WineGrrl

Wordless Wednesday...

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

A Look I like

2012-01-18T21:05:00.001-08:00

A Look I like by winegrrl featuring side zip boots

Michael Stars short sleeve tee
$65 - stylebop.com

Current/Elliott highwaisted pants
$218 - amrag.com

Isabel Marant side zip boots
$580 - lagarconne.com

Jigsaw vintage leather tote
£189 - jigsaw-online.com

On Pandora and revisiting 1980's music.

2011-11-12T15:56:00.001-08:00

Time to start blogging again....after an embarrassingly long absence.

On the recommendation of a young friend, I subscribed to Pandora. She said something like "what have you got to lose Andree, it's freeeeeeee!" The "freeeeeee" part became a non-issue, as I decided to pay for a subscription to get rid of the annoying ads.

Yes, I was sucked in. I thought ITunes was addictive...If ITunes is chocolate, then Pandora is 99% cacao. I also subscribe to Sirius XM (XM Sirius???), but that is for the car. Commercial radio in Los Angeles has steadily declined since the early 1990s, so this is a necessary evil, IMHO.

As a consequence, I have revisited a lot of the music I enjoyed during the 1980s.

The music tends to fall into three categories:

1. I can't believe I liked that; or, What the HELL was I thinking!? Certain, for want of a better term, "novelty" groups or "one-hit wonders" tend to fall into this category...but there are others that are a surprise, considering their popularity with my peers.
2. I can't believe I didn't like that;
3. I still like that!

I don't really want to name any names, for fear of offending someone who was a big fan of certain musical acts. You never know who likes what these days.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-08-02T03:44:00.000-07:00

Guess what? LOL!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T14:32:00.001-07:00

Market Day in Arles, 2011

Wordless Wednesday....or Mercredi sans paroles!

2011-07-13T16:06:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-04-13T22:06:00.000-07:00

Soy Sauce Egg...Mitsuwa Marketplace Food Court, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

2011-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

LACMA Netsuke Collection, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr./Ms. Spammer...

2011-03-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr./Ms. Spammer,

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I greatly appreciate your taking the time out of your busy day to read my aimless musings on hair, travel, crafting, and food.

I am quite amused at your, for want of a better term, interesting comments on my postings. It is quite flattering that you are so interested in Christmas 2008, my trip to London and my Hair Haiku, even though these posts are so old I actually forgot about them.

Unfortunately, I moderate all of the comments on all of my blogs. So if you're on a hijacking mission, kindly take your sock-puppetry elsewhere.

I hope you have a nice day.

Sincerely,

Winegrrl.

Wordless Wednesday...

2011-03-09T14:47:00.001-08:00

I'm alive...well sort of...

2011-03-01T09:50:00.000-08:00

I've been neglecting all of you, poor blog and my seven readers...

Since, to my surprise, people actually read this blog from time to time, I've decided to start doing a bit of posting again.

I also have started a food blog; my first post is here.

Nothing much, just a few posts a week, but it is a New Year (well, sort of), and it's never too late to try again...

Blogoversary...

2009-09-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

Today is the blog's anniversary.

Real life has interfered with blogging. I will try to make an "update" post later.

Not a good idea...

2009-07-05T14:07:00.000-07:00

In my somewhat humble opinion....

It is NOT a good idea to park illegally if you have a cute little Sims car complete with its own Plumb Bob in the most highly visible, police-heavy part of a city.

La Tour Eiffel

2009-06-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

Whew!

2009-06-19T22:46:00.000-07:00

After a rather stressful 48 hours....I made it...to London.

My hotel is near Trafalgar Square. Since I have never been to this part of the city, I decided to venture down there and take some photos.

Being a paragon of organization (ha!), I discovered that my camera had no SD card. Since it has no internal memory, I had to resort to using my camera phone, a Nokia E63.

This place was across from my hotel...pubs are smoky, so I didn't go in.

Trafalgar Square seems to be very popular, with lots of people milling about and quite a few street performers.....people kept trying to climb on the lions. Some of them looked old enough to know better...

The column is TALL. Even though some of the surrounding buildings are pretty large, they do not take away from the column dominating the square. In the background is the very top of the London Eye.

Since the National Gallery was open late, I decided to pay a visit. It is big, but smaller than the Louvre and much less stressful than the Uffizi. One visit would not do it justice at all; since it has free admission, I will be back! Unfortunately, photography was not allowed....disappointing, but understandable....

Among other things, they have a great gallery of Impressionist works. The Van Gogh "Sunflowers" painting stood out...it is much prettier in person. I also liked the Canaletto paintings of Venice....

Fake Tilt Shift Photography

2009-04-30T12:17:00.000-07:00

Inspired by what I saw at Elemmaciltur's Blog, I have been experimenting with fake tilt shift photography. His examples are beautiful--but then he is a much better photographer than I am.

Real tilt shift photography requires a special lens...I am not at that point and I doubt I shall be at that point anytime in the near future..

Basically it is a way to manipulate a photograph so that it appears to be a miniature. You can use Photoshop or Tiltshiftmaker. Since I have not quite mastered Photoshop (I've barely figured out Elements), I used the Tiltshiftmaker website.

