that Monday morning feeling

Left: Lancelot and I at our local tea shop on Saturday
Top Center: Garth and Eric lounging in the sunroom
Top Right: Five days worth of breakfast goodness
Middle Center: The Sea Dragon Shawl is finished
Middle Right: Dog Blossom
Bottom Center: Lego Dried Flower kit, hanging on my home office door
Bottom Right: One of my #the100dayproject drawings

Life around here has been pretty damn good lately. I’ve made progress with projects, like finishing the Sea Dragon Shawl, and we’ve also done a fair amount around the house. I officially have enough house plants now that I’m going to see if I can’t get this place designated as a tropical rainforest. And I’m more than halfway through my third book of the year. Progress is a beautiful thing.

We are coming into a busy time of year at work but I find that exciting. Allegedly our new office space will be ready by the end of the semester. Allegedly. So I am cautiously optimistic about having my own space on campus again, and that means another space to decorate and make into “home away from home.” I definitely want to do that, but with a serious budget – meaning I don’t plan to spend a lot to do it.

In spite of work keeping me busy I do still enjoy it. The challenges are just a little different every day and I get to interact with a wide range of people from different cultures and backgrounds who are passionate about a whole host of subjects. It’s that exposure to people who have had experiences very far removed from my own that keep the job, and I would argue life, interesting.

I have to admit that I wasn’t sure if I had it in me to do #the100dayproject, but I seem to be sticking with it pretty well. Drawing is one of things I identified on my list of 23 Things to Do More Of in 2023 so it really is a perfect fit. I’m trying to get myself to be brave and try drawing different things, and hopefully in the process to get my internal critic to just STFU. Practice makes perfect and honestly all I’m really going for here is a comfort level that’s higher than where I am today.

making progress

Top: Eric likes to stretch
Middle Left: Dahlia scarf is finished
Middle Center: Pork chops with sweet potatoes and apples
Middle Right: Garth cheats
Bottom Left: Progress shot of the Sea Dragon Shawl
Bottom Center: I wanted to spruce up our bathroom so I got some wall decals
Bottom Right: A drawing for a new challenge I’ve started

Mostly today will be a goals update, because mostly I’m doing awesome. I’ve managed to not start any new knit/crochet projects and have been focusing my efforts this month on trying to finish things I had already started. Dahlia was one of those. My full list at the start of the month was:
* Cross stitch cat
* Sugar Stick knit cowl
* Sea Dragon knit shawl
* Cable It Up scarf
* Dahlia scarf
* Fingerless mitts
I managed to finish the last three items; the first three are still in progress. I am making a good dent in the Sea Dragon Shawl and the cross stitch cat. I have not touched the Sugar Stick cowl this month. It’s lovely, but it’s half black yarn and hence a bit difficult to see. I feel good about what I’ve gotten done though.

The drawing is for The 100 Day Project, a challenge to do something creative – dealer’s choice – every day for 100 days. Since I had identified drawing as something I want to do more of this year that seemed like a natural fit and a way to encourage myself even more. So far, so good.

As for my other goals, I finished a book this morning so my count for the year is up to two – making me half way to my goal of four. I completed 14 creative projects this month, well over my goal of at least five and that doesn’t even count the drawings. I officially completed a professional development certificate this month and am making good progress on another. And I’m working on finding/creating healthier meals for us.

The pork chops pictured above was last night’s attempt, and it came out amazing. I’ve decided to write up the recipe to share.

Cast Iron Pork Chops
Boneless pork chops
Sweet potatoes, about 2C peeled and chopped
2 apples, whatever kind you like, chopped
2/3C apple cider vinegar
1/3C brown sugar
1 Tbsp Garam Masala (plus some to season the chops)
1 tsp kosher salt (plus some to season the chops)
1 Tbsp oil (I used sunflower because that’s what I had)

Pre-heat oven to 375. Season the chops on one side with kosher salt and garam masala. Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer add the chops and brown on both sides. Mix the vinegar, brown sugar, 1 Tbsp garam masala, and 1 tsp salt. Once the chops are seared add the sweet potatoes and apples and pour the vinegar mix over everything. Bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes or until the chops are cooked to your preference.

short weeks, long weekends, and good food

Last week I took one of my Mental Health Holidays on Friday. I like to schedule myself one Friday off every month just to have a day to myself. Often Lancelot and I will go do something fun that day, like visit the museum or go shopping, or we just relax. This time I took advantage of the day by getting all of the grocery shopping done, making a birthday gift for a friend, and then L and I went and had our combo Date Night and Valentine’s Day dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.

