Coffee Thieves Must DIE!

I doubt that it would surprise anyone that it would take getting really pissed off in order for me to finally post. That being said I will rant on.

This morning I woke up early because I needed to write a site description for my soils project (turning it in 3 days late). As a reward for actually hauling my ass out of bed to go to school and write, I stopped at Starbucks Tenbucks and purchases a low fat venti vanilla latte.

My morning is off to a fabulous start and so I head over the the McLean computer lab to fix up my paper. I leave the coffee outside the lab as is called for by computer nazis everywhere. It takes me about an hour and a half to finish up and pack up my things to leave. I exit the computer lab and I see that someone has made off with my coffee.

Whoever you are that stole my coffee, you are a heartless bastard and I hope you choke on your next meal.

Done.

As for knitting, of course I have been knitting. A sweater from Interweave knits winter 2005 issue and one from the Spring 2006 issue. The red is from the winter issue and the light blue from the spring one. The latter is the one that I have knit the most. I give it two to 3 more weeks to be finished.

I finally knit a booga bag that I love. I won some stuff at the fair back in August. I'll have to post pics sometime soon.

I apologize for not being more up on my blog but I must KNIT!

Knit on crazy folks!

Ciao.

Hello Dad. I'm In Hell!

It's official. I'm in hell. It was 111 degrees F here in Sacramento. Crap-olla.

ATTENTION! Knitting news...knitting news...knitting news....

Friday I turned in my entry form for the county fair. I am entering ten items.

This is a beaded bag I made as a sample of the kits Janice bought for Handmade Memories. I think the company is Swallows Nest or Hill or Robins egg or something like that. Can't remember. Anyways, it was DMC rayon thread (don't know the guage) and size 10(?) beads on 000 addi's.

This next project is the Amelia Earhart Aviator hat. It calls for size 8 needles but I think either she has a small head or...she is an even more uptight knitter than I am. The first one I did was way huge. It looked like and Amish hat. This one is done on size 7's and it turned out super cute. The flower is from S & B's Happy Hooker.

This is the Sheep's Butt Boucle Bag (on the right) from way back. I need to de-fuzz the whole thing because I have used it a fair bit.

And this bag, entitled Blueberry Truffle, I am quite proud of. It looks simple but the real beauty is in the construction of it. I am hoping it will win a ribbon (blue, please let it be blue), and then that people will want to buy the pattern.


Here is my second set of Wyvern's (pattern by Marnie MacLean). These are out of Paton's Grace and were done on size 2 addi's. I did a picot bind off to make them extra cute.

This las bag is called Toffee Delight (don't blame me, Q came up with the name). I made it out of the leftover yarn from the felted clogs I made my Dad for father's day.

I will also be entering my take on the Melon Ball Bag pattern by Anastasia Knits. Mine is a watermelonball bag. The seed are needle felted.



Finally, Q and I are on again. Hopefully he can keep from making me mad or hurt again. Here we are on the 4th of July. Pretty sad when you have to wear a shrug and turtlenecks to keep warm in the middle of summer. Although, I suppose it is preferable to the hell that is the central valley.

Oh well, you can see that even though I haven't posted for almost a month, I have accomplished much in knitting. And, I finished two summer school classes to boot. I am in Sac this week helping out my Gram because her normal helper is on vacation. I did warn her though, if the AC gives out, I'm going back to the coast.

Keep cool y'all.

Ciao.

Lingerie Crochet-- And other tantilizing news from the North Coast.

How is everyone out in the great blogosphere. After my last post I bet y'all thought I got taken away to a secret interrogation prison in Syria or something. HA. Not.

Okay. Loads 'o stuff, news-wise and knit-wise (crochet too, but it leaves my hand a hurtin' so I don't think I'll be brining that up.)

I suppose I'll begin with.... I was in Sacramento for a week and a half towards the end of May helping my Gram look through old photos and I found what I believe to be my first FIBER ARTS lesson. I'm about 7 years old in this pic and that is my Mommy (love you MommY!) showing me the art (and agony) that is... crochet.


