castles, Toronto and Spring – oh my! 30 April 2008
Posted by brouhahahaha in photos, wildlife.Tags: casa loma, flowers, nature, photography, spring
3 comments
After all my moaning about Snow Madness this past winter, I am happy to report that spring seems finally to have arrived in Toronto!
Of course, the weeds were the first greenery to make themselves known, even pushing through concrete:
And until very recently, the cold finger of Winter was still more evident in the forest than the lovely leaves of Spring…
…but finally the spring greenery is emerging more clearly!
But don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining! (for once in my life, anyway).
I don’t even care that it is grey and damp outside when I see lovely blooms all around!
And even lovely cherry trees!
So, today I’m very happy. To top it off, it is that all-hallowed of holidays, PayDay. So, doubtless there will be more photos of Nature’s lovely colours as depicted through yarn on display here tomorrow.
Happy Wednesday!
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the legend of a shawl called Icarus 29 April 2008
Posted by brouhahahaha in handmaiden, humour, knitting, lace.Tags: casa loma, finished object, handmaiden, knitting, lace, rowan kidsilk
16 comments
Once upon a time there was a Princess called Aphrodite. She had the fairest figure in all the land of Trana:
For this reason, Aphrodite’s evil stepmother, the Handmaiden, was jealous. She kept Aphrodite locked up in this tower:
with only a shawl called Icarus for company.
Icarus was actually far better company for Aphrodite than one might think. He had been made of the finest Lace Silk which the Handmaiden had lovingly spun. Also, a wonderful designer called Miriam Felton dictated what form Icarus would take.
Now, Icarus had some very difficult moments growing up. He was constantly picked on by the full grown lace shawls in the tower. They even threw him outside a couple of times.
Even worse, he was attacked by the dreaded Frogman three times!
This left Icarus a little bruised and battered.
Perhaps it is for this reason that Icarus never reached his full weight. He was meant to become at least 150 grams with 1,000 metres of yarn, like all the other Icari. However, the Handmaiden used only a 3mm needle to make him – so he weighed only 90 grams!
However, his actual size was 66″ wide by 44″ deep – quite impressive for a scrawny underweight.
But back to our main story. Icarus, once he reached his full size, got restless and bored with life in the tower. So, one day, he escaped:
He initially got caught in the leaves protecting the tower, as you can see. However, he managed to disentangle himself and go exploring the grounds around the castle.
He found a rock wall to lounge around on for a while…
…but then got bored with this and went to find a more comfortable bed:
It was springtime in Trana. Being locked in the tower all that time, Icarus had never seen flowers, so went exploring a bit.
He had never seen anything so beautiful in his short life:
He then headed over to Millionaires Row – Aphrodite had told him never, ever to go there because the people who lived there were Evil and Corrupt Capitalists. However, Icarus didn’t initially see any evil people, only beautiful trees:
Meanwhile, back in the tower, Aphrodite wept bitterly. She could not be consoled by the other shawls, although they tried:
You see, unlike the other shawls, Icarus had a very delicate Rowan Kidsilk edging, which was lovely, but likely to shrink in the cold April rain:
.
As well, people called Icarus had had a history of melting in the sun, and Aphrodite, being the superstitious Greek Princess that she was, was scared for her little shawl.
(The Weatherman had said that it would not be sunny for several days. However, everyone knew that the Weatherman was always wrong – especially in April).
Icarus, however, wasn’t missing home a bit. He hung around in front of Spadina House for a while:
then found some pine cones to play with.
But suddenly, an Evil and Corrupt Capitalist jumped out of the bushes: 
“Hey! Those pine cones are my property!”, bellowed The Capitalist. He then threatened to call the police, who would come and unravel Icarus so that Icarus could never trespass again.
Icarus ran as fast as he could to the safety of the Local Yarn Store, where he knew he would be protected by the Lovely Yarn Pushers:
However, he soon tired of all of the close up attention he was getting (Icarus was actually quite shy):
He also realised, seeing all the fabulous yarns, that he missed his lace brothers and sisters in the tower.
