little black journal

I didn’t make it out to buy our 2009 calendar before we began our January shopping fast, and so I was faced with creating my own solution.  A little Excel magic, a frustrating bout with our printer, some doodling with ink and paint, and voila!  It’s nice to have something that is completely personalized – I did the month names in French as a little vocab lesson for Shane, and the graphics for each month are tied to an anticipated event or a mood (hence the simplicity of the graphic for frugal January and the Eiffel Tower doodle for the month of March).  It’s no Nikki McClure calendar (which served us well in 2008), but I’m pretty happy with the results.  Another tribute to “making do” with the resources we have at hand.

This knitted hat for Elise was the last of my handmade Christmas gifts.  This project took a couple of tries.  My first attempt at a baby hat ended up looking more like a baby yamika – it was much smaller than anticipated and would never had stayed on a busy, moving baby like Elise.  I erred in the other direction with try number two and the hat actually ended up being quite a bit bigger than planned, but she’ll grow into it.

For now, if nothing else, she has plenty of fun trying it on and pulling it off and tugging on it every which way.  Pretty adorable.

Made with a really soft, washable acrylic-wool blend; pattern found in Knitting for Baby by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas.

I was determined to read this book before watching the movie, and now that I’ve finished it, it’s hard to believe that a film version could live up to the written piece.  Much of The Kite Runner is set against the backdrop of a poverty-stricken and oppressive Afghanistan – a picture so devastating that I want to believe it was exaggerated for the sake of drama.  But the more I look into the power and practices of the Taliban movement, the more I fear that the scene set in this story isn’t too far removed from what so many Afghans have experienced.  It’s horrific.  Sickening, really.

But as a counterpoint the devastation his country has seen, the author brings to light the beauty that can be found in the Afghan culture and family traditions.  Of course, I should be wary of relying on fictitious novels as a reliable source for actual events and customs, but I do believe this book offered a glimpse into a side of Afghan life that I otherwise never would have experienced.  A good read.  Sad, to say the least, but intertwined with just the faintest glimmer of hope.

I filled up the last page of my sketchbook/journal the other day and am looking forward to cracking open another fresh, new Moleskine notebook.  I have been using these same journals for over five years now and get such a sense of accomplishment from seeing them all lined up on our bookshelf, knowing that between the simple, black, nondescript covers lie words, drawings, and mementos that detail some of my most precious memories and ideas.  I became attached to my first Moleskine when I was living in Paris – I never left my apartment without my sketchbook in hand.  I spent hours sitting in cafes, jotting down verbal and graphic impressions of all the new places I was seeing.  I reread some of my entries and can almost put myself back on that sidewalk terrace, with pencil in hand and that tiny cup of espresso in front of me.  That journal was my constant traveling companion.  When I returned to the States in 2004, my sketchbook became a place for me to compose and chronicle my thoughts and ideas on my thesis project.  Upon graduation from college and soon-after engagement to Shane in 2005, my journal took on the form of a wedding planner, filled with to-do lists and doodles of invitation ideas.  In 2006-2007, I journaled and sketched much less frequently as I settled into the routine of my job and my marriage.  There is a random entry here and there about a book I read or a gallery opening I attended, but for the most part, entries are sparse.  In 2008, as noted here, I began my weekly sketch initiative.  This has been an excellent incentive for me to regularly, creatively put pen to paper.  My weekly sketches thus far have the taken the form of a lot of abstract graphic doodling, which is fine, but my hope for next year is that I do more real-life drawing of actual objects and places.  So, cheers to a fresh, new palette and to lots of journal-worthy, sketch-inspiring experiences in 2009!

Liking collage lately.  Trying out multiple media.  Having fun.

poang chair (11.02.2008):

flower and stems  (11.09.2008):

parked  bike (11.30.2008):

vase over photo transfer (12.04.2008):

branches (12.08.2008):

hands in pockets (12.11.2008):

This is the first year that I’m trying my hand at some handmade Christmas presents.  We exchanged gifts with Shane’s family on Thanksgiving, and it was nice to watch people unwrap things that I had made specially for them.

