Thursday, August 6. 2009
Help!
Monday, August 3. 2009
Dude, I bought a house
Holy crap.
The closing was far worse than I expected, but we finished, and the house is mine! Alan and I spent the weekend buying stuff for the house (paint, lumber, etc.) and starting work on the kitchen and garage. I'm exhausted!
I have a few pictures to show you, of course. Let's start in the kitchen. The kitchen is divided into two sections, an L-shape section on the South and West walls, and a separate run on the North wall.
Here is the North wall before (along with all my crap on the countertop):
and after cabinet removal:
The Southwest corner before:
during:
and after:
The kitchen/hallway floor was horrifying laminate tiles, so they came up too, starting in the hallway:
I was hoping it would be hardwood, like the rest of the 1st floor, so that I could refinish the hallway portion of the floor. And hey, look, there's hardwood under there! Except that it's covered with peel & stick vinyl tiles. Who would do this to an oak floor?!?
Here, you can see why I'm taking up the laminate tiles - they are so, so awful:
Yay, no more tiles!
The second project I worked on is prepping the dining room for painting. I've got all the trim and the niche taped off:
and put Xs on the areas not to be painted - this wall is staying white so I can cover up the ugly spiral staircase. Who puts a staircase in the dining room? The same person who puts peel & stick tiles on a hardwood floor, I guess.
You can see some of the paint we've acquired here:
Things worked out so well with the paint - two friends had leftover paint that they wanted to get rid of (free!) so we scored several gallons that work for us, and the rest was purchased at Menard's, who had paint on sale at 50% off. The paint bill was about 1/3 of what I had budgeted, so that makes up for whatever comes up next.
The last thing I did on Sunday was help Alan with the garage. He had already made a new cover for the oil pit:
This will get a coat of concrete before he puts the epoxy down on the whole floor.
Then we put insulation and wallboard (free OSB he found in the alley - score!) in the areas where the old kitchen cabinets will go:
We can't afford to insulate the whole garage now, but having it done here will keep us from having to move the cabinets when it's time to do the rest of the insulation. We're thinking ahead.
Since Alan is leaving for New York for 12 days on Wednesday, and my sister is coming to visit for Lollapalooza on Thursday, not much else will get done for a while, I'm afraid. We'll be moving some of the basement/storage items over there to make room for boxes in the apartment, and I'm going to spend my vacation week weeding through all the STUFF and having a yard sale. If I can get some (tall person) help, I may do some painting and replace light fixtures while he's gone, but no heavy lifting for me.
The closing was far worse than I expected, but we finished, and the house is mine! Alan and I spent the weekend buying stuff for the house (paint, lumber, etc.) and starting work on the kitchen and garage. I'm exhausted!
I have a few pictures to show you, of course. Let's start in the kitchen. The kitchen is divided into two sections, an L-shape section on the South and West walls, and a separate run on the North wall.
Here is the North wall before (along with all my crap on the countertop):
and after cabinet removal:
The Southwest corner before:
during:
and after:
The kitchen/hallway floor was horrifying laminate tiles, so they came up too, starting in the hallway:
I was hoping it would be hardwood, like the rest of the 1st floor, so that I could refinish the hallway portion of the floor. And hey, look, there's hardwood under there! Except that it's covered with peel & stick vinyl tiles. Who would do this to an oak floor?!?
Here, you can see why I'm taking up the laminate tiles - they are so, so awful:
Yay, no more tiles!
The second project I worked on is prepping the dining room for painting. I've got all the trim and the niche taped off:
and put Xs on the areas not to be painted - this wall is staying white so I can cover up the ugly spiral staircase. Who puts a staircase in the dining room? The same person who puts peel & stick tiles on a hardwood floor, I guess.
You can see some of the paint we've acquired here:
Things worked out so well with the paint - two friends had leftover paint that they wanted to get rid of (free!) so we scored several gallons that work for us, and the rest was purchased at Menard's, who had paint on sale at 50% off. The paint bill was about 1/3 of what I had budgeted, so that makes up for whatever comes up next.
The last thing I did on Sunday was help Alan with the garage. He had already made a new cover for the oil pit:
This will get a coat of concrete before he puts the epoxy down on the whole floor.
Then we put insulation and wallboard (free OSB he found in the alley - score!) in the areas where the old kitchen cabinets will go:
We can't afford to insulate the whole garage now, but having it done here will keep us from having to move the cabinets when it's time to do the rest of the insulation. We're thinking ahead.
