Worker-Bee
Busy teaching summer school at the tutoring center I work at. Actually contented with the group of kids I got this year: I have two 4th grade boys in one class and for my 6th and 7th English class I have 3 boys and one girl. They are all pretty well behaved (not like last year's classes--way too much hormones and sugar for the upper level kids). I'm having the 4th-ers read The Indian in the Cupboard which I absolutely loved as a kid. As for the older ones, I am having them read Avi's The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle which I've never read, but I know that Avi writes consistently good and compelling kids books.
Crafty
In my free time I have been sewing and, of course, knitting Noro mitered squares.
I recently made this quilted bag.
With this interior:
I decided that two of the Noro squares I knitted up were just too bright for my taste and so decided to add edging:
and to seam them together:
in hopes of making a decently cute purse which I'll add a sewn lining to, a zipper closure, and a strap.
A couple of weeks ago, I made these two pillow covers (the smaller pillow is a down pillow I picked up from the thrift store, while the larger pillow is actually my old down quilt folded up and seamed at the edges to make a pillow. Perhaps I got some good old thriftiness from my depression era grandparents? Or I'm just cheap. Probably both.)
Meowsers
And here's Zoe sitting on my jean skirt and modeling the pillow for me:
And the fat cat, Cyrano being fat and cute:
SUPER SECRET PAL!!
I swear my secret pal must have bugged my phone or my mind...She knew exactly what I wanted and relatively close to the time of which I was fighting myself about buying the summer edition of Interweave Knits. She gave me a Scharfenberger 60% dark chocolate bar (the wrapper is all that is left!), a cute superwoman (fave superhero) card, and a measuring tape (very useful since I am always misplacing mine). On a related note: if you are ever in the Berkeley/Oakland, California area you should definitely take the Scharfenberger Factory tour. Divine chocolate overload--YUM!
Bargain!
Joanns is having a massive sale on some of their tchotkes and I was able to get this birdfeeder for 80% off! Reg. 24.99 and I got it for about $5! Now, if only the birds will come.
SOOO glad you got everything, and that you didn't buy that mag on your own! I didn't know there was a factory tour up that way -- I will have to take the kids. They'll love it.
xoxox
Jane
Posted by: Whodnit | July 10, 2006 at 02:41 PM
I love that bag - both of them.
Posted by: amandamonkey | July 11, 2006 at 06:38 AM
Your kitties are sooo cute! i love the torty mixes and the b/w tuxedo kitties! Zoe looks so smug sitting on your skirt!
Anyway, just wanted to say i enjoyed perusing your blog and a close friend of mine grew up in the Yosemite area as well. It looks gorgeous from the pictures you posted. I have yet to visit there myself...as well as the Scharffenberger factory! i pass by it on the way home from work every day! i hope to make it to at least one of these places by the end of summer.
anyway, love the wonder woman card--i have some cool wonder woman stationary you'd get a kick out of.
lastly, isn't the MasonDixon book just so wonderful?! and have you visited their blog? it's great! they are hilarious! and there is a MD KAL link on that blog as well. happy knitting! :o)
Posted by: kelpkim | July 11, 2006 at 08:48 AM
The purse is a clever idea - very nice. All of the sudden I'm craving a chocolate bar. Thank you for the fetching comments on my blog, too.
Posted by: Wendy DG | July 11, 2006 at 12:06 PM
Great posts and pictures. I look forward to your future work.
Posted by: Chocoholic | July 11, 2006 at 08:42 PM