Christie C. “A good friend is a connection to life – a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.” —
Lois Wyse
Here’s a little slice of life! This week was all about coffee, cats, and a whole lot of knitting.
Friends and No Sugar
This past week was invigorating since I finally got to see some friends! Living in the United States is a little unnerving right now with the political climate so tense, violent, and unpredictable, so sometimes you need a little social connection to remind yourself that we’re all just trying to survive together.
One of my best friends from New York came to visit and we enjoyed hours of good coffee, girl talk, and getting trapped in my car while waiting for a thunderstorm to end.
I drank the loveliest latte paired with a hot coffee cake. No sugar. You know the coffee is good when you don’t need any sugar.
To end the day, we had a double date with her boyfriend and my husband at a new Italian restaurant. We miss good Italian food from Brooklyn, so this place was a pleasant surprise with its classy and relaxed ambiance, impeccable service, and delicious food. I love the homemade cannolis and appreciated that they weren’t too sweet.
Queen Cleopatra
On another day, I met with another friend for an afternoon of painting. She gave me a wooden cutout of a cat, so I painted it to look like Cleopatra using acrylics and orange mica. I really need to start painting again. I only have the energy and time to do it in the summer. I typically finish one or two pieces a year. Otherwise, I struggle being consistent with it.
My last artistic painting project was restoring an old sea captain statue from an old ceramic company called the Holland Mold Company. I have a portrait to finish, however, and some sketches to complete.
Going back to Cleopatra, it has been a little bit of an adjustment having a pet again after being pet-less for eleven years. But, Cleo has added a lot of laughs and comfort to our lives. Hubby is indifferent about animals, so it’s amusing and heartwarming to see him adore Cleo and become a cat dad!
It’s difficult sewing and knitting with her hanging around, but I’m getting used to it.
Colorblock Cardi WIP
In between catching up on friends, recovering from my injury, and playing around with foraged and Indigenous American foods, I am sewing and knitting up a storm! I want to have a pile of fun me-made garments for the fall and winter.
I’ve been loving the making process of the Colorblock Cardi by Bluebird Pine Shop. I got the pattern from Etsy, but Ravelry has it as well. It’s my second chunky sweater of the year, and I am making it with some scrap yarn (although, I did have to buy more after running out of specific colors 😅).
This pattern has been super fun to knit and knits up quickly. Aren’t the colors amazing? I just melt over creamy neutrals and earth tones. I am using the Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick yarn in Fisherman, Oatmeal, and Kale.
The Lionbrand Wool Ease line of yarns is my go to for acrylic pieces because it knits up beautifully, doesn’t pill horribly, and contains wool. The end results appear more put together and last a little longer. I used the worsted weight Wool Ease to make my Harry Potter Hogwarts House Scarf.
