New Hair Accessories

 I've been experimenting with a few new designs for stylish hair do-dads. In the picture above, you can see the snap clip variety. I love these because the leaf covers the silver snap clip.

I've also been working on some more barrettes- and I think these cables are just the right side. The single color keeps it simple, while the cable adds depth. I'm looking forward to working up some more in different colors and patterns.

Surprise Strawberries

I may not be any good at gardening. I don't know, it's really too soon to tell.

For starters though, I planted my tomatoes in mid-late April. The last frost is May 10th, so I might have to tuck my 'maters in with widdle blankets. They already have some frost damage, but I think they are okay so far. There's that.

My lettuce (or maybe carrots, not sure) is starting to sprout- which is exciting. However, if the weather gets cold overnight, I may be less happy about this. As long as they were in seeds, they were okay.

BUT. Here's the awesome part. Strawberries grew on their own! I mean, I'm sure upstairs dude planted them last year, and they just came back- but I probably wouldn't have tried to grow strawberries and they are doing the best out of all the plants so far. I have three plants in the garden, and there are several in the yard too. Exciting!

Box for Bookmarks!

I decorated this cigar box for the bookmarks I made.

I think I might be equally excited about the box as about what is inside...

I ordered the photo corners from amazon, and I think they help pull the inside together.

Garden!

I started a garden! I'm really excited about it, and I've enjoyed variably telling Jer that I want to go play in the dirt/cow poop and watching him shake his head because he knows what a germaphobe I am. Guys, I'm seriously a huge GERMAPHOBE. Capital letters totally a must. 

Anyway, Here's my garden as it looked this morning when I was done with it. I purchased tomato plants that someone else had started inside because I did not, and relocated a few strawberry plants that grew on their own from upstairs neighbor dude's garden last year. He moved out, I poached the plot.

I also planted broccoli, butternut squash, lettuce (3 kinds!), and carrots (3 kinds!). Did I mention I'm really excited? I'm really excited! The wood is for me to stand on, because it bothered me that I kept compacting the soil when I stepped in, so now I have something to stand on.

Also: I have no idea what I am doing.

Alan's Robot

My friend Alan loves robots. I promised him ages ago that I would make him a robot, and I finally came through. Here's Alan's robot. 

I used buttons for his eyes, the "gears" on his chest, and the sides of his head. I think the little guy looks a bit overstuffed, but he is a bit rounded and cute that way. 

Staunton Street Market

I have some pretty talented friends. My friends Alex and Merri reserved a table for the Staunton Street Market that happened today, in the shadow of the dedication ceremony for the Sears Hill Bridge, here in Staunton. You can see their good stuff on their Facebook page or their Etsy shop. They both knit and crochet, and make a variety of wonderful goodies. I helped them set up their book, and they kindly lent me some table real estate. 

I've been busy! Here you can see everything I've been up to recently- the bookmarks, the converted cigar boxes as well as the new hair clips I'll show you in more depth soon.

There are my business cards, and in the background, Alex and Merri's. Quite a yin/yang feeling going on there. Neither of us sold much, but it was great to see people milling around the area after so long without warm weather, and we we able to catch up as well. 

Pale Fire

I finished Pale Fire this week, one of Vladimir Nabokov's English novels. After spending so much time with Lolita while writing my thesis, I really wanted to read more of Nabokov's work- but I'll admit that the prospect was both exciting and a little scary. What if everything else is boring in comparison, or even worse, what if everything is so much better?

It was fine, of course. Better than fine. It was like sitting down with an old friend you haven't seen in a while. Maybe they aren't quite the same, but it's close. Still fun to be around for all the same reasons you liked them before. I don't really want to talk too much about the novel, because I think you should read it for yourself. Just be cautious. Nabokov's a tricky fellow.

A few months ago, I read another Nabokov, Pnin. My understanding is that Nabokov wrote Pnin right after Lolita- and in many ways that makes sense. I can see some relaxing happening- it isn't a bad read- but isn't trying to do what Lolita does, what Nabokov is so good at. In fact, in many ways it makes sense to read Pnin after you've read Lolita- it allows the reader to decompress just as it could have Nabokov.

Mom's Owl Hat

 Last October (I know, I can be a terrible procrastinator), my mom impulse bought some Llama yarn from Swiss Kid Llamas (http://www.safarmersmarket.com/Vendors/watts.htm, http://www.etsy.com/shop/swisskiddesigns) at our Farmer's Market. The farmer's market is great, and I've really missed it this winter. I probably wouldn't be super enthusiastic about walking down there in the cold, but I sure do miss the fresh produce. 

Anyway, back to the yarn. My mom has these beautiful blue eyes and silver hair, so naturally everything I make for her is blue. She picked out some yarn, and wanted me to make her a hat with owls, like the sweater I'd made for myself.

Now, I love that sweater. No buts, I adore it. You can buy the pattern here: (http://katedaviesdesigns.com/designs/o-w-l-s/) and if you are into that sort of thing, there's a version for the kiddos. It's made from super heavy yarn and knitted up rather quickly. That big yarn though, is HUGE  in comparison to the "DK" weight of the llama yarn, that in many places is much smaller- so I hope my mother is expecting tiny adorable owls, as that's what she's getting.

Here are a few pictures of the first few chaotic rows. In the second picture here you can see the 2X2 ribbing starting to emerge.

Here you can see the bottoms of the owls forming

As an aside, I'd like to say that point protectors should more correctly be called sanity protectors (I know, not a nice ring), because had I not discovered these amazing knitpicks.com point protectors in my little bag of tricks, I would have ripped my hair out by now. As it is, I've lost and saved countless stitches off the ends of my new sock needles.

In these pictures, you can see the owls fully formed. I have a few more rows to finish the hat- but the owls are snug there around the rim. 

Here you can see the teeny tiny buttons I sewed on as eyes to three lucky owls in the front. I thought it would be too much to give all of the owls eyes, but the three that have them will bring attention to the others, too. 

Too much? Too little?

I was a bit worried that the hat would be too small- I even knitted a gauge swatch before hand, which I don't like doing. I think it worked out though- I wore it for a few minutes and it didn't make my head hurt- so anyone else on the planet should be able to wear it just fine. I know my mom likes long hats- but any longer and this one would get in the way of seeing clearly, so I think we're good there.

I really like the loose look to the top here. It isn't the only way obviously, and for more stylized hats neater is nicer, but this looks so comfortable.