I take forever...

to update. I got the cutest package from my PRGE partner.


Lovely alpaca yarn, some cuter than crap cards and an issue of Interweave Knits, the fall one. So great, Thanks!

I also finished a hat in like 2 days, but I love it. It's from Zona's pattern, I don't know where her blog is, can't find it, I'll post it later but here's the pic.



Ok and today I was way bored so I did this:



As for knitting, I just finished part of M's Christmas Gift, can't post that though and I'm about 3 inches into the sweater for my Dad, he better wear this sucker. Also we made 8 million cookies on Saturday, but JoQueta (my cousin) told me she'd love me to knit her something. YAY she's tiny! Size XS so many cute things I could knit for her! That's it for now I think.

Not much time for knitting...

So I haven't gotten to knit at all in the last week or so and it makes me sad. But I got hired by Dan Trevino at Uni High to do the costumes for the fall play, so I've been sewing my butt off. But all in all it should be awesome! I'll post pics when everything is done. But I think I'm going through knitting withdrawls.

I had an amazing weekend though, sewing and all. I sewed all day Saturday then J came and picked me up and we went and got Mexican food and watched horror movies. Then Sunday I again, sewed all day and then went up to J's and we went to Acre's of Books in Long Beach. I have to say I'm in love, that book store is freaking amazing. It's huge and full of used books. I got a first edition Robert Parker hardcover from 1955 for $2. Their knitting selection? Not so great. But they have a whole room dedicated to music. I plan to go back when I have a lot more time.

I had a voice lesson yesterday with Jane Judge, she's just awesome. I've found myself a new teacher, and she does recitals twice a year, so that's exciting too!

That's it for an update for now, more later.

One More Thing

I'm also working on a butt load of costumes, and by working on of course I mean not doing any actual work, mainly just researching. But I have a set of wizarding robes, a 1920's dress and a pirate costume to get done. All for Halloween you ask? Amazingly no. The wizarding robes are for the Harry Potter party I'm going to on the 5th. The 20's stuff is for a murder mystery I'm hosting, and the pirate costume? Why Pirate Thanksgiving of course! Pictures as I get stuff done.

Punk Brings Pain

So I went to the Flogging Molly show like 3ish weeks ago and here is my souvinear:





Gotta love mosh pits. I was pretty proud to be a woman that night though, I mean there were some hardcore chicks in the pit! It was awesome, until the last song when I rolled my ankle. As the medic took off my shoe and sock to wrap my ankle, all I could think of was how happy I was that I had painted my toe nails 2 nights before. Sometimes we come up with stupid things to think. The only thing that bugged me about this show was that there was no booze, WTF!?!?!? It's an Irish band, we like to drink! Well here's the stage, not that you can see anything really, but I felt I needed to include it:



So as for knitting, I had to re-knit the left front of my central park hoodie because this little darling pulled it out:



But really she's the love of my life, how could you not love her. She's so cute. But seriously, who needs kids when you have a cat? Holy crap she's crazy.

Works been crazy and I haven't been getting nearly enough time to knit lately, makes me sad, but I'm working on some felted pumpkins from knitty, so those should be awesome. I'm thinking I'm going to start taking voice lessons again and go back to school for music ed, I mean I'm so happy when I'm working with my crazies at Uni High. I love those kids, but they're a little odd. I think that's it for now, more updateage later.

I cut off my head...

And I love it! So I went in and got a hair cut today, I took some before and after pics, so here they are.

Before:







And the awesome after:







Ok so what do ya think?

And for some knitting news, here is a pic of the clapotis I did for my Aunt Marti and took to her in Austria this summer. I did it out of Sari Silk yarn and it was awesome, I loved it, but I gave it away!




Ok and then here's the Central Park Hoodie that I've been working on, I have the back and the left side done, and also the ribbing of the right side, I'm hoping to have it done this weekend, I'll post more pics of when it's done.

