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Feb 4, 2009
Cut My Heart Out I'm struggling with how to begin this post. I don't want it to be the same thing as always, or boring. It should be snappy and attention getting because I know that this is the first thing you will read in your bloglines. This is how you will decide whether or not you will bother reading the whole post or if you'll just skim it for good pictures. Unfortunately my thoughts are unintelligible. They're simmering on the back burner as I'm writing this while watching Life. Instead I just thought I'd insert a gratuitous yarn photo, this is Kauni Effektgarn in colorway ET.
Valentine's Day is one of my least favorite holidays. It really doesn't mean  anything to me. Less now than ever. Things are strained between Mr. Shad and I at the moment, but I don't need a glittery card and a heart shaped box on some commercial holiday to define my love. Oh, and I DEFINITELY do not need a piece of jewelry that I'm not gonna wear. Love is constant, which means that February 14th is just another day. However, making V-Day cards when I was little was one of my favorite things. Because I've always loved crafts, and well...I do like glitter. And chocolate, but that's beside the point. After seeing this post, I was inspired and reinvested a small glimmer of glee in the crafting that this holiday calls for.
Crafting something by hand is the best way to show you care, if you want my opinion. To show some of my coworkers how much I appreciate them, I decided to craft them a little something. That's right, MCCS Corporate Zombies! Arghhhh Brainssss! First up is one for my favorite male cashier! He also happens to be the only male cashier we have, he's got great work ethic and seems kinda down sometimes that he works so hard and everyone else slacks off. Right now, he has no hair because I just couldn't figure out how to make it look right. Guess I'll needle felt him some hair. Actually, I like most of the people I'm working with right now. You'll be able to tell who I like when you see all of the zombies. Because, let's face it, I'm not going to waste time on anyone I don't like.
Somehow, I'm trying to roll into this next paragraph/project. I wanted it to be smooth, but it just isn't coming. Even though it really should have been easy, what with all of this talk about caring, crafting and zombies. Oh well. Just recently I ordered the BSJ pattern from Schoolhouse Press for $3! Come on, you all know how expensive The Opinionated Knitter is, when I found out they were selling this  pattern by itself for three dollars, I had to get it. Which meant, I had to cast on! So far it's been pretty easy knitting. We'll see how it goes, I've read through the pattern a couple of times and still feel confused. Then again, that's happened before, sometimes the pattern doesn't make sense until you're knitting it. Then you have that big "OH!" moment. My tattoo artist and his girlfriend just recently had twins, so I figured that would be a perfect opportunity to try out this time tested favorite. But...what about the buttons? I'd have to find something really cute. Or maybe...maybe I could make something really cute! Since I bought a bunch of polymer clay to make eyes and embellishments for all of the Creepy, Cute Crochet critters I could make buttons. Here is the first batch, what do you guys think?Labels: bsj, buttons, knitting, pretty, sewing, working, yarn 21:31 | | 
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Mar 11, 2008
The RoutineSorry guys, didn't mean to disappear...again. I got sick. Really sick. An upper respiratory infection. Luckily, my mom was already here for a visit. She helped me out BIG with my kids.