Some of my experiments are more successful than others, as seen in this slide show:

Word Cloud 2009

2009-02-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be interesting to revisit the word cloud....

Can you do this?

2009-02-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

Milan is five....I still can't do this!

Free Database Access

2009-02-03T13:44:00.000-08:00

From Essential Presence:

Oxford University Press, in celebration of Black History Month, is providing free access to their African American Studies database for the month of February.

Users can access the site, oxfordaasc.com/public, with the username "barackobama" and president" as the password.

Think of it as saving about $18 a month.....or plane fare and hotel to use this wonderful place.

For more information, check out the Columbia Missourian.

NaBloPoMo - What I've Learned

2009-01-31T23:36:00.000-08:00

Blogging every day (well, ALMOST every day) is not so bad with a little pre-planning. Fortunately, a lot of interesting things happened this month, which made it somewhat easier than December!

When all else fails, post a video. YouTube rules!

Hot Toddies are great cold busters, but leave you terribly thirsty afterwards.

Apparently, people do read this blog. I should try to make it more interesting....

Well, this brings me to the end of NaBloPoMo. It was a great ride!

Toddy #3

2009-01-30T22:01:00.000-08:00

Toddy #3 contained Frangelico.

It was smooth and nutty with a pleasant, lemony aftertaste.

Toddy Testing

2009-01-29T22:09:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to treat this bug, I have been experimenting with hot toddy drinks.

Toddy #1 was the traditional toddy: brandy, honey, and lemon. I added hot water, and took a sip. It was very, um, medicinal. I am not a fan of brandy, which explains my basic lack of enthusiasm. It did, however, do what it was supposed to do. I just disliked the flavor.

Toddy #2 was a limoncello toddy. I made my own limoncello some time ago using a recipe I found here to replicate a lovely version I had in Italy. I found it a bit more pleasant than the traditional toddy...I did like the lemon flavor, so it went down a bit easier...

I'd like to try Tamagozake (technically not a toddy, more like an eggnog-type beverage) next; unfortunately, we are out of eggs!

Cold Remedies

2009-01-28T22:17:00.001-08:00

Would anyone like to share cold remedies?

I like the Dr. Weil ginger chili tea, but can do without all that garlic. I can't really taste it anyway.

Saturday Fun, Interrupted

2009-01-27T23:02:00.000-08:00

I had a great Saturday....until the general fatigue I felt in Korean class turned into a full-fledged cold. Because of a fear of germ spreading, I missed the Lunar New Year party given by my Korean teacher, as well as a Chinese Dumpling outing on Monday evening!

In the morning I visited the Getty Museum as the first part of a lecture by Maite Gomez Rejon on "Art and Gastronomy in Renaissance and Baroque Italy." Maite has a BFA, an MFA, and a Grande Diplome from the French Culinary Institute in New York. Through ArtBites, she gives lectures on art history and food paired with hands-on cooking lessons.

At the Getty, we looked at various paintings and discussed the significance of food in daily life during that particular period for about an hour....I could have stayed there all day, but then I would have missed the cooking class and luncheon at the Italian Cultural Institute.

The Menu

Watercress and Arugula Salad tossed with a lemon and olive oil vinaigrette topped with toasted walnuts

Prosciutto and Melon with Balsamic Honey

St. Peter's Fish with Fresh Herbs

Tagliatelle with Bolognese Meat Sauce--this was fascinating. We prepared it in a pre-1500s style, which meant NO TOMATOES. It was really odd because I always expect tomatoes with my Bolognese sauce. Apparently in those days tomatoes were considered a Spanish conspiracy to poison the Italians.

Sour Cherry Crostata

I have pictures on Flickr, if you are interested.

My Secret is Out

2009-01-26T12:40:00.001-08:00

I can't hide anymore....I have to come out.

I am an alien (according to this list, LOL)!

10 SIGNS YOUR CO-WORKER IS AN ALIEN | Weekly World News

Posted using ShareThis

A Bit Much

2009-01-25T12:47:00.000-08:00

I love my cat.

Nevertheless, this is a bit much. Besides, my cat is a DSH and does not produce enough hair!

Fun!

2009-01-24T22:46:00.001-08:00

I am having a lot of fun this weekend....well, it fits MY definition of fun!

More on this later...

Hangul Blues...

2009-01-23T22:25:00.000-08:00

I've decided to learn Korean.

My goal is to learn enough of the language to read menus and order properly in a restaurant.

Unfortunately, learning the Hangul is killing me.

This is going to take more time than I originally thought.

Oh well....

Project Malaise...

2009-01-21T23:43:00.000-08:00

I have so many WIPs, I am afraid to blog about them.

I've been working on a few for so long that weird things are beginning to happen.

For example....

I am working on two Log Cabins.

One of them is in white and a couple of shades of pink....the other is in various shades of blue.

The cotton one can be put down for a while because bugs will pass it by.

The blue one had to be partially frogged because evil MOTHS decided to chew on a panel.*

I am not a bug fan, and this doesn't help in my quest to love all the planet's creatures.

By the time I finish these, I think both of these kids will be in Law School or something!

Urgh.

*Yes, I know it is actually the larvae.

