Flibbertygibbet

Today's post is brought to you by the letter...

B. BBBBBBB.  I got a new keybbbbboard. It's beeyoutiful, bouncy and best of of all, not broken. I accept full responsibility for drinking coffee in the proximity of the old one while not quite awake one morning... I killed just one key, the B. I mean, it could have been worse - a vowel, for example - and I expanded my vocabulary while avoiding words using that letter, it's been a long couple of months using the cut and paste function while trying to decide whether to spring for a new machine (this mac is a little old in the tooth though that's not necessarily a reason to retire it) or find another solution. The answer came in the form of the Bookyard, who sell Apple spares and I got a new keyboard for about £50 and fitted it myself, rather than paying the £150 I was quoted by two different repair shops in town.  I used to think "Why do I have complete crap like watchmakers screwdrivers cluttering up my house?" The answer is (a) to make jewellery like this and (b) to enable me to remove the metal plate beneath the mac's keyboard, unplug the old one and put in a new one in three minutes.  The service from the Bookyard was excellent after an initial snafu where they shipped the wrong model, but they responded to my email within 30 mins - at 11:00pm at night and it was all sorted out the next day. I may yet send them my titanium powerbook to see if they can do anything with it...

Lots of little adventures this week.  I was lucky enough to win a dozen cupcakes from Ella's Bakehouse, a chi-chi new bakery at 20a Covent Garden Market, where they specialise in cupcakes with a couture theme (the woman behind it used to be a model, the face of Versace, apparently)

 

 

They're yum. Very very yum in fact.  I brought them to the volunteers' meeting at Wilton's that evening, as I'd already brought baked goods to work once this week - and to my neighbours too.  I am luring the guy next door into a false sense of security, once he's hooked on the cookies I'll be asking for some help putting up the long awaited shelves in the studio. I baked like a maniac last week because my grandmother had fallen and fractured her hip (fine now after an operation) and I needed displacement activities.  Cue two dozen cookies, rye sodabread, and muffins.  Plus the sourdough that didn't quite work out (the sponge starter is hidden under Lotusen's cupcake teatowel below) which I'll be attempting again today.

 

I've been back to the Make Lounge (the more of observant of you may wonder if I ever leave) to do the embroidery class. Super sweet teacher whose name I've forgotten, eek, but you can find her via the ML's website. I started on a pillowcase using one of the Sublime Stitching patterns, Dutch-Russian but due to attempting time-consuming satin stitch on it, it's still languishing.  It's a supercute pattern though, and you can see another classmate's project from that pattern here.  So for some instant gratification, I cam home and did this: a quick cupcake onesie.

I'm still persevering with running, 3 miles every other day. I loved the physio I saw about my feet/shins/knees/hips (nobody can agree what it really is) the other day because the first thing she said when I walked in was 'So you're a runner' and then I realised she didn't think this was lunacy and rather was focussed on how to keep me running rather than simply telling me not to. Incredibly refreshing. She did suggest that after a spin class or any other time when I'm having problems with numbness that I should get someone to massage my outer knee and showed me how to do that - I can't quite imagine throwing myself down on the floor of the spin studio and saying 'You, here, now'... but otherwise the advice was promising.

Lots more weekend news to come but given the issues with Typepad recently I'll quite while I'm ahead. Though when I bitched about TP on Twitter, I got a swift response from someone in their technical customer service offering to help.  I'll be taking him up on that. Between the b key and procrastination, I'd become lax enough at posting and then the renewed technical issues, after the utter debacle earlier this year, made me wonder whether to just shut the blog down but now I'm a little more optimistic...

Typepad, I hate you again

I got an email to say that I'd been upgraded to some new version of Typepad. I spent an hour on a post. I even cut and pasted to avoid the issues with formatting in the last post. And Typepad chewed it up again.  Are we back to that ridiculous situation where they've upgraded and screwed it up again?  FFS.

More than I thought

I mutter to myself 'well what will you blog about - you haven't done anything much recently'.  Upon reading the divine Lotusen's blog though, I realise that in fact I've been out and about quite a bit! (I'm the G that she mentions).  Here's the dress - not yet shortened but it's actually quite cool!  

I'm not sure that it's really designer, but this is what's on the label:

I've had a lot of freelance work on - I spent today repaginating a 500 page book, yes, all of it - and also the day job has prevented me from doing fun stuff like having coffee with Helen and the bub, bah. To say it's keeping me busy would be quite the understatement. That's also my rubbish way of saying 'I'm too braindead to fix the formatting problems here, sorry guys'.

London's climate has been temperamental, to say the least. Last night was cold enough to warrant pulling on the Misti Alpaca socks (long since finished though apparently never detailed here) and grabbing the quilt, though we've had scorchio days and too-hot-to-sleep over the last weeks too. I'm persevering with the running despite the weather (purchased shorts on Friday. Needed to wear thermal running tights on Saturday) and using the Nike+ is really helping, as I've mentioned before I am ludicrously competitive with myself. I get a little thrill every time Tiger Woods chimes out to tell me that I've run a new 1m PB. (9:11 - yeah, I never said I was Speedy Gonzales but I compensate with stubbornness)  If anyone else is using the Nike+ website, I'm Scampermouse on there. Come and say hello.

