What's so civil about war anyway?

Sorry, been busy lately. Nope, I didn't fall off the face of the Earth, but I did get killed. And so, without further ado, my obit:



Stashmonkey, 29. Brookline, MA. Stashmonkey was found murdered in a local Starbucks after an evening spent with Stariel (pictured above with sock gun in hand) and friends. She is survived by one sock and the beginning of its mate. At this point, both socks have been completed and are on their way to meeting their feet in Chicago. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to your local yarn store.



Stashmonkey will be buried in her new, rather comfy, socks of doom.





Previous Title: Nirvana, "Come As You Are"

I swear that I don't have a gun

None needed for this war. However, the arsenal is ready and waiting:



Countdown: Two days.

Needles? Check.
Yarn? Check.
The famous "Stashmonkey Half-Swatch?" Check.

Locked and loaded, awaiting pattern.

Are you ready to rumble?



Previous Title: The Beatles, "Drive My Car"

Yes I'm gonna be a star

Check out these buttons!



And of course, the sweater they are attached to. Oh my! It's an FO!



Specs:
Pattern: Cabled Coat with Hood from Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, with many modifications
Needles: US 5 circulars
Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly, 4 skeins
Pattern Notes: It felt like I kind of ripped the pattern apart and put it back together, but really it's not that much different from the original. I chose a much different yarn, mostly because it was so much cheaper this way (the whole thing, buttons included, cost around $20). As an added bonus, I was able to follow the pattern for size 3-6 months and end up with a sweater that's more of a 6-12 month size (probably 9-12 to be more exact). I also shortened the whole thing by about 4 inches in length. I really like the original version, but I just can't see a baby hanging out in this really long coat of a sweater. So, even more than the original, I love my version. If you want to make one and you need more specifics about what I changed, leave me a comment and I'm happy to help you out.



Previous title: Tabitha's Secret, "Dear Joan"

I've wanted more from this than anything I've ever known

Boys may not suck completely, but I'm getting so tired of the whole scene. The Boy called on Saturday, still clueless about when the game was by the way, and we went out Sunday night.

I don't know.

I should like him. He's all of the things I said I wanted: smart, sarcastic and witty, kind, cute but not so cute he knows it, a little chivalrous but not to the point that it's annoying, easy to relate to, . . . but something's just not right these days. Maybe I'm losing interest since it takes so long between dates for us to find a time when we can get together. I can't figure out why I'm not more excited about the whole situation, but it's just not working for me right now. I'll keep trying and he certainly gets a few more chances, but at this point I'm not swooning or jumping up and down ecstatically when he calls. I really wanted this one to last a little longer, for it to be right (at least for a while), but I don't think it's going to.

Thanks for all the kind words and support with my issues last week, by the way.

In other news, here's a wedding picture. No, it's not the happy couple. I don't have a great one of the two of them together, actually. Instead, here's my brother and I dancing together:





Previous Title: Ani DiFranco, "Untouchable Face"

Who am I, that I should be vying for your touch?

Boys suck.

Don't you think that if you're into someone, you let them know? I'm not saying shouting out how you feel for all the world to hear, and I'm not even saying love because I'm far from there still, but you show them by being interested, by making plans, by remembering the little things that are going on in that person's life?

I'm trying not to be pissed. It's probably just a silly mistake that will blow over by the weekend, but I can't hold back either. The Boy and I made plans to go to a baseball game Saturday night. The first conversation (about two weeks ago) regarding said game went a little like this:

Boy: I haven't been to Fenway in a long time.

Me: Oh! I have tickets for two weekends from now. We should go!

Boy: Sounds like fun. Let's go!

And then the last time we went out, about one week ago, we had this conversation:

Me: So, are we still on for that game next weekend? It's next Saturday night, the ninth, and it's a night game. I think it starts around 7. (Knowing he can get flaky and not wanting to get ditched.)

Boy: Yeah, of course. Didn't we already decide we were going to go to that?

Me: OK, just checking.

And then last night on the phone there was this conversation:

Boy: So how was your weekend?

Me: Great. My brother's wedding went really well (wondering if he remembered that's where I was).

Boy: Glad to hear that. (Discusses other details about wedding with me.) I talked to my brother yesterday and he's decided to come visit for the weekend. I can't wait for him to come! He hasn't been to Boston in a really long time, like years.

Me: Oh. That sounds like fun.

Boy: Yeah, it should be a blast.

Me: I guess we're not going to the game then.

Boy: That was this coming weekend! Oh I feel so bad! I didn't even realize! Are you mad? Can you find someone else to go with you?

Me: (puzzling over what the right answer is) Well, I guess I have to.

And the conversation went on from there, with a noticable chill coming from my end. The thing is, this is not the first time he's been flaky like this, and we've only been on four (or five?) dates now. I'm just thinking, if you're into someone, would you really go forgetting that you had plans like that? I don't want to be the bitch, at least not just yet, but I am upset that it would just slip his mind like that when I've been thinking about it all week. So I tried to play nice and not be too upset on the phone, but now I can't deal. He knows I'm pissed and he feels badly, but come on. We're supposed to go out on Sunday night instead now. I think I'll just let him call and if he forgets or doesn't call for whatever reason, then it's time to move on. I'm done putting in the effort to make fun plans and then have him screw it up.

Maybe today's title should have been "Who are YOU, that I should be vying for your touch," but she didn't write the song that way. Also, while it feels good to say it that way, I'm not sure I'm quite feeling that confident yet.

Wedding pictures and details might be in the next post. I can't deal with looking at happy married couples just now.


Previous title: The Cure, "High"

Smitten as a cat, yeah as kitten as that

A great end to a great summer. I'm just saying is all . . .

Yesterday I had date #4 with The Boy. I know I haven't shared much about him, but I don't want to jinx anything and I don't want to get too excited about it yet, but things are going well. Plans are in the works for date #5. Yeah, and I'm pretty sure he likes me too, so that's a nice bonus. Yay me!

I also got my last package from my secret pal. I'm very excited about it, but this has been so much fun that it's sad for it to end. Elizabeth has been a great pal, and I love all the stuff she sent me. When things calm down a little around here again, she should watch the mail. I'm just saying is all. Yikes! Just realized I reused the box she sent the goodies in. Elizabeth, want to e-mail me your address? Pretty please? Thanks a bunch! Here's what I got from the best pal around:



Cute packaging, don't you think? And inside those packages:



A neat little blue glass doo-dad (well what would you call it?) with a sheep printed on it, some yummy Trekking yarn, some yummy Cascade Fixation for some fun ankle socks, point protecters in all different sizes for my needles (how did she know I needed these?), and of course some delicious treats! There was chocolate, Skittles, chocolate, maple sugar candies, and did I mention chocolate? Thanks Elizabeth! You're the best!

And that FO I promised you, here goes (sorry, not the best photo - an experiment with the self-timer):



You thought it was going to be something different, didn't you? An Eyelet Chemise or a Baby Hoodie? Nope, fooled you all - hah!

Specs:
Pattern: Shrug from Debbie Bliss Pure Silk, size 32-34
Needles: US 3 and US 6, both circulars
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Pure Silk, color #10
Pattern Notes: The pattern is very Debbie Bliss, meaning it's a puzzle. It was a fun challenge that I really enjoyed. There's something about the way she writes patterns that infuriates some people, but personally I love it. I'm not sure if it's the added excitement about interpretting what she has written or the fact that it makes me feel like I've really accomplished something when it's done, but I love her patterns all the same. One thing that really helped was putting a small sticky note on each of the stitch patterns. See, she gives these two different stitch pattern repeats and they have different numbers of rows. It's a little confusing, but with the sticky-note-system I was able to just move the sticky notes as I went along. There was just no way I would be able to keep track by using row counters since I'd have to remember which row counter went with which stitch pattern. Did that make any sense at all?

The only thing about this shrug is that apparently my gauge was really tight so it's a drop small. I'm hoping it will grow a little the more I wear it. On the plus side of that trauma, I managed to complete it using 5 skeins instead of 6. More yarn store credit! Am I good or what? Below you can see what was left over from 5 skeins. A close call there!



Well, this weekend is my brother's wedding, so I've got to go finish packing now. Details after it's all over.



Previous title: The Clash, "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

This indecision's bugging me

It has occurred to me that if I worked on one project at a time, things would get done a lot faster. However, in true stashmonkey fashion, I can't possibly make that kind of commitment. In my defense, I have limited it to two projects rather than the overwhelming list of 14 over there in the UFO list. Go ahead, count. You know you want to. Take your time, I'll wait . . .

So here are the two I've chosen to devote my time to this week. First, there's the Debbie Bliss Cabled Coat with Hood from the Baby Cashmerino book.



As you can see, this little number has gotten the majority of my attention these days. I've finished the back twice now. Yes, twice. Shut up. And both front pieces are done too. Maybe it'll just be a vest, then I can do some finishing and call it done. Not really, but the cables that were once intriguing are now more annoying than anything else. On the plus side, I should have lots of leftover yarn to return since I decided to chop a good four and a half inches off the length. You can see the original version here. Wicked cute, no? But the thing is, while that baby looks adorable, can you really see a kid in a cardigan that long? Me neither.

I've also realized I better get a move on on the IK Eyelet Chemise. Fall is coming fast and I'd like to actually be able to wear this baby. Also, I've got lots of leftovers on this one too and I can only make a return if it's before the end of the month. I think it's pretty safe to say that those two balls you see hanging out above the sweater are going back. In case you can't tell, that's one finished giant main piece (front and back knit together), one finished sleeve (all curled up on the left), and one just-started sleeve.



Next question: What should I get at the yarn store with all of my store credits? Apparently I've been smoking crack while deciding how much yarn to buy. I'll try to kick the habit before I go back.



Previous title: Pearl Jam, "Elderly Woman behind the Counter in a Small Town"

Hello! My god it's been so long, never dreamed you'd return

What a fun weekend! My college roommate Lisa was in town all weekend and we had a blast together!

She's one of those people that, even though I haven't talked to her in almost a year, we can pick up right where we left off. It's oddly comforting to know there are people in your life who, no matter what, will always understand you. Every so often I wonder if that's it and we've finally moved on and outgrown a friendship that, at times, seemed like it could outlast anything. And then I spend some time with her and I know again that the world will keep on turning and we really will be friends forever. Ok, too cheesy. I'll stop now.

We did many of the traditional Boston things, like walking Newbury Street and eating in the North End, not to mention Mike's Pastries - yum! So all in all, a good time was had. Because of this good time, I have no new knitting to show you. But I will soon. And maybe even something finished by the end of the week? Not so sure about that one. No promises, okay?



Previous Title: Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Aeroplane"

Music is my aeroplane

Clearly you've noticed by now that music is important to me. I don't play any instruments, and those who know me would run in fear if I threatened to sing. Yet somehow music has crept into my life anyway. I'm really a lyrics kind of person. Sure, there's the occassional instrumental song that'll do it for me (lately it's Medeski, Martin, and Wood's "End of the World Party" for those curious), but generally it's the lyrics that hit home. Thus, the titles on this blog. I spend a good portion of my day listening to music.

With this in mind, you can see why I was devastated today when this happened:



Here you can see my iPod. It is on and playing a song. What's wrong with this picture? Ah, yes, the screen is blank! Here's the deal: it plays music just fine, but the screen is consistently blank. So, basically I'm just guessing when I try to play what I want to listen to. It was kind of a fun challenge at first and maybe slightly interesting to try and figure out how to get to certain playlists or artists, but now it has definately lost the appeal.

I tried going to the Genius Bar at the Apple Store today, but it turns out those geniuses are in high demand! I have to log on to Apple's website at midnight tonight to make an appointment for tomorrow. Some geniuses! You'd think they could figure out that people prefer convenience to this weirdass system. In the meantime, I can't decide what I want the geniuses to tell me. If my iPod can be fixed for a reasonable price, obviously I'll do that and save some cash. However, if it can't, then it would be a great excuse to buy a new one . . .

Oh yeah. For those of you early birds who missed it, I added a few notes to the last post. Go see! Maybe I left one for you!



Previous Title: Jimi Hendrix, "Stone Free"

Tear me loose baby

"Stone free, do what [we] please!"

Check it out! I was working on my Debbie Bliss silk shrug, but I got to the point where I need to switch to smaller needles. Of course, the smaller needles were already occupied with the IK Eyelet Chemise. I put in some quality time on this baby and managed to get the main piece off the needles. Above are all that remains; well, except for the finished piece, which is below.



So, what would you do next? FInish off the eyelet chemise or the silk shrug (below)?



Faced with this dilemma and cursed with the inability to make a decision, I did what any good knitter would do. That's right, I cast on for something new.



At least it's a somewhat small project . It's a baby sweater for a little one who is due on October. I'll get back to the others soon, but for now I'm enjoying a much needed break from the girlie colors. While starting a new project is definately not going to help cut down my UFO list, I'm working out an incentive for myself. I have a new list on my sidebar (or will in a few minutes) of all of my works in progress. This way I can see everything I'm working on, and erase them as they get done. I think when the list gets down to just two or three, or maybe four, there should be some kind of prize. I haven't figured out yet what it will be, but if you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them.

Edited to add a few quick notes:
- Thanks Secret Pal for the postcard! I hope you enjoyed your vacation!
- Joanne - The baby sweater is the "Cabled Coat with Hood" from the Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino book. I'm making some modifications and I'm using Sirdar's Snuggly yarn, because it was less than half the price. I'm happy to give you more details if you want them.
- Colleen (my pal) got her KSKS kit and loved it, although it seems some Oompa Loompas snuck in and ate all of the candy. Heehee! Glad she enjoyed it!
- Andrea asked about the booga bag, so here are some quick details on both that one and the Cleo Clutch. For the booga bag I followed the pattern exactly and used Noro Kureyon in color 90. I think it took a little over two skeins. For the Cleo Clutch I used Lamb's Pride Worsted in Rust. Both were from the stash. See, I can do something right! Even if I don't seem to finish projects, at least I used up some stash yarn!



Previous title: Fall Out Boy, "Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year"

It's just a matter of time before we're all found out

Secret swaps are coming close to an end - isn't it exciting?

Today I finished off and packed up my knit sock kit for She Who Must Not Be Named (well, it is still a secret!). It's all packed up and ready to go out. Here's a sneak peak:



She's getting a booga bag as her "official" sock bag, but I also included the cleo clutch, because she likes to put her socks in whatever bigger bag she's carrying. I figured the clutch could easily slide inside of a bigger bag. I added a metal snap to the inside of the bag, but it's kind of hard to open and close. I'm thinking it'll loosen up as she uses it. There's some delicious candy; the Amelia Raitte sock patterns, and some homemade stitch markers. The stitch markers are in this cute little metal tin that I found at the Container Store. It's decorated on top with a picture that goes along with her blog, but I tried my best to make it blurry so she won't figure out that it's for her if she reads this. Hopefully, that'll all go ok.

I had so much fun wrapping everything up, but then I forgot to take a picture of the final product. Trust me, it was very cute.



Previous Title: Paul Simon, "Call Me Al"

Got a short little span of attention

For Shelby, because she asked for it, I present the gallery of unfinished objects.

In all fairness, I should warn you that it took quite some time to dig up these bad boys. I feel a little like those oddballs on "Clean Sweep" who can't seem to stop themselves from purchasing weird little knick-knacks until they finally find themselves exposed to the world by the wonder that is TLC. This is a little embarrassing, but here I go. Please be kind.

We begin innocently enough, with just a basic update on that Debbie Bliss Silk Shrug I am so fond of these days.



It's really coming along, don't you think?

Also residing in a place of honor (meaning it hasn't yet been relegated to the "drawer of doom"), is the IK Eyelet Chemise. I got pretty far before abandoning this baby for greener, or hot-pink-ier, pastures. I'll pick it up again someday. Promise.



Hiding in the Drawer of Doom, I discovered Mariah.



I have no excuses here. I think I just got tired of looking at this one. Every so often I think about picking it up again, but I just can't bring myself to. Especially not when there are brightly colored fun yarns that are so much nicer and softer than Paton's Classic Wool.

In keeping with the sweater-style items, we have the IK Union Square Pullover.



This was my first foray into a sweater on size 3 needles, and not the last, I might add. It's done, I guess. All the pieces have been knit. Ignore the fact that it hasn't been sewn together or properly blocked. It's done. Really. It is. Shh. Stop it.

And here is what became of the leftovers:



Ok, so I had to buy the purple to coordinate nicely. This is a knitting needle case that I decided to create. It was more of an excuse to try out this funky stitch pattern from Vogue Knitting: The Ultimate Knitting Book. I like it a lot, but I don't really want to have to line it, and I think that's unavoidable. Unless, of course, I just move on to the next project. Heehee.

I also tried to create a tank top pattern. It was coming along well, when, oh I don't know. I just moved on DAMNIT!



And finally, the piece d'resistance, socks . . . and a mitten.



We have, from left to right:
- Cut Your Teeth Socks in Koigu
- Tropicana Socks in Sunshine Yarns
- IK Rib and Cable socks in Pearl Gems
- Jaywalker Socks in Lorna's Laces
- Plain old stockinette socks in Koigu
- IK Embossed Leaves socks in Cherry Tree Hill - I ran out of yarn
And above, one sad and lonely mitten. It's for the Mitten Challenge 2006.

I'm going to go cry now. Or knit up a storm. Haven't decided which yet.



Previous title: Moody Blues, "Running Out of Love"

Some days you're gonna put me on a pedestal up high

Miss me?

Sorry it took so long. You thought I was kidding when I said it was hard to get up off the couch! Anyways, here are my new Baudelaire socks. They are so pretty you could put them up on a pedestal. (Ok, so the title's a stretch, but read on and you'll understand. Maybe.)



Specs:
Pattern: Baudelaire from Knitty
Needles: US 2
Yarn: one skein of Cherry Tree Hill yarn in "Moody Blues," hence today's title (I had to search long and hard for it as I don't really listen to the Moody Blues)
Pattern Notes: This one was really fun to knit. The pattern is really well written and easy to follow. I taught myself how to knit on two circulars for this one, plus they are toe-up, which is also new for me. I love the construction of the heel, which is a rounded short row heel with a flap. I also had fun with the sewn bind-off, which I'll definately use again. My only complaint, which is not a pattern complaint, is that I have little or no talent in photographing my own feet. Must work on this one.

And just so you won't think that I really have spent all of the time since my last post just sitting on the couch, check out this next project:

I picked out these great coordinating dishcloths . . .



to be a new home for this mess of needles.



Voila! Here is my new needle case closed:



And here it is open:



Betcha didn't know I could sew! It was really easy, but next time I'll probably head to Joanne's Fabrics rather than use dishcloths. It was a little difficult to work with fabric of this thickness on the sewing machine.

And, what you've all been waiting for, the date update:
- Date number 1 never happened because the loser never called (cross that guy off the list).
- Date number 2 was great: good chemistry, easy to talk to, but I'm not sure I'm attracted to him. Still, he gets another chance.
- Date number 3 was wicked uncomfortable. I may not be the best conversationalist, but he had no ability to hold up his end. I'd ask him questions and he'd constantly answer with one or two words only. There were other weirdnesses that I can't even go into, but trust me, it was not good. Want to hear the strangest thing? The next day he sent me an e-mail saying that he had a lot of fun and I was really easy to talk to. Was he at the same date or what?
- Date number 4 was my favorite. I'm definately attracted to him and I find him really interesting. The only shortcoming is that we don't have THAT much in common, so it was a little hard to keep the conversation flowing. It got better as the evening went on, and I think he'll call.
- Boy number 5 seems to have fallen off the face of the earth, but it's ok because I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with men as it is. Plus, two new guys have begun e-mailing me on JDate. I'm feeling uber-popular these days. Kinda funny how I've been in a dry spell for what feels like forever, and suddenly it's all turned around.



Previous Title: Geri Halliwell, "It's Raining Men"

I feel stormy weather moving in . . . it's raining men

When it rains, it pours! Somehow I have found more eligible bachelors than you would find on an episode of the dating game. Needless to say, my weekend is pretty booked up. I don't want to say too much and jinx it, but I promise to tell all as the days go by. Most are JDaters and one is a friend of a friend. That's it - you get no more until after I have gone out with them. Not a peep so don't even try.

Now, for the promised vacation update. In no particular order, here are a few things I did this past week:

1. Heehee. Met boys.

2. I went antiquing with mom. I haven't really ever been into antiques, but I have this one really cool art deco glass piece that I got from my grandmother when she moved into a nursing home. This weekend I decided to start acquiring a few other pieces. I saw some really neat stuff, including a purple glass perfume bottle with a metal section on the bottom. Sorry, can't describe it better than that. It was really cool, but in the end, I decided on this collection of seltzer bottles.



Cute, no?

3. I visited the new twins in New York. Sorry, no pics. You'll have to take my word on it. Grace and Carter are the cutest itsy bitsy babies I ever did see. Mama Kelly looks good too, with cute new hair (Hi Kelly!).

4. I got a new hair cut too! I didn't take pictures of that either, but I really like it. I also had it straightened, so now it doesn't frizz quite so much on these hot hot days.

5. I went to a wedding shower for my almost sister-in-law. It was fun, but it was a marathon shower, clocking in at 5 hours. I think that might be a new record.

6. I went to a yarn store in Pennington, NJ. It was my first trip to The Wooly Lamb, but I will definately be back. They were really nice and friendly, and they had a huge selection. I think they have moved down the street and have not yet changed their website, so if you decide to go, you should call them first for the real address. They had a sample from the Debbie Bliss Pure Silk book and they even let me try it on! I was convinced.



Look what followed me home! This isn't a color I normally would choose, but it's the color of the store sample, and it looked great, so mine will be bright pink too. Now that I've been home for a little while, look what I have so far:



Want to guess what it's going to be?

7. I finished a pair of socks. I'm not going to show you them today, because I think they deserve their own song lyrics, don't you?

8. I got back to Boston and found this waiting for me in the mail:



Thank you Secret Pal! She made me a scarf, which I totally love. You can't tell from the picture, but it has a little ruffle detail at the ends. Love it! She also sent a tin of mango sour altoids (yum!) and a really nice note. By the way, Secret Pal, don't worry about the chocolate - I can't imagine it would travel well either.

9. I can't think of a number nine, so I guess that's it. Phew! What a week! Did I mention I met boys?



Yesterday's title: ACDC, "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Want to Rock 'N Roll)"

Ridin' down the highway

I'm back in Boston, but tired from all of the driving. I've got lots to tell you about, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow. Hopefully a lot of pictures, too, but only if I can surgically unattach my butt from the couch for long enough to find the camera.



Previous title: Simon and Garfunkel, "America"

Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike

It's never good when you are surrounded by brake lights and you see a fire truck go by. Despite some trauma on the NJ Turnpike, I managed to survive a five and a half hour drive to my parents' house today, relatively unscathed. I'll be away for about a week, probably not going to be posting much, but you never know. Have a good few days!



Previous title: Artist Unknown (really - I googled it), "I've Been Workin' on the Railroad"

Someone's in the kitchen I know

But there was no strummin' on the old banjo.

Lookee - I cooked!



Okay, so most people wouldn't call making a salad "cooking," but I haven't done more than dial for take out in quite some time. Well, that's not entirely true. I'm also really good at buying pre-made stuff at Whole Foods. If you want to make a delicious apple walnut salad for yourself, here's what I did:

- one package of pre-washed and chopped lettuce (romaine)
- one package of crushed walnuts
- one package of dried apple slices
- one package of goat cheese

Directions: Mix all in a large bowl. Add raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Enjoy!

I know, it takes a lot of effort. It took me a whopping five minutes to make. I thought about adding chicken, but why push it?

A few other recent updates:

The Moody Blues socks were coming close to an end, but I had a few minor setbacks. You'll have to hold your breath if you're waiting for those.

For Midnight Purls, a fellow Jersey Girl, although I'm really from PA originally: I grew up in Yardley, PA but I went to Chapin for middle school and Princeton Day School for high school.

Oh! "Without a Trace" is on tv right now and tonight's episode has Brain/Brian from "My So-Called Life," aka Pink Shirt Guy from "Felicity" (can you tell I'm really a little too good at Pop Culture Trivia?). Sorry, I have to go watch now.



Previous Title: The Go-Gos, "Vacation"

Vacation all I ever wanted

Shelby, my SP8 Hostess with the Most-est has asked for a response to a few questions, just for fun. They're kind of vacation-themed, hence the title.

1) What is your favorite season of the year?
I like Fall because Massachusetts is so pretty when the leaves change, and Spring because of the anticipation, but Summer's by far the best. I don't work during much of the summer so I get to relax and snooze and knit and do other fun stuff.

