I gotta say, it was a good day

From sun up to sundown, this was a really superior day. The key may have been the 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep I gpt last night.  Or maybe it was the butteed toast I made with the most delicious bread from the farmers' market. It could have been the lack of crowds at my laundromat that allowed me to sail through that hassle of a task, but it could also have been that I remembered to bring some fabric remnants and stained garments to the textile recycling booth at the farmer's market.  One would not be crazy to think that my day was brightened by my brand new and freshly laundered bedding, which looks amazing on my bed and is a good step towards transforming my boudoir into a sleep haven.  Also making me happy was the aroma of chicken stock simmering on my stove for five hours.  Another good guess would be that I was grossly overdressed when I set out on a six mile run wearing tights, a long sleeved tee and windbreaker, beause it was 54 degrees, sunny and gorgeous!  Any of these would have been enough to put a check in the Nice Day column, but all of these combined make me feel really happy and blessed. 

Speaking of happy, I've a friend who's having a birthday on Monday.  We've known each other since college, and have so many little, quirky things in common (including a love of Sweden and things Swedish), it's really pretty neat.  When he travels (he's a travelwriter, so he travels a lot) he often brings me home a little something, which I love.  I don't care if it's a magnet from the airport, I love little gifts from afar; they really say "Hey, I thought of you during my travels."  I thiught it would be appropriate, then, for me to let him know that "Hey, I appreciate your friendship."  So I made these for him:

Pattern:

(L) Improvised from #603 in The Encyclopedia of Kitting and Crochet Stitch Patterns

R:  Clock Hotpad, by Carol Schoenfelder

Yarn: Adrafil India Cotton & Austerman Algarve Grande

Hook: 3.25mm

Alex really likes crafty things and old-fashioned things, so I think he will really appreciate these.  They're doublesided, for extra protection, and 100% cotton, for easy care.  It was an easy decision, making these.  I've been on a bit of a potholder kick recently.  It started with a swap that I joined through Ravelry.  We're to make 5 potholders in the same pattern, send them to the organizers, and we'll receive 5 other potholders in return.  I finished mine last week.

All variations on the Clockpad pattern, all 100% cotton.  The yarns are various odds and ends I had in my stash, plus some given to me by pal Oiyi.  These really are such fun to make, and dare I say practical?  I know some people might not thing so, but I grew up using crochet potholders and emroidered floursack tea towels, sleeping on pillows with tatted lace edges.  Make pretty things and use pretty things and your life will be the richer for it!
I've one more little project to share before heading off, totally superfluous, totally selfish and totally satisfying:

Pattern: Toast, by Leslie Friend

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Tweed

Needles: 3.5mm & 3.75mm

I have several pair of fingerless mittens, now.  Striped, multicolored and acid pink.  But my wardrobe was lacking a simple, grey pair, a pair that would go with almost everything.  Aside fron using a lighter weight yarn that originally called for, I made little slits for my thumb.  I didn't want to make full on thumbs, as those can impede my stereotactic abilities when fishing for keys in my bag, but I was wary of going totally thumbless.  The slits were a happy compromise and have proven themselves useful.

The yarn was left over from a shawl, Spring Bandit, that I made for my cousin Paula last summer.  It's a lovely and light cotton, silk and wool blend, so good for spring, shich is upon us.  In fact, it was too hot today to even wear these.  No matter, as I know it will chill up again, and when it does, I'll be ready.

Now, because everyone should have a good day of their own, I'll leave you with this little ditty.  A classic from the early 1990s by O'Shea James, although perhaps you know him by his industry name, Ice Cube. Enjoy.