Dear You,

"
http://www.123glitter.com/

Six Weird Things About Me :)

I got tagged by Gigi and could not resist sharing the weirdness that is me with all of you.

THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the 6 weird things about you. People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says you are tagged in their comments and tell them to read your blog

Six "weird" things about myself:

1. I was born with brown eyes that started turning green in my mid twenties. Now my eyes are hazel. Yeah so this isn't super weird, but i'm warming up.

2. I can't kill anything not even a spider. (Not because I'm afraid. I will pick up the spider and put it outside) I can't put a worm on a hook to fish. I can't squish a bug. I can't even eat meat anymore because I feel too guilty. Not too weird to look at this alone but extremely weird considering I come from a LONG line of hunters and carnivores. I'm probably the only person in my entire family that doesn't eat meat.

3. I was a Vet Assistant and saw all kinds of blood, gore, puke, poop, pus, you name it!! Usually ended up with a bunch of it on my scrubs by the end of the day. It never phased me one bit. Oddly enough, I can't handle any kind of thing like that if it is from a human being. I am a major, major germaphobe, and yet I'm not concerned about Zoonotic diseases at all.

4. Even weirder...I had at least three cleaning jobs in my life and cleaned public restrooms. Now I am scared to death of them. It's a huge production every time I have to use the bathroom when I'm out and about. You should see me trying not to touch ANYTHING. It's quite comical.

5. I grew my hair super long once inspired by Lara Croft played by Angelina Jolie...then chopped it off, gave it to locks of love. The weird thing is that I'm not a superhuge fan of Angelina Jolie or Lara Croft. I just thought her hair was really cool!

6. I never cry from getting hurt, and I have an insane tolerance for pain hence all the piercings and tattoos. If I throw up, I cry like a little baby, huge tears, sobbing, the whole production.

This was fun!! I'm not usually a rule breaker,(I'm one of those annoying goody two shoes) but I think I'm gonna break the rule and not technically tag anyone. If you are reading my weirdness and think you might have some weird qualities yourself, TAG you're it!!

Amazing Discovery

1. Get one Dark Chocolate Mint Truffle, one packet of hot chocolate, and hot water.

2. Place all ingredients into mug.

3. Die and go to Heaven.

Miss Dashwood

Here is the hat I knit for Bethany's new baby girl, Tali. Isn't she precious!! We didn't have a baby to model here in TN, so my sister's fiance, Mikey, got to do the honors. He is quite the character (yes you can talk him into about anything) and fits in my family perfectly. Remember Rob's modeling debut? Yeah we'll keep him too :)

The pattern is Miss Dashwood from Knitty, and the yarn used is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran color 300602. Yummmmm! It only took a day to knit, and it was a pleasure. I opted again for 2 circs instead of DPNs, and I learned how to do a picot cast on. I also chose not to put the buttons on the inside of the hat to pin up the flaps. I thought they might iritate the babies head. Two thumbs up across the board from me. Baby knitting is fun!

PS. Today is my blog's 3rd birthday!! Oh they grow up so fast! Next thing you know she'll have her own domain name.

Oh Yeah! It's gonna be that kind of Sunday!

Pinwheel Blanket "The Earth"

As you can see I have my camera now! This blanket was knit with Plymouth Fantasy Naturale 100% Mercernized Cotton on a size 8 circular. I opted to begin the blanket with two circulars instead of DPN's. The blanket is nicknamed "The Earth" due to the main color's resemblance to the colors of the earth from space which is why it is edged in black. Now to the final stages of washing, blocking, and shipping! I can't wait until I know the last present I sent was opened so that I can tell you about that!!

Knitty

The new winter issue of Knitty is up! I'm gonna go check it out. Wanna come?

For Every Problem There Is A Solution

Problem #1: Broken Camera

Solution: I found the answer here, and it should get here on or before December 14th. Yay!! Canons rock! I don't know what I was thinking when I bought another brand. We found our old Canon digital (still working) and ordered the missing accessories on Ebay. Now we have a backup camera, and Rob will have a camera to take on his trips.

Problem #2: Broken Computer (I can't win for losin' can I?)

Solution: Rob was kind enough to trade me his laptop for my MP3 player. I took the hard drive out of my computer and put it into his. Tadah! Problem solved. Now it is time to start saving my pennies for a new laptop. Any recommendations?

Problem # 3: What shall I knit next?

Solution: I started Ariann from Chicknits (am I the only one that can't stop pronouncing this Chick Knits??), started a pinwheel blanket, and swatched Serrano. I have lots of variety going to insure no knitting boredom. Details on each project to come.

Problem #4: Z's Confusion

Solution: We found a wonderful online tutor for Z, and I think he will learn great things from him. <wink>

Oh yeah! I almost forgot! The afghan I knit was from the book Afghan Medly by Leisure Arts. It called for a size 15 needle, but I used my size 11 ebonies and just cast (cast? is that right? should that be casted?? hehe) on more stitches. The yarn was Caron's Simply Soft in Bone (i think) chosen for easy care. For being such an inexpensive yarn, it is incredibly soft and holds up very well.

Grab Your Man Quick!

Maybe you'll get some help finishing those holiday gifts after this!!

World AIDS Day

IN THE U.S.

*An estimated one million people are currently living with HIV in the United States, with approximately 40,000 new infections occurring each year.
*70 percent of these new infections occur in men and 30 percent occur in women.
*By race, 54 percent of the new infections in the United States occur among African Americans, and 64 percent of the new infections in women occur in African American women.
*75 percent of the new infections in women are heterosexually transmitted.
*Half of all new infections in the United States occur in people 25 years of age or younger.

AROUND THE WORLD
*There are 14,000 new infections every day (95 percent in developing countries). HIV/AIDS is a "disease of young people" with half of the 5 million new infections each year occurring among people ages 15 to 24.
*The UN estimates that, currently, there are 14 million AIDS orphans and that by 2010 there will be 25 million.
*Over 22 million people have died from AIDS.
*Over 42 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and 74 percent of these infected people live in sub-Saharan Africa.
*Over 19 million women are living with HIV/AIDS.
*By the year 2010, five countries (Ethiopia, Nigeria, China, India, and Russia) with 40 percent of the world's population will add 50 to 75 million infected people to the worldwide pool of HIV disease.

E For Effort

So I finished that blanket I was working on, but the only thing I have to take pictures with is my cell phone. Here are the wonderful results of this fabulous photo shoot.

Z also gets an E for effort. We've been trying to teach him basic commands. He's trying really hard, but I think he might be a little confused.



Click Here If You Can't See The Video
Make sure to have your sound on.

Hi There

Myspace Codes: MyNiceSpace.com

It's Only Words

You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.

No.
Explanations.

1. Yourself: strong
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend (spouse): love
3. Your hair: red
4. Your mother: heart
5. Your father: bad
6. Your favorite item: ring
7. Your dream last night: strange
8. Your favorite drink: diet
9. Your dream car: hybrid
10. The room you are in: den
11. Your ex: forgotten
12. Your fear: losing
13. What you want to be in 10 years? married
14. Who you hung out with last night? Rob
15. What you're not? Liar
16. Muffins: Chocolate
17. One of Your Wish List Items: Camera
18. Time: short
19. The last thing you did: twitch
20. What you are wearing: Yuck
21. Your favorite weather: mild
22. Your favorite book: Horror
23. The last thing you ate: food
24. Your life: Test
25. Your mood: tired
26. Your best friend: rob
27. What are you thinking about right now? bed
28. Your car: Black
29. What are you doing at the moment? typing
30. Your summer: Move
31. Your relationship status: married
32. What is on your TV? Hanks
33. What is the weather like? chilly
34. When is the last time you laughed? morning

I found this over at Knitorious, and I thought it was an interesting meme. I figured I ought to post something since I am camerless. I think the title is very appropriate considering that my blog has been reduced to only words. Blogs are no fun without pictures, and I'm not really sure when that situation is going to be fixed. Alas, the money tree never sprouted. I really need to get a better gardener.

Before The Camera Went Kaputz

Seriously, I can't win for losing...

I have family coming for Thanksgiving. Now don't get me wrong, I am beyond happy about that. So happy in fact, that I cried when I heard the news. Family coming equals a mad rush to get the house "company ready". (Now had I been listening to the Flylady, I wouldn't be in this predicament) We still have a kitchen to paint, and lots of little things to do like buy a table to eat on. Yeaaaah, little things. Hah!

Anyways, we went out the other night to buy new dishes and do some other shopping. When we got home, Rob propped up his golf clubs and began to help me put stuff away. All the sudden we heard a loud crash in the living room. His golf bag had fallen and broke the glass to the little table by the front door. Doh! That's strike one.

Today the long awaited pictures I ordered for my kitchen arrived. I open up the package only to find that one of the prints wasn't cropped like it was supposed to be, and the other one has dings and scratches all over the frame. Strike two!

I email the company that I bought the pictures from, they say tell me all they need is a picture of the damage and mistake and they will fix it no problem. Guess what! Oh come on you can guess it....The *&$%!!@* camera cord has a short in it or my camera is broken. Point being, I can't get any pictures off of my camera!! STRIKE THREE!!!

Mix all thoses strikes in with an eye that hasn't stopped twitching for nearly two months, two brothers in Iraq, and NO HUSBAND for our first Thanksgiving and Christmas in our new home and you get a pretty ticked off Stacie. So with all that in mind, I think I should take a deep breath and look on the bright side. Hmm where did I leave that bright side? Oh here it is...

1. The table that broke was a freebie that we got nearly ten years ago. It's a sad loss, but at least I didn't pay for it. I think I can move on.

2. The pictures may have been all messed up, but I can at least pick the paint color for the kitchen finally. Also, the company is being very cooperative. That's a big plus.

3. In the grand scheme of things a broken camera is really not that big of a deal. Minus that whole twitchy eye thing, I still have my health.

4. Maybe the constant eye twitching is somehow burning enough calories to justify a piece of dark chocolate everyday. Yeah that's the ticket!

5. I have no doubt in my mind that both of my brothers will come home safe. I refuse to entertain the thought of any other outcome. We have lots of people (thank you) praying for them!

6. I have the bestest husband in the whole wide world! Missing him makes me realize just how much I love him. I have all the Thanksgivings and Christmases of my life to spend with him.

Ok so maybe I can win from losing :)

Here We Go Again!!

My brother Chris is getting sent to Iraq for a third time. Please keep him, Saundra, Trey, and Jaxon in your thoughts and prayers. I can't imagine how hard it is for them to have to go through this not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES. As you remember he was injured during his last deployment, so these are going to be very nerve racking times. Two brothers in Iraq is no fun you guys. Whether you agree or disagree with the war, you would have to agree that stinks!! Another thing you have to agree on is that this is one good lookin' family. I love you guys hang in there!!!

Johnny Cash Fans?

I just saw the new video for Johnny Cash's song, God's Gonna Cut You Down, and I thought I would share it with you. I'm not typically a country music fan per say, but I love me some Johnny Cash. I have been a fan since my Pawpaw (ya'll now I'm from the Appalachian mt's right?) would sit down with his guitar and sing his songs to me when I was little. "Play that prison song again Pawpaw!! Please!!" My heart broke when he passed away, but I was not surprised. I knew he wouldn't last long (4 months!) without his beloved June. Now that's a love story right there. I must admit, I was quite suprised by the video in that it was not what I expected. A long list of *celebrities (Kate Moss? huh?) appear in the video, which appears to be a tribute to The Man In Black. Now it seems that many fans have extremely differing opinions on it. Some love it. Some are just plain ticked off. What do you think?

*Iggy Pop, Kanye West, Chris Martin, Kris Kristofferson, Patty Smith, Terrence Howard, Flea, Q-Tip, Adam Levine (Maroon 5), Chris Rock, Justin Timberlake, Kate Moss, Sir Peter Blake, Sheryl Crow, Dennis Hopper, Woody Harrelson, Amy Lee (Evanescence), Tommy Lee, Dixie Chicks, Mick Jones, Sharon Stone, Bono, Shelby Lynne, Anthony Kiedis, Travis Barker, Lisa Marie Presley, Kid Rock, Jay Z, Keith Richards, Billy Gibbons, Corinne Bailey Rae, Johnny Depp, Graham Nash, Brian Wilson, Rick Rubin, and Owen Wilson

R.I.P Tablecloth

Here's a last look at a tablecloth I was working on before I R.I.P it. I could not resist the play on words as dorky as it seems. Alas, the table cloth is too small, and I don't feel like using the brain power it takes to figure out all the pineappley increasing. To me it's easier to rip and go up a few hook sizes. No biggy :)

I Heart Halloween!!

Get Your Own! View Slideshow

Just Wanted To Say...

Hosted by Sparkle Tags

Bored?

I thought I would share some random pattern links that I have found interesting. Maybe you'll find some inspiration here.

Felted Crochet Hook Case (C)
Felted Knitting Needle Case(K)

I really like these. I think that they would make excellent gifts for the knitter or crocheter in your life.

Buggy Mitts (K) These are just absolutely adorable!!

Birds and the Bees (C) I did not know you could crochet that teehee!

Dressy Sweater (C) I love vintage patterns!!

Duct Tape Purse and Duct Tape Wallet (O) Yeah you read right :)

The Isebeau Purse (K) Very pretty!

Honey Panta (C) I have seen a lot of these knit and was glad to see a crochet version.

Snowman (K)

Jen's Stuffed Toy Archive (C)
Jen's Stuffed Toy Archive (K) Lots and lots of toys! Yay!

Crochet Helmet Pattern (C) Very nice pattern! Yay Mimi! You Rock!

Cropped Shrug Hoody (K) Toooo cute!

Pirate Queen's Booty Bag (K) No not that booty! Hehe man oh man I'm a dork!

Santa Pillow (K) Great intarsia project

I Want My Mummy, Boo For You & Frank Jr. (C) Just in time for Halloween!

That's it for now. I have plenty more in my stash. So keep an eye out :)

Random

I was just stumbling around the internets and found this. Wouldn't that be great for Halloween!! Can you imagine freaking out some kids by taking a bite out of any of those!!!

I Heart Tennessee!!

Get Your Own! View Slideshow

Rob and I went hiking in the mountains of Tennessee today. Isn't this beautiful!! According to Rob it is beautiful, but not as beautiful as me! Awwwww! He's a keeper you guys. We had a blast hiking in the rain and splashing in puddles. We were soaked to the bone by the time we made it back to the car, but that didn't bother us one bit. I highly recommend kissing in the rain while standing on the edge of a mountain looking out over a waterfall. Too romantic!!

Getting Closer

I'm nearly done with this blanket, and I can't wait to start the next project!! Now it's time to decide what to knit next. I am reluctant to knit a sweater due to the fact that I most likely can't fit into a size small anymore. Grrr! This explains my absense from the pictures, in case you haven't noticed. No I'm not pregnant. That would be a whole lot better excuse than I sat on my butt for 2 1/2 years! Anyways, I've been working out every day and dieting, so maybe you'll see me again come Spring? In the meantime maybe I should just knit a shawl...

