Uli's Creative Corner

It's my 41st birthday today and I got up at 5:30 am to get in line at a LYS to take advantage of an awesome sale.  I must say that it was the highlight of my day and one I will remember for a long time.  I'll have to show off my yarn haul another time.  I made another change for my birthday and that's my hair.... I tend to like 'shaking up" things a bit when it comes to my style but I've been having it kind of the same for a while and I was getting bored so here's the new me:

The hubby and I will be childless on Valentine's Day so we decided to go out for dinner.  We got engaged on Valentine's Day 12 years ago (we also got married 12 years ago.... :-)) so Valentine's Day is always a bit special of a day.  But, we've been so busy doing this that and the other thing that we didn't really plan ahead where we wanted to go well in advance.  So, in the end, we decided that Japanese suited our fancy and I walked into a local sushi restaurant today (Ta-ke Sushi) trying to make reservations.  It's a small place.  We've been there a few times before and we really liked the food.  Well, there seemed to be no problem making a reservation.  We almost got finished writing down all the necessary information when the guy in the kitchen yelled at her "no reservations for 2 on Valentine's Day - only reservations for 4 or more".  What the heck???  Isn't that day, in so many ways, about couples going out?  I was flabbergasted.  I guess they can make more money filling up their tables with a minimum of 4 than with only 2 per table.  Ah well............. they lost my business for this weekend and I'll likely not be back.  There are other restaurants.  Well, so I phoned hubby and he phoned choice of restaurant #2.  They don't take reservations at all for Valentine's and I can handle that more than the first rejection.  No preference to anyone whether it's 2 or 4 in a party.  You just take your chance and wait your turn if that's what you choose to do.  So that's what we'll do.... we can walk to this restaurant so we'll take a nice little stroll and if we have to wait for a table, it won't be a big deal because we won't have the kids with us, going crazy over a bit of a wait.

I keep wanting to show off my spinning and even my knitting but I just don't seem to have the patience to sit down and get the pictures organized.  I have been spinning though.... LOTS.... and knitting..... A LITTLE. 

I'd like to show off my newest though.... I've been thinking about making some beaded orifice hooks and I'd been struggling with wire choice and how to get them the way I want them for a while.  I think I've got it.  Check out my first one:


The focal bead is a Kazuri bead, like I have been using in my shawl pins.  I've adorned that with some metal spacers, some Czech glass rondelle beads and a Swarovski crystal to top it all off.  I'm very happy with it and it's now available in the shop.  Next, I'm going to play with one using a funky penguin focal bead that I have.  I think that would look fun.  Aside from the Kazuri beads, I hope to use some pretty lampwork beads that I've picked up along the way.

And peeking out from the 2nd picture is some wonderful handspun that I picked up from an Etsy shop called FiberOptic.  It is from her line of Foot Notes unspun pencil roving and is a SW Merino/Nylon blend.  It is so soft and was so great to spin.  I can't wait to cast on a pair of socks with it.  Well, while i'm at it, let me grab a bigger picture of the finished yarn: