Friday, June 27, 2008

First brush fire

and hopefully the last of the summer. A brush fire broke out yesterday about 20 miles from our home and was visible all over the valley. I tried to get first hand photos for all of you but when I got out there, my camera wouldn't work, I guess the battery is dead.









There are lots more photos here.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

SP12 Question of the Week - 6/25

What would you consider the perfect amount of stash?

Personally I don't think there is a perfect amount but in my dreams I have this much...in reality I have less than a quarter of that! But as soon as I win the lottery it's on baby!

Blog Readability

blog readability test

Movie Reviews




I'm impressed with myself, I was expecting it to come back as maybe a first grade reading level. I never considered myself a great writer but apparently I could do worse.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

SP12 Question of the Week - 6/20

As a kid, what did you look forward to most about summer vacation/break/holiday?

I guess it would have to be no school. Long days of playing with friends and riding bikes around the neighborhood and getting sunburned. (not that that part was fun, just always happened)

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

I'm on restriction!

Hubby put me on restriction a last week! I told him I was going to bring it here for my fellow knitters to discuss and try to explain to him why this is cruel and unusual. He has limited me to a total of 5 projects at one time...that I have purchased the yarn. Did you notice that very important bold I? That is my only loophole, I'm allowed to have as many projects as I want going or even in planning stages as long as I'm not the one who purchased the yarn.

This is cruel and unusual punishment for a stash whore like myself. I've been doing really well buying yarn with projects in mind for a while now, before I was just buying yarn because I thought it was pretty and then would end up with not enough to do the project that I finally decided on a year or so later.

What do you think? Is this something I should be ok with or is this cruel and unusual treatment that we should take to knitters court?

Friday, June 13, 2008

SP 12 Question of the Week - 6/13/08

What is your favorite Summertime drink?

I'm going to say Starbucks' Caramel Frappuccino. Though seriously there is never a bad time for year for this drink, it's a year round fave of mine.

Other than that, I drink a lot more water during the summer but here in Arizona that's kind of a necessity.

He's home :)

Ok, so he's been home since Sunday but I'm slow at posting. We went and picked up Aristotle Sunday afternoon and I've been spending all week getting to know him and letting him know that he has found his forever home.

Here are a few pictures of him...as you can see he is already getting comfortable with us as well.







In this last photo, Ellie is trying to figure out what he is doing upside down.

Monday, June 9, 2008

SP 12 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I have not found any fibers that I absolutely hate. I have had one skein of superwash merino that was just awful but that is an exception because most of my superwash merino has been really great. I'm always interested in trying new fibers or brands that I haven't tried before.

I am currently gathering yarn to work on 2 different afghans that are going to be long term projects. I'm making the Shelly Kang Sock Yarn Blankie and am always in need of leftover sock yarn. I'm also wanting to make the Lizard Ridge Afghan and have been hinting that I need lots of Noro Kureyon.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

Right now I keep my needles in a giant coffee cup because I don't have anything else. I have a set of interchangeable circs that I keep in the case they came in.

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 2003 I think. I took a class while I was living in New Jersey and then put the needles down again when I moved back to Texas. I picked it back up again in 2005 and have been nonstop ever since. I would consider myself intermediate because I love to do socks and am learning lace but have never done a sweater though there is at least 1 on the needles right now.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

I do have a wishlist on Amazon list under my name and also I believe it can be looked up by my email address. I also have one at The Loopy Ewe and there is a link to that on my blog.

5. What's your favorite scent?

I think right now it is Japanese Cherry Blossom but I can't say that I have a definite favorite. I love all kinds of different scents. I'll have to think more about this one and get back to you.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

My favorite is caramel. I don't like fruit flavored candy very much and I really can't stand marshmellow.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I'm a craftoholic. I like to create my own jewelry, make cards, stamp, and scrapbook. I am still learning how to spin am so far am not very good at it. Someday I'd like to have a wheel but for now I use the one at my LYS when I am there.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I listen to everything except religious music. My listening style on my iPod upsets my husband because he can't understand how I can go from something soft to something techno. I just love the shuffle feature and refuse to put music into a bunch of categories.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

These days my favorites seem to be purple, teal, blue, green, pink and red. I've never met a color that I didn't like. (except maybe puke green or baby poo brown/green)

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I have 1 cat (Shelby), 1 small dog (Ellie), 1 giant dog (Aristotle) and 1 wonderful husband (Jason).

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Well I live in Phoenix so those things are unnecessary but I do have a small collection of scarves from when I first started knitting. And I do have plans to make a few hats...sun hats come in handy around here. I gave up ponchos a couple years ago.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

It seems I've always got a pair of socks going. And right now I'm signed up for more than one Shawl KAL. And I love to knit purses.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Currently on my needles are 2 pair of socks, 1 purse, 1 lace shawl, and 1 sweater that is hibernating because it is boring garter stitch.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Absolutely! What kind of crafty person doesn't?

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I don't have a preference really. I always use aluminum for my socks and I love addi turbos for lace. Other than that, I have dreams of having complete sets of KnitPicks Harmony interchangeables and Denise plastic interchangeables.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

I do have a yarn winder but do not have a swift.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Probably 6 months. I've had a Noro purse just waiting for handles and seaming since January I think.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas - I love to be spoiled and since I collect snowmen, it is the only time they are displayed.

19. Is there anything that you collect?

snowmen, Jim Shore Tinkerbell figurines, antique tea cups, Precious Moments (non-religious only)

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

Most books I'm hoping for are on my Amazon wishlist, I'd love get my hands on some Wollmeise and some Malabrigo sock yarn. I'm looking forward to increasing my collection of addi lace turbo needles, KnitPicks Harmony wood needles and Denise interchangeables.

I have subscriptions to Creative Knitting and Interweave Knits...but I'm a magazine collector so I buy several others at the bookstore whenever I can sneak them past my hubby.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I'd like to learn to do fair isle, intarsia and knit with beads.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

By now, you know I am. I wear a ladies size 6. Heel to toe measures: 8 inches. Circumference measures: 8.5 inches

23. When is your birthday?

April 26th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?

Ravelry ID is knitnthat

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Update: Picture post

I've been such a bad blogger and I haven't been posting many pictures. But I've finally got my camera and the cord so I can upload pictures. So....here is my picture post update on what's been going on around here in the last month or so.

The Scrapbook Retreat with MyMary:



That's MyMary!

And the Pomatomus Sock from hell:

The pattern is ok though I don't think I did it right, the yarn is horrid!

Mindless airplane knitting:



And then there's Sock Wars III:
My first weapons:

Unfortunately there are no pictures of my 2nd weapons, I forgot.
Third (and current) weapons:


Swap knitting:


Home Improvement:



Project Planning:


The teal is going to be the Gathered Pullover by Hana Jason.

And finally, meeting a new (soon to be) family member: