Knittin' and Scrappin'

I Yearn for Yarn - change in blog name!

2006-04-15T13:03:00.000-04:00

Hello...I have changed my blog name. Please see my new link.....

iyearnforyarn.blogspot.com!

See you there!

K

What to do...

2006-04-09T10:09:00.000-04:00

Okay, I still have not decided what knitting project I want to work on next. Yesterday did not have much knitting going on. John and I finished up our taxes, which ends the horrible ordeal of figuring out the tax situation for both the US and Canada. But before that, we went to Barnes and Noble and I bought One Skein, which I had the chance to check out at Knit Knite and I decided then that I had to have it, and At Knit's End, a book by the Yarn Harlot. I'm so excited!

But there was no time to pour over them...we came back and had my sister in law and her family over for dinner. I made a delicious spread of lasagna, herb bread, and chocolate birthday cake to wash it all down. So good! We had a great time.

So now it's Sunday....I'm still in my pajamas and debating what I want to work on. I just shaved my felted purse, so once it's completely dried I will start using that. But what to knit? I have yarn to make two more felted purses as gifts, to make two dishclothes as part of a moving in gift for my girlfriend, a quarter finished purse and Picovoli, a half done sock, and I think that's it. I have to make a million other things too. I think I'm in yarn-overload. Okay, I have to go and think this through...

Happy Birthday to me...

2006-04-08T10:34:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday. Birthdays were once so important to me, but now it's really just another day...a day where I get to be the center of attention and I have to recognize that I am continuing to get older. I mean, at this point it's really not that bad because I am only 27. But 27! I mean, I was just getting used to 25, and now I'm 27. Well on my way to 30.

It was a good day. My coworkers decorated my cubicle and we had cake and brownies. We all went out for happy hour after work, then I came home to phone messages and cards from friends and family. My in-laws came over for a bit for coffee and a birthday visit. When John came home, he brought me flowers and they are so pretty. I asked him to put them in a vase for me, but apparently he doesn't know what a vase is because he put them in a water pitcher. :) That's my husband!

Invariably, at milestones I always look back and ask if I have accomplished all that I thought that I would by this age. Yes and no. I have a great husband, a wonderful family, good friends, a good secure job (no matter how much it bugs me sometimes, but that's why it's a "job" and not "happy fun time"), and hobbies that I find very fulfilling. But then other things I look at and I wonder when will I ever get there. I thought that I would be farther ahead in the corporate world, and not just acting like some highly trained monkey typing things in a computer (okay, it's really not that bad, but some days...GAH!). I thought that I might have started my master's degree by now, as that is something that I would really like to do. I thought that John and I would be settled here in the area that we live in now, but there may be upheaval ahead of us due to his company's situation. I am one of those people who wishes I could plan everything, but I am learning that the nature of life is that it is spontaneous, and cannot be planned or anticipated. As much as I don't like that.

I am thankful for all that I have and all I have accomplished, and I hope that the next year will be as good as my years so far.

So now for some knitting content. On Thursday night I finished my orange and pink felted bag. I got most of the handle part done at Knit Knite, then I came home and finished up the last few rows, bound off, wove in my ends, and then felted it. Twice, because the first time the bag wasn't tight enough for my liking. And now it's Saturday and it is still drying! BOOO! I just want to use it! So now I have to decide what I want to work on next....start a new project? or work on one of the ones I already have going? Hmmm decisions....

Wednesday

2006-04-05T19:50:00.000-04:00

Tonight I had breakfast for dinner. I love that....I had bacon, eggs, and a waffle. There is something so comforting about breakfast foods, I must have really needed that today.

I have had a headache that has hung on all day, despite some Aleve and lots of water. Sometimes I find the only cure for a headache is sleep. I may head there sooner than later. I have lots of TV watching to catch up on and the DVR I use is in the bedroom (yes, my husband and I each have our own DVR, but that's only because they were giving away the one I now have for free because it is smaller and old. That's okay with me!) so I really only watch my recorded shows when I'm in bed. So maybe I'll put on my jammies, pull out my knitting and watch some Gilmore Girls or some old episodes of Lost.

Tomorrow night is Knit Knite. I wanted to have my purse all done and felted and dried by then so I could model it, but no such luck. Oh well, that's what I'm going to work on tonight. We'll see how far I get.

Tuesday

2006-04-04T21:12:00.000-04:00

What a perfect end to a pretty good workday....a glass of red wine with delicious leftovers (which tasted even better because I didn't have to cook anything tonight), new stationary (I don't know what it is about new pens and Post-It notes, but it just makes me smile. My new pens are fabulous to write with!), and to top it off, the new Interweave Knits and the new Vogue Knitting. They are in perfect, unopened, uncreased condition. And I can tell from the covers that they promise delicious spring and summer patterns that I will want to start making right this second! GAH! So many projects I want to make, so little time. So this is a short post, as I either have to go and knit or go and read magazines. Maybe I'll do a bit of both...it's not time for bed yet!

Spring has truly sprung!

2006-03-30T20:55:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe how beautiful it was outside today! It is finally spring. And the signs of it are everywhere...the sun setting later in the day, so I get to watch fantastic sunsets over the lake on my drive home, and the geese and swans flying in from the South, and people walking around without jackets on. There is something about spring that is just so full of promise and hope and rebirth. Spring and fall are my two favourite times of the year, and they never seem to last long enough.

I got my car washed on the way home and washed winter off of it. That was a good feeling, it really needed it! And I wish I could write about how I rushed home from work to enjoy the gorgeous day. But instead, I worked late when I really didn't want to be there. That's okay, the weekend is just around the corner. And it's going to be a good one.

I'm making good progress on my Fabulous Pink and Orange Felted Bag to go with my coat. In fact, I must go so I can knit....the warmer it is outside, the more I am hankering to finish this purse so I can just use it already!

Jumbled thoughts all woven together...

2006-03-23T22:00:00.000-05:00

I had a great time at Knit Knite tonight. What a great bunch of ladies. And I bought Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn to make felted marsupial bags for Karen, Hillary and for me to match my new jacket. After much debate I settled on bring pink and orange for my purse. It will look fabulous! I just want to start knitting it right now! GAH! And it was 20% off, because I mentioned the A Knitter's Corner website. I promise I will post a picture of me modeling the purse with my jacket when it is all done.

My parents are in Mexico this week. And now I really miss them. I talk to my mom at least 2-3 times a week, and I haven't talked to them since Friday. And that didn't really count, because I called to wish them a great trip and my aunt and uncle that were travelling with them had already arrived so I was nicely blown off. Which I completely understand. But I really miss my chats with her. They get back Saturday night, and then my aunt and uncle fly out Sunday early afternoon, so I think I will accost them with a phone call on Sunday afternoon.

When I was driving back from Knit Knite tonight, it was so clear outside in the night sky. I could see so many stars. I can't wait for summer when I can sit out and watch the stars beside a nice wood fire. Those are some of my best memories as a child.

Marmelade was very happy to see me when I got home. He kept licking my face repeatedly, to the point that I had to get him off of me. He is definitely a licker! Right now he is cleaning himself on John's computer chair. That's his normal spot, when he's not sitting on me, when I am on the computer.

Well, I should go to bed. I keep hearing everyone at work sniffling and sneezing and coughing, and I think I have been just barely holding off that cold that everyone is getting.

Mysterious Ways

2006-03-22T21:53:00.000-05:00

Today started out really crappy. I arrived at work today to find the mountain of papers on my desk that have been accumulating since Monday. I felt like I was drowning. So I started in on it as soon as I got there, hoping to make a bit of a dent. My coworker who sits across the aisle asked me if everything was okay, because I obviously wasn't my regular cheerful self) and that's when it all came out. She is a wonderful person, and patiently listened while I agonized and cried (yes, I cried at work, though not in front of everyone THANK GOODNESS) and she empathized and explained that she knew exactly how I felt and that she had been there too, feeling overwhelmed and in tears. I felt so much better knowing I wasn't the only one. Something about our conversation really helped me recover and get back on track.

As we came close to lunch time, she told me that she and one of my other coworkers are starting a bible study and plan to meet on Wednesdays on our lunch hour and she asked if I would like to join. We've talked about our faith before, and though we are both spiritual, we worship privately on our own and not in a formal church setting. I was really touched that she included me in this. We had a great time over our lunch hour, discussing the scripture and talking about the discussion questions.

I don't know how, but she really knew exactly what I needed today. I feel like I have been losing perspective due to the stress I have been feeling, but somehow by the end of the day today, even though I was completely exhausted, my desk looked a lot better and I felt a lot better.

I came home tonight and spent some time knitting, for probably the longest time on a weeknight since I started working (aside from Knit Knite). It was great, and it was exactly what I needed. I finally picked up Picovoli again (yes, I know, it is still no where near done...it's awful!) and I got past my trouble spot so now I seem to be on track. That is very VERY exciting.

So what started out as a total crap day turned out to be a good day. And tomorrow will definitely be a good day, because it's Knit Knite and I am bringing my knitting in my new bag and I will be buying yarn to make purses for me, Karen, and Hillary, and the yarn I need to buy is on sale. A YARN SALE! Life does not get better than this! ;)

Okay, bed time for me...