Back:


Left Side:

Punk Rock Gift Exchange Questionaire

1) How long have you been spinning/Knitting/Crocheting? Spinning - like 2 weeks, crocheting - 3ish years, knitting - 8 years
2) Do you consider yourself a beginner, novice, or experienced Yarn Artist? I'd say novice/obsessed, I want to start designing someday
3) What type of fibers have you worked with? wool, alpaca, acrylic, cotton, silk, mohair
4) What types are you dying to try? cat/dog hair!, a better cotton blend that doesn't shed all over me, or linnen, and wool is always awesome
5) Are you allergic to anything, (Fibers, Food, Smells that make you want to puke, etc.)? nope, nothin!
6) Do you have any Disorders, ex: Diabetes? nope, except ADD, but the knitting helps with that
7) What is your Favorite Time/Style period, ex: Romatic, Grecian,Metal, Goth,etc? Goth/rockabilly style, time period 1920's-1960's
8) What fibers do you dislike? haven't found anything yet
9) Name some of your favorite Artist, Movie wise, Television if you watch it? I love Roman Dirge, Voltaire (the writer and the musical/visual artist), Movies - I love horror and cheesy horror, I love Bruce Campbell
10) Whos your favorite Character? Ash (Bruce Campbell) in the Evil Dead Trilogy or Jack Skellington/Sally Stitches
11) Do you prefer natural colored fibers, or handpainted/dyed fiber? Definately dyed/handpainted
12) What are you favorite colors? black, green, purple, orange, and dark red (I like dark)
13) What colors do you dislike? Neon crap, metallics, I'm not a shiny kind of person
14) What projects are you currently working on? A baby blanket and the central park hoodie from the fall knitscene
15) Do you have a wishlist? yep, but I'll have to find it
16) Do you have any other favorite hobbies? sewing, singing, and cooking
17) Whens your birthday? 12/15
18) What is your favorite food, candy, scents that you love!! Etc.? I love deep/spicy scents like cinnamon, sage, Amor Amor by Cacherel (I can't spell that crap), I love cookies, and for candy I really like Milka bars with Marzipan or snickers popables
19) Are you pierced at all? Any tattoos? Can you/would you wear jewelery that isn't real? 7 peircings, 2 tattoos, and I love jewelery, real or otherwise
20) What do you like Culturally, ex: Celtic, African, Devil Worshiping, Kidding!? Celtic/Pagan/Wiccan
21) What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? A glass vase, a new thing would be awesome though
22) What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? yep, that's what I like!
23) What's your favorite season and why? Fall and Winter, I like the cold and I like when it gets dark early, stupid sunlight and being Irish
24) What season do you abhor? Summer, too damn hot!
25) How about Sports, any that you just cant get enough of or do they make you throw up in your mouth just a little? I love Hockey! Go Avalanche!
26) What is your family situation Do you live alone? I live with my parents and work with them, it's cool, but a little much sometimes.
27) Do you have any pets? 2 dogs and a cat (she's my favorite)
28) Do you like handmade gifts? Love them and make them, stupid store bought crap!
29) What's your favorite thing to make, knit/crochet or other craft wise? bags, and I'm having a new obsession with sweaters, wearable or otherwise, but I love dolls too (especially ones missing body parts like heads)
30) Do you prefer straight or circular needles? circular
31) Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? yarn winder, no swift, I need to make one
32) Tell us how you learned to knit/crochet? My Dad taught me to knit for a play I was in, he learned in college, that's why I love him, he's weird, as for crochet, I learned when I was little then my old roomie Candice helped me get into patterns.
33) Do you enjoy getting helpful hints from others or does it just piss you off? I love it, unless I'm in a pissy mood, then watch out
34) How old is your oldest UFO? 15 years it's a UFO I inherited from my Mom, she was making it for her Dad, never finished it and then he died, so I'm gonna finish it for my Dad, someday, or maybe it'll pass on to my kids
35) Is there anything that you collect? gnomes, Nightmare Before Christmas stuff, rubber duckies, Haunted Mansion stuff, Halloween stuff, but mainly gnomes
36) Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? I really want the inspired cables book, and I'd love some needles with fimo tops of something cool!
37) What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have if any? None, I'm still lame and buy them at the store
38) Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Double Knitting
39) Do you enjoy knitting socks? How big are yer boats (feet)? I love making socks, my feets are size 8.5, I could measure them later

Knitting Cruise, and other things too

So I crocheted a camaflouge beanie and wrist warmers and eye patch for Jimmy on the way home from Laughlin, I'll have to get some pics from him later. But the big news of this post is the knitting cruise that Amanda just told me about! http://www.mycruiseplanner.net/?page=fp&id=11028 so awesome, I need to go to Canada, and I need to knit and be on a boat, see how well this works! I think I may have to go on this, maybe get Sarah to go too!

