this is the rose city cosmo @ ParaGon in portland~ it makes me feel preetyyy~

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~

Cupcake 2

hannah~ she not sure if her cupcake is tasty~

Cupcake

yumm~

its raining... again!

So its POURING outside... lighting stuck somewhere very close... light flashed... house shook... alarm went off~ and My crazy grandmother was waiting for her church van to pick her up... by standing outside in the POURING rain~ (yes she was carrying an umbrella)... but still... we could not keep that woman in the house!! I wish I had a picture to show you... but my camera was in the basement somewhere and my cell phone is dead.

So its a rainy Sunday afternoon- my plans are to cast on the 2nd sleeve for my eyelet cardigan (which I recast on Wednesday night... and modified the pattern and beginning to knit with the sleeves)... hopefully squeeze in a nap... write the last of my admissions essays (which are so so late!)... and maybe stop by barnes and nobles for a coffee and to study for my Massage boards~

I haven't been knitting much lately... because...

all this knitting has created/changed the way the lines on my finger run! I now have a diagonal finger line! if I get my hand lines read... my fortune has changed because of knitting! LOL!! I haven't been knitting because that line has been flared up... red and sore for a few days~~ I have a theory as to why... (a new kinda yarn... I'm not enjoying very much)... but yeah~ok... no wonder my friends think I'm crazy but, you all understand right?~

Ok so here it is...I've mentioned it a few times... but its finally done... Shipped... received and... now posted:


The Endpaper Mits by Eunny Jang made out of Malabrigo Sock... in Tiziano Red and Terracota... on Size 1.5 and Size 3 needles~ for my Malabrigo Swap Round & partner...WOOHOO!! it was a fast fun knit... and the finished product is so pretty it makes me feel smarter! I love those make me feel smarter projects!



Pattern: Ene Scarf by Nancy Bush found in the Scarf Style Book
Yarn: Malabrigo Lace Weight in Dusty and Apricot 1.5 skeins of each (held together)
Needles: Size 7 Knit Picks options
This scarf took FOREVER!! well at least it feels like forever. I started it back in January... and then frogged it... and started it again in early June~ it took about 2 months. I wasn't working on it daily... or every week even... and if I had to do one more repeat of Chart 3... I might have cried~ but the finished project is sooo pretty! Its going on my christmas gift stash~ so maybe if your good?

I haven't knit much since... because of the finger... also I hurt my Right hand... opening a window (don't ask)~ but thats that... its just about all better so I can get started again~ Lately I've had a growing desire to learn to Sew~~ hmm~

On the Acupuncture front.... I'm officially looking for office space... my NJ license will be at my doorstep anyday now~ but the thought of having to pay rent and Student loans... is FREAKING me out~~ wish me luck!!

makes me want to do a rain dance!

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~~