Since Alan is leaving for New York for 12 days on Wednesday, and my sister is coming to visit for Lollapalooza on Thursday, not much else will get done for a while, I'm afraid. We'll be moving some of the basement/storage items over there to make room for boxes in the apartment, and I'm going to spend my vacation week weeding through all the STUFF and having a yard sale. If I can get some (tall person) help, I may do some painting and replace light fixtures while he's gone, but no heavy lifting for me.
Thursday, June 11. 2009
Online Store is Operational!
I finally got my shit together and posted a few items to my Etsy store! More items will be added gradually.
If you haven't visited my regular website, you can see everything I make there, including one of a kind items and what has already sold.
I have also created a "Citizen Kitten" group on facebook - that's a great way to keep up with upcoming shows, new projects, and news.
Hooray for self-promotion!
If you haven't visited my regular website, you can see everything I make there, including one of a kind items and what has already sold.
I have also created a "Citizen Kitten" group on facebook - that's a great way to keep up with upcoming shows, new projects, and news.
Hooray for self-promotion!
Saturday, June 6. 2009
Well hey there
It's been a while since I've posted, I had some hard times in my personal life and decided that my business needed to stay my business.
Things are going very well for me lately, and I've been happily crafting, so I think I may start updating again regularly.
In the meantime, here are a couple non-artsy things I've been up to lately:
I got a new tattoo (or 2):
Alan and I went to Vegas for a wedding
and we got to meet Big Elvis!
Then we drove to the Grand Canyon
My next big step is BUYING A HOUSE!
I don't close until the end of July, so I'm trying not to count my chickens, but holy crap, I'm so excited!
I promise that I will post fiber-related content soon.
xo
Things are going very well for me lately, and I've been happily crafting, so I think I may start updating again regularly.
In the meantime, here are a couple non-artsy things I've been up to lately:
I got a new tattoo (or 2):
Alan and I went to Vegas for a wedding
and we got to meet Big Elvis!
Then we drove to the Grand Canyon
My next big step is BUYING A HOUSE!
I don't close until the end of July, so I'm trying not to count my chickens, but holy crap, I'm so excited!
I promise that I will post fiber-related content soon.
xo
Sunday, September 30. 2007
PRESENTS!!
I have the kick-ass-iest Secret Pal ever!
I got this package last week (I know, I'm sorry I didn't post earlier) from my SP. Check out what was inside!!
I opened the box to see this:
Two super fancy chocolate bars:
A cute card with AMAZING hand made stitch markers with olives and martinis:
An accessory pattern book to keep me warm all winter:
A magnetic notepad with a very South Park-ian sheep:
A bottle of Woolwash - I've been dying to try this stuff:
AND a PERFECT addition to my antique barware collection - an antique folding corkscrew:
How cool is that? I just love everything, thank you so much Secret Pal!!
I got this package last week (I know, I'm sorry I didn't post earlier) from my SP. Check out what was inside!!
I opened the box to see this:
Two super fancy chocolate bars:
A cute card with AMAZING hand made stitch markers with olives and martinis:
An accessory pattern book to keep me warm all winter:
A magnetic notepad with a very South Park-ian sheep:
A bottle of Woolwash - I've been dying to try this stuff:
AND a PERFECT addition to my antique barware collection - an antique folding corkscrew:
How cool is that? I just love everything, thank you so much Secret Pal!!
Tuesday, September 25. 2007
Busy Bee
Things have been CRAZY for me lately. I was on call last week (and last weekend), so I wound up working 70 hours last week. In exchange, they gave me today off, which I desperately needed.
My parents are coming to visit Friday and I needed to do some MAJOR housecleaning. They're bringing me a cabinet that was in my grandfather's office, so I had to move some furniture around, and M's office and my art room were both in a shambles. Plus, I hadn't taken the recycling to the center in three months! It took me over an hour just to bring the recycling out to the car - ugh! I am exhausted and sweaty, and I still have 15 things on my To-Do list before Friday at 2. When the cleaning is all finished, I will take some pics of the pad to show it off.
I have actually done some knitting too - I finished the scarf for my Ravelry Scarf Exchange pal (who knows who I am, so no pics until she receives it!), and it came out so much better than I expected! I think I may have a calling as a pattern copier.
