Thanks to all who came by today to see me at The Roost! & if you haven't yet heard, come check out the Artist's Weekend happening tomorrow at The Roost Cafe in Sidney.
I'll update with more pics of all the fun later.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
a little art...
Thanks to all who came by today to see me at The Roost! & if you haven't yet heard, come check out the Artist's Weekend happening tomorrow at The Roost Cafe in Sidney.
I'll update with more pics of all the fun later.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Artist weekend
Well The Knitting Olympics are over. And I didn't complete one single project on my list. Oh well, sometimes life just gets in the way. I did, however, finish the July/August Lady sweater of Ravelry fame last night.
These pics are the best I could do since I had to take them myself.
That last one looks so much like a baby cardi to me, since there is no scale to judge size from. I guess it is fitting, since this pattern began life as a baby cardi.
The reason I was unable to finish all of my knitting projects for the Ravelympics was that I was busy doing another form of art...
This painting is just one of the ones I've been working on for a show during the Artist's Weekend at the Roost cafe in Sidney. I will be showcasing & selling some of my paintings, & collectible stuffies. Come check it out if you are in the area on Saturday & Sunday, August 30 & 31 between 9am & 5pm.
The paintings are acrylic on canvas.
As always, I have a love/hate relationship with my artwork. Part of me is the proud mama of each painting my brush touches, the other part doubts my talent. I guess it is hard to be objective about something you put a lot of time & creative energy into. I hope you guys like them!
p.s. I just ate the best lunch! I'll share the recipe here, but no pics cause I gobbled it up too fast. Inspired by Smitten Kitchen (see my fave links list)
Brunch Quesadilla:
(serves one)
2 corn tortillas
small amount of olive oil
1/8 cup of piquante salsa (or mild if you like that)[add as little or as much as you like really]
3 chopped basil leaves
chopped up strips of cheddar cheese
1 egg
pour a little oil in a non-stick pan
place one tortilla in the pan, and 1/2 of the cheese strips on that
when cheese begins to melt, crack the egg over top of the tortilla
break the yolk
top with basil, and dot salsa across egg evenly
cover with the 2nd half of the cheese, and the other tortilla
Let fry until egg is almost done cooking
flip it (careful! this can be messy)
Let fry on other side until it puffs up.
It should look golden on each tortilla side, with egg and melty cheese coming out the edges...mmm...
Serve cut into quarters, or however you prefer to portion up your quesadillas
EAT IT UP!
These pics are the best I could do since I had to take them myself.
That last one looks so much like a baby cardi to me, since there is no scale to judge size from. I guess it is fitting, since this pattern began life as a baby cardi.
The reason I was unable to finish all of my knitting projects for the Ravelympics was that I was busy doing another form of art...
This painting is just one of the ones I've been working on for a show during the Artist's Weekend at the Roost cafe in Sidney. I will be showcasing & selling some of my paintings, & collectible stuffies. Come check it out if you are in the area on Saturday & Sunday, August 30 & 31 between 9am & 5pm.
The paintings are acrylic on canvas.
As always, I have a love/hate relationship with my artwork. Part of me is the proud mama of each painting my brush touches, the other part doubts my talent. I guess it is hard to be objective about something you put a lot of time & creative energy into. I hope you guys like them!
p.s. I just ate the best lunch! I'll share the recipe here, but no pics cause I gobbled it up too fast. Inspired by Smitten Kitchen (see my fave links list)
Brunch Quesadilla:
(serves one)
2 corn tortillas
small amount of olive oil
1/8 cup of piquante salsa (or mild if you like that)[add as little or as much as you like really]
3 chopped basil leaves
chopped up strips of cheddar cheese
1 egg
pour a little oil in a non-stick pan
place one tortilla in the pan, and 1/2 of the cheese strips on that
when cheese begins to melt, crack the egg over top of the tortilla
break the yolk
top with basil, and dot salsa across egg evenly
cover with the 2nd half of the cheese, and the other tortilla
Let fry until egg is almost done cooking
flip it (careful! this can be messy)
Let fry on other side until it puffs up.
It should look golden on each tortilla side, with egg and melty cheese coming out the edges...mmm...
Serve cut into quarters, or however you prefer to portion up your quesadillas
EAT IT UP!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
handspun yummy
This is the first yarn I have spun on my new wheel! I can't even believe how fast this spun up, it is about 75 - 100g of Merino wool from Ashford. I am kind of obsessed with this colour this season. Can you tell?
I love how it has that classic handspun thick & thin texture. I think I might knit a slouchy hat or toque out of it for this fall. I still have the handspun I did on the drop spindle to use up too & I think it will work nicely together with this wheel spun yarn.
I can't wait to knit it up!
