Not a SQUIB, but MAGICAL!

Ahahahaha...yeah. I haven't posted in a while since my strategic management class ate my life. I turned in the final project/paper after not learning anything. Fortunately I had Dad (who teaches this stuff too) around to bounce ideas off of. I'm happy to say that I learned from him and that I did it by myself. He was also happy that he'd done what he could to help without walking me completely through it or doing it himself.

Anyway, *washes hands of class* that prof is off my list. :P Hopefully I'll end up with a good passing grade.

As I mentioned ages ago. I've been waiting for my Pottermore letter. Well they announced today that all the Beta letters had been owled. I got mine yesterday and was up until 5am battling the site crashes and plowing through. In the midst of this I was knitting a certain pair of glommitts. :D Rejoice in the return to knitting!

OMG! It's really amazing! :D There is information galore and all kinds of neat graphics. It's almost too much to take in. I know that I'll have to go back through and read again after a reread of the first book.

I was having a blast yesterday chatting with Rika as she and her beau were plowing through too. XD

I forgot how much I love the train. I might have to figure out how to knit a mini-plushie Hogwarts Express. *nods* I also need to knit myself an owl. I bought one, but have no clue what to name it. Leaning toward Priestly. ;D

There was little doubt, but I still feel validated. RAVENCLAW ALL THE WAY!

Now to work on brewing potions and waiting for dueling to return so I can cast spells! Book 2 comes out next year! :3

Gifting fun giftys!

Got together with KA and her lifemate Bean. I'm going to be screwed when they get married since I've known the girl by first and last name forever...I don't know that I'll be able to change it in my head.

Anyway, had dinner with them and finally gave birthday gifts...a month and seven months late. Eh hehe. Yeah. Figuring schedules, so not my strong point.

Interesting, and humorously, enough Bean and I wore the same shirt without consulting. HAHAHA! That's what happens when you are nerdtastic.

Anyway, I gave each a coffee cup cozy that is hand sewn and reusable from sewtara's Etsy shop. I actually had to get one for myself since I got a ceramic coffee cup with lid that didn't come with a cozy. *pouts* Ah well, I picked a good one.

Along with that KA got a little panda pouch. I am a firm believer that one can never have too many pouches to store things in. Bean got a set of teacups that are cupcake molds. KA had told me when we were last out and about that he wanted them, soooooo. Yesh. :D

As you can see I knit a panda plushie too. This was for KA. She's a big panda fan. It was entirely too entertaining making this little cutie from Katie Boyette's KnitWit book. I have plans for a few other patterns within. *cackles*

There was also a knitted little wonder for Bean. KA and I discovered that there was a mutual love for Dr. Who. That being said I decided Bean needed 11's sonic screwdriver a la yarn.

In the midst of the shopping and browsing of Etsy, I realized I forgot to include a small item for each. *headdesk* I'll have to remember for next outing with one or both of them. *sigh*

They actually got me something pretty freakin' sweet too. KA commented that she loves journals, but doesn't journal well. So I reap the benefits since I do both things. Well, perhaps not well, but I use journals for various things. Anyway, they gave me Keri Smith's Wreck this Journal. I'd seen this when I worked at BN and always meant to buy it. Muwahahaha! I was doing a little googling on it and came across pictures of people following the journal's directions. It got me thinking, I might document this and post about that. Then I found a blog that is doing so. She calls it Wreck this Journal Wednesdays. I'm not sure if I can stick to that schedule, but I can certainly take pictures and post what I do to it.

Yes...this is going to be entertaining. :D

knitting in pop culture

I've been really amused to come across a few knitting references in movies and literature lately.

I think another part of this is the yarn bombing movement. It's been making the news so putting knitting in the spot light. I really love the Wall Street Bull yarn bomb. :D

Dumbledore refers to knitting the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:

"No, I was merely reading the Muggle magazines...I do love knitting patterns."

Mostly, I completely understand this compulsion. I have ridiculous amounts of fun looking at knitting patterns. Whether I knit them or not is irrelevant. They are creative and inspirational. Then again, I like to stock pile them away in hopes that I might knit them in the future. I also have a compulsion to buy yarn. My stash is huge.


Tangled refers to it twice. I love that Rapunzel knits. Look at Pascal hidden in her scarf! He's so freaking adorable. Hehe! She's knitting English style too.

And one of the ruffians does later on in the movie. It's part of the listing all their dreams.

If you haven't seen it, go and watch. One of the better animated non-Pixar movies to come out of Disney's studios in a while. Cracks me up every time I watch.

