It's Monday - Time for Melange

My July 4th cake - a lot like last
year's July 4th cupcakes. I did
manage to finish up using the
red + blue icing.

Hello everyone - we are post-July 4th holiday weekend here in the U.S., and I hope everyone had a great time. While I was busy with projects (like, all day!), I actually took a cooking time out around 5:00 pm and made myself this version of bangers and mash (chicken apple sausage with parmesian/garlic potatoes baked in the oven, along with some rustic grainy mustard mixed with a little apple butter) as well as the cake. Can't go wrong with chocolate cake and homemade white icing. We also had a great evening for fireworks - this was the last of our sunset at about 9:15, an hour before the light show:

The gold/pink-ish color on the buildings in the distance is actually the remnants of the day's sun. Sunsets never cease to amaze.

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Isn't this Louisa Harding beaded
Grace and Mulberry Silk just stunning?

 It has been difficult in the first half of this year to not  talk about all the projects I'm working on (and continue  to work on - see above). I can only imagine how  others interpret all of the yarn I've been trotting out yet  don't seem to have any finished projects to show for it.  Just wait ... and of course, I revealed three newly  published projects on the 1st. I'll have more to say  about them at the end of the week, but please do take  a look at yet another photo of yarn currently on the  needles/hooks. I certainly am not complaining about  all of this yarny goodness - it's been a real pleasure  working with so many varied yarns. The nature of  designing (at least for me) is one of some secrecy.  Even if I were not contractually obligated to remain  silent until publication, I am always closed-mouthed  about what I'm currently doodling or drawing. I know  that might seem counterintuitive in our social media-  saturated world, yet it's the way I am. Everyone's got a  process, and that's mine.

At least for the moment.