I made wristwarmers to wear at work. It is ungodly cold in there all the time, so it's nice for my hands to feel warm.
(yes, I already know that I need a manicure)
I made a gaiter, which is a tube that goes around your neck to keep it warm, instead of wearing a whole scarf. I got this yarn through an exchange on Ravelry, and it feels oh so good against my neck!
I started the Ribbed Lace Bolero, which is the pattern that my Caffeine Swap pal sent me, with some of the yarn she sent me. I'm kicking myself for not doing a gauge swatch though, my gauge is a full stitch short per inch from the pattern, so I think I may rip it and start over. At least I didn't get too far.
AND, I heard from my "upstream" Secret Pal that she mailed my first package!! I cannot wait to see what she picked out for me. We've been emailing quite a bit, and we have so much in common that I can't imagine not loving every single thing.
My parents are coming to visit Friday and I needed to do some MAJOR housecleaning. They're bringing me a cabinet that was in my grandfather's office, so I had to move some furniture around, and M's office and my art room were both in a shambles. Plus, I hadn't taken the recycling to the center in three months! It took me over an hour just to bring the recycling out to the car - ugh! I am exhausted and sweaty, and I still have 15 things on my To-Do list before Friday at 2. When the cleaning is all finished, I will take some pics of the pad to show it off.
I have actually done some knitting too - I finished the scarf for my Ravelry Scarf Exchange pal (who knows who I am, so no pics until she receives it!), and it came out so much better than I expected! I think I may have a calling as a pattern copier.
I made wristwarmers to wear at work. It is ungodly cold in there all the time, so it's nice for my hands to feel warm.
(yes, I already know that I need a manicure)
I made a gaiter, which is a tube that goes around your neck to keep it warm, instead of wearing a whole scarf. I got this yarn through an exchange on Ravelry, and it feels oh so good against my neck!
I started the Ribbed Lace Bolero, which is the pattern that my Caffeine Swap pal sent me, with some of the yarn she sent me. I'm kicking myself for not doing a gauge swatch though, my gauge is a full stitch short per inch from the pattern, so I think I may rip it and start over. At least I didn't get too far.
AND, I heard from my "upstream" Secret Pal that she mailed my first package!! I cannot wait to see what she picked out for me. We've been emailing quite a bit, and we have so much in common that I can't imagine not loving every single thing.
Monday, September 17. 2007
Yes I Took Another Quiz. Don't Judge Me.
What kind of yarn are you?
You are Mohair.You are a warm and fuzzy type who works well with others, doing your share without being too weighty. You can be stubborn and absolutely refuse to change your position once it is set, but that's okay since you are good at covering up your mistakes.
Thursday, September 13. 2007
I GOT PRESENTS!!
When I got home from work yesterday, a box was waiting on the front porch. I opened it to find this:
**squee!** It's the box from my caffeine swap pal!!
Here's what was in it:
A pattern that was in my Ravelry "things I want to make" queue,
2 skeins of Red Wool-Ease, my most frequently used yarn,
Super cute japanese stationary - it's thin plastic rather than paper, how cool,
A handmade mug from a local artist - it's beautiful and huge and actually holds an entire French Press' worth of coffee,
Five (!!!) balls of Sugar n Cream in super yummy colors,
2 skeins of salmon-colored Cotton-Ease, enough to make the bolero in the pattern,
A pound of super yummy extra bold coffee from a local roaster, to which I am now officially addicted,
A bag of never-before-seen Ghirardelli dark chocolates with extra-fine ground espresso in them,
AND
A glass candleholder and layered candle with three different coffee scents.
Whew! I can't believe how much awesome stuff was in that box! I feel so spoiled!!
The only disappointment is that she didn't tell me who she is, so I can't thank her properly yet! C'mon pal, out yourself!!
**squee!** It's the box from my caffeine swap pal!!
Here's what was in it:
A pattern that was in my Ravelry "things I want to make" queue,
2 skeins of Red Wool-Ease, my most frequently used yarn,
Super cute japanese stationary - it's thin plastic rather than paper, how cool,
A handmade mug from a local artist - it's beautiful and huge and actually holds an entire French Press' worth of coffee,
Five (!!!) balls of Sugar n Cream in super yummy colors,
2 skeins of salmon-colored Cotton-Ease, enough to make the bolero in the pattern,
A pound of super yummy extra bold coffee from a local roaster, to which I am now officially addicted,
A bag of never-before-seen Ghirardelli dark chocolates with extra-fine ground espresso in them,
AND
A glass candleholder and layered candle with three different coffee scents.
