Patt with Two T's

  I'm excited about opening an etsy store and have yet to announce it.  I've challenged myself and also Annette to add 30 pieces in 30 days onto the etsy site.  I just added a new bracelet I did last week using dagger beads:  I saw a picture in a magazine of something similar but not done with Kumihimo braiding, so I gave it a try.  I'm ready to do another one soon.   In the meantime, I've started making something I saw online--wire-wrapped bead sprigs.  I want to figure out a way to turn them into pins for shawls and felted hats.  They're really fun to do -- a new obsession for the week.  I just snapped a new picture even though they're not quite finished.  They come out as a bouquet of beaded flowers, and I added a couple of leaves on this last one.  Meanwhile, I discovered the author of the no-knead bread has a new book on no-knead pizza dough, so told Matthew about it and he happened to see it in the latest Bon Appetit magazi...

 On Saturday night, Matthew and I attended a beautiful event which was held for a not-so-wonderful reason.  It was a bon voyage party for a local activist Matthew knows who has pancreatic cancer.  This was not held as a depressing evening--it was lovingly thought-out and planned and a way for Paul to share his life with everyone he encountered from all walks of his life.  There were 500 guests, and we knew many people from the coast.     We were at the Palace of Legion of Honor with the entrance encased in a huge plastic tent.  The first thing we encountered, after champagne, was the sound of a large band--14 piece orchestra--playing great music and an ice sculpture in the shape of a ship.  This was going to be a memorable evening.   I took a few pictures, which I'll post here.  I didn't take too many because I was busy eating my way through the first room, having people sign my passport, and then sitting downstairs in the theater to h...

More fingerless fancies....worked on a turquoise set during Stitches when I had time to knit. Stitches West 2012:   I managed to write the first night, then not at all after that.  The little netbook is good for travel, but it's hard to type on it, plus I didn't leave myself that much computer time--go figure.  Actually, I gave myself more down-time this year and enjoyed having a room by myself to escape to once in awhile.    After arriving and checking in, we sat downstairs and waited for the market preview to open.  I'm posting out of order since I already showed us after the 3-hour feeding frenzy, but this is Edelle, Harriet, and Donna from Santa Fe sitting near the door to the market.  I guess we don't look very involved with each other here, do we?  I haven't seen them in a year, but they see each other often. On Saturday, I met up with Tina and Michele as soon as the doors opened.  I'm so glad we got to shop together since we we...