and so the new school year begins... again~

So here we are... at the beginning of my 25th (consecutive)year in school~ I remember when hitting senior year in high school was a BIG deal~ I wonder if there is a world record for consecutive years in school? just saying~

So I forgot to publicly (on my blog public)... thank my Malabrigo Swap (round 7? 8?) partner Mercourier who sent me an awesome Second City themed package...

It was filled with all kinds of awesome- including 2 hand knit items: a pair of flippy top mittens (the best kind there is!), and an adorable Monster named Frances who now is the guardian of my computer desk. It also included... 3 mini bars of Vosges chocolates, 2 flavored sugars, local Honey, homemade cherry jam, handmade knitting themed mug, local yarn (Liberty Farms in MI), a hand dyed Silk scarf, handmade buttons, Malabrigo Worsted in Forest- and Malabrigo Sock- in Aguas (which is a new colorway). This package was filled with all kinds of awesome~ and I'm soo grateful for the thoughtfulness of each item- Thanks Sam!

On the knitting front... I haven't been finishing much- its starting to give me an itch to cast off!
some projects from the last month or so~

Pattern: Heart and Sole by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Toddy- from the Yarn Yard in the Pillar box red colorway
Notes: this was the... May/June shipment from the Socktopus sock club. The pattern is very clever- and interesting and fits AWESOME~ but I had issues with the yarn- it wasn't as smooshy as I'd like and it didn't have alot of "give" It made my hands hurt to work with it. However, after a month of frequent wear- the socks still look good- so that means something good about the yarn (in my book)
I gifted these to my grandma (the lady who taught me to knit)... and she loves them (hurray!) She's wearing them whenever I go to visit her (even unannounced!)


Pattern: Horcux Socks by SusanLawrence
Yarn: Cascade 220 Paints Superwash
Needles: KA DPN's size 7
Notes: this pattern is awesome- I knit these socks up in 2 days!!! Seriously! (and no I wasn't knitting them day and night!
My grandmother likes them- but she finds the yarn slippery on our hard wood floors I'm going to have to get some puffy paint for the bottoms~


Pattern: Majestic by Elizabeth Warner
Yarn: Zen Yarn Garden Serenity Socks in the Gold Dynasty Colorway
Notes: this was the 1st package from the Wool girl sock club. Its' definitely not a color or sock pattern I would have picked up myself, which is what make these socks ever more amazing. The yarn- works up like a dream! and the pattern- how pretty are those socks?! I would definitely buy this yarn again~ and if your looking for a pretty pretty cable sock pattern- this is it!


Pattern: Noro Striped Scarf
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden #252 and #245
Needles: Knit Picks Options Size 7
Notes: fun mindless knit~~
CO 37 sts
Alternating skeins
Row 1- K1,p1 to end
Row 2- sl 1 (purlwise, wyf), k1, p1 to last stitch, sl1 purlwise, wyf.
drop yarn- pick up Contrast yarn- in front of the dropped yarn and works Row 1 and 2~
The yarn is a bit scratchy- I'll sock it in some SOAK or hair conditioner and see how that works out~

WIP's:
Vilai by Cookie A.

and my Eyelet Cardigan (still- does this count as WIP if I haven't touched it in over a month?)

Yarn: Lots of new yarn... but in the interest of time- I'll send you over to my Flickr page, you can PM me- if you have any specific questions or check out my Ravelry Stash page~

So sad~~

Recently... I think I've been feeling quite sad~~ nothing terrible... just sad. It started with my MapleStory character being hacked. I haven't played maple in recent months but still, this is my character since the beginning. Really I've only had this one, and now that someone has logged in and stolen her belongings... I feel so VIOLATED!! its just one of those things~~ some people have encouraged me to go and rebuild her~ and others have suggested I let it go~ and I agree with both. But still, its so sad~~ Bad karma and whom ever violated CORNCHOWDER!~ RAWR!

To add to the sad feeling I was having about my character being desecrated, I read the post on the Yarn Harlot's blog about the terrible ordeal she has been experiencing. Add to this, reflecting on the my recent terrible experience with a certain big headed lawyer (who works in NJ... who's name I will not mention, but just that if his head grows any bigger it surely will EXPLODE)... and it just makes me feel sad. Saying mean people SUX, just isn't enough, its really making my Liver Qi rise. To all of this... the sad situation, mean people (or in my case overly large ego, who's mama must not have taught him better)... I send a really mean look... its going to come back to you~ *hard stare*

In other news...
Whats on my needles:
I cast on these socks on Friday Night, but I'm currently seriously contemplating ripping them out and starting over....

