Make Me

So...I've Been Knitting

I'm still here in Arizona and I do believe the dryness has caused my kidneys to disintegrate into dust.  Hope y'all have your organ donor cards all filled up.

I've been knitting and I would have pictures to show you but I can't get them to display on my mom's computer and I'm not inspired enough to really work at it.  So put your imagination caps on and we should all be just fine.

Wendy gave me lovely merino/tencel blend o yarn that is in the most beautiful mauve-y pinks - the color of one of those Avon freebie lipsticks you used to play streetwalker dress-up with.  There's 172 yards, so I'll have to think of something extry, extry special to make with it.  I think I want to do a lacy scarf, but I'll have to do some research first.

I finished the brown wool socks and after a million careful measurements to make 100% certain they wourld the same size and equally careful blocking (after reading Eunny's tutorial.) you'll be happy to know that one sock is exactly 1/4" shorter than the other.  Add to that the unwise decision of using a handwash only yarn for man socks.  Sigh.

Last night I made Calorimetry - it was easy and too short to be boring.  I used the recommended yarn in purple with shots of blue and pink and some other color I've decided is rust.  I followed Vera's suggestion and went a size down with the needles, but it's still too big for me.  I'm thinking to frog it and make a new one on size 6s with fewer rows.  We'll see.

Wendy also gave me some, uh...green yarn?  I forgot if she spun it or dyed it or both.  It's really cool yarn though and I was going to use it for Fetching. (Everyone's got Fetching Fever!) 

Speaking of Wendy, I got to meet the infamous Pomona the other night.  She's everything Wendy says she is, only sweeter.  She's got the sweetest little face!  And although the whippets were more than willing to be my friend for the price of a treat, Pomona was much more discerning.

I decided, in that fit of last minute holiday knitting, that I'm going to be more selfish about projects in the coming year.  More for me, less for them. Ha!  I was inpired to make the following button

For every one item I make for someone else, I have to make two for myself. Sound fair? Wanna hop on that bandwagon? Take the button and make the pledge:

I promise to knit for myself in 2007. I promise to make at least two items for myself for every one item I make for a friend. I promise to use more luxury yarns on myself than on others. I promise to laugh wildly every time someone says, "oh that's nice! Can you knit one for me?" I promise to feign illness whenever I see someone coming toward me with a sweater pattern and 20 pounds of Red Heart yarn. When Christmas time comes I will not panic and will give those who clamor for handknit gifts, yarn, needles, pattern and a coupon for free knitting lessons. In the year 2007 I promise to model more handknitted items than ever before. I will be glad to be known as "That Crazy Knit Chick."

Print the pledge and tape it to your front door. Recite it out loud every time you know you are going to the yarn store. I feel ever so much better now!

Please Pass the Figgy Pudding!

Merry Christmas!!

Bloody Christmas Cheer is Here!

Need a last minute Christmas gift?  Something you can make with things you already have around the house?  I just found this site and knew I had to share.

Catching Up

So I came home and thought I'd take a short nap.  That was about 6pm.  I slept until about 2am.  As my grandmother used to say, I slept so hard I'm stupid.  Had plans for tonight. Packing, sorting, knitting, etsy-ing, dishwashing and all that.  But instead I slept the night away.

And now it's 4:50AM and I'm awake. Bleh!

So I remembered I promised to make some earrings for my friend Patrick to give his wife for Christmas.  Since tomorrow is the last day of work (yay!) before Christmas, I needed to get them done right away.

I think they turned out fun!

I also went through my photos and found some pictures of Nancy's tea party.

This one of Yoli WNAB (Who Needs a Blog) is my favorite.  I love the look on her face!

 

Here's Cristina and I. Look! I'm wearing lipstick!

Our hats were quite creative, I think. Check out the pictures on Nancy's blog.

THis is what happens when you blog at 5am - Typepad turns everything into a link...what's up with that?

Finally, here's a lemon poppyseed muffin made by me.  I got to use the new muffin tin Kathie gave me for my birthday...or was it Christmas?  Either or, it's super cool and I always wanted one. Thanks Kath!

Here's a purse I did for one of the craft sales.  I didn't realize it till just now that the handles aren't centered.  Might have to redo those.  I love the retro fabric though - found it at Joanne's.  Hopefully I'll get to making purses from the rest of the fabrics I bought that day.

I just put this purse up on Etsy.  I finished it on our Big Bear retreat.  I wasn't sure about how to price it.  They take such a long time to crochet, I can't just crank 'em out.  But then I can't really use my $10/hour fee or they'd be over $100.  I hope the price is fair.

I love this purse.  I made the outer part a million years ago (as a head wrap for a friendly Brachiosaurus)and wanted to turn it into a purse, but didn't know how.  I found these rings at the evil WalMart for .50 and thought they'd be perfect.  Next I had to find the lining and just happened across this upholstery sample in my stash.  Finally! One cool purse!  I listed it on Etsy as well.

Hit N Run

Just checked out the new stamps from Meer Image. Very cool - I'll write a real post later.

Crunch Time

I am suffering from a virulent case of secondsockitis.  I had hoped to have my brown socks in the mail by today, but seeing as I've just started the heel, I don't think that's going to be possible.  If I send them unfinished and call it a "sock kit" how do you think that would go over? 

I did finish a scarf for a friend.  I think I picked up the yarn Thursday and she needed it today.  I did a simple garter stitch scarf lengthwise.

             

The yarn was fun to work with - RY Classic yarns in a wool-viscose-silk-? blend. Felt like buttah.  It was make a really nice cozy sweatah.  (Like the late-night rhyming? That's cheap entertainment for ya!)

I reopened my Etsy shop. Stop on by and tell me what you think of it.  I have some more goodies to put up, but I'm tired and need beddy-bye first.

I'm Looped!

Working on the second sock.  Decided to learn to magic loop - maybe it won't seem so boring doing the same thing twice.  Learned from this site and the directions were easy to follow.  I've seriously GOT to learn to do 2 socks at once.  I'm not a good repeat performance kind of gal.

I'm finally convinced we are in for a little chilly weather and am in the process of switching out my closet.  No more tank tops and skirts - bring on the....um, short sleeve t-shirts? To that end the closet gets a thorough cleaning at long last.

I'm feeling a bit under the gun holiday-wise.  I've taken on much more than I can chew. Some projects are just going to have to be a little late.  Sorry folks!  I'm going to make Christmas cards later today, but have a party to attend in 3 hours.  It's the parties that really suck the time right out of you, but I suppose that's the wrong attitude, no?

Back to the closet mines!

Oh, new hat pattern, BTW. Enjoy!

It's Like Red, But Not Quite

Have been bargain hunting for a new digital camera lately and today noticed a common theme while clowning around on Amazon.  Can you guess what it is? (You can click on the individual things to find out what they are)

All you lady wannabees out there - check out those pumps! They go to size 16!

Brought to You by the Letter "S"

Meet my friend, Sock. 

Say hello to the people, Sock.  ......um, Sock is kind of shy.  He doesn't talk much, but he's agreed to let me do the talking for him.

Sock was born Saturday afternoon on ghetto size 3 circs.  By ghetto I mean, 1-32" metal size 3 circ and 1-16" bamboo size 3 circ.  Sock's mom was a lovely IK pattern by Ann Budd that is no longer on the website.  Ms Budd suggested a lovely cashmere blend as father, but I'm afraid my version picked up a drunk biker, was given a free pint of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a quick how-dee-do in the parking lot of Knit Picks Bar and Grill and sent on her merry way.  That cheap Palette yarn (heretofore known as Splitty McSplictenstein) left our sock pattern in the family way and shortly after Sock was born. 

Sock was trying very hard to get over his issues, what with his father splitting and running off with another sock pattern, but whenever he felt too much pressure to conform, Sock would always split. 

Finally, Sock's mom got her act together and called in the Bates Sisters (oddly, both of them named Susan!).  They'd teach him which way to go; keep him in line.  It seemed Sock's behavior and tendency to split only got worse!  Mom was dismayed.  She knew how she wanted him to end up and the path the Bates Sisters were taking him was the wrong way!  After some research at the local library, Mom discovered that Bates Girls were actually working under assumed names!  Their real names were Splitta and Splatta Splitesky! And they were on the run from the law for damage to good, wholesome yarns everywhere!

Still, Sock was a attached to the girls and Mom didn't have the heart to break up the trio and send the sisters packing back to Frog Creek.  She had a firm "talk" with the girls, told them to not to be so rough on Sock and, backed into a corner, the sisters agreed.  But Mom has to keep a sharp eye on them at all times!  A mother's job is never done!

Sock is progressing normally now and we all hold great hopes for his complete success. 

We all appreciate your support.

Gift Ideas

I was looking for gift ideas and happened across the Violet and Blue site.  "Romantic gifts for anniversaries, weddings and special occasions," it says.  And I browsed around and there are some lovely gifts. Romantic indeed.

Such as the personalized love song that comes with a lovely framed photo.

I imagine that would be very romantic and very touching.

Or maybe your beloved would like a gold-tipped rose.

Not exactly my cup of tea, but better than a sharp stick in the eye, right?

Or perhaps your beloved would want something a little quirkier. Say...your very last Rolo candy (which must be a way bigger thing in the UK than here).

But someone please tell me how this is romantic

"Happy Anniversary, honey!  I love you so much! Here's a keyring of another woman's ass just for you! You. Complete. Me."

Is it just me or are you missing the romance too?  Well, maybe if you are a gay man in love with a straight man, this could be a romantic gift. 

I did find inspiration for a really good gift.  An acre on the moon! Just go on photoshop and create your own phony real estate documentation!  Likely the receiver will be long dead before they could ever cash in. But if your photoshopping is really, really good, maybe your document will fool the moon men of intergalactic Century 21!