Pictures Galore!

2006-03-18T10:59:00.000-05:00

So what are all of these pictures? Well, there is no better place to start than the beginning. This first pic is of the fabric my new trenchcoat is made of. I got it at the GAP on sale. I love the GAP, but can only somewhat afford their clothing when it is on sale. They had this colour as well as beige, black, and a pretty blue. They didn't have the blue in my size so I did something uncharacteristic of myself and bought this crazy patterned jacket. My husband was surprised at me. But I love this trench, and I received a lot of compliments about it on the two nice days we had around here when I wore it.

Picture Number 2: The yarn for my Parisian Knit Tote that I took a class about a week ago. The picture doesn't really do the yarn justice, because the colours are so DELICIOUS together. It would have gone perfectly with the blue trench. I'll just have to make another to go with my fabulous trench.

Picture Number 3: Marmelade with my yarn. He likes to chew on strings and therefore yarn is also an obsession for him. That is as close as I have let him come to my fibres in a long time.

Picture Number 4: My new knitting bag, courtesy of Lynne. I love it! I love just carrying it around the house. Which probably explains my lack of knitting recently.

Picture Number 5: My new glasses. Yes, they are olive green and purple. They are so cool! My other glasses were blue and I felt they were not neutral enough. When I got new glasses, I wanted some that were more neutral. We looked at a bunch that were brown and black, but these ones were just neutral enough that I hardly even notice that they are olive green. I know my mom won't like them, she hates that green colour.

I am starting to notice just how much I stand out as a Canadian down here. For starters, I can't stop spelling colour without a "U". So I just leave it. And at work this week, I presented something at our weekly staff meeting and when I was talking everyone started laughing. This totally threw me because I had no idea what was so funny! When a room full of people start laughing at you, especially when it's my team, I was thinking either they had played a practical joke or that I had something hanging out of my nose or something else equally embarassing. But what they had found so funny was the way I say "process". Apparently they say it "prawcess" and I say "proocess". I know they find it funny when I say "out and about" but I don't really notice it that much. It's so interesting how things can be so different here compared to where I came from.

My parents are going to Mexico this week. I am really jealous. In fact, I can't really talk about it much more because I am just green with envy. It's so cold here! GAH! But I'm excited for them.

So yes, there really hasn't been that much knitting recently. And there will be even less this weekend. We're getting our taxes done, and then our nephew is coming to sleep over! That should be fun. He and John are going to do boy things, and maybe then I can knit a little. Let's hope...

It is all so clear now...

2006-03-06T20:36:00.000-05:00

For the last few weeks my eyes have really been bothering me. To the point that I have frequent headaches and that I wear my glasses all of the time that I really only used before when my eyes were tired. Mondays are the worst because we have the most mail that day and therefore the most small numbers and text to read on the mail.

So today I went to the eye doctor. He said that I definitely should be wearing glasses all of the time now for close work, especially when I am on the computer. So new glasses for me! They are slightly stronger, which will make a big difference. And of course I had to have cool frames. I don't want to tell you what they look like yet, but they are definitely cool.

Marmalade was in to be neutered and declawed this weekend. I think it was harder on me than it was for him. He seems to be almost back to his old self, though he isn't into as many things as he was before and he doesn't bat around his toys that much, probably because his paws still hurt a little. Poor little guy. Right now, he is lying on my lap and purring and doing everything in his power to make it impossible for me to blog. Oh how I love him!

Awww kitty

2006-03-06T20:12:00.000-05:00

Knittin' Pretty has a new blog name...and a new button! So cute!

Knitting

2006-02-26T21:23:00.000-05:00

Some knitting was accomplished this week. Much more was completed after Lynne showed me how to make a stitch so I could continue with my Sitcom Chic cardigan. It was so simple, but I'll be darned if I could do it on my own looking at a diagram of how to do it. Thankfully, I was able to teach myself how to unknit something, so I was able to fix my mistake and then carry on after Thursday's Knit Knite.

So I've knitted a lot more this weekend. Not as much as I could've, I guess. There was a fair amount going on. The requisite cleaning and laundry which only seems to get done on weekends, the grocery shop, the hair appointment, visiting with the in-laws, and reading. I finally finished Marley and Me, and just in time too because Book Club is this Thursday (why does everything I am interested in have to be on a Thursday? WHY?) It was such a great book, I cried for just about the last 40 pages though because I knew what was coming. But there was much laughing too, which made it a very good book.

For some reason, all of this week I have had a very strong urge to go running. In highschool, I was on the track team and I LOVED IT! I loved the feeling of exhirilation when I was pushing my body to new limits and challenging myself to beat my own best time. I loved that running high. And I miss it. Since highschool, I have not been able to commit to a running schedule, or any sort of workout schedule for that matter. Which is SO bad. But I think I am finally ready to make that commitment to myself, especially since I have been feeling that yearning to run. So I decided to start out slowly and start walking first. John and I went for a nice walk this morning along the canal, and though we froze our butts off, we enjoyed ourselves. The last time I tried running was about 3 years ago now and a friend and I decided to do a 5 km marathon, but in training for it I pulled a muscle very badly in my knee. So walking to build up strength is definitely a necessity. Then I'll run a little bit at a time and see how it goes. Hopefully by the time I'm running a lot spring will be here and it won't be so cold outside! I'm really pumped. And in writing about it, I hope that it means that I will be more likely to stick with it. Wish me luck!

Ahhhh Sunday...where did the weekend go?

2006-02-19T11:45:00.000-05:00

This week, I have tried to make a concerted effort to knit a little bit everyday. Which doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is for me. I find by the time I get home, make dinner, sit, figure out what I'm going to wear the next day and de-wrinkle it, make my lunch, play with the cat and get his food and litter all set, it is like 10 and I need to go to bed. Where does the time go? If I want to get any of my projects EVER finished, there must be some daily work happening. So have I have tried to knit two rows everyday. And since I'm currently focusing on Sitcom Chic, that takes about 45 minutes becuase I'm working with 147 stitches on a row. It's coming along! I got more done on it this weekend. It's a nice pattern because you start at the bottom of the cardigan, and then you only do an increase row once every 12 rows. So it's mostly mindless at this point. My kind of knitting! Picovoli is still sitting in a heap of yarn, still not on the needles. If I have time today, I might cast on for it again.

So today is Daytona 500 Day, the one Nascar race John actually makes a point of watching. So he's on the couch most of today. Me, I have a little array of projects I am going to work on. We bought Quicken personal finance software yesterday so I'm going to install that. I am also going to set up our filing cabinet with files to keep track of all of our stuff. I have some reading to do for work, that will help me prepare for the future opportunities in the department. Of course, some work on Sitcom Chic and Picovoli. And I'm going to do some fun reading! I have decided to join a book club that one of the new girls at work told me about, and I am so excited. I have always wanted to be a part of a book club and be more well read. We are reading Marley and Me, by John Grogan. It's about their lab, Marley, and their adventures raising him. It's really good so far!

Well, off to my Sunday tasks.

GAH!

2006-02-12T20:09:00.000-05:00

It was a good weekend, all in all. Saturday my parents came up to visit and we checked out the town of Medina. Though Medina is where I go to Knit Knite, I have never been anywhere else in town except for the yarn store. I tend not to be a very adventurous person, but having my parents here was the perfect excuse to explore a little. Very cute shops there. Then we headed back to our house, where John and I made dinner for all of our parents. It was really nice. Our families live so far apart that they really haven't seen each other much since our wedding, so it was a good night. I miss my parents a lot, especially when I've had a great visit and then they go home.

Today was laundry and knitting day. The laundry went smoothly enough, I actually folded stuff that has sat in baskets for two weeks because I was way too lazy. And the knitting....so I was working away on Picovoli because I had finally figured it all out with the picot edge thing. I was knitting a round where I had to knit so many stitches and then place a marker, etc. Well, I was just coming around the bend to the end of the round when I discovered that I was one stitch too short. I went back and counted everything...no, all of the other markers were in the right place. GAH! So somewhere, somehow, when I did the picot row with the yarn overs, knit two togethers, I lost a stitch. Because I had the right number when I cast on! DOUBLE GAH! I am such a perfectionist that it would drive me crazy if it wasn't correct right from the beginning. So. I. Ripped. It. Out. AGAIN. OMG talk about frustration. I had to put it down and physically walk away. And then I picked up Sitcom Chic, which is my lovely one button cardigan that I had only just cast on for. I bought some circular needles to knit it on since the crowded straight needle was driving me bonkers, so I happily worked on that today with no problems. I'm debating trying to start Picovoli again tonight, but I think I might just keep it simple for the rest of the weekend and not further frustrate myself. Yeah, that's what I'll do...

EUREKA!

2006-02-07T19:29:00.000-05:00

As I was browsing through my Stitch n Bitch books to look for information about picking up stitches, I happened to come across the mention of picot edges. And low and behold, the Nation book actually has directions to do a picot edge. That don't involve a provisional cast on! I tried but failed so many times, but I still desperately want my edging to sit nicely and not roll up. So I found a solution. It says to knit in stockinette stitch for about 1/2" to 1" and then do a row of yarn overs and knit two togethers, and then simply sew the edge of the hem to the inside. I am so pumped, I am totally going to try it! Good thing I hadn't started my increasing for the neckline yet! I'll just continue on in my stockinette and then start the increasing, which thanks to Chris I now know how to do...okay, must go and knit...

A knitting update...

2006-02-06T20:13:00.000-05:00

This past week was tax free week in NYS. Which also includes yarn, if you are using it to make a garment.

So to take full advantage, I decided to venture to a yarn shop. On Knittin' Pretty's blog she talked about a yarn shop over in Henrietta which is also very close to where I work, so when I got out on Saturday after my overtime I thought it would be the perfect time to go. Plus, they had a coupon on their website for $10 off if you spend over $40. Tax free and saving $10? Really, I couldn't not go!

The Yarne Shop, as it is called, was so cute. And on display they had the most fabulous purses I have ever seen! Well, most fabulous knitted purses anyways. And they have classes to learn how to make them. That will definitely be on my list of things to do! Anywho, I found yarn to make a Halley's Comet Hat and Lucky. I am so excited!

Last night I restarted Picovoli and am now three rows in. Which doesn't sound like much, but it's my best bit of progress to date! Now I just have to figure out how to knit in the front and back of a stitch, and I will be okay.

Okay, must go and knit...

Thursday

2006-02-02T22:36:00.000-05:00

I should be going to bed now, since I have to get up at 5:30 for work. But I'm just not tired enough to go to bed. I will invariably lay there, with my mind working at top speed, for at least half an hour and then I might fall asleep. So frustrating! I wish I was one of those people who could fall asleep right away.

Oh, I didn't blog about this the other night. Our kitten is now 5 months old and he is oh so curious and gets into EVERYTHING! We've been putting him in the basement when we're not home or when we are sleeping, because he can have the run of the whole basement and that way he won't get in to anything upstairs. Well, I feel bad putting Marmelade down there at night because he cries and wants to be upstairs with me. So on Tuesday night, I decided that I would let the cat stay upstairs for the night as a trial run. When he gets older and calms down more, he won't have to spend the night downstairs. And for the first 2 months he was here, he stayed upstairs at night. So I thought it wouldn't be a big deal AT ALL for him to be upstairs. Boy was I wrong! I went to bed at 10:30 and I woke up at midnight to a big crash. I go out to the living room to find the cat had knocked over the table lamp and broke part of it (thankfully nothing crucial because it still works) and got glass everywhere! And he also got into our fake plant-tree and knocked it over and pulled a bunch of the leaves off. What a little bugger! So the cat will no longer be hanging out upstairs unsupervised.

And even tonight, he was trying to climb the fake plant-tree again! As soon as I would come over, he would run behind the couch where he knows I can't get him. GAH! I love him, but he drives me NUTS!

I made cookies tonight. I have been craving cookies for a while. And after dinner was so crappy, I needed a pick-me-up. I made turkey chili with our leftover turkey. It was one of those things where they give you the seasoning and the beans and you add the rest of the stuff. It was so bland, and even with adding chili powder it wasn't that great. I hope John liked it, because there is a lot more left.

So not really a lot of knitting going on here. I'm going to have to get myself into a weeknight knitting routine, or else I will never get anything done. And I can't buy more yarn unless I am finishing projects. GAH!

Okay, now I'm starting to feel tired. Good night!

A quick update

2006-01-31T21:53:00.000-05:00

So that dishcloth I keep posting about? It's still not done...this is just one example of how little I am accomplishing these days. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I finally bought a Sudoku puzzle book on the weekend and I am obsessed with it! Especially now since I have solved some easy ones and now "get it". And maybe it has something to do with the pile of laundry I had to do this past weekend, and all of the other household things that somehow don't get done during the week now that I am working and need to be done on the weekend. Mind you, John is really stepping up and helping out WAY more than I expected, which is wonderful, but there is still a lot to do and I really like relaxing! :) The dishcloth will be done tonight, just one more row and then binding off I think. I'm trying to make sure it is almost a perfect square, without measuring it. Then I can wash it with the mound of other linens I have waiting.

I must have written about how Marmelade chewed through the yarn of my Picovoli. Yeah, haven't started that yet. Maybe tomorrow I'll sit down and cast on for that again. It's a shame it's not done yet, because I keep thinking how great it would look under some of my suit jackets at work! GAH! Okay, must go and knit...

A wee bit wintry out...

2006-01-25T21:30:00.000-05:00

It is unusual for it to be so long for me in between posts. Well, what can I say? I started my new job this week, and this whole working full time thing can really cut into computer time. Plus, I have been very frustrated yet again in Knitting Land. My cat, Marmelade, chewed through the yarn connecting my two lines of Picovoli to my working yarn. Thankfully I wasn't farther along! But it serves me right for leaving my knitting bag open! Anywho, I haven't really knit much since then because I have started this project at least 10 times now, and between the casting on and now this, I'm a little discouraged. So I'm focusing on my dishcloth, which has been slow going. I think I might knit a few rows of that tonight to calm my work-minded mind. I find that starting a new job always leaves my mind so full because of everything I am taking in. It's a good feeling.

Tomorrow night, Pampered Chef Knit Knite! I'm excited, Chris!

Finished Projects 2006

2006-01-19T13:44:00.000-05:00

I present to you Meema's Felted Marsupial Bag and That Seventies Poncho from the Stitch n Bitch series, in their completed forms.

Nothing gets you out of a knitting funk like finishing a project. After my last post at my mom's place, I pulled out Meema's bag and finished it. I only had like 15 rounds left and on big needles, that goes fast. And it was easy to do while I was visiting. Then I felted it at my mom's house, because my mom and sister wanted to witness the magic of felting. I shaved it today and it looks much better. TADA! Now I just need to get snaps for it! And yes, it really does have handles, but the pic isn't very good.

Now what do I want to work on next?...

So freaking frustrated

2006-01-17T15:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was yet another day of frustrated knitting. I thought I finally mastered the provisional cast on, but then I realized that I cast on SO tightly that it was really impossible to knit and I don't really know how to do it any more losely, so I gave up on that and decided to make Picovoli without the picots because really, I would like to be able to wear this garment sometime this year. So I cast on again and joined my stitches, only to realize I was knitting with my yarn tail instead of my working yarn. GAH! So that was the end of me knitting last night. I get to a point sometimes where I just can't do anymore. I was too upset to even pick up Sitcom Chic.

So today I am in Canada. I came up to visit with Ashley and to hang out at my parents' place so that the counter top they ordered can be delivered tomorrow (no one else would be around and since I was planning to come up anyways, I arranged to be here so it could be delivered, I am such a good daughter). I wasn't planning to come up until tonight, but then I found out that there was supposed to be freezing rain, because my mom called me frantically to tell me to plan my trip around it. I checked the weather and the radar when I left and I saw no sign of rain. Well, as soon as I got to St. Catharines, the temperature dropped and the rain started. By the time I got to Hamilton, it was quite nasty. On Highway 6, there were like two accidents and one of them was really bad. That really threw a wrench in my plans...I was going to stop at the mall on the way, but I decided it would really be best just to get there so I can relax at home.

So to help me relax, I tried to pick up stitches on my sister's scarf that she wants to lengthen because she only knit it with one skein of yarn and she got another one. But there are two problems with this idea, Sarah, as I have discovered:

1. the yarn is not a standard yarn, so I figured out how many stitches she had knit with originally and I even figured out what pattern she used, but I cannot see how to pick up 36 stitches evenly along the scarf. I tried two times and it just wasn't happening.

2. the second skein of yarn is from a different dye lot, so from the little I knitted up when I was figuring out the scarf I could tell that it would be very easy to tell that she started another ball of yarn. That would be a big issue for me because I am a total perfectionist, so I don't know how she will feel about it.

But this, unfortunately, only adds to my current knitting frustration. I think I'm getting a headache...

A productive day?

2006-01-16T10:22:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we met Karen and Eric and the kids for breakfast. We went to the Two Brothers in Brockport, it's pretty good. Then we headed over to John's parents' place for a visit, and then shortly after that Karen and Eric got there too. We all hung out there for a while and then we went in to Hilton to go to Ben Franklin. I've never been there before, and Carol had saved me a flyer from there. I have been wanting to get the yarn to make Sitcom Chic, and it called for Lion Brand Cotton Ease which is cool with me because it's inexpensive, so we went to check it out in the Yarn Barn part of the store, and I found some Red Heart yarn on sale that would be a perfect replacement. As if I bought yarn to make a cardigan for $10, but it's true!

So then we headed home and I tried starting both Sitcom Chic and Picovoli. So Sitcom Chic calls for you to cast on 145 stitches and then work a K1, P1 rib for the first three rows. Well, I have learned from making my discloth that having an odd number of stitches does not produce a K1, P1 ribbing, so I think she made a mistake. Just to be sure, I did cast on and give it a shot and low and behold, no ribbing. So I'm amending the pattern a little (EEEEKKKK!) and we'll see how that goes. Oh, and when the pattern author suggests knitting with circulars back and forth instead of straight needles, I will listen next time because there were a heck of a lot of stitches crammed on those straight needles. As for Picovoli, my swatch was finished drying in the morning so I was ready to begin. I decided that I would try the picots even though it might be harder, because this project is all about expanding my skills. So I had to learn the provisional cast on method. I found a great site that has a description and video of what to do, so that definitely helped. When I tried it though I noticed that all of my stitches were twisting big time. By then it was time for Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy, so I am going to try again today and see how it goes.

