Catching Up: Baby Shower

DEEP SOOTHING BREATH...and exhale.

Finaly...LOL. What a summer! Last Friday was the last official day for my students with my summer program. This week I just admin stuff to clean up. They and I start the regular school year next Monday. Yikes. Unlike my students I finish up in December! YAHOO! I am so excited. This has been a long time coming with many sacrifices and life changes. I cannot believe it. So now for knitting blog updates. There are so many so I am going to do them in a series of different posts just so that I can keep myself organized lol.






My lovely friend, Knitting Otter, threw a baby shower for our other lovely friend Chipping Away and her partner A (it was the first time I had met A...what a great person!) :-). For never having given a baby shower (you would have never known if she hadn't said) it was the best one I have ever been too. KO and I made stitch markers (since all invited were from our knitting group lol) as invitee gifts, they were baby themed. I had soooo much fun going to the store and picking out the beads and charms...then sitting in her house making them together. It was so fun. She also went overboard with the party itself....well not overboard...above and beyond...fantastic food...lovely guests...and fun games. Have you ever played a game where you catapult a tiny plastic baby from a hand held device???? No? Then you are missing out...it was hilarious trying to hit the target. LOL. KO also had fantastic knitterly prizes for everyone. It was so much fun that the time just flew by...we started at noon and I didn't get home until 5 pm. LOL. Here are some pictures (no faces of people sorry because I didn't get permission and I don't play like that so there :-P ).







Ok so I lied there is one face (and yes I got permission)...LOL...that is the famous (in knitting blogland anyway lol) TKK :-) Miss Knitty Otter's fur baby. She is super super sweet and adorable. As for the knitting...the booties were my first ever baby items and the were fun to make. There is however no pattern, Florrie from Deluxe Yarns just told me verbally how to make them and I did. Easy peasy. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Worsted and part of a joint gift between myself and Knitty Otter who made matching hates. The other two knitted items are burp cloths made from Peaches n' Cream Cotton (1.5 balls) and the pattern is called "Baby Genius Burp Cloth" from Mason Dixon Knitting. Also very easy, though I made them longer then the patterned instructed because those who have had babies told me that a longer burp cloth would be better. LOL...I can only imagine so I followed there advice.


Ok so here Catch Up #1...purses, knitting in the park, stitch markers and yarn coming up. :-)

Yeah I Know...

...I have not blogged for a while and this one is going to be short. I have been knitting. I had several secret projects that I couldn't blog about before for a baby shower and bday gift. I have also completed through to felting 4 bags and also some socks. I am just working my you know what off for these final couple of weeks of the program I teach and it has just taken over. Whew! I will be posting soon, pictures included, about all the knitting and things. :-)

Yup...9 Days

I have been so busy with work that the last 9 days have just slipped by without me being able to post anything. Knitting has slowed down considerably as well due to work. Its been pretty stressful. Though there have been some fun things going on as well. Swimming, yarn playing nights at Deluxe yarns, outings with others...so its not all work...but ALL busy.



Had a weekend when I was able to hang out with my cool friend K, we played yarn, went to see the 5th Harry Potter movie and went out to dinner over a three day period. She lives far out and sometimes it gets a bit difficult to get together. Actually going to see her tonight for a belated bday dinner (her bday). All you can eat crab legs! YUM!


Earlier this week J and I were invited to the lovely Knitty Otter's for a DELICIOUS dinner! For those of you who read her blog you know that she posts original recipies every once in a while ... however...you may not know that she is a GOURMET cook. I have been fortunate enough to sample some of her tasty creations and have not had one thing that I did not like. The other thing is her food always looks pretty. lol...Dinner at her house was no exception. It was a lot of fun to visit with her and her honey. THANK YOU! Got to give their kitty, TKK, rubbies. She is so sweet.



Summer of Socks 2007: River Rapid Socks: I am in the middle of my second sock. These will be a part of my Summer of Socks. I really wanted to make some more socks this summer...thought I would be able too. Summer has gotten away from me. (geez I start my last semester at the University in just a few weeks...but it is my last ....YEAH...diploma will be in hand right around Christmas...YAHOO! There WILL be a party!)


Mystery Stole 3 by Pink Lemon Twist: Slowly but surely working on them. This one has been really slow because I have to really pay attention lol. We are on clue 4 as a group but I have still not knitted past clue 1. Yeah I know.


Summer CAL - KAL : Purse Round up: I picked up the beads I want to put on the one bag I made up myself (that pattern will be written up and shared for whom ever might be interested). I found some fantastic beads made of glass in the shape and colors of fall leaves. Which go with the colors of the bag perfectly. I have 3 other bags that still need to be felted (big purple thing, Lucy bag, Lotrop II bag). I also found a really nice handle (finally!) for the entrelac bag ...just need to pick it up from Deluxe Yarns (whom by the way was over with J and I for dinner the other night. We laughed so much! That always happens for some reason.)


