Archive for 2006

My Friends, Still the Best!


December 14th, 2006

I’ve been having blog performance anxiety.  Yes, that’s my excuse for not updating.  With the holiday season, my general anxiety level goes through the roof, leading to random crying jags, and apparently, losing all ability to write blog entries.

In fact, I had a whole post planned out, but I left my camera at home.  So, you all will have to wait on Heartland Knitting Retreat reports (although Dee, Christine and Laurel have covered it admirably).  I do have one picture to show - my birthday present from my knitting friends!

It’s a bracelet made of Native American Bone Fetish Beads.   I love it - I originally saw it at the Briar Rose open house - there was a jewelry vendor there, and sadly, I can’t remember her name.   Anyways, I desperately wanted the bracelet, but the price tag, while reasonable, was a bit out of my budget that visit.

Dee asked Lynette if there was anything I had wanted, and Lynette remembered me drooling over the bracelet.  So Dee hunted down the vendor, and happily, my kickass bracelet arrived.

While we’re not talking about knitting, I thought I’d post the following pictures of me almost being eaten by animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, in Colorado Springs.  My cousin Tina, who works at the zoo, arranged for me to feed the otters, which was incredibly awesome.  Afterwards, I petted the hippos and got hippo snot on me.

I also fed the giraffes, and he tried to eat my glove.

My cousin Tina is apparently much better at feeding them.


Oh, and here are the otters.  They are a bit old and crotchety.

Oh, fine, you can see some meerkats too.

I swear, I’ve been knitting.  It’s just been little Christmas stuff, mainly.  I’ll show pictures afterwards.  :)

I totally did that on purpose!


December 1st, 2006

I am proud to introduce the world’s first felted Clapotis!

I totally meant to felt it. Because only a complete dumbass would put their 100% Alpaca Clapotis in the washing machine. That’s because it turns out that alpaca felts even on delicate, with cold water. Which I totally knew, because I totally meant to felt my clapotis. You aren’t calling me a dumbass, are you?
On the up side, it still works as a shawl, and its nice and warm. And no longer sheds. Which is why I felted it, of course.

In other news, the Chicago area got its first meaningful snow, which means its also Hunter’s first snow! He’s freaked out.

Dee is picking me up soon for the Heartland Knitting Retreat, which you all will be very sad you missed. Except for those of you who are going. Hee.

Early Thanksgiving?


November 20th, 2006

I came home from getting my new license plate sticker to this:

I have no idea what those stuffed animals get up to while I’m away.

Welcome, Shitty Kitty!


November 17th, 2006

As I have pointed out in the past, I have the best friends ever.    Case in point?  Monica and Dee knitted me up an early birthday present.   I introduce…

Shitty Kitty!  Now, I didn’t name him.   Dee says that’s his name.   He’s knit from the Fortune Cat pattern.   But I think my kitty is way better, and I love him to death.  True, he might look a little bit like a deranged pokemon who waited up all night to buy PS3.   And he steals people’s food and drinks.  And he and Hunter had a farting contest this morning that certainly got me out of the house this morning.  But, he also makes me happy and cheers me up.   So go Shitty Kitty!  (It helps if you hear Cartman saying “Shitty Kitty”.)

Oh, here’s Hunter laying on the finished back of my latest sweater project, Parker from Rowan 40.  It’s using Rowan’s new yarn Tapestry, and I love it.   And so does Hunter.  The soy does shed like crazy, but its super soft, and not at all itchy like mohair would be.

Happy Almost Birthday, Aimees!


November 13th, 2006

My little sister turns 30 on November 17th.   For 6 days every year, she gets to be one year younger than me.  This year on November 23rd, I turn 32.

She celebrated her birthday early this year, clearly trying to draw out the “only one year younger than me” card.   I see through her plot!   So, in revenge, I post this very silly picture of her wearing the new hat and cowl I knit her out of Rowan Plaid.

I do not know why Rowan is discontinuing Rowan Plaid, for the yarn rocks.  I have a sweater out of it (which you will see in the next post) that is unbelievably awesome.

For Aimee’s Birthday, they went to the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.  Yes we are VERY JEALOUS.   Here is her and her husband, all spiffed up . For some reason, she took the hat off!

Mom and her partner, Mike went too.  They are also very spiffy.  I understand there was dancing and the band played a song for Aimee and everything.

Happy Birthday Aimees!