Happy New Year!

This will be my last post of 2006. I've been blogging for over a year and have really enjoyed the people I've met thru the internets! Of course, all of my Los Angeles sister-knitters and crocheters have been more than generous this year with their praise of my yarny projects. I've "met" yarn-a-holics from as far away as Brazil, London and Yugoslavia thru this blog. I would never have even known about these fellows fiber artists if it hadn't been for "L.A. Is My Beat" and for our wonderful West Hollywood Stitch 'n Bitch group.
First and foremost, I'm thankful for my family (especially Mr. Larry), all of my relatives, my long-time friends, neighbors and other assorted people in my life.
I live a blessed, colorful and creative life in the best City in the world. I love you all, especially Los Angeles!
I leave you with a photo of the Vortex of Los Angeles and the cultural center of my life, The Original Farmers Market. It's a place where magic happens.

Happy New Year!

Works In Progress

Lizard Ridge Crochet - Noro Kureyon Yarn

Now that the holidays are over, I'm finally able to get back to a few WIPs (works in progress) I have hangin' around. I started a crocheted version of the faboo Lizard Ridge Afghan that I read about on knitty.com. Lots of people are making the knitted version. Knitting the blocks was just too slow for me, so I received a clue from A Mano's Shannita about this wavy crochet pattern. I modified it to look more like the knitted pattern and started crocheting! I purchased some sale Noro Kureyon online in 3 different shades. I'm crocheting the afghan in one piece, since the color changes in this yarn are long. I just love how the pattern looks. For my next attempt at this stitch I may just use 3 colors: 2 different colors for the waves and one color for the single crochet-outline row. It's intoxicating.

While I was thinning my yarn stash last week I noticed that I had a large amount of thin Lionbrand Chenille yarn. Since my boss's granny afghan turned out so beautifully, I decided to make a granny chenille afghan using up all of that yarn. When I get tired of crocheting Lizard Ridges, I switch over to granny squares.

Granny Squares - Lion Brand Chenille Yarn

Of course, I have a few more WIPs hangin' around, but that will be for another post!

Christmas in L.A.

Christmas Lights on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills

Larry and I had a nice Christmas break. I didn't have to go into the office for 6 days! It was very restful. Of course we exchanged gifts! There were practical gifts (shirts, socks, kitchen stuff, car stuff, etc.) and there were fun gifts (books, CDs, jewelry, hats, etc.).

Lots of Gifts

I baked cookies for the neighbors. I thought I'd make all Jewish bakery delights this year. I made mandelbread, macaroons and rugelach. Everything turned out sweet and delicious. I'd never made rugelach before, but I heard the recipe on NPR and just had to try it. It was not difficult, but a few too many steps for me. It did turn out beautifully though. Sorry, no photos this time...all of the cookies were eaten up too quickly!

I even made a nice Christmas dinner for us.....the usual, turkey, stuffing, yams, peas. For dessert, we had pumpkin ice-cream pie in a graham cracker crust.

Christmas Turkey Dinner

Most of Christmas day was spent reading our new books and listening to our new CDs.

Christmas Jewelry

I did have time to go thru my yarn stash and actually clear out about 35 years of old crunchy acrylic yarn. I ended up with 6 huge garbage bags to donate to various charities. I saved aside some primo yarn to take to the WeHo SnB this week for my fellow yarn-a-holics to go thru.

I'm back at work today and tomorrow, then off again from 12/29 thru 1/2.

Happy New Year everyone!

WeHoHoHo SnB Party

We all had a great time at the WeHoHoHo SnB Party last night. I've added lots of pictures here for you to see. People brought goodies to munch. It was Faith's b-day, so we celebrated that too. Everyone was knitting, crocheting, eating, drinking and having a marvelous time. Thanks to Natalie for organizing our Yarn-Santa-Swap....it was hilarious. Mr. Larry showed up to take a few pictures and I snapped some too. There was much photo snapping going on.....you should definitely check out the WeHo SnB Ring bloggers for more pix!

Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas and Peaceful Kwanza to all of you. See you next week!

Blogger Holidays

Jingle Bell Uke Rocker

Neil at Citizen of the Month has posted the First Annual Blogger Christmahanukwanzaakah Online Holiday Concert . I can't believe he placed my song first! Oy! Mr. Larry helped me record and film the song. When I watch it online, my voice and the picture are not synchronized. Oh well, that makes it all the more entertaining!