Mother's Day came at an extremely inconvenient time of year. The weekend after finals. LAME-O. I made these cards. One for my Gram, one for my Mudda, and one for Janice(the ownerof MLYS because she is so sweet to me). I cannot believe I stamped. The real problem with making cards (aside from the fact that I'd rather light myself on fire that do paper arts) is, now when I need a card for a holiday, I feel guilty if I don't MAKE it myself. UGH. Can you perhaps guess what the result is? I end up not giving any card because I hate making them and I can't buy them. Do you see my predicament.


Here I am with my Mom at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. We both volunteer. She has for like 8 years and I have for 4. I played in a jazz band back in 91 and 92. Anyways, I tried taking this picture like 10 times and we couldn't get one with both of us with eyes open.

Additionally, there was a totally bitchin' band there by the name of Bonerama! A rockin' funk trombone band. They totally rock! Any band that plays Jimmy Hendrix and Black Sabbath is alright in my book.

Blogger has stopped wanting to cooperate so I guess it is time to say adios for now. More in knit later. Embossed leaves are finished (Hooray!)

Happy Summer Solstice. I'm off to the beach for the sunset.

$3.55

That's what I paid per gallon today. $3-f-ing-75 per gallon of gas. I was on empty. That means, that with only $45 f-ing dollars in my pocket, saved up from 2 knitting classes, I didn't quite fill up my 13 + gallon tank. All I have to say to that is
Fuck you very much George "The Jackass" Bush!
Edit: Just in case you were wondering why I blame the faker that is the president, I'll tell you. Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela, offered to sell the US $50 barrells of oil. Bush said no. Why? Because Hugo plans on keeping that money in Latin America. However, if Bush buys oil from the Saudis, he gets the oil money back because the Saudis buy US treasury bonds. This is how Bush can keep pushing our country further and further into debt. What's the big deal? Oh, I don't know, maybe it is the fact that the moron has racked up 2 trillion dollars in new debt since he took office.(Source info at www.democracynow.org 5/12/2006)

Whew. Now that that is off of my chest. Lets see how long it takes for the FBI or the Department of Homeland Insecurity to come and have a little chat with me.

Now then, much knitting has been happening. I have some pics and some no pics. But I won't be posting any now. I had a knitting tragedy a few weeks back. Quite sad really. I had finished up a very long Jellyfish Tentacle scarf when I wore it out for the first day I sat on it and broke the backbone of the scarf. Woe mohair and silk. Anyways, J figured a way to possibly fix it without frogging the whole thing. However, as my roommate Cara would say, the scarf is on "time out" for now.

Working on an afghan. Done in squares of different stitches. Don't have the book on me now so that'll have to wait too.

And, if my Mom or Gram happens to read this...Really, I made you mother's day cards, I just haven't sent them. And remember, it's the thought that counts. :)

Taking off to California's #1 Cow Town and Home of the Kings tomorrow for about a week and a half of fun. Don't have any money though so how much fun could it be. I'll keep you posted on that one.

Allow me to end on a positive note. One good thing about being broke at the end of the semester is that I am using yarn from my stash. Hooray. I'm so excited. Stop me before I pee my pants.

Ciao

Sniff...sniffle...sniff, sniff.

Hack.

Thanks. So now that I'm finished hacking up a lung (I had a fever last night. And let me just say, thank you Niquil).

My day consisted of

1. Hacking up a lung
2. getting up to let my dog in my room
3. hacking up a lung
4. getting up to let the cat out of my room
5. getting up to let the cat back into my room
6. hacking up a lung
7. downloading some files
8. getting up to make some hot tea while hacking up a lung
9. starting a load of laundry
10. More tea
11. More hacking
12. Working on Embossed leaves sock. 1st one is finished, about 7 more pattern repeats to go on the second one. (did I mention hacking up a lung?)