Happy Dance Time!

2009-01-20T08:24:00.000-08:00

It's OVAH!!

11 more hours...

2009-01-19T21:58:00.000-08:00

...to a new day.

Monster Mashup

2009-01-18T14:05:00.000-08:00

... hommage to all those campy horror movies that used to come on Saturday afternoons in the days before the dread infomercial!

Happy Birthday Natalie!

2009-01-17T12:11:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to Natalie, aka Woolanthropy!

Random Stuff

2009-01-15T23:22:00.000-08:00

I love to listen to Evan Kleiman's podcast, Good Food, on KCRW. I always learn something new about food and what she refers to as "the politics of consumption." Listening to the show has definitely had an influence on my eating habits....for the better, I think.

---

I "discovered" a new dealer, oops, a new place to buy yarn. It's called Shivaya Naturals. I found it on Ravelry in order to find another yarn to use for Spiraluscious. The Sundara I originally chose is a great yarn to work with; unfortunately, it's not for this particular project. I purchased two skeins, a Silky Cashmere Lace, and a Silky Merino. I'll keep everyone posted on how my search for the perfect yarn goes, LOL!

---

I would love to blog about work, but I don't need to be "dooced" at this point in my life. The original "doocee" seems to be doing rather well for herself; I, on the other hand, do not want to press my luck!

---

Bye for now!

200 Westerns

2009-01-14T17:45:00.000-08:00

A member of the LA Stitch & Bitch, Annika, and her husband, Will, are going to blog about their latest adventure.

They have a set of 100 Cowboy Classics and 100 Western Classics.

On the blog 200 Westerns, they are going to review every movie in both sets!

I wonder if they are going to watch a movie per day....

I am going to follow their adventure and see where they end up....no word on what their son Sam (one of my favorite kids, which is amusing considering how I feel about kids) will be doing, LOL!

Bulgarian Supper

2009-01-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, I enjoyed a great lesson in Bulgarian cuisine. Claire was our teacher, and I got to enjoy a delicious meal afterwards.

As we enjoyed a blackcurrant mocktail, Claire told us a bit about herself and her home country where her grandmother taught her how to cook traditional dishes. It was interesting to learn that in her community, more often than not people cook from scratch. There is no Bulgarian community to speak of in Los Angeles, so she does most of her grocery shopping at an Armenian grocery store. I've seen a few Bulgarian products in the grocery store; now I have some idea of what to do with them.

These are the dishes we learned to prepare.

Banitza: phyllo dough layered with feta cheese and egg mixture and baked. I could see this as a great brunch item. Claire actually made these at home, but she explained the process to us quite well.

Shopska salad: Tomato, bell peppers, cucumber salad topped with feta cheese and dill. This was before we added the feta and dill. It was dressed very simply, with olive oil, salt and apple vinegar (which I had no idea existed). It was one of the best salads I've had in a while...and I eat a LOT of salads!

Kyopolu: Roasted eggplant and roasted peppers with garlic and parsley. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of this. It was a spread served with flat bread. I only got a photo of the roasted eggplants.

Moussaka: layers of sliced potatoes and ground beef, baked. I didn't get a picture of this either...it was like lasagna but using potatoes and Béchamel sauce instead of pasta and tomato sauce. It was tasty in a rich, hearty way. It would be a great cold weather dish.

Palneni chushki: Peppers stuffed with rice and ground beef, and topped with garlic dill yogurt mixture. Claire also made a vegetarian version, minus the beef. Yum!

I can't wait to try these dishes at home!

Bulgarian Food

2009-01-12T23:58:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, I learned about Bulgarian cuisine.

This explains yesterday's enigmatic photo.

Hopefully, I will give a longer post! Soon!

Sunday Fun

2009-01-11T23:56:00.000-08:00

For some reason....

2009-01-10T21:10:00.000-08:00

I was in the mood to hear this song.

It has absolutely nothing to do with fiber; I just wanted to hear it!

Besides, I think I wore one of those outfits back in college; I'm not telling anyone which one, though!

P.S. Prince is back. It is just a page, but it plays music.

From CreoleinDc....

2009-01-08T22:35:00.000-08:00

I try to visit CreoleinDC's blog at least once a day. She always has fascinating things to say, and I learn some new things when I read it.

Today, she posted this great video of Elmo with one of my favorite musicians. I am a fan of Norah Jones; she is a great all-around performer....too bad I'm not home to watch Sesame Street, LOL!

Around 1:50 or so, she mentions one of my favorite things....aside from yodeling, which I always wanted to try!

Supercrafty Sale...or SEX*

2009-01-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

*Stash
Enhancement
EXpedition

It's sale time at Supercrafty....a really BIG sale!

She has a huge amount of crafty stuff on sale at her online store....

I have my eye on some things.....You know you want to look!

Hair Haiku

2009-01-06T23:59:00.000-08:00

Take out braids.
Hair curly.
Ouch.

Yarnamaina

2009-01-05T22:57:00.000-08:00

I finished spinning the fiber from 4torpedoes...I am smugly pleased with the final outcome!

In addition, look what the mailman brought....the latest from Hello Yarn:

It's superwash Blue-Faced Leicester....and the color is great!