Whew! I can't believe how much awesome stuff was in that box! I feel so spoiled!!
The only disappointment is that she didn't tell me who she is, so I can't thank her properly yet! C'mon pal, out yourself!!
Friday, September 7. 2007
New Schedule, New Pants, New Me
Last Friday was officially the final Summer Hours Day Off. I took advantage of my four day weekend to visit the family up North. It was the perfect weekend for it, with temps in the high 70's to mid 80's, light breeze, and plenty of sun. I couldn't have planned it better. I had a great visit with my parents and sister, and the folks had all the aunts and grandparents to dinner on Sunday, so I got to see everyone except my uncle Jim, who was out in the woods for the weekend.
The secondary purpose of the trip was to have another final run-through of the stuff at my grandmother's house - post-estate sale and pre-goodwill. I was finally able to go through the books (those that were left), and managed to snag a box full of art books. There was also some stemware that I couldn't bear to see go to goodwill. Here I was, thinking I was getting away light this time, right? Yeah, no. Back at my parents' house, they had saved out a ton of stuff for me that they had found right before the sale. Not that I'm complaining, it's great stuff and I'm glad to have it, but it was like "Surprise! More crap!" It really IS good stuff though, including my grandfather's mint condition beaver fur top hat (MUCH nicer condition than the one I already have), a bunch of records, and my grandmother's 1960's-ish freaking VIKING sewing machine! Unfortunately, it's so heavy that I can't carry it into the apartment.
So I noticed last week that my work pants looked absolutely ridiculous on me, and I could put them on and take them off without undoing the button or zipper. While I was up there, my mom and I went to Target and I did some pants shopping. I got four new pairs of work pants, and get this - they are THREE SIZES SMALLER than the last pair of pants I bought!! **Happy Dance** I'm feeling really good about myself, and it's making the pain of changing my lifestyle a little more palatable.
Speaking of lifestyle changes, my Summer Hours at work were 6:00 - 4:30 Monday - Thursday, and I LOVED it. I told my boss how much I liked coming in so early (alone on the floor, no phone ringing!), and he asked if I wanted to try a 6:00 - 2:30 schedule regularly. It. Is. Awesome. I can't believe how much I get done between 6:00 and 7:00 without any distractions or interruptions! The only drawback to this is that I've been going to bed at 8:00 every night and getting up at 4:00 every morning. So far, getting home before 3:30 has been completely worth it though. We'll see if I love it when winter comes and I'm standing at the bus stop at 5:00 in the freezing cold.
The secondary purpose of the trip was to have another final run-through of the stuff at my grandmother's house - post-estate sale and pre-goodwill. I was finally able to go through the books (those that were left), and managed to snag a box full of art books. There was also some stemware that I couldn't bear to see go to goodwill. Here I was, thinking I was getting away light this time, right? Yeah, no. Back at my parents' house, they had saved out a ton of stuff for me that they had found right before the sale. Not that I'm complaining, it's great stuff and I'm glad to have it, but it was like "Surprise! More crap!" It really IS good stuff though, including my grandfather's mint condition beaver fur top hat (MUCH nicer condition than the one I already have), a bunch of records, and my grandmother's 1960's-ish freaking VIKING sewing machine! Unfortunately, it's so heavy that I can't carry it into the apartment.
So I noticed last week that my work pants looked absolutely ridiculous on me, and I could put them on and take them off without undoing the button or zipper. While I was up there, my mom and I went to Target and I did some pants shopping. I got four new pairs of work pants, and get this - they are THREE SIZES SMALLER than the last pair of pants I bought!! **Happy Dance** I'm feeling really good about myself, and it's making the pain of changing my lifestyle a little more palatable.
Speaking of lifestyle changes, my Summer Hours at work were 6:00 - 4:30 Monday - Thursday, and I LOVED it. I told my boss how much I liked coming in so early (alone on the floor, no phone ringing!), and he asked if I wanted to try a 6:00 - 2:30 schedule regularly. It. Is. Awesome. I can't believe how much I get done between 6:00 and 7:00 without any distractions or interruptions! The only drawback to this is that I've been going to bed at 8:00 every night and getting up at 4:00 every morning. So far, getting home before 3:30 has been completely worth it though. We'll see if I love it when winter comes and I'm standing at the bus stop at 5:00 in the freezing cold.
