The dawn, she has finished

No, my dress and scarf don’t match but I wasn’t about to change to take a picture. Call me slatternly…

A happy by product of a bit of vacation (or staycation in my case) is being able to finish something.  I managed to only procrastinate a bit in weaving in the ends of At Dawn, but the other day I gave myself a stern talking to and just did it.  It never takes as long as one thinks it will and I was done fairly quickly.  After a soak and block the stripes are ready for wear.

This is an easy project.  I used some Isager Strik Alpaca 2 from the stash and dragged this poor scarf along in my fancy ziplock knitting bag on my trips around our fine country.  It’s easily memorized so it’s good for mindless knitting in random hotel rooms while watching stuff.  My version turned out a tad bigger than the pattern dimensions but it’s a scarf so it doesn’t really matter all that much.  My finished measurements are 94″ wide and 23″ long.  The pattern has the dimensions as 80″ by 26″ so close enough.  One more wrap around the neck doesn’t matter that much.

The only problem with making a nice warm alpaca scarf in March is that it’s been 75 degrees everyday so it’s not going to get much wear, but that’s a pretty standard problem around these parts and the knitwear keeps coming.

And those tulips I planted last year that snubbed their little tulip noses at me and pretty much died, a few are coming up this year mocking me yet again.  I thought they didn’t do that, come back I mean?  Are these just spiteful bulbs or am I mistaken?

It’s supposed to be a “black” tulip but clearly it’s purple. I can add false advertising to my list of tulip deceptions.

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Older not wiser.

Tulips, knitting and cake. Good times.

Thanks for all the birthday love on Facebook and Twitter!  Yes indeed, I had a birthday yesterday and there were presents, cake, artisan cocktails, fun – and the yummiest steak frites ever! A great day.

I like to bake little birthday cakes for my peeps (including moi), just enough to celebrate but not enough to have masses of cake leftover.  I know that cake looks massive but it’s really only 6″ across.  It’s chocoloate cake, filled with raspberry/kirsch and iced with chocolate ganache.  All chocolate is Green and Black bittersweet organic so this cake is not too sweet yet super yum!  And yes, it will be my breakfast today since I’m working out with my trainer later.

The Tulip Watch 2013 continues with the three Claudias you see in the bottom picture.  One is a bit past it today but the other two are looking good.  The front tulips are doing F-all flowerwise at present so we won’t mention them.

Craftwise I’m more than halfway done with the back of my self styled alpaca boucle Poodle Sweater.  It’s easy to knit this up when watching movies so I hope to make a bit of progress every day.  The only downside I can see is that an alpaca sweater with the current temperatures will cause me to spontaneously combust.  Still, we’ll probably get a cooling trend sometime.

I also finished sewing up a knit dress that I should love but don’t.  I’ll force myself to take pics and share, just not today.  It’s too annoying really.  I’m just going to have to ignore it for a bit.

Thanks again for the lovely wishes! xoxo

Tulip Watch 2013 v.2

My first tulip of 2012!

I came from from work last night and this morning I saw this! My first tulip of this 2013 “crop”.  I had a few bulbs I couldn’t shove into the concrete adobe of the front yard and shoved them into an empty bit in the backyard.  Of course these have been the first to show signs of tuliphood.  This little tulip is called a “Claudia” which is my sister’s name and I had to buy.  Unlike my sister, this tulip is a bit spindly and misshapen, not really looking like the super succulent photo on the bulb bags.  I’m sure it has to do with planting these poor bulbs in adobe with no thoughts of fertilizer or even adequate watering, so it’s my bad.  There appear to be two other tulips coming up out back and since this week will be one of low 70s, they should bloom soon.  Luckily I’m on vacation for almost two weeks starting NOW(!) so I can witness further tulip miracles.

I must say it’s not very cost effective for me to grow tulips.  I may get (dare I tempt fate) 8 actual tulips from the 30+ bulbs I planted.  I spent about $40 on bulbs.  Those will be $5 tulips.  I buy tulips at Trader Joe’s every week and they are $5/bunch.  I’m not Alan Greenspan, but I think that may be best buy, don’t you think?

Also because I’m on vacation and will not get out of bed or change out of pajamas today (vacation kick off partay!) I thought I’d change my ringtone to The Gogos “Vacation”.  It took almost an hour and some googling to figure out, but it has been accomplished.  I can now convert mp3s to ringtones in itunes in a minute – and considering my massive music library I may need the next 2 weeks off to do that.  So hopefully crafting content will emerge this week – just like my spindly, misshapen tulips are emerging from their adobe homes.

Trader Joe’s tulips are $5/bunch and are pretty freaking nice.