Yarn-In-A-Teacup Swap: I finally got all the things I want to send together and will be wrapping up all the little items on Sunday and mailing them off on Monday to Elan in Canada. :-D

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: OH and how could I forget! I went to the local Border's release for the book last Friday night. By the time I got home with my book it was close to 2 am. So I slept so I could be alert and began reading on Saturday at noon and finished at about 2 pm Sunday. Though I still have questions and like many others thought the Epilogue was kind of sappy...I LOVE IT! JK Rowling, imho, is a creative genius! What a fun book. I need to re-read it again more slowly. I didn't want to accidently come across a spoiler so I stayed off the internet and didn't even check email until I was done. Though my sister called me to see where I was and so did K's hubby (whom I hung up on because he was teasing me too much...brat!). It was fun after I was done to go over the book with my sister and then with K's hubby. K was working on fixing her truck so she didn't get to it until this week. She is now finished and I am looking forward towards dinner tonight and I KNOW we will be going over the whole book! Can't wait!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Movie: Best one out of all the movies. Contained the best acting so for, best depicted action and though they changed HOW some of the story and important information was told it was done in such a way that it added to the story and so that it didn't take away from the story.

Other stuff: One of the OTHER reasons knitting has been a bit slow is because I stopped the above projects to get some secret knitting done. I do not want to say what because I don't want to spoil the surprise. I will be able to share after the 5th though. Also, finished writing and testing a pattern for a crocheted fish shaped wash cloth. Will clean it all up and post it soon (hopefully!).


Yarn: I have recieved some belated bday gifts as well. One from Knitty Otter lady and one from my friend K. BOTH gifted me with SCOUT YARN! Yeah me! I have some Scout yarn. Yippy! I have also purchased some more CherryTree Hill sock yarn. I love that yarn so much!

Books: The night I purchased the last (sniff sniff) Harry Potter book I also picked up "Knit it! Felt it!" Really nice..it has unique pieces in it that can be used as the base for projects that you can make entirely your own. It has patterns in it but it can also be used as book of ideas as a stepping stone to your own ideas.

Work wise: Its been an interesting summer program this year. I have come across some unique situations that I have not had before. As an example this was the first year that as a teacher I HAD to pull out and use "THE LAW" to help out some students. For those who are teachers, counselors or doctors/nurses they know what "THE LAW" is...for the rest here is a brief explanation:

"THE LAW": If a child/student is may cause harm to themselves or others, is being harmed or in jeapordy of being harmed, is involved in drugs, alcohol or criminal activity the property authorities and/or parents/gaurdians must be informed. The professional must take action to ensure the safety of the child/student immediately.

That is it ...simplified and in a nut shell but describes it well enough I think. I have always believed that WHEN it came time for me to pull out and use THE LAW that I would be able to do so with a feeling of knowing that it was for the benefit of my kids. Well intellectually that was the case...and I did what I had to do and what I believed to be the right thing personally but it was emotionally difficult to do and extremely stressful. Which took me by surprise. It was a learning experience to say the least.

School: On the 27th of August I will begin my final year for my license! Woohoo hoo! Its been a long long road. I have had many personal up-hevels that have made the road extremely difficult at times. But I am standing at the end in the light. YEAH! I have to say that the finish will also be well done...without tooting my own horn too loud lol...I will be ending with a flourish...with a high (high!) GPA...a great student teaching opp. lined up (paid at that) and many more grand things that will in the end make the entire trip over the long, windy and bumpy road worth it. Whew! Deep breath.

Ok super long post ...but I guess that is what happens when you don't post for almost 10 days. OOPS.

Geek, Nerd or Dork? Test

Ok found this test online and had to do it...it was funny :-)

This is what I scored (and I am not surprised lmao):

Your Score: Outcast Genius
73 % Nerd, 86% Geek, 60% Dork

For The Record:
A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations / interactions.

You scored better than half in all three, earning you the title of: Outcast Genius.

Outcast geniuses usually are bright enough to understand what society wants of them, and they just don't care! They are highly intelligent and passionate about the things they know are *truly* important in the world. Typically, this does not include sports, cars or make-up, but it can on occassion (and if it does then they know more than all of their friends combined in that subject). Outcast geniuses can be very lonely, due to their being outcast from most normal groups and too smart for the room among many other types of dorks and geeks, but they can also be the types to eventually rule the world, ala Bill Gates, the prototypical Outcast Genius. Congratulations!
The smoke in the air has finally gotten to me so I am home today. I am getting back in bed now, asthma has me wiped out.

New Saturday Outing

I had a FABULOUS DAY yesterday with the Knitty Otter lady and with Monkey Socks (whom I have mentioned before). We did some knitting and shopping and eating. It was a really nice did with people the I love and share things in common with.

The reason for the day of shopping was to help me get clothes. I hate going clothes shopping alone I get frustrated. To be honest I am just not good at pickingout clothing. Never have been. Knitty Otter has the eye and knack. I hit the jack pot...well for me it was...I found really nice dress pants and two gorgeous blouses. :-) Yeah me! Then when honey picked me up and took me to get some shoes (that I need for an outing this Wednesday).

Oh and to end the day I came home to a cool apartment (the temp outside is about 105+, gross), dinner made and was able to sit and knit. All in all a great day!

There comes a time...(to rant)...

...when everyone is pushed to the edge...when even the nicest person reaches their limit...when its time to stop being NICE. This is where I am in this moment in time.

I have had a couple (more then a couple) of emails from people who do not KNOW me. To KNOW me you would have to be a part of my everyday "face to face" life. This blog is about KNITTING. Knitting makes me happy so the tone of this blog is a happy one. This blog TELLS you nothing about who I am nor what I am about. NOTHING. I rarely put any personal info outside of knitting or yarn content in the posts. When I do it is in general terms. I do NOT choose to put my deepest darkest thoughts and feelings on this blog. I do NOT choose to put my life into the post.

Writing to tell me things like "you are too damn happy to be real"..."your happiness is fake and makes me sick"..."you are disgustingly sweet".. .. (this one really gets me laughing) "why don't you talk about something real and substantial and stop pretending like the world is all happy happy joy joy" (yes someone said that exactly..lmao). Listen up...KNITTING BLOG...NOT my life stories...KNITTING MAKES ME FEEL GOOD AND WHEN I FEEL GOOD I AM HAPPY. So if you are bothered by my happiness or find me to be "fake" in your opinion then move on.

If it is your choice to have a blog about more complicated ideas and stories then good for you. It is NOT my choice. I choose with whom I share my total self with...if you enjoy judging people in shallow terms then your opinions about the "tone" of my posts is your deal NOT mine. If you have a problem with the "happy tone" of my posts then its your deal NOT mine. If more people in the world shared the things that they are passionate and happy about with others then there would be less of the crap going on that we see around us!

When I post I just write. I don't analyze my grammer or my spelling. So what? Yes I am a teacher...and a damn good one! So what if I have spelling errors in my posts. Its a BLOG not a research paper or my dissertation. This is where I choose to hang out and just be. If You have a problem with that then its your deal NOT mine.

Everyone can't be nice all the time but so what if I were? What is your major malfunction that you have to put your opinions on me and waste my time with your insecurities and judgements? I am me! I love me and I make no excuses for who and what I am. If you see my happiness as "fake" then thats your deal NOT mine.

I am real...complex and with a story. This blog doesn't even begin to touch the surface as to who I am nor make a dent into the story of my life and the person I am and what I put out into the world. Life is too short to spend it always talking about the serious topics of life all the time. I work with kids who have serious things going on in their lives every single day. I KNOW what the reality of the world is, I am not walking through life with rose colored glasses. I LIVED a serious life for a long time. I am choosing to focus on peace now in my personal life. Yarn, knitting and the sharing of it is my peace. So if you have a problem with someone who chooses to focus on a happy part of their life then that is your deal NOT mine.

Anyone who sends me jerk-off emails will just get their messages tossed in the recycle bin, without another thought. Learn to examine yourself before trying to take someone else apart.

It takes a lot to piss me off but when I do it means I am done. Take care of your own business before trying to "teach" someone how to be real. Get a clue that people are individuals and not cookie cutters of some abstract definition of what they "should" be like. What works for one doesn't work for all. No one can be liked by everyone they meet and I wouldn't want to be.

So (specifically to one person who sent an email recently) I don't need a large amount of friends, I do not have a large amount of friends and I don't want a lot of friends. I want real friends the few that are counted within that number and are called friends by me are real and truly friends. I will not ever be liked by every person I meet nor do I wish too. If you don't "like" me then its your deal NOT mine. Quality over quantity. It is a waste of time to believe or expect that every person I meet will like me and want to be my friend. Its rediculous and silly.

With that I end this rant and will not bring it up again. There just comes a time when enough is enough and I just had to speak up. So to those that this post pertains too (you know who you are...you show your cowardice by emailing your comments instead of posting for all to see) ...GET A CLUE...GET A LIFE...SCREW YOU AND THE HORSE YOU RODE IN ON. To my friends, family, regular commenters and lurkers...lots of love your way with yarny knitterly happiness (with lots of sappiness thrown in for good measure).

Sorry

I am sorry for the lack of posting in the last 6 days. I have been doing my last week of my Mini-Summer Term class (ie 3 week intensive course). Whew! Tomorrow is the last day of the class so I will post something fibery in the next couple of days.

Handmade Nation

There is a documentary, due out March 2008 that is called "Handmade Nation". Found a demo video on youtube about it. It looks really interesting. Check it out.

Addiction...sigh

Came across this extremely addictive game linked on one of the blogs I visit. umm...don't remember who posted it. Sorry... The game is called "Boomshine" and has some nice music to go along with it. Its obssesive. I like it so thought I would share it. It is Java based so you do not have to download anything to your computer.

Out of the Mouth of Babes

Yeah I know, I am spoiled. This picture is my bday gift from my (baby) sister, Deli (short for Delicia...which for those that do not speak Spanish, means delightful, and she is! too me anyway). I LOVE movies and inside the keepsake bowl there are treats that one would find at a theater snack counter. I once threw a kids party when my niece was about 12 and she came to visit me that was a movie theme. I printed up tickets (as the invites) and got fake money and set up movie type treats. It was a lot of fun. The kids seemed to have a good time (we showed a short and then Spy Kids). I had a blast and I hope my niece remembers it.

Well, thats about it really. Except for the next bit. My lovely friend Monkey Socks sent me a funny email that I thought was too good not to share. It is also the reason for the title of the post.

"FIRST GRADERS"

A first grade school teacher in Virginia had twenty-five students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom the first half of a well known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders.

Their insight may surprise you. While reading, keep in mind that these are first graders, 6-year-olds, because the last one is a classic!

1. Don't change horses........................until they stop running.
2. Strike while the...........................bug is close.
3. It's always darkest before.................Daylight Saving Time.
4. Never underestimate the power of...........termites.
5. You can lead a horse to water but..... ..how?
6. Don't bite the hand that....................looks dirty.
7. No news is.................................impossible.
8. A miss is as good as a ...................Mr.
9. You can't teach an old dog new .........math.
10. If you lie down with dogs, you'll..........stink in the morning.
11. Love all, trust.......................... me.
12. The pen is mightier than the..............pigs.
13. An idle mind is......................... .the best way to relax.
14. Where there's smoke there's...............pollution.
15. Happy is the bride who....................gets all the presents.
16. A penny saved is..........................not much
17. Two's company, three's ................the Musketeers
18. Don't put off till tomorrow what ...... you put on to go to bed.
19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and.. you have to blow your nose.
20. There are none so blind as.......... ....Stevie Wonder.
21. Children should be seen and not...........spanked or grounded.
22. If at first you don't succeed............ get new batteries.
23. You get out of something only what you ...see in the picture on the box.
24. When the blind lead the blind...... ....get out of the way.

Rainbow Bug Picture

A picture of my car was requested...so here is my car..."Rainbow"...yes she has a name and no its not silly...what would be silly is that a car that looks like this doesn't have a name...sheesh...lol

Random things...

Well I have been tagged by several lovely bloggers...I was tagged for a 7, 8 and 20 Meme. LOL....umm sorry not going to do them seperately. Also I am sorry to those who tagged me but the people I would have chosen to tag, tagged me first. LOL...oh ummm and by the way...what the heck does "meme" stand for anyway? Is it supposed to be "me...me" that has been put together or does it mean something else that I am missing? LOL....please enlighten me? Hate to be in the dark about things! To curious a person for that....which leads to the random things:

1. I LOVE to read. All sorts of things....art, crafts, novels, how to...on and on and on. Once a book comes into my hands I have a HARD time ever letting go of it again, even if I know I will never read it again. I love the way a new book smells and next to my LYS my favorite place to go to is the bookstore or library. It would kill me to spend $50.00 on piece of jewelry but I will not blink once at paying the same for one book. I am willing my books first to my family and then to a local library of a rural district in my area. I have books to fit almost every category in a library's catalogue. When I travel my favorite items to purchase as a remembrance is a book. Next to getting or giving yarn as a gift my favorite gift to get or give is a gift card to the bookstore or a book!

2. I am a Sci-Fi, Star Trek, Star Wars geek. Yuppers...I have the entire original Star Trek series on VHS. LOL. My top favorite TV channel is the Sci-Fi Channel (History Channels and Science channels close behind). I greatly miss that there isn't currently a version of Star Trek on the air. Angered really! I never miss an episode of the new Battle Star Galactica! (Who thinks the doctor is a Cylone?)

