Knittlesticks

Move along lil' doggies...

2008-05-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Nothing to see here.

In fact, I'm declaring this blog as ABANDONED! (but not disabled - I like using it as a diary from time to time.)

However, so much of my life has changed in the last year - I don't think it's quite right for me to keep posting here unless I delete my archives, which I don't want to do. Instead, I've created a NEW BLOG. Update all your feeds, readers, etc.

www.knittlesticks.com (Looks exactly the same - just no archives and a new address...)

Come for a visit!

xo,
Wendee

IMDB recap

2008-03-02T23:12:00.000-08:00

Answers to the IMDB game posted HERE:

You might need to scroll up - I think "here" takes you to comments...

Bobbin's Nest yarn release party

2008-02-29T09:21:00.001-08:00

I posted a mini recap about the yarn release party on the Hazel Knits site.

Might as well throw in a slightly blurry Eye Candy Friday shot of my neighbor's quince tree. Spring is on the way folks!

IMDB game

2008-02-28T21:46:00.000-08:00

I'm supposed to post about the yarn release party at Bobbin's Nest Studio, however I'm procrastinating because that will take some brain power, so instead I'm opting to jump on the Manic Hispanic and Martine's IMDB game instead. The rules are simple:

1. Pick 10 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. Looking them up is cheating, please don't.

Can you guess mine?

1) If I'm not mistaken, you've come back here to the house of loneliness and tears, to Daddy Downer and Brother Bummer, to come to some sort of decision about life, a life decision if you will. BEAUTIFUL GIRLS - maybe my all time favorite. I first saw this at "just the right time" - you know, when a movie really makes an impact on you (hmmm... seems like it was right around my 10 year reunion...) I drooled over Timothy Hutton in this movie. OMG - the hair! (Jennifer - you got a quote correct over on Fiberlix/Ravelry from this movie - I can't believe you didn't score here!)

2) I'm your huckleberry. TOMBSTONE Megan, it's yours - and the Duke was right. Fixed!

3) There are two types of people: those that talk the talk and those that walk the walk. People who walk the walk sometimes talk the talk but most times they don't talk at all, 'cause they walkin'. Now, people who talk the talk, when it comes time for them to walk the walk, you know what they do? They talk people like me into walkin' for them. HUSTLE AND FLOW - loved this flick. It made me cheer and cry all at once. It's "R" rated - and deservedly so for language, content and violence. However, it made me root for an unlikely character and I thought every single actor in the movie was superb. (ha- superb- a Beautiful Girls reference...) If you don't mind getting a little beat up, this is a must see.

4) You want more mysterious? I'll just try and think, "Where the hell's the whiskey?" LOST IN TRANSLATION goes to Martine! We share a love for this movie!

5) Fra-gee-lay. That must be Italian. A CHRISTMAS STORY Megan was first with this one too! There are so many good quotes from this movie.

6) Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the horns. BREAKFAST CLUB Nice job, Jennifer! This one never gets old -we still quote this line, complete with the "horn" fingers.

7) OK, so... so... sometimes I lie. I mean, I'm weird, man. About random stuff too, I don't even know why I do it. It's like... it's like a tick, I mean sometimes I hear myself say something and think, Wow, that wasn't even remotely true. GARDEN STATE - great soundtrack, loveable lead characters. Zach Braff should stay on this course - vulnerable and sweet - not the jerk he was in the last film he starred in.

8) Yeah. You know what, yeah, I do. I do want to express myself, okay. And I don't need 37 pieces of flair to do it. OFFICE SPACE Jennifer again!

9) I don't want to move to a city where the only cultural advantage is being able to make a right turn on a red light. ANNIE HALL - I had to pick a Woody Allen movie - I've seen them all. However, after looking through all the quotes it was too hard to decide. Manhattan, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Husbands and Wives - any could have been a fav.

10) You're my boy, Blue! You're my boy. *Totally sophomoric - cracks me up every time!* OLD SCHOOL goes to... Jennifer!

I'll post answers on um, Monday?

xo!

Hey - it's me!

2008-02-25T20:25:00.001-08:00

What a better way to get back into the blog world than with a totally random video by "Flight of the Concords." I first heard this song on my favorite local radio station (KEXP - 90.3 Seattle) I was cracking up so much I had to run to the computer to check the streaming archive to see who sang it. Thanks katelynjane for turning me on to the video too!

Oh, yeah. I've been doing some knitting too.

Yarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock - Weekend Warrior
Pattern: Gentleman's Fancy Sock - Knitting Vintage Socks
Needles: Crystal Palace Bamboo - size 1
For: trunk show sample

Yarn: Hazel Knits Merino Soy - Greenlake (will be on Hazel Knits' etsy site soon)
Pattern: Montego Bay Scarf - Interweave Magazine, Summer 2007
Needles: vintage Boyds - size 7
For: trunk show sample

Yarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock - Greenlake
Pattern: Lace Leaf Socks - Evelyn Clark
Needles: Crystal Palace Bamboo - size 1 (too small - I'd use a 1.5 or 2 for leg
portion next time.
For: trunk show sample

Next up - Stitches West!!!

Vote!

2007-11-01T22:57:00.001-07:00

Please remember to exercise your rights as an American and VOTE! Head to the polls or mail in your ballots on/before Tuesday, Nov. 6th. Washington residents, give yourself plenty of time to wade through that voter pamphlet... BTW - the picture is right - I do give my endorsement of Sally Clark!

November Already?

2007-11-01T20:35:00.001-07:00

Nary a stitch has been made in these parts lately - however a whole lotta yarn dyeing has been going on. Ms. B - yours is coming - I promise I haven't forgotten. I took your request for Red Mill seriously!

It seems strange that I haven't really announced the opening of my etsy shop on my knitting blog - so... here goes! It's OPEN! Come visit! There are two ways to find me:
1) go to my website: www.hazelknits.com
~OR~
2) visit my ETSY shop

I must say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has given me the encouragement I needed to keep going. Haven't tried Hazel Knits yet? To tempt you, here's what some customers have said...

And this lady:

I can't say enough to thank her for this post and this post. As you can imagine, a mention on the Yarn Harlot is like the Oprah Touch. The best way I can think of to thank her for giving my little company was a boost is to help support her favorite cause. A portion of the proceeds of all etsy sales of Sailor's Delight will go towards her favorite charity, MSF or Doctors Without Borders. The fund from Hazel Knits is nearing $100 - and for most of the month of October the shop was bare of Sailor's Delight. Now that I'm caught up and able to keep the shop stocked, I'm looking forward to seeing the donation number skyrocket!

I don't want to turn this site into a marketing tool for my yarns, so if you're curious about new colors or what's going on in the Hazel Knits world, just follow the sidebar links to the shop.

In other non-knitting related news, we had a birthday here and Flynno got is favorite cake. The Costco bakery made sure we knew what kind it was.

On Monday we carved pumpkins...

and Chris and Rach totally scared us with their costumes.

CJ brought his new cheetah cat, Zulu

and Tiffany brought some snacks.

Flynno and NayNay didn't follow the "pre-scooping" rule so they were banished to the deck

and Martina tackled a pumpkin almost as big as her.

I made soup for 15 hungry guests (um, I mean I heated soup - thanks Costco!) and somehow was still standing (and even laughing!) at 11:00pm.

It was great to see you guys!
Another thing that brightened my day on Monday was this fun card from Wende.

It totally scared me! Have you been to her shop lately? There some big treasures there!

Knitting content to come soon - Tomorrow night I have to finish up a mini sock for a sock class I'm teaching at Hilltop East and I blocked out Saturday night to knit with the Hilltop West girls. On Sunday afternoon I'm meeting up with an old friend who started a little knitting group. My fingers are itchin!

Boo!

2007-10-30T23:20:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Blog Action Day

2007-10-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

This is a little late in the day to mention this, however I just read about "Blog Action Day" on Kodachrome's blog. I'm about ready to crawl into my snuggly warm bed so I'm not so much into discussion right now (lame cop-out - sorry!), however I just remembered a blog post I was putting together several months ago. (Betsy, if you're reading, this one's for you!)

Homemade Laundry Detergent

I can't remember who to give credit to for this - I've seen it on several "green" blogs since I first found it online . It's truly my favorite detergent. I love the way it smells and it seems to get our clothes (even Flynno's stinky gym clothes) just as clean as any other laundry detergent I've tried. Plus no petroleum base and just a few simple ingredients.

1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax
1 bar Fels Naptha (finely grated)
1/2 cup Oxy Clean (optional) - I didn't use it in mine, however, I throw some in white loads from time to time.

Mix well. Use 1 TBL for smaller loads, 2 TBLS for larger or heavily soiled loads. If I am doing a cold water wash I do run the warm water just for a minute to dissolve everything. I've never had a problem with partially dissolved granules. They seem to do just fine.

This detergent will not suds up. You can really see how much dirt (or fabric dye) is washing out of your clothes with this soap.

The cost is equal to or less than other detergents. The only drawback is the grating of the soap. WEAR RUBBER GLOVES. (Or risk losing some knuckle skin - ouch!) I found all of the ingredients at our QFC (Seattle supermarket - division of Krogers) in the laundry aisle. I've even seen some crafty entrepreneurs put this mix up on etsy and ebay. I put mine in a vintage glass container - but anything that will keep the moisture out will work fine.

The washing soda and borax come in handy for other cleaning around the house too.

For fabric softener I pour some vinegar into the rinse water ( at least when I remember - the clothes don't keep the scent) and we use dryer balls. The dryer balls weren't cheap - $20 at a locally owned pharmacy - I totally got suckered in by a good sales person at the cash register. I guess they work pretty well - the only difference I've noticed is there is no dryer sheet scent. I haven't used a dryer sheet in many months, but we're lucky we don't have such dry heat here in the NW. I'd be curious to see how this works out in my hometown - everything was always so static-y in the winter there.

That's all I got. Scooting off to bed. Over and out.

2007-10-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

This caught my eye this morning.

Right outside my bedroom window. Fortunately, I'm not scared of spiders. I don't like to hang out with them, but I don't freak. Crows, spiders, what's next? Must be getting close to Halloween!

ECF

2007-10-12T23:42:00.000-07:00

It's been forever and a day since I posted an Eye Candy Friday.

These lovely flowers were a surprise gift from the wonderful gals at Hilltop Yarn East. THANKS, LADIES! So pretty - and perfectly captured the spirit of Sailor's Delight.

I've been out of the blogging game for a while - what was I doing with my time, you ask? Well, I just spent 9 great days in central California for an amazing retreat. While I was there I did some crazy sh*t like WALKING ON FIRE and bending rebar (yea, the steel kind) with my NECK. Here's a like to a clip of someone else doing it - not me - but it's for real... (YOUTUBE LINK) We did a little wine tasting
and I even got just a little bit of knitting in.

Do I even need to say it's a monkey? This little guy has a modified (and not too well...) heel - I forgot the pattern in my hotel room and had to improvise out during a rather long Bob Proctor seminar. I'm so glad I had this Monkey sock to keep my eyes open on a sunny California afternoon! Now if I can just avoid the second sock syndrome!

Just to shake it up, here's a weird pic of my across-the-street neighbor's house yesterday. What's with the crows? There must have been at least 40 of them swarming the bush, powerlines, roof and street in front of her house. They were starting to dash off by the time I could grab my camera and head outside to take the photo. There didn't seem to be any fighting (we've seen that before in the same yard - it was kind of scary) - they were all just descending down and making a hell of a lot of noise. Any insights here? I felt like I was in an Alfred Hitchcock movie!

Happy weekend!

SP11 arrives!

2007-09-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

Woo Hoo - a package from my SP11 arrived last Friday!

I actually gasped when I pulled out the needle point protectors first. I've never seen these before - they are perfect! (I've already got a note in to my LYS to start carrying these - what a wonderful accessory.) The notebook has already been put to good use - she must have ESP to know this is exactly what I needed. The soap has made it's way to the dish (and make the bathroom smell chocolatey good) and speaking of chocolate... what chocolate? (The package may have already been empty in the photo.) If you go in for a close-up, you can see how I feel today:
And then there's the yarn. Oh, the yarn! I can surely see what all the fuss is about with this Mama E's C*eye*ber Fiber. The yarn base reminds me of Lorna's, but feels softer. I'm swooning! Thank-You, Thank-You, secret pal!

