While Tangerine Dreams

Mind-Foolness

As you can see I added to my list of books I'm reading. Mindful Knitting by Tara Jon Manning. So far so good. Coming to me at the perfect time. First of all because I have been quoted recently by a local weekly publication as saying "Knitting's my new yoga!" (I was quoted as "one relaxed member" of our knit club - so you can insert flacid woo woo joke here). Secondly, because I've been letting my yoga practice slide these days due to my chronic crafting it's nice to be reminded that with a little intention my projects can still transport me to that sacred place where my mind, body and soul can swim in liberating stillness. Of course with reminders come the tests from the Universe. And so far I've been failing.

Failing to remain in the present moment (and this stuff only seems to happen when Craig's  out of town) results in Edie falling to help mommy remain in the present moment. First at the chiropracter's waiting room earlier this week (I won't get into it but totally my scatterminded fault - faceplant resulting in bit lower lip) and then last night I forgot to put her "bumper pillow" at the edge of the king size be we all share and >boom< at 4:00 am she fell off the bed. Oh. My. God. The sound. The guilt. The tears. The worry. The reminder.

This book comes at a good time. I need to stay more chill and quiet that monkey chatter some before I do some serious damage to my little Tangerine. Oooo, ooo, ooo (monkey sound effects).

Booty-Fly Bag

Schizzle me booty! I finally finished my first bag for the Sew? I Knit!along! It's the "In Town" handbag from Amy Butler and was just too fun and simple. Right here I'm striking an Amy Butler-esque pose. You know, just casually rolling into the farmer's market on top of a trailer that's carrying a tub and used windows when suddenly I spot my peeps who just happen to be sporting the exact same outfit as me?

I'm in love with this Japanese print from Reprodepot. (tried to link but seems like they sold out). Seems to be the perfect weight the pattern calls for to keep things from collapsing.

Check out the lining print in here:

Ooo, la, la, no? And just a couple of more shots cuz it's just too stinking adorable from so many different angles:

Don't have much of a closeup but that there is a tangerine button keeping everything contained. I'm not totally happy with that detail -  love the button but that's more for Edie to flash around lest people forget her name. But, the tangerine will have to do until the Universe provides me with the perfect embellishment. All I have to do is ask. Scary how that works sometimes.

I'm so pleased. Learning to sew is such a nice break and complement to my knitting adventures. Kinda like the complementary nature of Anusara and Ashtanga schools of yoga (I can hear Craig's eyes rolling all the way from BC). I have yet another Amy Butler bag to complete for the sewalong: the Downtown Madison bag. Hopefully that will done before the big guy gets back from his romp at the Horniman. I promised him that after my bag I'd make him some yoga pants. I failed to specify which bag though - nyuk, nyuk! If anyone out there happens to know of any cool guys' yoga pants patterns (whoa, that's a lot of plurals) please let me know!

Fabric Land

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Look what Mr Mailman delivered right before the weekend. I'm partaking in the sewalong for bags this month over at Sew? I Knit!.

My first thoughts were this and this together (the ladies to be a lining):

Then thinking this and this together:

Or perhaps the whole thing in reverse. But I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. I'll let the bags talk to me and see what they want. This is so exciting. I feel like I'm pregnant with twin bags. Fraternal twins. Oh, my swollen belly.

Red My Mind

Looks like we're off to the Horniman Ranch for about a week so I won't be posting much if at all. Please come back and visit after Easter monday! Lies! Looks like Craig's going by his lonesome. I'll be staying here with my friend who's visiting from England.

This is a stretch for red but here's Edie on her first birthday sporting the first thing I ever knit her. Her red birthday sweater. After reading other people's blogs who are participating in this colour hunt, seems I did it all wrong. I don't think I'm suppose to be using archives. This week has been really hectic. I'll be better organized when I get back I promise!

Orange you happy?

Here are the bits and pieces of juicy orange around here. The little munchkin on the lower right is my friend Natashia's little girl, Katka. They're visiting from England. She's the sweetest little thing. Always smiling and copying my laugh. So cute.

I'm a little behind the crafty front. I need to felt some more soap for the LYS carrying my stuff so I'll do that while the Tangerine naps today. Plus, I received an exciting note from Canada Post informing me of a pick-up (finally!). I was hoping to get a few bags completed for the sewalong I'm a part of but now it looks like I may be at the ranch next week so I don't know how many I'll be able to pump out before month's end.

One thing's for sure I'll get lots of knitting done on the road! This Sunday I'll get some more done on the Easter Bunny at my class and I'm totally on a roll with the vest so ... yeah, next week some FO's.

Today, the Monkey needs some rainpants to go with her too big rain coat. And little rubber booties that fit her chubby feet. I just hate shopping off-line for some reason! I'll see you guys on Monday. I'll try to quickly post some reds and purples for the colour play tomorrow. Play safe.

White On

Today's colour is white, black and greys. It's an amazing rainy day here which suits this theme perfect. The kitty is Miss Kitty! (the exclamation point is an important part of her name). I've had her since I was sixteen (let's just say she's old now) and she's my best girlfriend. Thank god that she and Edie get along famously. Happy Grey Day.

Green Again

Kisses of green from the Horniman Ranch. There's a frog on the bottom photo. He was living in our trailer while I was pregnant and everymorning at sunrise (really early) he'd start singing. Loud. We imagined that it was the spririti of our baby saying "hey guys! I'm here with you now in form of a frog!". And then when Edie came out she looked just like a little froggy!

Ribbit. Ribbit.

Feeling Blue

Feeling a little blue today so this colour game started by MeCosy is right up my alley. Tuesday is blue and I'm not feeling so hot so far. I won't get into it but I'll be okay. You need to feel down once in a while to feel up, right?

Instead of posting lots and reading other blogs (too much, anyway) I spent the morning knitting further into my Electra vest. I love this project so much. The yarn I'm working with is so lovely and therapeutic.

I'll be more "talkative" tomorrow I'm sure. Until then I'll have my camera ready for greens in my life (lots of that) and hopefully some fabric to show for my bag for Sew? I Knit! club.

Craiglette

Momma's not the only crafty one lurking in this household. My mother-in-law (God Love Her), was kind enough to hoard save these sweet momentos from Craigy's youth. It was so fun to go through these and laugh at how stoopid clever he was as a little boy. For example, under Bibliography he has written in one report "pamphlets". I guess you had to be there. It was a very funny trip down emory lane that's for sure.  I wonder if I'm going to turn into one of those Moms who keep every Elmer's glued pieces of paper her kids come home with until they're almost middle aged. Craig's betting I am but I've never been (and my mom as well) much of a collector or hoarder. We shall soon see I guess.

My weekend has not resulted in any FO's unfortunately. Still working on the Electra vest. I just started the front and I was able to start on Edie's Easter Bunny - my project for the "Do Watcha Want" Knitting class I'm taking at my favourite LYS.  Sorry, no knitting pics yet! How about my final Ebay submisssion in case anyone's interested here:

It's Edie's tummy tub that she only used twice and then decided she's a bathing in the regular tub with her Daddy kind of girl:

Please comment if you are interest in the tummy tub. Crazy looking Daddy not included.