Slippers for Shane’s mom: Made with a soft, washable cotton blend yarn.  I made a pair of these for myself a few months ago (pattern found here), and I can tell you that they are guaranteed to keep your feet toasty.

Scarf was for Shane’s sister:  Made a super-soft silvery bamboo blend yarn, paired with a bronze ribbon that was used as a second strand.  Cozy, pretty, and hopefully perfect for those Minnesota winters…

I’m such a sucker for these female-solidarity, strong-women-making-it-on-their-own types of novels.  Charms for the Easy Life is the story of a girl, her mother, and her grandmother living life together during the trying times of World War II.  These women are unlike anyone you’ve ever met, but still somehow incredibly real.  The grandmother is this headstrong, quirky doctor without a license who removes warts at dinner parties and always speaks her mind.  The mother is dramatic and glamorous.  And the daughter is quiet, bright, and a thoughtful narrator.  This was a beautiful story – heartfelt, but not sappy, and cleverly balanced with humor and drama.  Two thumbs up.

I took another licensing exam on Wednesday night, which meant that my weekends and evenings prior to that were filled with studying.  Many nights, I fell asleep with my flashcards in my hands or my study guide propped up on my chest.  Notes and books were strewn about the living room.  From the minute I schedule an exam, it becomes a constant, nagging weight on my shoulders.  What a relief to have another test over with and to be able to put that stuff away for a little while!  Thursday night, I reveled in the bliss of an obligation-free evening and spent some time knitting, baking, and returning a couple of overdue phone calls.  Made a batch of peanut brittle and finished up a knitted Christmas gift.  Called my best friend and chatted with her for nearly an hour.  That’s the upside of all these tests and all this studying – when I do have free time, I tend to want to make the most of it.  I don’t spend too many nights just vegging out in front of the TV anymore (although there certainly are times when vegging is completely necessary and acceptable).  It feels good to get back into my neglected hobbies, even if this break may be short-lived.

I’ve been trying my hand at baking lately – the cool weather is upon us and there are few things I love more right now than the feel of a cozy kitchen, filled with the warmth of the oven and the smells of baked goodies.  Last Saturday was a perfect “pie day”, with the rain falling outside and the stores full of freshly harvested Washington apples.  We had a couple of friends over and spent the afternoon chopping apples, rolling out homemade crusts, and then anxiously awaiting the moment when the pie would be pulled out the oven and ready for sampling.  And it was so worth the wait.  The crust was flaky and warm and buttery and so melt-in-your-mouth yummy.  And the apples were the perfect balance of soft, yet still just slightly crispy, spiced with just enough nutmeg and cinnamon.  My own little slice of autumn goodness, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and cup of hot tea.  I would say my first attempt at a from-scratch pie was a smashing success.  (And, I was able to cross #2 off my list.)

This weekend is cookie weekend – the dilemma now is “oatmeal raisin or chocolate chip”?  Decisions…

This was a really simple project, but something new for me – I had never made (or worn) a cowl before.  I’m pleased with the results, though it did end up being a little more “drapy” than I’d planned – I was hoping for something that would have a little more stiffness.  Next time I’ll use a chunkier yarn that will hold its shape more.  Nonetheless, it’s cute and super-soft.  I wore it to work yesterday and received a couple of pride-inducing compliments on it, although one of my coworkers did refer to it as a “dickie” (those weird half-shirt things that people would wear under sweaters or blazers – think 80’s news reporter with big hair and shoulder-pads).  I was quick to correct him.

Excuse the pics – I was not in the mood for playing model today, and so I draped the cowl around my favorite vase rather than my neck for the photo shoot.  You get the idea…

Details:  Pattern found in Joelle Hoverson’s Last-Minute Knitted Gifts.   Knitted using size 6 circular needles and a fingering weight baby alpaca yarn (so soft!).