Follow Your Arrow KAL cast-on

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**SPOILER PIC AFTER THE JUMP**

Exciting times in the knit blogosphere (is "blogosphere" still a thing?).  It's been a while since the knitting community has clamored about one particular pattern at the same time.  There is a buzz in the air for sure.

Brooklyn Handspun (old school!) superwash sock yarn in, er, red and grey (have long ago lost the label for these)

I am a totally joiner when it comes to these things so it didn't take too long before I was going through my (very disorganized) stash to dig up a couple of skeins of sock yarn.  A couple of vintage skeins, in fact.  Miss you, Brooklyn Handspun.

I only allowed myself to join in on this knit-along as long as I didn't have to buy new yarn, so I have to admit that cardinal red and gray weren't my first choice when it comes to color combinations.  But!  After I finished knitting up the first clue these weekend, I have to say it's really grown on me.  I actually kinda, really love it.

2014

False eyelashes always make a world of difference, don't they?

I always find New Years so jarring.  You're still riding high from the holidays, you get all geared up and excited on New Years Eve and then BOOM: Back To Real Life, You.  Work, bills, vacuuming pine needles off the floor, scrapping ice off the car. Bye cookies, hello kale. 

I'm not going to set myself for disappointment by committing to unrealistic resolutions.  Let's just say if I do anything out of the ordinary this year it will be to post here more. 

Really.

Hope the holidays were good to you and yours.  xo.

Happy Halloween!

Ahem. 

It's been a while, eh?  Sorry about the unexpected hiatus but I think I *just* might be back in a blogging groove.  In the meantime, Happy Halloween!  In an effort to spend approximately $0 on a costume this year I finally got around to hemming this great, albeit way too long, green gingham I thrifted ages ago to a much cuter and flattering length.  Threw on a cardigan I had around, scrunched up my socks, and tied on my oxfords and I am one Ramona Quimby (a la Louis Darling), a character that was and still is very near and dear to my heart. 

Here's to lots more treats than tricks this Halloween.  Mmm, mini Twix bars. . .

xxoo

30 Day (well, almost) Self Portrait Challenge Wrapup

I will not apologize for selfies.  I don't really think it is a matter of (sheer) vanity.  I really enjoy looking at other people's self portraits as well.  Why?  First, I only follow super attractive people on Instagram :) but second, pictures that are taken with some consideration to composition, lighting, angle, background, etc. are usually far more interesting to than some random pic a friend took of you and then tagged on Facebook.  You know, the one where you're in a too dark bar and so it was taken with some blinding flash on.  With some unfortunately named drink in your hand, snapped while you were in mid sentence, double chin in prominent display.  Awkwardness abounds.  Ughhhh.  Lord knows there are enough pictures of me like that floating around.  Sometimes I'm having an amazing hair day and I want to the internet to know, too.  Is that so wrong?  Answer: No.

When A Beautiful Mess launch their 30 Day Self Portrait Challenge I decided to take part primarily because I figured having an actual assignment would make me more disciplined about my photography.  While the advent of smartphones has taken picture-taking and picture-sharing to new, completely awesome levels when it comes to approachability and convenience, it has also made me a bit of a lazy photographer.  With having to take a portrait of myself each and everyday for a month, I knew I had to be creative and mix things up because having the same picture of me, top of the head to shoulder, with my phone held at arms length with the Walden filter over it was going to get old for everyone.

Well, I did miss a few days here and there but overall I'm happy that I managed to take a pic for most of the required days.  It make me flex my creative muscles a bit and it was enjoyable looking through all of the other participants' pictures as well.  It's fun looking back and seeing all that transpired in that short period of time.  I finished knitting a shawl for my mother-in-law.  Had a good harvest from my veggie garden, dyed my hair blond(ish) after much fist shaking and teeth gnashing (more on that later).  Time and effort well spent.  Hard to ask for more than that. 

      

Do This Don't: Eyeglass Chains

I lose my glasses a lot.  I need to wear my glasses constantly at this point in my life to go about my day but I find myself taking them quite often, mostly out of sheer vanity.  I'll put them on top of my head, hook them on my shirt collar, thoughtlessly put them on down on some sort of flat surface and then lo and behold, I have no idea where they've gone to.

