A couple of weeks ago Michaels was having a big yarn sale so I stocked up on my favorite Sugar n’ Cream brand cotton.  4 skeins for 5 bucks!  NICE.

I was inspired by Sarah London’s blog.  She always used bright, fun colors and works with granny squares a lot.  I’ve made several granny square projects (here, here and here) and even with the bright colors I still think they look um…well…granny? I’m just not feelin the granny love!  The thing I do like about granny squares is that you can make them in batches and sew them all together which makes them very portable.

So, I decided to give this hexagon tutorial a try.  It’s basically a granny square only the shape is different.  I like it, I mean “I like it a lot!” (in the voice of Jim Carry from Ace Ventura). Wow, was that movie really 16 years ago, seriously? 

Anyway, here’s my first stab at it:

I can easily make a few of these in one night. Instant gratification! There are some great examples on Flickr right now.  Here are just a few of my favorites:

African flowers bag

Hexagon Pillow 

Baby Blanket

Anyway, the most recent book I read was Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok and I loved it.  It made me laugh, it made me want to cry and yes, I could totally see Lifetime picking up the movie rights.  And that is OKAY!  That last line was really for my benefit.

So, what is it about summer that gives us the liberty to read something we wouldn’t ordinarily choice, or to crank the latest pop song playing on the radio. I can’t be the only one that indulges in guilty pleasures during the summer. 

I mean maybe NPR had it right about the lastest Lady Gaga song.  It does sound like Ace of Base from 1994 but I’ll admit that I liked Ace of Base at the time too!

So, what’s your guilt pleasure this summer?

So, while I was home this week with a sick kid, poor little guy had a fever & cold, I dusted off one of my sewing books.

I’ve had Simple Sewing for Baby by Lotta Jansdotter for some time but have yet to make anything. I love her books as they truely are simple, and fast.  The first thing I ever sewed 3 years ago was from her other simple sewing book.  They’re a great way to get into sewing or, in my case, a great way to get back into sewing when time is a limited resource. 

So, while Jr was napping I whipped up these simple pants with some japanese Kokka fabric I purchased from Purl in NYC.  Although the pattern calls for 3/4 of a yard of fabric I was able to make these with 1/2 a yard but just barely!  I’m pretty pleased with how they turned out and since it took less than an hour from the time I cut the fabric to the time they were done I forsee a lot of handmade pants in my future. 

I tried getting Ian to model them but as you can see, he just wouldn’t sit still. Go figured! He’s got things to do and people to see, I guess.  The next sewing project on the agenda is a metal framed purse.  Pattern found here. Wish me luck!

So, Friday night after work.  Ian was fed, happy and we had great light in the backyard. It was the trifecta of photo-ops and since he loves being outdoors I decided it was GO TIME!  Within just a few minutes I had some great shots.  I think I have enough to make one of those cool stop-motion flip books you know the kind….wait, I’m getting ahead of myself.  Anywho, here’s my favorite pic out of the bunch.

I was hoping for a repeat performance the next day but our timing was off.  Ian had been fed, the light was good but he just wasn’t happy. Rut-row…that’s Scooby Doo talk for bummer!  Anyway, he still looks cute in his fedora. 

It’s hard to believe he’s 7 month old already.  My goal is to take some decent photos once a month and at the end of his first year put a book together.  Since his 1st birthday will be this December we’ll see how that goes!

All the pieces where 8.5 by 11 on paper.  There were a lot of prints/copies of work and not as many original pieces as I would have hoped but I did take this piece home with me.  It was the first one I saw that I really liked. It’s a watercolor and ink original piece and I just had to have it!

Seemed like a good idea at the time by Kill Taupe

It’s called “Seemed like a good idea at the time” and the artist goes by the name Kill Taupe.  His Flickr site has all his latest creations and if you like what you see, be sure to check out his Etsy site too.  There’s a great print called “Gary Takes up Knitting.”  Awesome!

