Month: April 2010

Celtic Thunder

What a wonderful surprise!

Emerald Thunder

Spacemarket: the overly expensive food store on campus. I rarely go in there, but when I do I always come out with something amazing that I can’t find anywhere else. First it was Nutella, then it was pocky, and now I have even more reasons to frequent this store even more often. I went in with a friend looking for Crunchie bars, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crunchie)  and one thing led to another, causing me to spend $13 on stuff I really didn’t need, but HAD to have. Anyway, as we were looking for these candy bars, I was musing about how wonderful it would be if the store carried Hobnobs (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobnob). Hobnobs are an oatmeal-type cookie made by McVitie’s in the UK and Ireland, and there are very few recipes for them online because they’re just one of those things you really shouldn’t try to replicate because nothing can top the original. In any event, this cookie happens to be Keith’s favorite cookie, and I have been dying to try them, so much so that I was willing to go to this Irish shop in Brooklyn to get them. So we found our Crunchie bars and were getting ready to pay when I went to the back to the store to get a drink, and what did I see when I was going back to the cash register? HOBNOBS! I was absolutely thrilled with this find, even though it did cost me more than I expected. So tonight I left Spacemarket $13 poorer, but with a bag full of goodies that would make Keith proud: a drink, a Crunchie bar, Hobnobs, and a Dairy Milk bar (his favorite candy/chocolate en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dairy_Milk). Oh lads of Celtic Thunder, the things you guys drive me to do and buy. 

I must say, though, Keith has wonderful taste in sweets. I have very much enjoyed the Hobnobs, although I have yet to try the Dairy Milk. That will be for another day.

Celtic Thunder, Crafting

Phases

Emerald Thunder

I’ve noticed that I tend to go through phases, especially when it comes to music and crafting. I can go for months just listening to the same artist(s), Celtic Thunder, for instance. The have been, overwhelmingly, my main source of musical entertainment for over a year now. They make up all of my most-played songs for iTunes, at least they did before I had to replace my computer and subsequently lost my play-counts. It’s the same for crafting. I know I only started all of this last May, but I devoted myself to it for the entire summer. First knitting, then softies, then counted cross-stitch, then other little felt and fabric sewing projects. In this instance I had phases within a phase, but it all fell under the category of crafting. During winter break I added crochet to this list of phases, and it has surprisingly stayed my main source of crafting pleasure since then, give or take a few practical sewing creations.

In terms of my creations, I try to find practical projects so that I can actually use what I make, rather than let them fall between my bed and my wall and onto the dusty floor (sorry little pillows, I’ll rescue you soon). But the thing is, I’m running out of stuff I can make. I can only make so many cozies to put my technology in; I really don’t wear hats; I don’t need scarves in the summer; and I just don’t have room for a large assortment of softies, no matter how cute they might be. And I hate giving my stuff away, as selfish as that may be. I devote time and love to these creations, and I hate parting with them unless it something like a simple garter stitch scarf–I can deal with that.

And even when I keep what I make, and it serves a purpose, I don’t use it. The two crochet hats are squished up and collecting dust on my shelf; I haven’t used my felt and fabric clutch since that one day at the mall; and my assortment of granny square crochet thread necklaces are getting tangled up on my top of my dresser along with other necklaces I’ve made. I feel like I should use at least one of the above within the next week, but I know that’s probably not going to happen. Maybe I can coordinate my outfit to match this necklace tomorrow, but we’ll see how I actually feel when my alarm is going off at 6:40am.

(I finally realized how to re-size my pictures so they’re not absolutely gigantic.)

Baking, Crafting

New and Improved

Emerald Thunder

I’ve recently come to the conclusion (yet again) that I need to move on and start anew. The end of the Spring semester may not seem like the most convenient time to do so, but it’s something I have to do right now. All the stress I’m experiencing has finally pushed me to actually do something about it. I need an outlet, and this just seems like the best option.

On a lighter note, I’m really pleased with how my suitemate’s birthday cake turned out last weekend. I think she rather enjoyed it, too, seeing as how it was all gone by the middle of the week.

I also managed to finish this cozy for my laptop, which has been sadly unfinished for about a month now.

I think this should be able to keep my computer from getting extremely scratched up when I have to take it to class with me . . . I hope.

Finally, I felt like coloring today, so here is the result. I think it’s rather pretty.