So, Icarus returned home to Aphrodite, who was thrilled.
And the Handmaiden, realising the folly of her ways in keeping all of them locked up, began to let them out from time to time:
And so they all lived happily ever after…
(Happily, that is, until Aphrodite got seduced by a Prince called Misti d’Alpaca who promised her all sorts of gold baubles:
…but then ran off, leaving her in a forest called Sherwood to fend for herself.
Stay tuned for the next fairy tale!!)
a sneak preview… 28 April 2008
Posted by brouhahahaha in beads, cleaning, handmaiden, knitting, lace.Tags: beads, handmaiden, icarus, knitting, llama, party, sherwood
9 comments
Well, I know I said I wouldn’t be back until Tuesday. Well, I lied. Couldn’t resist offering a sneak preview of my Icarus, hot off the needles!
Sadly, it’s raining, so the field trip I had planned with Icarus today to Casa Loma won’t work. Sigh. Will have to scheme about other photo op ideas…
And here are the very early days of Sherwood, my test knitting project:
Off to enjoy the rest of my long weekend do some tidying up now.
As you can see, we’ve been partying hard in the Brouhaha household this weekend…
Man, those duckies just can’t hold their drink!
Happy Monday!
Knits 26 April 2008
Posted by brouhahahaha in Uncategorized.5 comments
Hello fair readers: I’m writing to say that I’m taking a wee break and won’t be back until Tuesday next week
I’ve had a very guid time out with friends, and as a result of this, will be taking a wee break from blogging (some of my “live” friends suggested that I didn’t have to blog this weekend).
I will be back next week Tuesday, probably with the finished Icarus, if all goes well.
In the meantime. check out the blasts from the past below..
Cheers
Kristina
This is a gallery of just some of my knits.
To see a gallery of some of my craftwork, click here.
To check out some of my free patterns and tutorials, click here.
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Welcome to my knitting page!
Here’s a sampler of my work…
Icarus (in progress) (Handmaiden Lace Silk and Kidsilk Haze) 
Valley of the Beads (Svale of Danegarn)
Wham! (Cotton Fleece)
Shazam! (Handmaiden Silken)
April Showers (Fleece Artist Italian Silk)
Cumulus (Rowan Kidsilk Night)
Tuscany the Second (Rosarios Bamboo) 
Savannah/Secret of the Stole II (Malabrigo laceweight)
Storm Water Scarf (Handmaiden Sea Silk)
Tuscany (Handmaiden Silken)
Stormy Weather (Handmaiden Camelspin)
The Perfect Dress (Romni Linen)
Swallowtail Shawl (Handmaiden Mini Maiden)
Nina Shawl (Butterfly Super 10)
Crazed Harlequin Dress (Berocco Suede)
Rainbow Dress (various yarns)
Montego Bay Tunic (Handmaiden Sea Silk)
Montego Bay Scarf (Handmaiden Sea Silk)
River Rock Scarf (Handmaiden Silken)
Intoxicating (SWTC Bamboo and SWTC Oasis)
Curve of Pursuit (Paton’s Decor)
Funky Pinwheel Blankie (Super 10)
Gaia (Handmaiden Silk Spun)
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Big Friday, redux 25 April 2008
Posted by brouhahahaha in beads, cooking, greek, handmaiden, knitting, lace, religious, satire, shameless.Tags: absention, amerigo, beads, eating, frogging, good friday, handmaiden sea silk, icarus, knitting, lace, llama, religious observance, sherwood, sunflower designs
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I’m feeling lazy today…I’m taking a day off for religious observance. That’s right, folks – it’s Big Friday for all us Greekish types (see my post this past Good Friday if you want to know why this is so).
So, being the high holy day in the Orthodox calendar, I’m spending the whole day in church, right?
Yep. The Church of Icarus.
(Oh, what’s that? You don’t think that knitting is a real religion? Check out this recent blog post by fellow raveller Genuine: The Sacraments of Knitting: A Simple Tract. I was a skeptic too, but she persuaded me and I’m a lawyer and all – I don’t believe anything, really.)
