In addition to my busy Christmas gift making schedule, I have also been taking home a lot of painting and stitching work for my job.  

  Eeyore Brights mini mini Just about the cutest thing ever.

   

Tinker Bell mini mini "Does my butt look big in this?"

 I have discovered that I really like Paint By Numbers.

	Kittens on Keys Paint By Number
	Tow Mater Cars Paint By Number - I only did touch ups on this one, which was painted by the lovely ladygwyn
	The Chase Cars Paint By Number
	Lightning McQueen Cars Paint By Number
	Red Cars Paint By Number
	Eeyore Pooh Brights Paint By Number
	Nemo Finding Nemo Paint By Number

I have been a very busy girl this week. So here for your viewing pleasure are some pictures of things I have finished. Card Swap Here are my 10 cards for geekpixie's card swap. Sheep Bag Completed 11/15/05 Stitched with wool on canvas - a very bad idea, by the way. And yes, that is 80 million french knots making up the sheep's body. Entrelac scarf Finally put the fringe on this baby - made with an alpaca/wool blend yarn that I dyed myself. This sucker is very warm and soft. Fuzzy orange scarf This is my cheap Target yarn scarf. It's soft and fuzzy, and barely weighs anything. Feather and Fan Scarf Finished 11/16/05. Made with 2 skeins of Moonlight Mohair. It's purple, fuzzy, and sparkly. Yay!

Went to Webs today for their Knit for Hope event. Made scarves with lordavon, ladygwyn, and jadefu. Was silly and fun. Also, I started my first sweater, Mariah from Knitty. Currently working both sleeves on my new Addi Turbos, which I like very much. I started this on Sept 20 and this is all I have done so far, so we'll see how long this takes.

Work on various and sundry projects continues, at its usual slow pace. However, I took a break from some of them to make a nice easy bag, which I quite like.

I said I wasn't going to buy any yarn. I lied. But it's sooo pretty.

I started working on this little handbag in July. I've been finished with the knitting part for some time, but actually had to drag out my new sewing machine to sew a lining for it. I was excited to use the sewing machine for the first time (not the least of my excitement had to do with the fact that this bargain purchase actually worked). I sewed the lining in by hand, and then realized that the handles, which I had taken off of another bag which I was throwing out some time ago, needed be to put on before the lining. Ripped the lining out, attached the handles, and sewed the lining back in. Upon further reflection, I should either have gotten smaller handles, or made the bag bigger, but in any case...here's the finished product:

This post is all about my yarn. If you don't care about my yarn, then this is not the post you are looking for. I suggest you skip it and move on. So, I went to the UPS center today to pick up the yarn the the guy from Caron had offered to send to me. When I spoke to him at the trade show, he said he'd send "a couple of skeins". I put down 2 color choices, in case for some reason they should be out of one. I clearly marked them as 1st and 2nd choice. I expected to get 1, or maybe 2 skeins of one color, enough to make a scarf or something. When I picked up the box today, there were 9 skeins of each color inside. Now I have to figure out what to make with it. Because I was still driving around with the yarn I bought from geekpixie, as well as some cotton ease and other stuff I had bought at various points on sale, my yarn drawers needed a little better organization. I took all of the yarn out, and sorted it more or less by type. Now, with the exception of the single skeins of acrylics, and leftovers of various sorts, all of my yarn fits into the yarn storage unit.

I've been something of a slacker lately...at least when it comes to writing. It's not that I haven't been doing anything, but I guess I haven't much felt like writing about it. So, some of the exciting things I have been doing lately include: 

Numerous trips to the club for fun and flailing

An expedition to Mount Greylock

Another weekend in NH

A business trip to CA and Chicago

An outing to Salem

A trip to the zoo

I've also spent a good portion of my time working on my knitting. I've taught myself how to do entrelac, have played with dyeing yarn, and have made another fingerless mitten (though I have yet to make its mate). I am probably going to do some lace work, and start a sweater as my next projects. I have a completely unreasonable amount of yarn. Additionally, I've been reading more lately. I had definitely slacked off on this respect for some time, and have been making a conscious effort to read some of the books that have been waiting for me. In that spirit, I have read several books in the last 2 months: The Plague Tales and The Burning Road by Ann Benson Shade's Children by Garth Nix Madame de Treymes and Others by Edith Wharton Secrets & Confidances edited by Karen Eng Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire The Whole by John Reed Sloppy Seconds by Megan McCafferty I get a lot more reading done when I am suffering from insomnia. Otherwise, not a whole lot of interesting developments. 