Tuesday, August 28. 2007
Exciting Weekend (image heavy!)
Thursday afternoon, we had a HUGE storm here. "They" recorded sustained wind speeds of 78 MPH at Wrigley Field, with heavy rains and serious flooding. After the storm ended, I walked to the bar down the street to meet Leah (4 blocks down the street) and I counted 13 trees down. It was the biggest non-snow storm I've ever seen. My street was blocked in 2 places by downed trees, and two of the three cross-streets I went by were also blocked. The city crews worked the chainsaws and claw trucks all night on the cleanup, and as soon as it was light enough outside, I walked around taking some photos.
My street:
One cross street:
Another cross street:
And a couple of the downed power/phone/cable/somethingorother lines:
Ugh, look at these cars:
Here is another blog with some fantastic photos outside of my neighborhood.
Luckily, my power stayed (mostly) on, but the cable (and therefore, internet) went kaplooie and just came back this morning. Oh intartoobs, how I've missed you so!
On Friday, Kathy and Emmy drove in from Cincinnati for the weekend. We had a great girly visit - Saturday morning we had mimosas and got mani/pedis, then Saturday night we went to the Roller Derby. I hadn't been before, and it was really interesting. I learned the rules and took blurry photos (those girls are moving FAST!):
Unfortunately, during the third match, a girl was very seriously injured - she couldn't feel or move her arms or legs. They stopped the game so her teammates could go to the hospital with her. The latest update I've heard is that she was in surgery all night, and they won't know for a while whether the paralysis will be permanent. We were all very shaken up, and she is in all of our thoughts. If you could keep her and her family in your thoughts as well, I'm sure it would be appreciated.
Kathy and Emmy left on Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon Dan came over with his very well behaved kids for a knitting lesson. They both already knew the knit stitch, and N (11 year old boy) already knew how to cast on, bind off, and purl as well. I worked with L (7 year old girl) on casting on and purling, and taught N yarn overs - both with the k2tog and as dropped stitches. It was really nice to feel so very useful, and those kids are just great. I'm hoping they will come back for more lessons.
Yesterday I heard from my downstream Secret Pal - she got the postcard and gushed about it! I am positively beaming.
Ok, I think that's a long enough post for now, and it's past my bedtime. I'm sure I'll talk (type?) your ear (eye?) off again soon.
My street:
One cross street:
Another cross street:
And a couple of the downed power/phone/cable/somethingorother lines:
Ugh, look at these cars:
Here is another blog with some fantastic photos outside of my neighborhood.
Luckily, my power stayed (mostly) on, but the cable (and therefore, internet) went kaplooie and just came back this morning. Oh intartoobs, how I've missed you so!
On Friday, Kathy and Emmy drove in from Cincinnati for the weekend. We had a great girly visit - Saturday morning we had mimosas and got mani/pedis, then Saturday night we went to the Roller Derby. I hadn't been before, and it was really interesting. I learned the rules and took blurry photos (those girls are moving FAST!):
Unfortunately, during the third match, a girl was very seriously injured - she couldn't feel or move her arms or legs. They stopped the game so her teammates could go to the hospital with her. The latest update I've heard is that she was in surgery all night, and they won't know for a while whether the paralysis will be permanent. We were all very shaken up, and she is in all of our thoughts. If you could keep her and her family in your thoughts as well, I'm sure it would be appreciated.
Kathy and Emmy left on Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon Dan came over with his very well behaved kids for a knitting lesson. They both already knew the knit stitch, and N (11 year old boy) already knew how to cast on, bind off, and purl as well. I worked with L (7 year old girl) on casting on and purling, and taught N yarn overs - both with the k2tog and as dropped stitches. It was really nice to feel so very useful, and those kids are just great. I'm hoping they will come back for more lessons.
Yesterday I heard from my downstream Secret Pal - she got the postcard and gushed about it! I am positively beaming.
Ok, I think that's a long enough post for now, and it's past my bedtime. I'm sure I'll talk (type?) your ear (eye?) off again soon.
Thursday, August 23. 2007
Presents!
So I have a few presents ready for my swap pals, and took some photos.