Left: Eric stretched out in my lap one morning
Top Center: L and I the night of our dinner out
Top Right: The beaded flower ornament for N’s birthday
Middle Center: Pizza Dim Sum
Middle Right: The Sea Dragon Shawl
Bottom Center: Garth pretending to be angelic
Bottom Right: Fingerless mitts, aka Frankenmitts, for my friend K

The Pizza Dim Sum came from an idea K shared with me, something she found on Facebook I think. I took a can of refrigerated biscuits and smooshed them kind of flat, put a few fresh mozzarella pearls, a cut up cherry tomato, and a bit of fresh torn basil inside, and then smooshed the top shut. I baked them on a cookie sheet at 375 for about 20 minutes. Incredibly easy and delicious. Lancelot did his with a little pizza sauce, the same cheese, and a little sliced pepperoni.

goals update

I am very pleased to report that I have finished the first book of the year and have made a decent dent in the second. My guess is that I’ll end up surpassing my goal of reading four this year, and that makes me very happy indeed. I have one more book in this trilogy to finish, two for another trilogy I had started last year, another full trilogy I have yet to start, plus a whole host of others just waiting their turn.

I’m also doing really well with the professional certificate goal. I haven’t heard back about the first course for this year, but my part should be done. I’m also now up to the point of turning in the 4th assignment (of 5 total) in the next course. And I spent a little time last week looking at what else is available on that platform and bookmarking possible options for my next course. I’m also guessing that I will well and truly surpass this goal.

And no new craft supplies, even though I continue to make things. I’m looking at what I have on hand with a critical eye and figuring out how to make the most of what’s there. This weekend I realized that I needed to shuffle the plants around again because some of them were outgrowing their space on the shelves, and the only way to really achieve that was to hang a few more. I had macramé cord and some metal rings and set about to make something. I ended up with two very basic, but very functional, plant hangers. Go me!

Overall I would say that I’m feeling very good about how my goals are going this year. I’m making excellent progress and that motivates me to make even more progress. It’s truly a win/win situation.

and now for something completely different

Maybe it has something to do with having lived paycheck to paycheck most of my life and just not being able to afford buying new stuff every time I want to change my surroundings, but I will argue to my dying day that one of the most satisfying ways to redecorate any space is to simply move shit around.

Move the furniture to a different place in a room or to a different room. Move the art on the walls. Move the random bits and bobs you have lying around. Open your eyes and intentionally see your world from a different perspective – literally. It’s extremely liberating.

And free.

What prompted my most recent metamorphosis at the house was realizing that one of my lil t-rex arms is constantly sore because my desk was too high and hence my arm was not in an ergonomically appropriate position. I talked to Lancelot and we agreed that a new standing desk would be a good solution – it goes down low enough when I need to be seated and it also goes up so that I can stand and hopefully that will have a few added health effects. It’s good.

But that prompted the question of what to do with the former, very heavy, desk. I had thought I would replace it; Lancelot came up with the brilliant idea of moving things around so I can have both desks.

And thus began the Great Spring Shit Shift of 2023, and lo, the people rejoiced.

Ok, so technically this wasn’t a completely free undertaking. All told I spent about $300 on the desk and a few new accessories. For that I got a newly renovated office, the guest room got a few new bits, the bedroom got changed up a bit, the living room saw major changes (two “new” chairs!), the entry way got redone, the sunroom lost a chair but gained a table and the big kitty condo, and Lancelot got another storage space for his man cave. It all looks fan-fucking-tastic.

