Ravelholic

If you didn't already know, I'm pretty much obsessed with Ravelry. I didn't expect to be. But you know that when you stalk *your own* projects, you have a problem. What are they gonna do, knit themselves?

As I also stalk my bloggy friends' notebooks (via friend activity, woo!), I've come to realize that there are many features lots of you aren't taking advantage of yet. Maybe you are overwhelmed. Intimidated. Afraid to look at your own stash of knitting related items and admit that maybe, just maybe, you have a problem (it's not your fault, blame the stash.). Nevertheless. Only in knowing what we lay claim to can we tackle the beast. Or at least create a cool spreadsheet to compare with other folks' and see that we're not so nuts after all. There is righteous justification in being able to say to one's significant other, "at least *I* don't have as much stash as she does..."

Without further ado, I present:

"What you might be missing on Ravelry"

(aka, little things they keep adding to enable your addiction)

The Needles/Hooks page:


(as ever, click for bigger!)

Located in the "my notebook" section, this is one of my closet favorite features of Ravelry. Not only can you enter how many of each needle type you own, a little box pops up and asks for more information. I plug in what brand and sometimes where I bought them. You can see here that it would appear that I don't have many needles. I use my Denise set a LOT, though I don't see the point of adding them to the spreadsheet. I don't use straights any more, nor do I use DPNs (please don't stab me). So I basically catalog my circulars for socks and what not. Then I reference this page in my notebook when I'm ordering more online (hi KnitPicks, love you), or I can click the Print a Little Card button and have a reference to take along to the LYS. So cute.

Ravel It! Bookmark button:
This button can be found at the bottom of the main patterns page.



See? I'm also super crafty with my arrows. Anyway, drag this nifty little button to your bookmark bar, and when you run across a pattern that geeks you out, clicky and the ravelry page with that pattern comes racing to a tab near you. Awesome for addicts like me.


Custom Search Features:




Wanna know what baby items have been made with purple DB Baby Cash? Voila. How cool. You can now search yarns to see not only what people have made with them, but by category and color. Nifty!

Favorite Yarnies:
(p.s. ahem...hint hint)




Now you can add yarnies and commerical yarn to your favorites! That Casey and Jess are so smart.


What are your favorite features?

In which I make the news...

Knitch News, that is!


Whee!

The Fall Season So Far...

I love TV.

I even went so far as to major in it. Well that and film. And radio. And then acting. I'm so diverse and junk.

Though I'm not working in the field, I have some pretty strong opinions on the fodder they chuck on the air to try and sell to us. Some of it sticks, most of it oozes down the screen. Many shows just. keep. going. (Ghost Whisperer? Smallville???? for gods sakes!) I don't do full-on reviews since I can summarize why I do or don't like something pretty quickly in my head, and folks who get paid for that sort of thing do a better job than I would anyway.

But here's the quick and dirty of what I've seen so far (thank the gods for Tivo):

(I've only linked brand new shows...)

Heroes - Love it. Though I'm waiting for NBC to fuck it up. The over hyping gets old fast for me. The "MYSTERY OF THE BOX!!!!"?!?! Seriously? We're already sucked in; you don't even have to advertise for it anymore, mkay?

Dexter - I love this show with a sick fascination. Michael C. Hall is just perfect in this role. I'm on the edge of my seat with every episode. Very well done. Writing - excellent. Premise - brilliant. More, please.

Gray's Anatomy - Ok, I sucked it up and watched the first episode. Honestly, the only characters I have any sympathy for anymore are Callie and the new girl, Lexie. But if she's related to Meredith, that probably won't last very long. I'm sick of the bullshit story lines, so I doubt I'll watch for long, unless it's with disgust/fascination at the oncoming train wreck.

Pushing Daisies - Lovely. Perfect. Well written, interesting, witty, and funny. Might be too stylistic. Possibly doomed for cancellation (especially since I like it.) Jim Dale of Harry Potter audio book fame narrates. He's awesome.

Bionic Woman - I love that this remake isn't campy. Will be interesting to see how long it lasts. Love that Katee Sackhoff is in it. Go Starbuck! (i should probably dial down the nerdometer now...)

Journeyman - Quantum Leap meets The Time Travelers Wife (book, not tv). I like it so far. The whole thing with Olivia following him is enough mystery to keep me watching. For now.

The Office - I bought sticky notes yesterday that say "I <3 Jim". Enough said.

Earl - Har. I'm so glad Jamie Pressley won an Emmy for this show. She's a hoot! And Jason Lee is not so bad either.

Desperate Housewives - Bored. Over it. Move along.

Reaper - Somewhat campy, but very well written and funny. I snort laughed at least twice, which is always a good sign. And when you have Kevin Smith directing on occasion, you know it's going to do well. Bret Harrison has this Affleck/Biggs quality that makes him cute and quirky at the same time. And what knitter can argue with a sidekick named Sock?


What are your favorite new shows and why? Am I missing something good?

Socktoberfest is HERE!

First: Thank you all so much for the comments, emails, chats, phone calls, and Ravelry messages wishing me a happy birthday! You guys really went all out to make a girl feel special! I took the day off, did silly stuff, had a nice long nap, went to dinner, then had friends over to watch Heroes. It was a really great day.

Plus, I got some great knitting presents! Sunne sent me some stitch markers!

Hello Mr. Buddha, I'll be rubbing your belly now.


Some Punk Rock polka dots and rhinestone skulls.


Skulls...and crystals! (Girl must know I like Halloween or something!)


Buddhas, knitting balls (har), and a cute little sunshine!


Angela, my PRGE pal sent me a protozoa that she made, with funky blue hair, some punk knitting books and pattern yarn, some cool punk buttons, and Glow In The Dark Yarn. Ya'll. I can't wait to see what this stuff looks like knit up! Thanks Angela!


The hubby bought me the Heroes Season 1 DVD set. Woo! And Socks on Two Circs book. I can't wait to master that! Love me some magic loop!


And of all things to do on my birthday, I cast on a project for SOMEONE ELSE. It's amazing. I never knit for anyone else anymore, as my mad skills seem to go unappreciated, but Nate saw a sweater he loved and I finally put aside all my procrastination excuses and got on with it. This is the incredibly humble beginnings of Cobblestone in Skye Tweed's Heath colorway that I snagged from Webs. (The link goes to Jared's flickr pics...cause really, no one shows it off better than Jared. Rawr.)


Moving along. As you all know, with October comes Socktoberfest. Love. It. I have so many sock patterns that I want to knit right now!

Tyrolean Stockings. Rainbow Socks. Bellatrix. Nevermind the two pairs I have on the needles now.

Best get crackin'.

In the Spirit of Giving

I love October!!

It starts with my birthday and ends with my niece's birthday/Halloween. The days in between are usually cool, crisp, gorgeous and filled with football. Leaves change, socks and sweaters reemerge, and we knit for winter with a vengeance. Without a doubt, this is my favorite time of year!

So, I've decided to do something a little different for my birthday this year. Monday I'll be 31 (!!!) and instead of buying myself something I don't really need (yarn does NOT count), I'm going to be donating 20% of all my Etsy sales for the month of October to Habitat for Humanity. Why? Because two years after Katrina, people on the Gulf Coast are still struggling. In some places it *still* looks like Katrina happened yesterday. While this might not affect me personally, it does affect people that I know and love. Habitat is helping to rebuild, and every dollar counts. As a bonus, I intend to match every dollar donated via the Etsy sales. Help me raise a few bucks for a great organization! In addition to some cool yarn (if I do say so myself), you'll get an awesome themed stitch marker from Sunne's Etsy shop!

In fact, I like this idea so much, I might donate to a charity every month. There are certainly plenty out there! I'll have to do some research in order to choose wisely though.

So, I'll be updating a bit this weekend; exactly when is up in the air as I'll be taking my yarn to Knitch, dyeing somethings for Cami's shop, and working on a play. Check the shop on Monday!

I'll probably need a lie down at some point, as Monday means yet another freaking year has passed.

Can't I just sit this one out?


***
ETA: Delivered the yarn for Knitch! It should be available to purchase on their website (see the link on the right) and in the store next week! Woot!

BlogHer 08 is Coming to Atlanta!

Ya'll wanna go?


(Scroll down to the Reach Out Tour part.)

I think perhaps the fumes have finally gotten to me.

Interior: My Bedroom. It is early morning (3:30 a.m.) and the husband has finally come to bed after three or so hours of playing Halo 3.

He: (kissing me goodnight) Night, sweetie.

Me: (in a sleep that rivals death) Where are you going?

He: (confused) I'm getting in bed.

Me: (very insistent) Where are you going with all the yarn?!?!

He: Are you dreaming about yarn?

Me: Uh huh....zzzzz

Totally crack addicted

Semisolids have me weak in the knees, folks.

I seriously can't stop dyeing them up. Check it out (click for big!!):



This super dark purple semisolid is custom dyed for Sunne. She runs the Punk Rock Gift Exchange and she pretty much rules. Check out her awesome stitch markers on etsy! I'm naming it Fascination Street, cause The Cure is all dark and purply to me. I love this one so much that it will be in the shop very soon!



This one is called Hydroponic. Feel free to giggle. It's named for a 311 song that totally rocks. I gave some to the Harlot when she was in Atlanta last week and she cracked when she saw the name. I'm sure that says nothing about any of her habits.



Love My Way...what else could I call a baby pink/purple semisolid? I heart the Psychedelic Furs. (This one is dyed on yarn with silver in it. Seriously. See the bling?)



Gray is so multi-hued to me. So many different shades, and it looks amazing on a semisolid. I named it I Wanna Be Sedated, cause everything is kinda gray when you're sedated...so I'm told. Ahem. (More blingy yarn! hehe)



Blue is my favorite color. After pink. Ok, it depends on the day. Anyway, I am head over heels for this denim-y semisolid. I've called it Catch Hell Blues after one my favorite White Stripes songs (honestly they're all my favorites, but I keep replaying this one over and over). Damn, that Jack White can play the hell out of the guitar. I hate that they've cancelled the rest of their tour this year. Poor Meg.

And last but not least, I'm knitting a sock (shocking, I know) in the Dig semisolid/semivariegated yarn. (p.s. I also love brown.)



I'm using a cable from Barbra Walker's Charted Knitting Designs (cause I'm insane). It's lots of fun and includes calf shaping and an eye of partridge heel. More pics to come as I'm finishing the sock this week!

Also, on a non-yarny aside...there are tons of pregnant knit bloggers lately. Cut it out ya'll. You're giving me the baby fever! My hormones are screaming as it is!

Have a great Monday!!

p.s. Yay me! I ran a whole mile today! All at once! In 10 minutes! I haven't done that in almost 10 years. Jeez.

so zoned out right now

Stephanie was awesome, as always. She is such a trooper. I left Knitch at about 11 p.m. and she was still there, signing books with energy and a smile. And if she was faking, bless her, she's a better actress than me.

It was so great to meet so many other bloggers. I would have taken pictures, but I was already tired by about 3 p.m. and a little slow on the uptake.

And just for the record, I want you to get an idea how many folks show up when Steph comes to the south. She will return to Atlanta. Oh yes, she will. (Sorry for darkish pics, click for big!)

If you book it, they will come...

Ground floor of the theater:



Mezzanine level (about 3 rows):



Upper floor (3 rows, about 40 chairs each):



The place was packed. Knitch allowed up to 700 or so invites. I estimate the final head count to be between 500 and 600 folks. It was knitter's nirvana.



The goddess herself, posing with the holy knitting grail.



Me, Steph, and Renee, my mom-in-law. We make Steph look tall.

Ok ya'll, more etsy updates to come. After I take another nap.

p.s. I met Jen of JenLa and didn't even realize it. I have a difficult time matching pictures of folks with their real faces. Duh.

New Fall Yarns!

I'll be updating more on Thursday, but some of the new stuff is up on my etsy store!

I'm off to see the Harlot tomorrow (where's my yellow brick road, eh?), so catch you guys later!

:D

(p.s. I officially have Love My Way stuck in my head for the remainder of the day. Whee.)

Perfect Day

Hope you guys have had a great weekend!! It's been an absolutely stunning day here. The temperature has been in the low 70s with a gentle little cool breeze that's been reinvigorating me. I've had the windows open all day, and it's just a lovely feeling. I'm finally doing better energetically and my nasty eye infection is tapering off. My immune system really seems to be in the toilet, so I'm going to visit a new doctor and see if we can figure out what's up.

I got up at 8 this morning (not much choice with the kitties, they're demanding) and went for a nice brisk walk with the hubby. We had a little breakfast and afterwards I started dyeing. And I didn't stop. I was having too much fun!