Last weekend we headed of to Spokane for yet another wedding (four down, two more to go this year...) I was scrambling around for a project to take along on the car ride and decided to pick back up my Arianne sweater. I love this pattern, love the yarn. However due to a very traumatic event involving someone's pest - I mean pet - I had to frog the ENTIRE body portion (which was completed up to the armholes thankyouverymuch.) It was a sad day, one I don't care to rehash. Anywhoski, the yarn has been re-skeined and washed - just waiting for me like an old friend for some time. So, off Arianne and I go to "Spo-tucky". I'd show you a new picture, but it looks just about the same as it did about this time last year, so here's the old one again.

I decided to go up a size, but threw all caution to the wind in terms of gauge. (Ok, I forgot my tape measure and had a 9 hour round trip) On my last rendezvous with Arianne I was spot on gauge, not a care in the world. However, now I'm a little concerned as it looks like I'm knitting a wee bit looser. I can't even bear to check now as I completed most of the body again on the trip. If I have to rip again, I'm afraid my Arianne will never get made - and since the sleeves were salvageable from before and it's nearly done, if it's big, it's big. I have nothing against roomy cardigans!

In other knitting news, there's been lots of this:

Test skeins! Some of these little guys will make the cut, some will go back to the lab for tweaking and at least one will go to yarn heaven. Despite what the camera flash reads, the orange skein is not nearly that electric. In fact, it's quite nice. More news on that front on a separate post...

And finally, in non-related knitting news, here's some pictures from the wedding.
I seem to be obsessed with wedding cakes lately:

Here are some Coastie boys I know, some Coastie boys I just met and Noelle and Davielle - who will be married next weekend (the 5th wedding we attend this summer!)

Oddly enough, I didn't get any pictures of the bride and groom. In fact, we barely saw them. The think the Coastie boys make the bride a little nervous - perhaps with good reason. The one time he ventured over to visit, the boys started handing him shots. Here's one pic of the groom with our pals Rebecca and Jeff. What a little cutie! And all married up now.

And last, but not least in the subject of love, our pals Dave and Lynda got engaged this weekend! We are thrilled!

One FO + a bunch of friendly pics

2007-09-10T21:38:00.000-07:00

Since I've been away from my blog for ANOTHER week I'll get right to a finished project. Here's the long ago started Mrs. Beetons.

I'm so digging these little cufflets. I started them, oh, say a year and a half ago and then spirited the needles out of them for another project. The Kidsilk Haze became so incredibly tangled I had to start over. So I re-cast on last Monday and finished them up while getting a pedi on Saturday. For the most part they were knit while listening to a free download of "The House of Seven Gables", courtesy of the Seattle Public Library. I'm about half way through the audio book and I need to finish it soon as the certificate for the download runs out in another week. Sure, I know how the book goes as it was required reading my senior year of high school, however I appreciate it so much more now. I'm looking forward to listening to more of these classics.

Here's the stats:
pattern: Mrs. Beetons (Knitty)
Yarn: Kidsilk Haze, Vino, Rowan Cashsoft DK, Opulence
Needles: Crystal Palace DPs #6 and #7
Embellishments: red seed beads, size 11, clear seed beads size 8
Modifications: I used the cable cast-on method for the picots and did them fewer times.

This weekend Flynno and I read a poem at a wedding for our dear friends Chris and Rachel.

Take a lump of clay,
Wet it, pat it
And make an image of you
And an image of me.
Then smash them, crash them
And with a little water
Knead them together.

And out of the clay we'll remake
An image of you and an image of me.
Thus in my clay, there's a little of you
And in your clay, there's a little of me.
And nothing will ever set us apart.

Living we'll be forever in each other's hearts
And dead we'll be buried together.

- Madam Kuan

Here's the bride and groom.

Here's Rach with her adorable best-friendish brother.

Here's their reception.

And their cake.

Oh, and what do we have here? Nay Nay getting fresh with Jess?

Flynno and some gal-pals

Maybe these two will be next?

Oh, I hope so - they are sooo fun together!

And of course, the girls... (sans the bride... Rach, where are you?!)

Shortly after the camera battery died. Just as things were getting really good - nice to know us 30-somethings can still totally kick it on the dance floor!

Greetings from Mt. Si

2007-09-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

Technically we hiked Little Si. It's so wonderful to drive just 45 minutes from the city and get views like this.

But then you turn around and remember civilization is not too far away...
(overlooking North Bend, WA)

Where were you last night?

2007-09-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

We were.... HERE!

Awwwwww Yeeeaaahhh! A perfect way to kick off Labor Day weekend! Wish I had pics, but we were too chicken to try and sneak in the camera. Apparently we are not the "walk-the-line" rule breakers we *think* we are. Of course, the second we were inside the gates we immediately regretted not trying to bring the contraband over. The band played super tight (I don't think the drummer stopped smiling the whole concert - of course, we only knew that through the giant video screens) - the weather was perfect. And to think - we almost gave these tickets up. Pshaw.

On the way there I did a little work on a resurrected UFO - my goal is to finish up them up today (we have another car ride) and get them ready to be gifted.

The original intended receiver for these is just about walking (yeah, it's an old UFO) but fortunately babies are abundant these days so it will be easy to find a new little bambino to give these to.

This morning I reorganized my stash (in a frenzied search for missing circular needles.) I pulled out all of my UFOs to catalog for Ravelry (I'm at knittlesticks, yo). There aren't as many as I thought (yay) however, there are two projects that I am considering UFO's even though they have been frogged down to the yarn balls. I still want to make these projects so I hope if I count them in my tally some progress might be made. I'll be airing out my dirty laundry (so to speak) this weekend. If I get bold enough I may even post it here. Whoa. Cyber-accountability. Gotta think about this a bit more. BTW - I never did find my circs. And I know they are not on projects. It's as if they just vanished into thin air. Currently I'm looking for my #5 x 24" turbos and #7 x 24 turbos. Seen 'em? Damn! Me neither!

This would be a good lead in to a little project I've been thinking about for a while. A couple of months ago Wende and I were lamenting about our messy beyond messy craft spaces.

Right about the same time Storables was launching their on-line store (I have a not-so-secret love affair with Storables!) and so I approached them about running a contest / organizing make-over for crafters. They are interested in teaming up. The project will most likely be some sort of coupon for certain craft specific projects, a photo contest, tips and ideas from the Storables pros and a grand prize for the best make-over with some smaller prizes in between. This would be the perfect time to get spaces ready for the chilly days of winter crafting ahead! I'm sorting out some details and ideas and would love any ideas you have.

Finally, the cutest cuppa noodles ever...

The pigs were cute, but not bacon flavored.

I doodle all day...

2007-08-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

What doodle I do now, what doodle I do? - Pete Droge (soundtrack from "Tattoo a Love Story")

Although I had no intention of going to Lollapalooza, I would have paid full price for this little nugget...

I loved these guys 15 years ago and they are still hot today. My colleague Roxanne's daughter DID get to go to Lollapalooza and scored big time. Here she is, right next to a hot, sweaty and sexy Eddie Vedder. (article about this pic here.) How cool is that. She told her mom that the look on her face was that of sheer bliss. Uh, yeah! If I put my forehead on my computer screen I get a little of her bliss through osmosis. Lucky girl!

Our house is much quieter this week. My niece had a great time here (and we had a great time along with her.) We went to the beach, the zoo, the aquarium, Bainbridge, the park and the Space Needle. We ate sushi, kebabs, blueberry pancakes, cottage cheese and salsa and enough cookies to get me by for the rest of the summer. She's a peach! Big hugs to Highlights magazine - I bought an activity book on a whim and it was a lifesaver. Kept her busy when auntie needed a little down time. To all you moms and dads out there - kudos. I only had her for a week and was exhausted when she left - and she's not even a handful - just a pretty normal 9 year chicadee. How do ya'll do it?! And knit? And blog? And work? Whew!

Thanks to all for the sweet wishes for my grandmother. She's still in the hospital, but in a nursing home type situation temporarily. She had a bed sore that isn't healing and they won't send her home until they feel like it is healed enough that it won't cause her great discomfort. She is actually doing well physically - at least as well as you can expect from a 95 year old, however she isn't all that aware. The biggest thing she IS aware of though, is that she's not home. Hopefully that will soon change.

I haven't had much of a chance to knit anything of significance, however I did complete a Campfire Sock. (sock on the right.)

The pattern was part of a swap from Karen. It's a nice, simple pattern. To the point with great results. I'm delighted with the yarn these are knit from. This is a custom spun yarn for Hazel Knits - 80% Superwash Merino, 20% Soysilk, DK weight. It is like butter. It's not really intended for socks, however I wanted to see how well it would hold up during duress. I'd say it's working out just fine, thankyouverymuch. And it seems to get softer with each washing. I'm stoked! Until I get the second one knit I'll just keep wearing it around with a mis-match. I love this second sock also, but only dyed up enough yarn for one sock. It was a quick sample to test the yarn - not the colors. I wish I'd dyed more exactly the same, however I was using up random dyes so even though I have the formulas, the colors will be off. Oh well - it's a perfect around the house sock to use with whatever other mateless one I have at the time. One thing of note for these socks - they both got thrown in with a load of whites. It was nearly a panic situation however I'm pleased to say that there was no bleeding. Nada.

Ok, I better scoot off to work. Sometimes these rainy days bring knitters in in droves - there's just two of us there today so I gotta be sure to pack plenty of snacks as a real lunch break may be impossible. Speaking of which... we're HIRING at Hilltop EAST. We need a few more PT knitters to round out our staff. If you're interested, drop me a note and I'll share some details.

Cheers!

Secret Pal 11 Questions

2007-08-13T08:32:00.001-07:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I prefer to knit with natural fibers – either animal fibers or plant fibers. I used to think I didn’t like anything with acrylic in it, but that is not true as Rowan Calmer is high on my list and it is 25% acrylic. One of my favorite yarns is Aurora 8 due to this twist and sproingy-ness.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I made a wall hanging for my circular needles and it works great. I have been meaning to make one for my straights and DPs as they are a mess tucked away in a drawer.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I’ve been knitting for almost four years. I learned the basic knit stitch from a friend one evening before a trip to Whistler. I couldn’t put my needles down for the whole trip! After that, I taught myself the rest of the basics from reading Stitch n Bitch and from watching online videos on www.knittinghelp.com. After I started working in the yarn store I was able to get help on advanced techniques from some real pros. I would say I am intermediate knitter with some good knowledge I hardly ever use for myself.

I learned to knit “mirror” style – I knit from my right to my left needle. This worked great for scarves, hats and any projects where shaping or lace didn’t apply. As you can imagine, it really started causing me problems when I got into sweater knitting and lace knitting where decreases shape the pattern. Everything has to get reversed before I start. I have since learned to knit “right handed” and although I am ok at it, I’m not nearly as fast or as consistent as I am when I knit in my own special way.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I’m working on putting one together…

5. What's your favorite scent?

I love lilacs and jasmine, however they are hard to get in a bottle. I enjoy clean scents – I have lotion called “Clean Cotton”, which is my favorite and I like citrus scents as well.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I love treats, however they are more of the bakery / ice creamy kind. I do love good chocolate.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I like to sew, cook, garden, crochet and work on house projects. I dabble with other projects (embroidery, freezer paper stencils, etc.) but they seem to be more one-off projects.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I am a music freak. It’s sort of sad that I know the lyrics to practically every popular 70’s and 80’s cheeseball pop, rock and country songs, yet I can’t carry a tune. I could totally be a rock star if I could only sing. I like a wide variety of music – it sort of depends on my mood. Sometimes I’m into ambient and world beat tunes (Thievery Corporation, Morcheeba, Chicane, etc.) and other times I’m into more alternative sounds (Modest Mouse, Beck, Death Cab for Cutie, White Stripes, etc.) When I was in college and through most of my 20’s I was into folksy and rock 60’s – 70’s music – Indigo Girls, Grateful Dead, Paul Simon, Led Zeppelin. Really, I’m into anything with catchy lyrics and good beats – I’m getting a soft spot for Justin Timberlake and his “posse”! I tend to stay away from anything with too much speed or too much scream.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

Reds, Pinks, Blues, Browns, Greens. I like saturated colors and pale colors, but depth is important to me. I’m not a fan of dull colors that looks washed out.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Married, no kids, no pets.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

All but ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Socks, gloves, sweaters, gifty items

13. What are you knitting right now?

A sweater for a shop model, socks, Montego Bay Scarf, test knits for new yarns.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Absidoodle!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I’m not that picky about straights or circulars, however if I have circulars they pretty much have to be Addi Turbos or something comparable with a smooth join and no-memory cable. I do most of my knitting on bamboo straights or Addi circs. I love vintage straight and dp aluminum needles and really dig my few pairs of Pony Pearls.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Yep – both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

I have had a pair of Mrs. Beeton wristlets in my projects bag forever. Maybe 18 months? Maybe longer. I usually rip back anything else I’ve lost steam on. I need to dig out those Mrs. Beetons. I think they are super cute and I don’t know why I haven’t finished them!