So, that being said, feel sorry for me. Better yet, feel happy for yourself, that you aren't sick. I'm also sad because no one has signed up to be my frapper friend. Woe is me.

Uh oh. I hear the cat knocking. Better go let him in...HACK.

SNIFF.

What's New

This first part is to any webring moderators: I recently changed templates and am having trouble getting the html to work so please be patient with me. I want to participate, I just need time (2 weeks until finals are over).

Loads 'O happenings in the past few weeks. Mom came for a visit, I finished Cherry Bomb, and some other stuff.

Due to the whole lack of time/no time to write stuff I'm only going to post a couple of pics for now and in a couple of weeks I'll be able to dedicate more time to my poor, neglected blog.

Pic on the right, me in my Cherry Bomb from Big Girl Knits . Mommy visiting at the LYS. And finally, J and I getting some real knitting done at our favorite bar, "The Digger".

Wish me luck during finals. Hey Amanda, what happened to that grain size analysis report (ha ha).

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

And I did finish the Cherry Bomb top. Blocked it and all. Whoo hoo. I think I will wear it all day every day. I must say though, I may be on a knitting hiatus for a bit. My mojo is not working. The thrill is gone. Love doesn't live here anymore.

Did I mention I broke up with Q (again, I know), changed my phone number, and am totally and completely on the beveled edge. All that and the bottle of vodka on my bookshelf remains unopened.

I am a rock.

I am an island.

ciao

C'est Fini

Last night at around 1:30 am while watching a show on PBS about malaria, I finished Cherry Bomb. This top is from the yet to be released Big Girl Knits book by Jillian Moreno and Amy Singer. I think it comes out on the 15th or 19th of this month, I can't really remember which. You can read about how I got mine in a former post.

The picture is of me trying it on right after I kitchenered the straps but before knitting on the borders. I knit this in the round so there are no seams anywhere on the tank top. I used 13, yes, that is 13 skeins of Cascade Cotton Rich yarn. I had to modify the pattern a little bit because my hips are wide and I actually don't go out after my waist, but instead, I get smaller right around my ribcage so I did a few more decreases there instead of increases. Also, I made little slits at the bottom on the sides and did seed st borders.

Here is what it is looking like blocked. My first blocking ever. Overall I think it went pretty well. I'll post another picture with it on once it dries.

And finally, some animal pictures! The pic on the right is of Mantequilla (my roomate's dog) and Bob, her cat. Leon is on the left. I think his being around her (my roommate's) cats is a good thing because he is learning to not be such a dirtbag. You can see his last shave is growing out.

That is it for now. My next big knitting task will be to design a shirt pattern. I'm thinking the yarn will be bamboo. We'll see. Wish me luck with the god of guage.

Ciao

Sidebar Issues

So I'm not quite sure what is up with the sidebar. I looked at my blog yesterday for the first time in weeks and it appears as though some of my buttons and my Betty Boop counter are not functioning properly. I didn't do anything to it so what gives?

Anyone who knows about this please share the info. And yes, I know that Blogger sucks.

Color Me Slacker

I know, I'm lame-o for taking forever to make posts. What can I say except I have been busy with school and sooooo busy knitting that I haven't had time to blog. Oh yeah, and my computer took a MAJOR CRAPPOLA and is still not back to its original tip top shape. But alas, those are all excuses, but true I say.

Enough with the wallowing. Lots has been going on as of late. Spring break happened, early. It was oh so much fun. Went to Sacramento, hung out with the familial unit, hung out with friends, played with pooches, knitted (big shocker, I know), ate yummy food, and shopped a little bit (no really, only a little).

Spring break started on a Friday. I had class that morning and wasn't quite sure if I would make it due to the 5 inches of hail covering the roads in my hood for about 3 miles. It did clear up and I went to class. However, it continued to sleet/snow/hail all the way to Williams, CA. You would think that driving through that sort of weather people would be more likely to get into accidents. You would be wrong. There was not even a hint of an accident until I got onto I-5 where it was sunny and dry. Idiots.


