Jane Loves Red

That's it, I'm over wheat

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:24:00 +0000

I've recently started eating wheat again, after not really having it at all since we got back from Europe in June, and even before that, I'd cut it out from about March. And then of course I did almost a month 90% (ish) raw towards the end of October and through much of November. Then things got really busy at work, I moved offices, and the nearest, most convenient source of lunch food was a bakery. And I decided that to minimise stress, I was just going to relax my eating, especially with Christmas coming up, and with working really long hours. I knew within a week I was not happy with the effect it had on my body (and had my first migraine in months!), but decided I was ok with the trade off as I was really valuing the convenience. Getting home after a 10 hour working day I also wanted the option to get things like noodles, and various other take-aways to avoid having to go shopping and then cook and then do dishes, before pouring myself into bed only to do it all again the next day.

However, I really do not like what it has done to my body, to my digestion, and I think to my emotions. I have been reasonably emotional over the last few months anyway, because it's where I'm at in my life journey and I've been experiencing a lot of healing around certain things, but the last week or so I have just been an emotional mess. Not just emotional, which is ok, but an irrational, emotional, anxious mess. Actual physical anxiety like I haven't had in months, and my thoughts have just been, eugh, unbearable. This is NOT normal and it's bloody awful frankly. So I'm cutting the wheat out again. I haven't really introduced sugar back into my life (thank goodness), so that will stay out (with the exception of the occasional dessert during the silly season), and while I had started having coffee again, tentatively, I did notice that I was starting to get physical anxiety symptoms again, so moved to decaf, and then moved right off it again. I still miss the ritual, but I prefer having a more stable emotional balance.

So, while I know this is a crazy time of year to add restrictions back into my eating regime, I value the physical and mental health benefits that came from cleaning up my eating sufficiently to make the effort again. No more wheat, or at least very limited, I'll mostly keep the sugar out, and the coffee ritual needs to go. I'm not going to restrict things as much as I did when I went mostly raw (ie I'm still eating meat, cheese, complex carbs), but yeah, wheat, sugar, coffee - see ya later!

EXCITED!

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:06:00 +0000

Oh my goodness, I'm so freaking excited I'm fair bouncing!!! I think I need to leave work really quickly because I'm beginning to scare people!

I am soooo glad I finally decided I'd regret not going to the Foo Fighters concert tonight (with the incredible bonus of Tenacious D!) Bounce bounce bounce!

(There's no one to bounce to, so I'm blogging it, deal with it blogosphere).

Ok, way too early, but I'm going to leave anyway. Yay yay yay! Wheeeeeee! (Grief, I'm like a kid in snow for the first time).

Waxing lyrical on love again

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:30:00 +0000

I'm in one of those "I really want to write" moods. But all the things I want to write about are perhaps not for public consumption. Private musings on the journey of life, of love, of God, of growth.

There was a lovely quote an acquaintance posted on her Facebook page the other day - "It's going to hurt anyway. So if you're going to love, give it everything.". That, dear friends, is a motto to live by. And, I think sometimes we read or think about love and we confine thoughts of love to 'significant' others in our lives. Our partners, our parents, our children, our siblings, our most cherished friends, our source of being. But love is bigger than that, if you'll but allow it to be. Love can (and by definition ought to!) extend to the random stranger on the street who looks so troubled, until they receive your heartfelt smile or greeting and they light up (surely you've been on the receiving end of this too? I certainly have), or to the workmate who is having an appalling day and you gift them with a genuine comment of concern, care, or an action of practical support. Or to the person you observe struggling at the supermarket and you abandon your own fear of standing out to offer them help, or a comment of sympathy. Or the acquaintance (or again colleague) who you can see is having a rough time and you find the courage to be vulnerable and actively offer them your ear, or your support, or at the very least, your understanding. And can I say, it is sometimes scarey to reach out to someone you wouldn't normally reach out to, it can raise all your own insecurities, your vulnerability, but really, is that not the mandate of love? To be bigger than your insecurities, to be bolder than your fears, to be open to receive love and in turn to be willing to give it. And the more you offer it, the more you find you have in your own life - to draw on yourself, and also to give out to others.

And YES - loving really does hurt! Empathy is not a passive point of view, it is an active identifying with people and allowing your heart to feel what they feel. That is NOT a comfortable thing! But is your ultimate goal to be comfortable? It certainly isn't mine. Yes, I want to live with peace of mind, but I also value growth and I'm here for the journey, to truly experience life. To experience love. As a receiver, but also abundantly as a giver. It's a poignant ache, but what a way to know you are alive. Of course, love is not just painful, it is beautiful, but I do think an emotion as strong as love is always a mix of pleasure and pain - of ache and of joy, of vulnerability and of elation. Embrace it. Dare to feel. Risk love.

Dare to live large

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:33:00 +0000

Thinking
How do artists find the courage to share their art? Poets, song-writers, sculptors, painters, musicians, dancers. For surely in expressing your art, you lay bare a part of your soul. I think perhaps, the desire to share what is in your heart must eventually outweigh the risk and associated fear of making yourself vulnerable, by so openly sharing a glimpse of your sacred-self. But still, courage must be needed. Personally, I need my heart to be handled gently. But of course, when you share your art, your audience is never entirely of our own choosing, and not necessarily gentle, safe or kind. Hmm. And yet, sometimes, you just have to share, or risk stifling the beauty of who you are.

Concluding
May more of us have the courage to be and share ourselves, to be open, to have faith, to trust. And to love and express that love.

Delight in the sunshine, in the rain. In the gentle sound of leaves in the wind, in the fury of the sea in storm. In the quiet of the moonrise, in the majesty of the mountains. In the sound of laughter, in the pain of grief that reminds you that you are alive. In the love of friends, in the laughter of children. Embrace each moment, and live your life as large as you dare. And may you dare!

Be free, give, love

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 03:31:00 +0000

A little excerpt from an admonishment I wrote myself a month ago:

Embrace. Enjoy. Delight. Trust. And give.
In giving, your joy is reflected back at you.
And in so doing, it touches and blesses others, and thus
goes on. Be free to give and love.

Unexpected post for Ross

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:47:00 +0000

I am really missing writing. I read back through a few of my older entries today and just yearned to sit back and write. And I have just deleted a completely unfocused, uninteresting ramble in an effort to not lose my 3 remaining followers!

I'm taking enormous pleasure in my journey of late. I took some time out to breathe last year and just consider the path I was on and check I was heading to a place I actually wanted to get to. And right now, I am confident that I am firmly and safely in exactly the place I am meant to be. Travelling lightly, with my heart and mind open to what may come my way and a willingness to experience and grow through whatever landscapes my path may lead me. I have been blessed by beautiful friends, new and old, and I continue to draw on the things that brief but beloved friends have taught me in the past.

A couple of weeks ago I honoured my brother's 50th birthday, spending a couple of hours chatting and crying and philosophising with him at the family plot in Waikumete. I had a wonderful wonderful time and I am so pleased I went. He is still so present in my life, even if only by how poignantly and painfully I miss him. I'm not so sure that time heals, I think perhaps the passing of time means there are bigger gaps between the moments of intensely feeling the lack of a person in your life. It surprises me how much I still miss Ross. And yet it pleases me too, because as long as I miss him quite so poignantly, he remains a part of my life. And that was my greatest fear when he left, that I would forget the sound of his laugh, the timbre of his voice, the cheekiness of his play. But these things remain I am pleased to say. As too is the memory, and the reality of how beautifully he believed in me. Not by words, but by active believing. By taking me places others would have cautioned me going to, by doing things with me others would have questioned my ability to do. Never did he ask if I was sure, or if I was ok or if I needed help. He just walked beside me, matching my pace, never making me feel bad for being slow, never making me doubt by admonishing me to be careful, just staying with me, loving me as I am sure only a brother can. I am so grateful.

Funny, I'd kind of been wanting to write a bit of a 50th birthday tribute for Ross, but that is not what I just sat down to write. Yet there it is. Happy Birthday beautiful brother.

Ironing Casualty & Productive Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 08:56:00 +0000

Ironing/Pressing Casualty

I completely forgot to post this pic a few weeks back - I had my first non-human ironing casuality. (and the human casualty is always my left index finger, in the form of a steam burn, I never learn!) I'm in two minds as to whether I should buy a replacement, or make one myself. Think I'll buy, and spend my making time on things I enjoy. ;-) Oh - and if this every happens to you - don't inhale the smoke! That stuff is seriously toxic!

