Some new things in Fabric of my Mind

I needed to pay a little more attention to the newer shop, so I've listed two new photographs.

The first, available here, is a photograph I took at the Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary, Ireland, in the spring of 2009.  It was a beautiful day and a beautiful place.  Hopefully, my memories and feelings show through in the photo.

I remember the day well, as well as the day before.  We'd actually gotten to Cashel the night before, intending to go straight to the Rock, see it, and then head on to the next town.  Well, we got there just a few minutes after they let in the last wave of people.  The ruins aren't artificially lighted, so they're really serious about not allowing latecomers.  I was really disappointed, until Eric reminded me that it was actually a day earlier than I thought it was - I so lose track of time when on vacation.

So that evening, we found a B&B and went to a dinner, probably the only one during our 10 days in Ireland that was at all disappointing.  What came after was awesome, though.  We consoled ourselves by going for a drink at a local pub, where we met some guys who heard our accents, found out we were on our honeymoon, and took us partying, first to another local pub with a band, and then to a club where the father of one of the guys was DJing at a private party we crashed.

While dancing at the club, Eric's foot got stomped by an Irish girl with big wooden-soled shoes, so the next morning when we got up and had breakfast, he was still pretty pained.  We walked the Rock anyway, and the grandeur of it almost made him forget his foot.

The second, available here, is a perfect red rose that was growing in my front yard in 2010 here in NJ.  I was able to find an angle that gave me the sky as background, and it's one of my favorite shots; so much so that it's the background wallpaper of my cell phone and has been for 3 successive phones now.

I've also added a third washcloth to the shop, this one in sprout green cotton bamboo with gardenia yellow racing stripes at both ends.  Soft and absorbent as ever, I really love the color scheme.

So... whatcha think?

Happenings, Happenings

So... just because I've been quiet doesn't mean I haven't been busy.

I've been knitting my little heart out and adding some things to Fabric of my Mind, like these new washcloths.

This one is a basic washcloth (or dishcloth, if you prefer).

And this one's a cool basket weave with a seed stitch border.

I did both in an awesome gardenia yellow cotton bamboo yarn that is really soft and has a gorgeous sheen to it.  I understand that cotton bamboo is a great fiber in that it's got the strength of cotton and the absorbency of bamboo.  Not bad!  Of course, my very first washcloth, a duplicate of the basic one above, went to Eric for "quality control testing."  He uses it as a face cloth every day and loves it.  Of course, when he saw the basket weave, he wanted that one for "quality control" as well, but it made it into the shop.

I've also got 41" of Eric's cashmere scarf done.  Talk about soft!  It's insane how soft 100% cashmere is.  Insane.  I love knitting with it.

Meanwhile, I've been filling orders for Mother's Day gift baskets, of course, like this one.

The request was for "fresh" scents including soap and candle, so I stuffed in an Autumn Harvest candle, a couple Garden Party soaps, a Lemongrass & Sage soap, an Orange You Glad I'm Your Honey lip balm, and a When Life Hands you Lemons sugar scrub.

And then, since I can't seem to keep them in stock for more than a minute, I made another batch of Purity Makeup Brush Soap.

So there you have it!  Check back Sunday when I revisit a fellow artist for you.

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Meg's been featured!

I entered a giveaway at bouffe e bambini, for Southern Inspired Treats, billed as organic, all natural dog treats with a southern flair.  Well, I won!  A whole pound of them.  I chose the peanut butter cookies for Meg and received them a few days ago.  They came packaged in a pretty gift box tied with a brown satin ribbon.

(If you have any dogs or dog owners for which you need gifts, trust me, these are the way to go.)

In the box, and apparently every box that leaves Peyton's kitchen in Jacksonville, FL, was also a real cotton boll!

I have no idea why or how, but I knew what cotton grew like, though I'd never seen a boll in person.  Eric, on the other hand, not only had never seen one but had no idea how cotton grew, so it was especially fun to receive.  It's now residing in my craft room/office, just 'cause it's so cool.

I haven't eaten any of the treats, though apparently I could without harm, since they're all made with organic, human-grade ingredients.  I do have to tell you, they smell amazing.  Every time I go anywhere near the box, which we've got hidden on top of the fridge, Meg goes crazy for them, so I can't get an actual photo.  I've therefore stolen the product photo from SIT's Etsy shop.

If it's possible, they actually look better in person.  And in the end, the most important thing is that Meg inhales them and then cleans the floor - or couch - where any crumbs might be lurking.  I have a feeling I might not be able to purchase snacks from any other source for her anymore.  I've found her favorites, at age 13.  And really?  I trust the shop.  These treats, after all, were created because of a diabetic dog who deserved treats that wouldn't harm him.  So they've got no sugars, preservatives, or allergens.

Hey, I'm trying to eat healthier, why shouldn't the pup join me?  And she's happy.

As the winner, she's been featured on their blog too!