By the way

This is amazing:

http://youaremywild.wordpress.com/

Friday: Link Love

Craving spring and outdoorsy-type adventures? Check out this tumblr:

Little Moss Maiden

Sometimes about all I can handle at the end of a busy day is looking at pretty pictures and then going to bed. I am so glad to have found this site this particular reading period/finals/when will the quarter finally be over week, let me tell you. All photos below are from the Little Moss Maiden tumblr, and links to original sources are included on her site (hooray for responsible linking!).

I just love the layout of 80 million photos and how you can watch the changes in things that are being curated (there is a clear fruits and veggies thing going on when you start to scroll down a bit).

Any interesting sites to share this week? Put your links in the comments!

Friday: Link Love

Hello, loves! I would just like to direct your attention to this mouth-watering recipe over on the Cakies blog:

MOCHI CAKE!!!

photo by Ruby from the post linked above

I need to get some sweet rice flour immediately. That is all. Back to the knitting tomorrow.

Link Love: Eat This Now

It's Monday, but I can't wait a whole week to show you this. Emma really is going to put me in a food coma. I can't believe how amazing this sounds: French Toast, but made from sliced croissants. 

image from Food Coma blog

Ayup.

Friday: Link Love!

Hooray for another Friday and another busy but wonderful week. This week's link is for a site I've been enjoying for its daily dose of knits that make you drool, together with links to projects and patterns.  It's like Ravelry light, for when you can't handle the overload of 85 million recently completed items made by all your talented friends. Below you'll find a smattering of my recent faves (apparently I am in a red cables kind of mood lately).

Knitting, F*** Yeah!

link to pattern

link to free pattern

link to pattern

Any links you found this week that you'd like to share in the comments? Send us to those inspiring blogs!

Friday: Link Love

Go here. Go immediately. It's the best.

http://browndresswithwhitedots.tumblr.com

Friday: Link Love

Happy Friday, friends! I spent today in a semi-exhausted stupor, but it was a pretty pleasant day anyway.  I'm so excited for the weekend, for some time to knit, read, and watch movies, plus I am determined to get myself a little Christmas tree, and I'm maybe going to head downtown to get myself some yarn for making a Christmas present that I just thought of yesterday. I hope you have exciting plans, too!

***Just one link this week, the post that officially sparked my holiday spirit:
'Tis the Season over on Katie's Pencil Box (lovely blog if you haven't visited yet).

Friday: Link Love

There is, in fact, a lovely link at the end of this post. Scroll down if you would like to skip my recap of Thursday.


Happy Friday, friends! I am so glad this week is nearly over; it has been one of those super stressful stretches of time that I just want to wipe from my memory.  At the same time, though, life has a really great way of offering small, cheerful moments that just balance everything out.  Let me tell you two stories to explain what I mean.

Road Rage
I'm not a particularly violent person.  For a long time I've thought that I have no patience, but lately friends have been telling me they think I'm actually incredibly patient.  One friend has even informed me that he thinks I ought to tap into my anger more often.  This little episode from yesterday morning is for him.
I was running late from the moment I hopped out of bed, which meant no time for my regular workout and very little time to get myself together before leaving for campus.  I decided to walk instead of taking the bus, because I thought this would help me feel a little more calm and centered.
Wrong! By the time I got to campus I was practically fuming about all the cars that didn't let me go in the crosswalk, all the other pedestrians who were just dilly-dallying along the sidewalk, and stupid traffic signals that were slowing me down. Basically I had the walker's version of road rage.
Then I got to campus and tried to walk across the quad, weaving my way through groups of grinning students and people hugging each other, and all of this gladness just made me even more grumpy.  Right before I turned aside to go into my building, I saw it: the last straw.  An undergrad, dressed in her stylish outfit and perfect slouchy hat, had planted herself artfully under a tree in the middle of the quad and was strumming away at her guitar.  People, it was 35 degrees out and it's nearly finals week, and maybe this was her way of dealing with stress, but I wanted to walk up and kick her guitar in the face.  Road rage, I tell you.

A Sweet Library Story
First, a preface.  Earlier in the week, the library staff removed the table I normally use for studying and replaced it with a completely different kind of table.  Before, I had a shelf of books at face height, so I felt a little secluded and I wasn't distracted by seeing other people walk around.  Now, the table is low and sometimes other people want to come share it with me (which is fine. I like these people and I like sharing; it's just different), and every time I check Facebook or Pinterest I feel like everyone in the library knows I'm goofing off.  I'd like to say, "Hey, no big deal! I like change!" but that would be a lie.  It has sort of thrown me off.
Anyway, my library pal (the guy for whom I made this mini sweater) came over to the table yesterday afternoon to say hello.  When he asked how I was doing, I gave him the honest answer, which was, "I'm really stressed out!"  He said, "Hang in there," and walked away to his normal table.  Within 5 minutes he had returned with a tiny stuffed panda in hand.  He gently set the panda down on the edge of my table and said, "Here. You can keep this for as long as you want."  It was so incredibly sweet, and now I have this little panda living in my locker to remind me that stress is very easily dissolved and I don't need to kick anyone's guitar.