I look forward to finding more knitting references.

Cap for the Cap't

Went to see Captain America (for the second time) today and had lunch with a friend from high school. Hadn't seen him in a few years. It was nice. We had a good chat and I was able to gift him my fifth mystery project. (The fourth is still on the needles slowly being knit...)

Since he was the only male to respond to the Pay it Forward challenge, I had some trouble determining a pattern for him. This is also due to the fact that most patterns seem to be made for women by women. Nothing wrong with that, but trying to find something for a guy it rough.

I chose a hat pattern called Windschief. The guy who wrote it has some really neat stuff that is masculine, but also simple as he does patterns with knit and purls, no fancy stuff that makes it flourishy. I think it turned out well. :) He seemed to like it. (And it fit!)

It really decided me when I had the thought, you can't really have too many hats.

This didn't turn out to be the best picture, but it was better than the ones I took without the foam head. Which, haha! I bought a foam head so I can model hats and hold my blue Coraline wig. :D There is actually a mild level of excitement about this.

Anywho, really enjoyed being able to catch up with my friend, and he was all Captain America, yes! So I told him I'm calling him Cap from now on. :D

Leaf your thumbprint please...

I had an awesome vacation going home to Grandma's farm. I hadn't actually seen a chunk of my family in about 4 years due to various circumstances. I was so glad to make it up to see them. Saturday was the big day! I did the poster reveal to Kels on Friday while there were a bunch of us sitting around at Grandma's unfurling large tissue paper pom-poms. :) She liked it.

The wedding was so neat. Casual, fun, and light. Lots of rustic little details that made it memorable. I'm glad that I could be a part of it with my tree. Even if I haven't really drawn much in a last few years...actually I don't remember the last thing I drew. >_> Anyway, the tree turned out great, both before and after! I had the most trouble doing the lettering. OMG. The thing took me about 6 hours to pencil, ink, erase and detail. O_o I'd forgotten how time consuming art could be. Also, I found a tree I would totally draw for my own wedding. :D Cause even with no prospects, having some ideas is never a bad thing.

There was pizza making, rope braiding, pom-pom fluffing, and 40s music pumping out during the reception. It was loads of fun and lots of family visiting. :)

I did take a knitting project with me too. My first shawl. Ugh. Did I struggle. There is so much attention in the pattern with YOs and various knit togethers. I ended up casting on, knitting, frogging, and restarting several times. Mum actually said to me at one point, "this is supposed to relax you." HA! I like the challenge even when it drives me bonkers. :P I ended up knitting most of what is show on the road coming home...so about a 2 hour drive and a 3 hour plan trip. Go me!

Also, the pattern is called Allons-Y and makes me giggle when I think on it for Dr. Who and 10. ;D I actually have a few other shawl plans but they will have to do on hold. My project queue keeps getting added to by friends asking for things. I think I'm just about over my no in the round stage for the moment too. So next days off hopefully I can knock out a set of mittens... *fingers crossed*

Shark Bait!

I walked into work last night and was greeted by my glomitt wanting co-worker. (He actually asked about my blogging and declared that he needed an awesome nickname...I'm leaning toward Shark Bait.)

I had to tell him his glomitts were on hold. However he had a new request for me. He wanted a Baby Shark Sleeping Sack. It's pretty fraking cute and hilarious.

So I went hunting for pictures or maybe even a pattern. Found a few pictures of the one he found (along with the Etsy listing) and a few other amusing shark related knits.

Mostly I love the hat I found. On Ravelry and the knitter's webpage. I also completely adore the girl's expression.

So because he's a geek and declared he'd take amusing obnoxious photos if I knit him the Sleeping Shark Sack, he might end up with a hat or ipod cozy (see the Etsy treasury) in it's place while I figure out a few of the other projects I've got going. I'm pretty sure that making the hat would actually help me suss out the construction for the sleep sack.

But it is amusing as hell...and I like being entertained. XD

Round and round she goes...

I love knitting in the round. I've made several things that way. This is probably because I don't like purling since I am slower at it. :P

However, for the last week or so, all projects I've cast on for knitting in the round on circulars has resulted in twisting. Which I don't notice for a few rounds, then I have to rip it all out. Thus I shall work on something knit flat. Like my Coraline sweater. Between that and the mystery project I have left, I should get through the small vacation we're going on for my cousin's wedding. :)

Mostly I'm frustrated since a few of the things I'd like to get made for friends are in the round on circulars (like that neat purple swirl hat shown). *pouts* Just need to take some time away from it I guess...