Monthly Digest | April 2022

April 30, 2022August 4, 2025 ClassicBhaer4 Comments

Hey all and welcome to a bit of a review of the previous month! Spring has officially sprung bringing with it a ton of rain and pollen. While I did really enjoy falling asleep to the steady rain this past month, I am not too thrilled with the pollen that is making me sneeze left and right. But, I will say overall this month has kept me busy in a really good way!

Reading

The first book I read this month was The War of the Poor by Èric Vuillard. I originally picked this book up because I read a book by the author in the past. While I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, I was not too keen on there not being footnotes or endnotes to support their nonfiction book. I will be honest though, I am not sure if the intention of this book was meant to be nonfiction as well so I decided to do a little digging. The reason I had the expectations of this book being nonfiction is due to it’s tags on goodreads; History, Nonfiction, French History, but on the publishers site is quoted as saying, “A dazzling piece of historical re-imagining” Pan Macmillan. So, I feel like individuals are mislabeling this historical fiction novella as nonfiction, which is unfortunate. Obviously, this is no fault of the author by any means, but it does change how I see this novella. The writing was engaging to say the least. This was a topic I studied a lot during my time in University, but it was really interesting seeing it portrayed in this manner. Even though I read about this time in history I was not bored or felt like I was experiencing Déjà vu. I read it in two sittings and I only put it down the first time because I needed to get to sleep. Overall, I ended up giving the book 3 stars!

Crochet, Knitting and Crafting

I completed two large projects this month, the first being a Ranunculus, my first wearable and I am actually quite proud of it. I ended up wearing it the day after I finished it! I can see why so many people love this pattern, it was a project I never hesitated to pick up and it worked up quite quickly. It had some new things I needed to learn, but I am always open to learn something new.

The second big project I finished was my Saraya Shawl, which I plan on wearing to a friends wedding later this Spring. This pattern was written by Saysha Greene and was published in Worsted. It was a really fun knit that challenged me, but didn’t leave me burnt out.

Life

This month I did a lot of fun things, especially since the weather started to warm up. I had a really lovely date with my boyfriend to celebrate our anniversary where we got to have a really delicious meal while enjoying the beautiful weather outdoors. Then we adventured to our favorite ice cream shop and enjoyed them while hanging out on a bench talking and people watching.

I also went on a few adventures with my friends. I went to the movies for the first time in YEARS, which was nice because no one else was there really. So the two of us were not holding back our reactions to the movie in the slight, it was funny because the few other people watching the movie did the same thing. Then, with another friend of mine we went yarn shop hopping, I ended up picking up yarn for a few projects I want to make this year. We ended up going to about 8 shops, the discounts were so good I could not resist. I would have bought this yarn anyway, just for later down the line. We also ended up getting takeout after all that shopping and the food was just AMAZING!

This month was really great, mainly because I was able to hangout and create some great memories with others. I really hope to have a few picnics with some of my other friends I need to catch up with in the upcoming months.

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For the record: everything I’ve written here is entirely my own opinion.These views do not reflect or represent those of my current or past employers.

Knitting, Crochet & More

My First Time Properly Blocking

February 20, 2022August 4, 2025 ClassicBhaer3 Comments

So, if you have been following me for any length in time you know my first love is reading and my second love is crochet and knitting. Well, I have a confession to make. I have never actually blocked anything…ever. The reason being I never thought there was a need for it with what I was making. That was until I made the Kari Shawl by Sari Nordlund. This pattern has a lot of simple details around the edges of the shawl, but I went to wear it and none of it was really visible so I made the decision to try and finally block something. If you want to read up on what blocking is etc. you can read a really great article by CocoKnits here: How to Block Your Knitting. I will say, I did not follow their tutorial, but they do a great job explaining the why. I did follow a tutorial though, I followed TL Yarn Crafts video.

Items Used

Dollar store basin
Soak in the scent Yuzu
T-pins
Blocking squares

How it Went

The first step was actually soaking the shawl in a basin with some water (not hot) with some of the soap. This was the nice and easy part, all I had to do was put it in and make sure it was fully under water and then walk away for 20 min. In Toni‘s video she was very adamant about not ringing out the material when taking it out of the water. She directs her viewers to gently squeeze the water out and then roll the piece in a towel and then squeeze it that way as well. This process was more involved, but still nothing over the top. At this point I was feeling very confident.

Then came the pinning of the shawl. This was where I started to get aggregated. The reason I got aggravated is trying to make this shawl lay flat symmetrically because I have heard if it dries in the way it will look that way. So, I felt the pressure and I was going through this entire process so I wanted to make sure it was actually worth it. I feel like I did alright with this, but looking at this picture I can see I could have done better. I realized it is a lot harder to gauge when you are up close and doing it, it is kind of hard to see. Especially the down curves of the shawl since they are angled and my blocks don’t have lines in that manner. Now, the hardest part is waiting.