While doing some googling to find an easy remedy for this, I came across a picture from Louis Vuitton's 2010 resort collection.

I loved it!  But what was it about this that made eyeglasses chains look fresh and current?  It's the unexpected combination of the thick chain links, light colors, and thick rimmed glasses that makes it stray from the stuffy nuns and school marms eyeglass chains are normally associated with.  The key is to make them stand out, not blend in.

I gathered up a couple of cheap chains I acquired for 50 cents at a thrift store and went about to replicate my own.

The only thing you probably don't already have at home are those stretchy eyeglass holders like in the pic above.  They are ubiquitous, you just have to know where to look for them.  I find mine in the beading section at Michaels.  I got a whole packet of them for under $3.  Any place that sells cheapo reading glasses usually has them, too.

So with a pair of pliers I just joined the two necklaces together at the ends with some jump rings and then hooked said jump ring to the eyeglass holder. And voila!  Really stinking cute and actually functional.  Looking forward to digging up some vintage jewelry and making a few more.

FO: Summer Flies shawl

Pattern: Summer Flies by Donna Griffin [Ravelry]

Yarn: Patons Silk Bamboo in Sea, 3 balls 

Needles: US 8 32 inch circulars

Recipient: Mother-in-law

Notes: This project was a delight.  I'm sort of sad that it's all over.  Rarely (for me) do the stars align so perfectly for me when knitting is involved.  Patons Silk Bamboo is a fantastic and under-appreciated yarn.  Feels great against the skin and has a lovely drape and sheen to it without being too heavy.  And it's not nearly as splity as a lot of other plant fiber yarns are.  It's also pretty cheap is you get a coupon from Jo-Anns.  And I bought just the right amount of yarn for once.

I got gauge the first try.  The pattern is so well written and clear, it was great it included a stitch count after every row so I can immediately find my place each and every time.  It is easy enough for it to be the perfect project to carry around but not too easy that it ever became boring. This took me a little over a week to knit.  I would have finished sooner if I didn't slack off on it last weekend.  It is surprising how quickly this knits up before your very eyes.

The lighting in the bedroom makes it look more teal than it actually is.

 My newly acquired mother-in-law lives in Atlanta so I wanted to knit her something that would be suitable and versatile for its weather.  Something that could be easily dressed up or down and not be too heavy or warm to wear in the southern climate throughout the year.  I think this may be the ticket.  *fingers crossed*   

Dolsot Bibimbap (돌솥 비빔밥) In a Cast Iron Skillet

It almost feels like a sham to be posting any sort of new recipe for bibimbap.  Seriously, the process is so straightforward and the skill level required so minimal (cut things into itty bitty pieces) it seems silly to say I have any new insight into this.  "Bibimbap" literally means "mixed (bibim-) rice (bap)".  As long as you have rice and something to throw in there to mix around then you essentially can claim you made this well-loved Korean staple.

But I understand. You want traditional Korean bibimbap, that wonderful hot, salty, sweet, spicy, garlicy, and nutty taste sensation in your mouth.  I get it.  It's going to require a few more ingredients but the basic principle remains the same: mix in some sh*t with rice.

The key ingredient in that yummy bowlful you get at the restaurant is gochijang. 

That red pepper paste that give it its spicy, sweet kick.  It is probably the only ingredient that might cause you to have to go a little out of your way to get.  But honestly, Korean food has because so au courant  it's becoming less and less of a big deal to get.  I live smack in the middle of Pennsylvania (affectionately referred to as "Pennsyltucky") and I am a twenty minute walk away from 3 stores that carry it. 

SO.  I wanted to make dolsot bibimbap in all of its crispy rice glory the other night without having to commit to purchasing one of those heavy stone bowls you're served dolsot bibimbap in at restaurants. And that's when it came to me.  Hmm, something big and heavy that can retain piping hot heat long after it's been taking off of the stove, hmmm.  Then OMG DUH A CAST IRON SKILLET.  I doubt I'm the first one to ever come up with this brilliant nugget but I managed to come across it without even a little help from the internet so let me just have it, dear Reader.  Let me just have it.

Now, on the the actually cooking.