I'll have the new colorways up on Etsy Tuesday night or Wednesday! I really love the colorways I've worked up and I can't wait to hear what you think about them. I won't have them available in all the yarns yet, as I'm still waiting on one big shipment, but hopefully it will be in soon.


So I need to tell you guys about a secret obsession of mine...

There's a special little place in my heart for paintings (along with an unrelenting and unrequited love for Alan Rickman, but that's neither here nor there). Now that I have a house to decorate (slow going, it's a work in progress), I feel this huge longing to buy lots of gorgeous, masterful, abstract, ironic paintings. Maybe not all those adjectives in one piece though.

One of my current favorites is Emily over at the Black Apple. Go look at her work. Granted these are prints of the paintings, but they are divine. She's having a little sale (buy 2 get 1 free!) starting at midnight tonight (Sunday/Monday a.m.) and ending Tuesday at noon. I'll try to make sure I buy before you do!

My favorites are Ofelia (love Pan's Labyrinth!), X Girl, and Smiths Girl.

Ok, just gotta wait until midnight and then I can buy some! Whee!

Have a wonderful Monday! I'm going to wear a sweater, have a hot cider, and pretend it's fall! (Then later I'll strip down to my tshirt and complain that it's still 80. But it's the thought that counts.)

Coming out of the closet

I got a relatively wild hair (or fiber perhaps?) yesterday and decided that per Tim Gunn and his new show, I would clean out my closet and get rid of things I don't wear anymore and/or items that don't look good on my frame. It's not odd of me to cull the old closet. I get bored with my clothes fairly quickly and I tend to clean out every year or so. It *is* odd of me to pull out everything (yes, everything!), try it on and then sort into four piles of Throw Away, Give Away, Keep, and Try On Again in 3 Months.

The Give Away pile includes a lot of nice things. It's almost heartbreaking to be giving away a ton of Ann Taylor Loft, but the tops are too tight on the bust (hello boobies) or just don't fit right, and the pants are just cut wrong for my short, curvy bootay. Anyone out there 5'2 and a size 6 or 8? Do I have a jackpot for you!

The sad but true Try On Again in 3 Months pile also has many nice things that would look fantastic if I would get back into a regular running and lifting routine. I'm giving myself 3 months. If the clothes don't fit in that time frame, they have to be given away. And I will be devastated. I don't have that much to lose, a total of about 3 inches, so I know it's a totally reachable goal. And there's at least one HOT pair of pants that I really don't wanna give away!


My keep pile includes one pair of black pants, one pair of brown, some jeans, polo tees, sleeve less tops, LOTS of cute skirts (hee), two long sleeve oxfords, and sweaters. About 15 total items, minus the sweaters (there are about 20 of those).

What a wake up call!!! Admittedly, it's shocking to walk into my closet and see very little hanging up. But it's refreshing too, because what is left are the things I actually wear. I don't have to evaluate 100 items every time I go to choose and outfit. I can see exactly what fits and what's clean before me every day.

Trouble is, a lot of this stuff doesn't necessarily work together. So I'm on the hunt for some cute, well fitting new clothes, namely a great pair of khakis. My old favorites were DKNY...I put them on yesterday and gasped! They fit, but were TOO SHORT! How had I never noticed? Jeez. I also need a few great fitting tops, since polos and sleeveless shirts don't work for everything (damn it). I've ordered two items from Land's End, so we'll see how those work out.

Anyone have a great pair of pants you just can't live without? Tell me about them and why they're so great!

Monday is (sometimes) a Warm Coke

You know how sometimes you traipse into work in the morning expecting to have a great day but you just need a *little* caffeine, so you go to your nearest soda machine, dig for some coins, put your money in, all the while salivating and anticipating your much needed and highly desired jolt of cold caffeine, and what comes out at the bottom is the exact opposite?

Hello, Monday. I see you're still kickin'. I asked for a cold diet coke, and got a warm regular one. Well then. So I gave it away and made someone else happy. Meanwhile, I'm out of change.

Regardless, I'm still alive. And no warm coke can take that from me.

I'm still kinda wonky in the head, though probably about 85% normal now. I think it's something hormonal, since this is not the first time this has happened to me (fever, headaches, upset tummy, and energetic wackiness...one moment I'm totally fine, and the next it's all I can do to stay awake or focus on anything. it's very strange.) so I'm going to go have myself checked out soon. Yay for doctor's offices and needles. Excuse me while I pass out. (and of course, the dog is fine...he ate a bug.)

On a brighter note, I got not one, but TWO free hugs today on campus. It was really nice. And totally made my day.

Take that, warm coke!

Cracked out and sick

Thanks for all the sweet comments on Shedir! I would respond to all of you, but it's all I have tonight to post. Perhaps tomorrow.

I went to bed early last night feeling kinda (ok a lot) shitty. My dog woke me up at 2:30 begging to go out. Where he promptly got sick. I grabbed my pillow and a blanket and went to sleep in the living room so I could be close to him. He woke me up again at 4. Sick some more. This time on my living room floor. He seems to be doing better today, and the simple fact that he's eating is improvement. I still feel like shit and am going on less than 4 hours sleep. Mr. Pooh is going to the vet tomorrow if he gets sick again.

I went to work this morning, but as soon as my boss came in she sent me back home. Something about looking like hell and not wanting my germs. She's pretty awesome, so I refrained from giving her any icky poo germs and went home to sleep. Took a nyquil and stayed astonishing awake and cracked out. So I knit.



Meet my Cracked Out Calorimetry. I used what was left of my STR Lucy (from previous RPM socks) and size 2 needles (I think...it's on Ravelry if you're really dying to know).



Hello! I'm on the drugs! And wearing a knit hat thingy in the 90 degree weather! Whee!





Also, thank god for the queue on Ravelry. I'm much too big a dork to be expected to keep all my project desires in one space if not there, and I even have notebooks FULL of printed patterns). I keep seeing patterns I've looked at and loved before (sing along with me now: of all the knits I've loved before....). Then I'll race over to Ravelry and add them to my queue. Only to discover that they're already there. And that I'm a total doofus. I then promptly move those things closer to the top of my queue. If I like them that much, I should probably knit them soon and get them off my mind.

*************
Random aside:

Real life conversation, as Nate is heating leftovers for dinner:

me: what's that in the microwave?

he: your dinner.

me: (seeing the styrofoam container spinning around, practically grinning at me) NOOO! Chlorofluorocarbons!

he: we have seriously got to burn your pocket protector.

********

FO Weekend

I believe we have a siting folks.

The rare and exotic FO has been discovered in an even more rare and exotic (ok, domestic) location...my dining room.

Behold, Shedir. Finally one for me!



I tried taking pics of myself in our big mirror. Turns out, whipping the camera around works a lot better. This is my 'that figures' face. Hi!



And this is the infamous Tristan, who has discovered his very own yarn addiction. He thinks the Louet is squishy too. He drooled and tried to pound on it! Needless to say, I had to rewash the Amber and Wish You Were Here. Silly kitty. Not be messing up my yarns! (I put him in my lap so he could pound on my belly instead...I don't need to be jealous of the yarn.)



I'll have another FO for you tomorrow (well half of a pair actually), and a touch of progress on a new WIP. Look out, I'm on a roll!

Sneak Peak?

I suck at surprises. I'm awful at keeping secrets. If threatened with torture I'd spill my guts before they could even tie me up. Hell, in five minutes we'd be yukkin' it up over mojitos and nuts and all this 'torture' talk would be a punchline. (But not my punchline. I also suck at telling jokes.)

Not that I'm a gossip (much), I just hate the anxiety I feel over the suspense of NOT KNOWING. Or someone else not knowing. And Christmas? HA! Nate and I do our gift swap days before the 25th. And my family is usually somewhat privy to their gifts as well.

In fact, here's a snippet of the email I sent my step-dad yesterday. We drew names last year because our family keeps growing and we don't know how to not spoil the hell out of everyone, which makes one big day a year become a budgetary nightmare. Well I immediately walked up to my step-dad, showed him that I drew his name and promptly asked what he wanted this year. Here is my follow up email (tongue-in-cheek mind you):

If you'd like a knitted garment, you need to let me know asap, as you are not a short man, and a sweater will take all my energy and lots of yarn (and love, of course). I can send you links to patterns of anything you might like (and which are also easy enough for me to produce in this ever-shrinking time allowance). The internet is crafty like that. Scarves, gloves, and socks, oh my!