I cast on the Size large.... but they are tooo big!! It doesn't help that I used larger size needles~ ugh~ yes, I'm sure they will fit someone, yes, I hate ripping out, but.... they aren't making me happy... I should do it...shouldn't I?

I also cast on... the Eyelet Cardigan but I've already frogged it... because... I didn't like the way the ribbing and the eyelet pattern didn't match up. Also, I don't like how SHORT it is... yes its a cropped Cardi... but I don't want it cropped! So I'm debating how I want to modify it... I think I will hunt on Ravelry to see what over people have done~ Also I wonder if I can knit it in the round~~

FO's
I've finished my SuperSecretSwap Project for my Malabrigo Swap Round 7 Swap partner... but for the sake of secrecy... I'll hold off posting any more about that~ other than... it is a totally satisfying project!

I've FINALLY finished my ENE~ WOOHOOO!!! but haven't photo'd it yet... its over cast... but I may try to do that today anyhow~ I don't know when I'll be able to block it... we have house guests~ again~ meh~~~

and something I cast off a while ago... but never posted...

my over the garden wall socks from the 2nd shipment of Socktopus Sock Club~ This pattern and yarn is AWESOME!! Fast fun knit~ interesting Heel, well written pattern~ Amazing~

Something I love...
is StitchIt!! Podcast
I love Meghan's stories about her son (Owen), and her Spinning advice... and I especially love her Favorite Thing section. LOVE it... if your a podcast listener... I really love this one~~

yay a POST!

monkey socks

So I've been trying to post from my cell for weeks... and it hasn't been working.. and I swear tonight I did the same thing I do everytime I try to post from my cell... but tonight it worked!!! The full moon... does make a difference!! So there is it... a picture I took my with cellphone camera... during class... because I just finished the toe on my 1st pair of monkey socks... I need to graft them... and they are good to go!

The yarn is... Yarn Love- Elizabeth Bennet in the Fondly colorway... and the pattern is Monkey Socks by cookieA. I've gotten lots of complements on them- whenever I pull them out in school or on the bus~ Quick and fun knit~

TA DA


Pattern: Girasol by Jared Flood
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Paris Night Colorway
Needles: Crystal Palace size 10.5 DPN's and Knit Picks Harmony Interchangable size 10.5 in the 24", 40", and 60" cables
Notes~ OMG so much fun to knit... I cast another one on... I did an extra repeat of Chart G- because I had so much yarn left. I used 7 full skeins plus like 20g of an 8th skein~

So... I've a bunch of things I've finished in the last omg... 2 months is it? and a swap and some yarn club packages I've received in that time also... I'll try to post some of it in the coming days~ I've been running about like a nearly headless chicken.

Just to give you a gist of what has been going on in my life... is... I was seeing someone... now I'm not... I ran into old buddies and made new buddies~ I when through these crazy hoops to get my Acupuncture License in New Jersey... which should be finalized any day now.... and I also got my school to approve me for expedited graduation so I can sit for the NYS massage board exam... and I've been applying to Doctoral programs.... got a new job... working on building my own practice... and... learned that I'm graduating in the top 3 of my class (hurrah!).... so yes... I think I've been a bit distracted. So Sorry for nearly abandoning the blog... Hope you all come back and visit me now... that I will try to post regularly once again!

Err its the end of the month... already!?

where has this month gone!? I can't believe its the last day of april already!!.... Seriously... the rate at which time is passing is beginning to scare me a bit~~ Someone once said to me... the older you get the faster time passes... scary!! So what have I accomplished this past month...
I took finals... and I'm guessing I passed them all... because I did receive my report card it in the mail... and it was...acceptable~.... I took the last of my necessary NCCAOM board exams... and I passed that as well... I submitted the last of my paper work to be licensed in NYS... and the initial paperwork for my NJ license~... I talked to ThePinkCLoud (Laura)... about my business logo and such~... I talked to my parents about my plans to start my business... I checked off- speak in front of 300 people+ off my life to do list~... and... I have now reached the end of april... and possibly the last real day off before I start my Spring...and final semester of PCOM (massage program~)... woohoo!~
Some photos...