Top Left: Eric enjoying a nap in the living room
Top Right: Last week I decided to wear something I knit every day
Middle Right: A very healthy dinner of salad, quinoa pilaf, and salmon cooked in the air fryer
Bottom Left: My work area in the sunroom
Bottom Center: Dahlia scarf (Ravelry link)
Bottom Right: Cable It Up scarf for my BFF Wendy (Ravelry link)

Goals update

Not a single bit of the $300 I spent was for craft supplies or clothes, so there’s a win. I’ve also been working on finding projects I can make with the supplies I have, like the scarves above. Last weekend I went through all of the shawls/scarves I’ve made and picked out the ones I really just don’t care for; I’m going to unravel them and try to reuse the yarn.

We’ve also really been trying to work on our eating habits. I’m still trying to fill us both with as many fresh fruits and veggies and whole grains as possible. Over the weekend I made Lancelot another batch of quinoa/oatmeal breakfast bars and I made myself a batch of breakfast grain stuff. Hard to describe, but super tasty. Overall I would say we’re doing well.

Another one of my goals has been to work on professional development certificates for work. I’m happy to say that I submitted my last assignment for one last week and I’m already making good progress on the next. I love learning, what can I say.

so there I was, hip deep in jars of jam, thinking I had seen the worst of it, when suddenly…

I spent some time this weekend straightening up and cleaning out both refrigerators, their attached freezers, the big deep freeze, and the pantry. There were some things that were, unfortunately, well past their primed and needed to be escorted off the premises. Not many things, but still. I also discovered some “lost treasures.” If Lancelot were here he would tell you that I am not allowed to buy any more butter, frozen vegetables, sausages, or jams/jellies. And for the love of all that is holy, don’t mention pickles.

But it needed to be done and I’m glad I did it. I feel very fortunate to have the problem of too much food in the house as opposed to not enough. We make a monthly donation to the local food bank as well as random donations throughout the year to other non-profit organizations that focus on food insecurity. It’s something I feel passionate about.

goals update

I feel like I’m doing quite well with my goals right now. My spending has been limited to food and some online course work, we’ve been trying to incorporate more fruits/veggies/whole grains into our diets, and I’ve completed 16 creative projects so far this month. I’m also about half-way through the book I’m reading. I’ve been taking it with me on the days I work on campus and reading while I eat my lunch.

Some of these tie in with my list of “23 things” as well, like finding healthier ways to eat and paying it forward. I’ve also really been trying to get creative with using the stuff I have on hand. We recycle glass, but have to do that separately because the city won’t collect it, so I’ve been trying to think about how I could use some of the various jars and bottles currently in the bin.

And I’m actively working on finishing another professional certificate, I’m almost done with the first one for this year. I’ve talked to my boss about buying a subscription to this service as my “professional development expense” for the year instead of sending me to a conference. I get a lot more out of this kind of experience.

Top Left: Eric has taken to settling down on my chest in the evening while I watch TV. He purrs so loud that Lancelot can hear him from his chair.
Top Right: It’s cold enough here that I’m breaking out the knit shawls
Middle Right: Blackberry Hoisin Pork Tenderloin, Stir Fry Noodles with Cabbage and Carrots, and a Blackberry, Pineapple, and Elderflower Mocktail
Lower Left: Cable it Up scarf I’m making for my friend W
Lower Center: Pippy has been singing to her ducky a lot lately
Lower Right: Pippy and Eric playing under the end of the bed. Pip was nibbling Eric’s tummy.

please, just don’t ask for that

Top Left: Garth, mid yawn
Top Right: Amazing Shrimp Pad Thai that Lancelot made us for dinner last night
Middle Right: The completed Granny Vest
Bottom Left: Completed crocodile stitch flower
Bottom Center: I’ve got paperwhites blooming again
Bottom Right: Home made dryer sheets

It’s been another busy week around here, but a good week. The boys had their annual vet visit and everything was good. Garth did his usual trick of trying to hide inside the trash compartment. They both got a clean bill of health.

Lancelot has continued to amaze me in the kitchen. The pad thai last night was absolutely to die for, better than I’ve had at a restaurant. He continues to amaze me, and himself I think. I’m truly a lucky girl.

