a dishcloth in the works

So, KG has been working on dishcloths and got me itching to make one, and the last few days I' couldn't help but notice the Ballband Dishcloth from Mason-Dixon Knitting at many blogs (yummy colors at RoadSide's) and so I took a baby blanket hiatus to jump on the bandwagon. Here's the beginnings of my sad first attempt. ;) I need to go up a needle size next time (likely, I'll just frog and start over, we're talking about me here,) but I love this pattern SO much. It's so quick and fun and I love the way it establishes like in 8 rows and you don't need to look anymore. It's a nice break and a good portable project, I've decided.

And you know I can't post anything without a macro shot. ;) It's the little things, you know?

And here's a pic of me and my baby boy just because.

Soundtrack To Your Life

This is a repost from MySpace I found fun. If you're reading this, you should repost it because I think that would be cool. :)

Repost:

okay, this is totally fun, but i'm kinda scared because i have some embarrassing guilty pleasure shit. here goes.

- - - - - - - Your Life: The Soundtrack - - - - - - - -

So, here's how it works:
Open your music player (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, etc).
Put it on shuffle.
Press play.
For every question type the song that's playing.
When you go to a new question press the next button.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Opening Credits: "The Ninja Song" - Sifl and Olly (alarming start)

Waking Up:"leave the light on" - beth hart

Falling in Love: "civil disobedience" - throwing muses

Fight scene: "i'm on fire" - tori amos

Breaking up: "upside down"- tori amos (yay a match!)

Getting back together: "home on the range" - tori again (this is shuffle?)

Secret Love: "I Love the Nightlife" - Alicia Bridges (HAHAHAHAHA)

Life's okay: "Wild Horses" - The Sundays

Mental breakdown: "The One" - DJ Icey

Partying: "Vibeology" - Paula Abdul (oh jeebus. I fast forward through this one, I swear... ok only sometimes.)

Long night alone: "Venus as a Boy" - Bjork (Now that one is pretty phreakin funny)

Final Battle: "Travelin Thru" - Dolly Parton (yeah, shoulda lied on that one too)

Death Scene:"Studying Stones" - Ani DiFranco

Credits: "Uninvited" - Alanis Morissette

(This so could have been worse. at least i'm.... diverse. yeah, diverse, that's it)

Friday's Feast One Hundred Three

Appetizer
Fill in the blanks: I _______(hate it) when I _______ (am late posting Friday's Feast.)

Soup
Name something you use to make your home smell good.

I have Febreze Noticeables, reeds in oil, Glade scented oil fan, potpourri tarts, Febreze Air Effects Spray, (not all in the same room or active at the same time really) and Oust in the WC. I also keep a stash of Nag Champa. I love that shit. The AC men stepped on my art glass incense holder, though. :( meh

Salad
If you could receive a coupon in the mail for 50% off any product, what would you want it to be for?

A Swopper chair.

Main Course
Besides sleeping, what do you spend the majority of the hours of your typical day doing?

As if sleeping was the majority of what I did. I spend almost all of my waking hours sitting in this very chair working, or trying to work, or pretending to try to work, or thinking about work, or making up work because I got distracted by blogging. That's why I need a swopper chair. Desperately.

Dessert
What can you hear right now while answering these questions?

Cartoon Network is on in the next room for the pets and the fan on my desk and Henry snoring.

Bounty from Overseas!

Well! In my mail today was a package from my most darlingest KG from Korea! Presents excite me anyway, but aside from ordering Addis from that guy on Ebay, this is really my first international package! :) She outdid herself and I'm tickled to death and have to share.

Here's the big shot of everything with close-ups to follow. (Well, I totally forgot to take close-ups of the needles and card and I am entirely too lazy to do this now. I'll do that soon, though. They are awesome and have Korean characters on them and the needles are very smooth with a seamless join AND they look just like needles I saw depicted on someone's blog from a Korean market, so, as if they weren't anyway, they are like AUTHENTIC and I'm thrilled to pieces.) Note: Left corner is Whisper doing his best Vanna White impersonation. Lovely, n'es pas?

Here's some of the nummy goodies. Between taking these pictures, mysteriously, only the wrapper of the candy bar (top) remains... I must have yummy korean candy gnomes running around or something. The bottom two are packs of gum. The one's flavor is obvious, but the bottom one, which I photographed the english side of, like a dork, is "floral chewing gum" and I got to it before the gnomes. It is REALLY interesting! It's hard to describe, but it's really good! Haven't tried the coffee yet.