Also I'm gonna host a 1920's murder mystery, gonna be so fun!

I just re-started the central park hoodie from the Fall knitscene, it's so cute, I ripped out Mariah to knit it, she just fit weird, must be the boobage. Also thinking of doing a bunch of stuff from Big Girl Knits, it's my new favorite book. K that's it for now, I'll get you some pics later.

Sock War

This sounds awesome, and works well with my new sock obsession! It's a sock war, in which you kill people by knitting socks for them!

http://yarn-monkey.blogspot.com/ <--------- go there for more info.

Aside from that, I'm working on the Central Park Hoodie from the new KnitScene, I just had to rip out a grip of the back though because I realized I can't count so now I'm counting rows. Aside from that I totally need to get going on this baby blanket, but I get paid tomorrow, I can go buy some more yarn, I think I found a great girly pattern, it's called snow princess! I'm all over it!

Dressing

So being in Austria is wonderful for self reflection. I mean people are so ok with their bodies here. I wish that the states could be more this way. (Yes I realize that I'm starting to use wierd German-American grammer.) I just wonder why we, as Americans feel the need to cover everything up. Got a big butt? Cover it with a skirt or slimming pants. Big breasts? Cover those with a high cut neck line. But why should we? We were made the way we were for a reason! I mean really I love the fact that I'm a curvy and I have big tits, that's right tits. I wish we could stop being such prudes. Look out when I get back from EU, I mean I have my style, so what if it flaunts what I've got. I love my jeans, I love my reconstructed t-shirts, I love the look of dresses over jeans. I also love being passionatly dressed up. Why is it that we are supposed to have one style? Why do we have to keep within the confines of what people think is ok, or what people want us to do? I say keep away from the confines of our restrictive culture. Up next in my sweater knitting, something incredibly sexy and low cut that makes me feel beautiful and set apart!

Too Long...

Between posts. So I seriously shouldn't be allowed to blog, I take too long to update, I've finished like 830 projects since my last post, ok not really, but I have pics of the blanket I did for my cousin Melissa, pics from the wedding, and pics from San Antonio. I also need to update you on everything I'm knitting and that I've finished, though I don't have pictures of most of it yet.

Ok, here's the pics of the blanket, I loved it, didn't want to give it away. But I'm hoping they love it too.




There's a close up of one of the pineapples, it turned out wonderfully, YAY!

Ok pics from the wedding.


That's my lovely family sitting at our table.


There's my Mom, her sister and my Grandma! They are so cute, and all look alike, don't you think?


Zoie, Me, and my cousin Patrick. I have to say Pat is one of my favorite people, he freaking cracks me up.


They made Pat and I dance together, there weren't very many single people at the wedding, and there's a poing at which it just looks wierd if you're dancing with you Dad at 22 years of age.

Then the next day we went to the river walk and took a water taxi and both Zoie and Zach fell asleep on me:



I love those kids, they are so adorible.

Here's Zoie eating a huge beef rib, that kid cracks me up, this is what happens when you only eat healthy food your whole life:




Ok so onto knitting, I finished the Mariah, but I have yet to put the zipper in, I need to find a 22" seperating zipper, I will soon enough. It looks great and I'm in love with it, though it's a little too big, but I'm sure it'll work out just fine.
Right now I'm working on the Ubernatural by Stephanie Japel, but I'm knitting it in Bright and Lofty by Red Heart in the color Ocean, I only have one sleeve left, so it should be done this afternoon, which is good because I really want to wear it to Disneyland tomorrow.
I'm working on a super secret project for Kyle right now for his birthday, but I can't say what it is, just in case he reads this.

I also knit my first felted item, I did the Flowers on a Grave hat from theanticraft.com, it turned out so great! I love it so much, I wear it all the time now.

