Fire in the sky

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I don't have much to say anymore. It's not that I'm not doing anything interesting, it's just that it's hard to find the time to gather my thoughts and sit down to write.

I can say that my stint at jewelry making (assembling) while fun, was not that successful fiscally. I still want to continue making things, but I don't think I will try to sell them. I will, however, bulk up on my knitting. Currently I'm working on some knitted link necklaces (shown below) and some more neck cowls, which are popping up more and more this year.

I can also say that our apartment is coming along nicely. We're done painting and fixing, now we are working on filling it out with artwork and furniture. Namely, we need some benches for our farm-style dining table as well as frames for some of my posters. I've also been eBaying Mexican tile.

Recently we went on a trip upstate to Tuthilltown Spirits where they distill, age and bottle their own vodka, rye, bourbon and whiskey. It's a really small operation but it was pretty inspiring - you can pretty much do anything you want to if you're dedicated enough. It's beautiful up there, and quiet. We want to rent a house near the river or one of the lakes next fall.

My second-biggest news is that I am applying to go on a trip to Kenya next spring. My company is sponsoring a community there through a charity called Free the Children, which helps to build schools, plant trees, supply fresh water and teach sustainability. It's a week-long trip, all expenses paid and we will be volunteering as well as sight-seeing. So I have an essay due this Friday that I cannot seem to start. I'm hoping I'll be hit with some inspiration soon - it's hard to write about something I have almost no knowledge about.

Other than that, I hate sitting inside at my desk all day while the sun shines through the windows beside and behind me.

Red squirrel in the morning. Red Squirrel in the evening.

Scenes

Gardiner, NY

George Washington Bridge

I made this

These are a few of my favorite things...

Some things I want and need right now:

A Calder-like mobile by mobilosity on Etsy. I love Calder's work and this is one that I've finally found that looks most like it. He is whimsical but also scientific.

Adorable pair of teacups that fit in each other by Shinzi Katoh. His art reminds me of children's books. I love that this set is made up of two cups.

Inside and on the back of the cups are the cutest details.

Another tea cup set by Shinzi Katoh - this is a little more practical because it has a built in tea strainer with lid. I have some loose tea and this would be perfect for it.

See?

Another wonderful tea cup, this one with a design by Irina Douer, an artist from Argentina. I've never seen her work before this but I like it very much.

All these tea cups and more available at Makool.

The Mini Nietzsche necklace by Demitasse
So cute and chubby.


Tiny gilded initial necklace by Ann Kiel


Merino wool tights - navy, gray, hunter green?

And from my Amazon wishlist:

The newest Katamari game, which is colorful and simple enough for me to play

Escapo by Paul Pope. He is amazing.

Kettling

omgomgomgomgomgomg

Skeeba wires, originally uploaded by lazysundae.

The cat on Alex's red rug, confused by all the wires

Pouf! It's like magic

What was supposed to be my summer project ended up being a quickie start-of-fall project:

This is the Puff Daddy knit stool from Pickles of Norway, which is like the Purl Bee in many respects, selling yarn and other supplies and offering free patterns for crocheting, knitting and crafts.

I bought some yarn on sale at WEBS, 9 skeins of royal blue Berkshire Bulky, a 50-50 blend of wool and alpaca. To stuff the pouf, I cut into our old featherbed, removed some of the feathers, then shoved it all into the knit case. It's fairly stretchy but be careful in sewing the bottom shut. I tore my stitching yarn and almost panicked that I'd ripped out some knit stitches.

Now Alex is using it as a gaming chair. Next up, a bed for the cat so she will stop sleeping on the dining chair cushions and shedding her fur all over it. Blech!