The Weekly Dozen Vol.1

As if one photography challenge a month wasn't enough to take on, I've decided to participate in another.  Cyd from The Sweetest Occasion has set herself a challenge after she recently upgraded her camera.  I'm a big fan of Cyd's blog so when I saw that she was doing a photography challenge called The Weekly Dozen I thought I'd give it a go myself.  

I got a few tips last week from my yarnista friend Evi who is also a professional photographer,  so I'm carrying my camera around a lot more and practising whenever I get the chance.  The challenge only runs until September 15th but I may end up continuing as my photography interest is rapidly increasing.

I'm hoping that as the challenge progresses so will my photography skills. I'll be the first to admit that my confidence levels can be pretty low when showing people my work.  But what I like about putting a challenge like this on my blog is the fact that I (and you) can see how my skills develop.

Don't expect Max Wanger or Bonnie Tsang levels of work, I have a very, very, very long way to go before reaching their incredible ability.  But since this is the first time of shooting without just using 'auto' I'm kinda happy with the results.  

Here is the first instalment of my Weekly Dozen...

The first image is an ode to Evi as this was taken in her urban knitting store Gather.  The crocheted hat was designed by Renaissance who is the owner of Raghouse International.  The pattern will be available to purchase on Ravelry in the next few weeks.  The second image is my current yarn-a-long project: the Medano Beach Bag.  I think the photo really captures the true colours of the bag.  More images of the finished product coming soon!

I love to make a fuss over weekend brunch in our house, and it most often involves eggs in some way like a frittata or pancakes.  Last weekend, I was gutted because we only had one egg left (bad planning) so instead I rustled up a quick pasta using Farmer's Market ingredients.  

We took Mr Theo Curran and his brother out to a BBQ las weekend.  We don't have a back garden yet so when we go somewhere that does, he really likes to takes advantage.  You can see more pics of Theo on Instagram search for #theocurran.

PC and I have a weekly ritual that developed pretty much as soon as I arrived here in November.  Where every Tuesday we take a trip the local Farmers' Market.  We often stop by the fish stall to pick up some clams for linguine vongole but this week I made an East Coast special... New England Clam Chowder. Now this dish is particularly tricky because PC is originally from New England so he has had some of the best chowders you can possibly get your hands on.  As it happens the East Coast boy was pretty happy with the results, especially because it was served in a sourdough bread bowl.

I'm in a bit of a baking stint at the moment too on Sunday I made a blueberry pie.  It's ages since I've made my own pastry but I have a good recipe from one of my Mum's books that never fails her.  It tasted like flakey buttery shortbread, clearly super bad for you but comforting on a dull Sunday.

I have a friend in town next week so with a few days out, hopefully I'll be able to pick up some more good snaps for next weeks Weekly Dozen.

Happy Friday! 

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Make | Damask Shawl Complete !

It started on February 6th.  It finished on March 27th.  And was blocked on April 26th.  I present to you... the completed Damask Shawl !!!

It is by far and away the most difficult and challenging project I've done to date.  I definitely didn't realise what I was getting myself into but glad I stuck with it as the result is pretty damn good!  I completed the project along with 3 lovely ladies: Kim, Beth and Evi.  Evi owns the awesome knitting store Gather DTLA where the project started as a Winter Knit-along.  We have now started our Spring Knit-along which is the Medano beach bag. Mine is going to be blue and white striped with random stripes of coral.  I am trying the continental method of knitting so it's taking me a good while to get used to it.  I don't think it'll be quite as taxing as the shawl but I think it will still take me the full 7 weeks to do it !

The progress to far . . .

You can see more photos of the shawl and my other projects on my Ravelry page and also Follow my blog with Bloglovin !

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Week 15 | Juggling Jobs

So, it's Monday again and I feel in a bit of a funk!  I can't work out why which is possibly more annoying than being in a funk itself.  The good news is that I have a lot going on this week so I'm putting my morning funk down to the typical Monday blues!

I'm continuing to work with the ladies again this week on the event space project. Last week, I concentrated on the internal elevations and visuals, and this week I am looking at the exterior of the building.  I really wish I could share some of the stuff that I have been doing, but as with most projects in their initial design stage, its all 'hush hush'.  It's fun stuff though, let me tell you !

This week is also the start of the 2nd annual Yarn Crawl LA!  I'm really excited because I've been asked to help out at Wildfiber in Santa Monica on Thursday morning.  There are some really great girls that work there, so I'm super pleased that they thought of me when they were looking for people.  I will also be heading down to Gather DTLA to help out on the Thursday night and also on Friday.  Skuli, the little sheep-like dog is being sheared for the occasion.  Evi, Skuli's Mum and the owner of Gather, is planning to make him a little sweater when she has enough of his hair to spin into yarn.

Recently I've become increasingly obsessed with painting.  And painting pretty much anything I can get my hands on.  Yesterday, I painted some pine cone tips that I'd collected a few weeks ago.  I remember as a kid spray painting cones gold for Christmas, and even though I do have a love of gold, I wanted to do something different with these.  So I painted one in a bright turquoise and white and the other in mint.  All of which are colours that I'm loving at the moment.  The acrylic paints were bought at Pearl art supplies.  

I'd really like to have a go at creating some proper artwork on canvas. I'm currently looking to do a part time course in acrylics too.  I have seen so much inspiration on the web of things I like, and abstract art is mainly catching my eye at the minute.  Here are a few of the pieces that have featured in my pinning of recent...