Here are some Pocky-esque sticks. I would tell you that they are much better than Pocky, but, alas, in support of my gnome theory, all I have is an empty box.


Wait, this just in. I have received a satellite message from the Korean goodie gnomes advising me that, yes, definitely, these Pocky-esque sticks are WAY better than Pocky. They have a nutty deliciousness and the chocolate tastes better. They also report the missing candy bar tasted something like a Mars bar, but different, and had a unique chocolotastic flavor and the almonds were yum. Thank you for that detailed account, you selfish little goodie stealing gnomes.

Here is an itty bitty little precious and perfect little change purse thingie with my man, Badtz Maru. I'm a whore for anything Sanrio, but Badtz is my most favoritist and has been for years. Here in the states, they go back and forth from retiring him and bringing him back, sending me on an emotional roller coaster with each trip to the Sanrio store. I expressed my sad story to KG long ago and not only did she remember, but searched far and wide throughout Korea during her time there to find me a Badtz Maru piece. This is nothing I have seen even pictured anywhere and it is from a series that retired long ago, so it is a rare and delightful find (moreso for me with the non-English characters), and the absolute PERFECT size for stitch markers, tapestry needles, and I'm thinking even a little backup measuring tape. LOVE LOVE LOVE it.


And here, my friends, is a super-macro detail of the above-depicted case.
Reading the adorable little Badtz Maru card KG included, she mentioned how I warn her heart, and I was puzzled. Is she making fun of me? Is that a cut?! Is she saying I'm FAT?!?! A buffoon am I! Soon after upon examining this little glittery treasure (which is already the proud new holder of some DPNs) I found the above. I LOVE it. LOVE LOVE. I posted in extreme dorkish when she posted pictures of signs along these lines at her Korea blog and so this is just perfect and fabulous and I absolutely adore it, and yes, it does make an AWESOME DPN case and warns the cockles of my heart. You totally rock, KG. Thanks so much for these just perfect and sweet and delicious gifts from afar, and shipped right before your move, no less, which I know was a crazy and rainy time. Thank you, thank you!

You are BKG 4eva. XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Amazing Lace Unofficial Update - the passing of Cozy :(

Tragic news, folks. I live in a teensy weensy little apartment and I store my bins of yarns and crafts on or underneath the Wurlitzer that needs servicing in the living room. Said Wurlitzer sits beneath the air conditioner. For the 3rd summer in a row, my air conditioner is falling apart and has begun to leak. Did I remember this before or after a yarn tragedy? Of course, the answer is after. Most of the yarn and notions were neatly kept in storage bins, but Cozy and 8 hanks of Andean Silk were placed hastily atop the piano in an open bag to make room for Edith's Baby Blanket on the way out the door to a knitting meeting. By the time I realized the A/C was leaking, everything was saturated. Not moldy or anything because it only happened today, but the water that leaks from the A/C is less than clean and not quite fresh smelling either. I have everything soaking in some Eucalan, but I think it's pretty safe to say... ruined. :(

I'm on hold with Knit Picks now to see if they have any suggestions for salvaging it, but I'm guessing no. More yarn is just not in my budget and it won't be any time soon.... So now, I guess Edith's Baby Blanket has officially become my Amazing Lace partner. I have 30 days to finish that in time and if I do, I do have a couple hanks of laceweight yarn lying around, maybe I'll try a scarf or something...

KB is sad and needs to be held.

Friday's Feast One Hundred Two

Appetizer
Name one thing nice that you could do for someone else today.

Well, I told Vaughan that the song I use for my alarm, (gold lion) which she told me about, is one of my very favorites and she is one of the first people I think of every morning when I'm all cranky and crusty eyed. I also told her that I get lost... in her eyes. And I feel... my spirits rise. I think that's pretty nice. ;)

Soup
When was the last time you were frightened by the weather?

One of the hurricanes last year, my BFF was like, dude, we're gonna die. I wasn't frightened until that point, but I got a little upset after that and took down my king-size bed and smashed it up against my bedroom window with the dressers and everything else holding it up. It's safe to say that was my panic room.

Salad
What would you say is the most useful website or blog that you visit?

Knitting Help of course!

Main Course
Who was your favorite singer/group when you were a child?

Oh jeebus. I will have to shamefully admit, the very Debbie Gibson referenced in the appetizer. She will always be Debbie, she can shove Deborah up her little blonde bum.

Dessert
Do you have any rituals? If so, what are they?

Getting the dogs' food ready could be considered a ritual, I think. I also like making tea to be special. Biting my fingernails?

OMG! TWO ON TIME IN A ROW!

Friday's Feast One-Hundred One

Appetizer
When was the last time you visited a hospital?

Thank God, it's been a while (poo poo), but I think it was last time mommy was in the hospital, which was.... damn, I don't remember. I know last January for certain.... I think that was the last time.

Soup
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how ambitious are you?

Um, depends... In theory and desire, I would put myself at a 9.... in reality, probably more like a 3.

Salad
Make a sentence using the letters of a body part. (Example: (mouth) My other ukelele tings healthily.)

Duodenum

Do udders on devilish equines never unleash milk?

Main Course
If you were to start a club, what would the subject matter be, and what would you name it?

The Special People Club! I refuse to elaborate further.

Dessert
What color is the carpet/flooring in your home?

A disgusting drab.... well, I think I'll call it drab, although that kinda implies olive, which I would actually like... It's... grayish... the tile is a yakalicious avocado charcoal concoction.

YAY I DID ONE ON TIME!

Amazing Lace Unofficial Update

I realized with the last post, I have some splainin to do.

Cozy has not been lost or forgotten, I promise. This is the 2nd thing I said I couldn't post a picture of because I wasn't sure if the mommy of the intended recipient had my blog address, but I realized that even if she did, with the newborn, I'm sure she doesn't have time, so I'm taking a chance.

Here's what happened. A LONG time ago, when I found out this person was pregnant, I started the blanket pictured, which is Edith's Baby Blanket from DIY. I started it in PLENTY of time to finish for her shower, but I got frustrated with it and threw it down. When her shower got closer, I was all, OH CRAP! and started working on it again, but there just wasn't enough time, so I started the 4-hour baby afghan in Homespun (yak.) I had about an hour left on it when the shower date came, but had the flu with a bad case of conjunctivitis, so I missed the shower, hence buying me lots of time to finish the 4-hour one, but I still intended to send it out before the baby's birth. Didn't happen. She said not to worry because they were coming down for the Christening in August, so I said ok. So THEN, she sends me pictures of the baby boy and I realized that I had to finish Edith's Blanket for him because he is just so gorgeous and perfect and I really want him to have it. By some great miracle, I left the blankie on the needles without ripping (so out of character for me,) so I was able to pick it up and continue.

Since feather & fan constitutes a lace pattern, I have temporary benched the dear Cozy to finish this earlier endeavor by next month, so have unofficially adopted Edith's Blanket as my pinch hitter. I've made good progress when I actually make time to work on it. In about 30 more rows, I will be halfway done, so wish me luck on finishing it in the next 3 weeks or so.

Ok, update over. Cozy should be back in the spotlight next month. Thank you for your support. ;-)

p.s. the pictures of the "poncho" depicted the colors in such a way that induced hurling and panic. i took some more pictures to apease myself and i am compelled to share them. i think i made a mistake using blue next, as it's being swallowed up a bit, so i believe i am off to frog. with a lifeline and slowly. it will be okay.



i think one of the reasons the other pic looks so funkified is because of the nature of the white yarn. see below in yet another tribute to the super macro lens. (heart you KG)


i feel better, hope you do too. :)

Amazing Lace 2006 - Challenge #4

Eat your heart out, Martha Stewart.

Behold, the latest in pup couture, the actual poncho worn by Whisper when he was freed from the pound. We call it, The Home at Last Poncho.


Lion Brand and Interweave Press are both scrambling to be the first to release a pattern for "The Whisper Poncho." All debating aside, Home At Last is a simple feather and fan number knit by one of Whisper's kennel mates, a sassy Weimaraner named Sadie. Strangely familiar in design to Edith's Baby Blanket, she used a combination of Sirdar Tiny Tots Fashion DK and Sirdar Chatterbox for her "original" work.

We salute Sadie for her handiwork, and, of course, our thanks to Whisper, always the trendsetter, even in times of strife.

Sadie is accepting donations for the original Home At Last pattern via PayPal at IKnowWhyTheCagedDogKnits@HumaneSociety.com.


Share Your Life With a Deaf Dog!!!

walmart hatred moratorium

ok, so i hate walmart. i think it's an evil place run by evil people. i go there with lesley, though, it's just one of the things we do. i rarely spend more than $10 - $15 there because i try to support cottage industry whenever i can. sometimes, though, i just can't pass up a bargain.

so, i had a doctor's appointment at 10 a.m. friday, but i realized after almost every place was closed that i had a dilemma. no clean underwear. now, i could've gone to the laundromat at 1 a.m., but instead, i opted to go to walmart to buy some underwear. i begged BBBVRD to go with me at like 11 (i hate walmart triply by myself), but it was a worknight and i let her out of it, but not before she told me they had marvelous clearance. so i decided to go at like 1:30 so i'd be back in time for family guy. scored me some skivvies and i went to look at fans because i am in dire need of a fan, have been forever. nothing, nothing, blech blech, so i thought i'd check the ceiling fans. i'd been contemplating doing that for a little while. i found nothing in my price range. there were the little ones for like $17, but they came in white or polished brass, and i hate both. in the upper price ranges, they had some really cute ones. of course, the one i fancied the most was like $75. off to the side of that one, similar box, similar style, were 2 askew. i couldn't locate a price anywhere. off i went to the handy dandy price checker. ....Ceiling Fan.... $15... I was immediately convinced the price checker thingy was broken. i stuck it in my cart anyway for shits and giggles. on my way to the register, i encountered another thingie, scanned it again .... Error... Please see associate for assistance... This supported my broken thingy hypothesis. I get to the register and ask her to scan it for me and to my surprise, $15. I, of course, took it home with me.

Now, the rest of the story, which spans over 24 hours, is really no fun. Abridged version: Rushed home, started to install at 3 a.m., realized I was missing a screw that was supposed to be in my ceiling already, back to walmart. Important side note: John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette Starlit Waves fell into my hands on the way to the screws, LOVE it. They took away my Ocean Waves, the bloody bastards, but this is a more than suitable replacement. Ok, back home, installing fan with bed as a ladder, suckage, blowage, painage, 7 a.m. it's finished, doesn't work. Bed at 7:02, bolting out of bed at 8 a.m. after, in a nightmare, a stern male voice advised me the fan was smoking and my place was going to burn down killing me and the pets, bolted, quite ungracefully, practically sleeping still, to the door, realized there was no fire, back to bed at 8:02. Stuff inbetween, blah blah, reinstalling fan 4 a.m., grounded it this time (skipped that the first go after reading it wasn't necessary, decided maybe i wouldn't have nightmares if i did it) AND

voila!
and here's proof it works:

are you freakin impressed? when i snapped it on just hours ago, i was overcome by the urge to spit, drink a beer, and go to a public place to scratch my genitalia.

Ceiling fan on clearance: $15
Set of machine screws: $1
Two 60-watt Reveal fan bulbs: $4
Phillips head screwdriver: $1

Feeling like an overly proud, spitting, ball-scratching, beer chugging heterosexual even if only for 32 seconds: Priceless

Now, as if the desire to scratch myself and spit wasn't quite enough, and I think it was, please behold:

This was stolen borrowed only moments ago from the Belkin website. Please make note of the hefty pricetag. On a THIRD trip to walmart with Lesley tonight, on further inspection of clearance items, found the above-depicted item for... $17. Totally true. Now, mind you, I have a nano, Nuri Nano is his name... Yeah, I name everything cute. Nuri is Hebrew for flaming lights. precious, n'es pas? (as mentioned, heterosexual lasted a mere 32 seconds.) I bought it anyway, figured it was worth a shot. I knew minis were no more, but that the nano replaced them, so i had hopes. I got home and nuri didn't quite fit, but after i broke some plastic with a butter knife, my car was FINALLY filled with ipod loveliness. not only that, i really like the thing. i've read nightmare stories about the FM transmitters, and i am QUITE pleased with its performance. i sometimes get that annoying little hum, but at my regular driving volume, which is somewhere between loud enough to drown out my shrieking and disturbing to adjacent vehicles, i was not able to notice it in the least and the quality was indistinguishable from a cd.

thus, although it is with deepest regret, i have no choice but invoke a moratorium on walmart hatred effective immediately. check back next week, i can't imagine it lasting longer than that.

as a side note, i knit some more on the baby's gift. that's all i can say at the moment, unfortunately, but since i have the gall to call this a knitting blog, gall lately anyway, there's some knitting news. ;)

oh yeah, and panera bread is the antichrist. more on that another sleepless night.