Post Christmas Monkeys

Swimming Upstream

I hate how commercialized the holidays have become. I hate that I feel obligated to or guilty if I do not give thoughtful gifts to my friends and family who already have too much stuff. Every year I try to be as minimalist as possible and more and more, I try to give handmade gifts.
Still, it is very challenging to think of an appropriate handmade gift for many on my list, men especially....
I made the above for my Piscean mother this morning and then proceeded to go on a jewelry making tangent.


I love how these turned out, simple but fancy at the same time (ignore the fingerprints on the crystals for now).
I think Christmas may be especially minimalist this year....I cannot seem to focus.

Birds of a Feather

My friend Sarah and I both LOVE birds. She made me a beautiful bird card for my birthday. I wanted to return the birdy birthday wishes so I made her these (this morning).



I am still hammering out the details of beading and I think my construction needs work. I hope she will be pleased with them despite their flaws.

Knitting of the sweater has been slightly on hold as it is a bit bulky for commuter knitting and I have been working tirelessly back and forth between several socks. More photos on that soon.

Happy Sunny Saturday!

Hourglass Sweater

The Hourglass Sweater is coming along nicely, my first skein of yarn is considerably darker than the rest, which I did not notice until I started with the second. I'm OK with it though, I am one of those seemingly rare knitters who actually likes pooling in variegated yarns. I am easily entertained by the changes in visual texture ...

My parents are in town for the weekend and mom and I had fun in downtown Portland this morning, visiting Saturday Market and other old shopping haunts.
They now live in sunny So Cal and all this coldness and sweater knitting has them a bit stumped, not to mention the trudging through the half frozen mud of the off leash park every day for the dogs benefit. Portland certainly is a divergent culture from many places and I'm very glad to call it my home!
My folks had a birthday party tonight and I'm going to see some stand up comedy with some of the No Po Ladies Auxiliary (i.e. my friends).
This having a nursing student for a husband stuff is pretty fun, almost like being single again without all the idiocy of dating :) The best of both worlds!