Crochet Crafts

After a little bit of strife and tearing out a few rows and then a few more rows, then making a phone call to my mother I figured out how to successfully crochet.

Project number one was a neck warmer or 'convertible cowl' as the pattern labeled it. I know my tension was not consistent all the way through, but I'm pretty happy with the results. With a little practice and a re-do I'm sure I could make it stay on my head like a cowl should.

It was actually quite easy.

Also, by the sounds of it my sewing machine is going to take more than I thought to get it fixed, as such my dress that I was altering is still on hold. Sorry, I really want to show you it totally finished!

Weekend Projects

Friday night I got inspired to get after my weekend project. Recently I went thrifting with my friend Mary, and bought two dresses for $6. Steal of a deal. The thing is they need to be altered so they look a little more modern.

Friday I took the opportunity to sit down at my sewing machine and start clipping and hemming. It was all going so well until I discovered that part of my sewing machine wasn't working so well, turns out the feed dog (the part under the presser foot that pulls the fabric through) is made out of rubber and it has disintegrated and was leaving gross black marks on everything I was sewing. So until I can get that replaced I will have to put that project on wait.

Then I shifted my focus to my new project of learning how to crochet. This has not gone great but I am holding strong that I will get a handle of it. I think it'd be easier if I got a run through of how the patterns worked first because I have a feeling that it works differently than knitting patterns. It is a work in progress.

For now I will leave you with a teaser pic of what I was up to on Friday night. It is coming together really well and I can't wait to post the before and after pics :)

Shift Focus

In an attempt to keep blogging, at least occasionally, and in an attempt to keep it from getting mundane I am going to try and focus on crafts. I will still post about books because I really love books and I hope that if you see me reading all the time maybe you will to then we could talk about books because talking about books is about as good as reading them.

I've always been a crafter. I think I can attribute this to my Mother. She would sew, cross stitch, and other like things and I picked it up. I started cross stitching young and it was my craft of choice for quite some time, then I took sewing in school, learned to knit, made some baby blankets, sewed a dress, completed a huge cross stitch, and now I feel like I've fallen into a crafting rut. I'd love to learn how to quilt and although I learned how to crochet I don't really remember how to do it.

Right now I generally just make dish towel after dish towel. Now I won't sell these too short because they look lovely, come in amazing colours, and people love them, but I want to do something more challenging. Don't know exactly what form that will take but hopefully it will be inspiring. For now I leave you with a picture of some of the infamous dish towels, which if you know me well, you have probably had a few gifted to you.

My Bookshelf

Mockingjay, the third and final book in Suzanne Collins' series The Hunger Games. I literally just finished this, I read for quite a while today because I was so eager to see how this whole series would play out. The books are a fun read and the third one is no exception. I don't really want to give you any plot details as it would clearly spoil some of the first two books but as usual it is following the main characters around a dystopian world of the future.

All things considered this was a very enjoyable and easy series to get into, however it didn't end the way I thought it should. And I know I shouldn't be picky but I just reeeeaaallly wanted it to end one way and I feel like it was a little incomplete for me because it didn't end that way. Sad face. That said I would still recommend reading it, maybe you will enjoy the ending just the way it is.

Next up: Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. The first of a lengthy series of long books. ha. I've been avoiding this recommendation for quite some time, my friend Meghan has been telling me to read them for years and I will admit it wasn't until the HBO show came out that my interest was peaked. That and the fact that I have lots of time and a newfound passion of reading.

Keep Calm and Read On Friends!

My Bookshelf

Catching Fire, the second book of Suzanne Collins' trilogy The Hunger Games was quite enjoyable. It pulls you quickly back into the dystopian world where children are forced to flight to the death. The plot thickens and the characters grow. It was a good read but undeniably the second book of the trilogy in that it was a bridge between the second and third book but I almost wanted a little bit more from it. That said it definitely sent me running for the third book of the trilogy as it leaves you wanting more, immediately.

I'm excited to pick up the third book, probably this afternoon. The great thing about these books is that they are quick and easy to read and the story is so engaging that you will run through this series in a matter of weeks if not days. I think this took me just over a week to read only because I was too busy to pick it up. You could easily fit this series in between whatever books you are currently reading. I highly suggest it. Also a movie is coming out soon but I have to be honest, (although I've only seen one teaser trailer) it isn't looking too good to me, too much like a bad teen movie where the characters are unrealistically beautiful, but I'll have to investigate more.

Favorite...

Favorite County... Countries

I refuse to choose just one! I loved so many different places for so many different reasons. And when I think about all the different places I went I feel guilty singling out just a few as better than the rest. I honestly loved everywhere. Each city, country, local had a different feel and different reasons that I adored it.

That said I've been forced to choose a top few as people keep asking me.

1. The Netherlands.

Honestly, I adore it. It is beautiful, just gorgeous and the time I spent living there definitely made an impression on me. Canals, windmills, english speaking people who are so blunt it makes you laugh. I loved it! I would highly recommend a trip around the Netherlands.

2. Croatia

Crystal blue and green water, killer heat, friendly people, Italian inspired food. Really the only bad thing about Croatia is that you never want to leave. Perfect holiday local where you still feel like you get to do stuff to. It'd be perfect to rent or hire a sail boat and just cruise around from different tiny islands to different tiny islands. AND there are Roman ruins there. I love Roman ruins.

3. Italy

I've now been to Italy twice and I can honestly say that it always leaves me wanting more. The food is divine and the landscape impeccable. Every city is very different and I've heard the coast is gorgeous. I'm also a sucker for history and Italy does not come up short in that department. I know that I'll be back one day, I just have to! I would highly suggest a trip to Italy, for at least a month. And as I said the other day, bring stretchy pants. The food is just too good to say no to.

Well I think that's all I've got for now. If you'd like any other "what was your favorite...?" or any other questions or queries let me know and I'd be happy to answer them. However, if not I might be taking some time off from blogging. Who knows though, I might get in a few small posts every so often.

Thanks for following along on my adventure! Until next time, which hopefully will be sooner rather than later :)

Anecdotally

The other day at work one of our regular swimmers came up to me as she was leaving, she often stops to say goodbye, she's a real gem.

She came up the the lifeguard chair and said that when she moved from France 40 years ago she always used to say that white people couldn't dance and had no rhythm but she would have to take that back after seeing me dancing on the pool deck.

I am going to say that is a life win.

So to summarize, this white girl can dance and I do it often while working on a pool deck and perhaps more people notice than I initially thought.

Favorite...

Favorite Food

Well Food is a tough subject because there is a lot of amazing food to go around in Europe, but some of my all time faves was Italian anything - Italy is heaven for food, everything, and I mean even the street food is delicious! My favorite meal in Italy was an aubergine pasta dish with an olive oil sauce, it was so delicious I still think of it to this day. Of course Italy also has the most delicious gelato around and wonderful coffees and mozzarella, and well as I mentioned before, everything is delicious there.

Another meal of memory was in Prague I ordered a traditional meal, I can't remember its name, I blogged about it at the time, but it was beef and potato dumplings in a sweet orange cream sauce and it was amazing!! So delicious, I wish I could eat it on a daily basis.

So to summarize if you want a trip that will never disappoint you in the gastronomical department book a flight to Italy and bring along some stretchy pants. Italy tastes delicious!