3. Though I talk about art alot I do not think many really understand how much art is a part of who and what I am. My passion for art and creating objects of color is in my DNA. When I go any length of time without being able to create something it actually affects me not just emotionally and mentally but physically as well. Without art of some kind in my life I believe that I would be shut away in the looney bin. Art is not just a hobby for me but it is like breathing for me. I could not live without it as a part of everyday just as I could not live without air. Some may find that a dramatic statement but even if it is so it makes none the less true.

4. When my little dog Duster died, about 7 years ago (as of August 5th) I didn't leave my house for 30 days. Anyone who doesn't understand that I cannot explain it too...those who do get it I do not need to explain it to so will just leave it there.

5. Growing up my most favorite place to be in the world was the Muesum of Metropolotain Art in New York City. I once knew it better then my own house. I could sit in the Impressionist Gallery for hours on end and feel more peace there then anywhere else.

6. I went to an all girls Catholic high school in Midtown-Manhattan (Cathedral High School for girls). I miss my three best friends of that time Olga Rosado (who sends me funny emails now and again), Patty Ayala (who has dissappeared into the mists of time...sad) and Hanan Gabr from Egypt whose father worked at the UN and since the school was a block away sent her there even though, not only was she not a Catholic she wasn't even a Christian. She was sent back to Egypt the day after graduation and her father would not let me contact her nor her me. I think about her often and HOPE with all my heart and soul that she is living a happy life. She wanted to be a doctor and I hope that she was able to do that. It saddens me that I was not able to go to my 25 anniversary.

7. I miss my sisters everday. There is never a day that goes by that I don't think about them. (I don't think that they even know that.) Won't say any more there, 'cause my eyes are getting a little leaky...lol. Huggies M and D.

8. I am retired from the U.S. Navy and was able to see many great places. I worked as an Aviation Electrician. While I was in, I lived in Christchurch, New Zealand and worked in Antarctica where I was able to go to the South Pole. I am proud of my service though I did things that I had to do and that way heavy on my mind at times. Enough said there as well.

9. Mid-July will make a year that I have been knitting! woohoo! Hmm...might have to have a contest to celebrate it with some kind of cool prize. LOL

10. Honey and I hope to adopt a child. There is a little one out there that is waiting for me to come and get them and be their Mommy. I can feel it to my very bones.

11. I once was homeless and lived in my car.

12. I am grateful for what I have today. I know some really great people who believe in me and love me.

13. I am an extremely spiritual but I am not religious.

14. I love my furry children with all my heart. It breaks my heart to see kitties running around the street without a home. Literally breaks my heart. I once saved a little dog from a shelter to come and find out the next day that he was very sick and two days later I had to put him to sleep but for those two days I loved him with everything I had and when he died I cried as hard as if I had had him from when he was a puppy. I can still see his little face and big eyes asking him to just take him home....Ok well thats enought of that. Dang what the hell my eyes seem to have sprung a leak. geez hate when that happens.

15. I am a Harry Potter fan.

16. I love flowers, plants, green and growing things and nature; but asking me to help garden is liking asking me if I want acid poured in my eyes. Its just not my thing. I can spend days camping but for pity sake don't ask me to help weed or plant anything. Please!

17. I love the sound of water and have 7 waterfalls in my little two bedroom apartment. LOL

18. I used to live in a house that looked like an old mine shaft in an old mining town. LOL

19. When I finish with my degree I will NOT be teaching in the regular system and I hope that before I leave this life I will be able to write "Ph.d" after my name. Yeah, I know I keep saying I am tired of school but so what! LOL...doesn't "Dr. Vikkie" have a nice ring to it? I think so!

20. I drive around in a rainbow bug. Yes its the truth! lol

Ok soooooo this turned out to be more serious then I had planned. I didn't know what I was going to say when I started so I just wrote. This is what came out so take it for what it is worth lol. Actually this was an enlightening excersize for me. Allowed me to examine the things that I value. Maybe a "Meme" isn't been to be that but this is how it turned out for me.

Happy Birthday

Well...to start with today is my birthday...yuppers. I am 42...blah...I do not have a big thing about age actually but for some reason I just don't like that number. Yes I know the alternative to getting older is not getting any older so that isn't that cool...so of course I would rather take the larger number. lol


I awoke to several surprises. Honey, got up earlier and cleaned the place up...went to the store and purchased special breakfast stuff and a Little Mermaid balloon (no not flowers, he gets me flowers all the time but see...I have this "thing" for balloons...don't know why but I love balloons...yeah I know, strange but oh well!)


So anyhoo...in the living room I found the balloon hovering over the coffee table. Then there was a brightly colored gift box with a card on top. Inside was a funny card with Bugs Bunny on the front (yes I LOVE bugs...he is way cool...sorry I like cartoons and comics...and today we are going to see Shrek 3... :-P) Inside the card was a generous gift certificate to the bookstore! I happen to be addicted to books as MUCH as I am addicted to yarn. Its pretty bad.


