How to clear off the desk:

Just do the damned tax return.

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Things to do instead of your GST return: part 2

So, it was off to Iron Man 2 last night.  It was good fun, even if the popcorn sucked badly.

I told you about beaded lace being far more enticing than getting ready to do, or actually doing, a tax return.  It turns out that doing more than one beaded lace project is an even better way to avoid necessary bookwork.  (Not that we mind sending the government money.  After all, they spend it so wisely.)

Funny weird lumpy hips are not totally me.  The dress has some shaping issues in various places.  If I was a photoshop whiz I would fix it.  This is Aeolian by Elizabeth Freeman, and while I love the completed product, it presented some challenges on the way to the finish line.  Beading does tend to slow things down, but they are so pretty!  The pattern calls for 7 or 9 stitch nupps, and after cursing my way through the damned things, I found some alternate methods on the internet that would have made things a lot easier.   If I did this again, (and I may- it’s that pretty!) I would try to have the patience for a full-sized shawl, maybe beadless, and with different nupps.   The yarn I used was Ella Rae Lace Merino- totally a wonderful fibre, although more fun from the bargain bin ($5.00 if I may be allowed to brag just a bit) than full price.

Another lesson learned during construction:  This is not the type of thing to work on when one has a bit of a “morning after” thing going on.  Sadly, it takes less Friday night to screw up Saturday morning than it used to.   Even in the company of many supportive craftspeople at Tempe Yarn and Fibre, the morning’s efforts resulted in some serious damage control and a long nap followed by drinking a lot of water.  Two steps forward, two steps back.  

I also ended up blocking the shawl three times until I got it to the shape I wanted, but I am very happy with the result.

I may also have purchased a tapestry loom, and I may have been doing a little noodling on that.   So far there is nothing photo-worthy.

I have recently become aware of Kieran Foley, or more specifically, his lace patterns.   Smitten might be a better descriptor.    I have started a Teardrop stole, for which I am using Zephyr laceweight.  I’ve had it in my stash for the better part of a year, and thought it was a good fit.  Purple seems to be a recurring lace theme here; can’t say why.  Here’s a peek:

This is going to be a bit more of a long-term project.  It is slow slogging, but I’m excited to watch the progress!

In the meantime, going to a baseball game also seemed like a good diversion:

I started a scarf while at the game, but once again, no pictures yet.  It’s a pretty nice scarf, though.  It was a good distraction from the redneck yahoo I was sitting beside-he was an inebriated spitty talker, and quite willing to point out the deficiencies in Canadian government, geography, health care, culture, education and so forth, all the while telling us that what’s needed in Arizona is a twenty-foot fence to keep out the Mexicans.  He was unfazed by Mike asking him if he’d never heard of a 21-foot ladder, and oblivious to the fact that we were having a lot of fun at his expense.  Nothing quite so entertaining  as making fun of someone who doesn’t realize they are the butt of a joke.  Or maybe just a butt.  We are aware that Canada is not perfect, but then neither are the neighbors, and I certainly wouldn’t be so rude as to point that out to a visitor.

Well, another morning gone by, so it must be time for lunch.  Drop by later when I’ll share my secret for clearing off the desk so I feel like I actually accomplished something.

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Things to do instead of your GST Return: part 1

Well hi there.  As the title says, I’ve been honing some avoidance techniques.  (For those of you not Canadian, the GST is our goods and services tax, and I am required to submit a quarterly return for our business.  We hates doing it, we do, but the feds get cranky if we misses it.)

I started out by trying a little beaded lace:

This is the Trinity Shawlette from Anni Design.  It’s part of the P-HOP project benefiting Doctors Without Borders, one of my fave places to send superfluous money.  I used Estelle Arequipa yarn, and beads that I found at Joann whilst down south.  It was fun to do, (especially the blocking part.  I love the way the lace opens up.)  and I got brave and added the beads of my own volition.  I may try one of the other options in the pattern, without the beads.  I could have done one extra repeat before running out of yarn, but as it is, it is the perfect size for a neck scarf rather than a real wrap-me-up shawl.

I look happy because it’s Sunday, I forgot to put on any makeup, and I only have 3 loads of laundry to do.  This is another delay tactic, but not worthy of much attention here.

Another thing to do instead of dull boring paper/computer work is to revisit pictures we took of graffiti in an unexpected place.

Apparently every culture has its taggers.  This pile of rocks is a heritage monument northwest of Gila Bend, Arizona. We ignored the signs to stay on the path because we had to take pictures of the petroglyphs, but luckily we had the place to ourselves so we didn’t get thrown in the hoosegow.  (I love that word, “hoosegow”, and try to work it in every chance I get.)  And just so you don’t think that today’s youth have cornered the market on graffiti, check this out:

Yes, Mr. King (and pardon me for assuming that it was Mr. and not Miss) left his mark in December 91 years ago.  Obviously a ne’er-do-well bent on the destruction of society.

One other thing I like to do to avoid filling out government forms is go to a movie, and that’s what I’m going to do now.  Stay tuned for the next instalment of How I Delayed Filling out my Tax Return.

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A snowball by any other name

So, I’m back home under Saskatchewan Skies.  At least I think I am.  The clouds and snow are obscuring the sky, so if it wasn’t for the fact that there are two slightly familiar dogs with me who constantly want to be on whichever side of the back door  they’re not,  I could be anywhere.  I am consoled only a little by the fact that it is thirty two degrees here, and thirty two degrees in Buckeye.  Different scale of course,  so I have yet to put on my bathing suit and cavort around the back yard.

Since arriving at home, I have blocked a shawl and assembled a tapestry loom.  I spent the better part of yesterday and today warping the loom, and making reusable heddles for it.  In short,  I have been acquainting myself with my new friend.  I’m taking it slow and trying not to ignore my house and family.  I am also trying to get out and see as many people as I can before my tan fades.  Usually by the end of summer I look as tanned as everyone else does at the beginning of summer, so I’d like to show off a little.

Pictures?  Coming up tomorrow.

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