~Nessa
I love how it has that classic handspun thick & thin texture. I think I might knit a slouchy hat or toque out of it for this fall. I still have the handspun I did on the drop spindle to use up too & I think it will work nicely together with this wheel spun yarn.
I can't wait to knit it up!
~Nessa
Friday, August 15, 2008
Get your geese in a row...
I am trying my darndest to get the E.Z. take-off sweater finished for the Ravelympics. I think, I might just make it!
I am officially onto the sleeves, which of course are only 3/4 length. So really it's like 1.5 sleeves worth of knitting. (I feel like that was really terrible grammar, but I don't have the brain to fix it right now. Sorry grammar police!)
You are probably noticing that the waist band isn't finished. That is purposely on hold to see if I have leftover yarn from the sleeves to make knit the band 1.5" long, right now I am running out of yarn for the band and am about .75" into the band. I still have one ball reserved for the sleeves.
I am also feeling a bit overwhelmed that summer is coming to a close very soon. I am heading back to school on September 2nd, and I just don't feel ready. There is so much to get done, and all I feel like doing is procrastinating. I am looking at my schedule, and all of the commitments I have made & starting to freak out just a tad. Work one day a week, 4 lab science classes, volunteering one day a week, teaching a sock knitting class! I really need to get it together, but am finding it hard to get out of the summer groove.
Speaking of summer grooves, check out Jon & Roy. They are a local Victoria band that I have recently fallen in love with! (Their music of course, not them personally :-P). The song, Right Groove, has been running through my head at work a lot lately. They are just the perfect West Coast summer sound.
Here's a pic of the bike out on the Galloping Goose. I can't believe how much fun riding a bike is!
And speaking of geese...
happy summer knitting,
~Nessa
I am officially onto the sleeves, which of course are only 3/4 length. So really it's like 1.5 sleeves worth of knitting. (I feel like that was really terrible grammar, but I don't have the brain to fix it right now. Sorry grammar police!)
You are probably noticing that the waist band isn't finished. That is purposely on hold to see if I have leftover yarn from the sleeves to make knit the band 1.5" long, right now I am running out of yarn for the band and am about .75" into the band. I still have one ball reserved for the sleeves.
I am also feeling a bit overwhelmed that summer is coming to a close very soon. I am heading back to school on September 2nd, and I just don't feel ready. There is so much to get done, and all I feel like doing is procrastinating. I am looking at my schedule, and all of the commitments I have made & starting to freak out just a tad. Work one day a week, 4 lab science classes, volunteering one day a week, teaching a sock knitting class! I really need to get it together, but am finding it hard to get out of the summer groove.
Speaking of summer grooves, check out Jon & Roy. They are a local Victoria band that I have recently fallen in love with! (Their music of course, not them personally :-P). The song, Right Groove, has been running through my head at work a lot lately. They are just the perfect West Coast summer sound.
Here's a pic of the bike out on the Galloping Goose. I can't believe how much fun riding a bike is!
And speaking of geese...
happy summer knitting,
~Nessa
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Updates!
Hey all!
There are some new goodies up on the Coy shop! With more kinds to come in the next few days. I have been test driving this new style of stitch marker to make sure they hold up to real knitting. I am using them with a basic vine lace pattern in a worsted weight yarn. They have not snagged on anything & have held up to knitting action just fine!
& here's my update on the February Lady Sweater! I have now memorized the lace pattern so it is moving along much more quickly! It is one of my Ravelympic challenges to finish this baby by Aug 24th!
And a couple of proper daylight pics of the Bella Bike Seat Cover!
my awesome friend Bonnie from work gave me a bike helmet today! So now I can hit the road on my new Bella Bike!
happy sunday!
There are some new goodies up on the Coy shop! With more kinds to come in the next few days. I have been test driving this new style of stitch marker to make sure they hold up to real knitting. I am using them with a basic vine lace pattern in a worsted weight yarn. They have not snagged on anything & have held up to knitting action just fine!
& here's my update on the February Lady Sweater! I have now memorized the lace pattern so it is moving along much more quickly! It is one of my Ravelympic challenges to finish this baby by Aug 24th!
And a couple of proper daylight pics of the Bella Bike Seat Cover!
my awesome friend Bonnie from work gave me a bike helmet today! So now I can hit the road on my new Bella Bike!
happy sunday!
Saturday, August 09, 2008
lacking clever title
This past Monday, I spent the day with my friend Victoria. It was BC Day for all those non-British Columbians, and so the city was in full festivities. It was a lovely day! I didn't even mess with the colours in photoshop, these dreamy colours were what my camera actually captured!
We walked around Beacon Hill Park, and then on to the Inner Harbour to see some great free concerts, including Collin James, Sarah McLaughlan, and Feist.