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Easter. Just in time for the tulips, daffodils and the freshness of spring.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Does yarn count? 

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?

Anything from the popular hand dyers out there – there are so many to choose from. I have a few books so far on my Amazon wish list. I’m curious about the Knit Picks Options needles.

What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Interweave and Vogue Knitting.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

Entrelac!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

Yep – 8 ¾” W x 9” L

23. When is your birthday?

Nov. 5th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

Yep – although I need to do a lot more updating. I’m at knittlesticks.

Rock On, Dude!

2007-08-03T22:58:00.000-07:00

I'm sure Maryanne had no idea what beast she was unleashing when she nominated me for a Rockin' Girl Blogger Award.

Ready??....

Awwww Yeah!

Who is that totally HOT chick hanging out in her bedroom circa 1987??? Those socks with the moccasins are way cool. I wish I had that kind of fashion sense. And those mall bangs are to DIE for. Notice the chain of beer tab pulls hanging on the wall? She got them from, well, er, uh, her older brother's bedroom, but hey - you know, party like it's 1999. Or something like that. And those four dudes in the background? HOT.

This is a big gold star on this tough week. My 95 year old grandmother was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday and my siblings and I have been working on arranging hospice so she can go home and have her final days in the familiar surroundings she's been in for nearly 70 years. And seven years ago today my hero dad lost his fight with cancer. I miss him dearly.

Yet, tomorrow my other hero man, Flynn-o gets home from ROCI as a new Ensign and next week I'll be hosting this Rockin chick:

- my nine year old niece, Jordy. (I chose this picture because this is her FAVORITE place to eat in Seattle - within walking distance of her favorite place to visit - the aquarium.) Life marches on.

And now to spread the Rockin' love.

You gals at Hilltop West are bitchin' Camaro. I always have a great time hanging out with you and seeing/hearing what your up to.

Amy - it was so great to finally meet you at Stitch n Pitch after years of following your blog.

Tiennie - I hope to meet you in person someday! Your work is always inspiring. And your itty bitty sock needles are safe with me :)!

There are countless other blogs I enjoy reading - I am constantly awestruck by the creativity and amazing way the folks in the crafting community express themselves. To all of you, thanks for sharing yourselves and please consider yourself full on rockers too!

Maryanne, thanks again for brightening my week!

If you're looking for me on Sunday night, I'll be watching Gene Simmons Family Jewels on A & E.

Hotdogs, Peanuts and $8 Beers

2007-07-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

What else could that be but Stitch n Pitch? It seems like I've been gearing up for this event for a while. 60+ pairs of Hometeam Sock Yarn, a newly designed hat pattern and knitting up a bench warmer pillow for Hilltop East kits.

Now that it's game day and I'm a little uninspired on what to take to the game. I really should take a WIP like my Montego Bay Scarf or my other toe-up sock. Or maybe the Jaywalker. Oh, the list goes on. However, what I'd really like to do is cast on for another pair of Hooray for Me gloves. I knit my first pair of these at the first annual Stitch n Pitch. They were fun to knit and I loved them. Then I lost them. Hmmm... decisions, decisions.

While I'm thinking about this, I'll give you these to look at:

Pillow before:

Two stockinette panels attached together with an applied I-cord:

And a little crocheted appliqué:

All felted and stuffed:

Easy peasy. My first design was a charted intarsia pattern. Then I got nervous about the felting and the fact I didn't really have time to do a test run. If the felting made the chart all wonky I'd be screwed. So I settled on appliqué. The second design was appliqués all over the pillow, but then I realized it would be all bumpy on your tushy. So, I settled for plain and simple. When I have more time (perhaps for Seahawks) I'll redesign this to have a handle and bench warmer blanket. But not anytime soon. I've had it with stockinette for a while.

It's a little hard to tell in this picture - the grass is out of control. Um, yeah. A little learning curve for our first "adult" lawn. Both Flynn-o and I grew up with massive lawns that we had to mow. The difference is back then we got PAID for mowing the grass (oh, the days - $5 for the front yard, $3 for the back yard. If I saved all summer I could get NIKES for school.) Anyway, Flynn-o has been the grass keeper this summer. After he left for CT it rained for a week straight and the warmed up quickly. And the grass grew and grew. I tried mowing it yesterday and the reel mower is so not going to cut it (um, literally). I need to come up with plan B - and soon. If this jungle exists when Flynn-o gets home, I've got a little 'xplainin' to do!

Ok, the pictures are over and no decisions on what to take to the game. Guess I'll have to surprise... myself!

Eye Candy Friday

2007-07-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

From a funky garden in Georgetown, Seattle.

The apron that didn't want to be made

2007-07-18T14:50:00.001-07:00

It's quiet here. The rain is pouring down and dampening the usual summer sounds that I've grown accustomed to since starting to work from home. The evenings have been quiet too - I'm bacheloretting it and am happy to have some time at home to concentrate on projects that have fallen by the wayside.

So, on Monday evening I made myself this tasty meal:

It's been a long time since this Idaho girl has had such a yummy spud!

Then I began cutting some of this tasty fabric:

To make an apron for this lovely friend,
Whose getting married (to this dude) in September. (YES, THIS IS A GIFT UPDATE / Shannon received a lovely Lantern Moon clutch for her 30th.)

Although I was working from a simple pattern, there was a new technique that I haven't used - "stitch in the ditch". I guess this is a popular quilting term, but I couldn't find it in any of my sewing books. No sweat - I have internet! I love you internets!

So after some research, mental cheerleading and a beer, I carefully cut all the pieces. Yay - the hard part is over. Heh. I start sewing and my sewing machine will. not. work. The thread coming from the bobbin was consistently jamming up - every single pass. So I proceed to take apart the under carriage and clean out all the fuzzies, do some oiling and after some tense moments figuring out the reassembly I put it back together again. And no change. Damn!

Yesterday I took my machine into the quilt shop and it takes them about 30 seconds to diagnose the problem. I'm using the wrong bobbin. Holy hell - how did that happen? I don't even know where this random Singer bobbin came from, but it happened to be the one I grabbed for this project. Off to the sewing shop at the other end of town in rush hour traffic. Yay!

Last night after our neighborhood block watch meeting I sat down to finish this sucker up. There was some seam rippage. Ok, a lot of seam rippage. But when it was all said and done I was extremely proud of my first attempt of stitching in the ditch.

But then, on the home stretch, the very last seam, I run out of thread in the bobbin. Right in the focal part of the apron. Riiippp! On the next pass the machine starts skipping stitches. Riiipppp! Insert new needle. Then the unthinkable happens:

Um, yeah. That's a problem. Seriously, folks. I ripped the very last seam out THREE times. WHATEVER!

At last, I present the finished apron, modeled by my giant dye pot.

I hope she likes it!

Our block watch meeting was interesting. The community relations coordinator for SPD came to talk to us about concerns in the neighborhood. He was very personable and I really feel like he cares about south Seattle. Crime is down in our little corner of the hood. This is good news, as in the last two years we've had two car thefts, one big drug bust (with narcotics dogs and the whole works), two major police chases - one involving a car that crashed into two police cars (this happened during the drug bust) and one dude fleeing on foot that took police through our back yard. This was all in a four HOUSE radius. Bizarre, huh? The rest of the time it is completely quiet here and I've never, ever felt unsafe about walking around at night or any other time. Personally I think all of these incidents were linked to one house. The house is now somewhat quiet - thus the neighborhood is quiet.

Anyway, the officer at our meeting did a good job reminding us about stranger danger for adults, property protection (i.e. keeping your windows closed when you leave the house) and preventing crime. He also helped us organize our community block party. Did you know that on August 7th on Seattle you are allowed to block off a neighborhood street without permits to host a neighborhood party? Pretty cool, huh? Perhaps you'd like to organize your own Night Out. You can register (before July 27th) here: http://www.seattle.gov/Police/nightout/.

Also, just a reminder - if you haven't got your Stitch n Pitch tickets yet, you can still get them from Hilltop Yarn East. We are offering $30 kits that include the ticket and a skein of the Mariner's colored sock yarn by Hazel Knits. What a deal! If you already have your tickets and want some of the yarn, let me know - I'll hook you up!

Flynn completes his ROCI checklist...

2007-07-01T21:43:00.000-07:00

Flynn-o leaves for his "ROCI" (Reserve Officer Candidate Indoctrination - U.S. Coast Guard) program in two weeks. He's been faithfully doing his sit-ups, push-ups and workouts for the last couple of months to get in shape for his physical and he's got a list of things to get ready. This an exciting opportunity for him, and maybe even more importantly (well to me) it allows him to transfer out of his 72-hour-ready-deployable unit into a stateside only position. Just in the nick of time - from what the rumor mill is churning about.

Flynn grew up in a counter-culture household. He was born in a barn (literally - this is a little joke of ours. But it's true - his parents lived in an apartment in the loft of a barn. He was born at home with a midwife assisting.) His family lived off the land and they made a little extra cash selling hand-dyed batik work and produce at the market. It was a simple life out on an island. Up with nakedness, dancing, music. Down with guns, war and violence. You get the picture.
I love this photo of his parents wedding. So late 60's / early 70's!

He spent his young adult life working on and eventually driving small passenger / eco cruise type boats in Alaska in the summer and snowboarding all winter.

When I met him in his late 20's he was a fun loving, unstructured flirt just starting college. (Now he's a fun loving, structured flirt!:) After a while he began to miss driving boats something fierce and he loved the idea of search and rescue so he decided to join the Coast Guard reserves to get his boat driving fix, serve his fellow mariners and get a little $$ for school.

He signed his joining papers on August 29, 2001. On August 31st we left for a 10 day trip to Manhattan. On September 9th I caught the red eye back to Seattle and he went to Cape May, NJ. His first day of training was September 10, 2001. You can see where this is heading... Next thing we know planes are crashing into buildings we just visited and he was pretty much automatically on active duty. On his second day of Coast Guard school. He was "officially" called up two days after returning home from training. He stayed on active duty for almost a year. Away from home. Yeah, it really caught us off guard. He went back to reserve status for 5 months and then he was off to Iraq and Kuwait for a 9 month mission - starting in February 2003 - eight days after our first anniversary, one month before the start of the Iraq war.

Prior to joining the reserves Flynn had never even held a gun before - let alone shoot one.

So fast forward a few years. He's a career guy now with a fancy-pants job at a good company. And, it turns out Flynn loves the Coast Guard. I mean really loves it. He loves the traditions, rituals, camaraderie and probably most of all - the gear! Sure it's a little hard for him to bite his tongue about things like, oh, THE #@$!-ing WAR and other *uh-hem* reckless decisions our administration makes, but he feels like he's trying to be part of the process and progress and he's contributing in an effort to serve his country. Really it's more than me and my big opinionated mouth can say for myself. And that's the kind of guy he is - he'd much rather be part of the solution and that's one of the reasons I dig him.

And now here we are. With his checklist for the ROCI program.

New boots - check
Medal bar updated - check
Formal blues fitted, cleaned and pressed - check
New tattoo - check

Hey, wait! What? Yep, he's been talking about getting some new ink for the last 7 years. And all my stalling tactics have been worn thin. Since his life in the Coast Guard has impacted his life so much I guess it's fitting he chose something CG related. Here it is - fresh and new, red and ouchy:

He loves it when I call him a boats-wain (rather than a "bose-an". Heh.) I just found out today he likes it when people call him just "boats". Hmmm, a new nickname, perhaps?

This week in pictures

2007-07-01T09:11:00.001-07:00

Even though it's not officially tomato season, I'm convinced that BLTs taste better in the summer.

The house project is coming along nicely.

Flynno giving the grass it's second haircut. Note to self: get mower blades sharpened.

Put some flowers in the bare planters. These will look much better filled in. I was super proud of myself to put this one together from mostly from plants off the 99 cent table.

This one will be fun when it fills out - a little fuschia, a little coleus, some impatients, a begonia and some grassy thing that starts with "drac_ _ _ _".

Oh faithful dahlias. You keep coming back to that neglected little bed.

Easy care perennial bed. Top down view.

My goodies came from Wende at thriftygoodness. (She's been working on a big update - go get yourself some yummies!)

I worked on a large order of M's fever sock yarn for Hazel Knits...

and looked through some books.

