Crappy Eating!

I need to snap out of this crappy eating slump I have gotten myself into. I want to eat good stuff, but I am feeling overly lethargic and the options for locally decent restaurants are slim to none.

So, today I ate raisin bread, green tea, some teriyaki jerquee that I found in my cabinet and some chocolate candy. :(

I suck.

Yesterday I had lots of good-for-me Indian food, though, so maybe I'm ok. And I have been lazy about making lunches for work, but I have a good supply of Amy's frozen dinners at both jobs. And I don't feel too bad about eating those. So, maybe I just feel all slumpy, but I haven't been eating too too terribly. And I put up all my clean clothes today which is pretty much my most loathed job.

And started on a sweater - well, a shrug actually. I've never made an adult-sized sweater, but the pattern for this one is super easy compared to a regular sweater. Here's a sleeve (on a cat). Yes, it is mighty orange. That's what it looks like in the book and although I am not usually a huge orange fan, it looks really neato. So, I bought lots of orange yarn.



Man, chocolate and fake beef jerky leaves a really terrible taste in your mouth.

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I wish cats would wear clothes

Cause I don't have a dog, and this is about the cutest shit I've ever seen. Every dog should have a shrug. They are the new black dress for doggies. Too bad my cats would probably kill me in my sleep if I made them wear clothes.

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O M G!

Holy poop on a stick!

Farm Sanctuary is auctioning off lunch with Paul Reubens!!!!!!!

There are 11 days of the auction left, and it's up to $200

If I lived in LA, I might bid....but I probably wouldn't, because I don't want to ruin my brain image of Pee Wee Herman.

Kind of retarded, huh? Yep.

By the way...

I totally bought that gay shirt on QVC, and it's awesome.

Does your Best Buy have Chinese dragons??

Nope. It doesn't.

But mine does! My nephew had his wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation yesterday, and Best Buy doo'd it up right.



All of my pictures suck, because I took them with my phone, but the Make-A-Wish volunteers who were with us were taking pics like crazy, so hopefully they got some good ones. I got to ride in one of those Hummer limos that I rag on when I see them. hehe

And I have been finishing so many knitting projects that I find myself without anything to work on!! That sucks! I am totally done with Christmas stuff unless I pick up a new project - with 3 weeks still left, it's completely doable. But, wouldn't it be crazy to make something for myself right now when knitters around the world are frantically knitting on gifts?

Yep.

OK - my back hurts, and I'm bored now. More later.

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Finish up and slacking off

I am supposed to be doing a book review for the Georgia Library Quarterly, and I can not seem to get motivated to finish reading the book, but I am making headway today.

The all vegetarian Thanksgiving went off really well! The seitan was pretty good - I probably should have made it into a roulade, but I had a bajillion other things to do, and the plain seitan roast was easier. It turned out very moist and tasty, and I've made several sandwiches. My sister sliced up some of the leftover and made fajitas, and those got rave reviews as well. I didn't even taste my own tofu pot pie, but I heard from everyone that it was really good, and there were several who ate it as leftovers for a couple of days. I personally enjoyed the Oma's Mushroom Turnovers from GasTank Zine the bestest. I have made them about 5-6 times now maybe more, and I love them every time. And to add to my enjoyment, I figured out how to reheat them without them turning rubbery and dry. I dribble water on them and then microwave them under plastic wrap. Works like a charm. I made a whole bunch of other crap too, and everyone seemed to enjoy. And only my 4-year-old niece bitched about there being no turkey, but only momentarily until she was stuffing her face with everything else. My sister (who has not eaten red meat or pork in years) decided that she is going to cut way back on her poultry consumption as a result of the Thanksgiving success - so that is awesome.

In the world of knitting - also great success!!! With Bill's help, I have all three of the purse straps that were vexing me for MONTHS now completed!! YAY!!! I still need to do a little seaming and felting, but that involves a sewing machine and washer, so not much work involved there. I might get that stuff done this week after or before work even.

I need to start doing more exercise. That is the only major thing that my life lacks. I eat pretty well, I handle my time wisely for the most part, I get stuff done and such...but I never ever exercise. And I seriously need to. I love how I am totally anal retentive about spelling and grammatical errors when they are on paper, but when I am writing in a blog, I cease to give a crap. It is a less formal atmosphere...or so I tell myself.

Anyway - back to reading this book. I am listening to an audio book (not right at this moment, but when I'm driving and stuff) called "Eat That Frog," and it is making me prioritize somewhat. I wrote out a list of what I wanted to get accomplished last week. I hope I can stick to it and get some stuff done.

I had a whole bunch of other stuff I wanted to discuss in here, but I can't remember them right now.

So, here's a picture of me with a goofy look on my face. That's me buried under the mound of cats. And I'm wearing my Christmas tree hat (duh, you say) that I knitted a couple weekends ago. Got the yarn and pattern here:

Material Whirled

Every single time I type that or even think it, I get "Material World" by Madonna stuck in my head for like 5 hours.

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No dead turkeys

I am incredibly excited about Thanksgiving. I convinced my entire family to go meat free for the occasion. This is a pretty big deal. I always cook my zillions of "side items" and I skip all of the meat parts of dinner, but this will be the first year ever in which there is NO MEAT at all being made for Thanksgiving in my family. I am really really proud of everyone for going along with me on this. I hope my dishes do not disappoint. Here are my menu ideas:

- tofu pot pie
- glazed carrots
- fresh steamed brussels sprouts w/ walnut vinaigrette
- cornbread dressing
- mac n cheese
- broccoli/cauliflower casserole
- mushroom turnovers

Don't know about desserts - probably sweet potato or pumpkin pie and whatever else - maybe banana bread or apple something cause I have apples and bananas that need some attention.

