Hi friends, I know that it might seem counter-intuitive, but to me stitching is a perfect pursuit for hot, hot, hot summer evenings like the ones we've been having here lately. Imagine sitting next to a window, the fan working full force, a glass of iced tea at your elbow...and a little project on your lap to work on while you listen for the sound of the approaching ice cream truck. Even this sweater is coming along nicely – I love being able to say that I'm knitting slowly because of the heat, rather than my slow fingers. You know: conserving energy and so on. If stitching isn't your thing, maybe you'd prefer a bit of internet-shopping? My favourite Canadian source for all things Japanese, Omiyage, is having a buy-one, get-one-free sale to celebrate their first anniversary this week – and a prize pack giveaway, too. Congratulations to Marisa and crew on a successful first year! Finally, in keeping with the slow pace of a hot summer, we're going to dial back the blogging a bit for the next six weeks. You'll still hear from me, Lisa and Tina on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We'll pick up the full schedule – including weekly giveaways and roundups – starting the week of August 29. And on the days we're not blogging? All the more time to craft, you see...and run through the sprinkler, eat s'mores, and generally make the most of our favourite (but oh-so-short) season. I'm sure you'll be doing the same. Stay cool!