Hello everyone, hope you’re having a great Sunday.  It’s been a pretty busy month in our little household.   Fortunately most of it has pretty minor.  My dog did get sick about two weeks ago with hemorrhagic gastroenteritis.  This can be fatal if left untreated, so we are so lucky we got Apollo the treatment he needed.  He’s back to his energetic little self, and we are so grateful.

As for me, we’re starting to hit the summer crunch time at work.  I have so many reports to work on that I’m not doing field work at my site this summer. I can’t say I’m very disappointed.  Other than two days in August at my other, local site, I get to stay in the office.  I’m also going to be doing a project management certification course with my company.  I’ll be taking some online classes with UCLA, which I’m pretty excited about.  I just have to finish up some internal prerequisite training this week.  And, of course, I have the dreaded PE exam attempt #3, which I have already started studying for.

I woke up in a melancholy mood this morning, and there have been variations of general melancholy the past several weeks.  I haven’t been able to work out or do yoga the past week and a half, either, because I had to get a benign cyst on my neck removed.  Fortunately the procedure was quick and painless. But the doctor said I can’t do any exercising other than “short walks” until my stitches come out, which thankfully is this Wednesday. I think once I can return to my regular running/yoga routine, this melancholy will pass.

But I bought some yarn this afternoon and NOT LIKE I NEED IT, but it made me feel better.  I also cleaned up my craft space and made a stack (a very large stack) of craft magazines that I can sell after I copy a couple of patterns from each.  Decluttering always makes me feel better.  I also set aside little craft kits from these magazines that I know I will never touch (like gift tags, that kind of thing. I am never going to cross-stitch a gift tag for someone, I don’t know why I even bothered getting the kit).  Husband is working on organizing our Magic card collection too, because YES we’re playing again, and YES we bought more cards, and NO you aren’t allowed to judge me.  THIS IS MY TRUTH.

What have I been working on?

I haven’t been feeling intricate patterns lately.  The past month I’ve just been feeling too drained after work and my evening study sessions to do much else.  I’ve been playing around with the design for my next piece.  It’s a fairly simple design, but it’s going to take me a little while to complete it.

But here’s what I’ve got:

1.  Little Box of Crochet May Box

The May project is a teacup to commemorate the Royal wedding.  My teacup is not really looking like one.  I think I have some tension issues, but I’m too far along/lazy to frog it.

2.  Wool and the Gang Pillow Cover

This has been a fun project to do when I’m tired and don’t want to worry about intricate stitches.  It’s just all garter stitch.  Still some tension issues as you can see.

As far as future projects….

1.  Speckled Squares Blanket

I’m so excited to try Soul Yarn’s Speckled Squares Blanket pattern.  I reallllllllllllly wanted to buy a kit, but it’s expensive and I thought it would be more cost-effective to select budget yarn at the local craft store instead of having to order Top Up kits.  I think Lion Brand’s Homespun yarn will give the blanket the speckled look it needs.  Plus I can just pop by JoAnn and pick up extras when I run out.  The yarn on the far right is from my stash, and I purchased the other two today.  Because it’s not like I don’t have enough yarn, right? Right.  But at least I had some coupons.

2.  Baby blanket (NOT FOR ME)

Another set of friends are expecting a baby, so I’m excited to make them a baby blanket.  This is the same yarn I used to make a blanket for my mom’s little pup, so I’m hoping this will make a sweet blanket.  I need to find the pattern I want to use.

I am going to go eat some yummy food and start on the Speckled Squares blanket.  That seems like a good way to spend the rest of this Sunday night.  Have a great week!