Also, I was thinking....only *thinking* (because I already have a lot on my plate so to speak ) about trying to do the seitan roast. I really think I might try it though because it sounds awesome. Maybe I will make an extra pan of dressing and make a stuffed roast....

Anyway - I feel like a million bucks for not having any meat on the table this year. Thanks to a Publix commercial for seriously bumming me out and instigating this whole thing (40 something turkeys later commercial).

Also - I have been knitting like a crazy person. Just this past week I finished a pair of socks, a hat for Nanny, and a Christmas tree hat. Today I am working on a pair of fingerless gloves for Lisa. They are coming along nicely I think. Will post pictures later - I'm not in the mood to fiddle with technology at the moment, I have a headache.

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QVC? What is my life coming to here?

So, should I start seeking out therapy now? I honestly spend time on the QVC website last night looking at Christmas clothing. Yeah. I really did. I was ogling at stuff I would have previously termed "gay teacher clothes." Like not clothes that a homosexual teacher would wear, but gay as in bright as tacky and with little snowmen and shit emblazoned on the front. And I looked at these things with the idea that I wanted to buy AND WEAR the stuff.

Yes, friends and neighbors, I was looking at fiber optic lighted holiday sweaters. No, I didn't buy one, but I'm not ruling out the possibility that I might. Cause they would go really well with the tacky Christmas tree hat that I'm RABIDLY waiting on. I go check the mail every day with a big smile, and the damn thing's not there waiting on me. Since when did I become an old lady who enjoys looking at the QVC website and wearing giant Christmas tree hats? I think it's this holiday obsession that I have. It mostly is just for Halloween, but I have to admit that I enjoy the whole twinkly-ness of Christmas and the opportunity to be completely tacky. Although, I must admit that I've been tacky for at least a couple of decades, but *I* think I pull it off well (and I don't care if anyone thinks anything to the contrary).

Umm...

In other news.

I will be shopping for yarn a lot whilst participating in the first annual Atlanta Metro Shop Hop. Went to the first three stores today and got three free patterns! Sweet!

And now I don't feel like typing anymore, so I leave you with my first pair of socks made on circular needles in progress. Pattern is from Knitting Circles Around Socks. Yarn is squeaky Sassy Stripes in "Crayon." Yeah I didn't want to take my socks off to try them on cause my feet are cold.

Birthday Gift with a Halloween Tinge

Finished Bill's snake scarf. His birthday was last Saturday. I also sent the critter I made to Robert whose birthday is the same as Bill's. Yay.
I am about halfway done with the alligator scarf I've been working on. I am also trudging through 3 purse straps. After that, I need to do a bit of felting on 3 otherwise finished projects. And then I'm pretty much caught up on all current works in progress.
Of course, I have about a bazillion other things I need to cast on. Just got yarn to make Lisa some fingerless gloves for Christmas. That will be *MUCH* easier to finish by Christmas than the shrug I was thinking of making her. So - voila - I now can make the shrug for myself ;)
Also got some badass yarn to make myself some awesome awesome fingerless gloves. I would post links, but I'm lazy and I hate this laptop. The end.

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I finished somethin!

So, I finished Amelia's mittens - even pulled in all the loose ends! I know - I can't believe it either. Now I have to finish up those other annoyingly close to being finished projects too. Gotta knit 3 purse straps and do a lil bit of finishing on a couple others. One of them *needs* to be finished this weekend.

Also, what the hell am I going to be for Halloween? I'm planning to go to a Halloween party on Friday, but I have absolutely no good ideas for a costume.

I need to work on taking some better pictures of my stash yarn and finished projects for Ravelry. Also, I'm going to try to make these badass gloves maybe for myself maybe for Lisa. There's not really a pattern given, but I have cobbled together some glove patterns from the net, and I have the stitch pattern for the lace look. We shall see if I can handle it. I also have some snazzy yarn picked out. I think I like the Peacock colorway, but they are all really neat colors. I'm not doing a variegated yarn though, because it will make the lace pattern hard to see.

Anyway - I bought some Addi Turbo needles for trying out the two at a time socks on circulars method. I wanted to check out a bunch of yarn shops that I haven't been to before, but I ended up getting stuck in the traffic from a fatal accident on the freeway on Friday, so everywhere was closed by the time I made it out of town. So, on Sunday, I went to the only shop that was open, and it was pretty cool. Only Ewe and Cotton Too was very small and crowded with women knitting, but they had some really nice finished projects on display and some nice yarns and needles to choose from. I found the Shi Bui yarn there, but the peacock colorway did not have enough skeins to finish my project, so I'll try elsewhere. OK - that is enough rambling for now.

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Ribbit

Ok - so I frogged that sock cause it was looking super retarded and too huge. No biggie though - I did learn the basics of the 2 circular method. Now, I'm going to take my yarn and pattern with me out of town this weekend and pick up some Addi Turbos at a LYS. THEN I'm gonna try it again, and I think I'm going to try the two at a time method as well. That would be awesome to have 2 socks done at once.

So, pretty much the only other project I'm working on is the gator scarf, and I'm not feeling it today. All of the other items I'm working on I am waiting on some different needles that I ordered. I just can not stand working with the sucky bamboo ones anymore. They are cheap and shoddy and full of splinters, and they give me the feeling like when a doctor puts a wooden tongue depressor in your mouth.

uhhhhhgghghhghgh

Just thinking about it gives me the heebie jeebies.

