Any Colour You Like

It's been a busy couple of weeks since I last posted.  I've been out and about quite a bit, but I've also gotten a lot done in the last two weeks.  So, here we go to the numbers.

In writing news, I'm working on making up for June and trying to do July at the same time and/or finish the fricking book.  In order to make up June and finish July, I need to write 15,585 words this month or finish.  So far I've written 5,388 this month.  It is my hope that while I'm on vacation at the end of the month that I can finish while Shawn's sleeping in in the mornings and when I wake up at 6:00 am like I always do.  And...drum roll....I hit 100,000 words on July 9.  So I met my goal, but the book's not done.  As of this writing, I have 102,690 words and 338 pages in manuscript format.  I'm also hosting the Misplaced Modifiers' meeting on Saturday before I leave for vacation, so I'm hopeful that the meeting gives me a jump start of motivation before vacation.


In fiber news....drum roll...the Kyoto jacket is done.  It's still not blocked and I think it will look better once it is, but I'm not going to have time to do it until after vacation. I think it will look a lot better after it's blocked, but the thing is done.  As those of you who have been reading this know, there were a lot of modifications and issues I had with the pattern.  To see those, go here.

After finishing the Kyoto, I started a little cutesy purse for the formal night of the cruise we're going on in December.  I'm using Berroco Lumina.  I couldn't find a pattern I liked, so I'm making it up.  I wish the pictures did the yarn justice because it is really, really shiny.  I'm doing a beaded strap, and I intend to use a magnetic snap closure with a dummy button over it for show.  The picture shows the purse folded how I intend to assemble it, but I haven't actually done so yet.  I'm also considering using the remaining yarn to do a lining to give the purse a bit more body and strength.

I'm hoping to finish this up relatively quickly, but the strap is going to take some time.  I need 35 inches of it, and the beading slows it down considerably.

I probably shot myself in the foot, but my friend Heather S (proprietor of Mad Color hand dyed yarns and fiber) is having a shawl knit along, and I decided to participate. It starts tomorrow.  Instead of a traditional knit along where you all knit the same pattern, the only requirement is that we knit it with her yarn. So I've chosen the LazyKaty shawl, and I'm going to knit it with some of Heather's Sock Options Merino I had in my stash. We can start it no later than July 18, 2011, and it must be finished by 10 pm on August 28, 2011.  Can we all just start laughing now?  There is, of course, a prize involved.  I think those that actually finish and post a picture in the Ravelry thread by the 28th get entered for a drawing.  Because you know, I really need additional yarn.

In garden news, the herbs are going great guns, there's lots of flowers on the cukes, and I have five little baby cherry tomatoes.  However, the zucchini plant is dying for some unknown reason and the regular tomato plant is taller than I am, but no flowers.  And the dill snapped in half in a storm (it was four feet long in a window box, not really surprised) so I harvested them and I'm drying out the seeds and leaves.  Also one of the basil plants snapped too, so I made my own home made pesto for dinner with it one night. 

Last weekend, we had a purge of the office.  We got rid of the sewing machine table I have not used once since we moved in (I always use the machine on the dining room table), my old circa 1994 desk, Shawn's desk and a printer stand.  I really wanted a u-shaped work station, but since I wasn't willing to fork over the bucks to buy one, I constructed one out of tables from BJ's.  Although it's not really attractive, I'm very happy with it.  It does what I want it to do, and I'm getting more work done because I actually have space to work and spread out documents.  I'm going to go with function over form every time, which is probably why our space is more utilitarian than House Beautiful.  (Plus, how much writing and knitting time would I lose if I decorated and then had to clean regularly?  I shudder in horror at the thought, seriously.)

One more week until vacation down at the Cape.  We plan to check out the Cape Cod Rail Trail with the bikes and check out the beaches and generally relax.  I'm looking forward to it.

Stay tuned.