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.

Yarn in A Teacup Swap

I came home early because the smoke from all the fires in my area are giving me serious asthma difficulties. I couldn't even focus clearly at work. The nice thing about coming home early, besides being able to breath better, is that I found a package waiting for me. Mentalrose of the Tangled blog was my upstream partner. She couldn't have sent me a better package if she tried! Seriously it is lovely and she hit it right on the nose. She sent me a gorgeous tea cup and a lovely skein of Wool/Silk blend...she ALSO sent me some very adorable geometric looking stitch markers (geometry just up my alley) ...as well as....a hand made spindle...and (drum roll) handpainted silk roving! WOOHOO! YEAH ME! I HAVE MY OWN SPINDLE NOW! Can you guess what I am doing tonight? She included a lovely handwritten note which included some links for sites that show you how to use what she sent me. Thank you so much. :-D My friend K is buying a wheel and is going to let me try it out ...I have that nice Australian handpainted wool roving that I won from Yarnivorous.

Here are the links for anyone who is interested:

Spinning Basics Fall 06 (pdf)

How to Use a Support Spindle or takkli.

I am almost ready to send my downstream package. I hope Elan will like hers as much as I like mine.

Yes I did again...

I joined the Myster Stole 3 KAL. It just sounded way to intriguing. It is now closed for new sign-ups as of the 6th, I signed up on the 5th. I had been hearing about it for weeks all over blogland but swore I was NOT going to join it. But then ....then...I made the mistake of reading that "Yarnharlot's" blog how she describes she fell down the rabbit hole....and instead of detering me it just pushed me further and I fell down the rabbit hole as well...in total about 4k fell into the whole so I will have lots of company. It actually started on June 20th so two clues have already been posted. From the pictures that have been posted for clue 1...it is a gorgeous pattern.

Lets see what the KAL count is now:

1. Summer of Socks: really going slow for me, I have 3 socks cast on and have completed 1 of a pair. LOLOL...I find it funny considering that I participated in Sock Madness and was able to get all the way to the final four. Its probably the reason why I have slowed down my sock making and my knitting in general. SM was able to show me how much I enjoy the process of knitting.

2. Summer KAL-CAL Purse Round: Since it started I made 6 bags. One of the 6 is completed, the other 5 need felting and the closures. I have 3 sitting on the side that need closures, linings and 2 which need a lining.

3. Mystery Stole 3: began swatching two different yarns to test which one would look the best to my cray eyes of colors lol.

4. Yarn in a cup: I don't have to knit anything for this one but am putting together a package. I have several items that I still would like to get but am almost ready to send it. It needs to be sent by July 30th. I will make it. lol

Prize giving...

Sock Madness 2007 has been over for a while now but it took me a bit to send out the two packages of prizes/surprises and I couldn't post any pictures until the recievers had a chance to open them. Didn't want to spoil it for them. This was the first time in my life that I sent a gift to people I have never met be for and the first time I have participated in a yarny/knitty type of gift giving kind of thing. lol It was a lot of fun putting it together. I know how I felt getting my prize for Round 3 of SM...I knew it was coming and from who but did not know what it would be.


Golden Purl won the ebony needles I donated for SM. I wanted it to be a good prize so I sent a few other things as well. She sent me the kindest email thanking me for what I sent. I am really glad she liked it all. I was especially glad I had sent along stitch markers because she said she doesn't have any handmade knitting jewelry yet and had wanted some but could see buying them for herself. I just kept thinking what kind of cool things would I like to get in a package and went from there. (It is how I am putting together the package for the swap I am now) It was a lot of fun.


The other package I sent out was to Hilary and Felicia who put together SM. One night I got the idea that it would be nice to put together a thank you for them. I certainly had a lot of fun and "met" some super fun people online because of the game. Others thought it would be a good idea to send a "thank you" as well. About 15 people or so participated. They each sent a little something for each one of them. I wrapped everything up and sent it out last week. A bit later then I had intended (sorry to all of you that contributed). They posted pics to what they recieved on the SM flickr group page. I was really amazed at the creativity and thoughtfulness that was put into what was sent. Gave me great ideas for future swaps or prizes ;-).


Today, I recieved the email of the partnering for the "Yarn in a Teacup Swap". My "downstream" partner is Elan. I have been a lurker on her blog for awhile. My "upstream" partner is Mentalrose from Tangled. I had not visited her blog before today but have put her on my blogroll. She has a really nice blog. I have already exchanged a couple of emails with Elan and am really excited to send her the package. I have been collecting little things here and there, I hope she will enjoy it. :-)


I had a lovely "road trip" with my friend Kathy, Knitty Otter, Monkeysocks and about 9 others, on Saturday. I have to download the pics first. I will post about the day this week. :-)