 Sometimes, I write these posts up in my head beforehand. I know exactly what I want to type. The words just flow, and the post is good. Lately things have been crazy, and so have the posts. I can't channel my inner writer, she's on vacation or something. Maybe she had to quit to make room for all of the new things I have to remember. Where did I put that stack of bills? Is it trash day? What time does the gym open? WHEN IS MY HUSBAND COMING HOME?! UGH! I know you are all tired of hearing how much I miss him, I'm tired of saying it. We still have five weeks (give or take, there is no set date yet), and I am so over this whole thing. I hate playing single mom. Having my mother here to help me out was wonderful, and it made me realize just how much I actually do. How often I am just going and going. Even blogging has begun to become just part of "the routine". I like routine, I'm a very habitual person. However, we all need a break from our routines, actually, that is part of the reason I married Mr. Shad. He's spontaneous, and fun. Folks, I am not a lot of fun. It seems like it, but I would probably not go out and do most of those things if I didn't have friends who invited me out. I would (and do) sit on my couch and knit. Mr. Shad has brought me out of myself over the past few years (as have you all). Not having him around is like putting your shoe on the wrong foot, it feels awkward and you know it's just not right. You take all of the little things of relationships/marriages for granted when it's in constant supply. Things like, you cook, he does dishes, having someone to snore sleep next to in bed, not driving everywhere yourself, having someone to talk to when you wander around a store, showing your knitting accomplishments to him. Even if he doesn't care, he pretends to. Ladies (and gentlemen), do you fully understand what that means? It means that, while he's not interested in the least that your gussets don't have huge gaping holes, he loves you  enough to look at it. He will listen to you babble and he will smile in all of the appropriate places. When you're done he'll give you a hug or pat on the back...and congratulate you. Which is all you really wanted, you know it. Oh, we do not give them credit where it is due most days. Most of us have men who bravely sit and listen while we complain about how our gauge is off, who have secretly been storing tidbits of information so that they can try to understand and actually participate from time to time. They do it because they love us. That's all. And I really would just like to go back to having mine play video games on the couch while I knit. I have a whole other speech about how wonderful mothers are too. But I think that will wait for  another time now. Lately I've been sewing more than knitting, though the body and one sleeve of Somewhat Cowl are finished. No pictures of that, how awkward looking would that be? Anyways, awhile back I bought a vintage pattern, I mean, a real vintage pattern. Not a reproduction. You know me though, I can't just follow the pattern. Gotta make little adjustments, tweak it here and there. So far, I have decided that the dress should be a halter top (it's the red one on the right), then I realized I'd need bust darts to make up for the fact that mine is well, smallish and there was lots of extra fabric, THEN the back needed to be taken in. My latest idea is that the fabric I'm using is too thin, it really should be lined. lol Now I need to plan modifications which will allow me to create a lined bodice the way I'd like. Some day, I might just follow a pattern exactly as it was written.... Oh yeah, the above picture is my fabric, I didn't really know where to put it. It's purple and brown. Admittedly, I should have chosen a lighter shade of brown, maybe a fawn, but I like chocolate brown. Labels: complaining, rambling, sewing 16:12 | |
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Oct 29, 2007
Anybody Still Out There? Sorry about basically disappearing for the last week. Or so. I am totally spacing right now. My brain isn't working to full capacity. So this will be another picture-full post with few words.
Lately, I haven't been reading many blogs. Sorry about that folks! I'll be more energetic soon, I think. Anyways, I intend to join a gym soon, that should give me a bit more energy.
Ravelry has become a HUGE part of my life. I'm on it almost all of the time. My friends Kyle and Emily finally got back into town. Remind me to get pics with them soon. Made Nolan's Halloween costume this weekend, it's kinda weak and homemade looking. Still, he's cute, so it works. My parents came over, and my dad made chili!! It's one of my favorite dishes. Started (and am almost finished with) Pedicure Socks for my BFF, as a belated Birthday present. Crocheted a bookmark for a Read-Along I started on Ravelry, separated the sleeves for Tree Jacket, and started a hat out of the yarn I frogged. You know, the Mad Color Weave sock?
    Yay pictures. I'm tired now. Labels: blah, costume, crochet, family, Halloween, hat, knitting, sewing, socks, Tree Jacket 19:09 | |
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Jun 24, 2007
'Fess UpOkay, so...I have not been knitting. At all. My webcam is working now. But there is nothing to photograph. Well, my skirt. Anyways, things are nuts here. Sorry to everyone for my absence. If I have been talking to you, you probably understand. Everything is crazy, I'm crazy, and I have NO freaking idea how I will do this for six to nine months. None. *deep breaths* Blog posts will be better soon, I promise. Believe it or not, I am not depressed right now. Just stressed beyond all reason. So more skirt pictures for now. There is also the one I made Heather from leftovers. Except I gave it a scrunch so it'd be ren-wear. :D
    Oh, did I mention that the whole reason for making the skirt is that my buddy Joel is gonna take me out swing dancing when I go to MD?! For real, I am SO excited. It should be fun. And I just realized that this is the first Project Spectrum thing I have done in awhile. Labels: project spectrum, sewing, skirt 18:07 | |
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Jun 22, 2007
Still hereSort of. I can't upload photos, so I took this one with my camera, mailed it to a friend, and he sent it to me. I made a skirt! Woohoo!
 Gotta rip the waistband out, it's too small to go over my hips! It still needs to be hemmed too, but everything I read says I need to let the bias hang out for a week? Never heard that before. Anyone know about that? Labels: sewing, skirt 14:23 | |
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