On my Desk

1. I love post it notes.  In fact, one of the reasons I left the NHS was that they no longer had a budget for post-it notes*. My world is filled with them, stuck to books, on the computer, on the walls  - my progress chart for the book is a series of post-its that get moved around as patterns move through different stages.  Even Ellis insists that all of his toys are labeled with them and he gives me detailed instructions each morning on what I am to do with his "messages".

2. I have spotify or netflix on constantly whan I am working. I recently upgraded my RAM to 16GB so that I can have everything + photoshop running at the same time.  Its like computing nirvana.

3.  I have this thing about pens.  Seriously obsessive issues that they have to be black, roller ball and thick.  My handwriting is illegible otherwise.

4. I am totally in love with the new Simple Things magazine.  Love.  In the US there is this magazine, "Real Simple" which my mother saves for me by the boxfull, but this is SOOOOO much better. Its the kind of thing you want to savour with wine in the bath...which is exactly what I plan on doing tonight. 

5. Peeking out from underneath the mag is this great stitch dictionary. Its fabulous and really inspirational. Worth every penny!!

6. My phone - work avoidance #1. I have blocked everything on my computer - twitter, facebook, pinterest, ravelry, but not on my phone.  I am just too weak. Plus, I have read 4 books this week as I been sick on my kindle for the phone. My favourite was a newer Alice Hoffman, Seventh Heaven**.

7. I usually use these crochet hooks from America, but I don't have a 4.5mm and needed one, so I ordered an Addi swing.  I am so not in love with it.  It feels really bulky and horrible and my gauge is all over the place with it. I figured out that I hold my hand quite close to the hook and this won't let me.

8. Ruler - for gauge, for drawing diagrams, for scratching the hard to reach place right in the middle of my back.

9. Calculator.

10. I have laminated all of my favourite sizing tables. This one is brilliant for making any kind of children's head-wear. 

11. Yarn. Baron Green Back from Babylonglegs.  It sits on my deak as it refuses to tell me what it wants to be.  I think its because it wants to be knitted and not crocheted, but I am not sure. 

12. I currently operate a 3-moleskin regime.  1 design notebook. 1 for Capturing Childhood. 1 only for to-do lists. It works, until I lose one of the notebooks. 

13. Hooks and buttons.  My 2 favourite things.  They are also everyone else's favoruite things and the first item to go missing if my office door is left open.

14. Theo gave me a moose.  He insits it sits on my desk, I learned a long time ago, its never worth argueing with a 17 month old. 

* not strictly true, but it was a sign of impending doom.

** Mom, you might like it as it had a similar feel to the Third Angel.