Happy New Year!

Here's to a healthy, happy, and successful 2014! Thank you for all your support in 2013. Cannot wait to continue to work with you all in the new year! 

Katie =^..^=

Boxing Day Sale! December 26 through 30th!

<div class="etsy-embed-page"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/pages/etsy-canada?eref=">Etsy Canada's Boxing Day Promotion</a> on Etsy</div>
<script>(function(d,t){var s=d.createElement(t),s1=d.getElementsByTagName(t)[0];s.async=true;s.src="//site.etsystatic.com/widgets.js";
s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s,s1);})(document,'script');</script>

Or, head straight on over to my shop: Nekozuki Yarns

There are tons of cool artisans participating in this sale, so make sure to check out as many as you can! :)

Katie =^..^=

Sale!!

Hello, my lovelies!

From today (November 18) through December 2, use BLACKFRICYBERMON10 for 10% off all items in the shop!! (Shop!)

Have a lovely day, and Happy Thanksgiving to my US friends.

Katie =^..^=

Busy for the Whole Weeks Through...

On the needles: Mittens to felt!

So, I've been a busy, busy girl. Between a busy day job, and stocking for my first show of the season, I haven't had any time to catch my breath (not to mention the chest cold that's haunting me three weeks later, but at least it's better...)!

Anyway. I was a vendor at Crestmont, which was a fantastic show - lots of traffic, and the most profitable yet! The only drawback to that day was how bitterly cold it was! haha

As you can see above, there were lots of mittens. This is the stack of them on my ironing board beforehand:

And I'm working on more now! I have Market Collective December 6-8 at the King Edward School (1720 20th Ave SW).

So...More knitting and sewing to come! I've almost hit all of my goals for stock for this show, but keep your fingers crossed for me nonetheless - I don't have that much longer to go! haha

Have a lovely day, my dears! I promise I'll be more present after December 14th (Last Minute Christmas Show in Cochrane - Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre).

Katie =^..^=

Test, test, test

Tap, tap, tap. Am I still on?

Queue Enhancement: Cozy Cold Weather Knits

Isabelle by Jennifer Wood

 Ramona Cardigan by Elizabeth Smith

Kaye's Cardigan by Hannah Fettig

Busy, Busy, Busy!

WiP: Mittens
Sewing: Box Bags
Finished: Lots!

Ummmmm...Hi! I've been super busy. Along with a vacation hubby-to-be and I took (I'll post photos soon) at the beginning of the month, I'm stocking up for a show in Edgemont on November 16! So there's been lots of knitting and sewing going on here - mostly me knitting and sewing like a mad woman. I think I might have scared Dallas a little bit!

I've included some highlights below, but trust me, it's not the only things that have been finished! I have a few more highlights to post over the next couple of weeks, but this is what I'll share with you for now. :)

Last night, I finished these mitts with the sparkly cuffs:

This past weekend, I finished these unlined drawstring bags:

I'll be introducing these crocheted, decorate-your-own-tiara kits at Edgemont:

And this was my world on Sunday:

Friday Chatter

Swatching: Georgia by Jane Richmond in "Calico Cat" (details to follow)

Today is Friday, but I honestly don't feel like sharing any queue enhancement. I love the thought of showing you all designs, but this week there hasn't struck me as anything I want to share. Sure, there have been inspiring designs, but right now doesn't feel like the right time to share them with you all!

So, I'm going to chat a bit. My week has been quietly productive for the most part - work 9-5 and then I did some sewing on Monday and Tuesday and Dallas came home on Wednesday.

I've been knitting away at a couple projects. I got my Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard finished, as well as my Gemini by Jane Richmond - both finished and blocked, so they're ready for our vacation in a week.

It's also becoming fall very rapidly here in Calgary. We had rain all day Wednesday, and there's snow on the mountains that's not going to leave any time soon.

So, this weekend, we're going to go for a hike and then up to Drumheller for Dinosaur Provincial Park and the Royal Tyrell Museum. I'm excited about it, because I haven't been to either place since 2005.

Then we're going to be prepping for our trip, and it's going to be lovely. It is definitely time for a vacation, and this is our first "no-obligation" trip together, ever - we're only responsible to ourselves for ourselves. :)

Anyway. I hope you all had a lovely Friday! And I'll talk to you next week.

Katie =^..^=

What I've Finished Reading and What I'm Reading Wednesday

Finished:







White As Snow by Tanith Lee



And Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

I just finished these in the past couple of days. Yolen's Briar Rose, a retelling set partially in modern times, partially in the Holocaust, is still one of my favourite fairy tale retellings (I've read it multiple times).

White As Snow by Tanith Lee was good, but not quite what I was expecting, and although enjoyable, I don't think I'll be reading it again anytime soon.