Then, yesterday I bought a bike! It is a used vintage Italian folding bike in a wicked orange colour. The seat has a tiny hole in it from previous use, so until I get a new one I will use this crocheted cover over it.
I used my freestyle crochet skills to make this cute cover, which I have dubbed the Bella Bike Seat Cover, since my bike was called an Anna Bella model.
I intend to use my new bike to get to & from school & work. I love how it is so compact, and fits my tiny frame very well. More photos when the weather is not so miserable!
~nessa
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Tofino/Ucluelet Adventure!
Last weekend, the hubby & I took off on our very first vacation together! Yes, we have been together for five years, and married for three, but nary a vacation have we been on!
Last weekend the hubby & I were supposed to go camping with his friends. We even booked time off especially for it, but at the last minute his friends all bailed. On Friday night, the hubby phoned me at work, and told me to try and find a place for us to stay in Tofino for the weekend.
So that night I spent the evening frantically phoning around up island to find us a campground, hotel, or b&b. I lucked out & found accomodations for both Saturday & Sunday night at a B&B in Ucluelet, which is about 40km from Tofino.
Saturday morning, we hit the road.
Knitting in hand of course...
Along the way, we found a cool glacier fed river to check out.
The water was so green.
After which we hit the windy road up to Tofino, which was an adventure in and of itself. Especially with Jeffy being so new to driving standard, and our new car (btw. we got a new car, well new to us, a buick 2-door). Luckily, we didn't drive off the edge of the mountainous road, and we arrived safe and sound in Ucluelet.
Our B&B was a beautiful new home in a weird little rainforest. They called it Old Growth, but we knew better. It was pretty though.
That night, we had dinner in town, and then snuggled up to watch a movie (the owners had a good DVD collection to choose from).
The next morning, we went to check out Tofino.
We puttered around, and chatted up some of the locals. Had some wicked chai latte, and checked out the many art galleries and shops.
We ended up having lunch at Sobo's (nothing to do with this photo, this was a carving that I liked), a unique cafeteria style restaurant that started out in a van. Then headed back out of Tofino.
Then we went to Long Beach
A couple of times actually...
We would check out part of it, then get back in the car...
and drive to find more...
and walk through some trails, and down stairs...
and there was more....
It is aptly named.
The evening was capped off with an evening stroll through Ucluelet, some Khalua mudslides, another good movie, and some real stars! Seriously, it puts Victoria night skies to shame.
Because of our evening fun, we slept in on Monday, and had a lazy drive back to Victoria.
with more knitting
and more gorgeous views.
It was a lovely weekend, and two pairs of socks are almost complete now. I just have the toes to do on 2 socks!
~Nessa
Last weekend the hubby & I were supposed to go camping with his friends. We even booked time off especially for it, but at the last minute his friends all bailed. On Friday night, the hubby phoned me at work, and told me to try and find a place for us to stay in Tofino for the weekend.
So that night I spent the evening frantically phoning around up island to find us a campground, hotel, or b&b. I lucked out & found accomodations for both Saturday & Sunday night at a B&B in Ucluelet, which is about 40km from Tofino.
Saturday morning, we hit the road.
Knitting in hand of course...
Along the way, we found a cool glacier fed river to check out.
The water was so green.
After which we hit the windy road up to Tofino, which was an adventure in and of itself. Especially with Jeffy being so new to driving standard, and our new car (btw. we got a new car, well new to us, a buick 2-door). Luckily, we didn't drive off the edge of the mountainous road, and we arrived safe and sound in Ucluelet.
Our B&B was a beautiful new home in a weird little rainforest. They called it Old Growth, but we knew better. It was pretty though.
That night, we had dinner in town, and then snuggled up to watch a movie (the owners had a good DVD collection to choose from).
The next morning, we went to check out Tofino.
We puttered around, and chatted up some of the locals. Had some wicked chai latte, and checked out the many art galleries and shops.
We ended up having lunch at Sobo's (nothing to do with this photo, this was a carving that I liked), a unique cafeteria style restaurant that started out in a van. Then headed back out of Tofino.
Then we went to Long Beach
A couple of times actually...
We would check out part of it, then get back in the car...
and drive to find more...
and walk through some trails, and down stairs...
and there was more....
It is aptly named.
The evening was capped off with an evening stroll through Ucluelet, some Khalua mudslides, another good movie, and some real stars! Seriously, it puts Victoria night skies to shame.
Because of our evening fun, we slept in on Monday, and had a lazy drive back to Victoria.
with more knitting
and more gorgeous views.
It was a lovely weekend, and two pairs of socks are almost complete now. I just have the toes to do on 2 socks!
~Nessa