Henna

I cannot tell you how much I love Henna, there is something so magical about what it does that I find it fascinating. I also enjoy the fact that you can have a tattoo for about 4 - 6 weeks with no commitment, no pain, and without the thought process of "Am I going to love this for the rest of my life?"
I wish I could explain where this love first came from, but alas I cannot. After searching and only able to find Henna at the Stampede Grounds I found henna pre-mixed in a cone. My excitement it later turned out was too good to be true as the stain would not last, it did not matter what I did to that henna it just would not last. I then went to every ethnic grocery store in the search for henna powder, only to find packets specific for ones hair, or packs of henna that needed to be run through a stocking 4 times to make it work. Time went on.
Then I discovered that there was a Henna workshop coming to town. So I signed up, spent 8 hours at this workshop and I must say I couldn't be happier. I bought around 3 boxes of this beautiful powder and put them in the freezer. Then I got together my supplies and started mixing, rolling cones and going crazy.
The largest challenge now was that I had no one to practice on. I have 3 friends that are always up for Henna but they are not easily accessible to me so this passion does not get to come out of the box very often. But it is there.
The most recent design I have done is:

See ya
- A

The Garlic Project Progress

So, I just thought I would track my nail growth progress over the last 2 months, it has been amazing! Thank you home made Garlic Polish!

 For once a post is going to be picture heavy and I am going to stay quiet.

Day 1 - March 29, 2013

Week 3

Now - May 9, 2013

Now - May 9, 2013

NOTD

NOTD

They May now even be longer than this, but I am sooo pleased.

What's been going on

So I have finished three knitting projects in the past couple of weeks, some of them were Christmas gifts, but they are done now and have reached their recipients.

Secondly, I have started using Coconut oil on my 'chicken skin' arms and I have got to say they have never been this amazing. No pictures of my arms, but if you have not used Coconut Oil for anything go and get some, it changed my life.
Next, the Garlic Project....WOW I am so impressed with how this has changed my nails, and it was so EASY, if only I could get everything I am trying to fix about myself in line this efficiently. My main goal was so that I could pain the backs of them a different colour than the fronts and this has been achieved. I feel like an arch nemesis that gets to sit around saying "Muwahahahaha".
Also and finally, Mom and I went on a little trip to Emerald Lake Lodge, you should check this place out, anyway on the drive up there we stopped at Baker Creek Bistro and I had Duck Confit Poutine.....
Then that night for Dinner we went to Truffle Pigs in Field and I could not decide what to have so I ended up with Pork Belly Nachos and Black Truffle Perogies with blueberry reduction sauce...
Then we were informed of the desserts OMG, everyone go, just go, right now to Truffle Pigs and your life will be a better place.
Then we stopped at Baker Creek Bistro on the way back from Emerald Lake Lodge and I had a Bison Calzone with Blood Orange Chutney and Pesto with Cashews. Must say it was a taste explosion and the best three meals of my life to date, and trust me, sadly, I have eaten, a lot, all over the place and I am not sure I will be the same again after those two days.

Lace Work

I am addicted to knitting lace, not too sure why, I think it is partly how amazing it is that something so beautiful can be created using only 3 stitches, and because I enjoy a challenge.

The lace project that I am working on was a Christmas gift for a friend of mine, but I am over ambitious and do not have the amount of time to dedicate to this art that I need to. This pattern is called Summit and was found through Ravelry on the the Knitty website, so pretty, feminine and yet surprisingly easy to knit and it has grown so quickly in the short amount of time that I have spent on it.
The yarn is nothing fancy it is Patons Lace as I  find  lace yarn is hard to come by, the variegation in this yarn though is really long, which I think helps the pattern and does not make the scarf too patchy which can happen with variegated yarns.

Finished!

I am almost finished another lace project, pictures should be there in a week or so...cross fingers.

What are your favourite types of knitting projects?