I finished the bag with the big boucle eBay yarn. Here is my dad modelling it for me. I ended up felting it a bit more and I love it! The only bummer is that the beige color didn't felt. What that means for me is that the strap is a little on the long side, but...I think it works out because I wanted it to be a sling bag anyways. As for a pattern for this bag, I don't know. I should have been writing down what I did as I went along. Oh well, one of a kind, what do you know. I'm thinking of entering it in the county fair.

There were many great meals during spring break. There was a shrimp and octupus cocktail with avocado over at La Favorita, Pho over at the Vietnamese place that used to be a Long John Silver back in the day, and we had these taco's that my dad whipped up, I think it was carnitas and there was buche in it (mouth)...big time yummy-ness. My only regret is that I didn't get to eat menudo over at El Padrino. Next time.

I spied this little fabric shop and thought I'd see what they were all about. You'll never believe the deal I found in their store. They had beaded fringe for $2 to $4 a yard. The same stuff I had seen over at JoAnn's for $9 a yard. Sweet. Gotta love the Vietnamese shops! Give them your money!

On my final evening in Sacramento, my mother and I went to Ross. Here I am with her (dopey hat, I know). Then we went to a place in our neighborhood called La Fiesta. Since it was in our hood (upper-middle incomes), I didn't think it would be "real" Mexican food. I mean, you rarely find authentic anything in the "fancy" hoods. So, I told my mother,"If they don't have tacos de lengua (tongue) it isn't 'real'." To which she said,"Es verdad (that's the truth)." If you click on the picture of the menu, you can plainly see that not only did they have tacos de lengua, but they also had tacos de tripa. Who knew.

More later. St. Patrick's day shenanigans and other such minutiae.

Oh hey! Check out the sidebar for WIP's and FOB's!

Ciao

Lame-O

Okay. So I know I promised all sorts of great things...more posts, more often, yadda yadda yadda. Well, believe me. I had the best of intentions. I see a HUGE post in the coming days. It will contain:

1. Pics of any and all completed projects (Boucle eBay Yarn Bag, Soulard Market Bag, and the Melon Ball Bag-Q is needle felting the seeds on this one...yes, Q is back in the picture. I love him. What can I say.)
2. Pics of new and ongoing project progress.
3. Pics of Spring Break in Sacramento, and finally, # 4
4. Pics of tonights St. Patty's day extravaganza when Teeka and I will party like Irish Rockstars (hopefully we won't die in a pool of our own puke. Lovely thought, I know.)

So, on that note, allow me to leave you with these two purls (wink) of wisdom.

1. "As long as I've got my vodka you can't make me lie."-Erin Kruger
2. "The only thing wrong with my life is that I don't have enough middle fingers."-Teeka

Have a safe and happy St.P's Day and I'll have a vodka for you!

Ciao

Do You Want The Good News or The Bad News?

How shall I begin? How about bad news first, so as to end on a positive note? Me thinks yes. Okay then, here goes.

1. Karaoke contest = Bad news.

2. 73% on my soil physics midterm.

3. Broke up with Q, waiting for emotional fall out.

4. Sent my Mommy her birthday present late.

5. Kia the puppy keeps eating cat crap out of the litter box; follows cats around sniffing but(I think she knows they are the tootsie roll dispensers).

6. Started counting number of calories I shove into my mouth delicately nibble during meals.

I did not win at karaoke so I'm giving it up for my belated New Year's resolution. No more singing. I had on a fabulous outfit, sang like a vamp, and didn't win. Woe is me. Next.

School is giving me grief this semester. Next.

I love Q but he is so wrong for me. He needs mega counseling. I think the crying will happen over spring break (I know, shitty timing, but it is the first time I won't be too busy to feel it.) Woe is me 2 times.

Mom, your present is on the way, I hope you love it.

I absolutely adore puppy kisses, but I just can't let her near me for fear of cat butt on face.

I'm not hungry yet. Lets see how it goes.