 

I'm spending far too much time on Twitter lately, mainly because it has introduced me to lots of interesting people and places, both conceptually and IRL and all of the following was introduced to me via Twitter.  The zeitgeist nature of it coupled with the fact that it seems increasingly to translate to real life, intrigues me wildly.  On Saturday I went along to meet some Tweeps (ok sorry - the terminology drives me insane, I can't really bear to say that) to meet some people from Twitter at the Crafternoon at The Old Queen's Head in Islington. I'm halfway through making a Measuring Tape Rosette from a kit I got there - I have to say my only gripe about these craft kits is that the thread supplied is usually crap - in theory I'll finish it at home. Ahem.  I did teach someone to purl though.  Halo polished.

In the evening it was off to Wilton's Music Hall, with some of the knitting crew thankfully as time with them recently has been far too curtailed, to see Tiny Wallop's Phantasmagorical Extravaganza.  It was utterly hilarious - to the point where my cheeks were aching from laughing so much - tinged with the sense of buttock-clenching fear that comes only from Audience Participation with us all trying to judge which strategy worked best to avoid being chosen - look at the performer, or avoid their gaze? There's one more night, which is Saturday 18th July, if you're in London. Come! Catherine Rose, the magician and mind-reader who opened the show, was amazing too. I want to know how she did that with the table.  Even when the hall is dark, Wilton's is a magical place, currently raising funds for renovation, so you should pop along and 'drink for charity' - patronise the bar if you're in the area.

 Finally, again via Twitter, this is one of the funniest things I've seen in ages and I now feel the need to purchase the kit. If you don't like profanity with your pastry or are exceptionally easily offended, there's no need to click here. 

Don't tell my mother.

Yesterday I went for my first run since January. Well, a ralk (run/walk) around the circumference of my most loved local park. As I plodded - without grace, speed or even much purpose because really, you don't want to to jinx these things - I came to the realisation that for me, running (much like writing) makes it all make sense. Paradoxically that's probably incomprehensible to most people. Most people outside my head, at any rate. I'm slow and lumbering, while being incredibly competitive with myself. Yet I so relish the mental clarity combined with a zen "tuning out" that happens once I get into the flow of a run.  My podiatrist will tie only with my mother in the 'Not Really Thrilled About This New Development' stakes.

The overwhelming desire to be able to run again as safely as possible - in a biomechanical sense, bearing in mind the collapsed arches, prolapsed discs and spondylolisthesis, ahem - is giving me new incentive to stick to the low-carb low-calorie diet for a little longer and get some more weight off these poor feet. I was getting restless and wanting to return to 'normal' but hey, the last few pounds are the hardest, right? So it will go on for a little longer. I've had such amazing support from friends and I feel roughly a million times better about so many things - it's definitely been worth it. Now hopefully the podiatrist appointment in July (a mere three and a half months after first referral - the lesson is, use the private health care next time) will sort the feet for once and for all.

Once more (with feeling) I'm attempting to complete The Artist's Way. I'm on Week 4. The reading deprivation, as anyone who's done the program will know, sucks. Also I am failing miserably at it. Though I've been severely restricting myself on email and social media in an attempt to get my freelance work done for the month.  I'm building up my freelancing and it was an immense thrill to be paid for my first official copy-writing job last week. The thought of pursuing that full-time makes me slightly giddy - it's definitely worth aiming for.

In craft related news, last month we:

Went to the UK Ravelry Day. Great company.  Good shopping opportunities. Crap weather.  Jon from Easyknits gave away gingerbread knitting men with purchases which we rather liked.



Don't have any pics here but we triumphed in the I Knit International Knit in Public Day treasure hunt!  Entirely due to GingerLucy's excellent balloon husbandry skills.

Some more stuff to come once I download pictures. Have found some new places to play, including one that you should certainly visit if you are in London... Right tis time to sleep. Up early tomorrow morning to run. Shhh, I didn't say that.  'Night Mum!

An experiment

Ok I know how flaky I've been. This is partly due to me forgetting all the interesting stuff I've been doing and also my little mac is really cranky with photos recently and it just all seems to take forever.

So now I'm just giving this a shot to see how the iPhone works for blogging.

I'm still working on the Ariel wrap and have cast on some socks too in some Opal from the factory trip. And... Ack. Not quite sure how to put photos in. Ok back to the drawing board. In the meantime, talk amongst yourselves. How have you been?

Luscious London weekend

At Adrienne's yarn swap, I delivered a baby blanket to the mini Pirate.  Total cutie-patootie. Another one went in the post but can't show pictures until it's delivered.  Also, um, forgot to take pics of the other thing that went in the package.  Doh.



At 8:00am on Sunday morning, here is where I was swimming.  I heart London Fields Lido.  Particularly in the sunshine.



Off to Columbia Road, for Climbing French bean plants. Not for me.  I can kill green things with a mere glance.

I fell in love with a print which had to come home with me. Will show you tomorrow.