So, I've now moved onto:

Kingmaker, Kingbreaker by Karen Miller

Definitely on a fantasy kick right now. This novel is the omnibus so I didn't have to hunt down both books at different libraries. It's a bit more of a tome, however, so it will take me longer to read. The first bit has been enjoyable, though, so that's a good sign!!

What are you reading right now?

Katie =^..^=

Finally, A Tuesday Chatter Again!

WiP: Puerperium Cardigan by Kelly Brooker Knit in Cascade 220 Heathers, Forest Green (leftover from Dallas's Emilien)     
Swatched for: Firefly Seeker by Cassandra Dominick; using the leftovers from my Gemini
Going to swatch for: Georgia by Jane Richmond; using my Meow Yarn! I'll post pictures soon. :)

FO: Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard (photos of it, the itty-bitty baby cardigan, and the Gemini to come!)

So, on top of all the knitting I've been, I've also been hard at work on my sewing! If you saw the collage, that was the majority of what I've worked on, but I have also produced these owl box bags, which would be prefect for a small project, such as mittens, socks, or a shawlette:

 

 I ended up completing and posting the kitty-cat bags, and now I'm going to settle in and work on the froggy notions pouches. 

I'm hard at work trying to find some craft fairs to be at, live and in the flesh, so keep your eyes trained on the Blog/Twitter/Facebook to find out the details!

In other news, I've read quite a bit recently, so I'll actually have a Wednesday post for you all about what I've been reading.

AND, hubby-to-be and I are going on vacation, so I will be offline the first part of October, but you'll hear all about it when I get back! (Hence the swatching - I need plane knitting!)

What have you lovely folks been up to lately? 

Katie =^..^=

Pretty Picks: Craft Room Art

I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to decorate my craft room, and so found some pictures online that I thought would look good. :)

 

The Brightest Witch of Her Age by Megan Lara

 

Cat Nouveau by blancaJP

 

faithful mirror by Apofiss

 

Japanese Girl Silhouette by The Odd Emporium

 

Knitting the Spring by teconlene

A Check-In...With a Collage!

Sorry, folks! Super busy around here right now.

Just popping in to post a collage of the news items up on Sunday! Take a look, it's definitely worth the time. :)

NekozukiYarns

I'll have more chatter before my hubby-to-be and I head on our trip October 1! Sorry for the lack of updates otherwise - I keep going to write more, and it just doesn't happen.

Hope you all are having a wonderful time!

Katie =^..^=

Friday Chatter?! This is the Madness That is my Life!

WiP: Radian Yoke, Kate Davies' Owls

First! Since it's Labour Day, get free shipping in my shop until September 3rd! This is applicable on any and all orders, new or already listed items. Please use: SHIPFREELDW to receive your discount!! :)

That's right folks, it's been crazy busy. And it's not going to stop this weekend. The picture of the fabric? That's the awesomeness I bought last night to make bags of all sorts for you guys!! Box bags will be available out of all fabrics but the "eyes" fabric on the far left, as that will be made straight into drawstring bags.

Because of the limited quantity of these, I will be adding a "Limited Edition" section to my shop, so keep your eyes peeled!!

I was at IKEA the other day and saw this rug:

I think it would look awesome in my craft room. What do you think?

 

Fan service shot of one of two big (yarn) balls!

What're you up to this weekend?? I'll be sewing and knitting!! Although tonight I'm going to go to dinner with a friend, and hopefully partake of a couple patio drinks. While knitting on my Radian Yoke. hehe

Have a lovely day! :)

Katie =^..^=

Pretty Picks: Velvet Volcano (Sparklies!)

One word about Velvet Volcano's work: Sparkly!

Bow Wow Sparkly Anywhere Clip 

Sparkly Totoro Necklace

 Mini Kitty-Cat Necklace

  Mario Bullet Bill Necklace

Rainbow Starstruck Star Brooch

 

Queue Enhancement: Current Top 6

Amazingly...The only one I don't have yarn for out of these top 6 is the "Neville Sweater." These are also more or less in the order I'll be knitting them (besides the Neville Sweater) Means I better get cracking!

 

Calligraphy Cardigan by Hanna Fettig

 

Owls by Kate Davies

 

Neville's Sweater by Joannie Newsome

 

Georgia by Jane Richmond

Super Simple Baby Tunic by Rebecca Gunn

  

Tuch/Shawl "Lazy Kate" by Brigit Feyer

Onto the Weekend!!

WiP: Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard; Spanish Peacock by Meg Swansen (You can now see my progress in the "My Projects" under "My Shop" in the sidebar)!
FOs: None

In the plans: 3 custom drawstring bags

Summer has finally arrived in Calgary! The only annoying part is that I'm at work! Booooo. So that means lots of walks and outdoor knitting in the evenings/this weekend!

