The Best of 2017

My 2017 word of the year was...

Persist

And persist I did. 2017 has felt like a year of transitions. I started off the the year working at a new job site, (like it or not) a new President, I attended class at two different collages, and later got a new car (no more relying solely on public transportation!) which meant new adventures and more trips out of the city.

What I Made in 2017

As far as my makes go, my creativity seems to have flowed in waves. At the start of the year I did a lot of knitting for The National Women's March, Standing Rock, and The American Heart Associations- Little Hats Big Hearts campaign. In the spring I did some drawing and painting, creating some drawings for The Virtual Paintout, did a portrait of actor Stanley Tucci, discovered some live drawing platforms via Facebook such as Draw This! and created some landscape paintings inspired by Andre Derain' before taking a hiatus to focus on school. It's safe to say I ended the year on another knitting kick that shows no sign of stopping. My blogging definitely got cast aside this year, but I'm hoping to have more to talk about in 2018.

Re-cap of Goals from last year:

• Make at least one out-of-state trip.  X

In 2017 I took a few out of state trips to neighboring states; I visited nearby Vancouver and Seattle, Washington and I visited Venice Beach, California.

• Finish 8 canvas paintings. 6 out of 8

I worked on a series of impressionist style landscapes from around the world inspired by Andre Derain' earlier this year and I did a few more Virtual Paintout drawings.

• Take a college class. X X

I took not one, but two college classes this year.

• Craft for a cause. X

• Meet my reading goal. Fail

I may have set my goal a bit too high this year. I'd aimed to read 50 books this year, but work, school and crafting seemed to get in the way, so I only read 25 this year. 

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My 2018 word of the year is...

Fearless

If 2017 was a year of persisting through transition, my hope is that as I become more comfortable in my surroundings and in my own skin, that I'll be more bold, confident, outspoken (when needed) and take more risks.  

My Goals for 2018

• Travel Internationally
• Go home- In 2017 friends and family visited me, so in 2018 I need to visit them.
• Get credentialed- Now that I've completed my college classes, I just need to submit some paperwork to add a new set of acronyms after my name. 
• Sew something- I've ordered Tilly & the Button's Love at First Stitch in the hope of upping my sewing game.
• Read 25 books

Honorable mention:

• Draw and paint something.
• Knit all the things.
• Collect all the Christmas yarn for a 2018 festive box of socks.

How did your 2017 resolutions go? What are your plans for 2018? Let me know in the comments below. 

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What I'm Listening To: Sia- Santas Coming for Us

Hey everyone! So many singers released Christmas albums this year! Even Sia has a Christmas album. Check out her song, "Santa's Coming for Us", and watch out for special cameos from J.B. Smoove, Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, Henry Winkler, Susan Lucci, Sophia Lillis, Wyatt Oleff & Caleb McLaughlin.

I'm wishing you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS/ HANUKKAH/ KWANZAA/ FESTIVUS/ WINTER/ SUMMER (if you're in the southern hemisphere) Season!

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Help Me Choose My Christmas Eve Cast-on

With my Christmas gift knitting complete and Christmas Day just 4 days away, it's time for me to start thinking about what I want to start knitting on Christmas Eve and I need your help. Here's a list of my top 6 contenders. Let me know which one you think I need to make next.

Top:

• Sunset Highway by Caitlin Hunter This would be a swell sweater to have on my January vacay. I already have the yarn that I need, but it's a sock weight sweater so it may take awhile to finish.
• Wonder Woman Wrap by Carissa Browning What better way to ring in the new year than with a bit of girl power! This pattern was on my #2017MakeNine list and I purchased some yarn to knit this up at the Flock & Fiber Festival this fall.
• Breathing Space by Veera Valimaki This is another pattern from my #2017MakeNine list and I already have the pattern for it. I love the colors and the shape of it!