So, last week, I started experimenting with Entrelac. I used some acrylic yarn I had leftover from another project as a test of the pattern. It came out pretty funky, and I think I am going to make a pillow out of it. I'll post pictures once that is done. In the meantime, here are some pics of a scarf I am working on with an alpaca/wool blend yarn that I dyed myself. I am such a dork. Also, I forgot to mention that geekpixie and I had a yarn-for-money exchange which I think worked out very well for both of us. I am very much looking forward to making a sweater with the bottle green patons classic wool. =) And, continuing on my yarn entry: I received an e-mail today from the guy at Caron yarns that I spoke to at the trade show. My sample skeins of yarn are on their way to me. Rock on! Free yarn! Tonight's plans: clean room to make space for yarn.

The trade show itself was really interesting. Most of the stuff was scrapbooking, and a lot of it looked the same, but there were some cool things. And there was yarn, Lion brand, Caron, and Coats and Clark all had booths. I scored some free stuff, 6 or so skeins of yarn from the Lion people, a set of crystallite needles from Coats and Clark, and (hopefully) a couple more skeins of yarn from Caron (one of the sales guys was going to send us stuff). Go me and my feminine wiles. I also got to fondle some rosewood needles, and boy were they pretty. Speaking of knitting, I completed the body of a little handbag during my various flights, and now just have to figure out how to use my sewing machine, so I can put the lining in and attach handles or straps of some sort. It's cute, and the variegated yarn did a neat looking spiral-y striping thing, completely by accident.

My roommate and I are making good progress on this, I think. After I had completed the head and torso, I passed it off to her, and she completed the arms and skirt, and then returned it to me. It took me about 3 weeks to do the wings. Damned metallics.

The pattern called to leave some portions of the wings unstitched, but we didn't like the way it looked, so it's filled with pearl blending filament. What a pain in the butt.

My "It's Happy Bunny" cross stitch was intended as a Christmas present for ladygwyn. However, even though the stitching was done last August, I never got around to completing the project (mostly due to my complete inability to sew a straight line). Thanks to a coworker who offered her sewing skills, this piece is now a pillow, and has finally gone to its rightful home.

I've lost my motivation.

If anyone should happen to find it...please return it to me as soon as possible.

Yesterday was a very good day. The first one of those that I've had in a while. We left for the beach in the early afternoon, since we didn't have anything better to do. Although it was chilly and windy, there were other stupid people out flying kites, playing in the sand, and walking around in their bare feet. I was tempted to buy a cheap kite at the convenience store, and try my hand at flying...but monetary concerns being what they are, I just took the opportunity to enjoy the view. There's something about being at the beach when there aren't many people around that is very calming. Sitting in the sun, with the wind whipping my hair around my face, smelling the sea...it's like my whole body relaxed in a way that it hasn't done in months. I felt refreshed and invigorated...though maybe that was just the cold. Anyway, I took a couple of pictures.