Can't Catch A Break!!!

My stupid cord for my stupid laptop is broken, so unless Rob is home I can't use it!!! He came home today, so I was able to order a new one. That thing better come soon!!! In other news, I woke up to some very sad family news this morning. No need to bring the blog down with the details. Now for some happy news...

My wonderful, awesome, incredible, amazing, super duper husband built me my shelves!! Now if there are any recyclers/freecyclers reading, you will love this. The dresser it is sitting on was a hand me down from my mom which I believe was handed down to her. I repainted it the yummy chocolate brown and Rob replaced the drawer knobs. The shelf is built entirely from wood scraps from a friends home renovations. The whole thing cost about 20 bucks!!! Do you notice that it is color coordinated, aside from the bottom left shelf that is all sock and lace weight? Is it crazy that I enjoyed doing that?? Do you think I might like blue??

Testing

Last time I posted a picture it actually showed up on my bloglines feed http://faerycrafty.blogdrive.com/atom.xml . I just want to see if this was a fluke or not so I'm posting a picture of my first Great Dane Keagen and his little sister Zoë.

It's not the best quality of picture, but I love it anyway. Those two just loved each other so much. We miss you Keagen! You were the best!

Here We Go Again

My brother Nick is getting shipped off to Iraq for a year in about ten minutes. This will be his second time serving there. Please keep him, Emily, and their children Ben and Nate in your thoughts and prayers. If you don't pray just send some happy thoughts their way. They will need all they can get. Here is a picture of Nick with his two sons Nate(right) and Ben(left). Aren't they handsome!

Part 2: Rob's Recliner Got A Whole Lot Cooler!

What I've Been Up To Part 1

Last week wasn't a good week for blogging. Between going out of town and losing my internet, I was unable to post much. Once I got my internet back, I had to catch up on a work. I work from home, and the internet is my connection to the office. This makes it a little difficult to work without it. So as far as what I have been up to with crafts... I am halfway through a scarf for a display for my knitting class, six inches into another scarf for a knitting class display, finished with Ab Fab (fringe???), started knitting another throw, and helped (in my own way) my husband build my yarn shelves!! Here are a couple of pictures withe more to come...

Here is Rob working on my shelves! See how I am helping by documenting the event. I'm such a hard worker.




This is the throw I am working on. I never thought that I would actually knit throws,but I really enjoyed knitting Ab Fab with my beautiful ebony knitting needles (really enhances the experience), and so I started on another as a gift. More pictures will be coming soon..

Yay Internet!!

I have my internet back!! Wooohoooo!! Pictures coming soon, but for now I have to get some work done!

I Just Had To!

I had to post this picture! Ab Fab is finished and I'm going to weave in the ends and make up my mind if I want to fringe it or not. So in the meantime, I had to post this picture taken of Hunter when he went for his second set of puppy shots. His Vet's son is in the Marines and is stationed in Iraq right now. She takes pictures of the pets of people who want to donate money to make a care package for a Marine. Both of my brothers have served (one was injured) in Iraq, so I know how important care packages and the like are. Of course I agreed to participate, and I'm sure this pic put a smile on someone's face!

Hey You Sneakin'!

After being told to "Drop that sock!", Hunter does his best Army crawl over to the forbidden pile of laundry. Poor Hunter, foiled again. It was really hard to keep from laughing while I was taping this. You can see why I have to watch him like a hawk on laundry day. Socks and puppies are not a good combo. If you listen carefully you can hear the movie Spartacus playing in the background. "There is no reason to expect an attack by night..." No I didn't plan that. Just one of those cute coinkydinks.

If you can't see the video on this page, here is the link.

Sharing...

I am nearly done with the Ab Fab throw! It lookst pretty much like the last picture only longer, so I'll just post a picture of it finished. I wanted to post something for my fellow hookers. I found the cutest crochet pattern on Crochetville!! It is inspired by the movie Bambi. Click here to check it out!

How am I?

Absolutely Fabulous!!!

Show N Tell: Nancy's Entry

Lucky Me! I got a new car in June and was about to leave for my vacation at the shore when I decided that I didn't feel like putting up with my seatbelt shoulder strap for the trip. It always seemed to annoy me . So I invented by Strap-Easer. It worked really well and the strap ceased to be a problem. One day I showed it to my bridge club and everyone wanted one. I decided that if I made enough of them I could start a college fund for my granddaughter. So I got my granddaughter and my sister to help me knit my shoulder pads. Needless to say it has consumed our whole summer. What a fun project! All the ladies that have them, love them. That is my daughter-in-law modeling it in the picture. I hope everyone will visit my website www.nancysknittingnook.com.

Nancy Fries

Why Why Why!!??

doesn't my bloglines feed show my pictures! Can anyone tell me this? Is there way to make this happen? Am I just bloglines ignorant? And how come some of you out there have cute little pictures by your blog name? I want a cute little picture by my blog name!