Productive Weekend

Simon has been away skiing at Turoa this weekend, so I've had the place to myself since about 3 o'clock on Friday. Well, me and the cats. They're great company excpet when they want to talk at 5 in the morning or when they want to snuggle with me when I'm trying to sew. Anyway, that's not what I'm here for - but it is a great illustration of how distracting the puddys are!

So, aside from finally getting on top of the enormous pile of dishes, and a touch of tidying and a smattering of cooking, I've also managed to finish 2 more bags. One is another Christmas present for the twins, well, for one of them, and the other is a gorgeous little bag-ette (like the one in my most recent post) but in a lovely blue & red rose print fabric (another of my cousin's parting gifts - thanks Charlotte!). I haven't got pics yet!

Here's a sneak peak of the bag for one of the twins, until I get around to taking some better pics....

My label-attaching technique needs some practice, but I'm pleased with the look of this.

Ok, just took a quick snap of the other bag with my phone - as you can see, my lable attaching technique has not yet improved!

Right, I've been forgetting to eat all day, so I really must go and have some the chopped liver I made from my mother-in-laws recipe. Hope you've had a great weekend!

Fully Reversible, Subtle or Bright Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:07:00 +0000

I have a new favourite bag. I am completely in love with it, despite it's seemingly diminutive size.

This was intended to be a subtle, linen/cotton bag-ette, with a secret cheerful lining that was there to delight you on opening the bag.

But as I handstitched the lining closed, it occurred to me that there was no reason I couldn't add another button on the lining, not catch the lanyard in the top stitching, and it would be fully reversible. So I did exactly that, and have ended up leaving it with the secret lining turned out and not so secret!

And as for roomy - well, this is what I had in it today - sunglasses in a bulky hard case, vanity case, pager, on call cards for work, my phone, inhaler, key ring pouch with credit cards and drivers license and some cash, keys, and I had a little notebook and pen tucked in the back pouch (removed for the photos because my red notebook doesn't actually go with the bag!)

(The pocket is on the inside when it's in its 'subtle' form of course).

That was my weekend project. I have so many more plans for this pattern, and that gorgeous, bright cotton! Yay!

2 failed projects

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 23:17:00 +0000

Since the success of the pink ruffle bag, I've made 2 more items, and both have been duds and filed accordingly I'm afraid. So my next project has to be approached with more diligence, planning, more accurate cutting and a commitment to pressing throughout!

Sunday's failed item was a little coin pouch with front pocket to go with the Ruffle Bag. And while it's really cute, I played with the zip (because I have STILL not come up with a way to put zips in the top of a pouch with a finish that my inner perfectionist is happy with) and managed to completely disengage the zip pull from the pouch, fray all the ends and destroy the top part of the side seam. Oh, and in my haste I also forgot to top stitch the key ring tag before attaching it. Ah dear. At least I laughed at it instead of swearing at it. :-)

Last night, I had an undeniable need to sew before going to bed (which I really must learn to say no to, because it typically results in me not making it to bed until midnight). So I shoved the poor cat off my lap and wandered upstairs with the goal of trying to find a more successful way of sewing a vinyl backed wallet. (I haven't posted my first attempt yet - but I will. Main problem is that my 40 year old sewing machine just can't cope with the number of layers required). I came up with a fairly simple design, given the purpose was to try out a theory rather than produce something I'd love. The design did work, and the method was also reasonably successful with the vinyl, however, my execution was lacking somewhat (I was rushing, didn't press anything, made a poor choice of thread colour, and so on!) and although the end result was ok, my aforementioned perfectionist tendencies were simply not satisfied by the less than perfectly straight top-stitching results. I do think I need to abandon using vinyl for now. (not that I'm a fan anyway, but it's all about learning!)

My next project will be probably be larger and will require at least an evening to measure, cut and press before I even turn the sewing machine on. Perhaps another Martini bag. Pop back soon and you'll find out!

Ruffle strap girls bag

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 11:25:00 +0000

I'm getting organised super super early this year for Christmas (I always aim to, and am getting more successful each year) and beginning to make some presents now. (I've had my sister-in-law's November b'day present sitting in the cupboard since about March!).

I found this great material up at David's Emporium about a month ago, but only just acquired the pink linen for the lining. So this was yesterday's project, and I am absolutely chuffed with the result. This is so super cute there should be a rule against it! (I have to say though - for someone who doesn't like pink, this blog is in danger of being overrun by pink-ness!) I've included a pocket on the inside and a little clip - for things that ought not be left behind!

