Oil Rainbows

I saw this on the Internet,

and think it is just yummy!

(It's no wonder I love abstract art, is it?)

Oh well,

TGIF!!

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

It was just one of those days...

Well, it started out looking good...

I was organized.  I was ready.  I was getting it done.

In fact, I was making some bread with my new oven.  

That photo is a picture of the starter that I use for it. 

Look at all those happy bubbles!!

I haven’t made bread in awhile, and I was wondering if I could revive my starter.  <eeeeeeek!>  Thank heavens he finally woke up and started eating and bubbling.

Then, as it turns out, the new oven has a “bread proofing” mode!  Wow, I didn’t even know to want that!  How perfect, so I popped in my dough and was just letting it rise…

Meanwhile, I was making name tags for our small group class at church and I ran out of labels there at the end, so I just needed to run to Staples for another box of supplies before I could finish.

And then this little baby needed to go to the vet for shots, etc.

Well!

It all started out well enough,
but right when I thought I was home free….

First of all, the dog is fine.

The bread dough, however, didn’t make it.

When we came home, I checked the oven, and something about the new proofing mode didn’t make my dough happy, and it didn’t rise well at all.  

In fact, it’s kinda hard to tell what went wrong.
It “should’ve” worked beautifully.  100° and all. 

Good thing it was trash day.  *Poof*, out it went.  All that potential deliciousness, too…  28 soft-as-puffy-clouds, yeasty, heavenly rolls.  Dead.

And the first batch of name tags that I made?  

*Poof*!  They’re out with the trash, too. 

It seems that they no longer make the kind that I had, so I had to buy the latest version.  Which, of course, uses a different template and a different badge.  Naturally, that meant I had to re-type, re-print and re-stuff all those name tags that were almost finished!

Hahahahaha

What can I say??? 

At least I had easy traffic everywhere I drove.

And I did get everything finished and delivered, put the trash out, and sat down to watch “In the Kitchen with David” on QVC with a hot dinner that I didn’t even have to make.  Thank you, Stouffer’s!  Not bad for such a long, crazy day. 

(Ina Garten will be David’s guest on Sunday!)

I think I will chillax in a bit and read one of my little mystery paperbacks, and hope that “Tomorrow is another day”.

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

Shall We Swatch?

I have fallen in love with knitting lace swatches.

And I am just beginning my collection. 

Here are two:

The photo above is a swatch knitted with
Rowan Kidsilk Haze yarn
(of course),
US 7 Chiaogoo needles
(of course),
using a purchased pattern named “Orchid”.

And this is the beginning of a traditional lace pattern 

called “Horseshoe”.  

And here it is finished:

Book author and writer of the online Knitter’s Review,
 Clara Parkes, says that she has been knitting swatches
daily for years. Just because.

You see, most knitters knit a swatch
 (a small sample of their pattern),
 as a test of how their yarn knits up with their chosen needles.

This is so they can measure its “gauge”,
how many stitches per inch they get,
to ensure the knitted item fits.

It is usually viewed as a necessary evil, a drag,
and is a very often skipped step.

But I don’t knit things that have to fit. 
(Isn’t that an unexpected blessing?)

I knit lace scarves and shawls. 
And I love trying out new lace stitches. 

So I don’t knit swatches to get gauge. 
I like to knit up samples of different lace patterns
to see how they look before I commit to a whole scarf or shawl. 

I like to knit swatches when I just want to try out a pattern a little
and see if I like or enjoy knitting it.

...Take it out for a little test drive.  (!!)

It’s also just plain fun!!  J

And I have decided to knit them
using my beloved Rowan Kidsilk Haze yarn.

That way my knitted swatch will show me exactly
how a pattern will look when using this yarn and those needles.

Plus, there’s no long-term commitment or expense
 like you would have with a blanket, shawl, or even a scarf. 

To me, these little handkerchief-sized swatches are probably
the closest one can get to instant gratification
in the lace-knitting world.

I think I would love to knit several
in all sorts of different hues of pink and grey and violet.

To quote an artist friend of mine: 
“Never say purple to a color theorist.  It’s violet.” 
LOL

And there are so many gorgeous colors to choose from,
how could you go wrong?

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

Round 2.

Before...

After!

The transformation is complete.

<insert happy sigh here>

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

Friday Funny

TGIF!

♥