I could start on the retro shrug I want to work on, but I am too lazy to wind the yarn right now. Maybe Bill will help me this weekend. I'm going to bring tons of knitting crap with me on our mini-vacation =D

It's gonna be awesome.

cheapass needles

1016071409
Originally uploaded by Joolee_2000

My circular needles suck :(

I knew they were kinda lame, but now they full on suck, because I'm trying to knit a sock on two circulars. I have these Susan Bates fixed circulars, and the cords and all wonky and they're getting in my way. Everyone (well, the book I'm reading and one faculty member at work) tells me I should get some Addi Turbos for socks. It's just lame that I bought all these other sucky ones, and now I'm going to have to buy some more...and the Addi Turbos are mega expensive! They are $12-15 for ONE set, and I would have to have two sets of several sizes if I planned on making socks that way for the long haul.

I do think I prefer this method even without the better needles. I don't feel stressed out like I do with the DPNS, and I don't have to fear that stitches are slipping off where I can't see - I'm super paranoid about that. Also, I always knit extra tight on the DPNS and still end up with ladders. With the circulars, I'm not seeing a ladder yet, and I'm not pulling tight as hell (which puts me in a bad mood).

So, right now I have the heel done and gusset stitches picked up - working my way through the decreases. It's an ankle sock, so it looks really weird to me right now, but hey - no leg means I'm done faster. I would like to work on a decorative leg though. Maybe that's what I'll do next - and 2 at a time. I seriously think I'm going to wait on the Turbos to try that out.

I have a giant headache.

Samhain bogeys

I just blew my nose on the super snazzy tissues on the left and checked for stray bogeys using my swank new compact. I am at work going through old books to delete, and they are putting me in allergy hell.

Stuff to finish

I so hate finishing things - I just like the interesting knitting parts, and the putting together parts suck. This list is for me, so I can *maybe* accomplish something this weekend:

-deco clutch purse strap
-deco clutch sew together
-deco clutch felting

-wallet sew together
-wallet felting
-wallet zipper

-tie cut out liner>
-tie sew on liner

-snake tongue
-snake tail
-snake blocking

-ruffle purse strap
-ruffle purse sew together
-ruffle purse felting

-blue purse strap
-blue purse sew together

-mittens ruffles (X2)

I think that's it.

Alligator Scarf

I cast on the alligator scarf yesterday. It's looking pretty fun so far.

The theme for today is: I HAVE HAD TOO MUCH COFFEE.

And I feel like a mega-spazz.

And I'm really not interested in doing any work.

And I really want to do some blogging, cause I have stuff to talk about, but

a) my laptop has a sucky keyboard that keeps pissing me off
and
b) my brain can not focus on anything for that long
and
c) I just want to keep typing and and and and and

I have a Queensryche song stuck in my head. ??

My first mitten

This is my first ever mitten. I made it tonight while watching Tourist Trap. It came along mighty quick. Course it's for a four year old. I am paranoid that it is too small. It looks tiny as hell. Used knit picks superwash wool and a pattern I found online that I'll link to later when I am home.

Stressful Knitting

So, knitting is supposed to be relaxing, right?

Well, not when everything you are working on is completely jacked up in some way.

Finally finished all of the knitting on the snake scarf, but the head was a major pain in the ass. I ended up with some weird holes that I had to whipstitch together. I am sure this had to do with the fact that the FRIGGING YARN KEPT BREAKING. The yarn broke like 12 times during the course of the project. And the place where it broke on the head was pretty much totally unfixable without some major jimmy rigging (which I'm pretty good at), but it was mighty frustrating.

I've also been knitting on this purse that I started in like February. It has been one of those super mega boring projects that is just plan knitting for miles that I only work on in social settings. Seeing as how I have not gone to any knitting groups lately, it's been languishing for a while. I brought it with me to hang out with a friend over the weekend, though, and I finished all of the plain knitting!!! YAY!!! Only sucky thing is that the top has a ruffle. The ruffle is made by knitting into the front and back (increasing) of every stitch for 2 rows. This means that after the first row of increases I had 200 stitches and after 2 rows of increases (not quite done with row 2 yet) I will have 400 stitches. Last night, I was knitting along while watching Death Proof (which I saw in the theatre too, and I REALLY LIKE IT LOTS - even more on second viewing) when one of my circular needle cords BROKE. So, after much cussing and pissed offedness, I had to waste like 2 hours screwing around with moving stitches around and stuff.

So, now I am a few dozen stitches away from being done with the 2nd increase row.

Also started on the strap for the deco clutch bag I'm making. Purse straps are REALLY BORING, and I'm so not in the mood, so it's coming along mighty slowly.

I have a library instruction course tonight, and I am way not feeling it. But when am I ever?

OK - my fingers hurt.

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Not in my store you don't

I am getting nothing accomplished today. Doesn't it look like this sign says "piss on pizza" though?

Workin on some stuff

This is the current state of the snake scarf I am working on. I have 20 stripes, and I am working my way toward 33. I will then begin the head. I finished the clutch and liner I am going to felt. Totally not feeling like making the strap, but I also can't think of what I want to cast on next. What I need to do is finish a couple of unfinished and neglected projects that are stuffed in the closet but not feelin that either. And now I have two more projects to sew up and felt. ugh I hate the finishing steps.

