yarntherapy

and also....

mandala
Originally uploaded by laurelann

another henna design embroidery project...

splurging

I went to Boston last week and was beyond thrilled to realize that my hotel (the awesome Nine Zero) was a couple of blocks from Windsor Button, a definite favorite LYS among the Boston Ravelers. I loved it. It's more than just a yarn store, but it's not really a full fledged craft store. There are, indeed, many many buttons. And lots of yarn. And various and sundry other craft supplies. I picked up some fine-point dissapearing markers to use on my embroidery projects. Love them. I haven't seen the fine point markers anywhere else, and I really try not to buy things elsewhere that I can get in NYC, so those didn't count as a real splurge. Those were souveniers.

This? Was a splurge:

I know, you can get Sea Silk in NYC. But I've never seen it in person. And it's soooo pretty. I've been trying to branch out from the colors I'm normally drawn to - that is, green and black - and I thought that this would blend in with my wardrobe just fine. It's destined to be a Montego Bay Scarf - I mean, I know I'm a splurger, but I just couldn't justify buying more than one skein of this stuff. I can dream, though...

I did buy a couple skeins of Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace for my new shawl obsession, Hanami. I like the substance of this yarn - it's got nice body and I think will hold up well with the beading.

Oh, color of the Alpaca Lace, you ask?

black....

where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio

Well, it was a great game and a really nice send off for the Stadium. I wish I could have been there, but it was great to watch.

 And hey, we're not totally out of it! If Cleveland sweeps Boston in the next few days, all we have to do is sweep them, too, and we'll be in the playoffs! That could totally happen! Totally!

Eh. OK. I'm going to try to care about football this year. I know next to nothing about the game, but the soap operas are awesome! Favre! Ocho Cinco! Were the Giants just lucky??

Anyway, back to the crafty stuff. My current knitting project photographs like crap, (so no photo),  but I think it will be super cute when it's done - I'm using up some stash Baby Cashmerino  on Mentionable, a simple camisole with a small lace panel down the front. The best part of this pattern is the great short row directions by designer Wendy Bernard - I think this is going to fit really well. Learning more about short rows and fitting was one of my New Year's knitting resolutions, so now I'm two out of three. (I still need to talk about that Fair Isle cardigan, don't I?) I think I'll be skipping intarsia. Oh well.

More embroidery fun:

sigh...

yankee stadium
Originally uploaded by laurelann

Well, this post covers a couple of things. First and most important, the very last game at Yankee Stadium. It really sucks that the sad state of the Yankee season means we can't say "possibly the last game" or "the last regular season game", but in a way it's kind of cool that they're able to plan for the event - it sounds like they're going to be doing a whole bunch of stuff pre- and post-game in honor of the old place.

I just really wish my only game this year hadn't been a 13-4 loss. I am hoping that my reputation as a jinx (I make it to a game or two a year - in 15 years I've never actually seen them win!) will be shut down along with the old park, and that I will be a happy cheery good luck charm in the shiny new place!

Also, I wanted to show you guys what I've been up to - I am on an embroidery kick like you wouldn't believe, and I decided to stitch up the stadium facade in tribute to the last year (I think I was hoping it would be good luck but we see how that went..... not so much.) I don't know, I just really love the graphic element of it. I may be inspired to do more baseball themed stuff - Green Monster, anyone?

light my fire

I had a whole post in my head about how Sarah Palin makes my blood boil but I decided to go to the happy place instead.

la la lalala laaaaaa

OK, so I'm still working on my apartment - the Apartment Therapy cure went well but I sort of screeched to a halt with some unfinished projects. I need some advice - I have some of these cute wall-mounted candle holders:

They're for my bathroom, but I don't know how to hang them - I don't like the idea of a plain nail, but I'm not sure what else would work.

Advice, anyone?

lucky me!

Whoo! I'm a winner!

In the last few weeks I have actually WON some cool stuff. I never win anything!

Yesterday, I got an email from the Daily Danny blog informing me that I had won a very cute reusable shopping tote - what I like about this one is that it looks huge - I have a lot of Envirosax bags that are great for stashing in my purse for daily use, and they actually hold a lot of stuff, but sometimes you just need something even bigger and sturdier, you know? Plus, free! and cute!

And even better, a couple of weeks ago we had our annual party at my union, and I won a Rowenta steamer! We've been having this party for about five years now, and there are always a ton of raffle items given away - and I never ever win anything! I was irrationally excited when I heard that I had won, and this is a really cool item - bigger and more powerful than my little travel steamer, but much easier to store than a full size steamer. Rowenta and their marketing people have been really great to us - every year they bring in lots of products for us to play with and give feedback on, and they donate lots of irons and other stuff to the raffle. If you're a hardcore stitcher/crafter type, keep an eye out for the new steam generator from Rowenta ( I think it's out soon) this baby shoots steam across the room like you wouldn't believe, and it's a great iron as well. Pricey, but worth it.

I'm a winner, I'm a winner, woohoo!

now that I have that out of my system...

Despite the crappy MTA stuff last night, I have to say that life is actually pretty good right now. Job is OK, weather is gorgeous, I've been cooking and eating really good stuff lately, the humidity is down so I'm having consecutive good hair days, I just got home from stuffing myself with a vegetarian muffaletta and assorted other goodies at Laura's (and thankfully it seems that NOLA has avoided the worst of Gustav) and best of all, I've reconnected with an old dear friend who felt as distant from me as I did from her, and for no real reason, so we hashed some stuff out and I feel like a part of my past has been resurrected.

Also, I have been crazy creative and inspired but there aren't photos yet and a lot of what I'm doing is still sort of in the early stages. Soon, I promise. I've gotten lots of compliments and I feel really good about the direction I'm going in - I feel like an artist for the first time in ages.

Dear MTA,

Screw you and your crappy service and your rude employees at the 50th Street station, and don't try to tell me that there is simply no way to tell us what station the next uptown train is currently at when we've all been waiting for a train for 35 minutes and it would be nice to have some kind of information besides "it's running slow",  especially when at the very next station, there are quite often announcements telling us what station the next train is at so we at least have SOME idea of whether we should wait for a train or try to get a cab in order to make the 8 o'clock performance of Hamlet outdoors on a beautiful night which I was really looking forward to. I'm sure it was lovely, but I wouldn't know since I didn't even get on a train (and not at that station!) until 7:45.

MTA, you suck.

PS - to Billy Joel and the Apple iPod, thank you for getting me through the ride home without harming myself or others.

PPS - to the adorable Colombian family who got on at 157th wearing matching soccer jerseys, thank you for making me smile.