What's Hot & What's Not

It’s Wednesday … I can hardly believe where the weeks go time seems to be passing so quickly. Is the same thing happening to you?

What’s Hot

Baby knitting finished. Last night I finished the scarf and hat I’ve been making for baby Hannah. I love the colour combination (although I couldn't photograph it properly) and the yarn is so soft and warm. I hope Holly likes them.


Knitting socks. I’ve learnt to knit sock on an 80cm round needle … and it’s so exciting. Isn’t it silly to feel so clever about something just about anybody could do … but I do! It's like growing up in the knitting world; a right of passage as it were. I love knowing how to do it.


Exercise. After two weeks of doing nothing more than walking I went back to Yoga yesterday and Pilates tomorrow. I feel so much better and I was happy not to have lost too much of the strength I/ve built up over the last eight months. I even managed four rather pathetic push ups last night … showing off to Mr H.

Craft groups. I’ve managed to find three amazing craft groups that I can’t choose between them. They’re all different and fit different parts of me: NCB is large and vibrant. The crafts represented are really wide and varied, and a larger group usually gets together. They’re a great group to get together and chat about anything and everything. NCB meets once a fortnight on a week night and not much crafting ever gets done (by me). Perle 8 is a smaller and quieter group who mainly knit and quilt, so it’s easier to chat with people. They meet every week on a week night and I always get some crafting done. My last group is a knitting group through Ravelry … and it’s nice to spend time just with people who knit. It’s a small group who meet once a month for lunch and I always get a little knitting done.

New shoes. I’ve been looking for a not too high heeled pair of brown shoes and on Monday I caught sight of the perfect pair at Campers. They are so soft and comfortable and have a relatively low wedge heel. They were more expensive than I wanted to pay but I’ve been looking for so long I just sucked it up.


What’s Not

Not enough time. I just have so many things I want to get done at the moment I feel as though I’m swimming against the tide.

Sore toe. I have no idea what I’ve done but the darn thing is swollen and painful. I might have to make a visit to the doctor if it doesn’t improve over the next couple of days.

Busted TV. My TV of two years went blind (no picture) and is currently with the doctor having something or other replaced. I miss my little darling and I’ll be so happy to get it back on Friday.
Overheating computer. The computer’s likely to go critical soon so I’m watching it carefully because I can’t bear to be without it. But I’m going to have to bite the bullet and once the TV’s back and hooked up I’ll drop the darn thing off on Saturday morning. I’m so sad already.

Wanna play? I bet there’s lots happening around your place as well: sick kids, crafting achieved, new car, work plans … I’d love to hear.

What's Hot & What's Not

Lots happening in my life over the last week:

What’s Hot

Vintage sheet FQ giveaway. Five bundles of vintage sheet FQs on offer … one each to five lucky people. Drawn on Sunday 14 August. Everything you need to know is on this blog post.


Crafting. I’m working my way through some tags and knitting … and feeling pretty organised. I added a tag each to the FQ bundles for the giveaway and another I sent as part of a thank you to Ange for organising the FQ swap. I didn't get it done before the swap … and I was determined to send something. Thank you again Ange.

Vanilla slice. Both my kids are handy in the sweets/cakes/desserts department and Miss C made vanilla slices with passionfruit icing. It tastes as good as they look. Miss W and Miss C are both fantastic with custard.

Rest. I got the whole of Sunday to myself last Sunday. Of course I did a few chores … but I got to watch DVDs and knit and get a little general crafting done. I haven’t managed to get a day to myself for a while, and I got to sleep early and then rose early as a result. Such a great start to the week.

True Blood. I managed to see the first six episodes of season 3 of True Blood. I was warned it was slow to start up but I didn’t find that at all. There are lots of new characters and things happening … I think season 3 is better than season 2 which got really bogged down (and a little absurd) with the maenad plot. I can’t wait to find out what comes next.

What’s Not

Housework. This is absolutely not my priority and things are a little out of hand. I worked through the laundry over the weekend and I’m doing a little every night this week. A total pain in the proverbial … but I have to I guess.

Blog reading. I am so behind on my blog reading and commenting … I usually work really hard to stay up to date especially with commenting. There’s nothing nicer than reading comments on a blog post … even if it’s only something small. Time to learn how to better incorporate it into my day.

If you’re interested in playing I’d love to hear what’s been making your week.

What's Hot and What's Not

Another week has flown by … is it the dark of winter doing this to me or is my life disappearing without my even noticing?

Not much to report this week at my place. I feel as though I’ve hardly done anything but I guess that's not the case.

What’s Hot.

Music. I bought a couple of new CDs last week … amongst them is The Best of Johnny Nash. He’s a black Texan from the 1970s … and holds the record for being the first non Jamaican to record reggae in Jamaica. Not the reggae made popular by Bob Marley … Johnny Nash has a softer more laid back style that I really like. I particularly like his song Guava Jelly … crazy name I know and it starts off slowly but take a listen.



