Month: October 2006

Yarn’s Bound and Wound…

Randomness to wrap up October.

Stalker Angie has come up with the Kid & Ewe festival theme song, Yarn’s Bound and Wound:

Yarn’s bound and wound, we’re loadin’ up and truckin’,
We gonna drive past San Antonio.
We’ve got a long way to go, and a short time to get there.
We’re West bound just watch ol’ Stalker run.

That is just a taste of it. Read her site for more. Kid & Ewe countdown begins! Will YOU be joining us? EVERYONE is welcome – whether you have a blog or not! Get the details here. November 11th – be there!

The giant paper (17 pages with citations) that I wrote two weeks ago on how to become a pharmacist? I made a 100, including the presentation. I also learned that one can not go to pharmacy school part time as I dreamed, and it might just have to wait until after 2010 when Jason graduates from high school. I’m looking at several other degree options, including Chemistry, Biochemistry, Psychology, Communications with a focus in Advertising, and Photography. All have their pros and cons, so I have some thinking to do.

The Trig test that I took just days after turning in that paper? I did not do so well. We will just focus on the fact that I had a 95 and a 99 for the first two tests and the fact that our final can replace our lowest grade. It will be all good.

If I don’t get a Chemistry degree, I can stop taking all of these math and science classes. It would make my life easier in some ways, but I think I would miss the challenge. Decisions, decisions. Really? I just want to take pretty photographs.

I had more teen trick-or-treaters tonight than kid trick-or-treaters. It was really odd, and a bit disappointing. I like to see the little kids all dresses up. The high school freshman with “I am a Gangster” written on a plain white t-shirt? Yeah, not so much. I made him do gang signs for me though, so that redeemed it somewhat for me.

I called Katy Blogless earlier to work out a deal with her – I am going to trade her chocolate Halloween candy for the fruity stuff. I like things like red Twizzlers, Smarties, and cherry Tootsie Roll pops. She likes chocolate. It all works out well. Jason was sweet and gave me Smarties tonight – he knows how to win his mom over.

Don’t tell my family, but I have hidden a bag of Reese’s Miniatures that I got on sale. I do like some chocolate, especially when there is peanut butter involved. Yum.

I’m actually not a big sweet eater. So just a few pieces of candy will do until next Halloween.

I am going to photograph Katy’s finished knitting tomorrow, so there will be a proxy post here for her. Whee!

Speaking of knitting, I realized that it might be too warm for a sweater at Kid & Ewe. I cast on today for the Forest Canopy Shawl using the most beautiful skein of Anne yarn. I am so excited about knitting this lace!

I have started work on the calendars. Would anyone be interested in a “design your own” calendar where you get to pick the 12 photos you want to be included? Just tossing out ideas.

I hate Daylight Saving Time. I know, I know, we “gained an hour” this past weekend. The only thing it did for me was jack with my sleeping patterns and I have been exhausted all day today. Then again, I have been up for 17+ hours, so maybe that is why I am tired? I need to go to bed, but I need to make sure I talk to Mike before he starts his return adventure to Houston, so I need to stay up for a little while. I have no idea where I am supposed to find him when I get to the airport tomorrow night to pick him up.

Mike comes home tomorrow. He will go from London to Amsterdam and then home to Houston. I’m glad he will finally be home. Maybe I can get some sleep finally.

That wraps up October. Happy November, everyone! Rabbit, Rabbit!

Picture Time

Set Yourself Free…

It is all about learning to let go.

A few weeks ago, we had a Flickr meetup here in Houston. I was taking what I call my “point & shoot” photos, where I aim my camera and hope I am getting the shot I want. (When there is room on the memory card, it is fun to play!) Some of the other Flickr’ers were talking about my “technique” and the free photography of it all. I just wanted to share what can happen when you let go.

Sometimes the pictures suck. Sometimes, you end up with this. In the end, it is definitely worth it.

Shot “from the hip” at the Texas Ren Fest, a few weeks after the Flickr gathering. (From the hip and my point & shoot are the same thing with different names. This one was shot from about hip height though, so … well, it fits.)

Even better large. You can even check it out larger than life.