Fruits of my Labour

2009-01-04T23:55:00.000-08:00

The other day, I picked these...

...squeezed them, and this was the result!

All those poor calamansi fruits had to die to make one cup of juice.

What can I say, I need the Vitamin C!

Something New....

2009-01-03T21:17:00.000-08:00

This does not mean I am dating Simon Baker.

I would like to try some new knitting techniques.

Steeks--I hate the idea of cutting anything I knit, but this seems worth a try. I read about Rosi G.'s experience on her blog, and it didn't seem as bad as I thought. Check out the video; it's pretty funny! Her friends are in the background, encouraging her as she cuts. Oy!

In the end it was worth it; the finished product turned out beautifully! Go Rosi!

Speed Knitting--At the Knitpicks community website, there are some really nice tutorials on knitting....I came across a technique that looks interesting.

I'll give it a try...my, but she is FAST. With all the WIPs I have, this could be useful.

Goals

2009-01-02T13:09:00.000-08:00

I prefer not to make resolutions because I am not particularly good at keeping them. Consequently, my only New Year's resolution for the past few years has been not to have any.

Calling them goals, IMO, is a bit more productive. That way, they can hopefully extend into the future.

1. I hope to actually finish some WIPs before I start any new projects!

2. I'd like to start some modest physical activity. Mind you, I'm not talking marathons here; I'd just like to move around a bit more.

3. I'd like to do more cooking.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

Winegrrl wishes everyone a Happy New Year and a fabulous, prosperous 2009!

January's Theme...

2008-12-29T23:40:00.000-08:00

...is CHANGE.

I have no idea if I am going to continue with the NaBloPoMo in January.

I find myself scrounging for halfway decent things to blog about, crafty or otherwise. Some people find interesting things to write about at least once a day; I don't seem to be one of those people, for better or worse.

I've taken a bit of a break from the Victoria because I overdid it and aggravated an old war (as in Elementary School) injury. It was kind of a drag, having to hobble about during the holidays.

The ankle is healing itself, fortunately; however, I won't be running marathons anytime in the near future, LOL!

Thanks...

2008-12-28T23:38:00.000-08:00

...to Robert Graham; he gave us so much beauty!

http://www.robertgraham-artist.com/

Thanks for Claymation!

2008-12-27T22:10:00.000-08:00

I found this at Auntie Ann Knits! Yes, I'm a day or two late, but it is too fun!

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-25T00:30:00.000-08:00

Have a great day!

Thanks for looking at my handspun!

2008-12-24T22:03:00.000-08:00

Hello Yarn's Baked Alaska...

...Autumn Fire from Mambocat

Orange Louet Corriedale, also from Hello Yarn

From 4 Torpedoes: Jazz Hands!

Thanks to the Gadget Hand....

2008-12-22T22:58:00.001-08:00

...and a part ordered from this place...

The wheel works again!

I also received my Woolee Winder today...they ship FAST. I will try to blog about it in the next few days...

Thanks for Ravelry!

2008-12-21T22:56:00.000-08:00

I am on Ravelry as Winegrrl....yes, I am SO original! Feel free to add me to your friend list; or not, as the case may be!

Some people document their entire fiber-related life on there. I am NOT one of those people.

I have yet to put my stash on there. You'd be shocked....shocked because I have more yarn than anyone on the planet.

Mostly, I use it to communicate with other fiber obsessed people and to find out about certain patterns and yarns....I am way too lazy to really use all of the tools on the site.

Thanks for Japanese Breakfast!

2008-12-20T21:58:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity today (Saturday) to have breakfast, Japanese-Style at Fukagawa in Gardena, CA.

The basic meal consisted of rice, miso soup, a protein choice (chicken, three types of fish, or beef) with a side of grated daikon radish, nori (seaweed), pickles, tofu, and an egg prepared several different ways. My egg was over easy, and I had some Spanish mackerel.

Eating fish with chopsticks was a bit of a challenge; eating with anything with chopsticks is generally a challenge, anyway! I had never had that type of mackerel...it had an oily flavor with a good mouth feel. Let's face it, fat makes food taste good! I could do without the bones, though....

In addition, I had the opportunity to eat natto . Every culture seems to have a food that repulses and confuses outsiders....IMO natto is that food in Japan. It was served with hot mustard and green onion and topped with a raw egg.

It was an interesting culinary experience. Natto is a fermented dish, which results in a rather powerful odor (similar to certain French cheeses) and a rather odd, stringy texture. I found the taste rather nutty, sort of like crunchy peanut butter.

I found myself adjusting the flavor with soy sauce. I finally added it all to the rice and gave it a good stir with my chopsticks. I don't know if this would be considered culturally correct in Japan (or Japanese circles), but I liked it very much this way.

I really liked the end result; however, I would have liked extra dishes of mustard and green onion because I felt that this would have enhanced the flavor even further.

I have a soy intolerance which makes me steer clear of soy foods; however, the natto didn't bother me at all. I think it was the fermentation process.....but then, I love to eat stinky cheeses and kimchi (not at the same time)!

I'd love to go back for dinner....maybe someday, LOL!

Thanks for....

2008-12-18T22:41:00.000-08:00

My favorite perpetual calendar!