The home made dryer sheets are an experiment, and I’m almost excited enough about them to want to do a load of laundry. Almost. This is born out of my desire to create less waste and not spend so damn much money on something I can make myself. I had all of the components already on hand and the setup was minimal, basically just the time it took to cut one of L’s old t-shirts into square-ish chunks and then measure my few ingredients. I’ll be sure to let y’all know next week how it goes.

I’m really rather excited about the paperwhites. Mom had gotten me a kit before Christmas so I had little flowers over the holiday. I went to one of the garden centers right after Christmas and got another set and those are what is blooming now. I have even higher hopes for this batch. And the fragrance in the sunroom right now is heavenly. We’ve had some nasty, gloomy weather lately and the flowers are definitely helping with that.

I’m also extremely pleased with how the vest turned out, so pleased that I posted pictures of it on Facebook. (which I should know by now is a mistake) Within an hour I received a message from a “friend” that contained a pattern and the message, “I need you to make two of these for my great-granddaughters. I’ll buy the yarn and pay you for your time. I’d be forever grateful!”

Let’s have a small chat about why I don’t do commission work, m’kay?

I’m pretty fucking picky about the things I make. I prefer to work with materials that I’ve selected, particularly when it comes to yarn-related projects. Projects for charity are an exception – those are made with yarn that I know is both soft and can withstand being thrown in a washer and dryer.

My time is extremely valuable to me so I prefer to spend it doing things that bring me joy. I have a full time job where I earn enough money to meet my financial needs, I’m fortunate enough to not need to supplement that income. So I don’t. I do not ever sell the things I make. I have done that in the past and found the entire process to be woefully soul sucking.

Let’s ignore the fact that knitting or crocheting an item requires TIME and loads of it. No, let’s not ignore that. It takes a considerable amount of time to create something with sticks and string and have it turn out well. It’s an art form. I don’t create art to sell it. I create gifts of love for the people closest to me, and I create gifts of love for people who need something soft and warm to help protect them from this cold world.

My time is precious to me, so if what I’m doing isn’t a creation of love, it’s a job and I expect to be compensated accordingly. Which is why I thoroughly expect her to change her mind when I tell her I charge $75 / hour, and the project she wants will likely take me four hours to make. And she wants two of them. Plus it uses seven different colors of yarn; you can estimate those at a minimum of $6 / skein. And the pattern isn’t free; that adds another $5.99. I can kind of see what the pattern will involve just by looking at the picture of the finished hat, but I have no idea how well it’s written or what a pain in the ass it might be, and it involves several pom-poms (which I loathe making, so I rarely do) which might even make them take longer.

So these two hats will cost her approximately $650, plus shipping since she lives a considerable distance from here.

Want to ask again why I don’t do commission work?

23 things

I can’t believe we’re already half way through January. Honestly, where have the last 17 days gone?!

Knitting and crafting, that’s where they’ve gone; at least at my house. And food. There’s been some seriously good food. I swear, Lancelot is becoming a MUCH BETTER cook than I am, and I love it. Last night he made us salmon filets in the air fryer and they were to die for. (recipe here) We’ve been making a real effort to eat healthier, more fruit and veg and all that, and I would say it’s going well.

Top left: Flower ornament with inside dangles made of recycled beads and enhanced with netting around the top
Top right: Back of the Flyaway Vest; I used Old Shale lace instead of stockinette and it’s really lovely seen vertical like that
Bottom left: Herringbone Lace Infinity Cowl using yarn that’s been in my stash since 2017
Bottom right: Simple marker drawing that I made and framed (using a frame I had on hand); this will go in my new office (whenever we get to move)

Not pictured, but also recently finished, are a crocodile stitch flower pin using the same yarn as the cowl and a Granny stitch crocheted vest. It was a busy week.

So you may be wondering, what the hell are these 23 Things the title of today’s post refers to, and I’m so glad you asked. I saw in an email newsletter I get the idea of trying to come up with 23 things you want to do more of in 2023. It wasn’t as easy as I first thought it would be, but I love the idea of putting such a positive spin on the whole “new year’s resolution” type thing.

