How long have you been knitting & how did you learn?
I am a self-taught knitter and have been knitting since 2006.
Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I would say I am an advanced intermediate.
What are your favorite colors? Any you dislike?
I love all colors especially purple, red and turquoise. I do not like mustard or olive colors.
Do you like Latvian type patterns? If so, what are your favorite patterns?
I do like latvian type patterns, although I have no favorites, they are all too lovely to decide on just one.
Do you desire mittens for yourself, your "special someone else" or your child?
For myself! (Selfish, I know!)
What is the measurement from your wrist to the tip of your longest finger?
About 7.25 inches
What is the circumference of your hand at it's widest point?
About 7.5 inches
What other things do you enjoy knitting?
Socks, sweaters, cardis, baby stuff (love those little booties!)
What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum)
I enjoy working with wooden needles the most, I ususally use DPNs for smaller things like mittens and socks and circulars for everthing else.
What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make?
I really want to make the mittens from Fall Vogue that say "Let it Snow" on them. Other than that...I'm not really sure.
What’s one yarn you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with?
I guess something cashmere based. I haven't worked with anything remotely like cashmere yet.
What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden? Cook?
I cook and sew and would like to get into spinning, but have decided i should wait until after I finish law school.
Besides yarn, do you collect anything?
I wouldn't say I "collect" anything, but I do love matroyshkas (nesting dolls) and nativities.
What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to?
I enjoy sweets and salties. I love choclate covered pretzels and peppermint bark!
Do you have any kids? Pets?
I have a finacee, two great dogs (Sam and Molly) and no kids (yet).
What is your favorite part of Winter?
The first snowfall, snuggling up under the covers with my sweetie, Christmas with family, you get the idea. Those warm precious momets that are so abundant in winter.
What is your least favorite part of Winter?
Getting dismissed from work in the middle of a blizzard and having to drive 30 miles to get home. When all the other places just cancelled work at the beginning of the day! (Can you tell that happened to me, more than once?) Driving on icy roads. That's it, other than those driving conditions that I love winter!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Ahhh, that's a bit better
After having pinpointed the source of my melancholy, I'm feeling a bit better. Part of it was money woes, part of it was that weekend, and part of it is my job.I am completely disenchanted with my job, in fact I detest going in every day. It's not because it's uninteresting, believe me I could regale you with many, many interesting stories from my job. I dislike my job so much because in order to stay busy for the week I have to work at less than half of my ability. Which means that I often forget that and end up with an end of the week involving very little work. I know that seems like it would be luxurious to have free time at the end of the work week, but the reality is that it is no picnic being tied to your desk for eight hours everyday bored out of your tree trying to find something, anything, to do with your day.
In any event, I started classes this week and have found out that I only have ONE FINAL this semester!!!! I am soooooo happy about this, granted that means I have to write papers for my other two classes, but who cares? One FINAL! Awesome. Additionally I found out that the school has to readjust my tuition so I'm getting money back and we decided to resell our law books on-line and we're getting money back there too. When it rains it pours! Now we are fairly financially secure until Ry gets regular employment. What a weight off our minds, we were pretty concerned for a while, but are feeling much better about things now. AHHHHH, relief.
In knitting news I'm working on the February Lady Sweater and I hope to finish it before Rheinbeck this year, and I hope I can wear it over a brown turtle neck because it will be cold-ish and I am knitting it out of linen. (I began when it was hot and couldn't fathom knitting it in wool.) I am also working on the Belle Cardigan in wool, so that may be the way to go; although in order to finish it for Rhinebeck, I should probably pick it back up again! I am working on 2 pair of socks but I have kind of set them aside for a bit, my inspiration for them is at a bit of a standstill, but I am sure it will be recovered in time to finish them for the gift-giving season. I'm getting the mitten knitting itch again, so thank God for No More Hum-Drum Mitten Swap 3 and Deb's willingness to run it again. I guess I have a lot of projects coming up, now that it has gone back down to the low eighties here I feel like really hard-core knitting again, so this fall and winter season will be jam-packed with knitted goodness.
And in case you were wondering I am feeling better, thanks to good friends, Ry, the pooches and a little time to myself.
In any event, I started classes this week and have found out that I only have ONE FINAL this semester!!!! I am soooooo happy about this, granted that means I have to write papers for my other two classes, but who cares? One FINAL! Awesome. Additionally I found out that the school has to readjust my tuition so I'm getting money back and we decided to resell our law books on-line and we're getting money back there too. When it rains it pours! Now we are fairly financially secure until Ry gets regular employment. What a weight off our minds, we were pretty concerned for a while, but are feeling much better about things now. AHHHHH, relief.
In knitting news I'm working on the February Lady Sweater and I hope to finish it before Rheinbeck this year, and I hope I can wear it over a brown turtle neck because it will be cold-ish and I am knitting it out of linen. (I began when it was hot and couldn't fathom knitting it in wool.) I am also working on the Belle Cardigan in wool, so that may be the way to go; although in order to finish it for Rhinebeck, I should probably pick it back up again! I am working on 2 pair of socks but I have kind of set them aside for a bit, my inspiration for them is at a bit of a standstill, but I am sure it will be recovered in time to finish them for the gift-giving season. I'm getting the mitten knitting itch again, so thank God for No More Hum-Drum Mitten Swap 3 and Deb's willingness to run it again. I guess I have a lot of projects coming up, now that it has gone back down to the low eighties here I feel like really hard-core knitting again, so this fall and winter season will be jam-packed with knitted goodness.
And in case you were wondering I am feeling better, thanks to good friends, Ry, the pooches and a little time to myself.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Sigh
This weekend was difficult. I really can't say why, but it was hard for me and Ry this weekend. Sort of a lackluster and disappointing end to an otherwise uneventful week.
Something nice did happen in the week, though. Deb and Lexi, in my knitting group, brought me birthday presents. I was supposed to have gotten them on the 30th of July, but due to a massively bad migraine I missed that week. (It was BAD, people!) So this past week the Lovely Deb and the Cute-As-A-Button Lexi brought me two lovely and gorgeous skeins of sock yarn (which I do not currently have a picture of, but will post it as soon as I do.) That was a fun night, and I shared something personal with Deb that planted her ever more firmly in my heart. She is a wonderful person, and I am so glad I was fortunate enough to meet her.
In other news, classes start back up again next week. I'm so tired of law school, this is my last year and I can't wait for it to be over. It's not so much an excitement I feel about finishing, but just the gnawing wait for the inevitable conclusion. How's that for a positive attitude? :)
Lately, here I have been too tired to knit. I am fatigued and recently a bit too downtrodden to really want to work on any one of the four projects I have going. It makes me sad that I feel this way, but hopefully I'll snap out of my funk soon. I have so many projects lined up for Christmas gifts and I really want to be working on them, but I am just so tired and a little sad, which does not make for fun knitting. Perhaps I'll change up my projects and focus on something new for a little while, maybe that will cheer me. If nothing else, it will give me a small change of scenery! Well, best get going. Stay tuned for a more cheerful person in the coming weeks! (I hope.)
Something nice did happen in the week, though. Deb and Lexi, in my knitting group, brought me birthday presents. I was supposed to have gotten them on the 30th of July, but due to a massively bad migraine I missed that week. (It was BAD, people!) So this past week the Lovely Deb and the Cute-As-A-Button Lexi brought me two lovely and gorgeous skeins of sock yarn (which I do not currently have a picture of, but will post it as soon as I do.) That was a fun night, and I shared something personal with Deb that planted her ever more firmly in my heart. She is a wonderful person, and I am so glad I was fortunate enough to meet her.
