Newly released patterns I am dying to make!

Sometimes I spend too much time on Ravelry... and by sometimes, I think I mean I spend a crazy amount of time on Ravelry.  ;o)  Sometimes I like to browse the patterns and see newly released patterns because I think there is so much talent to be found on there.  So, here are a few patterns I love:

Amigurumi Whale/Narwhal

Dagmar Sweater

Waterfall Shawl

Backshore

What do you think?  Like any of these?  Or any other new patterns that any of you are really into?

Mamboberry

Yesterday, as I was about to head out the door from work, it began to pour.  While I was excited that we are going to get some water for our plant-life, I was disappointed that it had to start right before I left. When it rains here, it mainly pours for about 15-20 minutes, then it lightens up and disappears.  Well, this time, it didn't lighten up and so I ran, but I was soaked by the time I got to my car!  To cheer me up, I went to Mamboberry and got a frozen yogurt!  

It was tart yogurt with raspberry topping.  :oD  It was great!!  They also had lots of regular food also, and I am very interested in heading back to check it out.  

September already??

Well, apparently, working an extra day a week for about 2 months can really put a drain on your desire to do anything but get to work, eat, knit, and sleep.  Yes, I definitely still knit, even when drained.  Except I haven't actually finished a single project in ages.  I've got a bunch of stuff I'm working on, but I think I'll save those posts for later.  For now, I'd like to share this with you:

What is this disgusting thing, you ask?  Kombucha!  Or rather, homemade kombucha.  That gross thing that you think should not be in something you consume is a mushroom that is commonly referred to as a SCOBY.  This is the tea in it's first fermentation state.  It has since been transferred into a sun tea jar; it is much easier to decant just the liquid from there.

Here are the quick steps to kombucha:
- Put sweetened tea with SCOBY.
- Ferment for 5-7 days
- Decant tea into another container and add fruit or other flavor enhancers, let ferment another day or two.  Add new sweetened tea back with the SCOBY to start a new 1st fermentation batch.
- When 2nd fermentation is ready, decant through a coffee filter into your drinking vessels (we use either old glass drink bottles or mason jars).  Let the drink sit for another day to get some fizziness.
- Refrigerate
- Drink

It's turning out pretty good so far... Flavors we've tried are:  mango/ginger, peach/ginger (friend made this one), and blueberry in green tea (the others were in black tea).  We are currently flavoring a green tea with nectarine jam (just wanted to see how it would work), a black tea with strawberry/ginger, and a black tea with apple/honey.  This is a fun experiment!

Oh, and, I am done with working the extra days, so hopefully I can get my energy back and post a bit more of my projects up here.  :o)