For my Caffeine swap pal, still need to get some yarn and actual knitting stuff. The caffeine is taken care of though:
In addition to what I described in this post, there is a tote in that photo that I made out of fabric from Japan.
A close-up of the candy:
Also, I've been thinking about switching that mug to my SP11 pal, because I saw this one that I thought my Caffeine pal would like, since she is a bioengineer:
and to be honest, I kinda want one too.
For my SP11 pal, I have not yet bought anything, but I have three things I've made for her. First up, to be sent on its own as a teaser, I did a watercolor painting of the Chicago skyline on a postcard:
Yes, I took some liberties with the building placement, but I'm pretty proud of it.
Next up, a tote bag that folds into its own pocket and a silk scarf that I dyed in the colors she says she likes (please ignore the wrinklyness):
The scarf is not as depressing looking as it is in the photo - it's really a steely blue with some aqua and magenta. It looks like the ocean when you're far enough out that you can't see land:
Oh! And I bought a book for each of them as well, and forgot to photograph them. I also have plans to make one more thing for my SP11 pal - a roll-up needle case. She said she's keeping her straight needles in a vase because she doesn't have any other place to put them, and this seems like something I can sew up in an afternoon.
For my Caffeine swap pal, still need to get some yarn and actual knitting stuff. The caffeine is taken care of though:
In addition to what I described in this post, there is a tote in that photo that I made out of fabric from Japan.
A close-up of the candy:
Also, I've been thinking about switching that mug to my SP11 pal, because I saw this one that I thought my Caffeine pal would like, since she is a bioengineer:
and to be honest, I kinda want one too.
For my SP11 pal, I have not yet bought anything, but I have three things I've made for her. First up, to be sent on its own as a teaser, I did a watercolor painting of the Chicago skyline on a postcard:
Yes, I took some liberties with the building placement, but I'm pretty proud of it.
Next up, a tote bag that folds into its own pocket and a silk scarf that I dyed in the colors she says she likes (please ignore the wrinklyness):
The scarf is not as depressing looking as it is in the photo - it's really a steely blue with some aqua and magenta. It looks like the ocean when you're far enough out that you can't see land:
Oh! And I bought a book for each of them as well, and forgot to photograph them. I also have plans to make one more thing for my SP11 pal - a roll-up needle case. She said she's keeping her straight needles in a vase because she doesn't have any other place to put them, and this seems like something I can sew up in an afternoon.
Wednesday, August 22. 2007
"Stitch" N Pitch - I hate you.
Tuesday, August 21. 2007
More Secret Pal stuff, swaps, getting out
I'm sure all this "swap" talk is super exciting to those of you who don't knit (I know, I don't really have any readers, but it's fun to pretend), but it's a bright spot in my life right now that I desperately need.
So, y'all know I'm a joiner. I have joined Secret Pal 11 (see the 2 related entries below). The deal with this is that something like 600 knitbloggers sign up for this thing, a few people generously donate their time to match people up, and everyone sends and receives gifts. I have two pals - an "upstream" pal, who is secretive and sends me presents based on my blog, and the questionnaires I've filled out, and whatever questions they feel like asking me anonymously. I have already heard from my upstream pal a couple times and provided as much info on myself as I thought of at the time. I'm a tad wordy. My other pal is my "downstream" pal. I know her name, address, and blog address, and I need to investigate what she's interested in and send her presents. I am totally stalking her and already have some present ideas for her. The Secret Pal swap lasts 3 months, so that's a lot of little packages, postcards, etc. and I'm excited.
I have also joined a Ravelry-based-group swap. The group is the caffeinated knitters, and it's a coffee/tea/mug/yarn/etc. swap with upstream and downstream pals, but it's just 1 month (most folks seem to be sending a single package). Well, I did my coffee shopping for my downstream caffeine pal today, and I am so proud of what I got for her! 1 lb. of El Salvadoran coffee beans, medium-dark roast, direct trade (paid 25% more than fair trade, straight to the farmer rather than a co-op), shade grown, etc.; 4 oz. of lovely green tea; "make your own" teabags (they're empty and you put your own tea in them and steep as usual), lots of different tiny chocolate bars, and a great Intelligentsia Coffee Co. mug with the Municipal Flag of Chicago on the reverse:
Now I just need to stalk what kind of knitting she does and find some nice yarn to go along with it. I may also sew a needle case for her, and I am definitely including one of my self-storing tote bags.
