I can't stop thinking about shades of turquoise, grey, fluorescent yellow, blush toned pinks, and warm purples. I even cleaned up my studio wall and just hung up these felt squares to get them out of my head.
Okay, and hot pink, ugly-pretty shades of green and mauvey purples.
Color study projects are in the works. The thoughts just need to finish stewing.
I may as well make something else, since I whipped up the last scarf so quickly. Next up, using up two skeins of pewter Lorna's Laces to make the Foreign Correspondent's Scarf. Easy and pretty project, bring it on!
I'm finding that I'm more likely to want to knit things that I want to wear these days, as opposed to process items. I'm also toning it down with some of my colors (knitting wise). I'm enjoying gray, cream...cream for God's sake! That's usually not in my color vocabulary, but I'm jonesing to use colors that I generally overlook. There is something magical about colors that edge their way into your heart, rather than forcing themselves on you (cinnabar).
It's not just me though, my color twin, Jen, is also enjoying the neutrals. 
So far, I'm digging this scarf. Herringbone type patterns are always admired in my eyes, followed closely by the sometimes underestimated but glorious seed stitch.
My fingers have been itching to knit something mindless, without having to deal with a pattern or much gauge. I saw Jenny Gordy's adorable hat and scarf set on Wiksten-Made, and was inspired to make my own continuous scarf.
It was the perfect excuse to use a gorgeous skein of Socks that Rock. from Kate that I somehow managed to keep during an intense holiday yarn steal and exchange at Rosie's last year. I wanted to something with it, but didn't have the right inspiration. The 2 x 2 rib helps to break up the pools of color, and I like the zig zag effect.
Quick, easy and fun to wear. Wow, I've finally finished a project this year!
The year I turned 24, I became interested in cooking. Prior to that, "cooking" throughout college consisted of late night, post-party blueberry pancakes, variations on ramen noodles, or Hamburger Helper if we were feeling fancy.
We lived a block away from the Waffle House (lovingly nicknamed the Mullet House), where they'd let us drink unlimited coffee for as many hours as we needed to study. Our record was nine hours. One of my proudest moments during this era was reading Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness in one sitting. That's a lot of coffee, folks.
After many of my cohorts moved out of Bloomington, I got my first apartment and started cooking. Going to the Waffle House alone is a path to self destruction of which I wanted no part.
So I cooked. Mainly, one salmon dish I could make decently over and over, until I couldn't eat it anymore, and then some new ones that I can't remember. Mom was called often, advice and cooking times were given, and some things were not meant to be eaten. 
Today, I consider myself a pretty good cook, but I enjoy following recipes. I'd rather trust the experts with their cultured palates and honed skills so that I don't end up with wasted food and half eaten experiments.
I go through phases where I totally dig cooking, or can't bear the thought of heating up soup. Though one thing remains constant, my seven year old love of cookware and kitchen aisle goods. That said, the Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer has been eclipsed by the glossiness that is Staub's 5 Qt. Round La Cocotte in Aubergine. The enamel glows. The rich warm-purple has a depth that has been in my head since I saw it in Smitten Kitchen in December.
Material things have been on our minds alot recently, especially since we registered for our wedding. There are so many things that I don't need. For us, it is a panini press or appliances that we may use once a year, and get irritated with it taking up space the other 364 days. I'm sick of replacing coffee makers and crappy knives. I'd rather take good care of the things that we do get.
I'm trying to be more conscious of buying things that we really like, won't get sick of, and that could possibly last a lifetime. What I love about good design is that you can enjoy something even when you're not using it, just by looking at it. Like this purple object that I obviously have a huge crush on.
I must go before I get a restraining order from Staub.
P.S. La Cocotte sounds much more sophisticated than Dutch Oven. As seen from my Mullet House references above, I believe I can use some more class, and less...
I'm trying to carve out more time after work to draw and paint. Why is it that we feel the urge to get all of the chores done before we can take time for ourselves. I think it's important to be a little selfish, if it's for a good cause, such as yourself.
I played around with my markers to make geometric shaped grids. I thought of it more as a meditative exercise like Jess at Sweet Eventide's zendalas. It was a fun exercise to get my hands moving again, and not to put any pressure on myself. After all, I hadn't drawn anything in quite awhile, and want to change that. 
I'm also taking advantage of having my very own art instructor handy. Mike was helping me draw ellipses better, and we ended up having an impromptu lesson on shadows and color. I was pretty impressed, he's able to make you understand things that you felt were beyond your grasp. Now I just need to practice my newfound understanding. And practice some more.
I mean, this guy really knows what he's talking about, especially when it comes to drawing from life. The example below is his huge painting in progress out the window of his studio. The notepad shows some of the math that he uses as one of his references when site measuring the view. Who says math and art don't mix? Just thinking of all that work makes me anxious, but he loves doing it. I guess someone who sees a knitted shawl that takes a year may think the same of me, but everyone is different. 
Sometimes I wish I was one of those people (like Mike) that had one thing that they were uber passionate about, and wanted to focus on that particular thing. But I don't think that's how I'm built. I love the thrill of a new interest, and learning as much as possible about it. This does mean I can get bored easily, I guess, but I don't think I'm alone in this. We all need challenges to grow and learn, or life gets stagnant. A wise friend said to just go with the flow.
What's your take? Are you all about one thing, or a medley of a few things like myself? For conversation's sake, my current core list of interests is design, art, crafts, and a side of baked goods.
I made some bread this weekend. Or it was intended to be bread, but something happened. It shall now be known as The Bread That Went Awry.
I've made it before with no problem. But something with the temperature, flour that had in my freezer and not thoroughly warm, the tendency not to try not to add too much flour...it was a bad mixture.
The dough was surprisingly supple, so it was even more shocking when I found myself the new creator of flour dumbells.
No words can really describe it. So I have drawn you some examples of how these loaves failed on so many levels. However, I have to admit that it was throughly enjoyable dropping the loaf on the table so that my mom could hear just how crappy the bread baking had went over the phone. And scaring my friends who stopped by for a beer, by dropping it on the floor, twice.
THUMP! CRASH!
Next time, I'll be more patient in my baking. Lesson learned!
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