Summer In January

It seems that every year in late January or early February for the past 6 years that i've lived in Oakland there has been 3 days to a week of freaky warm weather.  Just a few weeks ago, it was in the low 40's.  Last week, it was mid 60's, so I decided to partake in winter's little reprieve.

Last Sunday, in the midst of the heat wave, I bought this number at Mercy Vintage on Piedmont Ave: an 80's wrap skort jumper. It was a somewhat uncharacteristically whimsy purchase on my part, but it was only $10.
I threw it on to run some errands and snapped these pics upon my return home.

Just to prove that it is indeed (a) skort/skorts - i give you the gratuitous booty shot.

Now, Winter has returned and I am bundled up in two sweaters next to my pathetic heater with a hot cup of tea watching Annie Lennox videos.  

I will leave you with my favorite.  (Thanks to Teenangster for posting it on her blog.) Until next time.

The Days of Another Indian Summer

Summer weather has finally seemed to find its way to the Bay Area. Sunshine and unexpected heat have been in the forecast for the last couple of weeks. Better late than never, i say!
I've put knitting on the back burners only because the heat makes knitting a little sticky and shifts at the coffee shop have drained most of my brain power and emotional will. I have half cocked plans to get more items into FINE+dandy, but haven't the time. Soon, I will make some.
Until that happens, here's some news from my life:
Jamie and I got a kitten a few weeks back.

Her name is Charo, but Jamie calls her Meemers (he calls all cats that) and she seems to answer to that more than Charo. She so fluffy and pretty and we love her soo much, even though Jamie is very allergic to her.

I also cut off all of my hair, well almost.

I haven't had my hair this short since second grade; I'm digging it a lot more this time around. As with all my haircuts for the past few years, I did this one myself and its not bad. I've learned that the best way to learn how to cut your own hair is to just do it and try not to care what the back of your head looks like.
My hair cut came just in time for the heatwave that hit the Bay Area last week. For the past couple of years, the warm summer weather has been compressed into a couple weeks in August and September. The Indian summer is nice, but i loved waking up today with fog clinging on to the Oakland/ Berkeley hills and the morning sun peaking out behind scattered drizzly clouds. Can't wait for some good knitting weather!
Tah tah for now!
-Alice and Charo

Cozy on Up!

I'm one of those people who HATES to throw anything away. Rubber bands? i'm gonna need those some day. one inch scraps of yarn? DUDE! That could come in handy!

But the one item i save the most from the trash has to be glass jars.

I love jars. I love using them for storage in the fridge or in the cupboard. I love using them for flower vases or keeping my parsley and cilantro fresh. And i love to use them for drinks.

At the coffee shop, I see alot of kids reusing glass jars for coffee and tea. And let me tell you, my hands have gotten used to handling alot of hot things, but a hot glass jar is a difficult thing to hold. But I have a solution.

Jar Cozies! Hand knitted by moi! (actually , my very first ever thought-out, worked-out, written-down design! These are pretty great; not only do they prevent you from burning your fing-ghee's, but they also keep hot drinks hotter for longer. :)

I like to use these with iced drinks too. The cozy soaks up the condensation on the outside of the glass. Sooooooo, no puddle when you're enjoying your refreshing iced beverage.

Right now I'm just making them for friends, but I'm trying to work on a marketing plan. More on that later.

Toodles, al