I am also GETTING MY SORRY ASS OUT OF THE HOUSE TONIGHT. I found out yesterday about a Stitch 'n' Bitch group that meets at Black Rock, a mere 1/4 mile from my house, each first and third Tuesday of the month. What awesome timing, since I need to STOP FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF AND SITTING AROUND IN MY EMPTY APARTMENT. I'm going to re-start the Cabled Newsboy Cap, this time with less shiny yarn. Wish me luck in making some new (i.e. "local") friends!
So, y'all know I'm a joiner. I have joined Secret Pal 11 (see the 2 related entries below). The deal with this is that something like 600 knitbloggers sign up for this thing, a few people generously donate their time to match people up, and everyone sends and receives gifts. I have two pals - an "upstream" pal, who is secretive and sends me presents based on my blog, and the questionnaires I've filled out, and whatever questions they feel like asking me anonymously. I have already heard from my upstream pal a couple times and provided as much info on myself as I thought of at the time. I'm a tad wordy.
My other pal is my "downstream" pal. I know her name, address, and blog address, and I need to investigate what she's interested in and send her presents. I am totally stalking her and already have some present ideas for her. The Secret Pal swap lasts 3 months, so that's a lot of little packages, postcards, etc. and I'm excited.I have also joined a Ravelry-based-group swap. The group is the caffeinated knitters, and it's a coffee/tea/mug/yarn/etc. swap with upstream and downstream pals, but it's just 1 month (most folks seem to be sending a single package). Well, I did my coffee shopping for my downstream caffeine pal today, and I am so proud of what I got for her! 1 lb. of El Salvadoran coffee beans, medium-dark roast, direct trade (paid 25% more than fair trade, straight to the farmer rather than a co-op), shade grown, etc.; 4 oz. of lovely green tea; "make your own" teabags (they're empty and you put your own tea in them and steep as usual), lots of different tiny chocolate bars, and a great Intelligentsia Coffee Co. mug with the Municipal Flag of Chicago on the reverse:
Now I just need to stalk what kind of knitting she does and find some nice yarn to go along with it.
I may also sew a needle case for her, and I am definitely including one of my self-storing tote bags.I am also GETTING MY SORRY ASS OUT OF THE HOUSE TONIGHT. I found out yesterday about a Stitch 'n' Bitch group that meets at Black Rock, a mere 1/4 mile from my house, each first and third Tuesday of the month. What awesome timing, since I need to STOP FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF AND SITTING AROUND IN MY EMPTY APARTMENT. I'm going to re-start the Cabled Newsboy Cap, this time with less shiny yarn. Wish me luck in making some new (i.e. "local") friends!
Monday, August 13. 2007
Ah Jeebus, I almost forgot
I joined Secret Pal 11 (and will put the button over there ---> as soon as I figure out how to do that). Hey upstream pal! Here's my questionnaire!
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely not like?
Ideally, cashmere, heh. Nothing I don't like so far though.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
Straights go into a zippered straight case, circs have a plastic expandable check file, and dpns have one too.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting since April of 2006 - I taught myself using a book, and keep teaching myself just by following patterns and trial-and-error. I'd actually consider myself advanced even though I've never finished a sweater. I can do lace, cables, stranding, intarsia, short rows, shaping, and garment construction.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Indeed!
The Things I Want Portable Wishlist
5. What's your favorite scent?
Oranges, Bacon, Campfire, Vanilla Frosting, Coffee
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
YES! The two adjectives M uses to describe me are "cute" and "candy-filled". I love nearly all candy (no coconut, please). Fruit-flavored? Check. Chocolate? Check. Caramel? Check. Licorice? Check. Nuts? Check. Hard candy, gummies, jelly beans, chocolate bars, I like it all.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I dye fabric (fiber-reactive process), sew, paint, draw, etc. I don't spin yet, and I'm not really sure that I need another expensive hobby.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like everything except new country and techno/trance/electronica/jungle/blah. My favorites are late 70's punk, classic rock, and hair metal. I can definitely rock the MP3s.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love purple, orange, greeny-blues, red, black, pink, grey. Not a big fan of yellow or brown though.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I'm living with my fella (though he's gone for a while) and a diva of a kitty (she's a plus-size model in her secret life).
