peaches 'n picots

It's peach season!! Woot!! I love peaches!

And really...is there any better pairing than peaches and picots?

I think not!

Happy Wednesday!

Cotty socks by IGK in STR 'Peek-a-boo peony'

Hot shop

First off, a Crooked Brook sock has been completed. Yay!!

I thought I'd share a few more pictures from the Museum of Glass. The above montage shows images of the inside of the Hot Shop...the glass studio where visiting artists come and work in front of a live audience, a display of some of the work by the current visiting artist, one of the outdoor installations, and a view of the hot shop from the outside.

This outdoor installation, Mirrored Murrelets by Joseph Gregory Rossano, is part of a rotating series of displays that are exhibited on different plazas outside the museum.

The hot shop is complete with many hot ovens and various and sundry tools needed to achieve the artistry the creator envisions. You can read more about the hot shop here.

It is truly amazing to watch all these people move around each other, the ovens and the various flames. It is like a dance. They are totally aware of who, what and where so as not to burn themselves, each other, or break something. Fascinating.

The guest artist pictured here is Lisa Zerkowitz.

The personal protective equipment is donned when a person takes the finished object and transports it rapidly from the working oven

to the annealing oven, where the glass object is allowed to cool slowly.

Not only has the first sock been finished, the second one has been cast on. No SSS at Chez NK!!

I almost forgot...one last thing...I loved the attention to detail in the restroom at the Museum of Glass...even the soap catchers were one of a kind.

Happy Monday!

Blondie Love

Not the group or the comic strip.

The cookie!

They kept turning up in Food Blogs. I couldn't resist.

Look at that rich coconut goodness. Yum.

These delights were to be shared with friends, but sadly, our evening together fell through. I will definitely make them again for our re-do!!

The basic recipe and more glamour shots can be found here, here, or here.

Bon Appetit!

Friday's Flowers: This 'n That

Oh, the summer night
Has a smile of light
And she sits on a sapphire throne.
~Barry Cornwall

an artful city

'Lest you think my knitting has fallen by the wayside, not to worry! The needles are alive and well with a new project...more on that if you make it to the end of this post! Hah! Bribery.

This yummy Dream in Color yarn was the harbinger of blue skies over the holiday weekend!

This is one of two Crystal Towers that stand on the center of the Bridge of Glass that links downtown Tacoma with the Museum of Glass.

From the bridge, you can see the back of the courthouse. From the front of the courthouse, the glass sculptures are being nicely backlit by the early morning sun. I was totally mesmerized by the reflections on the floor.

A large Chihuly fixture also hangs from the ceiling, and there are more glass sculptures that are out of view from the lens. I wish I worked here.

This is just a sampling of the glass panels that form the ceiling of the 'Seaform Pavilion' on the bridge. There are 24 panels containing over 2300 forms. They are stunning. The Venetial Wall lines one side of the bridge and houses 109 glass sculputres in individual cubicles. It isn't a lovely photograph by any means, but I think you can get a feel for its immenseness and the intricacy of each of these large pieces.

From our hotel room you could see the glass towers on the Bridge of Glass...they are the bright spots of light in the center of the middle image.

Later, images from the hot shop and the visiting artist. Way cool stuff.

You made it this far...knitting time!!!

I'm using the DiC Smooshy in 'Some Summer Sky' (how appropriate is that name?!) to make the Raindrop Shawl that was offered in this month's sock club kit from Woolgirl. I may have to dub it Summer Rain.

Have a wonderful Friday-eve!

Let them eat cakes

Yes...I did say cake!!

First up is birthday cake for Mr. NK!!

I was inspired by what I saw here.

I used a recipe from the Cake Doctor and made a mint buttercream frosting with just a smidge, a very small smidge, of green food dye.

Served a la mode.

Honestly, if we hadn't left the remaining cake with my parents, we would've had cake a la mode for breakfast, too.

Next up is Hello, Cupcake. We were in Tacoma visiting the Museum of Glass (more on that later!) where we saw this cute little shop, which happened to be open over the holiday weekend. Lucky, lucky us.

Second breakfast.

Really.

His and Hers Hors d'oeuvres.

Mine would be the Cotty sock. I love the sock, love the yarn, and we loved the crab cakes!

Back to the weekend for just a second...The Museum of Glass was awesome. If you've ever been there you know the area is a photographic mecca of art and architecture. Rotating glass installations around the plazas surrounding the museum provide an everchanging visionscape. The centerpiece of the area is the Chihuly bridge of glass. Hundreds (probably thousands) of pieces designed by Dale Chihuly are on display on this bridge.

Needless to say, I took a lot of pictures...a LOT! I'm getting them organized and will be sharing some of them with you...Not to worry, I have knitting show and tell, too!!

We had a total blast over the holiday weekend. I hope you all had an awesome weekend as well!

Happy Tuesday!!

Cotty sock pattern by IGK in STR 'Peek-a-boo peony'

Friday's Flowers: The eyes have it!

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.
~Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Thank you all for your kind comments and birthday wishes for Mr. NK yesterday!! He had a great day, and there might even be some cake pictures coming up!

I wish you all a wonderful weekend!!