Anyway, if you want to see all of the participants in the concert...songs and photos, go to this site. Neil did an excellent job of organizing the music and photos. He's such a mensch. Be sure to check out Neil's own "How to Make Latkes." I call it the "Latke Rap." It's tuneful (sort of) and instructional too.

Brandi Crochets

Brandi @ SFTH

My good friend, Brandi Dailey is the manager at the Stitches From The Heart Yarn Shop in Santa Monica. We met almost 7 years ago at another local SM yarn shop in a group that crocheted and knitted items for women's shelters in the Santa Monica area. Eventually, the founder of Stitches From The Heart found our group and recruited us to knit and crochet for preemies across the country.

Brandi is always coming up with crochet innovations and new designs. She almost always wears one of her creations (see the faboo poncho above). Brandi has an exquisite sense of color. You should see some of the small dog sweaters she crochets!

This year, Brandi crocheted and felted eyeglass cases for her holiday gifts. They are simply gorgeous!

Brandi's Felted, Crocheted Eyeglass Cases

Plush Holidays

Wishing you a PLUSH holiday season!

This weekend Larry photographed my hand-crocheted Ellen and Larry Plush Dolls for our holiday card. It took me a few weeks to finish the dolls, but only an hour or two for Larry to pose and photograph them; then another few hours to print the cards, address the envelopes and mail.
Everytime I look at Plush Ellen and Plush Larry, it gives me a giggle.
Hope you holidays are faboo!

Granny Goodness

Natalie's Custom Gift Tag

Taa Daa! I finished the border on the granny afghan gift for my boss's holiday gift. Thanks to Natalie for creating faboo gift tags for me this past summer. They really make all of my custom gifts look professional.

The afghan is perfect for the couch...it's about the size of the top of a twin bed. I hope David likes it. He should like it....he requested a colorful, classic granny afghan!

Speaking of Natalie, she's the party organizer for our WeHo Stich 'n Bitch. Natalie and a few of her helper elves, go all out to make our parties fun. In the past, she's organized a Summer Tiki SnB, Wig Night, 2 Halloween celebrations and our upcoming Holiday SnB. The WeHo SnB Holiday celebration is next Thursday, December 21st from 7-9 at the Original Farmers Market in our usual meeting place, the upstairs dining area, over Kip's Toyland. Each stitcher should bring a skein of yarn to add to Santa's Gift Sack. Toward the end of the party, each of the participants will be able to grab a new ball of yarn from Santa's Sack! What fun! Hope to see you there.

Compatto 'n Me

L.A. Times Business Section - 12/13/06

FINALLY, the article about Compatto Yarn Salon appears in the L.A. Times Business Section today. The writer, Ron White interviewed me over the phone awhile back because I'd written about visiting this lovely Santa Monica yarn shop on my blog. It's a good article even though Ron gave my age as "40-ish" (not, but I'm OK with THAT mistake) AND he didn't mention the NAME OF MY BLOG, L.A. Is My Beat. Oh well, a mention is a mention and I'm grateful. I'm also glad to have the little yarn shops of the area given attention.

On the actual yarn front, I've finished another Kitty Kat Hat in a blue, tweedy Cascade yarn. LOVE this pattern that my friend, Amy invented.

Compatto, A Yarn Salon, 2112 Wilshire Blvd. (between 21st St. & 22nd St.) Santa Monica, CA 90403, Phone: 310.453.2130; Fax: 310.453.2134; info@compattoYarnSalon.com

Felt Club

Crowds descend on the Unkranian Cultural Center

The Felt Club held their annual holiday sale this past Saturday at the Ukranian Cultural Center in Hollywood. This is a crafty group that meets throughout the year to impart their good craftiness on the public. The place was packed solid with vendors and buyers. There were raffle drawings from the stage and music. There was food, drink and endless amounts of crafty inspiration.

Crafty Goodliness

I arrived at around 1:30pm and had to park blocks away due to the crowds. The Uke Ctr. does not have a parking lot. The crowds were so intense, that I could barely move, once inside. I ended up cruising the aisles, taking some photos, saying hello to a few friends and then escaping. I didn't buy anything because I really couldn't see anything that well. The lighting inside the hall was really poor and the booths were way too close together. One smart craftser brought portable lights for her table. She sold lots of stuff. This group needs a larger, better lit venue.

I did see Christine from Tooknap Press. She may drop by the Thursday WeHo SnB this week to sell more of her divine handspun yarn. I also saw world-famous histotainer and L.A. man-about-town Charles Phoenix, looking bewildered. Matt Groening was in attendance too, probably looking for new characters for The Simpsons

Christine from Tooknap

Charles Phoenix

Once I was able to make my way back to the front door I spied two hip-chicks eating gelato. I asked them where they got their treats. They pointed to a little shop around the corner on Heliotrope called Scoops. I had a very nice scoop of vanilla and caramel gelato.

Scoops has Vegan Gelato

Gelato Lover in Felt Club Hat

Hey..shout out to Regina...Scoops has bacon gelato...it's yummy! I took a few more photos and left the throngs of Hollywood.

This Saturday, many of the same vendors and more will be at the Bizarre Bazaar at the Shrine Exposition Hall near USC. We went last year and it was faboo.

Parties, Parties, Parties

Santa AT NPA Party in WLA

We had a hectic and fun-filled weekend. The holiday party season is upon us. Friday we were invited to a party at NPA (National Promotions and Marketing) on Overland near Palms. Some of our friends from the Modern Committee of the L.A. Conservancy put the word out about this gala. It seems that the owners of this promotion company are collectors. They have old neon signs, various fantastic sculptures, vehicles, memorabilia and a 1950's Greyhound Bus in the compound. If fact, the Greyhound is actually the lobby of their office. You walk thru the bus to get into the building. The bus driver is a grey hound, of course.

'Lobby' of NPA

Grey Hound Bus Driver

NPA Neon Sign Collection

My worlds collided at this party. There were people there from a few of my old entertainment jobs (Henson, Castle Rock, 20th Century Fox); people from the ModCom; people from my blues radio days and more. There were losts of celebs and sho-biz types at this fete. One of my fave bands, The Dave and Deke Combo were performing. The food and drink were flowing. There was all kinds of alternative entertainment. It was truly an extravaganza!

Saturday night we attended a private party at a home in Santa Monica. Great group...faboo party. Thanks, Nancy!

Sunday, we drove over to Echo Park for Peter Shire's Pottery Sale and Christmas Party.

Echo Park

Peter Shire Outdoor Sculpture

This event was mentioned in the L.A. Times today. In addition to this being a pottery sale of Peter's work, it was a benefit for Echo Park Animal Alliance. Lots of well-behaved dogs were standing in line to have their photos taken with Santa.

Unidentified Lady, Santa and Peter Shire

Peter's EXP Studio

Mr. Larry at Peter Shire's EXP Studio

Ellen in the Kiln Area - Shire Studio

Peter's studio complex is another whimsical and fun place, filled with his gorgeous pottery, teapots and constructions. I picked up a few hostess gifts for the season and took lots and lots of colourful photos. They had a table of sweets and savories. My personal favorites were the Cheese Trees with crackers.

Incredible Cheese Trees

Retro Nuevo Banner

This blog is ALLLL about ME, ME, ME. To borrow a line from my friend Rhoda, it's "THE MIMI SHOW."

Thanks so much to Miss Kendra for re-instating my good ol' banner, designed by Laurie. Both of you are artistic giants!!! I had another weblog host awhile back and the lovely Laurie offered to design a banner for me using my own artwork. She gave me many designs. She even added to my mantra...."L.A. is my beat....from Boyle Heights to the Beach...from Manchester to Mullholland." (that's from my radio days). Laurie added... "from the first stitch to the very last." She is an idea person, you know.

The Yarny Design

The Hollywood - Movie Town Design

The Ellen on a Postage Stamp Design

Ellen's Skyline Artwork + Laurie's Clever Addtion

to the Ellen Mantra making it L.A. and Yarny!

I finally decided to use the final banner with 'Ellen' in a leopard headband and glasses portrait, because it's closest to what I really look like.

After having trouble with the old host, I switched to Blogger and just chose one of their standardized templates. I've enjoyed the pinkness of the old template, but I was yearning to use my customized banner. The wonderful Miss Kendra offered to help with the slight re-design. She has helped many of us in the West Hollywood SnB Ring with our page designs.

Hats off to our tech-savvy chix, Kendra and Laurie!!! Thanks for making my RETRO design all NUEVO again.