Spots, socks and "what the?"s

Picked up at Salvos Lower Hutt, this set of large saucers (look more like side plates to me!) were NZ$5 the set. I'm pretty pleased with them as they look close enough like the Kate Spade Larabee Road plates I've been vaguely lusting after for months - but a lot lot cheaper! (There were cups too but they were truly fugly and were redonated quick smart.)

And speaking of a lot cheaper, I did craft last night!

Monday night has official been renamed "Monday night catch up" and the craft component is now purely optional. Good food, wine and conversation are still compulsory (except from E who, at almost 6 months, provides none of the above but makes up for it in entertainment value).

I have a new laptop for work which came with a very large, very heavy and very ugly laptop bag plus a doowhacky called an iBurst which means I can surf the net (and, I suppose more importantly, connect to the office from almost anywhere in the country). The laptop bag was replaced on Sunday by a large handbag I found on sale at DJs (see below) and I've ordered a wetsuit to further protect the contents.

But the iBurst was a problem until I saw a version of an iPod sock free on the front of a magazine at the supermarket. Far too colourful for my liking but it got me thinking. And idlely flicking through eBay. Until I came to my senses and realised I could probably knit one for free. So I did (using this black flecked wool.)TSS's nobrainer iPod, MP3, mobile phone or iBurst sock pattern

Using number 8 (4 mm) needles and double knitting yarn, cast on 39 stitches.
Knit 4 rows K1 P1 rib.
Change to K3 P3 rib and continue until your sock is long enough to cover the item you intend to protect.
Cast off and sew up side and bottom seam.

And, finally, a couple of frugalling coincidences. I found this for $NZ2 at the Te Omanga Hospice op shop in Lower Hutt:Yep, it's a City of Canberra souvenir table cloth. Most odd. I had to get it.

And the other coincidence was at Pegasus Books in Cuba Mall which had one lonely back issue of Urbis magazine for sale ($NZ5). Which just happened to be issue 2, the only one I'm missing. How weird was that?