Design Star

As you may have noticed, "Red Hat Writings" has a new look!  I'm really excited about it!  My sister Fallon actually helped me decide on the current design, since I have an EXTREMELY hard time making up my mind (especially when it's design related and there are SO many choices!).


I have just returned from a 2 week dream in Maine.  Unfortunately I had to "wake-up" and return to reality, needless to say I didn't want to leave.  I love it in Maine.  I couldn't get enough since my first trip one year ago.  I bought local Maine yarn from Done Roving farm at Quilt Diva's in Rockland.  The colorways are to dye for ;)  They're so vibrant and fun I had to resist buying up the whole stock.  I bought a skein last year and made my "Autumn's Leaves Scarf".  I'm still in the process of taking more photos for my Ravelry account, but there are a few up there and the name is very fitting for the colors just scream "Fall in New England!"  I bought 2 more skeins on my trip this summer: one for Fallon, which I'll use to make her own version of "Autumn's Leaves" in "Mandarin Lime", and one for me of course, a woolier yarn called "Sky Blue Pink".  I'm still not sure what I'll make with it but with all the yarn and projects I have going on, I really need to learn to pace myself.  


I finally finished my first knitting project "The 4 o'clock Scarf" and I LOVEEE it!  I can't wait for Fall!  It's so soft and gorgeous and I still have a skein left over and I decided that I'll make a matching hat with it. I;m almost done with my "Brattleboro" hat and I think I'll do the "4 o'clock" in a similar style.


As always, I'm really behind in uploading pictures with all my accounts: here, Facebook, Ravelry.  My camera's memory card is currently in some "safe place" in my boyfriend's car.  The "safe place" was created because I had used up all my memory space while in Maine and started to take pictures without it.  I put it there so I wouldn't forget it, and well we all know how that turned out...


Nevertheless when I do get it back, I'll go upload crazy and post everything!


While in Maine I started reading "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett and I just finished it a few days ago.  I can only use one word to describe it: Amazing.  Simply engrossing.  Seriously, all I wanted to do was read it.  I devoured that book and I recommend it to everyone.  I'm curious about the movie, but as a reader and writer, I will (almost) always love the book so much more (though I am a huge fan of film and would really love to get into it more).  Stockett's writing style is captivating and I was hooked before Chapter One finished.  Read "The Help", you won't regret it!


And if anyone has a book recommendations, I would be so pleased to read them!  I'm really open to anything and am currently looking for a new book.  I started "The Secret Life of Bees" last night, a recommendation from my best friend Elise.  I'm only a chapter into it so far but it's really got my attention.


I visited a local winery while in Maine, Breakwater Vineyards.  It was one of the most fascinating experiences.  Not only is the owner's plantation style home beautiful, but the mountain and ocean view is simply breathtaking!  Wine is a growing passion of mine (my blog's background is very fitting), but the whole process of wine making and running a vineyard is a new interest of mine and I'm really curious to learn more about it.  I would love to live in Maine and owning a winery would be amazing!  I read an article in "Discover Maine" magazine about the Maine Wine and it was really eye opening.  There's a lot that goes into running a winery, but one the the greatest challenges has been the New England climate.  Yet, so many have overcome this hurtle and there are over 12 wineries in Maine.  WHat really interested me was that so many of the also had shops that sold local products and crafts.  i would love to maybe someday have a shop to sell some of my crocheted and knitted crafts, as well as maybe my writing.


My blog, I realized, is kind of unorganized, but it works (or at least I think it does...:P).  It started as a place to vent and share my writing and feelings and now has evolved into a photo gallery, craft's corner, book reviewer, and more.  I'm really very happy with how this whole endeavor has turned out and even though I don't always get to write and share and post as much as I would like to, I still love this opportunity.


That is all for today, off to watch Jeopardy with the sis and kick some butt! ;)