Projects...

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 01:48:00 +0000

I haven't managed to organise myself sufficiently to get photos up of some of the other bits and bobs I've made lately, but it's a wet rainy Friday with no view of improving over the weekend, so hopefully in the next couple of days.

I was so delighted today when a sometimes visitor in the office admired my wallet, and then when I thanked him and declared 'I made it' he responded with utter disbelief and reiteration of thinking it was cool. Yay. :-) It has a few flaws, as I really couldn't bring myself to put my poor sewing machine through sewing through sooooo many thicknesses, including vinyl - this after breaking 2 leather needles! But I love it anyway, and have some great ideas on how to redesign it next time to be kinder to my sewing machine.

Last night I started on a square-ish bag of my own design. I got as far as the lining, realised I'd mis-calculated the length required for the gusset/strap piece and went to bed after midnight with my sketch book and redesigned how I was going to finish it - now I can't wait for aforementioned rainy weekend so I can do just that!

That's it for now, but hopefully more photos and finish-offs within the next couple of days.

Vintage Rabbit Wristlet

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 06:37:00 +0000

This was the first wristlet I made. There's a host of things I don't like about this, but if you don't look too closely you won't be able to guess what they are! But I learnt a lot from it. And I do so love the fabric combination. (Thanks Charlotte!) I'm guessing the lining must be a soy fabric, because it smelt like chinese food when I ironed it!!!

Martini Clutch - a late night post

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:35:00 +0000

I was planning to go and select fabric, chop, press & sew tonight, but it didn't quite work out that way. Seeing as I'm still at my computer, and it's now closer to midnight than any other hour it's not going to happen. Ah well, it would have been freezing in my sewing room anyway. Actually, it's not so warm down here with the heater on either!

Anyways, I've done a bit of phot0-processing, so I can at least share one of the wristlet/clutches I've made in the last couple of weeks. This is a all a learning process as I work out what I like and what I don't. I love this martini fabric, and I love how it looks with denim. I don't however like the way I've finished the zip, but have worked that out for next time now.

Martini Handbag

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:16:00 +0000

Ok, for the record, I'm typically not a pink girl. Not at all in fact. I'm very much a red girl. (I'm also not a shoe girl, but a bag girl - which is fortunate because I think making bags is a lot more accessible than making shoes!)

That said, I made the most gorgeous bag last night and I'm completely in love with it. Even though it's pink. And, while it hurts me to admit it, I don't think it would be half so cute in red.
Above is the outside view. It's an open topped bag, about 30cm tall, and 10cm wide at the base edges (not obvious from the photos, but it is a rectangular base). It's more than big enough for my ipod nano, an A5 diary, a set of marker pens, 2 sets of keys, a handmade wallet, a pocket knife, a vanity pouch, the on call pager, my phone, my sunnies, an apple... you get the picture. :-)

I love how the handles turned out. I wasn't sure how I was going to attach the feature strip and played around with a couple of options and loved how the satin stitch looked. I'll definitely use this method again.

Finally, a slightly open view, showing the inside pocket. This is in fact a fully reversible bag, but the lining is a fabric that will show every mark, so I'll do this again with a different inner fabric so I can actually use it 2 ways, but I'm still completely delighted with this.

Ooh, and one of the lads at work even said it looked really professional and he'd not have known it was homemade if I hadn't said so. Bless. :-)

Messenger Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Sun, 30 May 2010 11:01:00 +0000

Simon reminded me tonight that I ought to be taking photos of the stuff I'm making and blogging them. I always forget!

And I've just typed this entry 3 times, then stupidly used ctrl+v to move text around and blogger has eaten my post and my photos, again. -sob- -sad, frustrated sob-

I'll try again another day. Here's the bag:

Thanks heaps to my cousin Charlotte for every bit of material that went into this.

Thanks to Larissa at mmmcrafts for the tutorial.

Stories at a later date when I've forgiven blogger for doing inexplicable things. (Since when doesn't ctrl-V equal paste????)

Christmas Ornament Swap

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:58:00 +0000

I have finally finished my ornaments for the Handmade Christmas Ornament swap run by Louise of Twenty Cent Mixture. I was umming and ahhing about participating in this last year but never signed up, so when I saw the intro blog post this year I decided I really just ought to do it.