To be perfectly honest, I misplaced the other one, so at the moment it is my ONLY perpetual calendar!

Seriously, I love seeing the stich for the day...even though I don't intend to try it. I don't intend to design anything, but it is nice to have a creative thought or two at times!

Thanks...for Louet Victoria!

2008-12-17T23:31:00.000-08:00

I'd like to thank my wheel, the trusty Louet Victoria.

I finally got the feel of the wheel! Unfortunately, my scotch tension cord snapped...which puts my poor little wheel out of commission until I receive the new one....the cord, I mean. Another wheel is not in my near future budget-wise, so a repair will have to do!

Sigh....the good news is that I was able to spin some of the fiber I purchased at Mambocat's.

The cake on the left is the Mambocat fiber. On the right is some Corriedale in burnt orange. The colors are much deeper than what you see in the photograph. Eventually, I'll knit something with all this fiber I've spun. Ha Ha Ha!

Thanks for Hasselbeck...

2008-12-16T23:31:00.000-08:00

..for reminding me that her picture is probably in the dictionary under "spoiled."

Elisabeth Hasselbeck "Miffed" At President Bush, Gets White House Apology.

Tomorrow, I will actually blog about fiber crafting, lol!

Thanks for...upside down trees??

2008-12-14T22:46:00.001-08:00

I want to take at least one opportunity to salute odd holiday decorations.

I was shopping for Christmas things downtown with my mother, when we came across this strange thing that turned out to be a Christmas tree...it is upside down.

It seems a bit bizarre to me. I guess some people like this sort of thing, or it wouldn't be in a store.

What do YOU think, dear reader?

Thanks for Central Heating!

2008-12-13T23:02:00.000-08:00

It is COLD here in Sunny SoCal.

Today, the high temperature was somewhere between 59-65 F. It's rather windy, and rain is predicted for the next few days.

Yes, it is really winter now...

All of the East Coast folk will just laugh themselves out of breath...but I am FREEZING my you-know-what off.

Thanks to Rita Moreno...

2008-12-12T22:15:00.000-08:00

Today, December 11, is her birthday....no one else even comes close!

Thanks....

2008-12-12T21:59:00.000-08:00

to Friday Night Videos and the GoGos for giving me today's song!

Thanks for Vacation

2008-12-11T18:48:00.001-08:00

...because my vacation begins Friday at 12:00PM!

Thanks for silly videos...

2008-12-09T23:30:00.000-08:00

...that make me chuckle in spite of myself!

Maybe I could get one for Coco, LOL!

Thanks for Camera Phones....

2008-12-08T23:44:00.001-08:00

...so that one can take photos with odd sunlight effects.

Thanks for Chow!

2008-12-06T23:56:00.000-08:00

Chow, as in Chow Magazine.

I like to cook (even though I don't get a lot of time to do any cooking these days!) and I really like to look at the Chow website for ideas. They discuss food related issues in a reasonable tone without gimmickry (hello Food Network) and if you join, there is a newsletter that reviews restaurants and has a recipe or two.

Go ahead and look; you know you want to!

Thanks for Spindling

2008-12-05T23:27:00.001-08:00

I love to spin. I could spin all day, if I didn't have to do things like work, sleep and eat, LOL!

I have several spindles, such as the two sisters...sisters because they were made by the same person.

It's not obvious from the photo, but they are beautifully carved.

I also have a really nice wheel, a Louet Victoria.

The wheel does not get used as much as the spindles. I love it anyway.

Thanks for WIPs

2008-12-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

I have a lot of WIPS in the pipeline. I ought to thank them because they are great stress relievers when I'm working on them....which is all the time.

For example...

An embryo Koolhaas, which should be perfect with my powder blue coat and should fit my largish head!

A Lacy Cowl!

Thanks to Paste Magazine...

2008-12-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

...for including me in PaMaDoCoBloNaBloPoMoMo!

In the interests of total honesty, I was not the one engaged in the Etouffee Battle of 2008. I only accompanied the family member who did engage in the battle. She fought the brave fight and has recovered quite thoroughly.

I passed the time by working on the Sparkly Lavender Tube, also known as the Alterknits Multilayered Tube and Scarf, designed by Leigh Radford. I'm doing it in Kidsilk Night, hence the sparkle...

It is quite long now, but nowhere near its final three yard length. I hope to begin the last ball sometime by Friday.

Thanks for Supercrafty!

2008-12-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

Supercrafty, also known as Allison, is one of my favorite websites for craft supplies.

From soup to nuts (or From crochet to yarn), she stocks it.

Right now, she's having a sale...a really big sale. I have my eye on a few things...I can't tell you what they are, though. Ha Ha Ha!

Supercrafty's Sale Page

In addition, at her blog she shares tips on frugal living (something pretty useful these days), crafting, cooking, and muses on mothering young Evan.

Thanks... for Well Mannered Monkeys!

2008-12-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

These two monkeys have a job waiting tables in a tavern in Japan.

They bring hot towels and drinks (well, one of them does--one only fetches towels, poor thing) and get paid in Edamame pods.

Hey...they probably like their jobs better than most, LOL!

Insanity.

