Tuesday, December 20, 2011




HAPPY HOLIDAY-ING


Things will be relatively quiet this Christmas at Chez Earin's. No hordes of children either grown or tiny. We have our branch and so far no furbot has been seen swinging from it's branches with an ornament between its teeth. I've come to like the branch a lot. It's easy to decorate yet still gives me that special feeling as I unwrap some of my favorite decorations and transform it from a piece of greenery to "our tree".




We wake up to frosty mornings yet the garden still has a few flowers, enough to make up one of my beloved boo-kays. So far it has been a very dry winter with no real rain in the forecast. I dream of snow. One of these days I hope.




Geraniums, blanketflower, dusty miller.



The Christmas cactus that almost died. I inherited this from my dear friend Katrina who died a couple of years ago. I put it in my unheated greenhouse for the winter and a cold snap just about did it in. Two years of nursing and I now have a healthy, flowering plant. We now have a string of Christmas lights to help raise the temperature up above freezing.

Knitting

After running into a cable mistake one night I cast on for another project. I find I get bored so like to go back and forth on things. I am liking this quite a lot. One of Wendy Bernard's patterns (Cameo) from her book, Custom Knits. I even had the yarn, RY Cashsoft DK in stash. I'll make it a little longer and not so tight which will suit me a bit better. So far the fit looks good and I think this is going to be a winner of a garment.





I will go back and fix my cable mistake. I will, I will.




Sewing


I decided to make my Canadian cousin a pair of soft boots for around the house. First off, working with shirring is a very fluffy affair. I had hoped to use an old dog coat for the leather bottoms but it turned out to be faux leather. I looked several times at what my LYS had in stock and just didn't care for them. I finally bought some deerskin on-line and having been forcing my poor sewing machine to punch leather.


Before I got to the leather option I thought I would try some felted alpaca. It actually made pretty good soles but looked very rustic. Or as I emailed The Enabler, "...it looks like I should be trekking over the alps with my hand woven reed basket and my bone knife..." The Enabler said she wasn't sure this was a bad look.



BTW - felted alpaca sheds little tiny hairs that get all over the place. Just thought you should know.




I bought so adorable fabric from my very favorite fabric store, Fabrics on Mill St. which, alas is closing. There will be a website but no long will I be able to wander in to just see what's new and to lovingly trail my hands over the bolts and dream of things I'd like to make. It is beyond sad. I am not happy about this.

Cats

One has to have at last one cat photo. Ollie and Olive sitting on the dining room table looking out at the world below.

Friday, December 02, 2011

ANATOMY OF A PHOTO SHOOT


Set Up (and first sniff).



This really isn't my best angle. I keep telling you this so PAY ATTENTION! Where is Make Up!?! I need more Make Up! Would someone PLEASE get my agent on the line - NOW!!!


I can't believe I turned Vogue down for this gig.


Is it time for lunch yet? I am so bored. Where is the creativity here?

Chrysanthemums and the seed heads from my zebra grass (Miscanthus Sinensis "Zebrinus"). I am glad I picked them early because we had two days of vicious wind in California.


KNITTING ETC.

The vine lace cardi was finished and yes, it was worth redoing the front band three times. I've already worn it several times and I am very pleased.


I am doing my usual dance of "I'll knit this. Hmm, maybe not the right size or needle. Maybe I should try casting on for X? No, that isn't quite right." At the same time there is a vague sense of, "...perhaps I should finish up a UFO...."


At the moment I've switched to a pattern called "Ruth" using some sadly discontinued Adrienne Vittadini (Natasha). It's the same yarn, different colorway that I'm thinking of making the snowflake top out of. The problem with that pattern is that the largest size is just a little too small and I'd have to fuss with the snowflake pattern. It may just be me but to to purchase a pattern and then have to work out another size isn't my idea of a whole lot of fun. Yes, very much Ms. Cranky Pants.

Ruth seems like a nice pattern though I'm finding the instructions a bit convoluted. (Knitting speak for "there has been a lot more of Ruth but I frogged it because I screwed up the increases"). Very likely my aging brain though some of the independent patterns are a bit confusing. The big problem has been no yardage given. I decided to go ahead and knit the right front and see where that got me. It got me with a firm sense that I did not have enough yardage. Thankfully, I found someone willing to sell me their stash via Ravelry. Whew.



I decided that I'd like to make a cowl top so I took a regular T-shirt pattern and offset the center front. At this point I've only done a quick sew up using cheap fabric to see how it looks and fits. It looks promising. Now all I need to do is sit down and actually finish fitting it and sew the sucker up.

FALL BLOWS INTO WINTER


Our nights are cold but the days are dry and in the 60's. Dry? To the point I'm using the sprinkler system again.

The apricot tree wrapping up.


There must be some moisture because the mushrooms are marching on the house. Lots and lots of them. Be afraid, very afraid.


Rhubarb, celery, and thyme.


WARNING - OVERLY CUTE PHOTO AHEAD



I forgot to include this adorable photo of Ollie and Hubby having one of their "special moments" in my last blog entry. Cute on a stick.

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