Get It Together

I think everything is starting to come together here, and it is actually starting to look like people live here now. We got the living room painted and the art and tapestries up on the walls. Now I have decided that I want an accent wall which caused a little eye rolling by Rob, but I'm used to that ;) We painted the den Dignified Purple and hung some stuff on the walls. We still have some blank spaces that need filling, and I have an Ab Fab throw to knit that will look...absolutely fabulous in there! Today we will paint my craft room! You read right. I get a craft room all to myself! The furniture is all painted except for one desk, and the yarn has been organized and stored. Here is a little shot of most of my stash. I did not include yarn that has been bagged and set aside for projects.

Zoe couldn't resist climbing to the top of the pile. I think it is safe to say that I have a bunch of yarn, and I think it goes without saying that I should really start knitting more!! Eventually, Rob is going to build shelves for my yarn wall! Yay! They will go above the dresser that is holding the majority of my yarn now. The rest is in plastic bins in the closet. I would love to have the yarn more out in the open to inspire more knitting. Out of sight out of mind seems to be a very true statement when your yarn is all packed away. I think that the guilt of having so much yarn will end up prompting a lot of knitting or a stash sale haha! In my defense, it has been quite a while since I have purchased any yarn. I'll show you the last purchases next time. They are quite yummy :) Just for fun, before I get Rob off the couch (wow he snores loud) and start painting, here is a close up of something that makes Zoe all the more special...




Is that not the cutest thing ever!! Her spot is in the shape of a heart. There was no photoshopping done to this picture. She's really that cool!

Yay!

My blog is back! It's been down and I haven't been able to post. Now it's back but it's nearly 1am, and I need to get in bed. I'll post soon though. G'night!

I Wish You Better Mornings (Updated)

I can say with all honesty that I have had better mornings. A sleepless night (toothache from Hell) followed by a 4:30 am wake up to take Rob to the airport equals a good old fashioned grouchy morning. It's still dark, and my body is playing tug of war between the car and the bed. The car wins, and off we go to the airport. Rob and I, we are not morning people, are yawning and whining about the early hour when see the typically dark road all lit up ahead. As we get closer we see that a house is on fire. We stop the car and we both run towards the house. Rob kicks the door in and begins screaming, "Hello, hello!! Is anyone in there." I'm frantically screaming and banging on the windows and doors of the neighbors houses. The fire is starting to spread to the trees, their houses will be next. I run back to the blazing house screaming, "Rob it's too far gone please don't go in!" There is truly nothing we can do. The fire has taken it over and even if anyone was in there, we could not save them at this point. I wake one set of neighbors, and they tell me that there isn't anyone home in the burning house. I hope to God they are right, and the absence of cars seems to confirm it. Even though I'm pretty sure they aren't home I continue to try and wake the neighbors to the right, when a truck pulls up. Rob tells them the fire department is on the way, and we ask if they could stay until they make it there. We had no choice but to leave, Rob had to be on a plane in less than 15 minutes which means the flight was already going to be delayed at this point. While Rob is giving our information to the two men in case anyone needed to talk to us, I stand there and watch someone's home become completely engulfed in flames. It was one of the most horrible things I have ever witnessed in my life. The men promise to keep trying the house on the right just in case they might be home, until the fire department arrives. We get in our car reeking of smoke, Rob starts the engine, and I watch the flames rise up to the sky as we pull away. Thankfully, the fire department arrives just as we are leaving and eases the pang of guilt I feel for not staying. We wouldn't have left if those men had not shown up, you can believe that. Even as I type this, I am still shaking. Go hug your kids, your cat, your dog, your significant other, heck go hug your house and be thankful. I have to take a shower. I have to get this smoke off of me...

**Update**

One of the owners of the home called Rob today to thank him for breaking in the door. They had a cat in the home, and so far they have not found it in what's left of the house. They think that it was able to get out of the living room after he kicked the door in. Let's hope that this is true and also be thankful for the fact that both owners are completely unharmed. They own a campground and decided to stay there over night. I have no doubt that decision saved their lives! I drove by the house this afternoon, and it was completely destroyed by the fire. The neighbors' homes were untouched by the fire! That makes me very happy. Rob said that they want to meet us in person, so that they can shake our hands. I can finally relax knowing that no one was killed. Let's keep our fingers crossed for the poor kitty.

PS. Thank you for the wonderful comments. Hugs to you all!

Videos and Slideshows

If you look on my sidebar, I have added links to the videos and slideshows that I have posted in the past. I don't know why I haven't done this before! Duh! And Speaking of videos, here are a couple of my babies. This one is from my visit with Hunter when he was four weeks old. I think this is take number eleventeen million. Let's just say it is a little hard to get a video of a very busy puppy.

This one was taken this evening of Hunter and Z doing what they do best. Believe it or not this was taking it easy. Usually the whole house is shaking. Sorry it's a little dark.




And lest you think I have forgotten this is Faery Crafty and not Faery Doggy (oh boy that was corny), here is a picture of the the tablecloth I am working on. You can find the pattern here, but please write me if you are going to crochet this because I have found a ton of errors. This picture isn't the greatest, but it's kinda late and I get a lot less picky after midnight.