Now for the box...hmm well this is kind of strange...if you are a geeky type person you will totally get how cool this gift is...if you aren't well I'm sorry for you LOL ...you will just have to take my word for it....THIS IS A WAY COOL GIFT...my guy is unbelievably smart to have come up with it. So...he made me something...I am forever forgetting to charge my Ipod and like to fall asleep with it (long story) so lots of time I go to bed and realize its not charged...duh me. So, Honey figured that I needed a way to charge it or plug it in to the wall socket so that it would stay charged. Now, they sell wall charges for Ipods all over the darn place but do you think he would go to the store and simply buy one? Of course NOT...silly. He makes me one...and its WAY cooler then the one in the store because not only can I plug into the wall socket...but see the black piece attached to the HUB? That piece olds batteries, rechargable batteries so if I am some place that I cannot readily access a wall socket, I don't need it because the batteries will charge my Ipod for me! (the black piece is also removable) Can't buy those anywhere! So, as he said, its not the prettiest thing but its way functional and convient. He also included a pouch so that I can put everything in it and just carry it along. Ok...now tell me that isn't SUPER SMART! You can't I know! LOL I really love this gift...do you think that tells you how much of a geek I am? lol


Ok now onto more gifts...earlier in the week I recieved a great package from Ireland from the lovely Jo. She got herself a cone of 50% Suri Alpaca and 50% Blue Face Leicester undyed yarn. She wound some up for me (657 yds of some) and sent it to me. Wow! Its about a sock weight....and really soft. I want to do a special dye job. Jo did not know that my bday was coming she just sent it because she wanted to share with me. Is that not really cool or what? I really hope to meet her someday because I KNOW we would have a blast. I also know that she will fit right into our strange little group of yarn addicts. If you have yet to visit her blog you are missing out. She is a great and funny writer, her writting has a storytellers style and she also post gorgeous photos of where she lives.


As for the dye job, I would like to do something metallic looking like the yarn that Mr. Dave spun himself. I really think this yarn needs something special to really make it stand out and metallics would do it up right. Just have to figure out how to get that silver, gold, copper look.


Also, last Tuesday my lovely blogless friend, Monkey Socks, came in and handed me a skein of yarn and said: "Here for you", "Me? Why?" , "Well I ordered it and it looked different online, I don't like it as much now and I thought it just SCREAMED Vikkie" LOL....she is right it does and I love it. Its from Bright Dyes and its called "Easter Parade". I do not know what its made of nor how many yards it is. I have looked at the Bright Dyes page for yardage on their skeins but could not find it...so if anyone knows please drop me a line. Again, as with Jo, Monkey Socks did not know my bday was coming. hehehe...


Ok, one more gift. After opeing my lovely gifts from Honey, I checked email and found a message from "Yarnivorous". She had a contest at the beginning of the month. Someone else had one but did not claim their prize...Sooooo.....guess what? YUP! I won it. I get to choose from her shop any handdye OR handspun yarn up 100grs! Is that cool or what? She even has handdye roving...I do not know if I can choose from the roving but if so that would be cool, since as I have mentioned: I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SPIN! LOL....She has really great colors so I don't have a prefrence there. I would be happy with anything! One more time, she had no idea that it was my birthday. LOL...good yarn karma. Oh, and she lives in Victoria, Australia! (Victoria is a beautiful place...its the area of Australia where Melbourne is located) Isn't that something considering my first name is Victoria? LOL...well I think it is. LOL My stash is getting an international flavor to it. How fun!


Oh and finally but not the least. My Mom sent me a really nice card...I mean its really pretty. Its covered in silk with felted flowers on the front. It came with the following message:


"Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. The hummingbird's delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has meaning and that laughter is life's sweetest creation."


Lovely. The card also contained a generous gift for yarn shopping. Well I don't know if intended it for yarn but since its not specified that I should purchase something specific then I am getting some yarn that I have been coveting. Isn't there always some of that? LOL


For the rest of the day I will be going to the bookstore, and Honey is taking me to play Minituare Golf (which I haven't played in years, which I am really bad at, which I love because its a hoot) and then we are going to see Shrek 3 and then dinner. Not too bad for a 42nd bday. Especially since I really didn't feel like celebrating my bday...not sure why but I just didn't. LOL

Was just getting ready to post and had a lovely bday call from the lovely Knitty Otter lady! :-D Makes my day. My (baby...lol) sister called me last night just to make sure she didn't miss me today lol....thank you honey I love you!