23 things to do more of in 2023 🌺

1. Draw
2. Read
3. Try new things
4. Push the boundaries of my old comfort zone
5. Hone my cooking skills
6. Give myself some grace
7. Find healthier ways to eat
8. Walk
9. Be mindful of how much packaging waste we bring in to the house
10. Find ways to use the materials I have on hand
11. Learn how to compost
12. Get more creative with recycling / repurposing around the house
13. Spend time with friends
14. Grow my own food
15. Certificates and badges
16. Pay it forward
17. Sing like no one is listening
18. Just say NO
19. Let go of the little things that really don’t matter
20. Write
21. Unplug from screens / social media
22. Meditation
23. Celebrate the little things

welcome to 2023

Eric did not enjoy his brief time wearing the dog’s holiday bandana…

We’ve been having a laid back holiday break. The guaranteed time off between Christmas and New Year’s is one of the best perks of working in higher ed as far as I’m concerned. I take time to stay up late, sleep in, and work on projects. We also got to spend some time with family and friends. We made our first full-on proper Christmas dinner. It’s been good.

Today I’m starting to return to a few of my “normal” things because work starts back up tomorrow. I wanted to take a minute to reflect on the year that was 2022, briefly.

We welcomed a niece to the family. We celebrated more birthdays and our second anniversary. We took two lovely road trips. I made a total of 179 projects. And we still (to the best of our knowledge) have not had COVID. It’s been a good year.

In terms of the goals I set for myself last year, I did really well. I was not able to lose weight and I bought a single skein of yarn, but I aced everything else. That makes me really proud.

My goals for next year:

1. No new craft supplies
2. Finish all of my kits
3. Read at least 4 books
4. Establish and maintain habits/routines for exercising
5. Complete at least 5 creative projects each month
6. No new clothes unless I need new underwear or bras
7. No new shoes
8. Lose 50lbs
9. Post on my blog at least once per week
10. Learn how to bake bread from scratch
11. Earn at least one professional certificate
12. Learn at least one new craft skill

Part of the weekly blog post will be an update on goals, to help keep me accountable. In the spirit of full transparency, I did stack the deck just a bit. Prior to the end of the year I purchased a few more craft supplies and some clothes. I also spent some time yesterday disassembling some old jewelry that I don’t wear anymore and salvaged most of it to reuse.

The “word” for next year is going to be FRUGAL.

We have plenty, we want for nothing really. Not saying that we’re wealthy by the financial standards set by many in this country, but we have enough to keep a roof over our heads, food on the table, the lights on, and extra to do fun things periodically. By the standards of many places we are wealthy as kings, and that’s not lost on us.

Every month we make a donation to the local food bank. Throughout the year we make donations to other charities. I share my cookies whenever it makes sense, and we’ll continue to do that. Not spending money on things we really don’t need means we’ll be able to help others.

Top Left: Us on Christmas Day
Top Right: Eric the Red, the Most Interesting Cat in the World
Middle Right: Improv dinner – baked pork chops with onions, cranberries, and acorn squash in a whiskey mustard butter sauce
Lower Left: Beaded ornament I made for my friend, Dr. K
Lower Middle: Tiny star earrings I made myself
Lower Right: The finished Celtic Neck Warmer

setting the stage for success

I firmly believe in the mantra “work smarter, not harder.” It’s quite possibly the secret to any success I have in life. I would much rather spend time planning, and working, ahead so that I spend less time scrambling at the last minute.

I make menus for the week so I know what I need at the store so that I only make one trip. I get my outfits put together for the entire work week on Saturday morning so that I don’t have to think about it when I’m getting ready for work in the morning. I use a medication management system that allows me to fill an entire 30 mornings and nights worth of medicine at once and comes apart so that I can take my container of meds for a day with me if necessary. I cold brew my coffee at home 32oz at a time so that I have inexpensive, healthier, coffee at home any time I want.

Basically, if it can be done in a batch I do it that way. I had the epiphany yesterday during my massage that “efficiency is Lazy but with a purpose.”