2008-12-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

I've decided to continue the NaBloPoMo for December.

Yes, I am insane.

The theme for December is "Thanks!"

Soooo...I'd like to thank everyone for reading this!

Stuff from Knitting Asylum

2008-11-30T22:54:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my purchases from the Knitting Asylum in Baton Rouge, owned by Mambocat:

Some nice spinning fiber....I haven't decided what to make from it yet.

This luscious chocolate alpaca yarn. It will probably become a scarf of some sort.

A Turkish Spindle. I don't know how to use it, but I have one! ;-D

Mambocat, also known as Dez, is very knowledgeable about all things fiber related. She does her own spinning and dyeing...I am so envious. I want to learn how to dye, as if I have the time! When I was there, she was dyeing some fiber in a large crockpot. I wish I had time to see how the colors turned out.

She also sells Ashford spinning wheels. I got to treadle on an Ashford Traveller, which was a beautiful wheel. If I was in the market for another wheel, I'd definitely consider it!

If you are ever in Baton Rouge, check out the store!

Knitting Asylum
Yarns and Spinning
8231 Summa Drive, Suite B
Baton Rouge, LA, 70809

10-2:30 Tuesday
10-6 Wednesday-Saturday

Knitting Asylum

2008-11-29T18:53:00.000-08:00

Today I ventured across the Mississippi to visit the Knitting Asylum, Mambocat's (also known as Dez Crawford) yarn and fiber emporium. I found some very nice additions to the collection. I will post more tomorrow when I am home.

Friday

2008-11-28T17:19:00.000-08:00

Greetings! Thanksgiving was nice; however, I spent most of today in the ER. All I can say is never eat étouffée if you do not know who cooked it! Bye!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T01:00:00.000-08:00

Here's to a Great Thanksgiving!

Weekend...

2008-11-26T15:45:00.000-08:00

I'm going to the country for Thanksgiving....

It will be my first real attempt at mobile blogging. My cell phone has Lifeblog, which I've never used and which I understand is somewhat obsolete. It will be interesting to see how this works out. Usually I have access to a computer at work and home...my trusty laptop will come with me, but this is the first time I'll be relying on a mobile device.

I'm going to try to make it to Mambocat's yarn store, The Knitting Asylum....if time and relations allow, LOL!

Have a nice holiday!

Andree

DIY

2008-11-24T10:14:00.001-08:00

funny,
originally uploaded by winegrrl.

This guy had a, uh, unique way of advertising his guard dog business.

Among other things, the sign said that if you dog is too mean, give it to him instead of having it put down.

I wonder how many calls he gets.

Clapotis, Number 3...and other stuff

2008-11-23T23:01:00.000-08:00

Now, about No. 3...

I have to admit that it is big, enormous...HUGE. It was made from Debbie Bliss Maya, which bears a rather striking resemblance to some of those Uruguayan yarns--like Malabrigo or Manos. It is a very beautiful colorway...but is more suited to a "real Winter" than what passes for Winter where I live. I do get a lot of compliments whenever it sees the light of day, but it has been too warm to be worn on a regular basis. Darn that Global Warming!

I have a fast-growing collection of Habu....here is a shot of a bit of it.

In my opinion, the Habu collection deserves a post of its own, but not at the moment...I guess I am now a true yarn geek, LOL!

To close, here is a gratuitous Cat shot. Coco is growing like a weed...suprisingly, she seems to like being photographed.

Clapotis, Mais Oui! Part 2

2008-11-22T23:25:00.000-08:00

Clapotis Number 2. The reason why the photograph is so tiny is that my camera phone ran out of memory, so it made do with the memory that was there.

It is made from Noro Silk Garden....again, I cannot remember the colorway. The colors are very natural looking.

I find it to be much lighter than Number 1, and is very suitable for Spring.

Clapotis...Mais Oui!

2008-11-21T23:30:00.000-08:00

Clapotis Number 1--photographed against the white display wall we use for library exhibits.

It is made out of Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb...I believe that the colorway is "Tuscan" or "Tuscany."

I used two different dye lots, which caused a rather interesting big stripe effect. It was less obvious once it was blocked, but it is still there.

For those of us...

2008-11-20T18:22:00.000-08:00

...who can't wait until July (a special thanks to Rose-Kim Knits)!!

Is it just me...

2008-11-19T23:40:00.000-08:00

...or is it hard to post interesting things every day??

I am like a well gone dry!

Hopefully, I'll have something interesting tomorrow!

Mama Africa

2008-11-18T10:18:00.001-08:00

Miriam Makeba passed away on November 10.

I remember loving this song, Pata Pata, as a little kid....I had no idea it was one of hers until after she died...

Rest in Peace.

Durn Sinuses...

2008-11-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

I am at home due to the nasty sinusitis caused in part by the ashes from the various fires. With the help of some otc and plenty of liquids, I should be myself again tomorrow.

My thoughts go out to the people whose lives were affected by these unfortunate incidents; I hope that the authorities get to the bottom of this.

On days like this, my laptop becomes my conduit to the outside world because I prefer not to watch a lot of television these days...I could go on and on about poor quality entertainment and the relationship to the dumbing down of American society, but that is not a good subject for this blog.