Onto the GOOD NEWS!

1. This blog has a new contributing member! Teeka. (Me and Teeka pictured right) Hooray. Can hardly wait. She says funny stuff all the time and is an amazing knitter! More new content, more often. And, as always, quality!
2. 73% on my soil physics exam (I know, it was on the bad list too. The good part is that the class average was 65%. We get to retake it on Tuesday too. So I'll have another crack at it. Hooray 2 times)
3. I sent off my Mommy's present and it should be at her office by the end of the week.
4. I got a 93% on my econ exam (not too shabby).
5. Mai Tai is finished (except the strap. Put one on it and hated it, it was a cast-on/bind off jobby that looked like crap in the yarn I picked. Changed it to an I-cord. Now I just need to attach it.)

6. Finished a sock for my "Socks for Wimps" class. The pattern is by Joan Fernbach. Thanks Joan.

Here is my progress thus far on Embossed Leaves. Slow because I have been working on all sorts of stuff for my knitting classes. Next I will start another pattern from AnastasiaKnits called the Melon Ball Bag. I will be teaching it at MLYS as a beginning crochet class.

That is all for now. Exams and papers keep me from knitting. It is so sad I am going to have to resort to larger needles.

Ciao

Muppet

You Are Dr. Bunsen Honeydew

You take the title "mad scientist" to the extreme -with very scary things coming out of your lab. And you've invented some pretty cool things, from a banana sharpener to a robot politician. But while you're busy turning gold into cottage cheese, you need to watch out for poor little Beaker! "Oh, that's very naughty, Beaker! Now you eat these paper clips this minute."

The Muppet Personality Test

Saw this at amandamonkey's World of Stitch blog. Check her out sometime.

Crisis Update: Catostrophe Averted

I was about to start freaking out because I couldn't find my camera. But, I was good in waiting to freak out, since, I finally found it.

Bobblicious from Knitty is finished. If you click to make the picture bigger, you can see that I modified it by kniting the upper arm in a 1x1 rib pattern. Other modifications: added 1 st and knit it in the round. You need the extra stitch to make the bobbles work out nicely. When you get the part where it is supposed to open for your shoulders, you just start knitting back and forth, knitting and purling, instead of in the round. When you reach the other arm, start back again in the round. I have worn it out twice already and have received oodles of compliments. I recommend making it.


I have turned the heel on Embossed Leaves. I was talking and watching a movie when I started back in on the lace portion so I need to frog a couple of rows because it would seem as though I have one stitch too many. Shit. Also, I think I would do these, and any socks in the future, as toe up. What was I thinking?


Last Wednesday I got out of school early because my soil physics lab got cancelled. So, I figured I'd go knit at MLYS for a couple of hours, and then go study for my wetland soils quiz and soil physics exam that I had coming up the following day. I get to the shop and say hello to Janice. She says to me,"Are you ready for tonight?" And I'm looking at her like she's a crack smoker and say,"What's tonight?" To which she replied,"Your changing colors class is tonight." SHIT. So I tell her I'll see her later and go home to learn how to knit intarsia the "right" way. Here you can see the swatch I knit up. The students in class were very excited when they started to see the pattern in their knitting. Yeah! I don't have pics of them because of the whole, freaking out (almost) because I couldn't find my camera thingy.

Here is my progress thus far on the Soulard Market Bag from Kricket Knits. I love the way it is going. Fuscia Lambs Pride and Color #17 Noro Big Kureyon, way coolio. I'm going to pick out the Cascade for the strap today.

The last bit in knitting news is that I'm going to make a purse called Mai Tai by AnastasiaKnits. It is a pattern that we got from the TNNA trade show and I'll teach it for next month's cable class. I am making out of a merino/silk combo by Himalaya Yarn Company. Tonight I have a cable class and the scarf we will be working on is pictured here on the left.

