DIY Trunk Show & Birthday Spoils

I guess I forgot to mention, but last Friday was my birthday. I wasn't really planning much, except to take the day off of work and hang out with my husband. It's not that I hate my birthday (though the last two have been pretty crappy - in 2011, I was super sick and in 2010, I was sick and had to learn how to sub-q my newly-diagnosed kidney cat at the vet. Very fun!), but I just don't get excited for each one the way I used to. I've been working a lot of extra hours this month, so I mainly just wanted to knit a bunch, drink a few beers, and get a mani/pedi.

On Friday morning, we honored a newly-minted birthday tradition by heading to Hot Doug's. Our strategy is to arrive at Hot Doug's shortly after they open so we don't have to wait in line too long (my fellow Chicagoans know what I'm talking about - by midday the line is around the building and the wait time can be 45 minutes to an hour. AND IT'S WORTH IT!). I'm sure you're wondering why a vegetarian would love a place whose slogan is "There are no two better words in the English language than 'encased meats, my friend," but I have to say, they make a mean veggie dog and delicious fries.

I spent the afternoon knitting on the pedicure chair, then headed home to open presents and hang out with Tyler. I got some awesome stuff - here's a few of the knitterly bits: yarn, a YarnPop! project bag (oops, not pictured - already in use!), and hand-knit Malabrigo Arroyo cowl, and several new books to have fun with - Deborah Newton's Finishing School, Carol Feller's Contemporary Irish Knits, and Tanis Gray's Capitol Knits! My husband also tracked down the three Holly Golightly records that I'd missed out on in recent years, so now I have music to listen to while I knit!

My birthday also continued into the weekend, as another tradition Tyler and I have is to buy tickets for a show that always falls fortuitously close to one of our birthdays or anniversary. On Saturday night, two bands I've really been digging (Radar Eyes and The Fresh and Onlys) were playing at my favorite Chicago venue, Lincoln Hall. It turned out to be a pretty good show, though there wasn't a very good turnout, which meant that they kept the balcony closed all night. Our strategy is usually to arrive early so we can snag some seats on the balcony, allowing us to enjoy the show from a comfy spot with a great view all night long. This is the first time that strategy backfired!

Earlier in the day on Saturday, I went to the DIY Trunk Show, which I didn't get to attend last year since I was under the weather. I'm glad I went - there was a nice selection of vendors and it was great to see my pal Sam selling her beautiful yarns from The Wool Dispensary. I found a super-cool stocking stuffer for Tyler that I'll have to share once the holidays are over, but other than that, I didn't make any purchases (I've gotten enough treats this month!). I did snag several business cards so I can shop online at a later date, however.

All in all, it was a pretty good birthday - certainly better than the last two, though that isn't saying much. I'm looking forward to the holiday season and seeing what 2013 has in store for me.

Easy DIY: Beaded Vintage Snowflake Ornament Kits from Solid Oak Inc.

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends, so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks). The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a

What If I Didn't Add Heels?

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels? I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b

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