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Scarves, hats, mittens, gloves - it's COLD in Chicago! Not a big poncho fan.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I like to knit new things all the time, but seem to fall back on dishrags as my public transportation projects.
13. What are you knitting right now?
Cabled Newsboy Cap, a skinny version of Calorimetry to wear as a headband, and Knucks.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
YES!!
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
Bamboo circs for the win.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Both - thanks Grandma!
17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Hm, maybe since last August?
18. What is your favorite holiday?
Halloween, for sure.
19. Is there anything that you collect?
Antique barware and records (the kind made of shellac, wax, or vinyl - you know, those big round black things we old-timers used to listen to music on).
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I don't have any subscriptions - do I need one? Books I'm dying for are on the Amazon wishlist.
ETA: Dur, I didn't even see the word "needles" up there. For some reason, I am severely lacking in dpns. I prefer a 7- or 8" length, and I have sizes 1, 2, 4, 8, and 10. Of course, I have exquisite taste, so my favorites are Crystal Palace bamboo.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I'd like to try socks one of these days.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Not yet, see above. I don't know what measurements are required for a foot. If you need them, email me which parts need to be measured, I guess.
23. When is your birthday?
May 8
24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
I am! I'm SillyPutty.
Whew! Hooray for Secret Pals! If you need more info on me, let me know, I'm an open book.
Sunday, August 12. 2007
Knitting as Therapy
So you may have noticed that I have been doing A LOT of knitting. Witness:
etc. I actually made 2 of the Pop Tarts, and I'm about halfway through a cabled newsboy cap. I also made a little progress on my Knucks (but not much - too hard to concentrate). I find knitting very meditative and serene. It's my "Serenity NOW!" chant. And right now, I need it.
Things have not been going well in my personal life lately. On June 3rd, M told me that he had a substance abuse problem. I was completely taken aback - first by the fact that he had been living for the last 6 months without being sober, and secondly that I hadn't known. I knew he wasn't acting "normal", but he was out of work and stressed, etc. None of that makes up for the fact that he had this huge problem, and I just flat out didn't notice. [I'm working on the guilt thing.] Since then he's been "dry" and using online message boards and telephone helplines to help him through. He's been asking me for help and support, and I've been giving him all I'm able to, but it seems that whatever I do hurts rather than helping. Being around me is making it harder for him to get better, so I've asked him to stay with his parents for a while. Asking him to leave is one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I know that if he stays here and we continue to have the same circular conversation twice a day, we will wind up hating each other. We are not breaking up - he's only taking his clothes and the laptop with him - he is just going to stay with his parents until he gets some real help and gets on the road to recovery.
I am feeling completely overwhelmed and alone and I have no idea what to do about it. I don't really have anyone here in Chicago that I can lean on, and I'm working so much, and so stressed out that I just can't keep up with cooking and cleaning that I've lost 15 pounds unintentionally and am living in a pigsty.
So I knit.
etc. I actually made 2 of the Pop Tarts, and I'm about halfway through a cabled newsboy cap. I also made a little progress on my Knucks (but not much - too hard to concentrate). I find knitting very meditative and serene. It's my "Serenity NOW!" chant. And right now, I need it.
Things have not been going well in my personal life lately. On June 3rd, M told me that he had a substance abuse problem. I was completely taken aback - first by the fact that he had been living for the last 6 months without being sober, and secondly that I hadn't known. I knew he wasn't acting "normal", but he was out of work and stressed, etc. None of that makes up for the fact that he had this huge problem, and I just flat out didn't notice. [I'm working on the guilt thing.] Since then he's been "dry" and using online message boards and telephone helplines to help him through. He's been asking me for help and support, and I've been giving him all I'm able to, but it seems that whatever I do hurts rather than helping. Being around me is making it harder for him to get better, so I've asked him to stay with his parents for a while. Asking him to leave is one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I know that if he stays here and we continue to have the same circular conversation twice a day, we will wind up hating each other. We are not breaking up - he's only taking his clothes and the laptop with him - he is just going to stay with his parents until he gets some real help and gets on the road to recovery.
I am feeling completely overwhelmed and alone and I have no idea what to do about it. I don't really have anyone here in Chicago that I can lean on, and I'm working so much, and so stressed out that I just can't keep up with cooking and cleaning that I've lost 15 pounds unintentionally and am living in a pigsty.
So I knit.
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