I have been feeling fairly unproductive at work lately. I'm just not in the mood to do the projects that I have set out for myself, so I have been doing a lot of piddling around. I found this site via a new Firefox plugin I downloaded called StumbleUpon. Anyone have any experience with this?

Create roses out of maple leaves

Went to see the Yarn Harlot last night. She was quite amusing. Shouldn't have had the two glasses of wine, though. They made me a bit melancholy. Started feeling old and lame for some reason, but it passed and then I was just tired.

The weather this past week has been amazing. I have been craving this weather for months. Please don't get hot again, Georgia.

So, the Yarn Harlot was in Atlanta last night and hundreds and hundreds of knitters showed up. I spent a lot of time goggling at everyone else's stuff as I worked on my plain ol' stockinette stitched purse lining. I don't work on anything complex when anyone else is around, because I always end up having to rip it out to fix mistakes. Meanwhile, Stephanie (the Yarn Harlot, that is) is standing there at the podium giving a very funny little talk all the while knitting away with no thought or spare glance at a sock on double pointed needles.

I am such an amateur this makes me realize....

Anyway - I hate typing on this frigging laptop. So. Done.

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Puff

The finished dragon from the Morehouse Farms kit. I think it looks pretty sweet. Just started a new kit from the same place over the weekend. It will be a rattlesnake.

Current projects take 2

Bart Simpson looks over the very humble beginnings of what will be a striped rattlesnake scarf. It is also from a kit - this one from Morehouse Farms. They seriously have the coolest stuff. Just yesterday I was looking at the new issue of knitty and saw an ad for a scarf kit that looks like a bunch of rats. Sweet.

Current projects take 1

Current progress on a purse kit from pick up sticks. I'm all about the kits lately for some reason. Anyway this will end up getting felted and having these other 2 colors used as a stripey inside.

the downfall of buying books online

I got some new knitting books I ordered, and some of these patterns are downright hideous. I give you the "woodstock waistcoat" and some homeless wino they bribed to model it.

Movies and stars

I have been watching lots of movies lately - mostly via Netflix.

Anyway - I watched these movies over the weekend:

Amores Perros - I have seen this one before, but it's been several years. I didn't remember exactly how much dog death there was in it or I would've warned Bill. Anyway - I liked it just as much on rewatching it, although it is longer than I remembered too. This is not necessarily a bad thing, pendejo.

Garden State - I really ended up liking this more than I thought I would. I had assumed it would be your run-of-the-mill romantic comedy, but it was much quirkier than that label. I liked the music in it a lot, too. Two songs in particular are ones that have been given to me on various Bill compilations, so I liked hearing something familiar. The ending was somewhat disappointing to me, but I prefer tragic/realistic endings as opposed to open-ended happily ever after endings. My brain thinks of all of the potential problems with the scenario continuing into the future. Anyway - no matter.

Ginger Snaps - I really like this movie even though it's kind of cheese. I have watched it several times, but not within the last few years. I didn't pay 100% attention to it, because I was knitting, but I liked it. I like the main characters and their relationship with each other. The sister/sister bond is always a messed up one, and I should know. My favorite part of the movie are the assorted "death scenes" the two sisters create - very reminiscent of Harold and Maude.

Martin - I bought this movie several years ago, and I remember watching it, but I didn't remember if I liked it or not. On rewatching it, it was really boring. I don't hate it or anything. It has an interesting premise, but, as usual, I feel that Romero's social commentary gets in the way of the movie instead of adding to the plot. I didn't finish watching it, because I started zoning out and wanting to go to sleep.

After I posted the song lyrics to Star/Fool the other night, I was listening to it in the car with Bill, and I actually saw a shooting star. It was one of those weird moments...For some reason, my whole weekend was full of those weird moments of serendipity.

I have 5 more spikes and the head left to go on my dragon scarf.

Awesome.

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Do you believe in what you see?

This is nightlife in douglasville, georgia.

Snatches of snatches

Is it saTURDay already? i so dislike crapplebees but my glass of wine was tasty and i met a new friend of bills. i am contemplating feminism in my brain and it doesnt seem 2 fit in well w "decent conversation" ever notice?

More scarf pix

Some pics of the dragon scarf. got a long way 2 go

Today

OK - I know I am making a retarded amount of posts today, but I'm experimenting.

So, here's the stack of crap I'm working on today. Fun fun fun

These education materials look so garish compared to the rest of the collection here. Ah well.

Anyway - this is the source of the dust that is up my nasal cavities at the moment.

I'm on the 50th sneeze of the day

Today, boys and girls, I am weeding my curriculum collection. It is a thankless job, but somebody's got to do it - mostly because I have no space.

And secondly, because some of these books are ridiculously old. I just pulled a stack of social studies books from the 60's. Now, if accuracy happens to be something you are interested in, you might want to skip out on using these books. Their useful days are long gone by, although they certainly can still provide some amusement. The amount of dust on these puppies is a bit excessive, though, and I forgot my Claritin at home. So, this should be fun.

I am bored, so I'm trying to figure out how to post pictures from my phone. If it works, you may see random photos of old ass books.

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1968

Yes, 1968 was a good year for "Living in the Americas."

Pleasantly Unpleasant?

The tiny voice in the back of my mind is reminding me that I didn't finish my dad's tie. It is vexing me somewhat although I did block it, so I did do SOMETHING with it. It's all nice and neatly pinned down and dry....I just need to line it and get it away from me. I'm sick of looking at it.