Shawl on hanger — Blocked gray cotton shawl

At the end of the process I have to say, I should really block things more often. It really helped the eyelet details open up as well as help even out all the stiches throughout. Since I am still pretty new to knitting, I still need to work on consistent tension, but wow, this really ended up helping! I know I am going to continue to do this process even though it sometimes takes a day or two for the item to completely dry because the end result is just wonderful!

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For the record: everything I’ve written here is entirely my own opinion.These views do not reflect or represent those of my current or past employers.

La Mercerie Knitting Haul

February 13, 2022August 4, 2025 ClassicBhaerLeave a comment

Hello and welcome to a little haul from an online shop called La Mercerie. This is the second time I have purchased from them and both times I have been thrilled with the quality of the products and the quick shipping. So, I wanted to take a moment and share what I picked up this time around because I am so thrilled and I would not have been able to get these items in my local store.

Worsted – A Knitwear Collection Curated by Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimée

I have been eyeing this book since I have heard about it. I have really been wanting to move away from making bags and winter accessories for the most part, I still want to be warm this year, but I wanted to make more wearable pieces and work with worsted weight yarn. As of late I have worked with a lot of fingering, which I love don’t get me wrong, but I want to explore more types of yarns. The curator of this book is an owner of a well known brand and I have seen a few people already starting to make projects from these pages and have heard great things. As a newer knitter, this is a must, I am still learning to read patterns in regards to knitting, crochet I am a pro at this point, so I need something that is clear, but challenging and this seems to be just the thing.

January – Sock Sets – 2022 Year of Socks

So, I ended up getting their January sock set for their year of socks. I missed out on their buy the entire year upfront and subscription options, but I really wanted to get my hands on this beautiful sock set called Snowdrift by Grenouille Co.. I really loved the deep winter feel of both the main color and mini. I can’t wait to make these into a cozy pair of socks!

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For the record: everything I’ve written here is entirely my own opinion.These views do not reflect or represent those of my current or past employers.

Bullet Journal & Planning

February 2022 Bullet Journal Spread

February 6, 2022August 4, 2025 ClassicBhaer3 Comments

Hello and welcome to my bullet journal! In 2022 I really wanted to jump back into bullet journaling because I realized one thing when not really utilizing it. I FORGET EVERYTHING! I do have a regular planner I run around with, but it is hard to add checklists for long tern goals and similar things. So, I have thankfully been using it in January pretty consistently and if you couldn’t tell, I have actually been blogging! Anyway, I am here to show you what I have going for February.

Items Used

Spreads

First off I really like to have a monthly dash to clearly define where one month starts and ends. I tend to just have the name of the month and an image. This month is obviously February and I added a wintery picture that shows pine branches and two silver hearts in the snow. I really liked how wintery this picture looked and how it tied in love without being over the time for Valentines Day. On the second page I just have the monthly calendar doodled. I highlighted the days I am planning on posting on my blog so they stand out a bit and they don’t pass me by. I decided to use a gray color to go with the cold wintery theme.

This next pair of spreads start with my habit tracker, I ended up adding it last month because I wanted to really see how often I do the tasks I want to do. Most of these are fun/hobby based such as reading, fiber arts, and cross stitch. The other two are no spend and closing the rings on my watch. I really liked the idea of just layout out the number of the day and just highlighting when I meet it. When I had these in the past and needed to color things in I never did it, but a quick highlight really works for me. On the second page I have a blank page with monthly notes. Here I write down when I finish a book or haul one, a memorable event happens, or really just anything I feel like I might want to remember that happens throughout the month. It is really helpful when I do my Monthly Digest posts.

Weekly schedule and Korean study objectives

These next two sets of spreads are new to me this month. On the one side I ended up adding a weekly schedule for myself to follow. I actually made two schedules to try and then use which one works best for me. I really like having daily goals and objectives, it is just how my brain works. If I don’t I end up being unproductive or I try to be productive and get overwhelmed because I have no idea what I should be doing or what needs to be done. On the second page here I have a Korean Study page. I looked up how to write that in Hangeul, hopefully it is right, I figured I would find out for sure the more I study. Anyway, I really want to get back into language learning, I had to put it by the wayside because life got in the way like it does from time to time. I am focusing on learning Hangeul using Becoming a Hangeul Master by Talk to Me in Korean. So, I broke down the book into lessons that are a good size for me and created a study plan. I know it will most likely take more than this month, but I really wanted to get it in the BUJO!