In crafting news:

Addi Kingsize does a quick and efficient job of tube knitting; however, I had to frog the original tube because of a bunch of missed stitches. In flat hand-knitting it is easier to fix the problem. You just grab a crochet hook and pick up the ladders until you get to the right place. I just was not observant enough to see the stitches until it was too late. BAH!

I am still slogging along with the other tube:

The color is "Kidsilk Night." I lost the ball band, so I can't really say much about the color aside from being a sparkly light purple. The first photo shows its resemblance to a windsock. The photo below shows a more "true" color.

This was originally to be worn at a wedding; it is about as successful as my other wedding project. I am beginning to think that knitting for weddings is NOT the best idea!

Big Ol Barbie Knitter

2008-11-16T12:36:00.000-08:00

Way back in the mists of the past (also known as the 1970s) a lot of little girls had those Barbie crank knitting machines that, with a twist of the wrist, knitted everlasting tubes of knitted fun for hours!

Well, guess what arrived in the mail yesterday? The grown-up, almost Gargantua Barbie version, better known as the Addi Kingsize Express. Here it is, currently getting more out of two balls of somewhat overrated Koigu than I ever did.

Can you tell I am not a Koigu fan? This will probably make me very unpopular with some of the knitters....the non-knitters will probably think "what the Sam Hill is Koigu?!?!?"

It is a really nice wool yarn in interesting colorways produced in wee skeins. Some people love it; for me, it is one of those yarns that is not really interesting enough to knit with....except with Turbo, here.

Oy.

2008-11-14T11:39:00.001-08:00

The Italy trip I wanted to take this summer is not being offered. Darn.

I've decided to go anyway, but on my own. I am having a bit of trouble deciding which city to visit.

Rome and Florence are obvious choices; however, they tend to be rather full with tourists.

Don't get me wrong....I am a tourist, too; however, I am there to brush up on my Italian, and would rather go to a place where I can't rely on English too much.

I've started a little poll to help me with my decision for my eight readers; anyone that drops by should feel free to vote, too!

Wii Update

2008-11-12T22:53:00.000-08:00

The Wii exercise plan is going all right. I am slowly but surely losing weight and getting fit.

Usually I get incredibly bored with the exercise regimes; consequently, I can't seem to stay on the wagon for very long.

You name it, I've tried it...at least in terms of the exercise.

I actually find myself looking forward to the sessions, and I feel as if I've missed something when I skip one.

Natalie recommended the Hula Hooping, and she was right....it is FUN! I also like the yoga, and the other aerobic exercises.

Next on the agenda is "Dance Dance Revolution," hopefully, I will not trip over my two left feet. LOL!

Clubs....

2008-11-11T19:21:00.001-08:00

Lately I have been craving unique yarns....by "unique" I mean the types that are hard to find in a store.

Please don't misunderstand me...I love my LYS, as well as the various ~~online fibercrack dealers~~ online yarn stores I frequent to enhance my stash...

I just get the occasional craving for a rare yarn.

I have become a member of the cults of Sundara and Wollemeise. Unfortunately, their products tend to sell out rather quickly when they are available—both of these are basically one-woman operations.

So, I have joined their yarn clubs.

First, the Wollemeise.

She sent out this lovely kit of two sock yarns, a ruler, a set of pretty dpns, and some tasty German hard candy.

The pattern, “I Mog Di,” is by Bockstark Knit s of Knitters Uncensored fame. It would be a shame to let such beautiful yarns sit around un-knit, so I may just try the pattern….eventually!

The Sundara yarn has already been claimed for a project, Anne Hanson’s Spiraluscious.

It arrived, jewel-like, in a lovely wrapper. I just love the names she gives her yarns….this one is called “roasted persimmon over green papaya.”

One of the best things about these yarns is that both ladies use colors in a totally unique way. I can’t wait to start knitting with them!

Q and A

2008-11-09T11:20:00.000-08:00

Since NaBloPoMo is quickly turning into National Blog Every Other Day Month (or NaBloEvOtDaMo), I have decided to get crackin' with some posting.

I noticed in some of the comments, people ask me questions that I don't really answer. In the spirit of Ree the Pioneer Woman**, I am going to attempt to answer some of them. Some of these go back to the murky origins of this blog, so don't worry if you find them confusing.

RealHustla asked me about the care and feeding of Coco when I was at work. I have a family member who cared for her during the day, and access to two really good veterinarians if I had any questions or emergency situations. I was kind of afraid of having another cat crossing the bridge, but she was all right after she figured out how to feed herself.

NikkiJ asked me if I have any idea what I am going to make with my hand spun. Quite frankly, I have no idea what I am going to make...then I usually (with one notable exception) don't buy yarn with a project idea. When I do, I promptly forget what the project was!

**If you have time, take a look at the "Confessions" section for a visit to the Dominican Republic, as seen through the eyes of her husband the Marlboro Man and her daughters.

Memories...

2008-11-07T21:24:00.000-08:00

No, I am not going to sing.

I just wanted to post a Flickr slideshow from Election Night....I just get all farklempt looking at them!

Polygamy

2008-11-06T22:39:00.000-08:00

Project polygamy, that is...to correct the misconception that I have gone all "Big Love."