If you require a knitted gift, do keep in mind that these have strings attached in the form of profuse gratitude for the time and effort spent. And you also must wear said item more than once in my presence. Even if it is very, very hot and the item is quite hideous. Consider yourself forewarned.

If you do not require a knitted gift, consider sending a list of desires. You might get a knitted gift anyway. This is your one and only Christmas list threat. All other requests will be accompanied by begging, pleading and a possible wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Anyway. Point made. I suck with surprises.



Meet Bloody Mary, another cool pattern from Sandra. Love you Sandra! I also made Charade a while back. Yum.



And what is this yarn? Could it be a semisolid? Gasp! It looks like several colors, but it's really just one. I love it, and therefore, I knit with it.

Coming soon to an etsy store near you!

(Every time I type 'near', I can't help but think of Grover. I'm such a 5 year old. Sigh.)

A Dyeing Update

Hi ya'll! Hope your week is going well. Mine is moving along at an alarming rate. I'm very grateful for my full-time job, but sometimes it's hard knowing that I have so much dyeing to do when I get home and nothing I can do about it at work. Except drool on Ravelry. Like that helps.

Wednesday brings many things, not the least of which is a very long to-do list. I have a huge mail out for the sock club (yay!), grocery shopping, walmarting (eww), and a couple of other non-descript things to handle. House cleaning and the like.

I've gotten a few emails asking when the etsy store is going to get some yummy new yarn. Thanks so much for asking, ya'll! I'm going to be dyeing a few things this week (and weekend) for the shop, which is now woefully empty and super lonely. I am still working on two big wholesale orders, so the update is taking some time, but it will be back and rockin' as soon as possible.

I still have some yarns being shipped to me, which is part of the delay, but you guys are gonna be so psyched when they get here and get dyed up. Y.U.M.

For now, please visit The Sweet Sheep to purchase Lotus Yarns! Michelle will be glad you came!

So, to wrap up: New yarns (5 total!), new fall colorways, and a delicious surprise are on their way!

Stay tuned!

Because I'm a Contest Junkie

Hi ya'll! Happy Tuesday!

Race on over to Schrodinger's blog and enter the contest for her cool knitting bags! And mention that I sent you, would ya?

Help me out, I gotta beat Cass. Teehee! Kidding Cass!

Friday Feel-good

Oh wow, that last post was #200. Sweet! And since November will mark my 2 year blogiversary, I'd have to say only posting 200 times in almost two years is kinda lame of me. I vow to do better. Ok, I promise to *try*. I think once I feel like I have some control over all the stuff happening around me it will be easier. (How often do we say *that* to ourselves?)

I'm having a really great Friday, and I hope you guys are too!

I've been doing some things in an effort to be more positive, and while having a new job, new house and living in the city we love really helps, sometimes you need to get rid of the cobwebs of the old ways of thinking. Being in a town we hated for two years was so emotionally hard that I'm just now coming around to who I was before we left. And we've been back for a year. It's almost like I forgot some big things that were very important to me, and I'm *just* remembering. Like waking up from a really strange, trippy nap.

Ya'll might think I'm a geek for this, but I'm a big proponent of self-help books. I have several on my nightstand and many more on my bookshelves. Depending on the topic, of course, I think they can be helpful to give us ideas about getting what we want from life and living it to the utmost potential. I think we're all here to learn as much as we can and evolve. I love that I'm not the same person I was in college. And I'm certainly not the same person I was a two years ago, or even one year ago. I used to be into meditation, kinesthetic (chakra) therapy, weight lifting, yoga...all these wonderful things that helped me to be centered, focused, strong, and calm. And I miss that. I want it back. I was so unhappy for those few years that instead of turning my attention to the things that could help, I went to gaming to avoid as much of the unpleasantness as possible. And it worked. Too well.

So I've started slowly welcoming those things back into my life, warmly, and remembering to take care of myself. It's taking some time to reestablish those habits, but they're beginning to take hold.

Some of the tools that are helping are:
Sparkpeople. I don't post, but I do read the motivational tools and look for healthy recipies.

Flylady. Don't get me started on the cheese factor, but the directives, habits, and encouragement are priceless. And free. My house is cleaner every day.

Conversations with God. I'm not really into religion, but this book puts into words many of my general spiritual thoughts, and helps remind me who I want to be. (Link goes to the author's website)

This Year I Will... I know. I'm the biggest geek on the planet. But this book has some really great tips about making changes in your life, and the author is funny and smart.