 After we had pretty much exhausted the possibilities which the beach had to offer, we wandered around a little in search of a place to eat. Mostly everything was closed, and it was actually a little creepy. Kind of makes me wonder what it's like to live in a place like that, if you just get used to how desolate it looks in the off season. We found an open restaurant and had some dinner. Although the food was okay, the service was kind of crappy, and I think our waitress was a bit of a flake. Oh well...at that point, I was just glad to be sitting someplace warm. Finally, we went to see Flogging Molly. The two opening bands were okay. There was a bit during the opening set when the band played "Stand By Me" and people were moshing; that was quite amusing. Also there were people in mohawks running around in circles like fools, and body surfing. I haven't been to a concert where there was body surfing in years. We stayed in the back of the room, so as not to get our asses kicked by stray fists or feet. Flogging Molly was fantastic, and I found it amusing that almost all of the songs they played were ones that I had selected more or less at random to put on the CD that I was listening to in my car all last week. No "Devil's Dancefloor" but it was a good set, and there was a lot of dancing. Part of me sort of wanted to be down there in the thick of it, flailing my heart. But it's probably best that I stayed out of harm's way...since if there is any possibility that I will get hurt, I most certainly will. Anyway, I also splurged and bought a t-shirt and a hoodie, which is going to quickly become my most favorite article of clothing. I had an awesome time, my face hurt from all the smiling, and my good mood and energy lasted about half of the way home, before it was overtaken by exhaustion. Managed to get home without driving us off the road, which was a nice way to end the day. It was a little before 2, and I crawled into bed, read for a while, and then had a good night's sleep. Also a nice way to end the day.

I've had this for several years now, and my roommate and I have been talking about making it for a friend of ours. We're planning on working on it together, since she is a little frightened of large projects, and well...I just don't have that much time. This way we both win. I figured the best way for us to finish it would be for one of us to start it. So, here is my progress so far on Lily Pond Dreams:

I have actually done some stuff in the last month that's worth reporting on, so here I am. I got to visit my family in PA for Easter, which was wonderful, since I haven't seen them in over a year. It was a pretty quiet weekend, and there was time to chat and catch up with my sister and nephews, and have good food, and hide Easter eggs for the nephews to find. I hate that I am so far away, and that I can't be of more use to them, but I am hopeful that I will be able to take a trip down there again this summer. My nephews are growing up so fast, and it makes me sad that I don't get to see more of their childhood, while it lasts. L will be 14 this year. It's amazing to think that he's already a teenager. Crazy, really. I'd feel so old, if they didn't still think I was kind of cool.

I finished a couple of knitting projects: a black hat with kitty ears, a pair of white, sparkly, elbow-length, fingerless mittens (which have a cable pattern running down the length of them - my first attempt at cabling), and a scarf. I am currently working on a pair of socks, using some stripey yarn which is really colorful and fun. I've also been attempting another hat, but I haven't been able to get the gauge right, so it hasn't actually been started yet, but there's a possibility that I might finish it in time to give to its intended recipient just as the weather gets cold enough again to wear it.

I cut my hair, just above the shoulders. It hasn't been this short in about 7 years, so hardly any of the people I know have seen me with it like this. It's kind of fun, but it requires a lot more work than when it is long, just to keep it tamed a little. But it feels cute. I'm thinking about adding some highlights in a funky color - red or maybe purple - just for something extra different.

April is concert month in my world. Started out by going to see Duran Duran, which was silly and fun (and an excellent place to people watch). I was never a huge fan, but like anyone of my age, I do know a lot of their songs, and I enjoyed myself a lot more than I thought I would (although I can't even listen to them perform "Hungry Like the Wolf" without thinking of E, who once played it for me on his accordion). The following weekend, I went to see Tori Amos. My friend won us an upgrade to the front row, so that was pretty cool. The show was good; I have a lot of emotion invested in Tori shows, and this was no different. And this weekend brings Flogging Molly, where hopefully, we will not end up getting our asses kicked. Never been to one of their shows, so I'm not sure what to expect, but it should be fun.

In other news, my roommate and I put in a new floor in our living room, finally giving the nasty old carpeting the decent burial it deserved...well the decent carting-out-to-the-dumpster that it deserved, anyway. 

 Finally, I have been re-reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy recently, and enjoying it as much as always. I am also reading Steve Martin's Shopgirl, which I have been meaning to get for a while, and finally bought at the used book store a couple of weeks ago. It strikes me very much as the sort of book that I would write. Although I am not as amused by it as I was by The Pleasure of My Company, it is still a good read...and nice and short, which is about all my brain can handle lately.

