Essex Has More To Offer Than A Truffle

The emergence of Truffle Magazine made me curious about its competition. Amazingly, there are several freely-distributed, high-end glossies with professional production values reflecting the connection to and commitment of the editorial and contributing staff to their communities. This list is by no means exhaustive; but if a bite of Truffle Magazine leaves you with an appetite for a meal, you can check out some of the competition:

Essex Works eMagazine

SO Essex

Essex Style

Essex Life

West Essex Life

In-Magazine

RM Magazine

Eyes Wide Open

As the end of the year approaches, I’ve been reflecting on the ongoing efforts of those in the Friends group on Ravelry, our allies and partners and recognizing that the struggle we’ve been engaged in for most of 2012 (and many before then) has been a struggle for justice.  

It is an injustice that designers, writers, photographers, employees, contractors, printers, many commercial vendors, advertisers, landlords, subscribers, lace, sock, and amigurumi club members either:

• Weren’t paid for goods or services they provided
• Weren’t provided goods they paid for
• Didn’t have their goods transferred to be published by the purchaser of the magazines sold by the Administrator
• Didn’t have their goods submitted for payment and publication returned as promised
• Had patterns sold on without payment or in violation of contract or where no contract existed
• Had work published without permission or payment
• Saw goods paid for provided to the public free for download from the Internet
• Allegedly had advertising run without agreement
• Were engaged to collect disputed or uncollectible debts

For a history and more detail: Click

AND MORE THAN ANYTHING

To have the reasons for and the defense of the above and more be that mistakes were made and the companies’ liability is limited under UK law. To quote the oft quoted Mr. Bumble from Oliver Twist:

“…the law is an ass—an idiot. If that’s the eye of the law, the law is a bachelor; and the worst I wish the law is that his eye may be opened by experience—by experience.” 

There are those who still sleep, doze, or continue to imbibe the intoxicating potion ladled out by those whose refuge has been and remains the crenellated walls of the law and who publicly swear that certain individuals have done no wrong. Personally, I wish you well with that. Hope it works for you. But I fear, and think I speak for many more than you know, that one day you will reap Mr. Bumble’s wish and find out the worst: that your eye has been opened by experience.

Toupie and Some Knitting

Toupie caught in the handle of a plastic bag

My pet companion: Toupie.  I adopted Toupie when he was just 8 weeks old. His mum had been found preggers on the side of the road in West Virginia. He was named Toupie by the women who rescued his mum because at six weeks he'd jumped from their second-story railing into the living room.

 

Toupie has never lost that sense of adventure. He loves doing "hall runs" to the trash room with me. Loves people attention and can be counted on to turn on the I am so cute charm whenever he encounters perfect strangers in the hallway. He is, of course, well known to the neighbors and staff.

 

When he was just a kitten handful, I used to cradle him like a baby or put him up against my chest with his head on my shoulder and rub his back and scratch his head. To this day, he'll get in my lap and curl up to be cradled or put his paws on my chest and snuggle.

 

He had a spate of yarn chasing today, a rarity for him. He usually perfers his toys, a balled up piece of paper, or currently, the fortune cookies in wrappers I received last week.

 

Knitting:

 

I am beginning to think knitting down my stash will take years.  Tomorrow is Cyber Monday and I am anxious to get some yarn for coat--if it goes on sale. I am encouraged in that I've finished at least one item, sometimes two a week, since before Labor Day. Here is the second item from last week:

This beret will match the ShapeIt! Scarf.

I am currently knitting this gaiter for a biking colleague:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Just Have to Share

 

 

Loes Veenstra is a sympathetic lady Rotterdam, in the 2 nd Street Carnisse live in Rotterdam. She is 78 years old and knits sweaters all her life. She does so with great pleasure, that her whole house now overflowing with these colorful crafts. There are more than 500. If you already have those beautiful knits together looks, you automatically think: who should really be worn by anyone, even if only for a time.

On 10 November 2012, in a special way the life work of Loes made ​​visible. Then there namely under the title "The jerseys Loes" a Flashmob place in the 2nd Carnisse Street.

A Little Can Go A Long Way

I've been moved by this article and it supports something I firmly believe: It doesn't take much to make a difference for the good but it does require thoughtfulness.

Knitting down the stash continues:

Purl Berret to match Miami Vice Shawl

 

Neat and New

I have treated myself recently to some little luxuries:

Grapefruit Saver
Totally cute and utilitarian, except for the times when I eat the entire grapefruit.

Grapefruit Spoons
Makes separating the fruit from the rind a one-stop operation. You just have to be careful of the serrated edges when eating.

Oxo Good Grips Jar Opener
My nutcracker is feeling neglected. A bottle of Australian wine with a screwtop prompted this purchased.

New Book Release
I am sentenced to be a Gladiatrix; a mercy or so they told me. Roman Justice is for Roman citizens, not for Celts like me. My father the bard sang the wrong songs and is dead, my husband is drowned in the marshes, and none of my kin will dare raise a voice against our oppressors lest they too suffer. I must learn to fight with the trident and net. With the blessing of the Goddess I will live long enough to earn my wooden sword and freedom.
Linda Gruchy has finally released Gladiatrix. Read more about the book and Linda here.

Knitting:

I lightly blocked both these items.

Miami Vice Shawl



Shape It! Scarf

 

 



 

Fruiting body of a subterrean mushroom

Never have so many remained in such wonder at the continual but repeated failure of an identical few to produce either a digital or print publication with correct English grammar and spelling, with in-focus photography that clearly illustrates the subject, and that doesn't reek of the derivative and rehashed. The latest attempt at cool by this crew is Truffle Magazine, a new magazine for Bishops Stortford to Saffron Walden, which has had a mere 582+ views and a two-star rating on Yudu at the time of this post. And lest there be any confusion, the masterminds behind this latest media foray are Kerrie Allman, Editor, and Claire Barzilay-Smith, Ad Sales, both formerly of All Craft Media (ACM). 

For those of you local to the above, a link may arrive in your email, or you might encounter the handbag-sized publication at your local market, dry cleaners, hair salon or jammed in with the other circulars in you mail or as a newspaper insert. If you are visiting, it’s bound to be in the hotel room folder among all the other flyers touting local interest. For the rest of the world, encountering this sorry attempt at lifestyle and local interest is a purely voluntary and vicarious venture.

Smitten with Mittens

That’s me. I finished my first pair of convertible mitts and finished another pair of fingerless mitts and made them convertible as well. While I intend to move on to gloves (after I finish the beret currently on the needles), I am in love with convertible mitts. They keep your fingers warm when outside. But the top flips off and your fingers are free to pull out the credit/debit card or to fumble for change.