It’s raining. Butterfly is unwell. We are snuggling under blankies and watching movies in pillow piles. We’ve baked a cake. The smell of dinner in the slow cooker wafts out from the kitchen. A spot of work to finalise and then some secret squirrel crafting. No point fighting the winter, instead we’ll hunker down and make the most of it.
I swear. Despite what everyone seems to think. Kylie is blaming Car. Car’s blaming me. Me? I’m blaming Skip.
You see. It all started when Skip went bananas on Goodreads, shelving a heap of Pride and Prejudice follow on novels. Which lead to a discussion about the validity of fanfiction as opposed to the source materials. The general consensus seemed to be that well written fan-fic or follow on novels can be as good as the original works. (I haven’t yet read any of the P&P follow ons, but I have read “March”, a novel about the father of L.M. Alcott’s Little Women).
And this, my friends, is where they try and blame me. I simply mentioned that in the wake of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries ending, I had become besotted with a delightful post-series epistolary fic on AO3. (If you loved LBDs take on Pride and Prejudice, go check out this fic, it is wonderful. And read the comments, there is more than one comment fic hidden in there). Then, of course, the resident P&P lover, Skip, jumps on the bandwagon, wanting to know details. Which STILL doesn’t make it my fault, because I posted as far back as January on my Facebook:
So, really. Totally not my fault. But suddenly. Skip was marathoning it. Car joined in. Then Alley Cat. And Bee. And Esther.
So. Now, Kylie is blaming Car and Car is blaming me for a new challenge. And this isn’t JUST a challenge – it is a multi layered challenge!! All versions run from now until August 31, 2013
THE BASIC “I’M A TOTAL WIMP” VERSION: Read Pride and Prejudice {affliate link}
THE EXTENDED VERSION : Read Pride and Prejudice, and watch the Lizzie Bennet Diaries (official site). Don’t forget to check the website for the transmedia too, they’ve storifyed the characters twitter convos, and some of them are AWESOME! You might also be interested in checking out this list from Darceny.com which matches up episodes with the book.
THE SUPER DELUXE, I’M A SUCKER FOR SOME MR DARCY, EDITION: The book, the Lizzie Bennet Diaries marathon, AND the movie (or BBC mini series, if you are a Wet Shirt Colin Firth type).
I’m a Mr Darcy fangirl, so I am definitely going the SUPER DELUXE edition. So. Thanks to Kylie throwing down the gauntlet – I think it’s safe to say, it’s a case of:
Keen to join in? Go comment on Kylie’s post!!
Ok, well, if we are being honest, it’s actually not a bad day to be trapped inside. The sun is shining, but the wind is biting today, a not-so-subtle reminder that winter is very very close. So at least I don’t feel too sad being chained to my computer getting some work done. Today’s boogie is just a mix of what’s on random shuffle as I work.
{NEW STUFF} I’ve signed up for thisismyjam – you can find me at http://www.thisismyjam.com/littlewhitedove and leave a comment if you have a profile and I’ll come follow your jams!
Not a blogger? Just join in in the comments – link to the video, or even just list your five!
IT WOULD BE NICE (BUT NOT ESSENTIAL) IF:
You hopped around and commented on some other boogiers blogs.
You linked me in your post (or heck, even grabbed the button). Even linking to the front page is fine if you are wanting to schedule your post in advance.
The button, if you are button-type blogger:
<div align="center"><a href="http://thedovenest.wordpress.com/category/music/" title="Little White Dove"><img src="http://thedovenest.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/button-boogie1.jpg" alt="Little White Dove" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
Last week’s jam:
It seems my crafty mojo has started creeping back. The day before last, I made a long overdue start on tidying my studio. I didn’t get very fair, but that 15 minute spurt was enough to get me inspired. Yesterday, I set Boy2 up on my computer for his Reading Eggs lesson, and instead of settling in the doorway next to the computer, reading, I pulled out my beads. Despite my burst of cleaning, my main crafting areas are still hopelessly cluttered, and so, being the domestic type I am, I studiously avoided those areas, and set myself up on my husband’s desk. Yeah. I know.
The little posts of beads laid out before me, I scrambled through a drawer for my pliers and sidecutters, and slowly started threading beads on, trying to develop a pattern, adding little sparks of gold or pink break up the teal of the crystals. My supplies are a little low, but I needed to keep rolling while the inspiration was flowing, so I made do with what I had on hand. Which means this little wrap bracelet isn’t my usual style, and to be honest, I’m not sure I like it all that much. I went with a symmetrical design, which I don’t think really works, and instead become more repetitive than anything, especially since I ran out of gold anything to keep adding accents into the pattern, so there is a decent chunk that is mainly teal, and not all that interesting. But still. I made something. I enjoyed the process. And it’s only a few beads on a bit of wire – I can always pull it apart at a later date and refashion it. Which, I think, sounds as good an excuse to go bead shopping as any, don’t you think?