I came up with a fairly involved ornament and Simon asked me if I was sure I was willing to see it through. I assured him that if I did anything less I would be dissatisfied and frustrated. Hmm. As he rightly predicted, my enthusiasm waned somewhat by the time I neared the end of the project! However! As predicted by me, I am in fact very pleased with the result and am really glad I both participated and with what I made.

Here are my Kiwi Christmas Wreaths - with beaded pohutukawa flowers with crocheted calyx on a french knitted lambs wool wreath, with beaded embellishments and seed bead garlands. Phew!

And all packaged up ready to send, complete with mini moo cards and stickers.

I've now received all of my beautiful ornaments and will post a pic of them once I've taken one! Thank you ladies of Group 10! And of course thank you so much to Louise for coordinating it all!

More ornaments from the swap can be seen in the flickr group.

Charm Bookmarks

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 04:52:00 +0000

I went through an obsessive patch of jewellery making recently and discovered the joy of making beaded charm bookmarks. A joy because they're comparably really quick to make AND they're useful!

A few samples below (not the best of pics, but you get the idea). I've sold, I think, 3 so far.

I feel GREAT!

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:21:00 +0000

I'm at work, working, well, taking 2 minutes out to write this right now, but otherwise working. And it has just occurred to me that I feel absolutely GREAT! And I just wanted to share it with someone, because that's what you want to do when you're feeling great! But for the lack of anyone who wouldn't look at me querulously (that words means something other than what I thought it did, but it still works) and conclude that I am in fact as mad as they suspected I was (I work with a bunch of serious techy blokes for the most part) I'm here instead. Professing that I'm feeling fabulous and delighted and light and joyous and gleeful even!

Happy Days fair readers. :-)

I love moo!

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:54:00 +0000

I just wanted to take the time to do a quick Shout-out to Moo.

Late last month I ordered a set of stickers and a set of 100 minicards. The minicards were posted first, but I received the stickers first. And they are SOOOO fantastic! I was really impressed with the quality, and love all the little quirks and suprises in the packaging! Well done that company.

My minicards, sadly, have not found me yet. Post seems to be a complicated affair where I am concerned, both at home and at work - I receive mail meant for random strangers halfway across the city and I'm sure there is a special someone somewhere who receives mail for me that I never know about. Well, the minicards are with that special someone methinks! Anyway, I emailed moo yesterday and mentioned to them that the minicards were being a little wayward, and simply asked that if managed to make their way back to whence they came, that I'd love it if they could resend them to a different postal address (my parents - they never seem to have mail problems).

This morning I had an email from one of the lovely people at moo delighting me with the news that they weren't ok with just updating my address, no, they were going several steps further and had requeued my minicard print job and would be sending me another set!

Moo, I don't think you could delight me any more! Thank you so much for being a wonderful example of what customer service is all about.

Christmas Cuffs

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:13:00 +0000

For the first time in absolutely ages I actually made some jewellery today. I've been promising mum I'd make her some simple, pink crystal earrings for months, and I know she wants them for a wedding she is (hmm, what's the right word - conducting, executing (!), doing (how boring), presiding over, celebrating), anyway, she is the celebrant and the wedding is next weekend. So I thought I'd better hurry up a make them. That took all of 3 minutes. Yes, after months of avoiding doing it. How embarrassing. Seeing as all my equipment was out by that stage I figured I might as well make myself something while I was at it. Not abandoning my current obsession with crochet, I whipped out a light weight wire, a 2mm crochet hook and produced a couple of christmasy cuffs, or bracelets if you prefer, both of which I'm really pleased with! And for your viewing pleasure.... (NB: its actually really hard to photograph your own right hand. Yes, you're right, I should have put the bracelet on the left hand and it would have been a whole lot simpler.)

For a few more pics, see my Jewellery set on Flickr.

Addicted or Obsessed?

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 03:47:00 +0000

Am I addicted or obsessed??? I can not get enough of yarn and crocheting and creating all manner of wonderful things.

See? I went shopping today. (Shh, don't tell Simon. I spent more on one visit to Spotlight than he did on 2 nights of accomodation at Oakune this weekend. Ok, so his accomodation was REALLY cheap, but still!)

So much lovely, beautiful wool. Actually, I think there's only 2 balls of wool in that lot, (and they're both Merino). With the exception of the 2 red balls (which are a bit of fun, I think I'll try and make something christmassy or even for decorating christmas presents with these), the rest are all either bamboo, cotton, or a combination of the two (with a bit of Soy thrown in for good measure). Yay!