Happy birthday to my cousin Hannah and my mom who aged the day before I did... I treated my family to a night at Medieval Times... which we enjoyed~ the food was better than expected... but that may have been because we were at the 8pm show~ by the time it all started... we were starved! The Black and White Knight won... which according to my sister... he always wins~ but it was a fun something to do~


Pattern: Juliet by Sarah & Rachel
Yarn: Malabrigo- Worsted
Colorway: Buscando Azul and Azul Bolita- about 2.5 skeins of each
Needles: Size 10 1/2 Knit Picks Harmony Options
Notes/Mods: CO for size S increased 17 times (rather than 16) because the arm holes were too tight
Beginning lace pattern- I had 116 sts OTN… I decreased down to 109 which is inbetween the XS and S~
used: this website to calculate where to place the decreases~ (very clever)
Mina asked for a pocket on the sweater... Basically I knit 12 stitches (what would make the lacey portion of the stitch pattern Row 1) onto waste yarn… I slipped those stitches back onto the left needle… and continued in pattern… The next row is purled back (row 2)… and then row 3 i just knit those 12 sitches… because I thought it would make the structure of it all stronger than if I continued the lace pattern just yet…
Continue as normal…. After the bindoff… I picked up the stitches from the waste yarn (26 stitches in all) on the inside of the sweater…. and… joined in the round.. and knit 2 rows (Originally I was going to purl the stitches on the back of the pocket and knit the front portion (to help the join (of pocket and front of sweater) to fold over… but I forgot~ then I purled until the pocket was as long as I could make without it poking out the bottom… Kitchnered shut~
Handwashed in Soak- it took DAYS to dry! (i need a sweater drying rack)... and... The PinkCloud crochet me the button connectory thingies~ DONE.


Pattern: Charade by Sandra Park
Yarn: Tofutsies by SWTC in the Feet First (#790) colorway
Needles: Blue Sky Alpaca DPN Size 0
Notes: CO 80, after 16 repeats of the leg pattern- decreased down to 76 sts- repeat pattern 16 times before starting heel.
RE: Yarn- it was interesting to work with- it was splitty, a bit annoying, but it comes with amazing yardage~ The yarn is a blend of Cotton, Wool, Soy, and Chitin (which is a component of crustacean shells~)... If it weren't so splitty! I would want to use it again~

Stash Enhancements...
I was on a self imposted Yarn Diet... for all of... oh... 3 days?... at which time I gave up... and nearly doubled my stash. I have decided that Yarn diets are a dangerous thing as they lead me to binge purchase once released~ Please Note the following may include Spoilers~
Socktopus Sock Club (march 2009)

Yarn: Artist Palette- Sweet Feet in Sweet Pea Colorway
Pattern: Over the Garden Wall by Loumms creation
Notes: Package also included a small Satiny pouch containing Seeds for Peas and Mint and recipe to make Peas Mint Soup

Wool Girl Sock Club Package (April, 2009)

Yarn: Curious Creek Fibers- Wasonga- in the Old Head of Kinsale Colorway
Patterns: Crooked Brook Sock by Anne Hanson and Stormy Seas Cowl By Lisa Dykstra
Notes: Package also included: 2 small sheep figures, a Cranberry Farm Shortbread Cookie shaped like a sheep, a Note (to DO list)pad and Tea Sample, A tea shaped Tape measure/Key ring, a gold color teapot Stitch marker from Sunneshine on etsy, a note card, and a LARGE travel bag with the WoolGirl Sock club logo embroidered on it.

Sundara Seasons Yarn Club (Winter)- Final Shipment- 3 Skeins of ASM in Black Cherry


Eat Sleep Knit- Do over Sale Purchase...
here I will not list everything that I bought... as it is a bit embarrassing... but please note... it was on SALE~~ if you are so inclined please feel free to click the photo and head over to Flickr' where the photo has notes and lists exactly what each yarn is~


what else... OTN: yes, while I have been madly purchasing yarn... I have also been knitting... not quite as the same rate of acquisition... but... thats not the point!...right?

