Friday 28 January 2011

I kinda heart the pompoms

I finished the cutest project to date: I heart Pompoms by Karen Borrel. It's freezing cold here in London and yesterday I resolved I had to get my warmest, snuggliest hat finished. Plus its the first hat I've made me me that came out just the way I loved.


It knit up nice and quickly with the ribbing making me feel like I was making quick progress. I opted for icord rather than crochet. I cannot make crochet work. It is evil, I'm convinced. I look on very enviously and distrustfully as some of my friends crochet. They must be magic is all I can assume.


I have to say though, I did not heart the pompom process. I decided to use up some sportweight that I used for my Mum's socks..... never again. If I'm making giant pompoms, I'm making them out of chunky yarn. The picture was taken half way through yesterday evening.... yes that is a cocktail next to the half finished pompom. I was desperate at that point.

Friday 21 January 2011

mmmmm yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I think I did it again.....

Sorry, I watched the Glee Britney special last night and it's in my head. I want to be very clear that I hate bubblegum teen dramas. High School Musical and Hannah Montana have a lot to answer for if you ask me. I am a closet Twilight fan, granted but then I've always had a thing for creepy tales and vampire flicks. Buffy and I would have been good friends. Although personally I think I'm more Faith than Buffy.

Glee has bitten me though. My initial reaction was repulsion: all beautiful 'teenagers' with perfect teeth and waily voices. Then I realised they're taking the piss? Oh, that's ok then, I'll hum along now. Sue is a personal hero and I have to admit I do have some Glee on my ipod that I have been known to regail commuters with.

I've been enjoying life. I'm in the process of moving to North London, which is great for those ambly mooches round London and peering in food shops that I so love. I'm also knitting, of course. I have almost finished my Pom Pom hat to match my Antler mitts. I have to say, I've really enjoyed both patterns. And the Coldharbour Mill Yarn I'm working in is great; so low cost and really nice to work with. Ok, it's not baby soft like some others but it's not scratchy either and I feel it won't pill. I'm thinking about finishing off the pom pom hat with leftover yarn from my Mum's socks. I hate those odds and ends- what do you do with them?

Oh did I mention I went to a free concert a while back? It was held in a church in Highbury and Islington and I walked in to see a rapper performing a drag act as an old victorian granny. It was surreal to say the least. The BEST bit was watching a real life hero of mine, Polar Bear perform my favourite peice ever, ever, ever. How beautiful is this?

Friday 14 January 2011

When do we talk politics?

Hmmmm

The premise behind this blog was always intended to be playful: recipes, stories, pictures, KNITTING and so on. I wanted a happy spot that was quaint and twee and I didn't mind if anyone read just because it's nice to put some positive out there. Ok, I do admit, I like it when I know people are reading. It is a nice feeling.

However, I'm feeling less than playful today. It's a growing sense that I have NO VOICE and that increasingly, I am unable to perform in my job due to the number of dramatic cuts to frontline services (yes I know Mr Cameron, you've made no frontline cuts but my daily experience is proving otherwise so change that line please). I thought long and hard about my vote last summer as I knew so much needed to change in the UK and indeed the world. I felt I made the right choice, the only choice and now.... well, now I'm not enjoying what I am experiencing everyday as a direct result of my and many others vote.

However, before I begin to explain why and throw my opinions out there I have to pause and say 'Is this the time and place?' Sure, politics are in every part of our lives: house prices, schools, job market and safety on the streets. We can't escape it whether we take note or not. BUT is a playful blog the place to express this particular burning issue? A political blog certainly. But a crafty, daydreamy blog?

In Sex and The City Style I am going to throw a question out there: When do we talk politics?

Sunday 9 January 2011

Auld Lang Syne

So I'm enjoying 2011. I am taking the traditional of resolutions with a rather large pinch of salt. Last year was full of so much heartache, change and unplayfulness that I had to make so many new starts, I'm loathe to pin anything to a resolution. I hate the gym adverts, dating adverts and diet guilt trips this time of year. It makes me sad.

I do like the idea of freshness though. So while I'm not making any traditional resolutions I have been trying to implement the following changes for a while and will do so with as much spirit as I can muster in 2011.

  1. I must stop biting my nails. I have been trying to stop this my whole life and I have managed to grow them long enough to paint THREE TIMES in the last month. Just gotta keep going!
  2. I will get back into running. I'm doing the couch to 5k challenge and my poorly hip is coping well thus far. If I keep this up I would like to try for 10k by summer and returning to dance next month!
  3. Make more bread. I love my bread machine. I forget to put it on. I feel sad about this. More bread!
  4. Read more. I have an annoying habit of meaning to read and getting distracted by knitting. I must read more. Maybe audio books will help this.
  5. Travel! I managed my first trip abroad in nearly 2 years in December. I have the US planned for this year and maybe something else. Hurrah!
  6. Knitting more than I stash. Stop laughing.
  7. Stashing less than I knit. No. I mean it.
  8. Continuing to say 'yes' to being social. I have discovered I'm actually more playful the more I'm out. I thought I was a loner. I'm not always. Who knew?
  9. NOT be chronically upset that I'm 30 this year. I don't want to be 20 again. I was not as confident, experienced or with the man I am with now. Why would I go back?
  10. Continue to learn how to use my camera. Yup.
What are you striving for this year?