Knitting. Lots of crafting happening in my house at the moment … but more of that tomorrow in My Creative Space. I can’t give everything away today.

Stargate Universe. I’m not sure why I’m adding to my list of What’s Hot other than I managed to watch episodes 11-15. I have misgivings about this show given my enthusiasm for SG-1 and even Stargate Atlantis. I’m sorry … it’s hard to rave about a show whose protagonist (ie the tension that keeps the showing moving forward) is so subtle I haven’t worked out yet who/what it is. And wait there’s more … I usually drive myself crazy moaning about how unsubtle the majority of shows are because they have to spell everything out … is this a case of me feeling uncomfortable because subtlety is being used or is it just a crap show? I can’t decide and I keep tuning in trying to work it out.

Exercise. I signed up for another 8 weeks of Yoga and Pilates. I’m getting so much more flexible and it’s paying dividends, mainly in improving muscle tone ... I now have some! LOL Definitely something not seen in my neck of the woods for many a year.

What’s Not.

Cocked up weekends. This weekend things went pear shaped … plan wise. I had so much I wanted to do and none of it happened because of misunderstandings and things getting turned around by other things. It drives me crazy when that happens and in the end I gave up and retreated to my knitting and DVDs … so I guess in the end I managed to salvage at least part of the weekend.

I’ve decided to see whether others want to play. Add your name and the url of your blog post … I’d love to hear what’s been hot—or not so hot—in your week.

Good things: Friday knitting pattern

How wonderful is it for Friday to be a day of rest ... no work for this over worked, over tired baby ... but still time to share a vintage knitting pattern with friends.

Last week was all about babies so I thought I'd go for something far removed from the soft sweetness of babies ... the rough and tumble world of a boy from the 1950-60s.


These boys look ready for any adventure: catching fish with a homemade rod, driving a rickety billy cart down a hill or playing cricket in the street.

For some reason, the patterns have reminded me of a movie called Tiger Bay. It's almost from the right era (the movie's from the late 1950s) and there are quite a few kids in the movie (including Hayley Mills in her first ever role). Surely one of them must be wearing something hand knitted.

Or maybe not ... here's an extract from the movie and I can hardly see a hand knitted item between them.



But don't let my hopeless memory stop you from catching the movie if you can. Grab your knitting and settle in ... it's well worth watching.

Good things Mon 11 Jan 10

GOOD THINGS: True Blood
I love this show and it's so hot at the moment (42 at 9.30pm) all I can do is sit back, relax and pop in a DVD.

And what am I watching at the moment but season 1 of True Blood for the umpteenth time.

I love it ... it's one of my favourite TV series, especially HBO series, of all time.


This bit from Episode 8 gives a glimpse of a lot of aspects ... including Eric the 1,000 year old vampire. He so makes watching True Blood EXTRA worth while.

If you haven't seen it ... grab it as soon as you can.

It's fun, it's quirky ... and surprisingly romantic.

Good things: Wed 6 Jan 10

GOOD THINGS: Time to myself
Tonight I was lucky enough for Horace, Neil and Clarissa to go out and leave me the joy of a few hours peace and quiet ... and the chance to watch a DVD alone.

Oh joy, oh bliss ... it is absolutely the small things in life that mean the most.


Not very accurate I suspect ... but a pleasant movie all the same.

And what DVD did I watch ... the Becoming Jane DVD Clarissa bought for me.

Thanks guys for the house to myself, and thanks Clarissa for the DVD.

Project 365 Sun 22 Nov 09

SUNDAY STASH: DVDs
Tamara at quarter of an inch is running Sunday Stash time and I thought I would play each week.

And for my first week my amazing stash of DVDs.


It's a pretty eclectic collection from science fiction to romance.

I know they're not exactly crafty ... but I promise you they are absolutely linked ... because one of these will always be on as I knit, scrapbook or paint.
There are quite a few I've never actually "watched" because my head is always down focussed on whatever I'm doing.


I admit to having a certain fondness for the Hornblower series and I love anything with Audrey Hepburn in it (War and Peace).

What you can see is less than half of them: they're stacked two deep on the bookshelf and on top of each other and there's another huge stash at my mother's waiting for me to pick them up at Christmas.

I'm absolutely no fan of regular programming on TV and we almost never go to the movies ... give me a period drama or science fiction every time: Pride and Prejudice, Underworld, Blade, Sharpe, Vanity Fair, Band of Brothers, Rome, Deadwood, Lorna Doone, Stargate. I don't mind (except for Keira Knightly as Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice) which version and I don't mind how many times I watch them.

Day 29 Blogtoberfest 2009 I'm loving true blood

I'M LOVING TRUE BLOOD
I've been feeling like crap today and all that's kept me going is the HBO series of "True Blood" and my knitting.

For the uninitiated, True Blood is a vampire series based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris.


The first six episodes ... it's so good I'm watching them for the second time again!

Strangely ... Phil at work gave me the first book to read called Dead until Dark, (such a great name for a vampire book), and I enjoyed it although I found it a bit too much like eating fairy floss for my liking.