Anyway, if that excuse doesn’t work, my back up excuse is that I need to finish Icarus ASAP so that I can start on a test-knitting project that I’m doing for Susan of Sunflower Designs! The project in question is called Sherwood:
So, of course I had to go out and buy some new yarn for it today at Amerigo:
Llama!
I know, I know – it’s not really my usual type of colour choices. Unlike, for example, the llama I already bought from Amerigo a month ago…
… or the Handmaiden Sea Silk from the stash that I had already designated for this project.
But I figured, what with the forest-like name and all, that I should go with a bit more natural hue. Makes sense, eh?
Sherwood also calls for 1300 beads to be strung on. Here they are:
I figured I’d have to get a bit of zip in with the beads, at any rate. That’s fair, right?
And hope I’m not jinxing Icarus. I’ve just finished the 3rd chart and now have only 20 (very long) rows plus the edging left. Decided to pin part of it out to shore myself up last evening:
JJ just said to me “Aren’t ye glad ye didnae throw it off the balcony, hen”. So I am. And I will be praying this Big Friday – if only to the Goddess of Knitting to ward off the dreaded Frogman.
So, that’s how my Big Friday will pass. Oh, and am I going to observe the traditional Big Friday fast (i.e. no meat, no dairy, no oil, no food that tastes remotely edible)?
Am I hell! (as JJ is wont to say). In fact, I’ll be hooking up with some friends on the Danforth for a big fat Greek meal which will involve as much pork souvlaki, saganaki (fried cheese) and galactoboureko (custard phyllo dreamy treat) as I can manage to ingest.
Hey, we can’t all be saints, eh?
A happy Friday to you all!
The Forest Adventures of Brouhaha 24 April 2008
Posted by brouhahahaha in gentrification, greed, humour, rant, wildlife.Tags: bunny, forest, millionaires' row, ravine, spring, trash, ufo
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I keep telling people I live right next door to a forest. No one believes me, given that I also live in an apartment building five minutes’ walking distance from a subway station in Toronto.
Well, here’s the proof: the view out the front entrance to my building:
I decided to venture out this evening and take some photos of the ravine. No small feat, given that I’m afraid of heights and depths.
But it was quite lovely, really:
Hard to believe there’s a major thoroughfare 50 metres away, isn’t it?
Hmm – maybe that’s why those bloody kids were whingeing outside my balcony on Saturday?!
But everything else appeared to be untouched by humans…
…until I spotted this.
Now – who would pitch a bike down a ravine, I ask you?!?
A-ha! Millionaires’ Row. Must be them. But then again, the world is their trashcan, no?
I keep having to remind myself that The Rich Ones don’t control everything. After all, check out this UFO!
(And no, this isn’t one of those ones I keep flinging off the balcony in a fit of pique. It’s the real thing. Honestly. Big lights started flashing off it but just as I raised my camera to take a photo, it vaporised.
Sigh. Now no-one will ever believe me!!)
And, just as I was about to come in, I spotted this.
The Easter Bunny, come early?! (Orthodox Easter being this Sunday)
But apparently not. No chocolates in sight. Just a rabbit, pigging out on grass.
Too blissed out by all that green, apparently, to notice the carrot right next to it!
Dumb bunny.
Happy Thursday!
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sex selection, anyone? 23 April 2008
Posted by brouhahahaha in handmaiden, humour, media, rant, satire, scottish, stupidity.Tags: gender, media, nonsense, vitamin B
19 comments
And no, not that kind of sex. Get your mind out of the gutter! This is a knitting blog, after all…
I really should stop drinking Diet Coke when watching the news. My nose still hurts this morning after snorting a big mouthful out last evening after seeing a certain news item (don’t you hate it when that happens?)
Long story short: do you want to conceive a boy? Then eat…
That’s right. (And JJ was right chuffed, as you can imagine…).
You see, some people got together and did yet another study (this time in the UK).
740 pregnant first-time mothers were asked about their eating habits before and during early-stage pregnancy:
The study found that 56 per cent of the women in the group with the highest caloric intake at conception had boys, compared to 45 per cent in the group with the lowest energy intake.
