Beginning knitting.

I've decided to perhaps start updating this again. I'm not particularly keeping a journal anywhere else, and my writing is starting to get embarrassingly bad.

Anyway, I've recently been on this Etsy kick. I have been so impressed by the creativity and talent of the artists on that site! It has inspired me to pick up this book, Super Stitches Knitting by Karen Hemingway. I poured over books at Barnes and Noble for about an hour last evening before deciding that this was the one I couldn't live without.

I've taken knitting classes in the past, but unfortunately they never amounted to much. I'm really excited about this book because it has tons and tons of beautiful knitting patterns, but not in the regular style of other knitting books, where you're supposed to make this god-awful sweater...instead, it gives you lots of ideas for personal creativity. I am in love with the beautiful lace patterns! Hopefully this will take my knitting up a notch from the stockinette (which is knit one row, purl the next, cont.) I usually do, haha.

After Barnes and Noble, Cody and I went to Carrabba's (my treat) because it is delicious, mmm. I can't stray from the margherita pizza--it's everything I love in life--bread, tomatoes, really good cheese, and basil, mmm.

Anyway, back to my Etsy obsession. Umm. So, my favourite designers tend to be people who upcycle (i.e. using old materials in new ways, like reusing, but basically improving on the would-be-discarded item) materials, or incorporate really sustainable practices in their stores.

For example, one of my favourite Etsy users has to be Iron&Fire. She uses really old tribal pieces, like from Ethiopia and whatnot, salvaged leather scraps, and feathers that are gathered either while the birds molt or from birds that are hunted by tribes in the rain forest. I think her pieces are just beautiful, and very unique. It's been interesting finding her shop, too, because I've been sketching out similar things for a few months now, and it's cool that someone is already doing what I've been imagining.



Another designer I've been very interested in and inspired by is Joodito. She has made some pretty fantastic scarves from salvaged materials. I don't know, it just feels nice knowing that there's a future for all of those old Brooks and Dunn t-shirts we have floating around mid-Ohio thrift stores (oh please let those never come back in style any more than they already have).



Ever since I finished The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd (who also wrote The Secret Life of Bees, which I LOVE), I have dreamt of the ocean and how much I miss it. Even going to Lake Erie as a kid was great. I loved the drift wood and the seagulls and finding little bits of "sea" glass. But mostly the waves.

Anyway, my point is, another designer on Etsy that I adore is West Coat Sea Glass. Fantastic. I love the pairing of sea glass with freshwater pearls (my favourite!) and sometimes leather.



And, the last designer I'm going to rave about from Etsy is Vanity Case. I am in love with her suitcase-turned-vanity-cabinet. Awesome.



Anyway, this week I am finishing up my tests and papers for the end of the quarter, and then I'm heading to Utah to see Matt, Cassie, and Mojo! I'm looking forward to visiting them and finding out if all of this yoga will help with my rock climbing/bouldering at all. And maybe I'll learn how to ski a little. Scary, but exciting.