Pattern: Over the Garden Wall by Loumms Creation
Yarn: Artists Palette- Sweet feet in Sweet Pea Colorway
Needles: Size 2 Knit Picks Harmony DPN's
Notes: You see! I just got this kit this month and its being knit up!! actually as to tonight it will be an FO! I just need to bind off the 2nd sock. I recommend this pattern as it was really fun and fast to knit! the heel is interesting and... the finished sock is very pretty. I will not be adding the embellishments as it does not really suit me~ and not very practical for wearing in a shoe~ but thats just me~ Please note that these socks took less than the requisite 2 months that it normally requires for me to finish socks.


Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Alchemy Yarns- Synchronicity in The Night Air and Dylan's Blue Depths
Notes: NONE! its a CLAP!!


Pattern: Girasol by Jared Flood
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Paris Night
Needles: Knit Picks Harmony Options Size 10 1/2
Notes: this pattern is AWESOME! I'm knitting the blanket size... currently finishing up Chart E- and i'm not bored with it... I'm excited to knit on it whenever I pick it up, its not HARD... and its amazingly Beautiful~ I'm considering knitting it again!?

october... already?

Ok so the verdict is in... I'm keeping the yarn... for now~ :)

Dinner with Lillian... @ Pasticceria Bruno last Sunday night~
<
We shared the Polenta... I had the Sven Burger... and the Chocolate Pear Royale... and Lil had... the Chocolate Mousse (I think~) It was really cute~ and they had live music on a Sunday night~

I received my Travelling Tea Box (#3) for the CuppaTeaForum on Ravelry~

I got me a new mini collection of new tea's to try~

FO's:

Pattern: Official Kittyville Hat by Kitty Schmidt
Yarn: Sheep Shop Yarn Company- Sheep Three (1/2 skein, lavender-ish color)
Needles: Size 7 and 8 (DPNs- crystal Palace Bamboo)
Made for: a friend... hannah was just modelling it for me~


Pattern: Ribbed Beanie by Woolly Wormhead
Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky (olive colorway)
Needles: Size 13 (Knit picks Harmony Options)
Made for: Joe (mina's joe)

Pattern: Dolores Park Cowl by Parikha Mehta
Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky (olive colorway)
Needles: Size 13
Made for: Joe (mina's joe)


Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock- Edgewater
Needles: Lantern Moon Sox Stix- Size 1

Have you guys noticed this:

Movie Reviews

I thought the results were hilarious~ apparently... my non-use of standard sentences... and just connecting everything with... or ~ is a higher form of english~ I write at an Undergraduate college level! (at least I Have something to show after graduating from college 3 times!)

its DONE!

my adamas shawl is DONE!! woohoo!


I started on my 1st pair of Jaywalkers (Sock), which I was working on at dorney park~ while I was waiting for my cousins to return from their rides~ and Can it be? I wasn't on the rides myself?! *Shock*Shock* After spending the morning at the waterpark (I hate waterparks) I had a massive headache~ So I only rode my favorite dorney coasters- Talon and Steel Force~

I'm using my Lantern Moon, Sock Sox- I love these needles!! so Smooth and feel nice in my hands~ I'm just scared I'm gonna break them!! they are quite bendy~
The yarn is... Lorna's Laces Sock- in the Edgewater Colorway~ I'm totally in love with this yarn and the color!! its sooo pretty~
Last night I had a huge battle with this yarn~ I had it wound into a ball at the store I bought it at (a few MONTHS ago)... and it was kinda loose and falling apart but still~ i thought it would be ok~ It ended up getting horribly horribly knotted~ I was up to the wee hours of the night unknotting~ and ended up cutting it (*Heartbroken*)
Still I love this yarn!

birthday....cake.... socks~

wow~ i opened my e-mail box to like 89 new e-mails~ and amazingly enough.... it wasn't all SPAM! thanx guyz for all the birthday wishes! <3>


my mom and grandma singing happy birthday~ to me? we brought the cake home from the resturant cause we were all tooo stuffed to eat it~ My grandmother is sooo cute! She was laughing hysterically after all the singing... and of course Noodles had to join in on the festivities~

these are the sock that I just finished knitting last night... HURRAH! okay lets be honest here... I started them last year! errr.... I've been distracted??... They were originally planned for my grandma- but my aunt really loved them... so these are my aunties feet in the sock's~