I am also totally sick of looking at the mermaid outfit I started for Amelia several months ago (June, I think maybe). And I haven't even looked at it in a long while. I stuffed it in the closet and haven't given it much thought, but I really want to be done with it. There's a loooooong way to go on it though :(

And it's not a fast-moving project with lots of different stuff to do to keep me interested. It's a LONG area of the same ol' shit over and over and over. But it's ever so slightly too complex to do in a social setting.

ANYWAY - I'm more excited about the fact that I worked on my dragon scarf today. It's fun to work on, because it's not mindless, changes some on almost every row, and it looks neat.

I may get sick of the red color eventually, but at least the pattern is interesting. It would be even more interesting visually if it were variegated but then it would probably look lame when I got done with it. I'm sure everyone but me is getting sick of seeing these incremental pictures, but I'm so amazed by the coolness of the pattern, I'm going to keep posting them.



On another note (see entry title), I forced myself to watch Day of the Woman (better known as I Spit on Your Grave) last night. I was left actually liking it. I don't know why. The acting for the first 20 minutes or so was absolutely appalling. After that, the shocking scenes apparently shocked some talent into all involved. My only complaint would be that the "second half" or revenge part of the movie was not violent or vindictive enough for me. And the interspersed sex / revenge parts were morally and ethically confusing, and I still don't know 100% what I think about it.

BUT - the lead character CHOSE all of her actions in the later parts of the movie, and that makes it less blurry morally for me. I also picked up on some things that I don't know if they were intentional or not that amused me...

In one part, she is pointing a gun at a scuzz and he says she asked for it (the typical yadda yadda about her clothes or whatever), and she puts the gun down and seems instantly sweet to him and asks wouldn't he like a hot bath...

The hot bath leads to one of the best scenes in the movie - one of the only scenes that felt like sweet justice. So, I think at the point of his "blaming the victim," she decided that shooting the guy was letting him off too easy.

OK - that's enough. I watched it.

My blood pressure is going up lately, I think. I need to chill.

Got a lot done kind of weekend

I accomplished tons this weekend knitwise. And I got my new phone, so I'm taking more pictures - yay! And my phone seems to take (somewhat) better pictures than my camera so yay again. I finished knitting the wallet and stashed it away to weave in the ends, sew up the seam, felt and sew in the zipper. All of that stuff won't take too long. I will probably get it ready to felt during the week and felt it this coming weekend. Also finished the knitting part on the wristband. Now I need to study the graphic I'm planning on putting on it. I think instead of double stitching, I will use embroidery floss and just wing it. I did the wristband on double points, so no seam to sew up - just a couple of ends to weave in.

I cast on two new projects...

One is a purse kit from Pick Up Sticks! - I am working on the blue version. The gold/green version in the pictures is even too retro for my tastes.

I also started on the dragon scarf from Morehouse Farm Merino - it is seriously badass looking already. I have already done three little dragon "spikes." I am making it in the red version (called "Huff" on the website). Here's a sample...



I am really thrilled with the results so far. When I first read the directions, I had some serious misgivings and some doubt as to whether I could pull it off, but it's really not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be - just a lot of counting and concentrating. It's not something I can multitask on. The multitask project will be the aforementioned purse which has long stretches of stockinette. I didn't take a picture, because it's just a rectangle of baby blue stockinette stitch right now - not very thrilling.

Oh yeah - I also put the face on my teddy bear:



The evil Mountain Dew "game fuel" that almost made me vomit and incited really weird dreams can be seen in the background there.

I wish I didn't have to work today, I am in a knitting groove, and that's all I want to do. I want to make more dragon spikes!!

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Mostly finished projects

I actually did something!! I have been working on a wallet - I'm about halfway done, also been working on a wristband for Jesse - bout halfway done with the plan wristband - still brainstorming about the picture I'm going to try to duplicate stitch onto it...

Anyway - Dad's tie is all pinned and blocked out downstairs to keep cats off of it, but I still have to cut out the liner and sew it on.

Finished the Condom Critter from Naughty Needles completely. The legs are the drawstring to a pouch inside the critter and there's a pocket on the front.
100% DONE =)





Also stuffed & sewed up the pieces of the teddy bear from Debbie Bliss Simply Baby.





I bought some black felt for the nose and eyes, but the black hardly shows up on the deep brown color, so all I have left to do is to buy a smidge of a tan-colored felt and slap those on there. Less than 5 minutes of work left on it. So, I'm calling it complete.

Y A Y for doing the finishing bits. I suck at it.

Now I just need to vacuum.

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Bizzee

I want to update more often cause non-updated blogs are boring, but I'm busy dammit.

But I don't want to be busy hence I am procrastinating.

I should be getting a cellphone with a camera in it within the next week or so...that might cause me to take more pictures and make more updates. I am slack about carrying around my camera, and I like to make photo updates cause I drone on. Pictures are more interesting.

Anyway - on the needles:

- Debbie Bliss teddy bear: I am working on the second leg. After that - I only have an arm and an ear to go before I stuff it and stitch it up. I must admit, I'm getting a little bored with the brown color I'm working with, but the yarn itself is awesome. It's a bit boingy/stretchy and is very sooooooft. Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino. It should be done quite soon.

- If I could get a free weekend, I have a couple projects I need to just polish off with finishing touches
--> condom critter needs to be stuffed, sewn shut and decorated with eyes
--> Dad's tie needs to be blocked and lined and ends pulled in

I have got to get started on some September birthday projects...I have two definites in mind that are not going to be very time consuming. I want to make Jesse a wristband which will knit up super quick - I just need to get a bit of extra yarn or embroidery thread to make a duplicate stitched Zelda. Need to figure out colors, print out patterns, make yarn/thread purchases.