I started a the Montego Bay Scarf from the latest Interweave Magazine...

and detangled the sock yarn mess.

What a busy week around here! I'm looking a just about more of the same this week. Cheers!

Eye Candy Friday

2007-06-22T15:30:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure what this lily-type flower is called but on the east side of my house it has naturalized enough to completely blanket the walkway between our house and our neighbors. Perhaps I should have a bulb giveaway. Seems like we've got plenty to spare.

Here's Flynno at the M's game on Wednesday. He clearly won't sit still for the camera. These were taken in rapid succession. Back... and forth... back... and forth...

Oh look, it's Lynda and Dave.

And Nay Nay and J-Dog.
(Yep, Rach and I have our knitting.)

Bye, bye Marek.

Marek (in the middle) was our good friends' Chris and Rachel's exchange student. He has a few more days here in the USA (he's on his way to Disneyland with his mom) and then he's on his way back to Slovakia to his friends, family and his beloved "chopper" (aka motorcycle.) We have been acting as the coordinator family for the exchange. The game was Flynn's last outing with Marek. I think he's a little sad to see his little buddy leave.

Ready for the weekend? Ours will involve mud, tape and paint. We just can't seem to stop ripping our house apart... Cheers!

The rain dance gave me this...

2007-06-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

We got grass! I apologize to all of the Seattlites who have been missing the 80 degree weather we had a couple of weeks ago. That just happened to be the week after we planted the lawn. (Yeah, we got a late start. eek!) I shudder to think about what our water bill will be like.

The timing (of massive water consumption) is a little weird since Flynn just completed his certification program at UW in the LEED program. An important topic in the class was water conservation. Hmmm.... We do have our rain barrels installed though (and they are full) so we'll use that to water all of the surrounding plants this summer. For the next week we hope for moderate temperatures. As soon as the grass gets established (after this summer) we'll just let it die back somewhat in the hot months. Seems like a pretty typical thing to do in our area - much more the norm than keeping a bright green lawn.

Last night was a much needed girls night out. A few of my girls have recently gone through some tough break-ups so it was nice to leave all that behind for the night and get dressed up and go out. Pre-funk at Sara's in Fremont and din-din at El Camino. Isn't everyone looking smokin'?!
I have no idea why I'm all hunched over in this picture!

In knitting news I...

finished an M's Fever sock for a shop model;

Here's Daphne,"the patron Saint of Sock Knitters and Bicyclists" with the M's Fever sock (courtesy of Kat's blog)

finished a mate-less toe-up that I've been wearing nearly every day (with a black Adidas sport sock on the other foot);

(This picture is turned funny! Whoops! Oh and the blur! Shield your eyes!)

and started a pair of Jaywalkers.

I've stalled on the other toe up - mostly because the second ball of yarn looks like this:

Not cool. And totally my fault. Until I get the gumption to detangle this bad boy, I'm not sure I want to continue on the first one. Sigh.

I made a little progress on the cantaloupe sweater at knit-night last week, but then promptly set it aside for more sock knitting.

Finally, there's Ravelry.

I'm totally digging this genius tool. My dilemma is, do I include this gift that Grandma sent me in my Ravelry stash? What to do with vintage Orlon acrylic yarn? And there is a lot of it. Now I understand Tracy Ullman meant about the acrylic yarn in her opening lines of Knit 2 Together.

Suggestions?

Sale!

2007-05-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

I missed the whole Memorial Day sale-fest (well, at least from the consumer side of things) so I figured it would be ok to splurge on this:

this:

and this:

Ok, well, not so much of a splurge as the first two are on sale for $5.50 on amazon.com. Gasp! What a steal! I threw in the Vintage Socks book to take advantage of the free shipping. (Plus, we don't have that one at Hilltop yet).

Thanks to the KnottyGnome for the hot sale tip!

Eye Candy Friday

2007-05-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

Flynno and I started a tradition a while back where we take a silhouette photo of ourselves on all vacations. This one is at the Haleakala Crater. This place is magnificent. It's over 10,000 ft. above sea level and is the one place on Maui where it SNOWS! It was fairly warm - about 50 degrees F. the day we went up. The drive included lots of grazing cows (no fences! - they would walk off the pasture right on to the road), a lavender farm, B & B's and many of these amazing Jacaranda trees.

For a good half hour of the drive we went through clouds. I thought it was going to be cold and rainy at the top - turns out we were just pushing through the cloud line to pure sunshine.
One more shot of Haleakala - note the cloud line below.

And another of the drive.

Next, the road to Hana. This terrain was a little more like I expected on Maui.

and this... The Seven Sacred Pools outside of the town of Hana

We went to a red sand beach:

A black sand beach:

And snorkeled in a crater (not in Hana - in Molokini - hopefully the underwater camera pictures will turn out.) It is a magical place.

My tan is starting to fade and I'm clinging on to the Neutrogena self-tanner bottle. If the weather holds through the weekend we'll put the boat in the water. It's not Maui, however summers in Seattle are pretty darn swell. Happy Friday!

IK Summer 2007 Socks

2007-05-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

While I adore the sweater on the Summer 2007 cover, my mind is on SOCKS! I eagerly dove into the article "A Better Sock from the Toe Up". The toe-up sock guide is super helpful and was a great tool in helping me modify the "On Your Toes Socks" to fit the gauge of my yarn. I'm still in progress with the first one - I couldn't wait to finish to show it off!

Pattern: On-Your_Toes Socks (Ann Budd) IK Summer 2007

Yarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock, color: Zinnia Bloom

Modifications: My gauge on this yarn is 8 sts, so following the chart, I cast on 12, followed the increasing rules until I was at 60 sts. I'm not sure why I stopped at 60 sts. (actually I do know why - it was a subliminal thing from a conversation I had with a colleague at the yarn store) although it worked out fine. I'll do 64 on the second sock since that is my "regular" number. I also knit to 6.5", however I probably should have knit to 7" for just a little more give. I'm ok with these socks being fraternal twins. It's the process and learning aspect that is most important to me on these socks.

This was my first toe-up. I don't know why I resisted for so long - now that I've done it, this will most likely be my new preferred cast-on for basic socks.

I've been hiding away...

2007-05-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

In Maui baby!

Seven glorious days on the beach.

We went there for this:

Our good friends, Chris and Kristen's wedding. Notice the officiant - Flynno! He is a licensed boat captain so he can perform weddings on the water but he had to get a "reverend by mail" certification so he could marry his best buddy. What an honor. It was lovely! There was a big group of us for the wedding - we spend lots of time doing this:

(me catching a whole bikini bottom-ful of sand trying to get my flippers off)

A little of this:

And a lot of this:

Big smiles all around.

The best pictures are on Flynn's camera - poor guy had to get up early for work today - so the big recap is to come soon.

We're already figuring out ways to get back - I'm sure the common sentiment for those who vacation there. Aloha!

Letters and Treats!

2007-04-30T22:14:00.000-07:00

The back yard "remodel" saga continues - we've whittled down the 11 cubic feet pile of compost (er, manure) down to about 2 cubic feet. We still can't park in the driveway and our front yard smells like a big pile of doo, but we're getting there, wheel barrow full by wheel barrow full.

Two very important and special things to report are the arrival of my letter swap letter from the lovely Karen (in Texas) and my Secret Pal treats from another lovely Karen (in Ohio). What are the odds that two Karens' were assigned to be my buddies!

First, the letter. What a special thing to find a handwritten letter in your mailbox. Sure, I knew it was coming, but it made me feel like a kid again. Thanks Karen - I love, love the charms - what a thoughtful surprise!

It's hard to see in the photo (drat, breeze!) - the charms say: unite, create and wish. I think my jolly buddha buddy approves!

Next up my extra special knitter's exchange treats from Karen in OH. I have been wanting to get my hands on some of this Cider Moon yarn. It's so squishy and soft! Just days before the package arrived I had been admiring the Cider Moon on Karen's blog (after following the Cider Moon link.) What a co-inky-dink! Of course the chocolates went down the hatch in record time (and Karen, I didn't hide them soon enough!) and the bee bar - oh, it makes my hands so silky smooth! What a wonderful gift. Thank-you, Thank-you!!

Off to read my Real Simple...

Eggsausted!

2007-04-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone!

Whew - this weekend was a whirlwind of yard and organizing mayhem.

We now have beach-front property. Heh. Wouldn't that be nice. But we do have an entire backyard covered in an inch or so of sand. Sure beats the black plastic decor we've been sporting for the last 5 months...

Too bad the rain came and spoiled the tilling fun. Next week, next week. Then the top soil, more tilling and then lawn! The grass is a semi-permanent solution until we figure out what to do in the back yard. I'm envisioning some sort of shaded, quiet retreat with lush foliage, easy to care for perennials and a little garden plot. Oh, and a big, fancy deck for entertaining. A girl can dream, yes?

We unloaded a boatload of things on craigslist, but sadly no one wants the giant fake Christmas tree. Could it be that I posted the ad the day before EASTER? Nah, PEOPLE, PLAN AHEAD!

This morning Flynno announced he was hungry and asked me if there was any "special stuff". Huh? Whut? He asked that question in such a mysterious way I couldn't tell if he was making an advance or if he really was looking for something to eat. He clarified. Oh. The special stuff. In the fridge. Why yes, we did have some (left overs from Friday's dinner). And here's what that special stuff is...and the story behind it.

Years ago I briefly dated a line cook that worked for a fantastic restaurant. Despite his little, um, wee problem with drugs and alcohol, he was a charmer. Big Time. And he was the kind of guy that could whip up an amazing dinner with what you might have on hand. Though he taught me a lot about what I didn't want in a relationship, but he did teach me some valuable cooking lessons. And one of those lessons was the "special stuff."

Now, I never really considered this little concoction special, as I'm sure many folks use it as their base too. But for those who don't, here is my favorite versatile base for cooking up more than a few meals.

1 clove garlic (or some bottled, in a pinch. Learned that from my cook buddy too...)
1 onion (red or yellow)
1 red bell pepper
4 or so oz. sliced mushrooms

Saute'.

So, that's my base. My go to.

To make quesadillas, I add canned black beans and corn. Heat a tortilla in pan, add jack and cheddar cheese, special stuff mix and add another tortilla. Flip when lightly toasted. Top with sour cream (or plain yogurt), salsa and guac. (avocado, sour cream and salsa, whirled in mini food processor).

To make omelettes, I add fresh spinach leaves, jack and cheddar. Top omelette with sliced tomatoes and sliced avocado.

To make pasta, I add capers, yellow bell peppers, some red pepper flakes and a large can of chopped tomatoes. Toss with spaghetti noodles and top with grated Parmesan. (I posted about that recipe here, before Flynn started calling this the "special stuff".

I've also used this base for enchiladas (add olives), rice (omit mushrooms, add tomato sauce and green pepper), pizza (add fresh tomatoes and Italian sausage), soups and other things I can't even think of right now.

When life is hectic, I whip up a batch of "special stuff" and it can see us through a week of varied meals.

Do you have a "go to" meal base? Please share!

Someday I really will finish a project...

2007-04-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

...but for now, I've started on another. This one is a shop sample so I have a deadline. This means I really will finish! Yes indeedy.

I am really enjoying this yarn. It is Classic Elite Premier - 50% cotton, 50% Tencel. The stitches really have nice definition and the smoothness of the Tencel relieves some of the fatigue I usually get in my hands when knitting with cotton. I don't know how it will wear (and the world may never know for this garment, being a sample and all). Anyone have any experience with this yarn?

Today is a lovely day in Seattle - I can't bear to be indoors! Hopefully it will hold as tomorrow we are tackling the giant "biggest-baddest-most-dangerous-slip-n-slide west of the Mississip" project.

Final stages

2007-04-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

We are finally in the last stages of the garage remodel. This has been a long, hard road - the little "adding insulation" project morphed into a major remodel that entailed re-plumbing the entire house, building new walls, moving the washer and dryer to a new room and building a dye studio. My, how projects grow. However, now I can finally wipe away that last layer of drywall dust from every horizontal (oh my - and vertical) surface of the house and enjoy. Sadly, no big unveiling pics as there is a lot of menial tidying up to do... just a snapshot of the final stages of drywall dust hell.

Swip-Swap-a-Roo!

2007-03-31T19:45:00.000-07:00

I just signed up for the Knitters Treat swap. Woo Hoo! My first swap. This will be fun! And... the organizers are from Dublin. International, baby.

Knitters Treat Exchange Questionnaire

1. What's your favourite type of yarn? - I love any natural fibers - wool, alpaca, silk, cotton, bamboo, etc. - anything from a hand-dyer or LYS is especially nice!