And I finished the skull illusion gloves from Ysolda.me.uk, and I made a pair of matching fingerless gloves. I've been on a role lately. I really need to take some pics, I'll see what I can do this weekend.

Semi-update

Ok, so seriously I'm ready to be done with this freaking Mariah Sweater, but it should be done tonight. Well at least the knitting part. I finished the blanket in time for the wedding and there really are pictures, but I'm waiting for my Dad to upload them to the home comp, I should be able to post them tomorrow. But in the mean time I thought I'd post some pics from my last trip to Disneyland with my favorite people, Lawrence, Joe and Sarah. This was the trip where we decided that we all need to get the dark mark tattoo on us somewhere. I still haven't decided where to get it. BTW that is Sarah's scarf, she let me borrow it because I was colder than crap, it was raining.




How adorable are we? It was so much fun, we got to see our favorite gal in the Hereldry shop and I bought my Mom and Dad their family crests, I'll scan those in soon.

That's it, I'm going to dinner with Nikki tonight, so we'll see how that goes. It would be awesome to have her back in my life, she was a great friend.

Not Really About Knitting

I don't get why it's considered such a wrong thing to tell someone you really don't have time to listen to their ramblings about their new haircut or whatever. Dude, if I don't have time to talk to you it's not a personal thing (well not entirely) I just don't have time, get over it.
I also don't get why shoes are required everywhere, if it weren't for this whole having to wear shoes in stores and at work and such, I never would. I love being bare foot, the feel of everything under toe (literally). I dunno, I might just be wierd, or maybe it's that I love to be outside, who knows.
I dunno, I'm sort of feeling a lull in my creativity. I think I just need something to majorly jumpstart me. When I'm not feeling creative I tend to feel more irritable, must be something to do with inability to express myself. I also really really want to move right now. I'm thinking I should be able to get everything together by January, if not by then, then I'll wait until a little later, like marchish. I dunno, I hope to be out of cali this time next year, but we'll have to see.
That's it for now I guess, I feel the need to knit something really punk rock, which means I think I'm going to work on that bag of mine. God I hate working on only one project. I should finish Melissa's blanket tomorrow night, then I'll start on the bag again on the plane. That's it for now.

Gryffindor!

So I didn't get gold in the knitting olympics, but I made a valient effort and intend to finish this week or next. I'm trying to finish this stupid blanket for Melissa's wedding this weekend, should be done by thursday night, if not, it's going on the plane with me.

I took a Harry Potter Sorting Hat test, and I got Gryffindor! Who knew? THat's it for now.

GRYFFINDOR! You scored 20% Slytherin, 40% Ravenclaw, 56% Gryffindor, and 16% Hufflepuff!

You might belong in Gryffindor, Where dwell the brave at heart, Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart. Gryffindors are known for their courage, audacity, and devotion to what is good and honest.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 41% on Slytherin You scored higher than 75% on Ravenclaw You scored higher than 60% on Gryffindor You scored higher than 2% on Hufflepuff

Link: The Sorting Hat Test written by leeannslytherin on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Knitting Olympics Update the Second

So I went to stitch n bitch last night, got there a little early, so I finished up the 19.5" of the first sleeve of my Mariah, which is now on holders and I'm like 5" into the second sleeve. If I can keep going at this pace, I should be able to actually finish the sweater in time, which would be awesome! I don't have any pictures, mainly because the camera is in my Mom's car which my Dad is driving today so we (he and I) can go and pick up my aunt from LAX. I totally can't wait to see her, this is my favorite aunt from Austria, who I'm also visiting this summer. Any way back to SnB last night, there were only 3 of us there, Amanda, and Diane, I think it was, but still lots of fun! As I started on my second sleeve, both of them commented on how fast I knit, which is an awesome compliment, than you girls! I never really thought I did, but guess so. Diane had this huge pound of Lion Brand, I think it was wool ease, that she was making a 2x2 rib scarf, but I guess that pound has some milage, she's gotten a baby kimono and a hat out of it already. Amanda was working on this baby blanket I'd seen her working on before. It's done in Lorna Laces bulky, that stuff is awesome, she also showed me her "my so called scarf" that she's working on, that's a way cool pattern, I may have to make one myself.

Last night, as my new bedtime project (is there such a thing as a bedtime project? I guess so since I have one) I finally started the wedding afghan for my cousin Melissa's wedding. When is this wedding you ask? March 3rd. Before you freak out and tell me I'm crazy for trying to get an afghan done by then, keep in mind I'm crocheting this, not knitting, and it's done with doubled yarn and a size p hook, and almost all double crocheted, I'm about a ninth of the way done right now. I am doing the "Lacy Pinapple Throw" from Blankets on the Double, at least that's what I think it's called. I'm using Red Heart Super Saver Yarn (I know but hey, I'm poor) doubled in this cool sort of tweedy kahki color.

And I only have to work 2 and a half hours today, how did I swing that? Well the wonders of working for your Mom, sometimes it's great. I am taking her hair appointment at noon because one of her best friends, Tina Romeo, is in town and they are going to lunch, then it's up to LA to pick up my Aunt Marti. Plus I came in late because I had to go pick up a key from our handyman, Pete, for a move in we have today, so yeah 2 and a half hours. So yeah, today is full of fun things, I get to leave work early, cut my hair off, and pick up my Aunt! And tomorrow I go to Disneyland for a bit, woohoo! Ok I guess I should attempt to actually work since I've only got 2 hours left now.

Knitting Olympics Update the First

Ok so with my parents gone all weekend, I have gotten about 13 inches into the 1st sleeve of my Mariah sweater for the Knitting Olympics. Here it is in all it's glory, note the awesome "oriental rug" from target!



That's it in it's entirety.



And there's a close up of the cables, so keep in mind that this is my first cabled project. The color in the first one is WAY more acurate. I cast on friday at 2, like I was supposed to, though I was tempted to cheat. and then I realized I had screwed up the cables in the ribbing on Saturday night, so I had to frog the entire thing! But I figure this is off to a pretty darn good start, especially for not working on it at all on Monday night. Why didn't I work on it Monday night? Well because my parents got home from Kenya. I got some awesome gifts that I totally forgot to photograph before this blog, but I'll post them later. But my Mom brought back Kyle a "beating stick" (ok I don't think that's the real name, but that's what I call it.) It's freaking awesome!



The beating stick in all it's beatingy goodness.



Kyle wielding (who knew Kyle could wield?) the beating stick in his office.

Ok so I also talked about (I think, I'm too lazy to check) the cigar gloves I knitted for Tyler for his Trip to New York, well I finally have a pic uploaded that I took of me wearing them, although they are WAY too big for my little hands. He promised me pics of him wearing them, so we'll see when I get those, probibly next time we hang out, who know's when that's gonna be?



So I'm hopinig to get major knitting done in class tonight, gotta love taking classes like History of Rock, lots of knitting time. There is some lady in that class who's doing some needlepoint stuff on a HUGE framed thing during the class, so my knitting isn't hardly as distracting as that. So we'll see if I can make my goal of finishing my 1st sleeve by friday night. My Aunt comes into town then, and I figure that give me lots of time to knit and talk to her.

Ok also, went to lunch at California Pizza Kitchen today with my Dad, and I saw this lady wearing the coolest sweater, it was a green stockingette 3/4 sleeve sweater with a dark grey fold over neck line, totally want to make one like that! But for my last tid bit here, I leave this comic for you all, cracked me up when I read it:

Short

Ok so this is a short one, no pics nothing like that, though I should have some up tomorrow of the cigar gloves I made for Tyler, and the mini sweater for the Jane Austin Swap. All I want to say here is, go to this website and educate yourselves on the whole stupid law suit Sew Fast Sew Easy is bringing against Debbie Stoller and the Stitch n Bitch groups.

http://www.freetostitchfreetobitch.org/

Tattoos are fun

So Friday night I spent at Sid's Tattoo Parlor in Santa Ana, and I spent the majority of my time there knitting or watching Angelina. What was I knitting you ask? Well I was knitting this awesome bag I've decided I need, it's going to have a picture of Frankenstein on one side and the Bride of Frankenstein on the other. Here's my progress so far:


I think I'm going to make it into an over the shoulder bag, like messenger style. I need a good knit bag like that, and I'm totally going to line it with some awesome halloween fabric!

