Keep Calm and Carry Yarn

Mitred squares and a Treasure Book

 Despite the fact that I have to knit a wee gifty for a Creative Escape friend (wink, wink, Michele!), I continue to carry this with me and am still obsessively knitting on it whenever I am presented with a delay (soccer game, kung fu lesson, stop light...j/k on that last one!) I have been trying to start a pair of wristlets to match my Amelia Earhart cap, but picked a pattern that has repeatedly flummoxed me (good Lord, how DO you spell that?!). I thought the third try would be the charm, but alas...I'm on the FIFTH. Guess what gets picked up when I set it aside? Yup, mitred squares. Ahh...

More than halfway through my mini skein stash. My fellow knit-nighters and swappers were generous, I have enough of each to repeat colors, and enough of my own stash to add in, but I need another swap SOON to feed my yarn variety appetite.

Library pocket for I.D. tags

The other project that has eaten up some creative time is this traveling journal, for an art journal swap. Goodness, I hope this one comes back to me (filled with arty goodness, no less). I have been burned in more circle journal/scrapbook page/basic swaps than I care to count (not knitters...never knitters...a responsible bunch!). This swap came about through a mixed media Yahoo list that I am on. The moderator asked the swap organizer to take it offline, because she does not want to be responsible for swaps. Can't blame her. There are only 6 of us all together, though, so that should keep it speedy.

My journal is a small gift book that I covered with gesso (originally a Christmas book, it had a deep red cover and bright green pages) outside and in, then spray inked the cover and used a bit of heavy-duty embossing powder recently purchased at Mega Meet. Should be easy to mail, even as it gets heavy with art.

Had terrific fun this weekend (briefly) with dd, attending the World Steam Expo in Dearborn, MI. My friend Sal was a vendor (and High Tea sponsor). It was so much fun (and so inspiring) to see all the costumes and characters. I purchased some books (from Sal, who runs Off The Beaten Path Books -- a steampunk-themed store) and trinkets...steampunk is a DIY-based movement, as well as a literary-based one, so I was more interested in things I could use to develop my own character-in-progress. I've never been much of a Con attendee, but the spirit and camaraderie of the steampunk world is a very intriguing one for me. Read Scott Westerfeld's young adult steampunk series, starting with Leviathan, and see if you don't get hooked yourself...also Kady Cross's Harlequin Teen (I know, right?!) series, starting with The Girl In The Steel Corset. Fun reads. No vampires! Hallelujah.

In the next week I am having more medical procedures than I've had in a looong time, so you might not hear from me in a while (no surprise there, right? business as usual, LOL). Nothing serious -- an overdue followup to my mammograms and ultra sounds from 2 years ago, and a new twist...apparently my gall bladder is more trouble than it's worth. That will be done as a laproscopic surgery, so I'll be in an out in a day. If you have any experience with gall bladder disease, please let me know what to expect, especially in dietary restrictions. I already miss cheese, ice cream, and cream in my coffee. At least I haven't been kicked off the caffeine wagon! That would be the end of life as I know it.