Gary Takes up Knitting by Kill Taupe

So, I haven’t been to an art show in a really long time and as soon as I saw a guy in a light blue Power Rangers t-shirt and oversized eyeglasses I immediately thought of LATFH.com which is now a hysterical book. You can find it on Amazon. 

The show itself was okay but the important thing to remember is that it featured independent and afforable art. This type of show doesn’t come around very often and it was great to see so many people in attendance and buying art! 

I added some Amy Bulter fabric to the eyes for a pop of color.  But overall, the pattern could use a little work.  I think both the body and the legs could be a bit longer.  The way it is right now it looks like a giant elephant head on four little stumps.  Even so, he still looks kinda cute.  Not sure what I should name him but I’m open to suggestions.

What are your favorite summer craft projects so far?

Water Polo Anyone?

I haven’t knitted anything in a while and this seemed pretty quick and painless.  I’m really happy with the results. The instuctions were very easy to follow and it worked up really fast.  My only hope is that it fits baby Macie. 

I used a light-weight cotton since its the middle of summer and added a vintage pink button to the neck strap.  You can find the pattern in Vintage Knits for a Modern Baby.  You can also download free patterns from the authors blog, She’s Crafty Handknits.  To view other examples of the bonnet head over to Ravelry.com.

Day Four: Long Version

On our fourth and final day I felt sad but relieved to be heading home. There was so much to do we just couldn’t fit it all in but I missed my guys and was looking foward to seeing their faces when I got home.  What we needed was a vacation from our vacation.

The famous Flatiron Building designed by Chicago architect Daniel Burnham 

We decided to hop on one of the sight-seeing buses which is cheesy but its a great way to cover a lot of ground and get a great view of major landmarks.  We stuck with the downtown tour which was two and a half hours. Our tour guide was very entertaining and full of useless information that may come in handy at the next trivia night. Do you know what the star of Macy’s logo really means…um, I didn’t think so! 

View of the Empire State Building signage.  I love the art-deco typeface.

The bus stopped a few blocks from South Central Park.  Even though our hotel was right across the street we didn’t walk through the park until the very last day.  We walked by the Strawberry Fields Memorial which, to me, wasn’t all that impressive but hey, it was working out for the guy and his guitar case full of tips!

After a quick bite to eat at Bouchon (again) we headed for the airport. While driving through the upper east side we had our first and only celebrity sighting.  We saw a petite blonde walking her tiny dog while wearing a oversided trucker hat and sunglasses.  She was stopped by a very enthusiastic woman walking her dog who was covering her mouth in surprise.  Words were exchanged and the celebrity turned away.  I didn’t see her face but E shouted out… ”That’s Paris Hilton!”

Day Three: Long Version

View of the archway and ceiling above the entrance of Grand Central Station

We started day three with breakfast at a french farmhouse style bakery called Le Pain Quotidien. It’s actually a chain but you wouldn’t know it by the surrounds.  The food was very fresh and very french. With full bellies we were off!  First stop, Grand Central Station for a photo op.  It’s a beautiful space and there are a lot of great shops including Pylones a very bright and colorful gift store.

From the station we hopped in a cab and headed for Harlem to see John’s apartment. He has a cute space that he’s in the process of redecorating.  I loved the beautiful exposed brick and there’s a nice little bar area attached to the kitchenette.  From there, John gave us a tour of Harlem which included a stop at The Apollo Theater.  We ate lunch at Mobay which had the best Jerk Chicken sandwich and I indulged in a mid-day Mojito. After all, I was on vacation! We left John to enjoy his Saturday afternoon while E and I headed to a couple of museums.

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1956

Since we didn’t have a lot of time we stopped at the Guggenheim for a photo-op. The structure itself was more impressive than the current collection so we moved onto The Met which was within walking distance.  Due to the massive crowds we quickly browsed through the Picasso exhibit before hitting the roof top deck for the very fun Big Bambu exhibit.  Other than being an exhibit, it also provided some much needed shade on a sweltering hot afternoon.