So why on earth would I spend the entire night in a tattoo parlor knitting and watching a 3 year old? Well for a new tattoo of course! And can I just say that I love it!
How could you not love that? I sure do, so freaking cute, and now I am officially one of the freaky people with tattoos on their necks. We should start a club or something.

So this morning I got up and went and worked out, which was really good, I'm all hyped now, though I'm sure I'll be dead by the time I get home from class tonight. But when I got home from the gym after my shower and such, I was really bored and decided that my bangs were too long, so I cut them, and let me tell you, I love them this length.



And my cute pose:


Ok that's it for today I'm thinking though I may have more to post later tonight, but I'll most likely wait until the morning.

Christmas

Yeah ok, so I know it's a little wierd to have a post titled Christmas in the middle of January, but, well, you know, I take forever to post anything! Ok so here is my Christmas. So pretty much everyone got hats. So I was a crazy knitting psycho for like the month before Christmas. So the week before Christmas my Grandma came in for her Birthday, my Birthday, my Mom's Birthday, and Christmas. (Yeah apparently my family likes to get busy in March.) So we had some fun, hanging out and what not. My family all thinks I'm crazy for the amount of knitting and such I do. So for my Birthday I got a yarn winder, which is now my favorite thing ever! So I was winding a crapload of yarn all week, but I got it all wound and now it's way easier to deal with. So then Saturday Morning, my Aunt Kelly, Uncle Bubba, and my cousins Kim, Garett, and John come in. This is how they meet them:



So then Saturdaynight we go to church and then the traditional Chinese dinner for "Fa ra ra ra ra" as my family calls it. So that was all fun times, then we go back home and open our Christmas eve PJ's:


Yeah that's John, he's way freaking cute, got to love Disney for cute PJs.


How cute are Kmin and I? I know you can't tell but our slippers and the pockets of our PJ's have Kermit the frog on them.

So the next morning we wake up and I get the most freaking awesome wire dress form ever! from Ballard design. I also got some really awesome gift certificates for yarn stores, I am so excited, still haven't spent them, I'm waiting until there is something I really want. Gave my Dad, Uncle Bubba and the boys their hats (though I don't have a picture with the boys with their hats on.)





I also crochetd my Gran a 1940's style Cloche with a flower that matches the lapghan I crocheted her last year.



So with that over, we all piled into the 15 passenger van and drove up to Shadow Hills to spend the day with my cousins JoQueta (yep she's white), Chandler, Zoie, Zach, and Zane, and my Great-Uncle Jody. We get up there and hang out a little, play some DDR during which Zach tried to convince me that punk had just been created in the last 5 years. So that was fun hanging out with Kim, Zoie and Zach, while the little boys played together, raising hell no doubt. So then we had this huge freaking lunch, I don't even know all the food we had, but it was awesome. The highlight though, was definitely when JoQueta decided to light the candles with the crenme brulee torch. I will never again wonder why they are always in some sort of trouble or another. So then we went swimming, that's right, Christmas day and we go swimming.


We had so much fun though. The guys kept doing cannon balls and stuff like that, and the kids loved it. As always, toward the end, Zane became my little love bug and wouldn'tleave my side, there is a reason why I love kids when they're only 4 or 5. I think that swimming was great because we fully tired out all of the kids (and adults) so they were calmer the rest of the day.

So after swimming we opened presents, or as Zach put it we "FINALLLLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY" opened presents. Zane loved his PJs and the snake I made him, and Zach loved the hat, and I still have to send Zoie the purse, I'm finally done with it.




Zach didn't take that hat off all night, and Zane walked around with that snake the whole time we were there. My parents, of course were in rare form all night, if you ever wonder wehere I get it from, just look to them. And yes, my Mom's shirt does say, "Put on your big girl panties and deal with it."



Now you cansee why the two of them are married.

DOh, did I mention that my cousins actually got a pony for Christmas? (Ok so it's really a horse and they can't ride it because it has a gimp leg or something, but they'll be able to ride it eventually.) This is also the only picture of Zoie I could find.


As for what I am knitting currently, I am working on a clapotis from knitty.com for my Mom and getting ready to start a circular shrug with my green cascade 220 for me I think. That's it right now.