The last spready for the month are a bit bland, but needed by me. Sadly, the first one I can’t share so I added a recent knitting swatch to cover the title. The second page is a spread I have used in the past called a Kanban board. It is a way to help with projects by tracking where in the “production” line they are. I really wanted to use this again when it came to blog writing so I made a board with the four categories: ideas, write, photo, schedule. I am going to use tabs to write the titles and move them as I progress through my writing process.

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For the record: everything I’ve written here is entirely my own opinion.These views do not reflect or represent those of my current or past employers.

Hauls & Unhauls

Katrinkles Haul

January 20, 2022August 4, 2025 ClassicBhaer2 Comments

Hello and welcome to a bit of a maker post this time around. I did a little shopping on the Katrinkles website, which makes a lot of stitch markers and tools and such for knitters, crocheters, and fiber artists overall. The last half of the year as my reading really took a nose dive I really took solstice in crocheting and learning how to knit. This is a brand I saw all over and as I explored making more complex items, at least for me, I realized I needed some knew tools to help me along the way.

Hauled items discussed below on crochet blanket.

Wrong Side/Right Side

As I have explored crocheting and knitting I have started to explore making more wearable items and sometimes the patterns require me to pay attention to which side is the right and which is the wrong. I am TERRIBLE at this and never keep track of it, so when I saw these stitch markers, I knew I needed to add them to my cart. Also, they come together to make a cute acrylic unicorn.

Kitchener Stitch Mini Tool

The next thing I picked up was a little reference tool that has the directions to the kitchener stitch. The first thing I learned to knit when I started to learn halfway though 2021 was a sock, I learned to do it top down. Due to this, I need this stitch every time I finish a sock to close up the toe. When knitting I try to get away from technology so I don’t want to whip out my phone to look up the directions. Having this tool on hand on the project bag will be really helpful and convenient.

Acrylic Cast On Counting Stitch Marker Set

This handy set of stitch markers, at least for me, to use while making my socks as well. I recently found my perfect row length needed for the foot section of my socks (50 rows) and I really need to keep track as I go or I end up loosing count because I just get into a relaxing rhythm.

I know this is a little different of a post, but I really have been loving making things with my hands lately and I was super excited about these tools to help me in getting even better at both of these crafts.

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For the record: everything I’ve written here is entirely my own opinion.These views do not reflect or represent those of my current or past employers.

Current Reads and WIPs

Current WIPs and Reads

January 16, 2022August 4, 2025 ClassicBhaer7 Comments

Hello and welcome to a little chat where I share what I am currently reading and working on. I am actually happy to say I have been reading this month, I have actually finished 3 books already. I know, I know, where did this reading mojo come from?! I have no idea, but I am running with it.

Current Reads

The first book I am currently reading is The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix, I am actually buddy reading this with Jenna! We have not buddy read anything in a while so I am excited about it. You can find her on twitter as @jkimexploring. I am also reading Irish Folktales edited by Henry Glassie on my own. I have always loved folktales so when I found this collection at my local store I picked up up right away.

Current WIPS

Current knitting projects, listed below.

I went from having no WIPs at the start of 2022 to be in the middle of three projects. The first one being a pattern inspired by Tube Socks by Mary Anne and I am using Spun Right Round Classic Sock in the color Sly Fox. The second one is another pair of socks called Vanilla Latte Socks by Virginia Rose-Jeanes I am using Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in the color Ultramarine Violet. The last one I decided to cast on out of no where is the Musselburgh hat by Ysolda Teague. For this I decided to use up some of my scrap sock yarn, Spun Right Round Classic Sock in Pavement.

What are you currently reading or working on?

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For the record: everything I’ve written here is entirely my own opinion.These views do not reflect or represent those of my current or past employers.

Knitting, Crochet & More · Let's Talk

Winter 2022 Crochet and Knitting Plans

January 13, 2022August 4, 2025 ClassicBhaerLeave a comment

Hello and welcome to a bit of a planning post where I am going to share the crochet and knitting projects I would love to finish this winter. I am on really good footing to start any project I want right now due to the fact I have no WIPs going into 2022, which has not happened in years. So, I feel like a kid in a candy shop and spoiled for choice. Thankfully, I was able to narrow it down to 5 projects I really would love to start working on and hopefully finish before Winter is through.

Day Date Cardigan by Jess Coppom

This first pattern I actually bought yarn for back in the Summer of 2021 when I was visiting family in Maine. I really want to finish this ASAP and hopefully I can wear it the next time I see those family members. The yarn that I picked up for this project is Berroco Providence in the color Rosecliff – 1115.