Have a great Sunday all. I have been tagged to do a couple of meme's and will post those this coming week because I think this post is long enough. LOL

It's Over...Darn

Well Sock Madness 2007 is over...and the winner is...drum roll...KristiR! Woohooo...Conffetti...Balloons...cheers for her! I am happy to say that the communications on the flickr group is still going on...which I am glad for because I have really enjoyed getting to know a lot of the people who played the game. Our lovely hostess have already stated that there will be a 2nd SM...but in the mean time we will continue to keep the flickr group going. Yeah!

As for my Round 6 socks...the pattern that put me out LOL...well I ripped them out...I got half-way into the foot of one and it didn't fit...it was soooo tight I could barely get it over my foot. The stitches were puckering and the floats were wonky. Yes I know that means I pulled it to tight. I WANT to do these socks because they are gorgeous. But I want to find a pattern for Fair Isle that is simple and flat so that I can practice the technique, so that I can get the hang of two color work and floats. I also need some color inspiration because after I ripped out my first version I realized I had lost the love for the color combo and started the pattern again...toe up this time. But I didn't like that color combo either.

In the mean time I have plenty of projects going as I have previously listed LOL... Here is an update picture of the Round 7 pattern. I really like it. I don't find it as difficult as the R6 socks. That pattern is lacey cables with an interesting open work effect on the back of the leg. almost to the toe. The pattern was written for 2 circulars but I decided to do it by Magic Loop. They are going pretty fast. I think I would have been done with the pair if I didn't have to stop knitting to study for finals.

Speaking of which...FINALS ARE OVER! Woohoo. I am pretty sure that I am getting 2 A's out of four classes. For the other two...well I am on the border for an A to a B for one and C+ to B- for another. So until the grades are posted I will not know. Bs I can handle but I reall do NOT want that C... I worked so hard for that darn class and was carrying a solid A for 2/3rds of the semester....and then after Spring Break we were given the hardest take home exam I have ever had. The teacher "tested" on information he didn't lecture on...and since we didn't have a textbook (yes thats right no book) we had to research the info. Since its Mathematical proofing its not an easy thing to research. Though I did not fail the exam I did low enough to affect my overall class grade and went into the final hoping to get 80/120 points in order to get a B for the class. I HATE that! Anyway...I am done bitching....lol just needed to VENT.

The upside is that I took my last final on Monday night and am now off for the rest of the week. YIPPY! I am taking a class for the Mini-Summer Term starting next Monday but for now I am off! So guess what that means....you got it! KNITTING...AND MY LYS! No money to go shopping but can still play yarn! YAHOO ME!

No!

I have Round 4 knitting to report, but for right now I will just tell you all I made it to Round 5...at this time I just don't want to write about it....Why? Because of this! As of right now I do not think that I know anyone who attends that school...but as a teacher and someone who works with young people...this tragedy is breaking my heart...I just keep thinking "NO! no...this did not happen again!" Thats all I have to say right now. My heart breaks for these students, teachers and families...

I am just sad...

Ok...so...Happy Easter...or...Happy Spring!

...whichever is your preference I respect it.

Well its a holiday weekend but I wasn't really into it until about 30 minutes ago....why? Well...I will tell you...LOL...

Honey, is traveling and visiting in Seattle...it is his personal business so I will just say it is a family thing...special and important...and I am VERY GLAD that he is there though I could not go...its all cool.

So, honey calls me and says..."Did you get an email?"..."Yes" me says...(lol)..."umm didn't you have something else?"...."What do you mean? It was cute...I clicked the link for the e-card...really cute bunny and chickey dancing...hehehe (giggle giggle) I liked it"...honey says "No...there was more in the message around the card...you didn't read it all"....."Oh duh honey...silly me"......SO I re-open the email....click the link again and scroll down...low and behold there is a message.....um DUH! LOL...if you know me you are not surprised....shrugs...lol
The message says Honey is an Easter Bunny helper and if he did his job right there is an Easter surprise in the 4th draw of Honey's' dresser....so with him on the phone I bounce down the hall and count "1...2...3...4!" LOL....open it an there is a cute yellow flowered gift bag with a cute pink soft bunny, bag of chocolate Dove eggs, a sweet card and lovely smelling lotion and bath gel!.....Squeel...yeah sorry I Squeeled...don't usually but honey has a way of doing that to me....hehehe (red face) lucky me (wink). He is a doll...I miss him....I am very glad that he went on this trip for his own sake but it makes me appreciate him all the more....if that make sense...

Ok sooooooooo as for the rest of weekend....well since I have been remiss in my posting I am going to spread it out....BECAUSE...what started out to be a lame weekend ended up being REALLY GREAT....due mostly impart to the Miss Knitty Otter! So I will post about THAT tomorrow!