Bodybuilding Bible for Women. Since I've started lifting again, I basically had to start over since I can't lift anywhere close to what I could two years ago. This one is helping the inches find someone else to cling to.

Yoga Burn. This one is fairly obvious.


All this makes me exhale a big old 'ahhhhhh'. I'm already feeling so much better.


Are you guys doing anything new? Creating new habits? Changing your mind about something? Fill me in!


***
Random aside: There's this dear sweet old lady who somehow has written down the phone number for a friend or relative incorrectly. She dials my number instead...on an almost daily basis. I used to answer the phone and politely tell her that she has the wrong number and that perhaps she should ask her friend for the correct one. She would say 'thank you,' hang up, and immediately call right back. So I stopped answering. Yet she still leaves me voice messages asking if I could get her some milk on the way to her house, and oh yeah she forgot to give me the leftovers and could I come right back and get them? I'm tempted to just play along and tell her oh yes, I'll be right there, but I fear the karmic retribution for messing with the nutty of the world. So instead, I've stored her in my phone as Crazy Old Lady with Gnarls Barkley's Crazy as her ring tone. Now I know who it is when it rings and I can have a good giggle. (ok, maybe i'm not so evolvy, hehe.)

Hot Flash

A conversation with Denise the other day made me realize that I've been neglectful of photo content around here. She even went so far as to ask me what I was knitting these days. Eek! Sorry!

Therefore, though I don't officially participate in things like WIP Wednesday (cause I'm lazy, yet busy, and things like that require more organization than I have room for in my head), consider this your WIP update/flash.

On a side note, I really wish I had my camera with me at work so that I could take pictures surreptitiously all over campus. Some things would be stunning, like the flowers blooming on North Campus despite the heat. Others I could post, but wouldn't be safe for work. Ass cheeks, you know. (I tend to be of the thought that no matter what slutty celebutants are doing, I should resort to the opposite behavior, just to be safe.)

Without further ado, some projects in progress:


Shedir:
I'm using the suggested yarn, Rowan Calmer, for this hat. This is my third time making Shedir, and it's alllll mine, as I gave away the other two, which were most perfect and wonderful, but barely appreciated. This one will be loved, worn and most likely abused. But I feel certain Calmer can handle it. I've just started the 3rd repeat. I think I'll do 4 instead of 5. Just for shits and giggles. And also for my teeny noggin.




(A lovely thing happened between 'photo shoots'. I took photos of Shedir, walked back inside, and then when I went out again with the U-Neck, this little gem was in the spot where I had been taking pictures. We have lots of cardinals, but they don't usually leave gifts. Other than poo. ***Update: apparently the cardinals are PISSED OFF thank you very much because we have not put out fresh bird food. This 'feather' might be more death threat than gift.)



Back to School U-Neck Vest:
This pattern from Fitted Knits is cute and easy. It was going to be a surprise FO, but now it's a surprise WIP. Surprise! I've stalled a bit, as the prospect of doing three more shoulder sections is a tad daunting. I'm not saying it's difficult, I'm saying I'm a lazy knitter who is stalling. It's 105 today; I'm justified in stalling on a wool project. Shush now.

In her semi-wholeness:



Ooooh waffle stitch...




Invisibility Shawl:
I'm not sure if this will ever be done. I love it, however, I don't really *do* shawls. I was making it for the last HP book release and didn't finish it in time. I haven't picked it up since. To rip or not to rip, that is the question. What else does one make with Zephyr wool/silk? Most of what I see on Ravelry is the Mystery Stole 3. Love ya'll who are working on that, (cause my eyes are crossing already just looking at it on ravelry) and bless your little fingers and eyes, but I'm not up to the challenge.




Turtleneck Tube Top:
Also from Fitted Knits. Creates a very uni-boob effect for me, though it looks great on some other folks I've seen. Soon to be ripped.




Next up is Cobblestone from the Fall 07 IK for Nate. (p.s. I love Jared.) He doesn't ask for knitted items often (or...ever), so he's very excited that I'm making this for him.


Photo courtesy of Interweave Knits, Fall 2007 Preview.

And just because I love them so very much, I'd like to introduce you to my new Merrells. It's almost shameful how much I love these shoes. Cute, classy, and most important, comfortable. Swoon!