Put in a couple of hours at work on Sat morning, but it wasn't too bad, and I scored myself some huge knitting needles and a box o' yarn for my troubles. Hurt my back yesterday, and it has been bothering me off and on all weekend, but liberal applications of heat and ibuprofen have seemed to help, at least a little bit. Finished the fingerless mittens (which look pretty neat, I think), and the main part of the hat (which actually fits me this time). Maybe I can make the ears this week and finally have myself a kitty hat. Just in time for Spring. =)

As promised, here is a picture of the finished afghan:

Master and Margarita quotes: So how, may I ask, can man be in control if he can't even draw up a plan for a ridiculously short period of time, say, a thousand years, and is, moreover, unable to ensure his own safety for even the next day? Yes, man is mortal, but that isn't so bad. What's bad is that sometimes he's unexpectedly mortal, that's the rub! Well, as everyone knows, once witchcraft gets started, there's no stopping it Just like a murderer jumps out of nowhere in an alley, love jumped out in front of us and struck us both at once! The way lightning strikes, or a Finnish knife! Something is bound to happen because nothing last forever. Beautiful women have strange ways. It's nice to hear you address a cat so politely. For some reason cats are usually addressed with the more familiar 'thou,' despite the fact that no cat has ever drunk Bruderschaft with anyone. Today's execution, needless to say, turned out to have been a complete misunderstanding - after all, the philosopher who had conceived the absurd notion that all people were good was walking beside him, so he had to be alive. The man had caught the cat just as the animal was looking furtive (So what can be done if that's the way cats look? It's not because they're guilty, but beause they fear that creatures stronger than they - dogs or people - will harm them in some way. And that's not hard to do, but it's nothing to be proud of, I assure you. No, not at all!) and, yes, wearing such a furtive look, the cat was about to bound into a burdock patch for some reason.

Another day with nothing of interest to report. Finished my kitty hat last night, and it looks pretty cute. Otherwise, nothing really going on in my world. God, I'm boring. What have I accomplished this evening? Well...I tried to finish up my Easter cards, and have found that the thing I am best at making is a mess. Once again, ended up with glitter all over me, the carpet, and the cats.

I found a new way to spend time with the wos* ....we went on a field trip to the local yarn shop. And I convinced her to buy yarn. Woo and also hoo! Off to do some knitting before dinner. *That's short for "Wicked Old Stepmother"

Recently, I told my pen pal about a sock and a fingerless glove I had knitted (yes, just one of each). In response, he wrote the following: Guess you'll have to make the sock and the mitten a companion in time for the awful, awful holiday - or maybe wait, and let them be miserable, like the rest of us.

So where have I been hiding for the last couple of months? I don't know, but if I see me, I'll be sure to tell me you were looking. Haven't been as productive, in any fashion, as I would like. I've read The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket, Mirror, Mirror by Gregory Maguire, The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (Burgin and Tiernan O'Connor translation), and Lucinda's Secret by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. Pretty pathetic, huh? I've knitted several scarves, a hat, one mitten, half of a sock, and a couple of cat toys. I taught my roommate to crochet. I'm nearly completed with an afghan. I've seen a couple of concerts, and spent time with friends. But on the whole, I have been a lazy sod. "Having a personal philosophy is like having a pet marmoset, because it may be very attractive when you acquire it, but there may be situations when it will not come in handy at all." -The Grim Grotto "'I was tired of working in the lumber industry,' Phil said. 'I was sure I could find a better job, and look at me now - cook on a dilapidated submarine. Life keeps on getting better and better.'" -The Grim Grotto "Although lately it has become more and more difficult to attend dinner parties without the evening ending in gunfire or tapioca, I keep a list of good and bad conversational openers in my commonplace book in order to avoid awkward pauses at the dinner table." -The Grim Grotto "The phrase 'uncharted waters' does not only refer to underground locations that do not appear on charts. It is a phrase that can describe any place that is unknown, such as a forest in which every explorer has been lost, or one's own future, which cannot be known until it arrives." -The Grim Grotto "It is one of life's bitterest truths that bedtime so often arrives just when things are really getting interesting." -The Grim Grotto "You might think that climbing a mountain is half the battle, only to find out that the mountain goats who live at the top are vicious, and heavily armed." -The Grim Grotto "The way sadness works is one of the strange riddles of the world." -The Grim Grotto