And now, the link!
Just one this week, because it actually takes you to a collection of other links - blogs, shops, Pinterest accounts - that you should definitely check out.  Go read a mini-interview sponsor feature on Kyla's blog. I think you'll recognize one of the sponsors...

Do you have any stories or links to share? Are you glad it's Friday?

Friday: Link Love!

The snow has made its appearance, so here is a "last hurrah of fall"-themed collection of links for your autumnal enjoyment.

*** Let's start off with a snack, yes? This Pumpkin and Cream bread recipe from Sunday Baker looks like it will be perfect.

*** What will you wear? I might make and wear one of these knitted headbands (free pattern from Rewind Knits and Crochet)

*** And I will pair it with my Shabby Apple G. Cooper dress. 40s-inspired dresses and fall go together in my head.

*** I will enjoy my fashionable self and my tasty pumpkin bread in my enormous kitchen.

original source unknown

*** And then I'll head outside to take a walk in the leaves.

Any last fall-themed links or wish list items you'd like to share? Please post them in the comments!

P.S. I really feel like the luckiest girl right now. I have won two giveaways recently! You can check out my ad over on Kyla's blog and visit her other amazing November sponsors (so many neat crafts and items for sale!), and I won the October giveaway on LA's blog. For serious, I am over the moon!!!

Friday: Link Love!

Hello, friends! I'm so glad this week is over - it has been incredibly long and exhausting, full of way too many projects and deadlines.  But there is one project I took on last night, well into the wee hours, that was completely fun and promises to be really rewarding.  Here's the story: there is a very sweet man who is defending his dissertation today, and for the past few years, he has been a daily source of cheer and friendship in the library.  He always has a joke or a kind word to say to me, and he often comments on my knitting. Sometimes, in fact pretty frequently, these comments take the form of a request for his own sweater or technicolor dream coat (y'know, like Joseph's coat of many colors).  I consistently joke back that I'm working on it, and last night I finally did work on it.

Voila:

It is about 4 inches tall, made on a set of three US2 dpns using sock yarn leftovers (I am pretty sure this is some Regia, but I have no idea what the colorway is called. It might be one of the Kaffe Fassett ones?), and it definitely fits the requirement of being many colors!!

In keeping with this project, here are a some links to a few other mini things I've been enjoying this week:

*** Mini snowman. Oh yes.

source

*** Slightly more seasonally appropriate, autumnal mini treat flags

source

*** For those who like mini things at night, mini star cutouts in a bathroom window shade

source

*** And if you're feeling thankful, why not make a mini thanksgiving tree? I think I need to start one of these - put branches in a jar, then tie on paper leaves with things you're thankful for written on them. Great idea!  Ashley Ann is working on one over here.

source

Any fun links you've found this week? Feel free to share them in the comments :)

Friday Link Love

Happy Friday, friends
The weather seems to have made a decisive turn this week, so I've been able to wear sweaters and long sleeves and layers and boots... I love love love fall!  Today's link love is all about fall knitting and crochet projects that I admire and maybe want to make.

*** Tiny owl magnets in so many colors! Made by ATERGcrochet on Etsy (the pattern is also for sale, in case you're as tempted as I am to use all your worsted weight scraps making bird after bird). Can't you just imagine these in fall shades of orange, gold, and brown? I'd like to make a banner for a Halloween party.

*** While cold weather makes the leaves fall off trees outside, you can make a perpetual plant for the indoors. A cactus! I found this on the LMNOP blog, where there are also awesome Halloween costume ideas for kids who like to read books.  If you stop over there, you really should spend a bit of time checking out all the neat features.

*** Nothing is better on a chilly fall night than cuddling up under a warm blanket with a mug of hot chocolate. Extra points if you add a scoop of pumpkin ice cream to the hot chocolate.  Well, the Purl Bee has the perfect blanket, made of felted wool.  I think it would also just be fun to knit squares in these same dark neutrals and not felt them.

Have you seen any inspiring knitting or crochet lately? What's on your fall project list?

P.S. If you haven't yet, please enter the giveaway!

enter, enter, enter

Friday: Link Love

Friday! After a really busy week full of teaching, I'm ready for relaxation and lots of knitting (ahem, on some sweater sleeves...), plus catching up on all the boring chores like doing dishes and laundry and scrubbing the shower. Ah, the joys of housekeeping. On a more exciting note, I'm also starting to get ready for Halloween, one of my favorite holidays.  Here are a few inspiring decorations and projects to get you in the mood for a spooky, creepy weekend of holiday prep.

*** Skull embroidery patterns from Polka and Bloom

*** Pick your favorite font and carve initials into your pumpkins, a la Martha Stewart (via Pinterest)

*** Or you can make a zombie pumpkin... the pattern is available from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery

*** Um, pumpkin pie milkshakes from Emma and Elsie. Make me one immediately.

*** And take a few minutes to enjoy Miss Indie's Autumn Spice playlist!

Now it's time to mail off an Etsy order, pick up quarters for laundry, and sit through an afternoon of meetings before officially starting the weekend. What are your Friday plans?