In other news, classes start back up again next week. I'm so tired of law school, this is my last year and I can't wait for it to be over. It's not so much an excitement I feel about finishing, but just the gnawing wait for the inevitable conclusion. How's that for a positive attitude? :)
Lately, here I have been too tired to knit. I am fatigued and recently a bit too downtrodden to really want to work on any one of the four projects I have going. It makes me sad that I feel this way, but hopefully I'll snap out of my funk soon. I have so many projects lined up for Christmas gifts and I really want to be working on them, but I am just so tired and a little sad, which does not make for fun knitting. Perhaps I'll change up my projects and focus on something new for a little while, maybe that will cheer me. If nothing else, it will give me a small change of scenery! Well, best get going. Stay tuned for a more cheerful person in the coming weeks! (I hope.)
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Birthday!
Well, that was it. Saturday was the BIG "Three-Oh". My mom called and asked me how I felt, I said "Old." All in all it was a nice day though. I slept in a little, Ry bought us some breakfast, then I met up with my friend M and I went to lunch and a movie (she is such fun). I went over to whole foods afterwards to buy a bottle of wine for dinner and then headed home. When I got there Ry was done studying for the day and we ordered dinner,Indian food, yum! Afterwards he sent me upstairs with the dogs to hang out for a bit while he brought my presents downstairs. When I came down he sang me happy Birthday and had the candles on my cake lit. (only 3, not 30 thank goodness!) I blew them out and made a wish and chatted for a bit with Ry, when he left to get a knife and plates I noticed a bike! Ry had hunted down a pretty purple bicycle for me for my birthday! We didn't take it for a ride that weekend because of the rain and Ry's bar studies (almost done). The I got to open my gifts from Mom, she got me two great books, one knitting, one baking and a lovely flatbed scanner that can also scan my negatives! She also got me Friends Season 1, but I opened that earlier. My Dad got me a purse from Turkey and sent me a check which I promptly spent on clothes and yarn! My grandparents also sent me a little birthday moo-lah, which I am still hanging onto. I'm looking for that perfect thing to get with it, and Ry's parents chipped in on a plane ticket to get me out to see my Mom and my brother in August. I am so grateful to have such loving friends and family. My Dad even managed to call me from a castle in Austria where he was camping for a bit. I missed the call, but appreciate the fact that he made it! My dear friend Amy called me too, but I missed that call as well. I am so lucky to have such great family and friends. (And my knitting pals had something planned for me for Wednesday, but I went home from work early that day with a migraine. I'll see them next week though, and I feel terrible about ruining their plans! I'm so sorry, ladies! You wouldn't have wanted me there half blind, cranky and shushing you every five seconds, trust me!)
Thanks everyone, you made my birthday very special!
Thanks everyone, you made my birthday very special!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Oh no!
Oh. my. GOD. I sent my boss's boss an e-mail that said "What the hell? Has this even been assigned yet?"
It was supposed to go to the office administrator.
Not my BOSS'S BOSS!!
Oh.my.God. Hopefully I don't get fired or severely reprimanded over this.
Update
I didn't get fired, I sent my boss's boss an apologetic and self-denigrating e-mail, and then met with him in his office. He said not to worry about it, I was over-reacting and he didn't care. (Thank God) Still. How embarassing. I'm going to have to double check if I hit "forward" or "reply" from now on.
It was supposed to go to the office administrator.
Not my BOSS'S BOSS!!
Oh.my.God. Hopefully I don't get fired or severely reprimanded over this.
Update
I didn't get fired, I sent my boss's boss an apologetic and self-denigrating e-mail, and then met with him in his office. He said not to worry about it, I was over-reacting and he didn't care. (Thank God) Still. How embarassing. I'm going to have to double check if I hit "forward" or "reply" from now on.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Ahhhhh....Sweet, sweet release
I am done, finito, fin, with my finals! Yes, I turned in my last final yesterday and then went on a much needed kitchen cleaning spree and then made an apron. Yup, I cleaned thoroughly, I even wiped down the microwave, toaster oven and wiped the grease off the teapot (I don't know how it became greasy, it was here and greasy when we moved in.) After the kitchen was sparkling, I went right upstairs and used the pattern in Amy Karol's Bend the Rules book to make an apron out of a pretty half yard of fabric I had in my stash. I really love the way it turned out although next time I'll probably make it a bit wide and add a pocket or two.
Now that I have finished with my exams I can finally share that red sauce recipe I found. The Original recipe is here. The original is from the Orangette blog (If you have not been there yet, you really should see it, the description of food and the gorgeous ohotographs make the mouth water.) As I have said before, finding this simple red sauce recipe was a goal, a challenge presented to me in such a way that I would rise up and meet it. So I did, and in my quest I found Orangette's recipe, which served as an excelelnt base, but somehow did not seem quite perfect. Without further ado, here is my adapted recipe:
Infamous Red Sauce
28 oz. can of the best whole peeled italian tomatoes you can find (I like the organic tomatoes, the taste is perfect)
1 medium to large yellow onion peeled and halved
1 stick plus 2tb. of butter cut into pieces
Puree the tomatoes in the blender. Combine pureed tomatoes, butter and onion halves in a medium pot. I like to use our cast-iron pot for this, but it is not necessary. Cook for about 1 hour stirring occasionally. Remove onion before tossing with pasta.*
*Save the onion, it's excellent chopped up and put into the next mornings eggs or use it in a salsa.
Blogger hates me today and will not upload anymore photos, it just flat out refuses. I will add more later when blogger and I have reconciled.
Now that I have finished with my exams I can finally share that red sauce recipe I found. The Original recipe is here. The original is from the Orangette blog (If you have not been there yet, you really should see it, the description of food and the gorgeous ohotographs make the mouth water.) As I have said before, finding this simple red sauce recipe was a goal, a challenge presented to me in such a way that I would rise up and meet it. So I did, and in my quest I found Orangette's recipe, which served as an excelelnt base, but somehow did not seem quite perfect. Without further ado, here is my adapted recipe:
Infamous Red Sauce
28 oz. can of the best whole peeled italian tomatoes you can find (I like the organic tomatoes, the taste is perfect)
1 medium to large yellow onion peeled and halved
1 stick plus 2tb. of butter cut into pieces
Puree the tomatoes in the blender. Combine pureed tomatoes, butter and onion halves in a medium pot. I like to use our cast-iron pot for this, but it is not necessary. Cook for about 1 hour stirring occasionally. Remove onion before tossing with pasta.*
*Save the onion, it's excellent chopped up and put into the next mornings eggs or use it in a salsa.
Blogger hates me today and will not upload anymore photos, it just flat out refuses. I will add more later when blogger and I have reconciled.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Joining the Bucket Bandwagon
So Lisa over at Confessions of an Apron Queen is having a "Kick the Bucket" contest and give away ecouraging us to post our very own bucket list a la the movie of the very same name! (Deb has already done this, but she wasn't having a giveaway. Ha-ha! Just kidding, Deb!)
So this is their bucket list:
Witness something truly majestic
Help a complete stranger for a common good
Laugh till I cry
Drive a Shelby mustang
Kiss the most beautiful girl in the world
Get a tattoo
Skydiving
See the pyramids
Get back in touch with...
Hunt the big cat
See Rome
And here's mine:
Go on an African Safari
See tigers in India
Go to Xi'an China and see Emporer Qin's Terracotta Army
Explore Mayan ruins
Own and operate a vineyard
Adopt or foster a child
See the pyramids
Learn to play the piano
Drive a fast car as fast as I can on an open track
Go to Japan
I think that's it. There were many thing on my list that I had already done, so coming up with a new list was a bit difficult, but fun!
p.s. Soon there will be pictures and a recipe, I just have to get myself in gear and upload the pics!
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