I plan to do some spinning, the drawstring bags, and some knitting this weekend - I have a couple pairs of felted mittens to finish! I also realized, as I was poking around my craft room the other day, that I need to take photos and post them of the phone cases that I've completed! (Felted and embellished.)

On that note, I hope everyone else is able to enjoy some of the sunshine for me! Time to get cracking so that I can work out in it, too!

Katie =^..^=

What I'm Reading Wednesday

I'm having problems deciding what exactly I'm reading! Although the main book right now is:

Goodreads

However, I'm also working on:

  Goodreads

So who knows where I will be next week!

Katie =^..^=

Finishing Means I'm on the Hunt (Kind Of)

WiP: Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard (In Classic Elite Yarns' Firefly "Green Apple" - love the sheen!); Spanish Peacock by Meg Swansen (In Handmaiden's Silk Lace "Ruby Red" - Gorgeous yarn)
FOs: Itty Bitty Baby Girl Cardie by Sirdar (In Sweet Georgia Yarn's Superwash DK Snapdragon and Cascade Yarn's Superwash 220 Sport, Ivory)

That's right! Everything I have on the needles right now is current projects, which means...I'm making my Ravelry queue grow even more. Although I know what the next project is, and I'm still working on both the Radian Yoke and the Spanish Peacock, so I really shouldn't. However, it's becoming sweater season, and a whole bunch of new cardigans have been posted recently!

But, must stick to the, plan, especially considering that there is Christmas knitting I need to finish now...And my Radian Yoke needs to be finished for October, and the Spanish Peacock for next July. To the grindstone! haha

Let's see...It's one of those weeks where I'm going to be absolutely exhausted, so I think a lot of knitting it going to occur, just because it's something I can practically do in my sleep.

And then this weekend will be sleep and some custom order bags for my future sister (in-law), and general craftiness.

I have posted lots of new items and renewed some old items on my Etsy page - I would greatly appreciate it if you were to take a look. You can just click on the link in the sidebar!

Anyway. Have a lovely evening, my dears. I'm going to work on my Radian Yoke!

Katie =^..^=

Pretty Picks: Little Alexander

Today's Pretty Picks Comes from Little Alexander

Dormouse Postcard

Fox Notebooks (Set of Three)

 Mountain Notebook

Dinosaur Notebook - T-Rex  

Hounds and Fox Notebook

A Parliament of Owls Notecards (Set of 8)

Weekend Completions

FOs: Dallas's cardigan, Wedding #2 blanket, and Etsy postings!! Also, Gemini by Jane Richmond
Next on the needles: Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard

Indeed, this was the weekend to finish items! I sewed three box bags (one was a complete fail due to a different interfacing I had, so it's mine now), three surprise notions pouches (a surprise because I didn't know I was going to make them until I made them), finished the wedding #2 blanket (it's drying), and Dallas's cardigan (sewed the zipper in on Monday, along with a surprise element I'll tell you about later). And then I finished my Gemini late last night, which was awesome! It needs its ends woven in and a blocking, but I'll do that in a bit - right now, I'm counting it as done.

The last almost-finished UFO right now is the Itty Bitty Baby Cardigan, which needs a collar...So I'll work on that this weekend, maybe, while we're going for a drive. :)

I think I need more three-day weekends! (Can't wait for Labour Day - it's going to be a similar process, except that I'm hoping to get more work on my shawl done that weekend.)

What did you get up to this weekend?

Katie =^..^=

Something Different Friday: 30 Minute "Pork Broth" Noodle Soup

I went home last night, and decided that there are probably a lot of ladies who have to cook for themselves, but don't necessarily have the time to prep items the night or the morning before work.

So, as I threw together my meal last night, I took photos so that you could try the process for yourself!

First, a small pot of water on the stove; turn to high. You want this to boil! Then: BACON! I used hickory smoked, three slices, but the flavouring and amount is up to you. Remember that you want the fat out of the bacon, so I would recommend about three slices for a single serving. 

Boil your bacon. And your noodles.

Choose your veggies and garnishings. I like broccoli in mine, but I have done soups with bamboo, mini corn, mushrooms, etc, etc.
Make sure your soup "base" looks like the picture on the right. See those grease bubbles on the surface? That means your bacon is ready.

Now, a couple parts that I didn't photograph: I cheated and put a chicken bullion cube in with the bacon, and some extra water. I also added a miso soup base, which helped cut down on the hickory smoke flavour the bacon had. Also, add garlic to taste.

As the miso and chicken bases were boiling, I popped the broccoli in to take off the super crunch.

And, voila! Garnish with green onion as desired, and serve. :)











Cute soup bowl not required, but recommended. Hope some of you ladies enjoy!