Bottom:

• Tartan Lula Loop by Wool and the Gang I purchased the yarn and pattern for this scarf several years ago and never knit it up. It would be lovely to have this to beat the winter chills.
• Sassy Santa Hat I got a random skein of Knitted Wit yarn at the Flock & Fiber Festival that vaguely resembles their Sassy Santa colorway, and it might be nice to have a festive cap to wear to work on Christmas Day.
• Salal cardigan by Andi Satterlund  This is another #2017Make Nine list item. I started this cardigan during Andi Satterlund's Salal KAL but it knit up larger than I wanted and I frogged it and vowed to knit a smaller size at a later day.

So, which one should I start on Christmas eve? Let me know in the comments below. 

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What I'm Listening To: Taylor Swift, "Look What You Made Me Do"

Love her or hate her, it's hard to escape the epic pop empire that is T. Swift. I tend to like most of what T. Swift puts out and enjoy watching her 'grow up' a little more with each new album. The video for "Look What You Made Me Do" is chock full of Easter Eggs (references) from T.Swift's past. Check out the video below and lets see how many references you can catch. 

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What I'm Listening To: Haim "Little of Your Love"

The 70's are officially back in style with the sister's, Haim, and their video for "Little of Your Love" complete with line dancing and I'm digging it. 

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What I'm Listening To: "Strangers" by Halsey ft. Lauren Jauregui

Any Halsey fans out there? This week I've had Halsey's song, "Strangers", stuck in my head all week, but there's no official video for the song, so I'm posting this live version.

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What I'm Listening To: Daughter- 'Youth'

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2017 Make Nine October Update

Original 2017 Make Nine list

At the start of 2017, several makers pledged to make 9 garments throughout the year and I jumped on the bandwagon and made my own knitting and sewing list. Now it's October and I've only made 3 of the 9 items I'd planned. I haven't been as much into sewing as I had hoped and I'm currently in the middle of a knitting binge, so I thought it was about time to make some adjustments to my list to reflect my current interests.

New 2017 Make Nine List

1. Triangle Rib Scarf My husband requested this scarf for Christmas in 2016 and picked out the yarn and I finished it at the start of the new year.
2. Moneta I actually started the Moneta several years ago using the yarn I'd purchased in the UK, but I'd been too scared to finish it. In April I participated in a Moneta SAL on Instagram and finally had to courage to finish it...but it's a little snug on top.
3. Featherweight cardigan I had my eye on this pattern ever since it came out, and I finally knit it up in May-July in a mint color. I still need to block it and post pictures.
4. Camero I stumbled across this pattern by Tanis Fiber Arts and fell in love. It's my current work in progress.
5. I knit 10 "cat hats" at the beginning of the year for the Women's March on Washington and gave some away to D.C. marchers and others away to family and friends and forgot to keep one for myself. So this fall I knit up my 11th hat- inspired by the hats from the Missoni Runway Show.
6. Marion is still a work in progress. I started this cardigan back in 2014 for the Marion KAL and knit most of the front before discovering that I'd goofed up the cable and haven't picked it up since. I'm determined to pick this up before the year is through.
7. I decided that one problem I had with my early 2017 Make Nine set was that my sewing pattern choices were too advanced and intimidating, so I thought I'd keep it simple. I can't decide if I'll sew up another Lou Box Top in a more drapey fabric or sew my husband some Mr. Darcy boxer shorts this year.
8. I'm jumping into another Untangling Knots KAL with the Salal pattern. I've got my yarn and pattern ready and can't wait to cast this on in mid-October.
9. I saw the new Wonder Woman film and loved it, and found some fabulous Yak yarn at Oregon's Flock & Fiber Fair, so it's only natural that I need to make the Wonder Woman Wrap.

Are any of you participating in the #2017MakeNine ? Are you keeping up, or does your list need some revisions? Let me know in the comments below. 

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What I'm Listening To: "Los Ageless" by St. Vincent

This week I heard St. Vincent's latest single "Los Ageless" from her new album, MASSEDUCTION and was reminded of just how brilliant Annie Clarke (aka St. Vincent) is. An NPR article described the song as "nightmare fuel in pepto pink". If that sounds like your cup of tea, check out the music video below.