Hmm – does this mean that boy children have more fat in their brains? That would make some sense…
The women who had sons were also more likely to have eaten a wider variety of nutrients, such as potassium, calcium and vitamins C, E and B12.
But this begs the question: how about Vitamin B?
I guess I’ll have to read the whole study to find out, as the rest of the sound byte was lacking in some detail, saying only:
Women who ate breakfast cereals were also more likely to have sons.
Now, if I hadn’t been paying attention I would have just assumed that this was a snippet from some conversation that a bunch of Greek grandmothers were having with a young woman. You know, old wives’ tales time honoured traditions as to how to keep the family name going.
However, the Greek yiayiadhes wouldn’t be using such high-falutin’ language to describe the theory:
Our results support hypotheses predicting investment in costly male offspring when resources are plentiful. Dietary changes may therefore explain the falling proportion of male births in industrialized countries.
And here I thought this trend was simply proof of social Darwinism – or did I just read that in some other study?!?
Well, you know what? I can write some pretty fancy language, too, when I so choose. So now I’m off to write a funding proposal to Health Canada for a study of my very own:
Can knitters influence the gender of their children based on what colour of yarn they are knitting with when they try to conceive?
I mean, imagine how business would soar at the yarn shops! This could bring down yarn prices for the rest of us…
So, what gender of child do you think would result if knitting with, for example, this:
Or would the seacell content skew the results (because this is, of course, Handmaiden Sea Silk)? I’m so confused…
Good thing I’m not planning to conceive any time soon. With all the oatmeal in the house, all the mystery would be taken out of the process.
same old ball of wax 22 April 2008
Posted by brouhahahaha in knitting.Tags: Add new tag, claudia's, handmaiden, icarus, knitting
8 comments
I’ve decided that Icarus should be today’s Sunshine Girl (wonder if they still have that feature in the Sun? I know it’s not on page 3 any longer. Political correctness at its finest!)
Why? Because… I finished Chart 2!
And it only seemed to take about 2 1/5 years. Sigh.
I’m almost scared to start Chart 3 in case I end up in deepest Frogland again. Besides, this arrived in the mail quite by surprise yesterday
It is a replacement skein of yarn for part of a yarn kit I got some time back. Claudia’s laceweight silk – 1,100 metres of it! The shop which is conducting the Year of Lace 2008 knitalong unfortunately had some problems with the first batch of yarn.
I hadn’t thought I was going to get a replacement – the only problem with mine was that the colour was rubbing off the yarn quite badly. My hands looked like I had done battle with a jumbo bag of Doritos and then with two econo-packs of Hawkins cheesies. It is not an unusual look for me, as you might gather.
Anyway, isn’t the colour fabulous!? Can you see why I want to start a new project now?
But, onwards and upwards with the Icarus.
Maybe I should dip my hands in wax before starting to knit? Then again, this didn’t go all that well for the real Icarus:
(Hmm – the background colour here resembles the Claudia’s yarn, don’t you think? Is this a sign?)
Enough. Off to work to earn my yarn allowance the rent money.
Brouhaha at the flea market… 21 April 2008
Posted by brouhahahaha in Uncategorized.Tags: flea market, glass, spring, summer
10 comments
Sunday, I must say, was an amazing day in the life of Brouhaha.
First of all, proof of spring as I was leaving my apartment:
These are weeds, by the way, next to the forest near where I live. But isn’t the colour lovely?
I was headed downtown to meet my friend J for an afternoon trolling the flea market near her place. On the way, I saw this lovely item in a shop window
… and then passed yet more evidence of spring:
The fountains are on! (Actually, it’s an odd spring so far – today was 24 C/ 74 F… not complaining, let me tell you, but it’s odd – more like summer).
Anyway, I swung by and picked up J and then we headed to the St Lawrence Sunday Flea Market!
And, by the way, if you live in Toronto and have never hit this place, it’s at Front/Jarvis and it’s a complete blast. Where else can you come across great items like this:
Gotta love the butterflies!