On an unrelated note, we're having dinner with my folks tomorrow night. I'm thinking of Japanese. Not something they get a lot of exposure to in Huntly. :)

I've had a splendid weekend! Simon (as hinted at) has been skiing so I've had another weekend to myself. I got through all the necessary but tedious and boring chores early yesterday (washing is usually a late Sunday night event around here) and have proceeded to make stuff, tidy stuff, grocery shop (twice), indulge in a little impulse buying at the Warehouse - I was looking for a small infuser teapot, (no joy) and stumbled upon the most beautiful little green mini basins, single serve type mini (ie I don't think you'd even get a whole scoop of ice-cream in them), just so lovely! So 4 of them started wandering around the shelves with me, then within, ooh, half a metre, we (me and aforementioned mini basins) found some lovely little white, square low edged dishes. About 6cm square and about 1cm high edge. They leaped up and jumped underneath the mini basins and proceeded to enjoy the ride. On the way out I was captured by the praticality of command adhesive hooks - so they too came along for the ride, all declared themselves at the checkout, I paid the necessary fee and they have found themselves all comfortably at home in my kitchen and laundry. And now my broom and mop are tidy. Instead of falling on the washing machine and banging during the spin cycle, they are happily hanging from the wall.

Good grief, that almost sounds like domestic bliss. Eep!

So I've spent the last hour photographing my wool and a couple of crochet projects I hadn't photographed yet, uploading to flickr and then updating my Ravelry stash and projects pages, all while listening to Chill Radio on last.fm. In the glorious sunshine with a loving, loyal cat at my feet. The same cat who wrenched a blood-curdling scream from me this morning. Honestly, I was worried the neighbours were going to call the police! I was peacefully tidying up in the walk-in-wardrobe, and I knew Brulee was at my feet. I leant over to throw away a broken coathanger and next minute I felt this searing, shocking, terrifying pain in my ankle and leg. It was at this point that the involuntary scream was released, then I looked down and all I could see was Brulee attached to me by both claws and teeth! He scarpered, but then almost instantly came back to me. I'm not sure whether he was checking whether I still loved him because I'd stood on him or because he was desperately sorry for hurting me! It was very funny, but I expect you had to be there.

I have to stop writing now. I think I've almost reached my limit of enjoying being on my own and am now using blogging as a way of fooling myself that I have company.

that little guy!

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:13:00 +0000

Here he is!

Thanks to gianouts for taking these action pics.

MUST prioritise my photo transfer (an excuse to ramble)

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:51:00 +0000

Argh! So much to tell and no photos to accompany. :-(

Unfortunately because my PC at home is so old (9 years and counting) I cannot download my pictures from my 'real' (as opposed to crappy cell phone ) camera. So the current process is to turn on my computer (where I still store and process all my photos - oh, as long as I don't want to process raw which is completely beyond the capability of my PC), turn on my husband's PC, connect my camera to his PC, transfer the pics over the LAN to my PC and then finally go back to my PC and begin the slow process of weeding out the duds, fixing poor white balance and uploading to Flickr. THEN I need to add pics to Ravelry and such like.

Currently my Ravelry notebook is thoroughly unengaging due to an almost complete lack of pictures. Ravelry without pictures is kind of like having windows installed, but insisting on using a full screen COMMAND window for absolutely everything. Its still useful to me, but has absolutely no 'social' appeal.

And I have to admit, I tend to avoid writing blog posts unless I have photos to accompany it. Text is hard to digest (bwagy has a style which is a clear exception to this, but I simply have way too much rambling to get out of my system to emulate his style!).

Well, anyways. Updatey type things...

the Kea is happily united with his new playmate and playmate's dad is working really hard to make it playmate's favourite toy. I'm flattered! :-) (yes yes, photos to come - didn't you read the pre-ramble????)
I nearly finished and then nearly completely frogged (a term I now understand - when you have to undo knitting (or in my case crochet) because you've stuffed up or simply don't like what you've done, you have to 'rip it' back - thus 'frogging') the Olivier cardigan I reported on in my last post. This was because of 2 reasons:

I stuffed up the tension (suprise suprise) on the body of the garment and it was WAY to small
And far more importantly, my mother has taught me that Merino Wool and Acrylic do NOT go together. I should have known this. I just kind of figured I'd learn these sorts of things along the way. So I learnt. Merino shrinks. Acrylic doesn't. Merino needs to be handwashed. Acrylic doesn't. Merino is lovely and soft. Acrylic can be soft, but rarely lovely. So I'm back to just the apple-green merino border of motifs. And I need to buy more merino wool if I plan to finish this.