I also think I might knit up something for my friend Dan's daughter, because she's almost one, they live like 20 minutes away, and I have never even met her!! It's been that long since I've been to see them. I am a sucky friend.

I was thinking of knitting up one of these Knitted Cuddlies - they're pretty cute.

After that, I would like to get back to work on Amelia's mermaid costume, but it's gotten REALLY BORING.

And Christmas is coming up super quick it seems.

What to do what to do?!?!?!?

I think I'm just stressed the hell out about everything.

Mostly the presentation I have to give tomorrow.

ugh
ugh
ugh
ugh
ugh

Is that the best you can do, Milwaukee?

I am hopped up on way too much sugar right now. I have been eating for shit, and my skin is starting to look like I'm a 16 year old World of Warcraft playin' geek. Not cool. I never had bad skin as a teen - just lucky, I guess, and I'm not interested in catching up now.

So, I need to lay off the ding dongs and ho ho's. Ok - just kidding, I've never actually eaten either one of those things, but I did eat a couple of cookies and some carrot salad that was really sugary. And two giant iced teas, but they weren't sweetened.

I have been in the realm and subject to the whims of free food this week. Partially that sucked such as when the only lunch option I had on Monday was a big salad with pieces of bacon all over it that I had to pick off. Partially cool like when they had yummy pasta and tiramisu on Tuesday. Sucky again today when all they ordered was various incarnations of chicken dishes from Chick-Fil-A, so I get sugary lemonade and carrot salad. But I'm not gonna bitch about shit that's free.

I just caught a faculty member who shall remain unnamed stashing a bag full of beer into a nook in the kitchen. He totally knows I saw him and said "glad it was you who saw me and not someone else." He then proceeded to make fun of me for being short. Nice guy, actually. He's British and the accent alone makes me give him a lot of leeway, but he's also a total snarky smartass, and I love it.

Milwaukee's Best - I shit you not.

Apparently, they don't pay the faculty around here very well, eh?

....So, I'm dying to do some knitting. Can't knit at work though, cause all the bigwigs are here today, and my fricking wrists are killing me. I g uess I need to go ahead and make a damned appointment. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow.

**Things to finish this weekend:
- Block Dad's die and cut out lining
- Finish up critter
- Work on teddy bear
- Start a new project; preferably one with a time limit that's coming up.

Pictures of this stuff coming up this weekend!

Van Hagar Blows

So, I don't feel like talking about knitting today. Maybe it's because my hands hurt.

I am listening to Pandora at work, because no one is here...why is there no way to distinguish between Van Hagar and Van Halen? Cause I want to "thumbs down" some Van Hagar, but I don't want it not to play Van Halen based on that. Eh - whatever.

Pandora knows the mood I am in which was crappy, but is now semi-decent. I got some work done whilst listening to Guns N' Roses, Skid Row, and L.A. Guns. Now I'm eating lunch and no longer in the mood to do any work although I am still here for four more hours.

I am trying to create a presentation called "Library Resources for Meaningful Assignments." The title alone pretty much makes me want to take a nap. And that is probably why I have not even gotten to the point of choosing colors for my slides.

I think working full time totally leads people to watching reality television. I have never understood the phenomena, but lately, when I come in from work, I feel like watching The Two Coreys or Rock of Love or some shit. WTF?? Corey Feldman is still kind of cute though, eh? Like when he's not talking too much, I mean. Someone shoot me.

Drop Stitch Scarf

Drop stitch scarf from a kit I got in a grab bag a few weeks back. I posted a pic of the wound yarn.

Currently working on a teddy bear pattern from Simply Baby by Debbie Bliss and the condom critter pattern from Naughty Needles. Finished the body and lining and feet/drawstring, now I just need to stuff it and sew it up and add eyeballs. Batting was silly expensive at the store, so I might just use some polyfill I had in the closet.

I am in a cranky ass mood today for whatever reason, so ugh.

At work on Thursday, a student who appreciated my help gave me two free Braves tickets to be used at any game I choose. Pretty sweet.

Oh yeah - and I bought a business card holder for my new business cards from an Etsy shop. There's some really snazzy stuff on here, but, of course, I like mine the bestest.

Online shopping spree

So I got my first full-time paycheck for the new job last week, and I have been online shopping like a freak....some in person shopping too.

Also been drooling over the handspuns at Ozark Handspun, but I don't really know what to make out of the stuff. I did buy some handspun the other day at Knitting Emporium, and I am making the "Condom Critter" from Naughty Needles with it. I've been having some issues reading the patterns in that book. I feel like I'm either being really dense or the patterns are kind of vague. Anyway, it's a pretty blue shade with purples and greens that my camera is sure to butcher. It is the Gaugin shade of Colinette Point Five yarn. Don't know if that gigantic link will work or not. http://www.colinette.com/ That'n will though.

In the ATL that's pronounced pernt5, y'all.

As in, PowerPernt Presentation.

Yeah, anyway - here's the butchered picture of my new yarn:



And that picture reminds me that I need to dust.

I also completely finished and shipped off the baby shrug. Here's the finished project:



That's a pen above it. Yes, I know - it's not just the camera's fault - I take sucky pictures, too.