2. What's your least favourite type of yarn? - acrylics and novelty yarns that have a lot of stuff hanging from them.

3. What's the first thing you do when you visit a new yarn shop? - I usually try to get the lay of the land and then start at one corner and work my way through the entire shop, fondling yarn as I go. I typically don't beeline to any particular area. All yarn is yummy!

4. What other crafts do you do / would like to do? - sewing, gardening, cooking, crochet, ceramics, beads

5. What magazines do you currently subscribe to? - Sunset, Seattle Magazine, Dwell, Bon Appetit, Interweave Knits

6. Put this type of magazine in order of preference:
Knitting / Crochet / Other Craft / Food / Home / Fashion / Celebrity Gossip / Garden

Home / Knitting / Food / Garden / Crochet / Other Craft / Fashion / Celebrity Gossip

7. What items do you like to knit / crochet? - Wow - anything. Sweaters, accessories, stuffed animals, socks

8. Are you allergic to anything? - Lucky me - nope!

9. What do you like to* smell of? - My favorite scent is "Linen" - I don't know how to describe it. Clean, maybe? In general I tend to lean towards lighter, flowery or citrus smells - lilac, jasmine, etc. over musky smells.

10. What's your favourite way to relax? Knitting, reading, playing with friends, spending time in nature - or knocking around in a city. I'm pretty chill any time I don't have something due or have to be somewhere at a certain time.

11. You're stood in front of a Victorian style sweetshop, an Italian cafe, an old fashioned bakery and a dainty tea room. Where do you go first? Old fashioned bakery

12. What do you come out with? Custard tart with fresh berries

13. Where do you go next? Italian cafe - for a latte. When I'm at home I'm a tea drinker - however dainty and me don't always play well together.

14. Any other words of wisdom for your pal? Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

2007-03-26T07:45:00.000-07:00

A few days ago Lolly asked her readers about their favorite acrylic yarn or acrylic yarn project.

This was my response:

"I started off as a yarn snob from the get go - yet I’ve really grown to appreciate some of the acrylic and acrylic blends out there. My LYS (and employer - Hilltop Yarn East) just received some Dark Horse - I haven’t given it a go yet, however it feels quite soft - and not squeaky.

A few years ago I purchased a knitted hat from a local artists’ co-op. I gladly shelled out 38 bucks for it - so soft and the colors blended together so subtly and lovely. And it fit perfectly. A few years later when the LYS decided to carry a few choices of Lion Brand did I realize it was Homespun. I always appreciate giving my business to knitters… but $38 for a single rib stitch Homespun hat? Oh my! Yet, even armed with that knowledge I still loved and treasured the perfect hat.

Regretfully, I lost the hat in a hat-on-the-lap-in-the-car / get-out-of-the-car-not-realizing-the-hat-is-on-the-lap episode (I went back and searched for it.) I sort of forgot about that until now. Perhaps it’s time to get myself a ball of Homespun and start fresh! The blue/grey/teal colorway is perfect for Project Spectrum!"

Here's a picture of that hat - taken from a time before I knit (note the crappy fleece scarf...) BTW - I cast on for my very first scarf on that trip - made from Crystal Palace Labrador in a light blue color. I still wear it!

old project, new life

2007-03-25T21:37:00.000-07:00

I found this UFO mixed in with my stash.

I frogged it and started the project over - same yarn, same pattern - just new. I didn't even look closely at the previous work. I knew I must have made some MAJOR mistake to have set it aside during the interesting lace part. Usually projects get cast aside in the relentless several inches of stockinette part of the pattern. (Yeah, I'm definitely a process knitter...oh no, I'm in that relentless stockinette part of the pattern now!) Sadly, I fear Soleil will be too small - I am 1/2 stitch off gauge - I must be knitting tighter than when I did my swatch - the first time around I was right on...I think... damn, maybe that is why it got cast aside...

This pattern (Knitty - Soleil) is designed for zero ease and my chosen yarn, Hempathy has no stretch whatsoever. I can't decide if I should just knit 'til the end and hope for the best (my sister is tiny - she could be the recipient) or frog and go up a needle size. On the bright side, I am LOVING this yarn - the color, the texture. What to do, what to do?

In other, more exciting news, I have a shipment of stitch markers ready for Hilltop Yarn East.

This is one of 10 unique, yet repeatable sets that will be offered. (If you are interested in some of your own, contact me directly at: dadsmonkeyshine AT hotmail DOT com.) I had a blast making these. The components are sterling silver (the rings are soldered together - no snags!) with a combination of Swarovski crystals, glass beads and sterling findings. I gave each of the gals at Hilltop East as set of these for holiday gifts and Becky (the owner) liked them so much she asked me to make some for the shop. And Hazel Knits? Well, you'll just have to wait and see what else is in store there... (sorry about the flash - it really washes out the nearly perfectly matched logo stripes! Note to self - build thee a light box!

Too-da-loo!

Vintage Owl Ribbon

2007-03-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

Rainy day project

2007-03-10T11:42:00.000-08:00

After reading this post on Unwind I decided to do a little sprucing up in my craft room as well. I had been thinking about making wall hanging needle organizers for a while and this was just the kick in the hiney I needed.

First, gather materials...

I knew I wanted the panel to be a chocolatey brown color. What I had in mind was some suiting wool. However, nowadays the ole' pocketbook is a little thin. We've had these super-long un-hemmed curtains from Ikea hanging in our bedroom for while. The scrap from the bottom is a perfect size for the base.

Next, measure the pockets...

Add a little trim...

Right before the trim was added things got a little wonky. I decided to freezer paper stencil some gold numbers for the needle sizes right on to the fabric. Whoops! - serious operator error. So the trim moved from the center of the pocket to the bottom of the pocket. I'm as flexible as a wet noodle!

Stretch across some canvas stretcher bars, center and staple...

Add some shrinky-dink numbers...

Oh, crap! That's not shrink-paper! These were in the oven for some time without nary a curl or size reduction. I guess my shrink-paper instructions somehow got mixed in with some gloss photo paper. I think I kinda remember running out, now...

Finished with temporary photo paper labels...

Much better! I made check-out-cards for the WIPs but they looked way to cluttered sticking up out of the pockets so now they will nestle inside the pocket without showing on the top.

Now on to organizers for the straight and DPs.

Jeroboam!

2007-03-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

This was one of the gifts from the fellas at FPC on my last day of full-time work.

This is a 3 liter bottle, otherwise known as a Jeroboam. (The bottle on the right is there just to show scale.)

Thirsty anyone?

Portland Recap - short and sweet!

2007-02-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

First the haul from the Portland weekend. Although I held my wallet close I ended up with some real gems.

The cap is from Seaplane in the NW district of Portland. I could have dropped a whole paycheck there! Flynno spotted the hat first and said if I didn't buy it for myself he would get it for me. Seriously, what's wrong with me that I flashed my cash. I should have let the hubby treat me. Next time...

The green yarn is from Knit-Knot. It is a blend of 60% wool and 40% recycled Sari Silk. 175 yards for $10. Plus Oregon has that no-sales-tax thang. Love that.

I also visited the Yarn Garden which was a little overwhelming. They did have everything, yet I came out empty handed. Finally we made it over to the Alberta Street district and visited the delightful Close Knit. I adore this little shop. The ladies there were super nice and their selection was great. I picked up the lovely red mohair there - and what a deal. 660 yards, naturally dyed with cochineal for $19. By Catherine Van Laake, Loom in Essence Atelier line. (sorry no website) I'm looking forward to winding this up and working with it. Close Knit is right next door to BOLT - a fabric store. I'd like to spend a little more time there on a weekday when it is less busy.

Oh, and the knee socks came from some Imelda's.

On the knitting front, I handily completed the fruit cap on the way down. This is my first go-gift for babies. So quick and easy and cute! The pattern suggests mini-bobbles for the pink (raspberry) cap but I didn't like them. I tried the small ones and some a bit bigger and they were just cluttery so I made it plain. Here it is blocking on some bowls I found in the cupboard of our motel room:

Pattern: Fruit Cap, Ann Norling
Yarn: Karabella Aurora 8
Needle: Size 6 - a little smaller than this yarn wants however when it is wet blocked it is perfect.

A valiant effort was made on the burp rag, yet now I'm back home and I still have a few more rows to go. I'll send it down when it's done.

Pattern: Burp Cloth, Mason Dixon Knitting
Yarn: Lily Sugar and Cream - pink and orange worsted cotton

Finally, a few shots of our motel room. We stayed at the Inn at Northrup Station. It was recommended to us by a customer at Hilltop Yarn. She even gave me her card so I could get the corporate rate with her company. It was SWEET! I love boutique hotels. I HIGHLY recommend staying here if you are headed to Portland. It is close to everything and right on the light-rail line.

Enjoy your day!

2007-02-23T11:23:00.000-08:00

Flynno and I are heading down to Portland for a little shopping and R & R. We've been planning the trip for a couple of weeks now, yet this morning he springs some news on me.
Him: We're going to swing over to Drew and Hannah's on Sunday.
Me: YAY! I haven't seen them in forever. What are they up to?
Him: Well, you know Hannah is 7 months pregnant.
Me: Oh riiiight! (note: I did find out about this back in October...)
Him: We need to bring something for the baby. Do you think you can knit up a hat or something.
Me: Um... Um... Hell Yeah!

Nothing like a last minute challenge so into the stash I go. And while I was there I found a blank onesie. Freezer paper stencil time. The plan is to make a fruit cap hat (mostly tonight) and if I get it done quickly I'll shoot for a crazy pink/orange cotton burp cloth (in Mason/Dixon Knitting) on the ride down to Portland. Wish me luck!

Here's some other eye candy:

My hubby sat in board reviews last week to become a commissioned officer in the Coast Guard. He'll still be a reservist however this will land him a better retirement package and put his awesome leadership skills to task. Wish him luck! (I wish he wouldn't be so serious in uniform pics. Smile, dammit!)

Finally, Happy Chinese New Year. Last Sunday morning at midnight we had a great fireworks display in our neighborhood. I made some ginger cookies for our next door neighbor, who was born in China. His family fled to Vietnam when he was just a baby in the 50's and then he was a refugee to the US in the late 70's. He is such a gentle, interesting man. By far, the best neighbor I've ever had!

(PS - Did I mention I was born in the year of the boar/pig? This is so going to be my year!)

Eye (and tummy) Candy!

2007-02-16T08:19:00.000-08:00

YUM!

A bit of knitting

2007-02-15T19:57:00.000-08:00

From the ashes of Clapotis comes the Hiker's Waistcoat:

Pointy hat for Dulaan:

The flash really throws off how beautiful this yarn is. It's more of a russet and gold color. I'm not sure of the brand, however it is alpacalicious.

We're heading out the door to catch Jo Miller and her Burly Roughnecks. Cowboy hat? Check. Western shirt? Check. Boots? Check. You can take the girl outta the Idaho, but you can't take the Idaho outta the girl!

Happy Valentines Day!

2007-02-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

Spring is coming. I am oh, so happy!

2007-02-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

Now where are all of those daffodils I planted?

Fallen Idols?

2006-12-12T21:40:00.000-08:00

I don't know what to think about this headline: "Evel Knievel Sues Kanye West Over Video". Evel Knievel is sometimes the butt of jokes however, I hold a special place in my heart for the dude.

His Snake River Canyon Jump happened about 20 miles from my parent's house. I was almost 3 years old when he made the attempt to jump the canyon and my mom tells the story about how she inadvertantly drove down "Pole Line Road" only to get caught in a sea of Hells Angels just hours before they started rioting. Back in the early 70's the "Angels" were a group to be feared and my mom was a pretty 23 year old with her little girl in the car when she got caught up in the mayhem of cat-calling bikers. She was already a little jittery - she had been reading the Exorcist. The incident sent her over the edge. She went home, burned the book and stayed in for a week. Oh, the age of innocence... She sort of laughs off the story as she tells it, but always ends with "boy, was I scared."

Every time I hear Evel's named mentioned my ears prick to hear about what he's up to. Usually it's some off the wall thing, but this kinda makes me sad. On one hand, maybe I should feel good that he's sticking up for his "brand". Kanye's folks should have asked permission and had it been denied changed the video so it wasn't so copycat. However, at the same time I'm not sure it sullies his brand - sometimes things like this generate good publicity for the original. By suing, it sorta makes him look like a washed up celebrity. I think he could have turned this situation into a good thing for himself. But now he seems like a cranky old man.
This is the same way I felt when Garrison Keilor sued over this guys t-shirts. Bah.

