1. With the help of WikiKnitting.com, I constructed a small light box. I didn't do the best job putting it together, but i just wanted to see how it worked and if it would make my pictures any better. The light box made a small difference, but I don't think it would be worth the effort to make a big one. I read somewhere recently that people have use those big white ice coolers that you take camping as a light box, so I'm going to see if I can get my hands on one of those this summer. Pictured above is a Jawbreaker Brooch made of felted batting. Pretty much using the same method you would to felt beads, but wrapping layers of colors and then once dry , cutting a single slice through the ball. Below that is the CROQ-POT yarn from a few posts ago. I named it Candylion in honor of Gruff Rhys' new release.
2. I started planting my lil' deck garden. I planted an organic Mr. Stripey Tomato plant (Tigerella) and organic Parsley seeds that I bought at Target. The parsley has already popped up some seedlings, and I want to get some basil planted this week. I have a small deck, but I'm packing it full of plants this summer.
In MDK, there's a small section dedicated to calamari knitting and in it there's a rug knitted from yarn made of wool potholder loops. Well, wool potholder loops were kind of price-y and not that accesible. However, Michaels just put together a cute kid's crafting section and in it was about 10 bags of cotton blend potholder loops. I pretty much cleaned them out. I know when i paid for 4 bags of potholder loops the lady was thinking, "WTF is he going to do with this?". If she had I would have been able to tell her i was making a 3lb. ball of yarn that would later become my new kitchen rug. I want to get a few more bags and loop them on before I start. Dave really likes to loop the lil' guys together, and he's pretty excited to see how big the ball will get. Who am I to take away a grown man's potholder loop induced joy?
3. I saw the Philadelphia Orchestra performance of Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique". They opened with a violin concerto from Beethoven and the soloist (Julia Fischer) blew my mind. I've never seen anyone move their hands so quickly. Now, don't get me wrong, I've been to a bazillion punk and indie "shows", but classically trained musicians put those skinny boys who flail around to shame. I've been to shows where after 2 songs, the band needs a break in the middle of their 25 minute set. The Orchestra played 4 movements that lasted over 45 minutes!!!! I wasn't sure that I would like going, or that I would have a nice time but I was blown away by the talent of these musicians. It was also my first time in the Kimmel Center, which was beautiful! So clean and sparkly :-) In the picture you can see the world's largest organ pipes, which were inside of Verizon Hall. Sadly, it wasn't played. I guess there's no room for an organ in a orchestra with a million violinists in it.
4. Most of you probably already know what this is, it's been a topic of discussion with a few of my blogging pals for about two weeks. CubistLiterature had made a post about eating frito pie, and I had never heard of such a thing. After realizing that is must be a Texas thing, David gave me the scoop:
"Just for KnitXcore here is a quick run down of how to (or how I) make a frito pie. You'll need a big bag of fritos, hormel chili or whatever chili you like best, and lots of shredded cheese.... I like sharp chedder myself. All you gotta do is layer some fritos in the bottom of a pan, then layer some chili on top of that, then layer some cheese on top of that, and then continue layering the fritos, chili, and the cheese until your pan is full. Then pop that baby in a 350 degree oven until it's good and hot and the cheese is melted real good and you have yourself some damn good eatin'. Try it. You'll like it. "
So tonight, we tried it. We liked it. :-)
<3.
knitxcore.
