a quick succession of busy nothings

"Life seems a quick succession of busy nothings." Yeah, it really does.

My "Strapping Young Lad Bag" is now featured on www.knittingpatterncentral.com! I feel so honored. I've loved that website ever since I began knitting.

I finished a few more neat-o projects...



Like this crazy cool head band! On size 7 needles, cast on 8 sts with worsted weight yarn. Knit in seed stitch until it fits almost around your head. Sew on a button, and voila! Great for using scrap yarn.

I also designed another Treeparty Friend; French Worm!


The pattern can be purchased uber-cheap on my etsy shop.

In other crafty news, I joined a newbie swap on craftster! I am very excited to exchange crafts with my partner, aspenwall, who is very cool and compatible. I already made two small items, very cute items I might add, to exchange. I will post them at the end of the swap, which is about three weeks from now.

Concerning my life goals, I am making satisfactory progress. I started a sort-of kindof diet today. I hate the word "diet". I don't know. How about "healthy eating for life plan", because "diet" makes it seem like it's temporary, and only about losing weight. It's really just me trying to eat healthier permanently and not die before I turn 40. So I've been eating healthier. Green tea. Yum.
Also, I have been practicing flute 2 hours a day. It is so. Hard. I know it seems easy, just a couple hours with a metal tube, but sometimes I am so tired after practicing that I put my flute down and just collapse on the floor. And then I'm also practicing piano for 1/2 hour and a theory lesson here and there. (Today wasn't a here and there day.) Right now I am working on Bach Sonata IV and a few ridiculous Anderson etudes, and Chaminade's Concertino. All for next week. Maybe now you understand why 2 hours is necessary. Or maybe I'm just an amateur. Either way, I hope I am improving myself daily.
Today I finally got The History of Tom Jones; A Foundling soundtrack!

I couldn't find it anywhere, so I had to import it from the UK. It has the most beautiful love theme I've ever heard. After ripping open the package and shoving it in my computer, I almost cried listening to it. This week I have learned that the first step to loving another is loving oneself. The theme really spoke to me. It is absolutely gorgeous, interlacing strings and flute (of course.) Honestly, I am usually not biased toward my own instrument, but the Tom Jones love theme shows flute at it's best. Ok, I might as well go join Thoreau in the woods. I have no reason to love the movie, but I do. I am a bit crushed, though. Both of the main actors got old and wierd. I hate that. The characters are not the actors, nonetheless. I just hope I don't get wierder as I age.

I am making a summer mix and a love mix. They are going to be lovely. I will post the playlists when I'm done.

And here comes the end of my ramblings,
Rach

slipping into summer

Now that it's summer I can actually focus on things I want to do. Like crafting and flute-ing. And just in general taking a vacation from stress. I started out the summer with high goals in mind, though; I wanted to be in shape for school, and I wanted to practice 3-4 hours a day on flute. It is so ridiculously hard. So, in essence, I haven't really conquered either of those goals. I have eaten healthier and exercised more, and I have been practicing every day, but only about 2 hours a day on average. It's soooo hard to practice for 3 hours. Gosh, it seemed like a do-able thing until I actually tried it. And ever since I was a kid I've loved to eat, so it's hard modifying those habits. I'm going to start fresh tomorrow. Yeah! MOTIVATION.

In other (crafty) news, I knit a GORGEOUS scarf. Oh man. It wasn't my skill, seeing that it was knit in all garter, but the yarn is simply delicious! Ironstone Yarns Colorchanges in beautiful hues of green and blue, mostly wool with acrylic so it's soft but still looks like noro kereyon. Apparently a splurge to me is to go to my lys and buy a $7 skein of yarn. But ohhhh. It's knitted vertically so that the colorways are easier to see. I knit it in a day. I love quick and satisfying knits! I just made up the pattern; On size 11 straights, loosely cast on 150 sts and knit until the knitting measures about 4 inches and LOOSELY bind off. Add tassles if you want, blah blah. A one-skein wonder! Seriously, stuff like this is the reason I love knitting. My family does NOT understand.


I also have been working on a line of "Treeparty Friends", or knit amigurumi animals, for my etsy shop. So far I have designed an owlet and a french worm. The worm really is a frenchy. He's got the curly mustachhhe to prove it! I am selling the
patterns, but I may end up selling the actual finished critters as well. Check out my shop! I love etsy.


As far as flute is going, I've been trying to practice a lot and it's gotten difficult. It was mostly because I was running out of stuff to play. You know, sick of playing the same mozart concertos or anderson etudes. But now I am really excited because I just had a lesson yesterday and got assigned some new stuff, including a sweet Bach sonata! I love J.S. Bach. I have officially mastered double tongueing. I am excessively proud of myself. And let me tell ya, If I could do it, all flutists can.

In conclusion, I am going to work to be a healthier, more hard-working individual. I will be updating every week from now on. I'll say on Thursdays. That way I can keep track of my successes or lack of them. Plus it's fun to document fun crafty expositions! Until next time,

Rach.