In other upsetting news this (plus another 3+ inches):

became this:

I started it for my MIL with Lorna's Shepherd Worsted in Tuscany colorway. Clearly the wrong yarn for the project but I didn't give up hope until my 3rd set of drops. I started a little lacy mitt, but it's silly to waste this variegated yarn on lace. Plus I have 775 yards of it. Any suggestions on what to do with the yarn?

2006-12-09T09:21:00.000-08:00

Oh hell. It looks like all the giant Flickr pictures in the previous posts have pushed my sidebar content down to the bottom of the page. Damn you blogger and your problems uploading pictures!!! Corrections to come... sometime!

UPDATE: YAY! FIXED!

2006-12-07T21:18:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the great Knittlesticks blogging drought is over. I have a few posts in the queue that aren't quite done. When I finish them I think they'll post retro-active so it will look like I posted something last week, but didn't. Cool.

A few bulleted things:

This guy's letter to the Pork Producers Association cracks me up. So do a bunch of his other letters, but in real life I think this person might exhaust me.

What do you think of when you hear the words "Lime Ricky"? Just curious. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Got some new shoes to add to my Morenatom collection. This craze was set off by the pair with the circles on the "tongue". It just keeps growing. Can't stop. (oh, wait...I mean won't stop :)

The brown furry pair are the latest.

I've been experiementing with homemade yogurt. It's more desserty than breakfasty. More recipe adjustments...

A whole slew of projects

2006-12-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

CAVEAT - I wrote this post out last week, but never posted! Whoops - that's why the date is off!

Even though I've been absent from blogging, I sure haven't been absent from crafty pursuits! Tonight is the 4th annual Macha Monkey holiday auction (Monkey See, Monkey Buy - I designed this poster for the 2nd auction - I'm so pleased it has been incorporated into the annual event!) I committed myself to two crafty projects to the auction and I put off finishing them until the very last moment... On Wednesday evening I lugged my sewing machine into work to finish everything off. Good thing my boss stayed late that night too - he was kind enough to model for me.

The domestic diva package
This apron was started several months ago. I didn't know how to put the seam binding on around the corners, but thanks to the instruction of the Duchess' sewing mentor I was able to finish this up. I followed a pattern for this (even though it could have probably been done freehand) and when I make this again I will definitely make it shorter. I love the fabric. Here's a closer pic:

And here is the finished set:

Prior to finishing up the apron I had a little disagreement with my sewing machine. (some tension problems - operator error, whoops!). I had some doubts that I was going to be able to finish the apron so I switched gears and put together an Odessa. I already had the yarn and the beads so this was a great knit in a pinch.

This picture was also taken at work - you can see our production area below.

And finally the last auction item:

These are lavendar sachets to go with some lavender laundry soap. I give this gift every year.

All the goodies packed up.

TTFN!

What will 12 miles of Red Heart get you?

2006-11-20T20:18:00.000-08:00

Why a knitted Ferrari of course.

"Art graduate Lauren Porter, 22, is queen of the road after knitting herself a full-size Ferrari sports car. “I get men admiring the racing lines and old women admiring the stitches,” Lauren, whose 12 Miles of Yarn will exhibit at Studio 95, said." (originally found via Dooce - not a knitting blog at all!)

Eye Candy - HOT chicks

2006-11-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

I'm doing it. I'm featuring hot chicks for my Eye Candy Friday picture.

These are some of the gals from my intimate circle at the Women's Leadership Conference I attended last week.

Erin, Lauren, Karin and Dawn you are beautiful, powerful women and I love you to death!

Friday Night Knitting Club

2006-11-08T11:23:00.000-08:00

Just a little something that caught my eye on the MSN hompage this morning:

"After taking a break to raise her babies and then to act on Broadway, Julia Roberts continues to rake up new movie projects. Variety reports that Roberts has agreed to star and co-produce "The Friday Night Knitting Club" for Universal Pictures. Based on an upcoming novel by Kate Jacobs, the story focuses on a mom faced with balancing the demands of her "spunky" teenage daughter and running a Manhattan knitting store (perhaps the only one on the island). Her regular customers meet once a week to share their latest projects and kvetch, but when a tragedy occurs, they realize they are more than just casual acquaintances. And yes, it does sound very thematic to Roberts' early flick "Steel Magnolias" (I'm pining for a Sally Field breakdown moment, how about you?). No writer or director is on board yet to adapt the book, but Roberts will put it in the queue with her other in-the-works projects such as "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Charlie Wilson's War" opposite Tom Hanks."

I haven't read this book, but now it looks like it's going into the queue. When this movie is released I envision a firestorm of movie knit-nights similar to Stitch n Pitch. Can't wait!

Personality Test

2006-11-07T07:58:00.000-08:00

Hello all!

I've been out of the game for a bit! I just returned from a 10 day Women's Leadership Seminar held in Clearlake Oaks, CA. It was a fabulous, sacred week. More on that later. Maybe.

I just started touring my blog circut - 10 days without computer or phone access has really put me behind... on everything! After reading Duchess' blog, I couldn't resist doing a personality quiz for myself. I found this rather accurate - in many ways it is parallel with what I discovered about myself last week.

My Personality


Neuroticism	10
Extraversion	83
Openness To Experience	55
Agreeableness	56
Conscientiousness	75

Test Yourself Compare Yourself View Full Report
Find your soulmate / pysch twin

MySpace Layouts, Shearling Coats and MySpace Quizzes by Pulseware Survey Software

"You are sociable, outgoing, energetic, and lively. You prefer to be around people much of the time. You are generally calm and composed, reacting moderately well to situations that most people would describe as stressful. A desire for tradition does not prevent you from trying new things. Your thinking is neither simple nor complex. To others you appear to be a well-educated person but not an intellectual. You have some concern with others' needs, and are generally pleasant, sympathetic, and cooperative. You set clear goals and pursue them with determination. People regard you as reliable and hard-working."

Although I agree with the results, I would like to see my "openness to new experiences" chart higher. Something to work on...

Although it was a powerful week, I'm glad I'm home! Off to read more blogs!

Doodle Nugget, You Rule

2006-10-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

The big #35 is on the horizon. There is much reason to celebrate! YAY! I have a husband that I ADORE! Friends that I LOVE! A job that RULES! A house that is SOUND! A family and an extended family that KICKS ALL SORTS OF ASS! YAY! Life is good! Yet there is one incomplete piece. Offspring. Something the dudeman and I have contemplating quite a bit lately. I ain't getting any younger. And although we've RARELY ever argued about (evil word) MONEY, it's a stresser when we start thinking about Offspring. Currently we are DINKS (squared) - our two regular jobs, plus doing the things we love for fun and fun money - him - Coast Guard Reservist - me - yarn store fill-in. If there is offspring we may cut our income by at least 1/2. It's a scary proposition and for someone who as independently fierce as me, its kinda terrifying. How do I justify yarn purchases? How does he justify $20 "volleyball socks"? (They have "special" gel inserts.) We are extremly lucky to have the life that we have, but we have made a commitment to have a debt-free life (**excluding house and vehicle payments.) We don't live extravagantly, but we certainly don't sweat the small things. This will change. And just when I get really spun up about it, Flynno delivers this:

He tells me they are shaped like hearts.

And suddenly, it's all alright.

The biggest, baddest, most dangerous slip-n-slide west of the Missip

2006-10-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

Awww Yeah!

The opposite of Eye Candy

2006-10-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know - this is bending the Eye Candy Friday rules. But I need a new battery for my camera - it wants to die after every dozen pictures - so you get the pictures of the tragedy of my home. No eye candy here!

First up - my desk.

Good Lord, how do I live with myself? Bear in mind, I've only opted to show you one horizontal surface. I couldn't bring myself to photograph the others in the office. Fortunately I have some motivation to clean this off. Flynno's grandma is coming over tomorrow morning to get help with posting things on e-bay. There's no way this kind of mess can be here when the Grandma K comes to visit!

Next up - my "vegetable drawer". Apparently sometime earlier this year (I have no idea when) I thought it was a good idea to dedicate a drawer in the kitchen to root and hard skinned vegetables. Then, I promptly forgot about it. Before the "dedication" that drawer was for my hubby's snowboarding / recreational snacks (trail mix, jerky, Cliff bars, etc) - he kept the drawer stocked so when he had a spur-of-the-moment chance to go do something fun he could just grab and go. Isn't it weird how time can be just a blur. I have no idea what happened to Flynno's goodie drawer. But I did find this when I was looking for a place to store my huge Trader Joes haul of nuts and dried fruit:

Gah! WTF?

And then finally, there's this:

Which was reduced to this and then this a couple of weekends ago.

There was no question we needed to start over. The soil was so compacted and hard that even in the rainiest season you would find bone-dry dirt just a couple inches down. Rather than till it all under we opted to rent a sod cutter and shave off the top layer. This weekend we are covering it with plastic so it doesn't get weedy (its previous state). Then we'll truck in sand to till into the soil (there's a lot of clay) and then bit by bit over the winter we'll add several inches of compost and topsoil to get it ready for spring planting. What a job! Oh, and everything else in the yard is coming out except for the Japanese maple. The plan is to have much wider planting beds, a fence and less grass. We have our work cut out for us!

Where does the time go?

2006-10-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

I'm back from a no-good-reason hiatus. Hello again! There has been knittage! First, I present two ballband warshrags for the Hilltop contest.

I whipped these babies out in record time (well, for me) but my attention was soon diverted to Ariann.

Oh, Ariann, I have a crush on you!

And close-up, just for you, Saltwater Purls!

For this photo I probably stretched this out a wee bigger than it will be when blocked . I think my yarn overs look looser than the sample on Bonne Marie's page - and looser than some of the others showing up on the KAL. Still, my gauge is fine so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that this fits. If anything, it will end up a bit big (I think) and I'd rather have that than too tight. I'm really enjoying working with this yarn and I am loving this heathered "spruce" color in Rowan Kid Classic. I'm only one skein of 7 into it, so I've got a ways to go...

Next, is the one-skein Alchemy scarf from the most gorgeous colorway...

This picture makes it look like some weird stocking. I'll have to find a more suitable place to take the finished shot. Oh, and the flash photography really doesn't do this yarn justice.

Tomorrow you get to see pictures of the massive yard project we've been working on.

TTFN!

Friday FO!

2006-09-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

Really, I have been knitting... small, quick stuff... here's a photo to prove it.

Odessa by Grumperina
Rowen Cashsoft
Knit according to pattern
Models - my dear, sweet patient husband (I have some sucking up to do over this pic) and me

This was such a fun little knit! My gauge on the first stitch of every repeat got a little wonky when I switched to DPs. That same stitch all the way around looks a little loose. Maybe some blocking will help.

This hat is for my pal Jodi. I love it so much I think I'll make one for me too!

I've also been working away on the Red Scarf Project - 24" in, 36" to go...

Next in the queue:
Arianne from Chicknits. I am hoping to find a colorway in Rowan's Kid Classic that I like. Yeah, I think that yarn will be just right.

The Last Knit

2006-09-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

Genius.

I love it that my husband is sending me U-tube links to put on my blog. I'm not sure if watching U-tube all afternoon is part of his job description... I wonder what the guys in the office would think if they caught him watching this one!

Friday Fotos

2006-09-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

This is the shrine at the Buddhist monestary tucked in at the end of my block. The "compound" is flanked by trees on the south and east sides. It can be a serene place on the right day, in the right weather. The rest of the time, it's occupied by seemingly everyday people - except that they are all wearing orange robes and have shaved heads. But when it really comes down to it, they are in urban Seattle too and there is trash to take out, cars to wash, gardening to do and they all do it with grace and charm. We're very happy they are our neighbors.

Here is the view from my front steps:

Now here's an interesting one for you. Can you guess what it is?

Ok, ready?... It is the BASEMENT of my boss' new houseboat. Seattle is home to a rich "floating home" community made famous by Sleepless in Seattle. My boss is fortunate enough to own not one but TWO of these little gems. This is the basement and floating part of the home he bought a few years ago. When it is complete (they still have to add foam to the giant moat surrounding "the box" - where the guy is standing), they will attach cranes to all of the hooks you see along the bottom, raise it up, flip it and lower it into the lake. The big "box" on top sink into the water until only about 18" is above the water line. At that point it the base will be floating. Then the rest of the house will be rebuilt on the top. Pretty cool, eh?

Here is an example:

(I lifted his picture from this person's flickr site. Please don't sue me! I'll cease and desist if you tell me to.)

And finally, there's this guy:

I snapped this picture a few weeks ago. This is a City of Seattle water meter reader. I just thought it was so damn cool that he was using a Segway to get around. I dug around online and found out that the city purchased a few of these back in 2002 as a test to see if it would be more efficient for the employees to use Segways rather than CoS trucks. It seems to be working.

These are super fun to ride - I wish they were more practical! Here's Flynno and me on our Segway tour in Washington DC last summer. What a blast!

A Grey kinda night

2006-09-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

Finally, the season premier of Grey's Anatomy!

I must admit, I didn't care very much about this show when it first started. Partly this was because we didn't have cable TV and the rabbit ears were so finicky that is just wasn't worth it to invest in any sort of series. My husband, being the trouper he is, stuck with the show through the static and picture distortion from day one. Perhaps this has to do with his little crush on Dr. Grey. Just sayin'. Anyway, by the end of season one, I had Dr. McDreamy fever.

Now, it's season three AND we have crossed over to the dark side of cable-land. I've got my knitting projects lined up and as long as the shop keeps closing at 8:00 pm on Thursdays, my schedule is clear.

I hope tonight's episode is a little lighter than the season finale. Flynno watched the re-run of it last night and I walked in just in time to see the last three minutes or so (after Izzy walked out of Denny's room) and that was enough to get me bawling like a school girl with a skinned knee.

Are you feeling Grey?

Hilltop Ballband Contest

2006-09-20T21:02:00.000-07:00

Head on over to the Hilltop Yarn blog to check out their Ballband warshcloth contest. Sounds fun! Also, read this post while you're at it - it should clear up any questions: and finally, thanks, Karen for posting this awesome flickr Ballband inspiration link.

Ok, yes, this picture is totally staged. (And that lid is dang heavy!) But to prove I really do cook with this pot, here is a picture of the scrumptious rice pudding I made last week. I never posted the picture because I realized, well, rice pudding is makes for a rather boring shot.

The Booty!

2006-09-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

When I came home from work today there was a package on my door step from Danielle. YAY! With anticipation I opened the package wondering if it was The Good, The Bad or the Ugly... and I get... The Bad! When I figure out to do with it, I'll be a BAD-ASS knitter! Or maybe a BAD-ASS crochet-er - this could be nice for a crochet pillow for the TV room. Hmmm....

Also included in the package was some warshrag cotton (to feed my habit), some delish hazelnut chocolates (to feed my belly - yum!) and some oh-so-cute stitch markers handmade by Danielle. These I do need - in fact, I'll be putting them to good use very quickly. Thanks Danielle! Thanks Ann and Kay!

The new addition of Knitty is up. Lots of cute stuff - but I'm determined to finish up old projects before diving into new ones!

And finally, a shout out to my colleague Jay's mom, (a kindred crafty spirit) who told her husband she'd like to "get herself a blog". He promptly replied "honey, there's no more room in the garage!" HA!

Yarn Divas

2006-09-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

Yay! Jennifer and Becky, the owner-sisters of Hilltop yarn made it on the Yarn Harlot's website. There's also pictures of her on the Hilltop blog including this one I swiped from there.
An exciting day all around!

I'm taking the next two days off work to spend a couple of days with one of my dearest friends (YAY!) who is visiting the Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center (BOO! for cancer - thumbs up for Fred Hutch - they are the best.) After 6 years in remission from luekemia, the cancer cells are back so she's being evaluated for a bone marrow transplant. We'll look for apartments while she's here (she's traveling from Southern Idaho), just in case they tell her she needs the procedure. Needless to say, I've been in a tizzy the past week over this recent diagnosis, but now I'm just looking forward to seeing her. And, she is bringing her dad along who has been entertaining me since I was 10 years old. He's a hoot!

Yesterday I cast on for the Red Scarf project.

This is the Irish Hiking Scarf from Hello Yarn. The requirements for the Red Scarf Project are that the scarf is at least 5" wide - this baby is just a skosh over. A little blocking when it's done will make it just fit with the requirements, with room to spare. I'm so glad to find a use for all of this red Cascade 220 that I bought last year in a felted bag making frenzy. After I finish this, I need to start getting more serious about holiday gifts and thinking about what I'll make for the various fundraisers that will be held to help out with Jodi's cancer-related bills.

Speaking of frenzy, the two ballband warshrags are finished, but I've got more balls of cotton on queue. I have a feeling there will be at least one of these on the needles at all times for the times when my hands get fidgety for near-mindless knitting.

Eye Candy - Calling all Mountain Goats

2006-09-03T09:58:00.000-07:00

I missed Eye Candy Friday becuase I've been a photo slacker lately. Plus, I knew that on Saturday we were heading up to Mt. Rainier and I'd get some big photo ops in. Here's one:

This was on our decent from the Skyline trail - a five mile loop up the base of the mountain and back, starting from Paradise Lodge. I was thinking this would be no big thang as I love to hike. Well, this one was a bit humbling. What I didn't know was that the first mile or so would include a 1400 foot eleveation increase. On such a hot day, that first bit was an ass-kicker, but after that it was smooth sailing. Most of the great photos are on my hubbies camera - the ones where we were at the hightest point of the climb, but here's a few more for now.

Off to work a 10-hour shift in the Hilltop booth at the Indy Market at Bumbershoot. Have a great Sunday!

Little Miss Sunshine

2006-08-30T20:56:00.000-07:00

Been to see Little Miss Sunshine yet? If not, whatcha waiting for? Take a load off and prepare for some big belly laughs!

I just want to scoop up that Abigail Breslin and put her in my pocket!

If you have seen it...remember how Olive reacted to the news that she was going to be in the Little Miss Sunshine competition? Well, that was me today when I learned that I WON A BLOG CONTEST! Woo Hoo! A bag o' yan is headed from my way from Danielle. That girl's creative juices are flowing and she's documenting it all on her site!

In other news... I was warned... the Ballband Warshrags are addicting! Only after I picked out all of my colors I realized that the lime green/ hot blue combo is one of the color combos in "the book". I see that they cut their book sample with another green to tone down the "juicy" colors (as Kay likes to call them). I was thinking the green in the book looked a bit like a dark seafoam green, but the closest I could find in Sugar n' Cream was a dark sage. I wasn't too keen on that color, but I happened upon some Lion Cotton in "seaspray". Pretty good. Yet, when I started the seaspray row, I realize that it looks a bit light. Perhaps the sage would have been a better choice after all -sometimes you just can't tell until you put them all together - kind of like painting your walls I guess. Oh well, I'm still delighted with the way the colors are turning out.

And, since I couldn't get enough, I'm about 4 sets in to my blue/red combo. I found some old aluminum needles at the flea market this weekend and I thought they'd be perfect for warshrags. I really like the clicky-clicky sound they make. I'll be getting some good use out of those $2 needles! Here's a shot along with the other flea market finds:

The red/blue combo will go go nicely with the the apron I'm putting together and the lime/blue one will be gifted with the matching towels which I plan on sprucing up a bit with thread or ribbon trim.

This nifty crocheted apron was a steal - I love it - a bit bittersweet, though as I can see someone put a lot of work into it and looks as though it's never been used. Those days are over! The other things were just fun little do-dads. I have no idea why I need a rubber stamp that says "goat", but apparently at around 1:00 pm on Sunday, I couldn't live without it! The card is for my neighbor across the street - she's due any day!

Ballband bandwagon

2006-08-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

I'm on!

Summer Pasta!

2006-08-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple pasta recipe that I've been making for years. It's a riff off a basic Pasta Puttanesca recipe, sans olives and anchovy paste, sub in mushrooms and bell peppers. The recipe is "eyeballed" for the most part - have fun with it! It makes enough for four with some hefty leftovers for the next day's lunch.

2 cloves chopped garlic
1 medium red onion, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
8 oz sliced mushrooms
28 oz can chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup (or so) capers
a couple pinches red pepper flakes
Parmesean cheese, freshly grated
two "handfulls" of dry spaghetti noodles
olive oil for sauteing

Prep all veggies. Start water for boiling pasta. In a large pan heat olive oil on medium heat. Saute onions for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and peppers. Saute a few minutes more. Add mushrooms and saute until everything is tender, but not mushy. Toss in the capers and red pepper flakes. Set aside until pasta is done. Cook pasta. After you drain the pasta put it back into the pot. Add the canned tomatoes (juice and all) and cooked veggies. Heat through over low heat. Put in your favorite large serving bowl. Garnish with Parmesean cheese and little parsleys, if you like. Serve with a salad and crusty bread with an olive oil/balsamic vinegar dip.

Salad fav - I loves me some wild greens, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, avacado chunks, grape tomatoes and blue cheese, if I have it. If not, Parmesean is good too. A little Annie's or Trader Joes Raspberry Vinegarette tops it off nicely!

Enjoy!

Summer Bugs!

2006-08-26T00:19:00.000-07:00

See this little guy? Where do you think he is hanging out?

Right on the towel where I was getting ready to wipe off my toothpaste-slimed gob, of course!

Gah! Summer bugs! Gotta love 'em!

Eye Candy Friday!

2006-08-25T07:33:00.001-07:00

Oh how I love you, Farmer’s Market

One of the best things about living on Beacon Hill is that we are close to the Wednesday Columbia City Farmer’s Market. This is a weekly ritual for many Seattleites in their respective neighborhoods. There is a strong sense of community with both the regulars (chatting it up with the vendors and other neighbors) and the newbies (looking at everything, delighted by it all). I love seeing the kids wandering around with their mommies and daddies, mouths full of whatever delicious fruit is in season. And I love the seasoned farmers who will whip out their razor sharp pocket knife and cut off a piece of cucumber or peach or tomato or whatever you have your eye on and let you sample before you buy. Which brings me to THE PRODUCE! Freshly picked, mostly organic. And THE PRICES! So inexpensive and the money goes directly into the pockets of the growers - small family farms. (Those yummy sunflower bouquets are only $5!) If you have a farmers market in your town or city, I highly recommend checking it out!

Just say NO!

2006-08-24T08:05:00.000-07:00

If your pedicurist comes at you with something that looks like this:

please, oh please politely decline! Yes, folks, this is a foot shaver - meant to make your feet silky smooth by removing callus build-up. I was always fine with the gross-out factor of the "shavings" in exchange for a fab set of toes and feet but after the nasty experience I had two weeks ago, I've sworn off the shaver for good! No need to go into the gruesome details, but I will say that a "chunk" of heel the size of my pinky fingernail (top to bottom) was "shaved" right off my foot. Today is the first day I've been able to apply full pressure to my foot while standing and not have it hurt like hell. Caught up in the drama of it all, I google'd all sorts of horror stories about pedicures and all of the germies hanging out in salons and of course, the shaver. OMG! I should have put two and two together (shaver = razor = razor blades = shouldn't be near your foot), but in my quest for hot-toez I never really thought about it. I think I'll stick to a simple pumice stone from now on, thank-youverymuch. The drama has subsided and twice daily baths in peroxide and Neosporin have kept any signs of infection away. But what a pain! Oh, and I've noticed my feet hurt in general lately - why? - because the protective calluses are gone. Who knew?

Knitta at Bumbershoot!

2006-08-23T17:46:00.000-07:00

Just came across this Datebook blurb in Seattle Magazine...

Knitta is part of the High Tech vs. Home Ec exhibit at this year's Bumbershoot Festival over Labor Day weekend. Also attending will be the one and only Yarn Harlot, Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching and many other heroes of the arts and crafts movement. I can hardly wait! Come on down and visit us at the Hilltop booth!

What a difference a year makes!

2006-08-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

About a year and a half ago our pal Scott bought a cute little house in a north end neighborhood. Scott loves to entertain and he was drawn to this property by the fenced in yard, the nice, low maintenace landscaping and the GIANT oak tree that anchored the NW corner of the yard. This tree kept everything well shaded in the summer and Scott's lawn did not suffer in the summer months like many lawns in Seattle do.
It stayed green and lush and was perfect for BBQs and pinata entertainment.

Then last winter in a freak but severe windstorm the tree split right down the middle - half landing on Scott's roof, the other half on his just-paid-off car. Scott has his fifteen minutes of fame when the local news channel came out and did a little piece. It was all very exciting, but after it was all said and done the tree was gone. All that was left was a massive stump in the ground. The fence eventually had to come down all around the house as the damage was so great it couldn't be repaired. Scott has been very busy at work and the yard has languished in the summer heat. This weekend he called in the troups to help him get it ready for replanting this fall.
This pile represents where the giant oak once stood:
And here's Flynno on the bobcat:
After much hole filling, soil moving and leveling we've got this yard in pretty good shape to receive new sod. Soctt, we're all looking forward to watching your garden grow! In the meantime, I need to figure out how to deal with my own private hell of a backyard!