I will also post about Round 3 of Sock Madness....I MADE IT TO ROUND 4...WOW...and when you hear about what happened with my big screw up you will be amazed that I made it......well....umm you might be interested a little bit or at least say "Oh thats nice" lol

Lazy Me!

Oh boy, have I ever been lazy about posting. Just realized this morning that my last post was on the 23rd...oopsie. I have been knitting, as usual, several projects at once:
1. Chevron Scarf style pattern with Lang from a free Berrocco Pattern.
2. Entrelac stole also with Lang, fron the Scarf Style book.
3. Lace scarf with Schaefer's Anne from Arctic Lace
4. Another lace project with yarn I dyed in purple.
5. Still have an entrelac felted bag waiting to have a handle and closure put on.
6. STILL have the felted Booga bag that needs a handle.
7. Round 3 of Sock Madness starts on Wednesday, so I will have that project.
8. Trying to learn to do socks on two circulars...started out trying to do two at once but that wasn't working so better start with one, lol.

Where are the pictures of all these projects?....ummm...yeah pictures...hmm? thats a thought...lol

Have had a couple of Saturdays that were alot of fun...hung out with knitters. One saturday the LYS had a pj knitting party. OH MY GOD WAS THAT FUN! The Knitty Otter lady made yummy Margaritas...and there was food enough for triple the number that attended. The party started at 6 pm and ended at 1 am. It was so much fun. On another Saturday, honey had to take care of some business calls...he dropped me of at the LYS and I laughed so much all day that my face hurt. Did you know that Otter's are hilarious (wink to the Knitty Otter)?!? Monkey Socks is also a HOOT! (NO blog for her....HINT HINT TO HER!)

I have been reading a lot of blogs lately....there are truely some talented people out there...talented writers and knitters. Funny, funny people...I have been using Bloglines to keep track of all the blogs...lol...I mistakenly thought that it would save me time but I just seem to keep adding to my Blog Roll...LOL...

I will try and get myself together and take pictures of my projects. Don't know why I have been absent minded about it...lol...but there ya go! Well Round 3 starts this week and I will have to post pictures of my socks so that will be something at least ...lol... I have partnered with one of the Caroles in the contest...I wanted to extend her a friendly hello but no link for her on the list.

Wish me luck on this next round!

Japanese Dolls

WARNING HEAVY WITH PICTURES

This post will not be about my own art work or crafts. One of these days soon I will adjust the pictures of my artwork so that I can share them here. Today is not about me however. Ever since I can remember my mother (Carmen Acosta) has done creative things. They have changed over time except for the last 10 years (plus). My mother has become a turely gifted artist. She creates Japanese Dolls...beautiful dolls. I haven't seen much of what she has created since 2001 because of the distance between us...she recently sent me some pictures of her newest pieces. She is having a couple of shows this spring...one of which will be held in April at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. I am going to let the pictures speak for themselves. I hope you all enjoy them.

A comment about comments

I forgot to add this to my other post...I want to thank everyone who comments on my blog...as of yet I have not been able to directly reply to comments that are left...blogger doesn't let me click on an email address to reply to comments...I do not know why and if there is a way I have not been able to figure out how...there have been many comments that I have wanted to reply to via email but could not do so and I do apologize. I just wanted to say that because I didn't want anyone to think that I wasn't reading them. Also some have had problems with the verification thingy...I had to turn it on because I was getting spammed...I know what the difficulty is (I have experienced it with commenting on other blogs) but the problem is out of my control...I don't know why it gets stuck or you have to verify several times before it will post your comment...its a glich in the program.

Beatbox Flute Player: Greg Patillo

Yes I know this is a knitting blog and that this post has nothing to do with knitting. But the world has way too many talented people in it who do way cool things to not talk about them sometimes. I read ALOT of knitting blogs and some non-knitting ones...One of the blogs that I read that is not about knitting is Wil Wheaton's (yes the "kid" from Star Trek Next Generation, and YES I am a Star Trek geek...so what? wanna make something of it? hehehe)....today he posted a vid from youtube with this guy playing a flute while doing "beatbox". What is "beatbox"? For those of you who don't know...some talented people are able to make rhythmic sounds using there mouth (that’s a simplistic definition but close enough)...it’s pretty cool. So this guy does it but while playing the flute. He is a very good flutist but then he adds the beatbox to it and it is way cool. Wow. So here are some links.

Greg Patillo:
Seasame Street: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clcza815sao&NR
Mario: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oct_WsRdByQ&NR
Inspector Gadget: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59ZX5qdIEB0&NR
Peter and the Wolf: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6SHsF1n9Qw&NR

I just love talented people! Especially those that step out of the box!