2) Where is your favorite vacation spot?
I think I'm going to go to Paris in April with my mom. Paris is one of my all-time favorite cities because of the culture - there's so much art, fashion, and just generally interesting stuff going on in Paris. I also like Italy for the same reasons.

3) If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?
Paris and Italy, obviously, but I'd also like to go to Australia and Greece. I've never been to either one and I've heard rave reviews.

4) If you could pick any job, and be paid well, what would it be?
I'd like to own/run a knitting store. Is this even a question you need to ask?

5) If you were going on vacation for 1 week, and had to take ONLY one project with you, what would it be?
Yikes! Too many to choose from! Maybe a pair of socks with an interesting pattern. Or a scarf with an interesting pattern. Something that would hold my interest but not be too involved. I'd like to be able to pick it up for short periods of time and not lose my place in the pattern, but I'd also like something that won't bore me or feel like work.

6) If you won a shopping spree to your favorite Yarn shop, what would you get?
Sign me up! I'm thinking I'd go for a swift and yarn winder, oodles of sock yarn (Koigu and Lorna's Laces), and some ArtYarns of any variety. I've never made anything using their yarns, but each one is prettier than the next. As long as it's a shopping spree, I might as well go all out: it would also be fun to pick up a variety of colors of Cascade 220 for felting projects, and of course anything Noro.

I guess that's all. Excuse me while I go drool over the idea of a shopping spree to a yarn store . . .



Previous title: Guns 'n Roses, "November Rain"

Everybody needs some time on their own

Today was a day to be spent all by myself. In a good way, I mean. I relaxed, did a little housecleaning, laundry, and of course, started a new pair of socks. You knew it was coming soon, didn't you?



Check out the needles. Yup, this baby is my very first venture into the world of socks on circular needles. It's a nice place. I think I'll stay. I also taught myself how to go toe-up for these, which is a good thing. The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill in Moody Blues. I always end up a little short with this yarn, but it's yummy so I can't seem to resist it. I figure with toe-up socks, I can just stop when I get close to the end of the skein. The pattern is Baudelaire , from Knitty.

They are really going fast!

In other news, I did some felting today. I figured as long as I was doing laundry, I might as well throw in some projects. May I present the Cleo Clutch and a Booga Bag.





ThatÂ’s about all the news for now, given that I only left the house today when absolutely necessary.

Oh yeah, I added some stuff in the sidebar - take a look. I updated my FOs list and added an Amazon wish list.



Yesterday's title: Maroon 5, "She Will Be Loved"

It’s not always rainbows and butterflies; it’s compromise that moves us along

. . . but today it's rainbows and butterflies. I spent the day at the pool. A little humid, but all in all a deliciously sunny afternoon with a bit of a breeze.

Then I came home and got ready to go run some errands. Important stuff, you know, like Starbucks and Trader Joes. Can't possibly be skipped. I put on my summer uniform of jeans and a black tank top, then added a Sox hat 'cause I didn't really want to wash my hair. I looked in the mirror before I left, and was fully satisfied. I'm not sure if it's a thing that comes with age, or if it's the tan or the fact that I've been working hard at the gym, but lately I've been increasingly happier with what I see in the mirror. I think as a kid I always thought 29 was so old and for sure I'd be over the hill by then (hee hee, you know how anything above eighteen seems REALLY old when you're little?). Well, I think I'm growing into myself maybe. Or something. Now my cheeks are blushing. Moving right along.

I've got a few finished knitting things to show you, mostly bags that might hold socks. Wonder why, hmmm? They both need felting though, so I'll hold off on showing you some pictures. I also finally finished one Tropicana sock and am getting going on the second one. I'm fighting hard to avoid Second Sock Syndrome, but I'm so tired of these socks already.

Last night I took a break from socks to make some stitch markers. Cute, no?



When they're finished, they'll be shipped off to secret pals. Of course, I'll have to make a new set for myself too. I ran out of supplies halfway through the second set, and I haven't added the rings to the tops yet. Looks like another trip to the craft store. That's ok though, because I'm also thinking about making this, and I'll need to pick up a few things. I need another bag like I need a hole in the head, but I can't help myself. Chances are it'll take a while for me to get going on it anyway. Unless of course it rains tomorrow and I can't go to the pool.



Previous title: Dave Matthews Band, "So Much to Say" (for all in-between titles too)