Julia asked in my comments yesterday if I was going to put together a calendar this year. I’ve said for at least three years now that I was going to do it, and you know what? I think this is going to finally be the year. I’m thinking of doing a few calendars actually – flowers, flowers & butterflies, London, Paris, Houston, and a nature shots calendar. Probably in that order. I’ll keep you posted on the details, as soon as I figure out if I’m using Qoop, Lulu or Cafepress to make them. Anyone have experience with any of those? Care to share feedback?

Knittastic! Picture Time

Soctober is Coming to the End…

Post author By Christine
Post date Monday, October 30, 2006
2 Comments on Soctober is Coming to the End…

I haven’t finished a single sock in Soctober, and now it is almost over. Oops. It has been a good month though as far as knitting – some sock progress, my sweater, and the baby sweater. So it isn’t all bad. Just no completed socks and still a lot of sock yarn in my stash.

Just because I am completely crazy, I’m going to sign up for Norovember. I have the Noro yarn for my next sweater ready in the wings, and hopefully this will spur me on more than Soctober did.

Speaking of being spurred on, I will probably record the next Pointy Sticks podcast today or tomorrow. I want to get a show out before Mike gets home and lives return to normal.

The photo hunt yesterday was fun, but the sun was too bright for many good shots. It was a beautiful, clear day – so we had to work with it to take advantage of what photographs we could find. The lecture was interesting, but not necessarily the level that we needed. I did learn a few tips on using a filtering device to block out the harsh sun, and tips on using a reflector to get the light where you want it. Plus the class was free, so you can’t beat that. Well, almost free – we stopped at Cold Stone afterwards for an ice cream treat!

Knittastic!

Knitted Goods!

I have officially knit a sweater. Sure, it is a small sweater, but it is still a sweater. I made it for Emma, Hanna’s baby that is due in December.

The stats:
Lorna’s Laces Swirl DK yarn in “Happy Valley”
Lorna’s Laces Simplest Sweater for Baby pattern
(Offers instructions for both knit and crochet sweaters)
Newborn size
Knit with US 4 needles, the size they called for in the pattern! (A first for me!)
Gauge: 22 stitches = 4″ in garter stitch

Started on October 13 at the Friday knitting group at Twisted Yarns. Worked on at the Blue Man Group concert that night because the guards didn’t care at all that I had knitting in my purse and I can do garter stitch in the dark. I can now use my hand to measure approximately five inches, so I would know when to stop. I brought a small ruler with me, just in case. I worked on it some more on that Saturday, making it through the first sleeve. Set aside during the school week, worked on again while I was laid up in bed with my sprained ankle last weekend. Finished the knitting on Saturday, October 21. Figured out a tie solution at the Friday knitting group this past Friday (I did a crochet chain for the ties instead of the ribbon that the pattern called for), and finished seaming the sides and sleeves Friday night.

The yarn was quite lovely to work with and I would happily work with it again. I used my Options needles in the US 4 size, and they worked very well. When I had to put the one sleeve on a holder, I just popped endcaps onto the first 24″ cable and knit away with the second one. Could not have been easier!

I am extremely careful about knitting for other people. It takes a lot of time and work, and I tend to be stingy about it. This was a successful gift knit though – Hanna loved it, and pointed out to everyone that I had made it, along with the shawl I was wearing on Saturday. It was fun to knit it for her, and I can’t wait to see Emma in it!

Now I need to step away from the computer and work on my sweater. I really want to have it done in just under two weeks so I can take it with me to Kid & Ewe. (Are you coming to Kid & Ewe?) I’m not sure if I will make it though. One can hope! (Computer time and Bejeweled are NOT helping the cause though.)

Update – to clarify! I am not sure if the *sweater* will be done in time for Kid & Ewe. That is what I am not sure I will make – my deadline of knitting time. I will definitely make Kid & Ewe. Walking is improving daily, although there is some wonkiness still to my ankle. So I will be there, but the sweater might not.

Picture Time

Photo Time…

One of my favorite thing about the Ren Fest? The watergardens – I love taking photos of the flowers there. This one is even better if you view it large. More of these to come.

Today, I’m going to a photo class at a local garden with Elaine and Hanna. Yeah! More flower photo opportunities! Speaking of Hanna, now that we have had her baby shower, I can post the photos of the baby sweater I made for her. I have finally knit a sweater! A small one, but it is a sweater! Photos to come soon…