Don't You Hate It When

You are halfway finished with let's say your second lampshade cover, and a couple of dogs, let's say their names are Hunter and Z, decide it would be much prettier if it had soda spilled all over it. I hate to break it to them, but it was not the look I was going for.

Gone To The Dogs

It's been a really long day, so I'm going to make this one short. Hunter's father has officially joined our family. Rob's real happy because now we are even, 3 boys and 3 girls. Hunter is beyond happy and barely gives Z a chance to take a breath. Z doesn't seem to mind at all. I think he's gonna love his retirement! I thought I would get a chance to crochet the other lampshade cover in the car, but I was a little preoccupied with the dogs. We are going to bust booty tomorrow to get some more stuff done on the house so we can relax. I'm going to start on my ab fab throw pretty soon. I have a lot of stuff that I need to crochet for my bedroom, but I want to have a knitting project as well. Right now I'm heading for bed. The only knitting I'm going to do is in my dreams. Until next time, here are some pics for ya :)

Get Your Own! View Slideshow

This Is A First

You know you're not in Orlando anymore when this happens while you are sitting at the stoplight waiting to get on the interstate...

While You Were Out (Of Your Mind)

You ever watch that show? Besides the fact that Andrew is so good looking I am quite often distracted, I love the show! I watch it every time I come across it while channel flipping. Rob and I have been starring in our own version of the show, and I think the modified title suits us a little better. I managed to beat off the plague in time for his return home, and in one day we painted the entire living room with it's cathedral ceiling, a huge dresser, book shelf, and mirror. We also hung the art work and tapestries in the newly painted room, and now I can unpack the eleventy million boxes of books stacked in there. Oh I almost forgot, I did a distressed finish on the frame of a Monet print for our bedroom. We have 4 rooms and 3 peices of furniture left to paint, a table to build, cushions to sew, more pictures to hang, and a whole lotta clean up. In my free time (hahahahaha), I have been working on some of the finishing touches for our bedroom. Here is a sneak peak...

Stay tuned for the next episode coming to a blog near you!

You Got Some Splaining To Do!!!

Click To Enlarge

That GORGEOUS Dane up there is Hunter's father. He is now retiring as Stud Dog Extraordinaire, and will be residing with us towards the end of the month! I got the call today that he has "relinquished his tools" of the trade <snort> and is handling it pretty well considering. Hunter is bouncing with joy as you can see...

Could It Be True?

I knit something!! Yay! It's nothing special. Just a small felted purse made as a sample for my Beginner's Knitting class. I'll put a picture up once it's out of the machine.

Painting has completely consumed my life. I am happy to say that all of the furniture for the bedroom is painted and once it is completely put together, I'll take some pictures of them room. Actually, I have a before picture that I can show you right now.

This is one of the pictures posted on the MLS listing. When we bought the house, it was my first priority to paint this room. It took THREE coats of primer and then two coats of paint to cover this green. Next all of my furniture had to be painted to match the bedding I bought for the room. We have saved a lot of money by painting the furniture instead of buying new stuff. I'm dying to show pictures, but I want it all be a little more put together first. I still have to work on getting pictures for the walls, knick knacks, and such. Right now I am sick and Rob is going on a trip, so there won't be much done over the next couple of days.

Now that all of the bedroom furniture is out of the living room, we can get it painted. Once it is painted we can put all the books in the bookshelf and unpack all the rest of the stuff that goes in the living room. That will take care of a mess load of boxes that are stacked all around the room. Then we still have to paint the bathroom, kitchen, the guest/craft room, the den, another dresser, a cabinet, a desk, and a book shelf. (After looking at that picture I was just reminded that we still have to paint the ceiling fan) We aren't going to bother painting the smaller bedroom because that is going to be the dogs' room. Yes that is dogs plural and not a typo. I'll tell you more about that in my next post, but for now I need to get to bed and sweat out this fever.

A Conversation

Me: "I really want to do some kind of Faux finish painting in the guest room."

Rob: "Well faux-get it."

God help me...

So What Have I Been Up To?

I have been on what I fondly call "Pee Patrol". That means running out the door in a second's notice with a very heavy Great Dane puppy held in outstretched arms. I forgot how much work (and how messy) puppies are!! I think I had puppy amnesia. My husband spread out a blue plastic camping tarp in our den and placed boxes and suitcases strategically to create the "puppy corral". Let me tell you, that is a real good look. Ha ha! Thankfully, it saves the carpet, and I credit him with an awesome idea.

So between Pee Patrol, working on the house and work, I stay pretty busy. I haven't even picked up my needles since we moved here except when teaching a class. No wait, I did pick up the crochet hook to make those tutorials. Soooo that means the only thing I have to show you are pictures of Hunter! Surprise surprise! And because I'm a sucker for slide shows, here ya go...

