Happy Distractions

This year continues to be more wonky and distressing than idyllic. As it becomes more and more evident that it isn't just us, I figured I would share a few idle and entertaining distractions that I have found to help.
Web comics abound, but Girl Genius is a fantastic story, lovely art and very popular with everyone in our house as is Finders Keepers.
I love embroidery, almost as much as I love knitting. It adds color and personality to rather dull but practical items. Urban Threads and Sublime Stitching have lots of less conventional embroidery designs, making them more entertaining to stitch up than standard fruit and flowers type designs.
Food is another creative outlet that the whole household can get involved in and appreciate. Cheeky Kitchen is lots of fun with good recipes. 101 Cookbooks has pictures that make you want to lick the screen, but that could be just me and how I feel about the chocolate cake.
Finally, my favorite thing (still), is to play dress up. I regularly peruse standard pattern sites that I may add to my already not insubstantial collection, with the majority of them being from the late '40's to mid '50's. Which is why I really covet so many of the things from Pinup Girl
and Stop Staring . Though steampunk also brings great joy, so Clockwork Couture has many adored items as well. I also love being able to close the window if the temptation becomes too much, or being able to go back and visit a favored piece whenever I like.
Those are just a few of my favored diversions, please note the lack of mention of yarn, I really do think about lots of other things, sometimes all at once. ;-)

There will be pictures...

...as soon as I find the cable to my camera. Though there isn't a whole lot to photograph quite yet. The plants are really trying, but aren't very impressive this early on. Knitting has been slow and not overly productive. I did make deodorant in a lovely amber scent. It's been working quite well, even during heavy yard work. Made some baked doughnuts with great success, the maple glaze I topped them with probably didn't hurt. Also started making my own laundry soap which has been working quite well in my front loader with cold water. I do thin it out with a bit more white vinegar than the original recipe calls for. It certainly smells better than standard laundry soap since I use peppermint castille soap.
The free weights have been thrust back into service courtesy of the combined panicked realization that the warm weather i.e. sleeveless shirt weather was going to coincide with my 35th birthday and it will not do to look flabby and pasty white, even at the start of the season. ;-)

Half- way through March? Really?

When did that happen? The last few weeks have been, not so much busy as full. Spring has finally hit, mostly, so the backyard has been weeded, prepped and partially planted. The seedlings of lettuce, kale, beets, black radishes, and melons just recently started making an appearance. The front yard is to be tackled and forced into shape this weekend
Darling Husband has been recovering well from shoulder surgery.
I found these lovely ladies. Even if you aren't big into perfumes, the descriptions are quite an entertaining read!
I would be remiss if I did not pipe up and mention the disaster(s) in Japan and encourage you to help in some way. Light a candle, say a prayer, donate a couple dollars, or even just send along a happy thought, right now, I'm pretty sure any of those things would be more than welcome.