At any rate, I’m gearing up for the year ahead and starting to make some plans. Here’s my officially official list of Goals for 2023:

1. No new craft supplies (unless I manage to completely deplete my stashes of stuff)
2. Finish all of my kits (beading, knitting, etc. including the ones I’ve put together for knitting projects)
3. Read at least 4 books
4. Establish and maintain habits/routines for exercising
5. Complete at least 5 creative projects each month (anything creative counts – drawing, knitting, jewelry, LEGO, etc)
6. No new clothes unless I need new underwear or bras
7. No new shoes
8. Lose 50lbs
9. Post on my blog at least once per week
10. Learn how to bake bread from scratch
11. Earn at least one professional certificate
12. Learn at least one new craft skill

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve stacked the deck in my favor here. I’ve stocked up just a tiny bit on craft supplies, bought 2 pair of shoes, an assortment of clothes (all of which will help rebuild my now lacking work wardrobe), and a new winter coat. In my defense, the coat is lilac colored, was 40% off, and was something I had been looking for.

Part of my plan to maintain my state of lazy efficiency will be to post an update on my goals as part of my weekly blog post. I’m currently toying with the idea of trying to figure out how to create a template for myself in WordPress just to maintain some consistency for myself be lazy and not have to recreate the wheel every damn time. And so as to help keep myself accountable, I’ve not only told you fine people about my goals but I’ve also shared them with several of my good friends and I’ve printed a pretty copy of them to hang on the bulletin board next to my desk. Accountability and reminders, yo.

I do have some pretty things to show you. I’ve been working on projects, trying to finish a few things before the year ends but also adding in some new fun bits.

Top left – the Leaf Scarf, now complete with beads. It will need to be blocked slightly.
Top right – a Celtic Cables Neck Warmer, free pattern and using yarn I already had. Should be done soon, it’s farther along than it was there.
Bottom left – that is Vanessa the Plesiosaur. She was a crochet kit from Toft yarn and I would HIGHLY recommend their kits. I made that for the husband.
Bottom right – I’m making the Flyaway Vest using a beautiful laceweight yarn that ombres from a beautiful rich ruby to a vibrant fuchsia and back again. The entire thing was originally written to be stockinette stitch but I’ve modified the back to use Old Shale lace which I think will be particularly interesting seen vertically.

The neck warmer will definitely be finished before the end of the year, the vest may be as well. I do also have a few other projects still in progress, as you may recall, and I’m not sure about their status. I do seem to like having a variety of things going at once to stave off the boredom.

psych update

There isn’t actually much to report right now. I haven’t had any medication changes or symptom changes in quite some time now. I have gotten into the habit of using my full spectrum light in the mornings when I work at home and I know that helps with the Seasonal Affective Disorder. I also make a point of taking care of my physical health as best I can, better now than I ever have really, because at 46 years old I have finally realized that it’s easier for my brain to feel good when my body feels good. Remarkable, eh?

it’s the end of the year as we know it (almost)

After I finished the Saroyan shawl I felt drawn to do something else quick, and for some reason I was also drawn to green. I’ve actually enjoyed my self-imposed yarn diet this year because it has forced me to get more creative with what I have on hand. This lovely combination was one of those results.

The pattern actually called for bulky yarn, which I did not have, but I did have one skein of Noro “Kiri” in this lovely green. The pattern is almost, ALMOST, identical to the leaf border on Saroyan. I knit about half of the skein and that resulted in a very long, very skinny scarf. It will need to be blocked slightly to open up the leaves, but not until I sew on some beads. You can just barely see them in the photo, they’re subtle. I’m adding 5 beads to every other leaf, and on every 5th leaf in the pattern I’m using a brighter, slightly larger, bead. I’m loving it.

And, apparently because I hate myself, I’ve started working on a vest using lace weight yarn. Why not.

I am very pleased to report that I spent some time this weekend combing through my collection of printed patterns looking for ideas of what else I can make in the coming year using the yarn I have. I’ve also ordered some beading supplies and lined up some projects for that. I don’t want to end up bored. 😉

Admittedly it would be exceedingly difficult to ever be bored with this ginger imp around.