back to life, back to reality

I'm back. My Tahoe vacation (hardly a true vacation, more of a long weekend) is now over, and it's back to the grindstone. Oh, and according to Crazy Aunt Purl, I have a hellacious two years of work coming on (yes, I am a Scorpio).

I did crochet on the beach, although it was very warm and I was using Lorna's Laces Shepherd's Wool (100% superwash wool). I've made good progress on the Seraphina Shawl. I'm using the colorway Vera, which is off white, olive green & fuschia. I also added Katia Danubio in a matching olive green -- my sister Jennifer picked it up at a yarn swap and generously gave it to me. I quickly realised that my two skeins of Shepherd's Wool would not cut it, so on our way out of Tahoe yesterday, we stopped in Truckee at Jimmy Bean's Wool. They had the Vera I needed, but the dye lot is very different. The fuschia is almost purple and the green is much lighter. I'm doing my best to carefully integrate the two lots by alternating the rows with the new and old yarn (the half-ball I have left, anyway), so hopefully, it won't look too noticeable.

The Spinnerin shrug was completed, finally. The yarn I used made the shrug much more drapey than the pattern intended, so I had to tack the roll collar down to keep it in place (thanks to Melissa for the suggestion and modeling help!). I also added ties in front to keep it from sliding around too much. Pictures will be posted later.

The next project has been dreamed up (I know there are numerous WiPs on the column at the right, but this is important). It will be a joint project with Mel of Remarkable Cow and it's a wedding present for our good friends, Ryan & Sara. Well, mostly Ryan. Before I tell you what the present is, let me preface it by saying that when Mel & her husband Grant got married, Ryan got them two lamps. Two 3' tall fiberglass lamps in the shape of soft-serve ice cream cones. That light up from inside. When Rich & I got married, we received a 2' tall lawn jockey. And this is no standard issue lawn jockey. This is a Sammy Davis Jr. lawn jockey, seated on a bar stool, singing (at least posed as if to sing), snapping his fingers and holding a drink. So now, you understand why we have to make Ryan & Sara these for their wedding gifts. I can't wait.