"No Face" Project

If you haven't watched Spirited Away yet, DO! It's such a wonderful story and it's beautifully done. I think it is my favorite animated film ever.
In this story there is a character, who at first looks just like a regular customer of the bath house, and a very wealthy one too. However, when he is allowed in, he turns into an enormous and terrifying monster called No Face, swallows three spirits and makes an awful mess of the whole place.
Well, this is pretty much how I would sum up my renovation project. It started innocently and then turned into a monster of gigantic proportions.
This is our living room in its monster-like glory. This picture was taken just a couple of days ago.



Actually I think that No Face is beginning to get better and am hoping to be rid of it in about 2 weeks time. Everyone is involved in bringing this about!




Luckily No Face doesn't mind socks, so this is what I have been knitting to keep my sanity intact. It's perhaps not much of a surprise given that SOCKS, SOCKS, SOCKS! workshop starts this Saturday and I need some sock models.

Every now and then I manage to escape No Face and I seek exile in places like The Duke of Cambridge, where I met Iwona yesterday for our first session of her second round of the knitting course. She's just come back from one of my favorite places (here comes 3rd portion of my randomness): Tatra mountains.



It was so lovely (for the thunder storm was raging outside!), sitting there knitting a sock, keeping an eye on the shrug and sipping deliciously zingy lime drink, and chatting.

Sheep Lane, E8

On my way to last session of YCK I saw this:



The session was arranged to take place in London Fields, to honour the World Wide Knitting in Public Day on 9th of June. I must say, it was an extraordinarily productive last session (Iwona's shrug is nearly finished!!!) It was such a pleasure to knit outdoors. We were chatted up by people, asking us about knitting or telling us stories (about great aunt knitting Shetland sweater on 8 DPNs).

Afterwards we went to Fabrications...



...where I bought this:




Lovely recycled DK wool by Annie Sherburne. I just love her stuff!



Isn't this horse magical!?



After that I was picked up by Nick & children and we went off to...



Kenwood House!

Heath is such a wonderful place!
L&C had a photography lesson from N and these are pics of the trees by them. The last one really reminds me of a painting rather than a photograph.




(Randomness contd.) I went to Liceum in Opole.

Opposing Forces?

I have been totally distracted from knitting lately and throwing huge amounts of elan at our lovely Victorian house, bits of which are begging to be restored.

I have recently tagged myself after reading Sarah's post on Randomness and wonderful post by Kendra on secrets.

The rules:"Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog."

Well, the thing number 1 that you don't know about me is that as a child (and before it occurred to me that knitting is a pretty damn hard thing to quit) I entertained an idea of becoming an antique paintings restorer. I imagined myself restoring ancient works of art and remember thinking that it would be a rather cool job to do. Actually, when it comes to think about it, the thought still appeals to me. Who knows? As it is at the moment, I satisfy my need to bring the inner beauty out of things by stripping 100 years' worth of layers of paint from period cupboards, sash windows (having undone them first!) &ct.



To Be Continued (read: I will cover the 7 random things in the course of this month.)

Whilst I restore the house to its former glory my beloved daughter is busy adorning it as best as she can:


This, I think, might be an elephant of sort, but cannot be sure. ON A KITCHEN CHAIR! (Sigh) Dear.





These remind me of Beegu - first one on the tall plant stand and the second one on the wall, by the focal point fireplace in the sitting room. She knows her strategic places, does she not?

I think I might have grown a little artist.

PS: It takes 2 pairs of medium sized men's socks worth of time to strip one tall period cupboard, one room's worth of skirting boards, one door frame and one sash window. I cannot decide whether it's a good or poor result?