I seem to practice plural knitting....I have several projects going at once. I am not even sure of the exact number.

There are also many projects waiting to begin.

To add to this plurality, I also spin.

Now, I also have several spindles and a wheel containing various types of yarn which, no matter how hard I try, tend to be no heavier than sport weight yarn.

It is all about the process even though the process (processes?) tend to get out of hand.

Yes, I am rambling! ;-D

If anyone out there also has this problem, I have a question: how do you dig yourself out of all the projects? Do you abandon them, or do you just plug away until they are done?

The Day After

2008-11-05T18:12:00.000-08:00

I feel happy that people voted for change. Frankly I never thought I'd see it...but here we are!

This happiness is tempered by the fact that a majority of people in the state of California believe that farm animals deserve more rights than same sex couples.

What a load of crap.

Sigh.

In knitting news....

I am still working on the Moderne Baby Log Cabin for a co-worker. Luckily he is a patient person; by the time I finish, his daughter could be president!

It is a slog....even though it does look rather nice, even if the photo looks rather odd...

I drank the Kool-Aid...

2008-11-04T07:29:00.000-08:00

I bought a Wii.

In hopes of exploring new ways to get fit, I recently bought a Wii and a Wii Fit.

I took the test and found out that I have a fitness age of 80.

I knew I was not in the best shape. I had no idea I was old enough to be my own grandmother!

Unfortunately, I fell asleep before I could blog about it yesterday!

Halloween - NaBloPoMo Day 2

2008-11-02T15:20:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, there was a spooky graveyard...

...

....where a Not-so-Scary Witch...

...had her witch table, complete with pumpkins and potions...

...and gave out candy to fairies, goblins, and elves.

NaBloPoMo Day 1 - Civic Duty

2008-11-01T12:27:00.001-07:00

I voted...did YOU?

No on 8.

2008-10-31T12:07:00.000-07:00

I try to avoid politics and religion on my blog. I consider them, for the most part, intensely personal matters that can often be misconstrued on online forums. In addition, there are other blogs that do a better job on these rather thorny issues.

Having said that....I need to make an exception for Proposition 8, which in my view would bring back a rather nasty period in California's history when certain people were denied basic rights.

This weekend, Frank of Franknotes and his partner will marry. They have a son, Oliver. No child could wish for a pair of more loving, hands-on parents.

They are a family.

They have every right to legitimize their union in the eyes of the law.

Samuel L. Jackson says it better than I ever could:

For more information, check out the Daily Kos' commentary on this video.

New Stuff

2008-10-29T17:02:00.000-07:00

We really missed having a cat around the house....which is why Coco became a part of the family.

She was found on the street--probably abandoned by a teenaged kitten mamma--and brought to the local animal shelter, a grisly place if there ever was one....which is where I found her.

After she was brought home and taken to the vet, she was found to be rather ill with conjunctivitis and upper-respiratory issues. In addition, she refused to eat on her own and required force feeding. This led to interesting and messy feeding experiments....what eventually worked was canned food on a popsicle stick supplemented by warm KMR and Pedialyte through an eyedropper. She also took a foul-looking vitamin paste twice a day.

What can I say....to stay at our house, all you have to do is show up looking as pathetic and as helpless as possible.

She was so sick, she didn't have a name for a few days. She slept most of the time, and was extremely lethargic. We kept her warm with the self-heating kitty pad in the photo and some makeshift hot water bottles made from small jars (a trick learned from a coworker who raises lovebirds) wrapped in towels placed inside a cat donut, which was then placed in a Kitty Pi.

No one was terribly optimistic about her chances; nevertheless, I was determined to save her because I failed to save Annabel.

After contemplating various odd names (MojoJojo, Delt, Speck, Klaatu Barada Nikto) I settled on Coco, after Coco Chanel and Coco Fusco to pay tribute to my interest in 20th century fashion and unusual cultural references.

One morning, she tried to bite a huge chunk out of the popsicle stick, and began to feed herself.

After a brief bout of ringworm (giving her a Mr. Bigglesworth look about the face) to go rather nicely with her other ailments, the antibiotics and eye ointment did the trick. She now looks like this:

Her baby coat is giving way to flecks of white....she is now more of a black tweed cat.

In the knitting department:

I've decided to give some of my coworkers handwarmers from Falick's Weekend Knitting due to an overly chilly workroom. I made one pair in Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed:

After a few sips of the deceptively sweet and tasty sangria (aside from the required fruit and red wine, the secret recipe involves a couple of rather sweet yet deadly spirits) in the photo, I learned that knitting and drinking don't mix. Some people can imbibe and knit at the same time. Not me. Let's just say it's a good thing I had the sense to order some tapas!

The handwarmers were finished yesterday and given to their new owner, who has promised in return some textiles from her home country.

I surrender!

2008-10-27T18:30:00.000-07:00

I just can't take it anymore....I have thrown in the towel on the Silken Straw Wrap.

Silky pot scrubbers are just not my style...especially when everything tangles up like day old pasta.

On a somewhat brighter note, I have signed up for NaBloPoMo for November 2008 because I need motivation (cough threats cough) to post every day....