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What I'm Listening To: Childish Gambino- Sober

Donald Glover aka. Childish Gambino has come a long way from his day's on NBC's show Community. If you caught it part in the film, Magic Mike 2, you already know that he can sing. I love the video for his song, Sober, and find it super relatable how he's super awkward when his crush looks his way and how he's all smooth and cool when she looks away. Check out the music video below.

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What I'm Listening To: Sia- To Be Human feat. Labrinth

I did it! I finally saw DC's Wonder Woman movie. I think I was putting it off because I was afraid it would disappoint like the previous DC superhero films (Batfleck- I'm referring to you), but IT WAS AWESOME! So this week, I'm listening to Sia's song To Be Human from the Wonder Woman soundtrack to re-live Wonder Woman's badassery. Enjoy!

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What I'm Listening To: Skatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)

Are any of you watching Master of None on Netflix starring Aziz Ansari like I am? Well, I was just watching an episode during season 2 (episode 4 'First Date', if you must know) which features the 90's classic Skatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop) and I CANNOT get it out of my head. So...your welcome :-)

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What I'm Listening To: HAIM- Want You Back

The sisters, Haim, are back with a new album and some new catchy songs. Check out "Want You Back". It'll make you want to have a dance party on the street with your own gal pals.

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What I'm Listening To: Eilen Jewell "Rio Grande"

My husband recently traveled to the deep south and returned with a new found love for southern rock and roll. Check out the song "Rio Grande" by Eilen Jewell. 

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What I'm Listening To: Christine and the Queens- "IT"

Hello friends! Good to see you again! Did you all catch the final season of Girls on HBO earlier this year? It's definitely worthy of a summer binge watching session. At the end of one of the episodes in season 5, they played a song by French singer/ songwriter Heloise Letissier, aka. Christine and the Queens, that's been stuck in my head ever since. Check out the live performance of "IT" by Christine and the Queens below. 

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December 2016/ January 2017 Reading List

Fiction

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling One of my regrets about living in England was that I was unable to score tickets to score tickets to a West End performance for this play. So I was thrilled when my BFF loaned me a copy of her book and I love, Love, LOVED it!

Dietland by Sarai Walker This book came recommended from the PussyHatProject website as something to listen to while knitting. This book definitely has 2 distinct phases: initially it's a funny satire/ comedy about the beauty industry and the media that covers it; and later it becomes a dark, twisted dark comedy following a mock- feminist terrorist group. This book might not be for everybody, but I enjoyed the ride.

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon I'll admit that I am a childless adult who still enjoys reading the occasional children's book now and then. I was familiar with David Shannon's "David" series from the times I worked in elementary schools, so one night when I was having trouble sleeping I decided to check out the audio version of A Bad Case of Stripes. While the story line was fun, I did miss the fun illustrations. Next time I'll stick to the print version.

Jubilee by Patricia Reilly Giff This is a young adult story about a girl named Jubilee who is selectively mute. This is a story about friendship and coming of age- good qualities for any young adult reader, it just wasn't very memorable to this adult reader.

Non-fiction

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher I literally started listening to the audio version of this book the day before she passed away. This book is adapted from Fisher's one woman show and filled with hilarious essays, memories and anecdotes about her life in Hollywood. I looked forward to listening this on my commute to and from work. It was a sad reminder of the talent the world lost.

The Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Kizhnik I'd heard a lot about supreme court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but I didn't really understand just how much of a badass she is until I picked up this book. I have so much more respect and adoration for her now.

Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou This book was recommended from Emma Watson's Our Shared Shelf Book Club and I'm so glad that I picked it up. I knew a little bit about Maya Angelou from her appearances on Oprah, but girrrl (or boyyy as the case may be)...she has been through some shit! This is a memoir about Maya Angelou and her on again, off again, on again relationship with her mother. It was a short, quick read and I couldn't put it down.

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay This book came recommended by several book clubs and websites, so I checked out the audio version and now I want Roxane Gay to be my new BFF. This series of essays was well thought out, had humor, and got me thinking. I especially enjoyed her commentary on the Sweet Valley High book series.