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

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Make | Damask Shawl

I have a serious project on the cards this week that I am aiming to get finished by Wednesday (tomorrow!!! aaaarrrrgh!!!).  For the past seven weeks, I have been working on a knitted lace shawl as part of a Winter knit-a-long at Gather DTLA.  It has been a seriously steep learning curve as it is my first lacework project and has been super difficult to do so far.  I have had a good few mishaps along the way, but if nothing else, it has taught me how to be more patient!  I have really enjoyed my time with it so far and the final finished product will , undoubtably, be beautiful.  I don't think I really realised what I was getting myself in for when I signed up for the class but I'm so pleased that I did.  I have made some lovely new friends (including a puppy named Skuli), discovered a new part of LA, learnt a new way of knitting (by following a pattern) and also gained a better understanding of basic knitting itself.  As much as I have wanted to rip it out and re-start the project several times, I'm so glad that I've had my little angels on my shoulder telling me not to (thank you Evi and PC!)  I'm really excited for it to be finished so that I can move onto a new project and start the next knit-a-long.

See below for more progress photos

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Yarn spinning / Knitting project update

I decided it was time for me to sort out my yarn basket, as I realised I'd totally lost track with what projects I'm working on.  Turns out that I'm part way though eight projects!

Projects on the go!

- Grey and pink yarn basket  

- Striped coloured blanket 

- Granny square crochet blanket   

- Leg warmer

- Surprise present for Patrick

- Surprise present for Mum

- Damask shawl from a pattern on Ravelry that I'm working on at a knit-along at GatherDTLA

- My newest challenge: yarn spinning!

I bought some hot pink roving wool and a drop spindle from Wildfiber to have a go at spinning my own yarn.  Eager to start, I used a video on YouTube (recommended to me by one of the girls at the knitting store) to help get me started.  The lady in the video, as with most things, made it look easier than it actually is.  Without considering any further research and not realising that the roving needed to be drafted out first, I impatiently steamed ahead.  I began by spinning the yarn relatively thin, which worked for me to start, but the yarn gradually grew tighter and became more difficult to separate.  Small strands of wool started to fall off and other bits began to tangle.  The yarn then began to get thicker and harder to wind.  Eventually, I gave up and decided that it would be best to take it into the yarn store to get some expert help.  The advice I got was to make sure I drafted the wool before I attempted to spin it!  If only I'd read a bit further into it, or watched a few more demonstration videos. 

I'm no Sleeping Beauty, but as a first attempt I was pretty pleased with my work.  And despite it's flaws and changes in thickness, I'll still be able to make something eclectic out of it when I've finished spinning what's left of the roving.  It'll be really fun to wear something that I've spun and knit myself.  Next step: shearing my own sheep! :)           

  

'Little bo Bubba' helping me sort out my projects...

Hot pink yarn and drop spindle

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Week 7_Research and prep

This week is going to be busy again.  It's only a week until PC's birthday, so I still have some research and prep left to do for that.  I have been continuing on with my 'secret knitting', so I aim to get that finished this week (or as near as damn it).  I am also going to design a poster of sorts to put up on his Facebook page as a homage to being 30 (hehehe) !!!

It's pancake day this week, so we'll be doing some flipping on Tuesday night after our weekly trip to the farmer's market.  For savoury pancakes, I'm thinking: cheese, ham and tomato, and for the sweet ones: strawberry and blueberry, and not forgetting the traditional: syrup, lemon and sugar.  PC hasn't celebrated pancake day before, so this will be a fun treat and the start of a new tradition.

I have my weekly knitting groups scheduled for this week.  On Tuesdays and Fridays I meet with a group of ladies at Wildfiber in Santa Monica.  We all work on our own varying projects and natter away whilst munching on chips and guac.  On Wednesday, I meet with a different set of ladies at Gather DTLA for a knit-along.  This is where we all work on the same project.  We are currently working on a very detailed lace shawl.  Of all my knitting challenges to date this is proving to be the hardest and even though its a steep learning curve, my progress is proving to be pretty slow.  On Thursday, there is a 'yarn tasting evening' at Gather DTLA which is an event where you can check out the new yarns due to arrive in the store.  There is also wine and chocolate sampling from local merchants, so count me in!

I have also signed us up to see a furniture exhibition called "Alley-Oop" at Poketo on Saturday night.  I've been meaning to head down to the store, so this is a great excuse for us to check it out.

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Week 5_Recover

After a bout of the cold, I am starting to feel a little more human again. This week's task is based around "Recovery".

EAT WELL//SLEEP BETTER//EXERCISE

I have been putting off using the dance class voucher that Patrick got me for Your Neigbourhood Studio.  But with all the drinking and eating out (especially over the festive season) my body has decided now is the time.  I have set myself a challenge to do at least one class this week, if nothing else.

I am also in the process of knitting something for the birthday boy this month.  I am planning to cycle to the yarn shop and spend some time there during the day doing some secret knitting.  I am also hoping to pick up some helpful tips from the ladies that go there on a regular basis.  I overheard the other day that Meryl Streep used to come into the store, which made me smile.  I also overheard about a new knitting store Downtown called Gather DTLA, which I can't wait to head to!

We also have a table booked at Industriel this week as part of DineLA, a two week dining event where select restaurants across the city do prix fixe lunches and dinners at reasonable prices.  It's a good opportunity to try restaurants we haven't been to. 

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