E among the Big Bambu

By late Saturday afternoon our brains were fried.  That always seems to be the case when visiting a big city.  There’s so much to see and do but our minds can only process so much before it shuts down.  So, before we started babbling and drooling out of shear exhaustion we headed back to the hotel.

Our evening began with a pre-theater cocktail at the Glass House Tavern then we popped across the street to the Barrymore Theater to see RACE, a David Mamet play.  If you’re not familiar with the name he also wrote Wag the Dog, The Verdict & Glengarry, Glen Ross. As the title simply states its about race relations among the characters and within our judicial system.  It has received mixed reviews and even among the three of us, it was clear that we each reacted to it very differently.  Although it may seem like a dated subject matter I think its important to recognize that it at least got everyone talking. The brand new cast seemed a little wet behind the ears but seeing Eddie Izzard  perform in a very serious role was an interesting departure from his cross-dressing stand-up gig. 

After the intense play and discussion we enjoyed a late dinner at a really fun Thai restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen called Room Service.  Unfortunately, the lights were so dim that is was impossible to take any good pics of the interior.  Just imagine a very hip and cool space with vintage mirrors and frames all painted black and smokey blue walls. To top it off there was a massive encased crystal chandelier in the middle of the room.  The drinks however cost more than the entrees. Buyer beware! 

That’s all from day three. Our final day, day four was really only a 1/2 day so it will be a short final trip entree.  I’m sure that will be of some relief!  Then it will be back to crafty stuff, I swear!

Day Two: Long Version

Clinton Steet Baking Co.  The wait was worth it!

Day two in New York City started with a few laps in the NYAC pool which was located inside our hotel.  Once we were dressed and ready-to-go John took us out for a fantastic brunch at Clinton Street Baking Co. on the Lower East Side.  It’s a very popular place that is well-known for their fresh Maine blueberry pancakes.  I went with the Brioche French Toast and we shared a side of sugar cured bacon.  I mean really…bacon drenched in sugar, how can you go wrong! 

Fabric stack and Liberty of London Fabric purchased at Purl

After brunch, Elizabeth and John head to the Tenament Museum while I wandered off to do some shopping in Soho.  I was in search of a store that also has a fantastic blog.  It’s simply called Purl and they carry beautiful contemporary fabrics, yarn and crafty supplies. Their blog, The Purl Bee, often provides free patterns and I really wanted to check it out in person. 

E and I sucking down some tasty coconut water!

From Soho we walked through Chinatown stopping for some refreshing coconut water from one of the many street vendors.  We were stopped several times by people wanting to know, “what is that and where did you get it?”  Looking at the photo above I’m sure they thought it was some kind of alcoholic beverage but alas it was just naturally flavored water. It was fun to walk around and see all the fresh fish markets and tacky souvenir shops which Chinatown is known for but we were only window shopping.

 View of Manhattan Bridge from the pedestrian walkway

Chinatown is close to the Manhattan Bridge which some may say is the ugly step-sister of the Brooklyn Bridge but dispite some decay and neglect its quite a beautiful structure.  It’s a long walk across the bridge and it was a very hot day with little shade so we walked 1/2 way across the bridge before turning around and hailing a cab back to the hotel.  We were beat!

We rested for a couple of hours before dinner and since we had been to a fun musical the previous night we opted for a low-key dinner at John’s Pizzeria.  Located inside a former church in Times Square, John’s had a great atmosphere and was popular with both locals and tourists.  Their house wine wasn’t bad either.  A carafe later and enough pizza to induce narcolepsy we make matters worse by heading to Junior’s for some classic New York Style Cheesecake! Oy vey, was that a bad idea.  Don’t get me wrong the cheesecake was great but my slice was a meal in and of itself. Thanks for daring me into it John!

Tomorrow I will post day 3 and 4 of our trip.  More fun pics to come!