The yellow bunny has not changed since last I wrote about him (strictly speaking you can't really call that an update, but hey)
Mum frogged (there I go again, skiting about my new found knowledge of an 'in' term!) an almost completed cable jersey that I remember her knitting at least 2 decades ago. She didn't like it and has no intention of finishing it. So I now own many many many meters of lovely orange 100% cotton yarn which is wonderful to crochet with.
With aforementioned wonderul cotton, I have begun making a funky cardigan, hopefully for Olivia, but that all depends on what size it ends up. Yes, I know, very hit and miss. But I'll work it out. I have complete faith in my ability to wing it and win. :-) (This habit horrifies my husband - I cook the same way - the recipe is merely a source of inspiration, not a set of rules to be followed with maddening rigidity and a stubborn unwillingness to deviate and improvise. This makes him very very nervous, but as he will no doubt attest, the vast majority of my culinary creations are actually pretty damn good. Although I've lost my mojo for now, but I'm still in the cotton cardy bullet so really ought not to be going on about cooking. )
Anything else? Hmm, I've had to sellotape my noise-cancelling headphones together in 3 places now. So I've got suitably annoyed with them after becoming very reliant on them and have ordered a pair of Phitek M14's. More on this when I get them!

I could talk about the wonderful service we experienced at an unexpected location recently, but shall save that for another ramble. It's lunch time now and having had breakfast this morning (a rarity I fear) I have been hungry since 10am and my colleague is begging me to give her and excuse and to take a break.)

Happy days everyone!

Update - 1.5 hours later!

EEP! I lied! The yellow bunny HAS changed since I last wrote about him! Now his head is stuffed, his body made and stuffed, head attached to body, arms attached to body, nose and mouth embroidered on and 1 ear has been made! I didn't realise how little I'd written about him!

Special little bird and a bigger undertaking

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:15:00 +0000

I have discovered the joy of ravelry.com. Splendid! Now I no longer have the dilemma of 'ohoh, what size hook was I using on this project I started a week ago and got bored with but now want to pick up again?'.

So, I finished a special little bird (who started life as a frog, go figure), but I can't post him here until he is safely in the hands of his intended playmate. But here's a little hint...

And I have commenced working on a larger piece, that I can't finish in a couple of evenings (argh!!!) but so far so good! The pic is from the pattern site, I'm making it in 2 colours. Am working the motif border in apple green and the body in white. So last night I got to 11 motifs down, 2 to go! I was itching to get all 13 done so I could start the body of the garment, but sadly the contact lenses had other ideas and dried up at about 11pm, forcing me to bed. Ah. This weekend hopefully I'll make some more progress on it. Kind of over those motifs by now though!

Crochet project update!

noreply@blogger.com (Jane Gianoutsos) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 02:08:00 +0000

I remembered what project number 5 was:

amigurumi bunny in bright YELLOW wool! Head done so far, waiting to be stuffed.

And the 2nd attempt on the bootie, was, um, terrible. :-( I found out that a Size H hook is not a 3.5 as I was using the night before, but a 5.0. Knowing my tension is usually quite tight, and not actually owning a 5.0, I redid this last night with a 5.5. Oh dear. It worked, but I don't like it at all. So I've decided to abandon the pattern and simply make it up as I go - that, I am pleased to report, is working out much better for me! (Oh - I also learnt today that american patterns say double crochet where UK patterns say Treble, and single crochet is double crochet, oh gosh! It explains a lot be honest. No wonder I've given up on patterns!)

2 more rows on the beach bag last night, no progress on the kea or cardigan. That's ok. Busy week anyway. Book club at my place on Thursday night - so lots of tidying up and getting the place in order in anticipation of that!

And of course Carcassonne distracted me last night too. But my husband negated all my beautiful cities with cathedrals and went on to beat me by, oh gosh, at least 70 points. Yes, that's a HUGE win. Very discouraging. Never mind. If my beautiful cities had worked things would have been different. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. :-)