Lady Detective Hat

This hat's been done for a couple of weeks but I had to wait on the buckle I found on eBay to finish it off. It's a jaunty brim from Tracey Ullman's book, Knit 2 Toegether in Noro Iro.

Coaster Swap

KIP met tonite at Bella Luna Cafe for dinner, wine and a coaster swap. Like past swaps - there's so much anticipation on which gift you'll open and every gift is a work of art to be cherished. We each had to make two




and we drew numbers to receive a different one. I drew for two different cotton coasters (left). The law of attraction was at work tonight when Jackie-once again-drew one of my Noro felted creations (right).

Gypsy Vest

My latest Noro creation is off the needles and I'm quite pleased how it turned out. I modified the Berroco Gypsy pattern by omitting the crochet bottom, added waist shaping decreases, armhole ribbing and substituted Noro Iro goodness. It's a blend of 75% wool and 25% silk in colorway 84.

January Flea Market

It's probably a good thing we only have our flea market once a month because I always seem to find several things to drag home. Today I found this decorative spinning wheel for $2. I think it was designed as a plant holder but will look fine high on a ledge in my craft room.

Another Thorpe

This is actually the 3rd Thorpe that I've completed this week. Notice it's the same Manos yarn that I used for my Ski Lodge vest. I could easily make many more of these fun hats but I've just got to move on...

Texas Pillow

Extra Special fabric shop in Guthrie, Oklahoma specializes in carrying the widest selection of western cotton fabrics around. I usually drop in on my way to Texas (to pick up my favorite pinup cowgirl fabric) and on my last trip I was inspired to make a 16" pillow case from two fat quarter squares of fabric. Sewing in a velcro strip for the back closure made it a very simple project to whip up.

Thorpe Hat

I joined the bandwagon/peer pressure to make this hat, Thorpe. It's like high school - Everybody's doing it so I've got to join in. Seriously, I'm probably the last person to make one while everyone else has made several. Just can't resist a hat with earflaps and pigtails!

Low-Carb Diet

Diet it such a dirty word. But really, my eating habits had become way out of whack for too long. The New Year is a huge motivator for me and I decided to get back to the basics of my long ago bodybuilding high protein diet and the log I used when I competed. Realistically, it's hard to log all year long, but its a good excercise to follow for a few weeks to get back in the practice of making sure your cal/carb/fat/protein ratios are where they need to be. In my case, I want to lose a little fat and a few inches so I'm trying to keep my carbs under 55 grams/daily and protein anywhere from 80-100 grams/day. Its so hard to resist a bowl of fried rice or chips & beer!
I use www.thecaloriecounter.com to look up foods and at first it was shocking how many carbs and how little protein was in my diet. Ive had to make adjustments every day and am now incorporating protein drinks and bars as snacks between meals. A re-evaluation of my excercise plan will follow but for now its time to get reaquainted with my old friends: egg whites, tuna, chicken breast, and cottage cheese to name a few. How does your diet measure up in 2009?

Easy Ripple Blanket

I'm multi-tasking again. Still working on finishing Xmas gifts but needed an easy traveling project and decided on the Easy Ripple Baby Blanket pattern as a gift for a girl at the salon. She had a baby about a year ago and I promised her a baby blanket so -- better late than never. To make it a quick project, I used a bulky brushed yarn from JoAnn's by Sensations. It was super fast, easy and enjoyable. I just might have to make another.

A Day to Relax

I'm heading back to Dallas tomorrow so it was really nice to have the day off to recharge and lounge around the house. Actually, started the day with a workout at the Y then back home to watch movies (Rocky marathons!) and nap -- all day long. The dogs were happy to have us home.