I seem to be riding a wave of knitting nonchalance. I go through periods of "knitting gung-ho-ism", where the needles fly furiously, and I feel constantly inspired and driven to create. Then there are those days that turn into weeks where the desire to sit still and perform tedious, repetitive motions dwindles drastically. Ah, but wonderful knitting waits patiently for the next frantic "OMG! I MUST KNIT NOW!" moment (see Silk Garden Fair Isle). However, knitting blogs do not patiently wait. Sporadic once a month postings can't be ideal...thank goodness for bloglines! People would get tired of checking this site for updates!

So the point is, I haven't been knitting...much. After the quick chunky knit top, and the more complex, slightly frustrating SGFI, I needed a mindless, small gauge project.  Thermal!  I wasn't terribly thrilled with it at first, but I definitely changed my mind after seeing a few really cute ones floating around blog land. It's been just what I need, but Oh.My.Goodness, it's taking FOREVER. But, I love it, and hopefully I'll be done by the time the cold weather rolls around.

And yes, yes, I know I STILL haven't posted pictures of the 5-buck top or the SGFI. I have yet to take decent pictures of either. But until then, he's a sneak peak of of the 5-buck recycled top!

Observe the lovely waist shaping...

Working with chunky yarn is great, but can all too easily result in bulky, unflattering knits. Because fit is of supreme importance to me when working with this quick-knitting yarn, I added plenty of shaping for a perfect fit.

All my creative time has shifted from knitting to cooking! I've been working on a food project for my sister's birthday, so all my free time has been spent cooking, tweaking recipes, photographing, and EATING the results.

mmm, german chocolate cake in cupcake form! Thank goodness for spinning classes!

My whole family will be flying to Seattle tomorrow from Texas (me), Santa Barbara (little sis), and San Diego (parents) to hang out with my older sister for a quick week! SO EXCITED! I get to see my family twice a year, at most, so our little reunions are always a blast.

Hope you are all enjoying your summer!