So I've put the coffee on (I can smell it....mmmmmmm) and I'm getting ready to settle in for a day of knitting.

A Project Update...and Saturday Stuff

2006-01-14T15:18:00.000-05:00

I think I am starting to become overwhelmed by all of the projects I am currently working on and all of the projects that I want to start.

To recap, both for my readers and for myself, this is what I am currently working on: (hold on, must go and get my very full knitting bag...)

-a pretty little discloth for my own kitchen, to replace one of the ones that I got as a wedding shower present. I couldn't figure out how to make the one that I got, so I am making my own using an odd number of stitches and a K1, P1 pattern. It is making a fairly sturdy little cloth and I am very pleased. I am almost halfway done that. Wohoo for small projects!

digging deeper in the bag we find...

-Meema's Felted Marsupial Tote, from Stitch n Bitch, which is coming along swimmingly...I think I am almost ready to switch to the second color which is a gorgeous chocolate brown

under that we find...

-my Lion Brand socks which I am knitting from the pattern on the back of the yarn package. I've never knit socks before, and I have never knit on DPNs before, so I figured I'd give it a shot before I tried some other patterns.

and what just came in the mail and that I just brought in literally two minutes ago?

-my KnitPicks Shine yarn in Cream to make Picovoli . I am so excited! This will be my first KAL and now I can finally start! I think it may be a little hard though, but at least I have the Sexy Knitters Club website to refer to.

My projects are pictured above, not really in any sort of order because that would require me to be more organized. And since I just tore all over the house looking for my S n B book and then my camera to even write this post, I'm done.

As for things I would like to make, my list is getting bigger and bigger. Here are some listed below:

-Lucky, from S n B Nation, it is so delicate looking and would be so nice for work
-Hurry Up Spring Armwarmers, from S n B Nation (that is what I will use my dyeable yarn from KnitPics for, I'm excited!) though I don't think I'll make them as long as the armwarmers
-Cable Knit Purse which is just SO beautiful and feminine! I think I might make it with the butterfly from Butterflies are Free in S n B Nation though, cause I LOVE butterflies!
-Halley's Comet Hat, because I am totally in love with it! Though I think that I would have to have my head down all of the time so people can see the top of the hat because it is so pretty
-Honeymoon Cami, because summer is just around the corner! And you can't go wrong with a cute cami to wear under a suit or just on it's own on the weekend
-Jaywalker socks, mainly because I have seen Lisa and Lynne's WIPs of this pattern and it looks very hard! and very pretty! Maybe it's just the yarn they are using, but I would like to attempt this...someday...
-Butterfly Socks, from my gift from the Christmas Knit Party
-Sitcom Chic cardi, because I am slowly becoming obsessed with this pattern. I literally look at it everday. It would be perfect for the office at my new job, cute yet professional
-Tempting, because it looks pretty easy and I am really interested in making more garments to wear
-Straight Neck Pullover from Hollywood Knits, because it looks fairly easy and I'd like to have a breezy sweater

I think that is the list for now. I get so excited, I just want to start more and more things, but I really need to finish something too. I have one more week of lazing around, so we'll see what else I can knock off the list.

Okay must go and knit before I have to start supper. I am going to try another new recipe, Lazy Perogy Casserole. I love perogies, and since I really don't know how to make them, though I am sure they are super easy, and since I never remember to buy them at the store, I figured this would help to satisfy the craving. Then John and I are having a Date Night In, and we're going to have some recreational beverages and play games. My friend Anna and I just cracked open our new Sequence travel version the other night (it is the most fun and most addictive game ever, you MUST get it!), so I think that we will play Sequence and Uno and maybe some other games that we got, I think we have Taboo and some kind of Rummoli game in the game drawer too. I am so excited, I don't know why I am so into board games lately but it's so fun.

Just an all round good day...

2006-01-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

What a great day I am having! This morning, Lisa helped me with my felted bag and we had a lovely time knitting together. Then when I got home, there were messages from someone interested in buying my car that I had to leave in Canada and from someone at the company I've been interviewing with. So I called back and I was offered two of the three jobs! I accepted the one that I was really hoping I would get and I am just tickled pink! I mean, I am just so excited! Now I can knit my little heart out until I start working. Now what would really top this day off is if the person wants to buy my car and offers me money on the spot...we'll see!

Cute as a button

2006-01-09T13:01:00.000-05:00

Knittin' Pretty made the cutest little button. I have to learn how to make those, it is so nice!

Blogging from Canada

2006-01-07T20:11:00.000-05:00

I'm at my parents' place in Canada for the weekend. I had a couple of errands to run, and decided to make a weekend of it. We had pizza last night, it was super tasty. I love Nick's pizza. I was able to see Kim and Bridgette, she is getting so much bigger and she is SO cute! And then last night, we had a family game of Sequence. I don't know if you've played Sequence, but you must. It is so fun! My mom and I won a lot! John and I have a travel version for two, but he played with just my brother over the holidays and decided that it's really not as fun with only two people, so he's not that excited to play the game with me. BOOOOOOO!

Today has been a nice relaxing day. My dad left for China and Italy this afternoon on business, so I'm glad I was here to see him off. I've spent most of the day knitting. My sock is growing! Mostly because I really can't figure out the pick up stitches thing on the purse. My mom tried to help me, but I'm not really convinced that she knows what she is doing (sorry Mom, you really didn't sound that confident) so I will seek help elsewhere (yes Lisa, that means you! LOL Thank you!) We had perogies and shrimp for supper and it was fantastic. My sister is such a great cook, she just invents all of these things and puts them together and they taste fab! It took her a few years to get that good though (sorry Sarah, but it's true). I remember some concoctions she made that were barely edible. But that was a long long time ago.

I'll be heading back to the US of A tomorrow. I'm glad I wasn't heading back tonight, the roads are a little slippery. We saw the QEW on the news and the cars were all over the place. I hate winter driving! GAH!

So much progress...

2006-01-05T16:55:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was pretty much a knitting day. So, I started and finished the i-cord for the poncho! YAY me! So it is now OFFICIALLY done! I would post a pic, but I want one of me wearing it and unfortunately there is no one here right now to take a picture but the cat. I also finished up the bottom of my felted purse from the first S 'n B book. Which really, wasn't that much of an accomplishment. It's only 16 sts wide and knitting 44 rows with that few stitches on such big needles takes no time at all. I was just stalling a bit because I'm not 100% sure of the next step and I really don't want to mess it all up. See, I don't know how to fix mistakes. So I just don't make them. I think I might try knitting up a little swatch and testing it out on my own to see if I do it right. I have to pick up stitches from the sides and bottom of the purse so that I'll be knitting it in the round the rest of the way up. I'm sure it's deceptively simple, but I scared!

I had my third interview for as many jobs at the same company today. Again, it went well. I got word that I will be contacted shortly for a second interview for one of the jobs so I am really excited and I really hope it get it! GAH! Continue to keep your fingers crossed. I know they are cramping up now, but just do it!

Knitting pics

2006-01-03T17:53:00.000-05:00

I found these free pictures when I was searching around the web for knitting images. I thought they were so cute!

Sexy Knitters Club KAL

2006-01-03T12:38:00.000-05:00

Today I decided to join the Sexy Knitters Club Knit A Long. We are making the cutest little shirt called the Picovoli. I just ordered my yarn today, KnitPicks Shine in Cream because it goes with everything and I need a little shell-type shirt I can wear with everything, so I really hope it comes soon so I can get started. It looks like it might be a little challenging, but I need a challenge and I definitely want to improve my knitting skills so I need to try things that I don't think I can do! And then rely on my knitting friends to help me through it! :)

This whole yarn obsession thing is really getting in the way of my job search. Okay Krista...FOCUS! :) I got another call today for ANOTHER interview for a different position in the same company I interviewed with last week. This job sounds pretty interesting too. I just hope that I can have a SECOND interview for one of the jobs that I've already interviewed for. They said it can take them up to 3 weeks to make a hiring decision. I am just so anxious! and excited!

Okay, must get back to the searching...I figure if I put in a pretty good day of work, than I am allowed to knit at night. Pretty good trade off, I think! ;)

THE PONCHO IS OFF THE NEEDLES!

2006-01-02T22:50:00.000-05:00

Words cannot describe how proud I am to announce that I finished knitting the poncho. And it actually looks like a poncho and it actually fits and I actually like it and I think I will actually wear it! UNBELIEVABLE! This was by far the biggest project I have ever attempted, so I am so tickled pink with myself. I would post a pic, but I haven't started or finished the i-cord that is supposed to go up near the neckline. I just had to start something else, I didn't want to do the i-cord yet. So I started on my felted bag and it's going really well so far. I also tried to start a pair of socks, not the butterfly socks but another pair of socks I already knit the gauge for. I've never really knit on double pointed needles before so that was hard to figure out how the needles had to go with all of the stitches on them. I started a couple of times and I think I've got the hang of it, but it wasn't as much fun as the purse so I ditched it. I'll start the i-cord tomorrow or something.

I was really hoping to have the poncho finished by 2006 and I was so close. I only had 5 rows and binding off left on the 30th. But the 31st turned into a day of visiting the in-laws, running some errands, and then cleaning up and preparing muchies and getting dinner and then cleaning that up before John's sister and her family came over for New Year's. So instead I finished it on the 1st. That's pretty much what I did all day - finished knitting it and then I wove in all of the ends.

Oh right, I was so excited to write about my poncho that I didn't even write about New Year's. It was nice! We had a good time. I far prefer to have a nice quiet night with friends than go out on the town and be out with throngs of people. It must be my old age talking! :)

So 2006 has been pretty good so far, all two days of it. Lots of knitting, quality time with family...just the way I like it!

Odd Bits

2005-12-30T13:56:00.000-05:00

Lynne's Christmas Knit In was so much fun! Be sure to follow the link to her blog to see pics of the event...and pics of me! She is such a doll! Lisa, her daughter Carol Grace, and I carpooled over together. Carol Grace picked out the best gift for me in the exchange...yarn and a pattern to make butterfly socks! I really want to learn how to make socks. I am really excited to start! Chris got a super cool gift that I think I may want to try too, she got yarn to dye and Koolaid to dye it with!

So since the knit in, it's been pretty hectic. Interview Wednesday morning, and then my family came up to visit. My mom and I went to Joanne's on the Ridge, while my dad, brother, and John went to Circuit City and Dick's. Mom got some gorgeous fabric to make another quilt; when I talked to her today she already had part of it pieced together. Then we regrouped and we went to A.C. Moore and the boys went to Media Play. All in all, it was a very productive day. Then we came back and had leftover turkey they brought with them. Mmmm turkey leftovers! Then Thursday, I had another interview for a different job at the same company. I REALLY hope I get that one, the position and the department both sound great. GAH! Keep your fingers crossed for me. When I got home, we met up with Karen, Eric, Owen, Shawnee and Marc for dinner in Spencerport. I got some kind of alfredo chicken broccoli sundried tomatoe pasta dish and it was fab! Thankfully there was so much that I have leftovers!

So that brings us to today. We put away Christmas this morning and now I'm just running around doing odd jobs that unfortunately have to be done around the house. John is setting up our DVR that we got for Christmas. It seems to be going well. I am about to start my own little knit-a-thon to get that stupid (yes, we are calling it stupid now) poncho done! GAH! Okay, must go and knit....

Almost a new year...

2005-12-27T15:07:00.000-05:00

Christmas was very nice this year. John and I were able to spend time with both of our families and we had a great time. We just got back last night from my parents' place. I realized when I was home and I saw Kim and her growing family that I haven't really been home all that much since I moved. I think I may tentatively make that my resolution - to stay in better touch with old friends and work towards making new friends here in WNY.

My unofficial Naked Stix by 2006 progress is slow and steady. I really hope I can finish the last project off. Wish me luck!

So tonight is the Christmas Knit In at Lynne's house, and then I have an interview tomorrow at 9:00 am and then my family is coming to visit in the early afternoon. The only thing I know that we are doing is that we are going to Joanne's for my mom to get quilting fabric. It should be a good time!

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-23T17:27:00.000-05:00

Last present knitted up last night +
Last item made up for my gift to pass for the Christmas Knit in (I hope my recipient likes it, because I am excited!) +
Hopefully last shopping trip for last minute ingredients and wrapping stuff (Ridge Road was insane!) +
Last presents wrapped with bows and tags and stashed under the tree (even though all of the presents under the tree are going somewhere else, I just think it looks more festive) +
Christmas sweets baking completed =

Finally relaxing with some Bailey's Creme Caramel (man, it is ever good) on the rocks under a nice blanket near the lit up Christmas tree with my darn poncho that I will have done by January 1!

Well, I do have a bit more work tomorrow. I'm making Chocolate Cheesecake muffins for Christmas morning because I insist that John and I make a tradition for breakfast on Christmas morning and even though I really like Cranberry Orange muffins John said that we really need to start our own tradition and not just carry on my mother's. I've never tried this recipe before, let's hope it's good. And I have to make Eclair cake to take to Karen's for the Markle Christmas gathering, and make up a sweet tray but that's easy.

Merry Christmas!

A Finished Project!

2005-12-23T10:06:00.000-05:00

Finally, I have finished the scarf for Eric for Christmas. I hope he likes it, but more importantly I hope he wears it! There isn't much to it, but frankly he's a guy and guys don't really care about pretty things, they care about functional things. I had a hard time taking this picture, Marmelade kept trying to jump on and lick the scarf. GAH!

I finished that bad boy up last night so now I only have one more project on sticks. And that is the summer poncho. I have made good progress though, I hope that it too will be done by 2006.

I'm really proud of myself for actually working towards finishing things. It normally takes me forever!

I can hardly believe that today is December 23. Today I have to figure out what we want to eat on Christmas morning, and I need to get some more materials for my secret project. And since my first try turned out so well, it will definitely be part of my gift to pass at the Christmas Knit In. Sorry, no more hints! :)

A good few days...

2005-12-21T14:05:00.000-05:00

Lots of knitting was accomplished on the weekend. The Sound of Music on tv Saturday night definitely helped!

My sister just went home from visiting since Monday. We had such a great time! We went to see Harry Potter (I have wanted to see that for forever), checked out A.C. Moore (I've never been in there before, they have some pretty good deals), finished up my Christmas baking (we remade shortbread cookies and they turned out much better, and we also made nanaimo bars and these nutty cookies that are like brownies and shortbread together) and hung out in our matching pajamas (a gift from my mom last Christmas). I was sad to see her go, but it is snowing pretty hardcore and she wanted to get back before dark. Understandable.

So I am going to attempt to make something, but I don't want to go into detail because if it turns out, it may be one of my gifts to pass at the Christmas Knit In next week.

Sexy Knitters Club and Kim's Baby

2005-12-16T20:28:00.000-05:00

I officially joined the Sexy Knitters Club today. Not that I have really ever knit anything that I would say is even remotely sexy, but I am a young, attractive knitter so therefore I count as a sexy knitter because I am debunking the myth that only old ladies knit. If you look today, or maybe even tomorrow, you will see my first post on the SKC website.

I have to give another thank you to Lisa for her assistance in getting my lovely Sexy Knitters Club and Knitty buttons on my website - it worked! YAY!

Oh, and I also found out something super exciting last night. My friend Kim gave birth to a baby girl on Monday. Her name is Bridgette Renee (not to sure on the spelling). Congratulations Kim and Patrick! Kim is my first close friend to have a baby, I can't wait to see her and the baby when I go back home at Christmas.

No Knit Knite for me

2005-12-15T19:13:00.000-05:00

So due to the freezing rain/sleet that is coming down right now (or maybe it's snowing now, I'm not sure...I can hear the wind and I can't hear rain, so it must be snow now) I decided in the end that it was not a good idea to go to Knit Knite. I even called my mom to get confirmation that I was crazy to think that voluntarily driving when the conditions are bad would be a good idea. And she confirmed I was crazy. So I'm home in my nice warm house with my nice warm slippers and my nice warm kitty on my lap...and soon I'll go and knit with a nice warm blanket on me....ummmmm! I get warm fuzzies just thinking about it. Okay, now the cat is off of my lap and trying to jump at and eat my fingers as I'm typing. But I'm not finished typing yet.

So the shortbread I mentioned in my last post? Yeah...it tastes great! But the darn stuff wouldn't come out of the dish! I even greased it up extra well. I don't get it, like only two of the bars came out nicely. Oh well, John and I ate it right out of the pan, crumbs and all, but that doesn't exactly help the Christmas baking situation. That's okay, my sister is coming to visit next week (YAHOO! I CAN'T WAIT!) and she wants to help with the baking, and she's really good at that stuff, and normally I am too but anyways, we're going to bake and have a great time.

Okay, time to find a warm mug of tea to have with my knitting...

Ummmm shortbread! And knitting!

2005-12-13T22:07:00.000-05:00

I made shortbread tonight. Bit of a different recipe, calls to bake it in a pan like squares and then cut them up into little bars. John absolutely loves shortbread! I hope this shortbread is up to par. I got the recipe from Chatelaine, this Canadian magazine for women that is so great! It has recipes, fashion tips, columns...and of course, I only started reading it like 2 months before I moved here and subscriptions are twice as expensive to have it delivered here in the US. I hope my mom will get it for me for Christmas...she could have it delivered to her house and then I could get it when I go up or when they come down...

I've been knitting most of the evening, and my black Christmas scarf is still not quite half done. I still have a whole other skein of yarn to work in. GAH! And it's December 13....I have to get my knit on, hardcore!

Gas on!

2005-12-12T20:37:00.000-05:00

What a great weekend we just had! We went up to Old Forge, New York for Snodeo, which is basically the kickoff to the snowmobile season and it features a trade show and races and demos. And riding snowmobiles! We snowmobiled Saturday and Sunday.

I have only been snowmobiling one other time and that was like three years ago. There was a tonne of snow near Buffalo (like there isn't always a lot of snow near Buffalo, but I digress) so John and I went with a bunch of people to go riding. I rode on the back of John's sled. Let me just say it was not the best experience of my life; I didn't dress warmly enough, and by the end of the night I had motion sickness from being bounced around on the back of the sled. I was not a big fan.

Fast forward to 2005...this time I got to ride on my niece's sled (she was kind of disappointed because she was just licenced to ride by herself on the sled and she was really looking forward to it, but her parents told her that I was riding) and it was wicked. I still need to get a feel for leaning into the turns and getting comfortable with going a bit faster (I was really holding everyone back, I felt bad) but I did really well. And to top it off, I wasn't cold and I wasn't sick. So I bought the motion sickness medicine for nothing! :) That's okay. It is so beautiful in Old Forge. It is right at the start of the Adirondacks and some of the trails take you on big hills where you can see for miles. The trails for the most part are nice and wide and once they have a better base, are very well groomed. I'm excited to go again!

All this snowmobiling is really cutting into my knitting time though...it's December 12 and I still have at least half a scarf to go, if not more! GAH! Must get knitting...

I tried to make molasses crinkles today as part of my Christmas baking. I don't know why they turned out differently than when my mom makes them, but they just weren't quite right..and I messed a whole bunch of them up when I was taking them off of the cookie sheet. I was SO annoyed. They taste great though, so that's the important part.

Untitled

2005-12-07T14:46:00.000-05:00

I woke up today to see what true lake effect snow is around here....it was freaking nuts! Snow everywhere! Big flakes, and a lot of them! GAH! Normally this would be cause for panic if I have to leave the house, but today John was driving so everything was okay. I still had to be the worst front-seat driver though, it's a wonder he puts up with it and doesn't make me drive myself. Well, the reason for the venture outdoors today was because we found a vehicle! For me! I say that it is mine because for some reason along the line I became not very good at sharing. It is OUR vehicle. We found a nice little 4 by 4 SUV which is exactly what we needed...4 by 4 for me and my distaste for driving in the snow, and 4 by 4 for John so he can tow his snowmobile around up north and tow anything else he might need to tow. I think we get to pick it up next Monday. I am SO EXCITED! By now you've no doubt learned that I get excited over pretty much everything, but this is pretty cool.

So it is once again Wednesday night, good TV night...that and Sunday are pretty much my must watch TV nights. And now Wednesdays are even better because Alias is on after Lost now. So One Tree Hill, followed by Lost, followed by Alias. I'm hoping to get a lot more of my scarf done. I knit so much last night that my hand was starting to cramp...it was a good pain! And it's really coming along. I'll definitely have it done in time for Christmas.

Monday, Monday

2005-12-05T15:29:00.000-05:00

It definitely looks like snow. I was just out getting the mail and over the lake it is all dark and snowy looking. Oh, yep...here is comes. I can see it through the window now that I am back in the house. There are more flakes in the air now. I don't mind the snow as long as I am inside, nice and cozy under a blanket with a warm mug of tea and my knitting. I must find a blanket to cozy up under...I'm still chilly from being outside.

Knit Knite is knit-tastic!

2005-12-01T21:48:00.000-05:00

I had SO much fun tonight. Everyone there was super nice and just about everyone has a blog link off of Lisa's blog, so I'll be checking those out for sure. I even bought yarn for a new project - a marsupial bag! It looks really great AND HARD! But I like a challenge. I picked teal and chocolate brown...my favorite color combination right now. And it teal truly is my favorite color, I have included a picfrom my house to prove it!

Okay, well, the one pic is sideways and you really can't see the yarn that well against that backdrop...well, you get the idea.

Knit Knite...it's tonight!

2005-12-01T15:36:00.000-05:00

Tonight is my very first knitting group get-together and I am so excited. I am so thankful that I came across Lisa on the internet and that she was kind enough to invite me to join her and the rest of the group. I really miss getting together with my friend Kim back home to knit and chat and watch whatever was on TV, so it is so great to get out of the house and knit with some other people. I cannot thank Lisa enough for being so nice. I have to admit, I was starting to feel a little lonely around here because I haven't met that many new people yet, which makes tonight so much more special. Okay, I have to go and get ready but I'll write more when I get home. I'M SO EXCITED!

Job searcher and errand-runner by day, Knitter at night!

2005-11-30T16:25:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm warning you, you are SO going to hate me...I am officially done all of my Christmas shopping. I got John's stocking stuff today and that was the last of the things I needed. Oh, and I mailed the Christmas cards...my tongue and right thumb are still recovering from the envelope licking and the stamp pressing (the sticker ones don't stay as well as the good old fashioned lick yourself ones, in my opinion....you have to make sure the stickers are REALLY on there). I haven't started Christmas baking yet though...John isn't big on sweets, so I have to make sure I bake in moderation, which is really hard for me!

So the job search is coming along. I applied to another one today, and I really hope I get a call for it. It's right in Albion too! It would be fabulous to not have another monster commute the way I did in Canada (45 minutes with no traffic is not my idea of fun). Keep your fingers crossed for me.

So since I've been so good today, I am going to reward myself with another great night of knitting and TV....One Tree Hill and Lost are both on tonight, so that will keep me entertained. Last night, I was hardly even watching my knitting because I was trying to keep a careful eye on the cat and the tree. I haven't found any mistakes yet so that is good! I'm going to try to finish up one of my WIPs for my brother in law for Christmas...well, actually I don't know how that works, he is my husband's sister's husband, so we both married into the family. Well, anyway, I'm knitting a black scarf that I started back in November when I decided I could whip up a little knitted something for all of my sister in law's family...scrapped that idea, but I can still get that project done.

Christmas is in the air..at least, it was until it rained today!

2005-11-29T19:47:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, John and I got ready for Christmas. We dug out our tree, decorated it with what we had, bought what we didn't....put the rest of the Christmas things around the house and the wreath on the door. It is so nice to finally have our first Christmas together in our own house, just the two of us. Everything looks so festive! And I even got my Christmas cards done, I just have to pop them in the mail. My mom doesn't like talking to me when I brag to her about how much I got done...but keep in mind, I am home full time right now so I have all of the time in the world to get ready for Christmas...and finish all of WIPs, but we're not going to talk about that.

Oh, and the cat can't stay out of the Christmas tree. It is Day 3 of dealing with him and he is driving me bonkers! Every time I turn around, he is sitting under it, chewing on it and whatever else he can find, waiting to pounce on my toes when I walk by OR climbing as high as he can on it and batting my ornaments around. I thought cats were supposed to lower your blood pressure! I'm TRYING to come to terms with the fact that cats and trees are meant to be and I cannot change that.

In a few quiet moments today while Marmelade was sleeping, I did manage to get some knitting done on my poncho. Thank goodness! I'm going to my first knitting group this Thursday (Thanks again Lisa...I am SO excited!) so I'm trying to get some more done on it.

The Day We Became Husband and Wife

2005-11-27T12:53:00.000-05:00

This is my most favourite picture of John and I on our wedding day, October 16, 2004. We both look so excited and happy. It was raining a bit outside, hence the umbrella. I must get a copy of this picture framed.

Sometimes I like to take my veil and tiara out of my keepsake trunk and parade around the house in them...I like to think that I am a princess. Yes, it's a little sad....but it's SO fun, you must try it! :)

My Knittin and Scrappin WIPs

2005-11-26T18:35:00.000-05:00

So as I'm reading other people's blogs, I have realized that I am definitely not a true knitter...I only have 3 WIPs: a poncho, which was supposed to be a great summer poncho which has turned into the poncho that will never be finished; a scarf, which I started when I was totally inspired and decided I would whip off scarves and mittens for all of John's sister's family, and I don't know how to knit mittens; and a purse that I knit up like at least 3 years ago, but still sits in pieces because you are supposed to crochet it together and I don't know how to crochet and I'm sure I could attach it any old way that I want to but I haven't because I'm hoping I will still learn how to crochet. In my own small number of WIPs defence, I have promised myself that I would not buy any more yarn (ie start any more projects) until I finish the poncho, but now that I know this is normal....I AM GOING TO START A NEW PROJECT! But what? I have seen so many cute patterns in my Stitch n Bitch books and online in people's blogs and other websites...I think I have KO...Knitting Overload! So many pretty things, not enough time!

So in terms of WIPs I have for scrapbooking, this is much much worse. I seem to be incapable of finishing anything. I have 5 WIPs in total: our honeymoon album, which I started last fall shortly after the honeymoon because I couldn't take the pressure of starting my wedding album...the honeymoon album is ALMOST done, I'm talking like 4 layouts away from being done; our wedding album, which I have made odd pages for as I went to classes and did wedding layouts, nothing concrete put together; the Krista and John album, I haven't finished that because I haven't decided if I want the wedding prep to go in there, or in our wedding album...suggestions are appreciated!; our anniversary album, but in my own defence, that will never be finished because we only just had our first anniversary this October so I will have many more years of memories to put in there; and finally my school years album, I made it as far as high school prom but haven't started the four years at university. Please note that I have done very little if any journally in any of these albums...I am petrified of writing a story incorrectly, or of not telling the whole story and confusing people who read my journalling when I'm not there. Yes, I will do it someday...someday...

I would include pictures, but I would rather focus on the positive, so I will take pictures of those WIPs that become FPs....finished projects!

Happy Thanksgiving! Weekend

2005-11-26T16:07:00.000-05:00

To all you Americans and pseudo-Americans out there, Happy Thanksgiving! It has been a great week. Wednesday I tried making another pumpkin pie and it turned out great, as you can see from the picture. Thursday was Turkey Day and after watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, we all headed to John's parents' place for dinner...it was of course delicious and a lot of fun. Because John and I are fairly adventurous at times, we decided to head out to the Thanksgiving sales. We did very well and got virtually all of our Christmas shopping done! What an accomplishment! So today we are recovering and just relaxing around the house... okay, Marmelade has decided that it's time to play the "Let's Jump at Fingers Typing on the Keyboard" game so I guess it's time to sign off!

Cherry Pie

2005-11-21T21:11:00.000-05:00

On Friday, I made my first pie by myself. I've made pies with my mom before growing up, but this is my first pie...homemade crust and all. The top came out a little funny, but I thought I would show it to you. The important thing was that the crust was not really tough and the pie tasted good, even though it's a little frucked up. I made the pie to practice for Thanksgiving, cause I'm making a pumpkin pie and figured the Thanksgiving pie should not be the first pie I've ever made solo. And I purposely made the cherry pie on Friday cause my sister in law and her family were coming over and I figured everyone liked cherry pie...well, everyone except her family likes cherry pie! Oh, and the pie made a mess on the bottom of the oven and I forgot about it until today when I was making supper...so now the house smells liked burned cherries. But the important thing is the pie was good. :)

Another day

2005-11-17T23:27:00.000-05:00

I got my Social Security Number today! Wohoo! Now I'm like a real person here, or so it seems. Now I can exchange my driver's license for a NYS one, open a bank account, and even get a job (whole body shiver)...not that I don't want to work, this whole staying at home thing is getting a little old. But then once I find a job, I'll miss being at home...it's an awful Catch 22. I've been job searching, so keep your fingers crossed for me.

I was also super productive and finished up my painting today. All of the trim is now done! It took me six hours altogether, including clean up. I missed most of Alias and pretty much all of CSI...I'm so annoyed about that. But I feel bad for Marmelade, I locked him in the bathroom the whole time because all of the painting was being done in the main rooms that are all open and I knew he would either get into the paint or pester me way too much while I was trying to work. I went in every half hour and petted him and played with him for a bit...maybe that's why it took me so long to finish. Well, when I decided that the paint was dry enough for him to come out, I let him out and then I realized that he was missing his collar. I looked all over the bathroom...nothing. Then I poured over the house...nothing. I mean, there are lots of kitty hiding places that I'm sure I don't know about where it could be, but I couldn't see it. Then I started freaking out that the cat ate his collar...it is physically possible, I think. I listened to his belly to see if I could hear the bell on his collar, but I couldn't. John and my mom both said they didn't think he ate it and even if he could, he probably wouldn't. I don't know, I've seen the cat eat lint...who would want to eat that? So I'm still semi-freaked...and then the cat had to start being bad and trying to play with my robe and biting me in the process. So I have locked myself in the computer room and I am waiting for him to calm down...and I suppose, for me to calm down too. Man, I am so fragile about this cat...it's good practice for a kid, really. And they do say that cats are just like furry little kids...

Marmelade

2005-11-16T23:04:00.000-05:00

This is Marmelade. And that is my sock. Oddly enough, the sock has pictures of a cat on it. Now, Marmelade is my first ever pet (well, aside from fish but that doesn't really count...this is my first pet with fur and legs) and I never thought I'd be one of those pet owners who is all ga-ga over their pet. But I am. But I'll try not to go overboard about it.

Rainbows and raindrops

2005-11-16T22:52:00.000-05:00

Today was one of those weird weather days. In the early hours this morning, it was apparently close to 70 degrees out and then by the time I was up and around, it was closer to 30 degrees. We will apparently get some of our first snow tonight. So I was out and about today running errands and it was very cloudy out (you know, the dark ones) and raining a little bit but then every once in a while the sun would peek out of a big break in the clouds and everything would look so ominous except for that little burst of sunlight drenching everything. Well wouldn't you know, that I saw a full out rainbow two times today when that sun came out...I know rainbows aren't that uncommon, but it was still pretty darn cool. I wish I had a picture of that.

We went to visit Christine and Craig today. Craig is one of John's friends from highschool, and he and Christine just had twins (one boy, one girl; fraternal) six weeks ago. Man, those babies sure were cute. So now I want one! Eventually! But they really had their hands full...they have a son Jake who is three as well. That's a lot of work.

Otherwise it wasn't that productive a day. My dream of making some of my Christmas cards and mailing them got a little dented today when the woman at the post office told me that the card I made was an unusual shape and would incur a surcharge, and that instead I should make it a regular envelope size...well, I don't want my cards to be regular envelope size so I'm letting that idea go.

I don't know what it is, but I cannot seem to finish a project for the life of me. My poncho that I am knitting has been untouched in a week....I haven't even finished our honeymoon scrapbook or started our wedding one...but by calling my blog "knittinandscrappin" then I kind of make it sound like I do a lot of that so maybe it will be an incentive to stick with it....you know, stay the course! See it through! Who am I kidding...I have a headache and it's time for bed.

Tropical Tree-Like Plant VS Marmelade

2005-11-11T23:09:00.000-05:00

Marmelade loves my tropical tree-like plant. It was a housewarming gift from John's aunt and uncle last year. It lived a relatively peaceful life until Marmelade moved in. I think Marmelade likes the plant because a) there is a fair amount of dirt in the pot and b) the plant actually has a trunk and is about waist-tall so it's apparently really fun to climb for little kitties. I've caught Marmelade on the plant a few times, but he just kind of climbed up on it and then I'd holler at him or spray him with water and he'd go away. The plant hid out in our bedroom for a few days when I was really worried about it, but Marmelade left it alone when it was in there. So the plant returned to its original spot and everything seemed fine..until last Sunday night. The plant had its main trunk and then another little stump trunk that didn't have any leaves or anything...and now it doesn't anymore. Marmelade ripped the little trunk out of the plant! And made a huge mess of dirt and plant trunk! GAH! I WAS SO MAD! So I locked the plant up in the spare bedroom, I thought it would be safe there. But I have to go in there once in a while so I thought I'd let the cat in while I'm in there and supervise him. Well wouldn't the little bugger go right for the plant everytime? So then I freaked and decided that either the plant or the cat had to go...so I put the plant in the basement! It's so perfect! The cat is never down there so both the plant and the cat can happily co-exist in my home...and I don't have to constantly watch Marmelade or holler at him anymore.

An Update

2005-11-10T23:10:00.000-05:00

It's been a good couple of days.John was off on Tuesday for election day, so we had a whole day of work planned. Then his dad called to see if we wanted to come over for coffee since John's Uncle Dave and Aunt Sue were coming over. We love them, they are so cool and we usually see them a lot during racing season but I haven't seen them since I moved here. So we jumped at the chance. We had a nice visit with all of them for a couple of hours. Then they invited us over for dinner, which was so fun. We killed time before dinner going shopping and got some stuff we needed for the house. We got caught up with Davey and Kelly, John's cousins, and saw their new puppy Riley. OMG she is huge! Not quite a puppy anymore! :)Wednesday was rainy and crappy out. I planned to get some tidying up done around here and get caught up on laundry. Tim, John's brother, called to ask if I could watch the kids so I agreed and headed over there around 7. It was pretty wild out still, with the wind whipping around....at least it wasn't still raining. Watched all of my Wednesday tv while the kids were in bed...One Tree Hill, Lost, and parts of CSI: NY..I don't normally watch CSI NY but it was a continuation of Miami from Monday night and I love Horatio...there is just something about him that is so sexy. Thankfully I got back to the house in time to see the ending.Marmelade is so funny...sometimes he winks at me and I don't think he really knows that he is doing it, but it's still cute. And he was bugging John so John put him out of the office and in the hallway, but if I open the door right now he'll be sitting there! I love my kitty!Not much of a plan for today. I will apparently be getting my Social Security Number in the next 9 days, so today's agenda is to job search, continue with laundry, and do a big grocery shop. And then watch Alias and CSI tonight...WO HOO!

The Office!

2005-11-07T23:11:00.000-05:00

I was SO super productive today. After the concert, I picked up some more stuff from my parent's place, including a desk that they gave us cause they have too many desks at home from all of us being away at school. So Dad took most of it apart and sent it in the car with me. After bopping around this morning, I decided to put it together and get things organized in the office. I ended up totally reorganizing it - switching computers on desks, moving the new to us desk in, then moving another desk and shelving unit. Some of it was a little heavy, I'm feeling it now. But now the office looks SO much better. There is plenty of space and everything looks way more organized, even though there are still a couple of boxes on the floor. Wo hoo!I made a tuna noodle casserole for dinner tonight. It was quick and easy - and darn tasty. I made some Pillsbury crescent rolls to go along with it and they were great.I'm debating between having some ice cream or some kettle corn microwave popcorn. Not sure what I want...hmmmmmmmmmm.......

Jann Arden!

2005-11-06T23:12:00.000-05:00

Ashley and I saw Jann Arden in concert today in Kitchener. It was awesome! I have seen Jann before, when she came to Kitchener 3 1/2 years ago with her orchestra tour. She just seems so real, I think that is why I like her so much. If you haven't already, you should check out her journals - she has them online on her website and she also has two published books of her journals - they are highly entertaining! Jann just puts you in a totally relaxed state of mind. I just wish the concert had been longer! It was a good day.

Horses!

2005-11-05T23:13:00.000-05:00

Today was so cool. Karen called me up in the morning just as I was about to mix up 2 loaves of Amish Friendship bread, and she asked if I wanted to go with her to ride her horse today. Um....YEAH! So I met her at her place at noon and we drove over to the barn where she keeps her horse Showdown. He is 19 years old, short for a horse (apparently) and super nice. He lives at a barn with another horse and 4 miniature horses and some chickens and cats - Marmelade was born in that barn! So when we got there, we cleaned out his stall and then got him saddled up. First I led him around a bit and then I clambered on and we focused on steering with my feets and the reins. Then we tried to get him to trot, which requires continually jabbing him with your heels and clicking with your mouth. Trotting is a lot faster than walking...when we trotted, I had a really hard time keeping my balance and I basically forgot everything that Karen had told me to do! It was fun...but a little scary...just scary enough that I think it is wicked and I want to go again. Then after I had had enough, Karen rode him for a bit and then we unsaddled him, put him out to pasture, and then went to see her other horse, Ranger, who lives at another barn nearby. I didn't ride him! Karen lunged him for a bit, and then she stretched him and then rode him. It was fun to see her doing that. I've seen her compete before, but this was different. Then she showed me around that barn and introduced me to all of the horses. It was a great day!Incidentally, when riding, don't forget to wear stretchy pants of any sort, preferably jeans - I didn't and I ended up splitting my slighlyt snug, old, non-stretch jeans on the but and I didn't even know until we went to the second barn...that's hot!

Knitting Paradise

2005-11-04T23:13:00.000-05:00

Okay I am so excited right now. When I was surfing the net today, I discovered that there is a Stitch n Bitch group right here in Rochester. Apparently they meet almost every week at various locations in the city: coffee shops, bars, wherever they have enough space. I really want to get out there and meet some new people that are interested in the same things I am, and it sounds like a lot of the members are about my age and pretty hip. Unfortunately, they had a meeting tonight but I found out about it too late. Maybe next week I can check it out. I'm kind of nervous about meeting new people on my own, but I know once I get there I'll have a lot of fun!I also came across this really great blog that picks apart knitted projects - it is freaking hilarious. I was sitting here busting a gut and the cat Marmelade was looking at me like I was from the loony bin.Oh, and I was also checking out all sorts of yarn shops in Rochester. There is one that has knitting classes to teach you the basics. I know how to slip knot, cast on, knit, purl, and bind off (I think, not sure if I do it the right way but it looks good enough I guess) but I have no idea how to increase and decrease and there is a class at a store on the 16th that shows you how to purl, increase, and decrease...it's only like $30 for 2 hours so I think I might check it out. I'm just not quite confident that I'm doing it right on my own.I wish I had a job so that I knew which store would be closest to me. I am dying to buy some new yarn and start a new project, and usually the store you buy the yarn from will help you through your project. So I don't want to buy wool in Rochester and then end up working in Buffalo. God, I worry about the stupidest stuff, eh? Let's all sigh together now and say "Oh Krista". Anywho, I think I might call tomorrow to register for that class. And maybe for the beginner one too, it wouldn't hurt to make sure that I am actually doing the slip knot and casting on properly.I borrowed the first Stitch n Bitch from the local library and it has finally helped something click for me in my knitting. My mom told me that I should be winding the yarn in my hand to help me handle it better so that I'm not constantly dropping it and picking it up again. Of course, I can never listen to what she says. Then in the book, it was talking about it and I tried it and at first it was a little awkward and made my hand ache but then it was like a light turned on and I got it! I really got it! And now I knit a lot faster than I did before. Which is good, because I deseperately want to finish my "summer" poncho...it needs to be done and I just hope to God that it looks okay because after all of this work it had better. I am making myself finish this project before I am allowed to start anything else.I had a couple of cross-stitch projects I had barely started, and I had even picked up my scrapbooking again (the honeymoon album is still not finished...I know, it's bad...I haven't even started our wedding album yet) but those have kind of fallen to the wayside. There is this great TV channel called DIY (Do It Yourself) and they have a hip knitting show on every morning...it's really rekindling my interest in knitting and when I see the projects I just want to knit all of them. They are so funky and they do so many cool things. Oh, if only I could just knit and that was all I had to do! Yeah, try talking John into that. :) Well, one can always dream...

So much has happened...

2005-11-02T23:14:00.000-05:00

On October 12, I said goodbye to my coworkers. It was harder than I thought it would be to say goodbye. They had a little party for me with cake and everything and the company and my boss both gave me gifts. It was really thoughtful. And then my friends Helen and Paul said goodbye to me, and that's when the tears really started. They gave me a scrapbook computer program, which is just so great and so perfect. It was a long emotional day.
On October 13, John arrived at my parent's house and then we left for Montreal. It was a long drive, but we got there in good time and found our hotel without too much trouble. We were even there in time to see Alias, which is of course highly important! LOL I was a total mess that night, John can attest to how much fun I wasn't to be around.
October 14 - Interview Day. Our appointment was for 9:30 but we wanted to get there really early to get through security. Good thing we did. We got there and I think were one of the first few through. We were admitted and went upstairs. We were instructed to take a number and were called after about 10 minutes of waiting. Someone reviewed the file with us and then instructed us to wait until our number was called again. We waited about 20-30 minutes that time, and then we went into a small room and were asked a couple more questions. Then we were told that my visa was approved and we could come and pick it up on October 17. We were elated, and went back to the hotel to call our families.Then we had the weekend to kill in Montreal. Unfortunately, it was rainy and cold the whole time, but we checked out a local market, went up the Olympic Tower, went to the Biodome, and of course spent some quality time together.
Monday afternoon, October 17, finally rolled around and after picking up the visa we headed back to my parent's place. We arrived after dinner. The drive was pretty good and the rain had mostly died off. Thankfully, my dad had helped me pack my car beforehand so we didn't have to worry about that.
October 18 we got up, packed up John's car and headed for the border in our vehicles. The border was quite smooth, they checked my documents to make sure everything was order. And then they let me in the country. We drove to our house, which is about an hour from the border, and I had quite a sight in store for me. John had told me that his sister and mother and niece had helped him tidy up the house the weekend before I got there, but they really outdid ourselves. Karen transformed the awful weed garden in the front of the house into a beautiful fall garden, complete with mums, pumpkins, bark, and scarecrows. Our front porch was decorated with bales of hay, cornstalks, and pumpkins. Inside, Karen and her kids had made a banner that said Welcome Home Aunt Krista and had decorated the table with a fall tablecloth, placemats, and a pumpkin centrepiece...and the icing on that beautiful cake....I HAVE A CAT! Karen got him for me for free from the barn she boards her horse and no one wanted him. He is orangey-brown and white and with a little help ;) I called him Marmelade. He is so precious. After we got over the shock (John says he didn't know the cat would be here), we unpacked the cars. Hard to believe I had so much stuff...that that much fit into both the cars and that I still had more left at my parent's house...I must learn how to pare things down more. John didn't have to go to work until Wednesday afternoon so we got to work getting things in order. I am embarassed to admit that the first thing I cooked for him was Kraft Dinner, which I guess is called Kraft Macaroni and Cheese here (or something like that). It was pretty good, but definitely not gourmet! LOL Sometimes it is so weird, like I feel like I've always been here. And then other times I feel like it's just a dream, that after all of this time I am finally here...it's kind of bizarre and out of body-like.
So now it is November 2, I've been here for just over two weeks and things are going well. My things are mostly unpacked and what boxes are still packed are mostly stored away until I can find a place for their contents. John and I are settling in well together, with some bumps along the way. I know we've been married for a year, but we still have a lot of learning to do together about each other's habits and such. I'm not quite sure when I get to work yet, hopefully my documents will be verified this week so that the office can issue me my number. We got the internet today, so naturally I've been on the computer almost all day. AHHHHHH I feel so much better now, you have no idea. I also took Marmelade to his first vet appointment. He wasn't very happy on the ride there; he cried and attacked his cage the whole time. On the way back though, he was much quieter, I think he was scared at the vet and I guess some of the shots made him tired. What a treat it was to have a tired kitty! When I played on the internet all day, he slept on a blanket on the floor beside my chair. I just had to kick him out because he started chewing on the wires. Oh Marmelade!