Sky Candy!

2006-08-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken along I-84 near Yakima, WA. I was driving by myself and was caught in a quick but intense rain storm. The rain drops were fast and fat but the real kicker was that the bright rays of the setting sun made the road shine like a mirror. There were a few scary minutes of driving and then the clouds departed as quickly as they came.

I recently came across this blog: Creature Comforts - I've been whiling away the hours following all of these great links!

I just joined the Fetching KAL.

Fingerless gloves have been all the rage for Knittlesticks this week. I started and finished the second glove in this pair last weekend while waiting in the ferry line to (and from) Vashon Island.

Pattern: Hand / Wrist Warmers - Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Tahki Stacy Charles New Tweed Yarn - color 46
This pattern is a simple twisted rib stitch - move your rib stitch pattern over every 4 rows to get a cool spiral.

And now, off to enjoy the weekend!

Waterloo... couldn't esape if I wanted to...

2006-08-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to the audio CD series of The Potato Factory by Bryce Courtenay. I'm nearly finished - I have no idea how long I've been listening but there's something like 16 CDs. I love, love, love this book. Except for the parts (which are frequent) where the story refers to the battle of Waterloo. Then that damn Abba song starts dancing around in my brain and I can't break free. I just caught myself humming the song while sitting at my desk at work. OMG! Well, at least I'm learning a whole new vocabulary of early 19th century slang. I can't wait for an opportunity to call someone a "rat scallion"!

Eye Candy....er, Saturday?

2006-08-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

A day late... Friday was a bear!

The completed shower!

We still have to seal the grout, but for all intensive purposes, the bathroom is done. I snapped this shot before the sink was put in, but it's just a basic pedestal sink with brushed nickel fixtures. Much better than this...

See that Sierra Nevada beer on the toilet tank? That became the vessel for the time capsule we put in the wall. We added a few pictures of us and the house and our purchase date of the house (we are only the second owners of this 1954 "Boeing Box.") We got the idea when we found this in the wall during demo... a vintage Rainier Beer bottle!

Here's a detail of the tile - our friend Tony did a great job, eh?

In knitting news, the trellis scarf has been cast off, ends woven in. I'll be taking it to Hilltop East today to block it on the blocking table. Pics to come when it's all flattened and detailed. I feel like a giant weight has been lifted now that the trellis is done!

Oh, and for good measure, here's a pre-felting shot of the "Fuzzy Feet" I'm making for my mom for Christmas - no worries - she has no idea I post from time to time.

Yarn: Nashua Wooly Stripes - 01-Viva - Just a little over two balls
Pattern followed exactly, with some length added for size (total 13" long)

I have made these slippers several times over the last couple of years. They are a quick knit and make a great gift. My mom had her eye on my sister's pair last Christmas, so this year she gets her own. One holiday gift down - this year I've vowed to avoid the frenzied November and have my projects done early - the holidays can be spent knitting things for ME!

Eye Candy Friday!

2006-08-04T18:14:00.000-07:00

A great way to motivate me to post is to join a ring. I love the Eye Candy Friday theme started by Purlywhites. This picture is of the planter on our front step. It's really grown together - much better than the tired pansies that occupied that space in the springtime. The planter has "Creeping Jenny", a tall grassy type plant, some chartreuse coleus, some multi-color coleus and a hummingbird plant - I don't know the official name, but I do know the hummingbirds like it. The other day I came busting out the front door and nearly ran right into our buddy "Rufus", the Rufus hummingbird that lives in our back yard. Scared the begeezus out of the both of us.

While I'm talking about the front yard, I'll present some before and after pics of the front of the steps. When we moved in to our humble abode two years ago, we were left with some nasty juniper and cypress bushes in the front yard. Sadly, I don't have a picture of the before - just the aftermath of my "trimming" last summer.
UGH!

We decided to raise the bed and make a fun, circular planting.

And ta-dah! Here it is! I'm so pleased with the way it's turned out so far and I can't wait until the bushes in the back get a little bigger to hide the giant concrete steps! The little Japanese maple is really coming along - the nursery was honest in telling me that they were afraid it would die last winter, but it's survived a full year, so I think we're safe. Oh, and I need to find a better spot for my little Budda buddy - you can see him above, but now the plants have engulfed him!

On the knitting front, the trellis scarf continues to haunt me, but now the ball of Kidsilk Haze is looking really leggy, so I'm near the end!

This weekend is the big SeaFair hydroplane races at Lake Washington. The Blue Angels have been buzzing our house for their practice runs - I'll be outside watching for them on Sunday. On Saturday though, I'll by at my LYS - they are having a HUGE one year anniversary sale. Come on down! (This is for the EAST side store in Bellevue...)

Have a great weekend!

So when did Beck start sounding like Prince?

2006-07-27T19:46:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been enjoying my free playlists at http://www.pandora.com. I love this site and I love the fact that they really are trying to bring more indy music to their customers. A month or so ago I requested that Heather Duby be added. I received a prompt response saying that they have received over 40,000 requests recently, but they will try to get to it. Within a month Heather's latest album (released on July 18th) was selected and now I get a "dube" song almost every time I listen. Oh, and speaking of Heathery Duby, she rocked hard last week at the Triple Door in Seattle! Anyone else see that show? It was so dramatic during their set-up when they brought out the grand piano! I only wish she played longer!

Ok that brings me to addressing my title - The song "Debra" by Beck just came on Pandora. I could have sworn it was Prince - such an interesting sound for Beck. Lucky me - I like Prince too so this song was right up my alley!

I've been working on all kinds of knitting projects lately...

Let's see... WIP #1 - denim baby pants from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I have both legs done - I just need to join them together and start knitting in the round. They will be done before I know it! (You get to see the book pic since I don't think showing two legs are too interesting!)

WIP #2 - Trellis scarf - a Decidedly Hilltop pattern. I have a love/hate relationship with this scarf. I've knit the bottom 1/4 of this scarf three times (operator error...) and just when I hit my stride I had the MOTHER of all dropped stitches and with this lace pattern I will have to unknit quite a ways down to catch it. On the brighter side, the COPA is lovely to knit with and is nicely complimented by the Kid Silk Haze. I can't wait unil it's properly blocked. Too bad it's not for me - this will be on display at the yarn store!

WIP #3 - Hobo bag - another Decidedly Hilltop pattern. I'm in the home stretch here. I'm just working on the strap. Then it needs seaming, felting and grommets. This has been my "car" project for a few months now. It scares me how much time I waste in traffic when I see this giant bag coming to fruition. (Don't worry folks - I only knit at train crossings, bridge openings and in the occasional hopeless jam!)

WIP #4 - the Perdita bracelet in Knitty. This is such a fun little knit. What a great idea to make something out of embriodery floss! I'm working on the "Lilac" pattern - I started in black, but realize that's not the smartest choice for the lacy pattern so I switched to a bold grass color and am liking it much better - pics soon!

Today feels like a movie/knitting day - at least until the sun starts burning away the Seattle morning clouds. Instead, I'm off to work... sigh!

Contradictions...

2006-05-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

Here's what happens when I start actually hitting the "POST" button... I go and change my mind about things!

Yesterday I found this little gem of a skirt at Ann Taylor Loft and what immediately comes to mind?? A knitted tank top of course! Right after I go and say I don't like summer knits. I scoured my back issues of Vogue knitting and Interweave knits and some of my books but didn't find anything that I thought would look good with my boobage, but then I came across this pattern

Knitty: Soleil and I think its a winner. I've already got the yarn order ready! With my current knitting pace and penchant for not completing projects, I may not get to wear this outfit until late this year, but since Seattle summers don't start until the middle of July, I'll surely get there!

Now that I've got a whopping three whole posts up, I'm already dissatisfied wtih the layout of this blog. I need to spend a little time figuring out how to put together archives, links, etc. to get this this thing smokin'!

ciao,
w.

How the hell did it get to be May?

2006-05-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

Seriously, how in the hell did it get to be May? Hmmm... I vaguely remember saying that I would blog at least weekly, back in um.... January. I'm lame, but I'm trying not to be! And I will say, in defense of my lameness that I did start several entries but deemed them unworthy of the internets. Now that I've graduated from a life success course, I'm trying to just get over myself already and just blog damnit!

I'm several postings behind on the ABC KAL, but I still love reading everyone's postings so I'm going to try to get back into the game. My original B posting was for BABIES - two little darlings were born in April and I did some fun knitting for the little fellas. A pair of baby UGGs which got given away before they could be photographed and a pair of eggplant fruit caps were my big projects back in January. The gifts have been given - all that's left are the yarn scraps.

So instead, my B will be my booklist. I recently read a posting on www.goodtobegirl.com/blog about what life was like before knitting. I too used to be an avid reader, but I've only completed a handful of novels in the last year. Most recently completed was Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire. Although I enjoyed it, it didn't grab me like the way Wicked or Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister did. Not a waste of time persay, but I doubt I'll re-read it. Here's my queue: A bit daunting by the size of it, but there's several chic-lit books in there so at least those will be quick.

Just got my new Interweave Knits mag yesterday. I don't know what it is with me and summer knits. For as much as I love long sleeve sweaters and sweater vests, I just can't find a short sleeve sweater pattern that I can see myself spending the time to make. Yet, there are some gems in this issue. I may attempt the Marseilles Pullover or a some of the scarves. For all of the short sleeve and tank lovers out there, you will surely find some treats in this issue!

Here's the booklist:

• The Girl with the Pearl Earring– Tracy Chevalier
• The Kite Runner– Kaled Hosseini
• The Other Boleyn Girl – Philippa Gregory
• Into Thin Air– John Krakhauer
• Tuesdays With Morrie– Mitch Albom
• The Time Travelers Wife – Audrey Niffeneger

• Skinny Dip– Carl Hiaasan

• The Good Earth– Pearl S. Buck

• The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay– Michael Chabon

• The Red Tent– Anita Diamant

• Sula – Tony Morrison

• Middlesex– Jeffery Eugenides

• The Lovely Bones– Alice Seibold

• The Five People You Meet in Heaven– Mitch Albom

• The DaVinci Code– Dan Brown

• Angels and Demons - Dan Brown

• Mortality for Beautiful Girls - Alexander McCall Smith

• The Kalahari Typing School For Men - Alexander McCall Smith

• The Full Cupboard of Life– Alexander McCall Smith

• The House of Sand and Fog - Andre Dubus III

• Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim– David Sedaris

• Naked – David Sedaris

• Stiff; The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers– Mary Roach

• Wicked; The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

• Empire Falls– Richard Russo

• Poisonwood Bible

• The Secret Life of Bees– Sue Monk

• Harry Potter series 1-6

• The Things They Carried Tim O’Brien

• Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood– Rebecca Wells

• Little Alters Everywhere– Rebecca Wells

• The World According to Garp – John Irving

• Angela’s Ashes - Frank McCourt

• Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister – Gregory Maguire

• Mirror – Gregory Maguire

cheers,
w.

Happy New Year

2006-01-02T22:03:00.000-08:00

I created this blog one year ago today. Do you see my archives? That's right - there are none! I orchestrated several elaborate entries and then found them unworthy to be published. Well, no longer - I'm diving in head first with a write-along ring for knitters - the 2006 ABC-along. Turns out sometimes the only way I can get things done is to be held accountable for it in one way or another, so here goes...

A is for Antiques. I'm scouting for an antique(ish)(or even "gently used" all wood) bookcase to put in my craft room. In my adult life most of the furniture I've purchased has been previously owned. I like this. A lot. This table is my favorite "score", although there have been a few others. (The rug below was purchased new - wah! But the most special things in the house were either purchased via estate sale, auction or are family heirlooms).

Eventually I will write "A Hundred Things About Me", but for new I'll just give you a preview:

In no particular order...

1) I moved to the city to get away from a one-stoplight town.
2) You can take me out of the country, but you can't take the country outta' me!
3) I'm very organized, but sometimes quite messy (maybe a bookshelf will help...)
4) I work at an invention studio that specializes in toys and games
5) I rarely play games at home
6) I've been married for four years (almost - my anniversary is 02-02-02)
7) We're dinks (double income, no kids)... squared!
8) That means we both have two jobs (our careers and p/t hobby jobs)
9) I work PT at a yarn store. It RAWKS!
10) I haven't taken photos of anything I've knit (or crocheted)... YET!

More to come!

Happy New Year!

-w.