My “want to make” list, that is! The delightful Miss Bee offered me up a couple of patterns that she didn’t need anymore, that I was glad to take off her hands – the two very cute Make It Perfect patterns shown above. First on my list is the Uptown Girl jacket, and I managed some window shopping yesterday over at Bloom for the perfect cord for the outer, and found a cute flannel for the lining, thinking it would make it nice and snuggly for cold winter days. Until Bee suggested I *cough* read the description *cough* and it’s actually reversible. So I’m still pondering options on that one, and thinking about maybe adding a layer of flannel sandwiched inbetween? The winds here can be absolutely bitter, especially when it snows nearby, so I want something pretty insulated. Any thoughts?
The bag pattern is TOTALLY Carmel’s fault. As I’ve mentioned before, I have designed a bag for the bag challenge (and may or may not have gotten any further than that), but then Carmel is posting about Duckcloth having a closing down sale and linking the Melly and Me Sleepover bag, and really, at $10, how could I resist? It’ll be perfect for a hospital bag. And AJ was going to get one too, so we could keep each other on track. Until she blogged HER pattern purchase, and realised she’d bought the Amy Butler Weekender. Us and our grand ideas!! I haven’t started selecting fabric for this one yet, I’ll have to have a bit of a surf around, I’m thinking maybe a funky twill or cord? Not sure.
Now, all I need to do is find the mojo to tidy my studio so I can get to my sewing machine, and then I can get busy!
Yeah, I know, I know. I just couldn’t help myself! I missed the boogie. Maybe it’ll never be huge. But it’s fun anyway. So come join the party. Blog up to five songs. Any theme. Any reason. Doesn’t matter. You decide. Or if you have done a music post during the week, add your link as well! The more tunes the merrier. The linky is open from midday Saturday (AEST), for 48 hours.
Not a blogger? Just join in in the comments – link to the video, or even just list your five!
IT WOULD BE NICE (BUT NOT ESSENTIAL) IF:
You hopped around and commented on some other boogiers blogs.
You linked me in your post (or heck, even grabbed the button). Even linking to the front page is fine if you are wanting to schedule your post in advance.
The button, if you are button-type blogger:
<div align="center"><a href="http://thedovenest.wordpress.com/category/music/" title="Little White Dove"><img src="http://thedovenest.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/button-boogie1.jpg" alt="Little White Dove" style="border:none;" /></a></div>
So this week, I’m rediscovering an old love – Savage Garden. Five of my faves.
Affirmation
Crash & Burn
Truly Madly Deeply (of course!)
Santa Monica
I Don’t Know You Any More
And a bonus 6th video – it’s Darren Hayes solo, but I’ve had it on high repeat this week to help me work through some plot kinks for Lauren & Paul
What are you listening to this week?
It must be getter colder, judging my the number of yarn crafts I’ve been blogging about! I first posted about my plan to make a cowl for myslef from this very pretty yarn (a gift from Kayscha at quilt camp 2011) this time last year. I was wavering on whether to frog it, or include the faults as “character”. In the end, my perfectionist side won out, and I pulled it all out. I decided a month or so ago to start again, ready for winter. I cast on my 120 stitches, complete with markers every repeat so I didn’t get my pattern wonky this time. I joined in the round, and merrily purled two rows. And then. Then I realised, it was twisted. Yup. Guess who forgot to unwind it properly before joining in the round? And apart it came again.
Third attempt. I cast on. Two rows in, ready to start the fancy bits and I realise. I’ve knitted the first two rows, instead of purled. But at this point, that was the least of my worries, so I decided to roll with it and keep going.
I still have a marker every repeat, just to keep me on track. Which came in very handy when one row added a stitch per group, and I didn’t realise, and nearly started the wrong row and would have made it all wonky again. I know it’s pretty amateur to need markers to help me count it out, but for me, it works. I’m not a hardcore knitter. I’m just me, pottering along, doing a row here or a row there when the urge strikes. So the counters are working (same as my ripple), and look, I can see the pattern emerging!
Today it’s our busy day – getting the house and admin tidied up ready for the weekend. Music lessons. Drama lessons. Preschool afternoon teas. Groceries to be bought and stories to be told from last night’s sleepover. Mothers Day presents to buy. And in amongst all that – some hardcore post-morning-sickness spring cleaning (or should that be autumn cleaning?). Friday, I love you muchly, but today, I’m gonna kick you’re butt.
Can we tell I’m just slowly easing my way back into the term time routine? It seems I’ve been drinking a lot of coffee this week! And three cheers to Car, for the super cute shoes. Knew I liked that girl for a reason!