Chip 'N For Dale

This is a letter I recently received from members of my knitting group back in Orlando regarding one of our members, Dale. I can honestly tell you that Dale is one of the nicest women I have ever met in my life. She is kind, considerate, and an incredible Wife and Mother. I plan to donate, and I will try to knit her a pair of socks by the time she is released. I have the yarn picked out already, so now I will attempt to actually knit them between chasing after a new puppy. (Yes he is home! I will post pictures very soon. As you can imagine, things have been crazy)

On June 23, 2006, Orlando area resident, knitter and spinner, Dale Jarrett, left for Houston, Texas to undergo a bone marrow transplant. Read about her journey here! http://www.jarrett.ws/dale/

In an effort to help Dale with the expenses she will incur, we, as members of the Orlando Area Knitters and Spinners, have started a fundraiser. Beginning July 3, 2006 through August 2, 2006, a knitting or spinning related prize will be offered on our blog: http://chip-n--for-dale.blogspot.com/. The day after the fundraiser closes, those who have made a donation will be eligible to win those daily prizes. For every $5 (US) donated, you will be eligible for one chance at terrific prizes! The first name drawn will receive the prize from Day 1, etc. Please check the blog daily for a picture and description of the prize offered and to check the daily tally!

When Dale is released from the hospital, a gift basket chock full of socks, hats and slippers knit with prayers and good wishes from the Orlando Area Knitters and Spinners, along with the Pay Pal check card, will be sent to her in Houston.

The knitting community is a giving one; a perk of their generosity, is the prizes.

Thank you.
Jackie & Janette

To add Dale's button to your site just copy and past this code...

<a href="http://chip-n--for-dale.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/6301/chipn0ce.jpg" border="0" width="132" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" /></a>

Lover's Knot Tutorial

Rember this shawl?


Click Images To Enlarge

As promised here is the tutorial for making the Lover's Knot. It is in three parts so that it is easier to replay each step. If you have any questions you can email me at faerycrafty at gmail dot com.








I hope everyone has a great July 4th! Don't go blowing your crochetin' hand off with a firecracker! This goes for you too knitters!

Goodies!

As promised here are the pictures of the goodies that came in the mail the other day :)

These were made for me by Mimi! Thanks Mimi they are so pretty!


These were sent to be my Jennifer. Thanks Jennifer!
I really Iove this shawl, and the notecards are adorable!!!

Early Show N Tell: My Entry

Well, today was my first day at the craft store. I got to set up a little table by the front door where I could knit and chat with people as they came in. I was so excited. First of all, it was the first time I had picked up my needles in WEEKS!! Second, it was HUMAN interaction!! I got to be around PEOPLE! I swear I just talked everyone's ears off. Oh I know you are just so shocked. I met some really nice people, (Wow Tennessee has some nice people) and I think that my classes are going to be successful here.

There were two people there that I hope to see again. One was a Deaf woman that communicated with me by writing on a notepad. She was so eager to learn, and I really hope she comes back for classes. I need to brush up on my ASL so that we can communicate that way. I know I saw my ASL videos and books during the move. I'm going to have to dig them out!! I took Sign Language and Spanish at the same time in college, but i have forgotten a lot. I remember a lot more Spanish which has been very helpful, but it's sad that I have forgotten so much because I used to be fluent. It is really true when they say if you don't use it you lose it. I feel like she and I will learn a lot from each other, and it will be a wonderful experience for both of us.

The other was a young boy. His mother was teaching him to crochet, but he was also interested in knitting. He acted really shy about coming up to me at first, but I finally got him talking :) I told him that lots of guys knit, and I think it would be totally cool if he would come take my class. I told him about my big, bad brother-in-law that knits, and his eyes just lit up. Then I showed him all the cool manly hats, scarves, gloves, etc. that he could make and told him how he could make them in the colors of his favorite sports team. Moment later, I see him and his mom walking to the register with arms overflowing with yarn. Score!!

You know I do not do this for the money. It has never been about that for me. I just can't explain the joy I feel when I give the Art of Knitting to someone. It is incredible to know that I helped their hands to create this beautiful art that will comfort them and keep them warm. Knitting is so much more than a way to get a scarf or sweater. You can buy those anywhere. Knitting soothes and comforts. It enriches your life. To know I helped give that to a person, WooHoo! I get so excited about that!

So here is my Show N Tell. It's a slide show of some of the wonderful creations my students have made. I feel like a proud mamma.

Does This Give You An Idea?

Of how much yarn I have!!!!! I was almost afraid to post this!

Feeling Guilty

I feel guilty about neglecting this blog. I have really enjoyed it, and I would like to continue. I just don't have anything knitting related to blog about yet, and I can't just keep posting about not having anything to post about!! Let's see if I can muster up one semi-knitting related post. Here goes nothin'...

Things are moving along slowly with the house. I think I am a little overwhelmed with all that needs to be done. Rob will be able to live at home starting July 2, so I'll have lots more help then! Yay! In case you didn't know, he lives in DC for six days and is home for two. This is no fun, and I'll be very glad when it is over. Hunter comes home the same week Rob does! That is going to be one awesome week! I'll have my whole family with me. Yay!

I did find most of my knitting stuff, and I got a new teaching job all set up. My first class is on the 24th, so I got that goin' for me :) As far as my personal knitting goes, I think that I am going to start working on the Ab Fab throw exclusively. (When I find it) It will be nice to have something new and pretty for the house. I will worry about my multiple UFO's after that is complete.