Vanilla Latte Socks by Virginia Rose-Jeanes

This pair of socks is actually for my significant other. I had him pick a yarn for me to use and it finally arrived! I am so excited to get to make these for him, I just need to figure out the stitches needed and I am going to have to keep bugging him to try them on as I go to ensure I am making them to properly fit. This will be the first socks I am making for someone else. The yarn that he picked for this pair of socks is Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in the color Ultramarine Violet, which is a really vibrant purple that I swear is going to glow in the dark.

Tube Socks by Mary Anne

This pair of socks is going to be for me. I have never worn tube socks or made them so I wanted to experiment a bit. I used this “pattern” to come up with my own formula of sorts for the ones I am going to be making. This pattern, which is actually a blog post was really helpful in doing that going through different options etc. The yarn I am using for this pattern is Spun Right Round Classic Sock in the color Sly Fox, which is almost like a burn orange.

Apiarist Cowl by Claire Borchardt

This is another selfish creation, I was lucky enough to be gifted a new jacket so I need to make a new cowl to go with it. I saw this pattern first mentioned by Knitty Natty and her looked beautiful and she said it was pretty simple to make. It is the first time I will be knitting something with a pattern of sorts so it will be an experiment as well! I am using yarn died by the etsy shop LanternLightYarn in the color Kraken, which is a red color with variations and Drops Kid-Silk in the color 14, which is red as well, held together to create this winter accessory.

Easy Eyelet Yoke Sweater by Knitatude / Chantal Miyagishima

This last one is really a project I know is going to take me a lot of time and challenge me a lot. I am putting it at the bottom of this list because I really want to work on the other projects and continue to work on the basics before jumping into making a sweater. That being said, the stiches that are used in this I have already used a bunch, but making a sweater I feel like is a huge step. I am using the recommended yarn, Lion Brand Chainette, in the color mustard, which seems to now be discontinued even though I only bought it a month or so ago. I hope I bought enough to finish it!

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For the record: everything I’ve written here is entirely my own opinion.These views do not reflect or represent those of my current or past employers.

Bullet Journal & Planning

2022 Bullet Journal Spreads

January 9, 2022August 4, 2025 ClassicBhaer13 Comments

Hello and welcome to a post where I show you some of the full year and seasonal spreads in my bujo to start off 2022! This year I am not planning on having to many monthly spreads, but I will have a few. Before I share those spreads I really wanted to share how I set up by bujo for the year. In the past I had a ton of year long spreads, which I loved how they came out, but I always ended up forgetting halfway through the year. I decided that a few yearly ones and seasonal spreads were probably the best way to remedy this!

Items Used

The Notebook

Before I get into my spreads, this year I tried something different with my notebook. I ended up getting a B5 size instead of the “traditional” smaller notebooks. I always found myself wanting a little bit more room and thankfully the brand of notebooks I have been using for YEARS had this size. I ended up picking up this green notebook with a gold teapot on its cover. The pages of these notebooks holds up wonderfully to all of the materials I have used now and in the past and I love the fabric feel of the hardcover.

Spreads

This year I decided to do something very similar to something I have done in the past inspired by @Silva.and.Bold, now @mystic.hand on Instagram. I loved the idea of breaking goals into four distinct areas of my life that way all my goals are not just focusing on a single area of my life. So I have goals in script across both pages in the middle to break the pages up horizontally and use the natural divide of the notebook for the vertical divide. I decided to break my goals into reading, life, maker, and finance. I did not write my goals down at the time of taking this picture because I was and still am at the time of writing this working them all out. If you want to see some of my goals for 2022 that I did settle on you can find them on my post; My 2022 Goals and Challenges.

Top Books to Read page and plant doodle!

The next spread I added to my Bujo was my top books to read in 2022 page. Each year I always write down the books I am looking forward to the most to read and add them to some type of spread. This year I was inspired by @littleolivebujo on instagram to doodle a pile of books for this spread. I added a circle frame on the top to add the label, I thought it would be fun to then add a hanging plant on the accompanying page. I have not drawn in a while so I am actually kind of stunned how it actually looks like a plant.

Owned TBR Spread for the start of the year,

This next spread is one I started to do last year. Write down my owned tbr for the start of the year to help make sure I am not just reading the newer books on my shelf. It is a simple checklist that I can go back to and check them off or put a line through them if I end up DNFing or Unhauling. It is a nice easy way to keep track. I added a simple line boarder on this page, as well as with my top books to read spread, to dress it up a bit.

