seriously

Oh, Siri! I wish you were mine. 

I really wanted to like this book.

You may remember reading about Colton Harris-Moore, aka the Barefoot Bandit. Colton was a semi-local teen who managed to outrun the law for a really long time. He got caught, and now he's in jail. Now I understand that crime is bad and all the jazz, but I really really became captivated by his story. The same way I was captivated by the Ruby Ridge fiasco. Speaking of which, Jess Walter wrote an amazing book all about Randy Weaver and what went down at Ruby Ridge (shame, shame Idaho). I highly recommend you check it out. The book is called Ruby Ridge, but the original title was Every Knee Shall Bow which is just soooooo much better, but it was changed later on. I really do prefer the original title, but that's neither here nor there. Jess Walter =  good. Bob Friel = really bad.

Yeah, I didn't want to brag, but it is pretty much signed too! (Thanks Christine.)

Who is Bob Friel? Oh just the guy that wrote THE BAREFOOT BANDIT: The True Tale of Colton Harris-Moore, New American Outlaw. Cue disappointment! It's so bad!!! I read the first 4 chapters and I had to put it down. I was giddy when I got the email saying my book hold had arrived at the local library. GIDDY. After twenty minutes I knew I wouldn't make it through all 500 plus pages. I mean would you...

"After nearly four hours, the alternately thrilling and terrifying flight was over and the pilot's heart was still beating. He'd started the morning as Colton Harris-Moore, trailer-bred juvenile delinquent and petty thief. When he popped open the door of that stolen Cessna, though, and stepped into the wilds of Washington State haunted by the legends of Sasquatch, D.B. Cooper, Twin Peaks, and Twilight, he became Colt, the new millennium's ballsiest outlaw.
Move over Bigfoot, meet Barefoot."

I even kept reading after that paragraph. I did stop a few pages later when the chapter started with,
"Meanwhile, back on the Wild West's watery frontier, the residents of Orcas Island woke on November 12 to a big breakfast of WTF?"

WTF indeed.

I just couldn't take anymore. I'll have to wait until Colton gets out of jail and decides to write his own book.

It just felt so right.

So for a while now I have had a pretty little bowl filled with knitted wool balls sitting on my coffee table. I always mean well and yearn to finish the project for which they were intended, but that day never seems to come, and it never will. As time went by the project was upgraded to full-on felted wool balls, and boy are my fingertips sore.

Both frames have a little touch of color--it's not as aggressive as color blocking, but since I plan on

hanging them in the bedroom I figured I'd go neutral to sing me to sleep.

The final project, I'm in love!

Both frames were originally just plain gold frames from a thrift store, no glass and no backing. Which was

fine for me, and I do like gold, but for this project I decided to go cream with some light grey accents.

As I just mentioned, glass wasn't necessary, but for the backing I made a card board insert and
painted it a matching neutral tone, with a little bit of a kick.

Instead of using the knitted wool balls, I decided to take the yarn and felt the balls.
I used an undyed fisherman's wool so it felts nicely.

I rolled it in a loose ball, neatly so I could save the texture, and tightened it up with my coarse felting needle. 

It was much faster than knitting and gave me a cleaner finished product.

After the hot glue gun was all warmed up from gluing the backing to the frame,

I was ready to arrange my felted spheres.

Typically, I would have filled the entire frame space with balls, but since I added the accent color

 on the backing I wanted it to show through.

The finished project. <satisfied sigh>

For the second frame I decided to mix it up again. I felted a couple small balls and a little woolen ornament.

I used the entire frame space on this one, something about how they all fit together really sits well with me.

This one reminds me of holly, but not in a Christmas-y sort of way.

Even though I didn't use my original knitted balls, I feel very accomplished to have finally gotten this

 project out of my head space. Here's to Sunday projects gone right!!

fresh from the field

Well, fresh from Mom's anyway...that is, they were last week. 

Still, these puppies are going strong on my desk and coffee table. I can't wait to pick more. 

green with envy

Have you ever found yourself thinking that green is totally where it's at? I've had that very thought many a time, and it's not just because green is currently my favorite color. I think it has a little something to do with green's serenity, sharpness, and power to cheer. Wouldn't you agree? Here are some favorite greenies from my pinterest dreamland. From kelly to minty. 

fox ghost illustration by Naomi Wilkinson

Tiles by Claesson Koivisto Rune via The Style Files

paper house mobile by Creator B

edge painted business cards by Blush

pretty pretty python via imgfave

Always end with a snake, yeah? I feel like there's no going wrong with a slitherer. 

Presenting another knit lace thing.

You may remember (let's be honest, I'm sure you don't) that I have been working away at a lace scarf pattern from Vogue knits. This project took a long time and made me very bored. I really like lace, but I think I'm over the whole leaf-lace pattern. I find myself getting really annoyed with it.

Mom was pleased though, so that's good. It's a nice enough drop-stitch scarf. I think it would look pretty in white. 

Are you a knitter and want to check out the Ravelry project? Of course you are/do. Here's the link.
Let's be Ravlery friends!