Or, you can gaze upon beautiful glass like this:
and see novelty items like this:
(old toothpaste with some rotting teeth on top? And it’s yours for only $20!!!)
Or, blasts from the past like this:
(I thought Sinatra only had lusts, not loves. But hey… I believe everything I read in print!).
But now for a little tip from Brouhaha as to caution at fleamarkets and spending. For example, the above mag was priced at $30. Yet when one looks very closely at it, the date on the mag is … 1996. Hardly vintage.
I’m probably, mind you, a bit too cheap when I go on these outings. An example: I saw an Orthodox icon that looked somewhat like this (unfortunately couldn’t get a photo)
…except that it was all cracked and beaten up. Now, I have a very very strange attraction to old beat-up looking Orthodox iconic art…
and so I wanted the one I saw at the flea market. I couldn’t see the price tag in the back and asked J to decipher it for me. She peered at it and said “$6.50″.
I was thrilled, but then got scared because another guy came up and started playing with the doors. Then the vendor came along and took it away. I rushed up immediately and said “I’d like to buy that.”
“Really?”, he said.
I mean, I was dressed like a slob, but $6.50? Come on.
Well, of course it turned out that he actually wanted $650.00 for it.
Colour me embarrassed. I tried to give J hell for misleading me, but she felt I should have known she meant six-fifty. And, in that place, she was quite right…
But back to the main programme now. Sort of, anyway. For example, someone wanted $45 for these:
Now, if anyone knows when these big ugly glass grapes were popular, please Email me. I see them all the time at these flea markets… I can’t actually imagine anyone ever displaying them, let alone paying any serious money for them!
I was, however, tickled by this item I spotted:
And no, not Mickey – the kangaroo. This was a hopping kangaroo made by Fisher-Price. If you squeeze the little plastic bulb, it hops..
J and I (J is one of the Tenant Advocates, I should note) thought that this would be a perfect addition to our arsenal of rants against the state of the justice system. But not for $30. Sigh.
On our way out, we caught a look at this lovely glass bowl:
We did ask how much it cost (although knowing that it would be way, way too much for our bargain hunting pockets). The guy beat around the bush for about 10 minutes telling us that it was from Malta, etc. etc… then said “well, I’d have to charge you $120″. Probably not too much for the piece itself… but a wee hint to any vendors reading this: we don’t want the biography before the price. The spiel I got, I would have been turned off if he said “$10″ and would feel I was being ripped off.
Anyway, I did purchase some things, hit a local patio with J for a while, got a wee suntan and came home. A perfect afternoon.
But, you ask, what did I buy?
First, a fabulous lamp:
Only $10!!!! Isn’t it fancy?
And, I discovered another relative for the Duck family:
I must thank friend J for this discovery. Obviously, I was half asleep during my travels through the flea market. I’ve decided that this is Aunt Hortense from the fancy side of the family…. stay tuned!
But friend J is also very, very evil. She introduced me today to one of her favourite glassworks people, William of Goodfellow Designs (I can’t find a web link for him – I wish I could.)
So, I had to pick up these two pendant pieces:
(This one, he told me, cracked when he was first making it. So the little gold piece in the middle was an addition after the fact. When I told him it reminded me of an evil eye, he said “Oh, a 21st century evil eye! Cool.” Indeed.)
And this one…
This photo fails the piece, and words fail me to describe it.
So, all in all it was a fantastic Sunday, and I feel like a complete
Happy Monday to you!
is a picture worth a thousand words, or only ten? 21 April 2008
Posted by brouhahahaha in Uncategorized.Tags: cryptic, photography, sudoku, sweet
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Hey all: sick of busting your brain with Sudoku or crosswords? Here’s a new game to try…
I’ve decided to turn my love of wonky photos into an interactive blog… I’ll post one photo every day and people will be invited to come up with their very own captions – in 10 words or less.
Interested? Check out The Shorter The Sweeter today! And tomorrow… and the next day…and if you like it, why not pass it along?
Cheers,
Kristina