There's a new shop there... it will be dangerous.  Even more dangerous than the cupcake shop just to give you a sense of perspective:



A light shaft illuminating the fabrics that were screaming "Take us home!! You waaant us!"  I was good. I won't be next time.



Walked home through the park.



Went to Wilton's Music Hall last night to hear the Kreutzer Quarter.  It was amazing.  Atmospheric building and fabulous playing.  Even a peasant like me could hear that.  Walked home still in daylight through the park afterwards. A perfect weekend.

Foot forward

And one foot back.  So while I've been away (or not posting anyway) I've been doing the following:

• feet - chasing podiatrist appointments, attempting to be disciplined about wearing my orthotics, dreaming of not wearing fugly shoes for the rest of my days - pah
  
• a strict health regime - ultra low cal/low carb diet with 5+ exercise sessions a week to lose weight and ease the pressure on the feet.  Also remembering that this week is Tash's anniversary and it's partly a testament to her that I decided a while back that I wanted to make changes in my life.  Oddly after the first couple of weeks on this diet I don't seem to be losing weight any more but my clothes fit very differently (ie the big ones are way too big - so wearing a very odd selection of outfits right now) and so will stick with it for a little longer
  
• crafting!  I just can't show you any of it because either I didn't take pics or the goodies haven't been sent off yet.  Well, I guess I can show the Misti socks that are on the needles at the moment, it's my new favourite yarn:
   
• And nesting - chucking stuff out and haphazardly hanging pictures and tidying for visitors who are coming this week
  
  
  Probably have lots more to tell but other stuff is also making my mind a bit cloudy at the moment and I'm sure I'm forgetting news.  Importantly, Wednesday is the Race For Life  - please do leave a comment on the previous posts if you want to be included in the draw, and make sure that you leave an email address so I can contact you!  And don't forget to go over and check out Helen's draw too!
  

How you all doing?

I'm in the midst of Script Frenzy (anyone else doing it?) and also on a big health kick.  These things are keeping me busy.  So how are you out there? I'll return with news and photos in May, undoubtedly.  There's a lot of other fun stuff going on too.

Drop a comment on the last post if you want a chance to win the lovely squooshy pink yarn and also pop over to visit Helen's giveaway!

Baby steps

You might remember that I had grand hopes for doing some fundraising running this year.  These haven't totally faded but I've had some technical issues - with my feet. I'm going to take myself to the doc this week to get it sorted. 

So lets start off with baby steps, which will still be plenty of effort - the I Knit Ravelry Group are putting a team together for the Race for Life on the 6th of May and the sponsorship page is here . 'Race' is a fairly elastic description of the event as I personally expect to be sauntering with perhaps a short burst of plodding towards the finish line if all goes well. Whilst knitting. This will be interesting.  Ooh, what should I knit? I know what I'll be knitting with - see below... and with whom, hopefully if she gets let out to play early enough...

I think it's going to be really good fun and it will be great to do something with knitters to support knitterly friends who've been affected by cancer. If you fancy joining in, coming along on the day, joining us in the pub afterwards (that's part of the plan, right??) or adding some cash to the total, then please do!

As a little incentive to encourage you to mosey on over to the fundraising page, I'm doing a little pink giveaway.  **Leave a comment to enter**.

The main attraction is a skein of super squooshy lovely sock yarn - produced by the very talented Jon at EasyKnits and he has very generously thrown in a £10 gift voucher for the winner too! In theory I'll be knitting socks on the course using the skein I bought for myself. 

I'll do the draw after the race on the 6th of May. Should my sewing machine recover soon (mutter mutter growl) there will also be a non-knitterly something. In pink, natch. 

Stash-busting - yeah, that's what it is

I'm going to the gym pretty frequently at the moment (the more I go the cheaper it gets through our work health insurance; it's making me feel a million times better including helping my back and posture; and as I'm already committed to paying for it each month it's like economising.  Almost.) I rented a permanent locker there so that I no longer get a second daily workout from schlepping all my gear back and forth so that kind of impacts the economising theory, but still.  I decided to make some bags to carry home laundry etc, rather than taking plastic bags from the gym all the time, and so trotted off to John Lewis for some fabric.  Cos you know, it's not like there's anything that I could possibly use here.  The idea was to get pure cotton so that I could chuck the bag in the wash with everything else.  I got some very cute Amy Butler and some chambray to mix with prints.

Then I saw something on Twitter about Liberty fabric and thought 'Duh.' 

As it's not like there isn't some of that around the house.  Yards of it hidden in various places in the craft room.  I have a selection of half metres of prints which proved irresistible in various sales, but I never had the right project for them until now - I'd originally planned to use them for quilting and then reconsidered putting the Tana Lawn with heavier weight cotton.

I used some plain cotton for the lining and some of the by-now ubiquitous Tikki binding (which Tiina cut for me on the day of the quilting class before Christmas.

The pattern was from this Japanese craft book and I'll definitely try more - both patterns from the book and more bags.  Next one will likely be a modified version of this one so that it's less boxy.  Oh, the possibilities...

PS thanks for the sweet emails and comments - the ex-mole is looking grand really.  Just waiting to get the all clear letter and putting the Vitamin E on it...