scarf dress made by MachineMachine.

These incredible patterns for knitted ice cream. They are the best such patterns I’ve seen yet!

This vintage-inspired Japanese craft book. What? The Japanese are dabbling in vintage? Sign me up!

::it’s too early in the morning::

I woke up at 2 am. Then at 6 am. Then at 8 am. And at some point in there I decided to just finish this top. I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out but suspected it would not be good. Perhaps that’s why I dallied for a week. This is a really simple top that the average seamstress could sew in a matter of hours. I just lost the motivation somewhere along the way.

But I think this came out OK, right? Even kinda cute. Chris was impressed I made it myself. It’s Simplicity 5016. I made view B.

I really like the fabric too–it was a gift from Robbie over at knitxcore. I have a feeling if I put Robbie in charge of art direction and photo shoots for this blog I’d end up with something more like this or like this. Not me, standing in front of a boring old door, still in my pajama pants. Oh well.

::the return of the mustache::

I’m still knitting away on Chris’ mustache-themed scarf. It takes a lot of stockinette to make a scarf long enough for a guy. But I think this guy deserves it. He helped me construct the light box I took this photo in and even remembered to bring some extra lamps from storage because I complained that one lamp wasn’t enough! I’m tentatively hopeful that I can finish this scarf in time for his birthday, which is in August.

On a totally separate note: It’s freaking freezing over here! WTF? Isn’t it May? Last year at this time I swear it was 100 degrees out here in the high desert. If it snows tomorrow in Santa Fe as at least some are forecasting, I will cry.

::hurray for…::

* Eating sushi with friends (and bonus if your sushi chef happens to be from O’ahu and talks to you in pidgen!)

* Signing up for a continuing education course at the university (I never thought I’d see the day I wanted to be back in a classroom…but I’m glad it’s happening)

* Having the day off to meet a friend for brunch and plan an honest-to-goodness real dinner (among other things)

* Heart Handmade a new blog I “discovered” that features interesting interviews and content in an irresistible format (I am officially addicted!)

::the start of a collection?::

One of my co-workers has a collection of typewriters. She lugged one in the trunk of her car for months because it was too heavy for her to carry inside. I think I’m starting a little collection of my own. Fortunately, I had a handy Chris to help me carry the latest addition to said collection inside.

Isn’t she beautiful? Isn’t she lovely? She’s all metal and oh-so-sturdy. She looks barely used and she came with her instruction manual. Oh…and I found her at the thrift store for $29. She was just sitting on the bottom shelf of the electronics section amongst the lamps and TVs and what-nots. I couldn’t even see her because she was in her cute little carrying case. But the moment I spied the case I knew what would be inside. I wasn’t really interested at first because this was the same thrift store that had an old (but admittedly beautiful) Singer for sale for, like, $100 or something. Even though it was missing a needle and the cord was falling apart and there was no instruction manual and the chance that it was in working condition was very slim. But it *looked* pretty and vintage. So that’s what I expected when I went to check out this latest machine: A beautiful but expensive disaster.

I opened the case, checked the bobbin, needle, dogfeeds and electrical cord and thumbed through the instruction manual and eyed the price and that was it. I snatched her up before anyone else had the chance. I mean, $29? That’s not a deal, it’s a steal!

If you’ve been reading this blog long enough and keeping track this makes sewing machine #3 for me. Three! Am I nuts? What the hell do I need three sewing machines for? Chris says I should consider selling one. But I think I’ve formed crazy emotional bonds to all three*. And the pretty green Domestica that his grandma gave us doesn’t even work reliably. I use my trusty little blue Kenmore Ultra Mini the most, even though it’s mostly plastic. It has yet to fail me.

*I blame my grandpa. He could never throw anything away or pass up a deal.

::pink + white= love::

Ta-da!

A close-up of the fabric I used.

I finished a skirt tonight. It’s the Easy Breezy Wrap Skirt from Sew Everything Workshop, a book by Diana Rupp. This is the best sewing book I own, by far. I also have Sew U by Wendy Mullin, and it’s a good one to have as well, but I’ve found more success with Rupp’s book (I also made the Tokyo Tie Bag and boxer shorts from Sew Everything).

Suffice it to say I count this skirt as a sewing success story. It was relatively easy and the finished project is flattering. More flattering than I thought it would be, actually.

Unfortunately the lighting is terrible in my apartment so this is the best I could come up with. I was just eager to post about this. You at least get an idea of how the skirt looks when worn.Maybe I’ll add better shots if I bet pictures during the day.

As you can see, a certain dog made his way into the shot.

::blue, green & brown::

The colors for Project Spectrum April & May reminds me of Hawaii. See what I mean?

(I managed to do everything on my list except vacuum. I’ll post one more time this weekend with something craft-related.)

::to do tomorrow::

* LAUNDRY!

* Vacuum

* Go to the post office

* Do the dishes

* Spend quality time with the dog

* Maybe post with a picture, preferably a FO picture…

::while riding the bus i…::

* Watched another passenger pull out his half-eaten Big Mac and take two bites

* Looked out the window and noticed a graveyard off the side of the highway. I had never noticed it before, and there were cows grazing around the headstones.

* Noticed the man sitting in front of me was reading an illustrated Bible and listening to Whitney Houston (I could hear the song blasting from his cheap earphones).

* Caught a little shut eye

* Read The Creative Family by Amanda Soule and reminisced about my own little kid days. It took me three commutes, but I finished the book. Oh, so satisfying. You don’t have to be a parent to get something out of this book.

ETA: I’m keeping my current job after all. No writing from home for me. Except here on this blog. For the record, I was a finalist for a position, but in the end I didn’t get it. But at least now I can concentrate on where I am and what I have and what I need.

::cuffed::

I have a skein of natural-colored Cotton Fleece and I’m challenging myself find creative ways to use it all up. I used a bit to knit a small swatch for an art project. I used a bunch more as part of an in-progress baby blanket. Now this cuff. Stay tuned for what’s next.