Oops, I Did It Again

Crazy as it sounds, well at least to me, I knit a second pair of socks. And again,I enjoyed it, this may become a habit.  I dug down into my stash and found my Flying Happy Jenny yarn.  I think this yarn had been waiting to be made into socks and I just didn't know it until now. It is Knitpicks Bare, that Jenny had dyed for me a few years ago. 

Based on recommendations from my sock-loving friends I knit Charade, a super popular sock pattern.  It's a a free ravelry download so click here to check it out. You know why it's a super popular? Because it's a really good pattern. It's easy to memorize, keeps you interested, looks great, an all-around good pattern.  I made a few tweaks just to adjust for my weird feet and they fit amazingly well.  I also made the cuff a bit shorter because I don't really like tall socks and I used an eye of partridge heel just because I kept reading people mention it in the rav forums and wanted to see what the difference was between the other heel I did.  I think it's just a bit prettier and I am sure there is something about how the heel wears but since it's 80 degrees here I am not wearing these soon to test that out.

A Place to Hang my Hat

Just over a year ago I saw this diy project for cute hooks on Design*Sponge, one of my favorite design blogs.  I figured that seems like something I can do and put it in the back of my head for future reference. 

Then I went to Brimfield last May and picked up the vintage hooks I could use for this.  Spring turned to summer, summer to fall and yada yada yada.  Last month I finally got to a big old home improvement store to get some wood and have it cut to size.  Annoyingly none of my small hardware stores sell lumber or cut it down if needed.  Oh  did I remember to buy screws to fit in the hooks while I was there? Of course not, back to the local hardware store I go.  Then I had to buy cute paper. I had seen something I liked at Paper Source and now of course it was gone, so I checked another store, also gone.   Grrrr.... For a straight forward project with not many materials I sure was was hitting a lot of stores.

So I took to the internet and started looking for pretty wrapping papers, I wanted something with red and it seemed everything was Christmas-y or just fugly.  Then I came across Smock Paper  located in upstate NY they print on bamboo paper and are amazingly eco-conscious and most importantly have gorgeous stuff! I checked to see if any local stores carried their products and turns out there were a couple including a really cute paper store that I had no idea existed in Beacon Hill, Rugg Road Paper Company.  After looking at all their yummy papers I still ended up going with the Blossom paper from Smock.

Really, buying the materials was so much more of an ordeal then the actual project.  I pretty much followed the tutorial to the letter except I did decide to seal my paper with Modge Podge.  Yet another trip out for supplies since all I had on hand is gloss Modge Podge and I really wanted a matte finish.

I modge podge, I drill, I screw and I am done! All ready to hammer to the wall.  I take out the tool box and I don't have nails long enough! Seriously?!? One last trip to the hardware store and now it is really done! Yay!!!