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I don’t know about you, but in my family, much of the holidays is spent sitting around, before and after meals. Yeah, I know we should be tobogganing or cross-country skiing or something HEALTHY but we DON’T DO THAT, OK?

Anyway, I may be sitting, but I’m not idle. I like to have a little something handwork-wise on the go in between rounds of turkey, trifle and Apples to Apples. On Christmas Day, I pulled a ball of blue yarn (Vanna’s Choice, come to think of it) out of my bag and started knitting. I ended up with this bunny. The ears took a few tries, but overall I’m happy with Blue Bun Bun. I think I’ll make another and draft a pattern while I’m at it. (It’s knit in th round on DPNs, naturally. Like I’m going to put unnecessary seams to sew in a pattern of my own making.)

I ended up blogging here even less this week than I expected; such is the nature of the holidays! So let me just send out this missive wishing you peace, love and joy this holiday and in the new ear. Also, a photo of my Christmas tree — the first time I’ve set one up for myself.

xoxo!

It’s here! It’s here! Winnipeg can now be stalked seen from afar the way we Winnipeggers see it ourselves as we walk its alternately sand/gravel/ice covered sidewalks.

The first sightings of the Google Street View camera car were reported early in the spring. This was disappointing to me and many others because, frankly, the city looks like crap in the spring. Not only are the trees grey and leafless (absent of the beautiful winter accoutrements of snow and hoarfrost), but the boulevards are strewn with the debris left by receding snowbanks. It’s not a pretty time.

Fortunately, it seems that the Google team stuck around long enough for parts of the town to be photographed in their full, leafy glory.

It looks like they worked their way inward — outlying neighbourhoods weren’t so lucky. That said, Riverview looks not unbecoming in this shot:

To go with the mittens, a hat — a slouchy beret. I searched the internet for an appropriate pattern and came across the Gwen Slouchy Beret by Lauren Nell. The lace pattern was simple enough to appeal to me (I wasn’t in the mood for anything complicated) and I surmised that the pattern would translate well to vintage acrylic yarn, which is what I used, instead of the fancy-ass bamboo blend the designer used.  I’m pleased with the result! I made it nice and big to accommodate my big head and possibly bigger hair.

I’m trying to deplete my yarn stash, but I think I’ll venture to the yarn store for some inspiring (and natural-fiber) yarn to make a new scarf. I’m thinking chunky, variegated yarns, possibly using more than two kinds in the same project, a triangle-shaped wrap scarf.

I started these in April. I know this because I shot myself working on them in my first Video Scrapbook.

When I started them, I was planning on selling them, but now I’m keeping them. For one, I need new mittens and two, I don’t think I’m going to be selling knits anymore. Hopefully taking the commercial aspect out of the craft will allow me to resume my enjoyment of it.

The new issue of Geez magazine is out, and guess what? I have an article in it! The complete article is not online, so you’ll have to pick up a copy to read it (FYI you can get this magazine at McNally Robinson and Mondragon in Winnipeg). Basically, I wrote a love letter to another magazine, Bitch. Just a few words chronicling that magazine’s recent financial difficulties and its timely triumph over them, as well as its continued struggle for continued existence and the reasons why it’s still important and relevant as ever.

The issue is packed with lots of other great stuff, and if you need some independent verification, Geez won the 2009 Utne Independent Press Award for Best Spiritual Coverage.

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