Chroma Vest

I really like this Colour Block Tunic  from Fibre Co.

Somehow I got it into my head that I'd like to alternate the blocks using KnitPick's Chroma in Pegasus and a coordinating solid color.

So what do you think?

I finally figured out how much yarn I needed of the Chroma and the solid color. First I had to look up the yarn colors to figure out what the colors were!  I'm afraid Helvellyn didn't mean split pea soup green to me. I should probably order the yarn before Knit Picks says good-bye to Pegasus.

Latest Bargain

When I first went out on my own, I bought clothes and other things secondhand because that's what I could afford. I still do. I realized that more often than not I could obtain what I needed or wanted just as easily secondhand and save a lot of money. Jeans are a very good example.

I often have luck finding something I like much easier buying secondhand than retail. This silk skirt is a good example. I wanted a skirt like this to wear with my new tops. I had no idea how to find one. One day on a whim I went to the Salvation Army and there it was.

Eventually buying secondhand became something I did to keep items out of landfills and decrease retail demand and the use of non-renewal natural resources.  I really wonder if it ever occurred to anyone that demand for oil also comes from all the synthetic fiber clothing that people wear.

I also try to shop locally. However, my allergy to artificial scent and the use of gas for the car limits my activity. If I need to buy new clothing, I'll look on-line first to limit my trips. This year was a good example. I wanted a white tank top for under a lacy summer shirt.  This year is the year of spandex (also made out of oil) and I'm allergic to it. I could only find a natural fiber tank top without spandex on Macy's web site.  I ordered it and will be picking it up tonight at its store.

I also buy secondhand on-line, too.  That way I can indulge my preferences for vintage items not easily found. My last buy is a good example:

As a cat lover, I like wearing cat earrings and I could not resist these.  The cats are beautifully modeled. I bid more than I usually would on the auction because the rings are gold and the cats silver and was surprised when I won them. At least this time I can also claim they're an investment. Cat earrings are a harmless fetish and more stylish than cat t-shirts.

Now the Planting is Done

After contemplating my window box for a few days, I decided that it needed a little help. Eventually I decided to buy more of the same Sorbet Beaconsfield violas to add to the ends of the box. I'm glad I did. I realized later that there was no room for trailing plants. The ends of the box are jammed against the railing.

I bought the second box of violas from a local food co-op. They weren't in as good shape as the others. Some grew taller trying to reach light. I put them in back. Two Sorbet Beaconsfield violas went in back and I put three in front with a fourth slightly farther back on the inside. I pinched all the flowers off because somewhere I read that British gardening expert Monty Don recommended it for getting the roots to develop further. A couple violas are kind of stringy. I learned that I could pinch them back like the cat mint and did so. I think the planter looks better.

The cat mint is still small, but looks like it's happy. I pinched both plants back to make them branch more. It's in the back to the right of the purple verbena. There are a lot of little shoots and some flower buds. I love the colors in this photo.

I bought two verbena I didn't need. One was an upright one so I paired that with the other in this pot. I added mostly blue lobelia with a little white. The medium blue lobelia was hard to find. Someone at a local garden center said it was more popular. 

My flower pots make me inordinately happy so far.  I don't know why. I hope I'm consistent in watering them and that they do better this year.