Graphic Novels

Lumberjanes #14 & #15; Wonder Woman #4 & #5 
I am still enjoying these two series. In these two issues of the Lumberjanes, Jen finds herself lost in a snowstorm and the others try to find her. And in Wonder Woman 4 & 5 she must do battle with The First Born.

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2017 Make Nine

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll have already seen my 2017 Make Nine list- my list of what I intend to make this year. Last year I didn't complete any sewing projects and this year I hope to remedy that, but I also listed a few knitting projects as well. While I may venture off on some non-listed projects here and there, the intention is for this list to keep me focused when I'm between tasks. So far we're already a month and a half into 2017 and I've already completed 1 item on my list and made great progress on another. Stay tuned for updates in some future posts.

Top

1) Triangle Rib Scarf for the husband. It's done. I just need to photograph it. 

2) Red Tea House Dress by Sew House Seven 

3) Named Clothing's Kilo wrap dress with sleeves

Middle

4) I started my Moneta dress 2 years ago but have been scared to finish it. I'm hoping to finish it for the Moneta Party on Instagram on February 24-26th.

5) I'm in love with Lladybird's version of Agnes as a dress! 

6) I've had an abstract print fabric in my que for quite a while now just waiting to be made into pants such as Vogue's 9032.

 

Bottom

7) This featherweight cardigan will be perfect for spring.

8) I started knitting my Marion cardigan in 2014 but never finished it. 

9) This McCall's off-shoulder flutter sleeve (M7543)will keep me on trend this summer. 

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What I'm Listening To: BANKS- Gemini Feed

Recently, I was browsing my library's online library during my daily commute to work, having finished listening to that week's audiobook selection en-route, when I stumbled across BANKS' album Goddess. I was already familiar with her song "Begging for Thread" so I decided to listen to the whole album AND IT WAS FANTASTIC! I highly recommend you check out her full album, and check out the video for the album's first track, "Gemini Feed", above. Spoiler alert: she literally has gems for eyes!

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Feel the Burn: How to Incorporate Flame Into Your Wardrobe

Last week I shared with you my color palette for Spring/ Summer 2017 including my neutrals, near-neutrals and statement colors which included one of PANTONE's Spring 2017 picks: Flame.

You can pair off Flame with dozens of colors to incorporate it into your outfit. Here are a few colors that pair nicely with Flame.

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What I'm Listening To: Yelawolf- Devil in My Veins

Ever wondered what Johnny Cash would sound like if he were a rapper? Allow me to introduce you to the group Yelawolf who are bringing the country/rap/rock sound to the 20-teens with the song "Devil In My Veins."

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My Spring/ Summer 2017 Color Palette

Although the weather outside is frightfully cold and Punxatawney Phil has predicted 6 more weeks of winter, I've got springtime on my mind. This week I decided to plan out what colors I want to focus on for the Spring/ Summer 2017 season. My aim is to stock up on clothing items in neutrals and near neutrals and to look for accessories in my statement colors which are based on Pantone's Spring 2017 color picks. 

Have you started planning your spring/ summer wardrobe yet? What colors are you focusing on? Let me know in the comments below.

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What I'm Listening To: Grimes- Butterfly

If you haven't seen the latest music videos from electronic music artist, Grimes, I strongly urge you to do so. Not only is the music entrancing, but the videos are quite visually stunning. Check out the video for the song "Butterfly" above.

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What I'm Listening To: The Weekend- Starboy ft. Daft Punk

When The Weekend's "Starboy" song first came out, my husband would play this song on repeat several times a day, so now everytime I hear it, it reminds me of him. 

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Fall Reading List 2016

Comics/ Graphic Novels

Jonesy #2-7 ; Bee and Puppycat #1-7 by Natasha Allergri This fall I continued to read comic books with a girl power slant. Bee and Puppycat follows Bee- an unemployed girl who adopts a magical creature called Puppycat and together they complete tasks for a magical temp agency. It's very fun to read, and one issue is interactive- containing hyperlinks so you can listen along with the quest. You can see my write up for Jonesy in my previous post.

Fiction

The Girls by Emma Cline If you're familiar with Charles Manson, you'll recognize elements in this book. Nevertheless, this book is gripping and haunting.

Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Noll This book reads like a less-well-written version of Gone Girl. This author is an editor from Cosmo and SELF magazines and it shows. All of the characters were over-privileged and very unlikable. NEXT!

The Crystal Cup by Bram Stoker I was already familiar with Bram Stoker's Dracula, so I chose to read this short story for Halloween. Stoker's ghost story is heavily influenced by Edgar Allan Poe in a good way.

The Assasination of Margaret Thatcher by Hillary Mantel If you approach this book expecting it to be like Mantel's historical fiction series, Wolf Hall, you might be disappointed. This is a collection of short stories with more similarities to the television series, Black Mirror, than her historical fiction. This was a fine read during the Halloween season!

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson Apparently I was really into ghost stories this fall, because this is another mystery/ suspense/ gothic horror/ ghost story. I loved this book and hope to check out more books by the author.

Non-Fiction

Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristoff This book was chosen by the Our Shared Shelf Book Club. I have found that when I'm feeling stressed in my day-to-day, that I have a hard time watching shows, movies and reading books with difficult subject matters which played a factor here. Do you know those ASPCA PSA advertisements- the ones where Sarah McLachlan's Arms of the Angel song plays in the background (see here)? It kind of reminded me of that. At first I tried to read a paper copy of the book, but after reading a few chapters I could go no further so I put it down. About a month later, I tried again, pacing myself with audiobook version and got to the end. In conclusion, I'm glad I read it- I feel like I'm more aware of the struggles for women worldwide and I learned about a few new non-profits that I can support to do my part to support women worldwide.

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in my Head, Reduced Stress Without Loosing My Edge, and Found Self-Help that Actually Works-A True Story by Dan Harris This wasn't your typical self-help book. I liked the author's relaxed, non-preachy style which focused mainly on the author's own experiences with a sense of humor too. Thumbs up!

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What I'm Listening To: David Bowie- Lazarus

It's hard to believe that David Bowie left this world about a year ago. This week, I'm remember David Bowie by listening to one of his last songs, "Lazarus."

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The Best of 2016

I know that a lot of folks are happy to see 2016 go and I feel your pain! Personally, it was a bittersweet year for me. It was the year I left the UK and returned to The States, I got to see friends and family that I hadn't seen in over 3 years, and it was the year I finally scored a job doing the thing I went to graduate school to do. 

That being said- with the move and starting a new job I had to let a few things go: I didn't travel as frequently this year, but I've enjoyed exploring my new city; I didn't blog as frequently as in previous years; I didn't sew anything; and while I walk quite a bit more than I used too, I haven't really made a huge effort to exercise. I'm not going to promise that I'm going to get any better about these things, but I haven't forgotten about them.

What I Made in 2016

In 2016 I kept up with drawing and painting. I continued to explore the world through The Virtual Paintout, and I met up with my new local Urban Sketchers group and a few other sketching groups. I also completed a few paintings, I knit and crocheted hats and toys for friends, family members, and work, and I crafted for several causes such as the YASVB project, Stitch for Syria, hats for Standing Rock, and the Pussyhat Project. 

Top 5 Posts

• The Best of 2015
• When Good Ideas Happen (But Someone Else Had the Idea First)
• What I Read in May
• What I've been Reading in February and March
• What I'm Listening To: PJ Harvey at Glastonbury in 2016

Reading Goals (Mostly) Met

In 2015 I sat out to read 15 books and ended up reading 47, so this year I aimed to top myself and read at least 50 books and ended up reading 69 books (including comic books and graphic novels); and while I didn't end up completing all of the 2016 Reading Challenge, I was able to keep up with Emma Watson's My Book Shelf Feminist Book Club. I hope to read at least 50 books in 2017 as well. 

Top 5 Reads

• The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
• You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
• The Girls by Emma Cline
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker
• The Lumberjanes comic series by Noelle Stevenson

Goals for 2017

• Make at least one out-of-state trip.
• Finish 8 canvas paintings.
• Take a college class.
• Craft for a cause.
• Meet my reading goal.

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