Oh wait I do have another knitting related thing to talk about!! Yay! I am setting up my office which will also be my craft room. Rob is planning on making shelves, so that I can have a yarn wall. Fun! Rob says, "Um do you think one wall will cut it?" Yeah, I got a lot of yarn. You'll see soon enough. It will all come together eventually. I am hoping to have the boxes semi under control so I can at least show you some pictures of the house soon. In the meantime, here is a picture of Hunter from my visit with him. It was so hard leaving him that day. He is such a sweet baby!

We Made It!

Well we are all moved in. We were here for three days before our stuff got here. No tv, no internet, no bed, and no knitting!! Someone packed it up in the pods, so I have been knitless!! Needless to say this means no knitting pictures. Luckily our stuff arrived yesterday. Yay! Now I have a house FULL of boxes, and I'm sitting here trying to figure out how the heck we got all of this stuff in that little apartment. I've never been thankful for so much mess and work in my whole life. We have a great house (i'd show you pics but i can't find the camera) and wonderful neighbors! I surely do not miss The World's Loudest Neighbors partying it up beneath me!

We Closed!!

We closed on our house!! Thanks for the happy thoughts and prayers! I am supposed to be packing and cleaning right now, but I just wanted to tell you that :) I have been pretty bad about answering comments and reading my blogs too. I'm so busy, but that will get better once we settle in.

Closing Today

We are closing on our house today and I am completely freaking out. Rob is having a hard time getting to TN to the closing. His flight was canceled due to maintenance issues. I am now having to wire funds to the closing attorney since Rob isn't going to make it there in time to get to the bank. Fun stuff. He won't be able to make it back home before the time to load the truck so now I get to finish packing by myself. Did I mention I still have to work??? Joy of joys!!

This may possibly be the last time you hear from me for a little bit. Things are going to get hectic and I doubt that I will be able to post. I promise that as soon as I get my internet connection, I will let you all know what is going on. I have great pictures from the yarn sale and pictures from dinner with my knitting students. We had a blast! Our last class together is tomorrow night :( I'm going to miss my girls!!! I hope everyone has a great weekend. Happy Memorial Day!!! Wish us luck cause we are gonna need all the luck we can get and if you pray we could use that too!! Hugs!!!

Techinical Difficulties

We were having some technical difficulties over here, so Show N Tell will be up on Tuesday instead of today.

Show N Tell: Kathy's Entry

I LOVE show and tell. This one is Hot off the Presses.. I made this for my sister-in-law's soon to be baby boy! The pattern is from Crochet World Magazine from October 2005. I changed the border a bit by adding another color along with just doing a single stitch instead.
Thanks!
Kathy Bieze

Hey Mom!

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

I Love You!!

Woohoooo Yarn Sale!!!!

I just found out tonight that my LYS Sip and Knit is having this awesome yarn sale on Saturday! Can you say 35% off all yarn! I know you can! Ok so let's forget the fact that it took oh about six or seven boxes and 4 big plastic bins to pack all of my yarn. Let's just pretend that didn't happen. Let's also pretend that I still have some yarn unpacked, and let's pretend that I'm not crazy. Cause you know why. I'M GONNA BUY ME SOME YARN! Ummmm does my hubby read this? Gawd I hope not! So anyways if you live anywhere near Maitland, you will surely know where to find me on Saturday! I'll be the insane red head diving into the Rowan. Hey some people go to therapy, I buy yarn. So what if mine isn't covered by insurance,heck it's still probably cheaper!! Need directions? Click here! Hey I can't be the only one getting in trouble darn it!!

Where is that darn tutorial!?

Sorry I haven't posted the tutorial sooner. I was hoping that Rob would be able to help me but the two days he was here got all filled up with other things. The other things so happen to be boxes. Boxes you ask. Yes boxes. Boxes of the moving persuasion :) Rob and I are buying a house!! This will be the first home of our very own, and we are sooooo excited!! Remember that trip to Tennessee? Well that is where we found our new home! Here it is!

24 times!!!

I just found out that people got notification of my last entry 24 times!! I am so sorry! I don't know why that happened. I'm sure it was a glitch. Hopefully it won't happen again.

Many were wondering about the pattern for the wrap. I am going to be offering a video tutorial on my blog for the stitch I used. Hopefully that will be up tomorrow, and you won't hear about it TWENTY FOUR TIMES!!!

The Versatile Lover's Knot Wrap

Show N Tell: Jenn's Entry

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

This is 2 of 3 of a set the I am making for my sister. I just finished the Wrist Warmers last night and the hat a couple days ago. I used Wool-Ease Worsted Weight in White Multi 301. I used not even a 2.5 oz ball for the hat and then not even a 2.5 oz ball for the wrist warmers. The hat pattern comes out of Stitch 'N Bitch Nation it's the Basic Cable hat. And the wrist warmers are from the Irish Hiking Scarf KAL blog. I am still working on the scarf.

Jenn
http://www.shamrockcrafts.blogspot.com/