But having said that I did like the characters ... Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress and the vampire Bill Compton she falls in love with in the fictional Louisiana town of Bon Temps. It was also easy to understand why the books were so well loved.

So it was only a few days later I got the mini series to watch ... and it's so much better. It's passionate, erotic, exciting ... the characters are well developed, interesting and some of them are so funny ... and the opening sequence is amazing. It won an Emmy for Digital Kitchen, the production studio creators ... and when you read what went into its creation ... all I can say is they deserved it!


You have to watch this ... it has texture, grit and somehow encapsulates the rawness of True Blood.

No spoilers here from me re the plot, except to say you will get sucked in ... so find it as soon as you can.

I'm lucky to have found a few work colleagues with similar interests to shared DVDs with, and I borrowed the first season from a colleague who's bringing the next season in next week for me to watch.

I'm drooling already.

PS For the Aussies out there, Ryan Kwanten (from Home and Away) has a major role as the female lead's brother, and the female lead is Anna Paquin, who played the little girl on the Piano (the youngest ever winner of an Oscar). Does HBO ever doe anything wrong?

Project 365 Tue 12 May 09

THE BBC IS THE BEST
When I was sick I felt fine as long as I didn’t move; and I didn’t move for almost four days. I while away much of that time sleeping because of the motion sickness medication I took. Many, many hours of extra sleep.

But on the second day I started to go a little crazy and much of the credit to surviving the days in bed goes to rewatching several BBC DVDs.


My choice of perfect sick bed BBC DVDs.

So why did I watch these?

Robin Hood Series 1 and 2. I was half way through the first series and had to watch series 2 straight afterwards. I love the way the Sheriff camps it up, and Guy of Gisborne is so wonderfully three dimensional I have to remind myself he’s not the star. (Robin Hood and Marian? Who are they?) I can't say I'm 100% happy with the way series 2 ended. It's as though they didn’t expect to get a third series. Having said that ... I'm still excited about series 3!

North and South. After so many hours of Richard Armitage in Robin Hood and remembering how handsome he was in North and South, I had to watch ... North and South! RA is perfect as the fiery mill owner but I’m still not thrilled with how Margaret Hale is depicted; that pout just seems to make her look dull and spiritless. PS This is no criticism of Daniella Denby-Ashe, as I think she's beautiful and a fine actress.

Pride and Prejudice. Which led me, of course, to P&P95. I hadn't watched this for quite a while and yet again I lost myself. I love the pace and beauty of it, and Colin Firth is the seminal Mr Darcy. I don't think he'll ever be surpassed. In fact the whole cast is brilliant: Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett, Alison Steadman as Mrs Bennett is just exquisite … and I love Julia Sawalha in everything she does.

Gotta love the Beeb!

Project 365 Mon 23 Feb 09

SCARY MOVIES
I will admit to being a card carrying, fully paid up member of the S*#T scared brigade, and I am not kidding.

And what scares me the most in the whole, wide world .... scary movies, with 28 Days After and 28 Weeks After the two that scare me the most.


Those movies.

Now Wini and Clarissa would call me a cry baby if they read this. Clarissa, in particular, loves to be scared half to death ... hell, that's her idea of a good time.

But me ... I hate being scared.

I hate that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, adrenalin pumping, limbs shaking feelings I get when I feel scared.

And I do not ever want to feel that way deliberately.

But I did when I forced myself to watch the last half of 28 Days After and to watch 28 Weeks After simply because I had them and I should watch them.

I am still shaking and I hereby promise myself that I will never be so stupid again.

Joining the Firefly fan club

My boss recently lent me the only 14 episodes made of Firefly. I wasn't hooked immediately and it took me a few episodes to get into it.

It's an interesting mix in anybody's book--how do cowboys end up on space ships--but it's actually nowhere near as weird as it sounds (although I have my hand up as a card carrying, hand waving sci-fi geek!). The use of a frontier, amost lawless environment inhabited by the heroes with a strong moral fibre throws up interesting stories, and the spaceship acts as a medium to transport them between places.

What was hard, though, was that it didn't last a full season. I was only just started to learn about each character and they were getting better all the time. I loved the captain's bluff exterior but serious moral fibre, and where was the relationship between the ship's doctor and Kaylee, the mechanic going to end up?

Another workmate lent me the movie Serenity, which picks up the story 8 months later. But in the main that's left me disgruntled. Sure, the movie had twice the airtime of an episode, but instead of learning more about the characters they were sacrificed to plot. Some characters barely had anything to say, and some didn't speak to each other at all. And two characters--Wash and Book--were killed. What's with that?



But it wasn't all bad ... the bad guy was a fabolous character who would have made a great addition to the show and I loved learning how the Reavers were created. They have to be among the nastiest human inventions ever created.

It's been a few years now since the series and movie were made and I'm betting it'll stay as a cult thing. But that doesn't mean I (and many more besides me) wouldn't like to see more ... maybe they could think about picking up the series as a cartoon or anime in the same way as Star Wars.