So, I could bitch about how lame work was today and how the management meeting I attended was kind of depressing, but I don't want to relive it, and I'm tired. I have the day off tomorrow, but I have to get up at 6am to take my niece to school and then fret and worry all day about my nephew who is having surgery and then pick up my niece at 2:30 and take my older nephew to his 8th grade open house at 4pm. Busy day.

I hope to get some knitting in, though, to calm myself down...and maybe an episode of Days of Our Lives too. I haven't watched it in over a month, because I've been busy. I caught like 5 minutes of it yesterday when I went by Bill's to feed his cats and all I saw was Kate & Stefano making out.

W T F?!?!?!

Anyways...I leave you with Spooky looking surly on top of a drop stitch scarf that I finished last week. I should take a picture of it. I like the way it turned out, but it's itchy as an STD.

toodles.

Baby shrug

So, I'm almost almost almost finished with the baby shrug. I have to just pick up a few stitches along the back and sleeves and then sew up the two seams and pull in the ends and presto bango, it will be done.

Been really busy with work lately. And the next couple of weeks are probably going to be mostly unproductive knitwise, cause I have so much other shit to do.

Today's my mom's birthday.

Tomorrow is supposed to be the birthday of the baby whose shrug I am making.

Here's a picture of the almost finished shrug. (As an aside - new job paycheck starts coming in this week, so maybe I can afford a decent camera, eh?)



I did a few rows of the Peaks n Valleys socks, but the DPNS are irritating the shit out of me, and I am nursing some major wrist pain lately, so I think I might try to make them my first pair of socks on circulars. The only thing that kinda blows about that is I have a circular needle kit, so I'll have to order some extras to be able to have two needles of the same size. Oh well. No biggie. Especially if I end up really doing well with the technique. A slew of birthdays just passed, and I didn't knit jack shit for anyone. I should be ashamed. Oh well - maybe I can gear up for the September birthdays on a niece and nephew that are coming up...I have ideas for both of them. I am thinking of either some ankle socks or a Zelda wristband for Jesse. Bill put together a color chart for Zelda, and I think I would just duplicate stitch it onto there.

Also, Bill made me a washcloth/stuff sack that he created the pattern and everything for. Here it is in "stuff sack" mode:

Finished stuff n' goings on

So, every time I post pictures in here, I am reminded of exactly how much my camera sucks. So, I think I am seriously going to buy myself a digital SLR after I pay off my student loan and stuff. Since I do not yet have a snazzy camera, please pardon the shittiness/blurriness of these photos. Things are this blurry even when I have *just* put in new batteries.

Went to the Stitch n' Pitch yesterday (Braves v. Pirates) at Turner Field in Atlanta. We didn't really talk to anyone, and I didn't recognize one single person, but there were some AWESOME, inspirational projects being worked on by the zillions of knitters there. My mom was one of the only crocheters. We got a bag full of stuff including some gigantic wooden needles. And I decided that I need to start on some socks STAT. But I have also decided that I hate the bamboo DPNS that I have, so I ordered some metal ones and am waiting (impatiently) for their arrival. In the photos, you will see the yarn and pattern I plan on working with. The yarn came in a grab bag at the big Knitch sale a couple weekends ago. I got 5 skeins of this stretchy fingering weight yarn along with a drop stitch scarf kit with some funky pink/green yarn (also in the pics). All of that for ten bucks! I am planning on making the "Peaks n' Valleys" pattern from Knit Socks! I was wanting to wait on my second pair of socks until I figured out the circular needle method, but I just wanna knit socks now, and I'm not feeling sufficiently smart enough to master a new skill right at this particular moment. Plus, I'm kinda waiting on this new book to come out that specifically talks about the circular needles and making 2 socks at once. I know there are tons of books out there on this subject already, but my brain likes to make up excuses. Anyway - it's not like I'm a badass at the DPNS, so it can't hurt to hone the skillz.






So, here's some pictures of the purse I'm carrying now and the sushi wallet in which I carry my iPod and cell phone.









Looking forward to the knit group next Sunday. Maybe it will inspire me to get some more work done on the baby shrug I'm making (pictured below). It looks like a drab ass color, but it's a pale lavender - not quite as lame as it looks in these washed out, blurry photos. It's my way of testing the waters for an adult-sized sweater.

Carrying around the goods

So, I am actually keeping something that I knitted. And I think I'm going to get hooked now. Since I started knitting, I have been in this mood for making stuff for other people, and I always find cool patterns for myself, but I don't make them. So, anyway - I made a purse (it's actually a purse I made in like February and posted pictures of in here, but I never sewed on the handles and stuff) that I had intended as a stash back for a future Christmas or Birthday gift, but I REALLY like the way it turned out and so....I'm carrying it with me today. Also, my other purse was starting to fall apart some. I also decided to keep the felted wallet I just made.

I don't have pictures, but I'm hoping to post some this week. I think I'm going to buy myself a snazzy camera for Christmas.

I have cool stuff to show off today. And it's my first day on my new job which means I am - as of today - a librarian. Of course, I've been working in libraries for like 5+ years, but always in a parapro type of position. So, I thought it was a suitable day to bring in my snazzy jazzy new purse and wallet.

Still working on my dad's tie, but definitely making progress. I have put the mermaid outfit and bad linen hand towel on temporary hold cause I'm not feeling it. I want to make some socks. I think my next project will be a baby sweater though. OK enough of this boring no pictures post.