Winter overview and Seasonal Knitting and Crochet Plans (Pending)

So, these last two pages are a bit different than the rest. I decided to have seasonal sections to my Bujo this year so I made a Winter dashboard that has the three months it will cover and a mini calendar for each one. I kept it simple because I will be adding events and birthdays in the future and when there is a lot of writing going into a spread I have found, for me personally, the simpler the better. Now, for other page it is a complete work in progress. I want a page dedicated to the crochet and knitting projects I want to complete that season, but I am debating if I want it to be a single page spread or a double page spread. Since I have not made up my mind yet I added some bright red post-it notes until I decide so I at least have the information handy. A win for indecisiveness!

As you can see, I am really trying to keep my Bujo simple and to the minimum I find for me, at least as of late, this really works for me. I am really looking forward to giving seasonal spreads and these time frames more focus than I have in the past. I feel like breaking the year up like this will ensure I don’t leave some spreads in the past and never use them past a few months.

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For the record: everything I’ve written here is entirely my own opinion.These views do not reflect or represent those of my current or past employers.

Hauls & Unhauls

Barnes and Noble 50% Hardcover Haul

December 30, 2021August 4, 2025 ClassicBhaer14 Comments

Hello and welcome to a very surprising post. I had not expected this sale, but I was really happy that it came up because I was able to pick up some books I was putting off buying due to their price. If you did not already know, Barnes and Noble had a 50% off Hardcover sale starting on boxing day and the day after, as far as I am aware that is the length. I ended up going to BN for another reason and saw all the signs all over the store so I ended up picking up 5 books.

Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon, this is the newest book in the Outlander series, book 9. This one is also a huge book and I have wanted to pick it up, but was waiting for it to come out in softcover.

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw, this horror novella caught my eye and I have seen the cover around and I thought I would give it a shot. My understanding is this horror tale is a combination of lore from Japan and takes place in an abandoned building.

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones, I have read about 3 of Jones’ work and have generally enjoyed his stuff. I had this on my list to pick up when the softcover released, but I didn’t need to wait anymore because of this sale. He tends to write horror fiction that reflects his Native American roots.

Billy Summers by Stephen King, I enjoy Kings novels, but there are only a few I will reread and because of that I never pay full price for them. I have been waiting for this book to have its softcover release or go on sale, which yay, it did! This work of his is more thrilled than horror based, but still has his horror roots. It follows a killer for hire that will only take jobs that target bad people.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris, talk about timing with this book. I was just recommended this book by a friend and I walked into BN and it was right in front so I scoped it up! When I first read the description it sounded like a fun fiction, but the more I read it turned into a mystery thriller, which really intrigued me.

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For the record: everything I’ve written here is entirely my own opinion.These views do not reflect or represent those of my current or past employers.

Hauls & Unhauls

Local Indie Bookstore Haul

November 7, 2021August 4, 2025 ClassicBhaer6 Comments

Hello and welcome to a small post sharing my finds at my most recent trip to an indie bookstore. I posted earlier in the week about taking a day trip with a friend and going to visit a yarn store, you can read about that here: Local Yarn Shop Haul. On this adventure we also walked around the corner and took a bit of stroll to a really lovely bookstore. I didn’t get a chance to take a picture, but this bookstore was packed with books. There was not a nook or cranny that was not filled with books and I was so excited. It was also one of the most busy indie bookstores I have seen before, which made me happy. Anyway, on to the two books I ended up picking up!

The first book that caught my eye was The Stone Face by William Gardner Smith. What first caught my attention was the black and white cover that really stood out among all the colorful and saturated colors of the other covers. This ended up being a historical fiction novel from around 1963 and this was a rerelease. This story follows a man named Simeon Brown who lost an eye in a racist attack. This story focuses on how he left America to escape racism and made a home for himself in France, which at the time was known as a safe haven for black artists. My understanding from the description is that the book mostly follows him once he is in France, but I cannot be 100% sure. I look forward to reading this ASAP. I had no idea that France was ever seen as this so I am curious to explore that.

The second book I picked up is Dune Messiah, the second book in the Dune series by Frank Herbert. I am only about 100 pages into the first book and I can tell I am going to want to continue the series so I decided to pick it up and support this indie bookstore. At first I didn’t think they had the book in stock, but a really lovely person helped me locate it. I was so thrilled because this was the one book I really had a plan of buying this day.

Anyway, while this is a small haul, I am really happy with the books I found and added to my TBR. The past few months my book hauling has slowed quite a bit and has been more meaningful and honestly, I am really happy about that.

Thanks for Reading! ClassicBhaer.com

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For the record: everything I’ve written here is entirely my own opinion.These views do not reflect or represent those of my current or past employers.