In other news, I cannot stand my wildland soils teacher. This morning I show up for class and she spends 7 minutes talking about a field trip we have tomorrow. Then, she lectures until 8:30am. Why is she able to zip through so quickly? Because she reads off the damn Power Point! And, she again forgot to bring a dry erase marker. I felt jipped this morning; class goes until 8:50am. I can only be consoled in the fact that I know the department isn't going to hire her on. She doesn't teach soil fertility so she's outta luck.

Send any and all good vibes my direction please. Thursday night I am in the finals for the karaoke contest SPECTACULAR at Blue Lake Casino. I hope they pick me; I'll be sad if they don't. And, unfortunately there will be no pictures of the event because they don't let you take pictures inside the casino. Bastards!

Ciao for now.

Working Madly

Alrighty then. As always, say it after me everyone, "There is never enough time to knit!" Grrr. Hiss. Okay, I am working on a few things. Here is the new yarn I bought for a project I am going to start just as soon as I finish the other projects I have going. Yeah right. Anyways, that is three, count them, three skeins of Noro BIG Kureyon. And, one 1-pound cone of Lambs Pride Fuscia thank you very much. I still need some Cascade 220 but that can wait. I know, you are waiting with baited breath to know what project it is for which I purchased the horrendously expensive yarn. It is the Soulard Market Bag by Kricket Knits at Crosseyed Cricket that J and I found at the TNNA winter trade fair. I'm sure the bag will be a snooze to knit, but the finished product is so fantastic I must have it. Oh yes, it will be mine.

Here is my progress on Bobblicious, by Estee Moscow, from the most recent Knitty. It is a super cute shrug. The thing about the pattern that drove me totally nutso is the HUMONGOUS seam(though perhaps not as humongous as my ass). Seriously, why would anyone ever knit anything in the flat when you can do it in the round.

This is the progress on the embossed
leaves. It is a gorgeous pattern, I want to knit it, all day, all the time.

Finally, here is cute little knitting bag that Janice from MLYS made me get. It is way coolio because it fits my sock project and I can have it on my wrist while I walk (like that ever happens, the walking, not the on the wrist thingy).

That is all I have for now. I finished my project for soil physics lab. Got a really CRAPPY grade in my wetland soils class on our first "quiz". LAME. She is a new teacher, I blame her.

Au revoir, hasta luego, ciao for now.

Once, Twice, Three Times I Say Crap!

Busy, busy and more busy. I realized I haven't had a day without obligations in over three, possibly four weeks. First there was the TNNA trade show, I moved weekend before last (see Lupine at the new house with Kia the puppy), last weekend I helped Q move and I had a soil physics field trip (pic later). Crap. Exam Wednesday, homework in two classes due Wednesday, two lab reports due next week. When am I ever going to have time to apply for freaking internships and financial aid for next semester. Again, crap. I think I am definitely spending way too much time reading school books. When did I start caring about reading school books. Triple crap. Knitting class Thursday night if anyone shows, I think a knitting class Saturday. My Friday Natural Resource Conservation class totally conflicts with my life.

In other news...
I have started the Embossed Leaves socks from the Winter 2005 issue of Interweave Knits. On the right is Peggy, she is way coolio. She took my toe up sock class, there is her short-row toe! Yeah Peggy! Jeanette took my glove class (again, pic later). Most people are deathly afraid of knitting on tiny needles. That must be why more aren't showing up to my classes. That or they can't stand me. Who knows. I will post a picture of a cable scarf I taught a few weeks ago. Yet another class that only one person (Jeanette I love you) showed up for. Cables are super easy! As J's grandmother says,"Cables are so easy a baby could knit them."

In blog nes... Linda mentioned to me today that she read about my blog in the North Coast Jornal last week. Here is the link==> http://www.northcoastjournal.com/012606/cover0126.html
Pretty cool huh? I'm going to see if I can get a print copy of that weeks journal.

Anyways, I don't have enough time for all that I love, that includes going to Sacramento. I am bound and determined to be there for spring break, there or somewhere, maybe Costa Rica. Did I mention I hate flying? Where's the Zanex?