Finishing and starting and ideas

So, I finished up 3 washcloths now - 2 ballband ones and 1 Mason-Dixon one. I will take some pictures at some point and post them. They are all done with Sugar N' Cream cotton. I also bought some chenille to make a couple more of the Mason-Dixon washcloths. I think those will look neat - one is a variegated blue/green and the other is variegated pink/green. Speaking of pink/green, I am finally to the point of putting on the handles and button of the purse I made in December or January(I know - I suck).

I finished a wallet and felted it - just need to put in the zipper and sew on the decorative pieces. It's gonna be badass. I made it from this kit in the red version. I think I made it in like 2 days. It's the first kit I've ever bought. It just looks so neat, and I got it on sale 50% off.

I also started a tie for my dad. I originally saw it on the Knitpicks site as a Father's Day suggestion, but I'm not one for time limits on my knitting, so it will end up being a whenever I get finished you'll get it type of project. I decided to go ahead and use the silk/wool blend they suggested on Knitpicks, and I chose to use burgundy, black, and a smoky blue for the colors. It is being knit on size 1 needles which are the smallest ones I have used as of yet.

Bill finished the socks he was making for me. They are worsted weight camouflage yarn made with a pattern from a magazine that I can't remember the name of right now. They are snazzy wazz and are gonna keep my toes nice and toasty this winter. So, since I haven't taken pictures of the projects I'm working on, here some pictures of my new socks and of Spooky and Frannie being cute.

Spooky with the yarn and pattern for my Dad's tie:


Spooky snoozing on Bill's dishcloth yarn:


Spooks in the shadow of Bill knitting on his dishcloth:


Bill's socks knitted for me modeled on my feet =)


Frannie lounging on top of Bill's knitting bag:


Bill showing off his first pair of finished socks! (Sorry I cut off part of his head - that's one photo flub that's not the camera's fault):

Projects!

I am on the rag....the warshrag!

Yes, that was terrible, but I stand by it.

I have been making warshrags, ladies and gentlemen (or crickets and dust to be more exact about who reads this thing). I finished two and got Bill into making (A REALLY SNAZZY) one which I hope will be for me :)

OK - so, I think my cheapness on yarn has finally bitten me in the ass. I am trying to make the moss grid hand towel from Mason-Dixon Knitting, and the linen I am using was (relatively) CHEEP CHEEP at the LYS. After looking at linen at another LYS and almost dying from sticker shock, I bought the cheap stuff. So, now I think I'm paying for the money I saved with the lameass way my hand towel is looking. Everything looks so loosey goosey, but I still really like the color.

I spent the past 30 minutes drooling over the Louet Euroflax linen that the pattern actually calls for and what I imagine to be much snazzier than the stuff I ended up buying. But, hey - I'm not going to pass judgement totally until I (hopefully) finish this thing and wash it. Until then I will (probably not) not bitching about it.

In other projects, I finished 2 of the ever-so-popular ball band washclothes using Sugar and Cream. I bought a bunch more, and I'm also making the Mason Dixon Washcloth out of some variegated. I love the way the sugar and cream looks, but I love even more all the varieties of colors available from peaches n' creme. But I can not find any stores here that sell it, so oh well.

Still working on the tail section of Amelia's mermaid outfit. And um...I think that's about it. I bought some yarn from Knit Picks to make my dad a tie. Obviously, this tie will not be done for Father's Day. I sent him a card, and I'm going for Christmas for the finish date...

I have been drooling maniacally over a tank toppy thing on Knit Picks. I put the yarn in my cart like 12 times, but I can't bring myself to buy it because a) I have loads of unfinished projects that I need to finished and b) I don't want to pay $16 for the pattern. Soooo...after exhaustive searching in all the local library systems, I finally just put in an InterLibrary Loan request for the book through work. Awesome use of work perks, I think. So, if it looks like something I can actually do, I might order the yarn or go get some from a yarn store here. I'm looking forward to actually being able to afford some of the shit at Knitch in the future.

Totally unrelated - going to the Stitch N' Pitch in July.

Yee haw.

That's a much too long post without pictures, eh?

In Progress Projects

My wrists hurt like a monkey, so I'm trying not to knit for a little while. Of course, typing on the computer doesn't really do wonders for my wrists either, but hey - whatevs. I'll type this out and then try to do some reading. Gotta catch up on my Rue Morgue magazines so I can reinstate my subscription here pretty soon. Man, I smell fresh coffee, and it smells awesome, but it is way too late for me to be drinking coffee.

OK - enough of that. So, I'm still working on the mermaid costume from New Knits on the Block. I finished the tank top part of it. Bill is making my i-cord straps, and after that I just need to sew them on and sew up the side seam. I HATE SEWING UP SEAMS AND WEAVING IN ENDS. I have like five 99% completed projects in the closet just waiting on the final touches, and I can't bring myself to do it. I think I'm going to have to enlist Bill again, because he's nice that that, and he doesn't loathe it as much as I do.

So, here is a shot of the tank top thing. I hope it is big enough. If not, I will cry for a long time.



There also was a glimpse of the tail fin seen a little bit better here (I am SO trying not to bitch about my camera right now):



I have also been working on a warshrag from Mason Dixon Knitting. It is made with a variegated and plain color of Sugar and Cream. I'm not really digging on the color effect, and I think next time I will go for the more contrasting colors. Bit it still looks kind of neat (even though this picture SUCKS CAUSE OF MY SUCKY CAMERA).



And lastly...when getting ready for work, I am often heard to say, "Which frigging one of you rubbed fur all over my damn shoes?!?!?!"

And the culprit is caught in action: