Monday, July 31, 2006

"She Fee-zy..."




My poor baby. I had her hair cut this week.
It had been so hot and she was just panting and laying on the floor for days and days.
She was shorn on Thursday - she feels so silky soft.

Friday morning the weather changed.
We have gone from 35 C to 12 C.
Poor Kira was shivering this evening.
She had to wear a sweater and snuggle up on my lap.

She is wearing a cabled sweater that we bought at a garage sale for $1.
$1!! Imagine the work that went into that baby. We bought 2 sweaters at that sale.
Both cabled, both handmade, both for $1.
A knitter somewhere is going unappreciated in that family.

The remarkable thing is how perfectly the sweaters fit Kira. I think the colour looks lovely with her golden-y white hair too. But I am a little partial.

The title qoute is from a child, who in my 12 or more year career working with children, was the most difficult child to put to sleep EVER! In the history of childcare I am sure.
We would all begin to unclench our jaws when she would look up and say "Me fee-zy..." (me freezing). This meant she was tired. We could lay the blanket on her and in less than 5 minutes she would be asleep. As if the 45-1 hr previous had never happened. This would leave about 20 minutes before the rest of the group would wake up. Ahhhh. Daycare.

Ever since then whenever anyone is cold myself, a cousin co-worker and a few close friends use the "me fee-zy" shorthand we have become so fond of.

I am so loving this pattern! The fleece is outrageously soft.
I have 1 1/2 dishcloths done.
Maybe I just need to stick to tiny projects...
I am feeling such a sense of accomplishment.

Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 12:32 AM :: (0) comments

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Fleecey Goodness



Mmmm. This yarn is so soft! I cannot
wait to try it out washing some dishes.

The cotton fleece was a gift from my
lovely S8Pal. It is blue and oh so
yummy!

My mother made the diamond dishcloth and I have begun a dishcloth from the Mason Dixon book. {Despite my Kool Aid dyed socks I really hate multicoloured projects - so I have opted to make the dishcloth in blue only.} I seriously like these dishclothes. But when I was a teenager my Mom had a friend
who crocheted us a batch of
dishclothes and I hated them.
I thought it was disgusting to use them. Go figure!

Now I want everything to be handmade - handmade by me is even better.
I am half done Absorba the Great. I should have 3 dishclothes by Weds. and I have been looking at those linen hand towels in MDK...I haven't yet knit with linen...

Oooh. I learned something new today: YF & YB. I had my Mom explain it to me but she thought it meant YO. The pattern was not working out at all when I did it her way. SO I was able to figure out that YF & YB are just ways to wrap around a slipped stitch to carry it multiple rows. That was a fun little moment.

I am trying desperately to keep myself away from KnitPicks, KPixie & E-Bay. Lately I have gone utterly overboard ordering knitting and sewing patterns online. Mon dieu! Will I never learn?

Also I had to buy a Skein of gorgeous wool for the One Skein Exchange and I just happened to buy about 12 balls of Ecowool @ $2 per ball. Curse my LYS! They have the sale section outside at the door and to the immediate left of their doorway. So you have no choice but to see the wares marked to clear.

Nearly time to get to work on my OSE gift. Perhaps next post.

Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 1:47 AM :: (0) comments

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Are you Knitter enough?


Check out this fall challenge: Sock Wars 2006

http://www.yarn-monkey.blogspot.com/

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Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 9:44 PM :: (1) comments

Is it shorts weather?



This is what I did to my leg before I even got in the Van to go to work this morning.
Lovely isn't it?

The infliction of my injuries are always so mundane. I wasn't rock climbing, or mountain biking, dirt biking, hiking or roller blading - all things I do WITHOUT bodily harm.

( FACT: I have broken my ankle while running along a paved sidewalk and - here's the doozy - while climbing a set of stairs. Same ankle, not properly healed.)

Nope. I was just stepping out of my car with an armful of things I needed to take to work and not looking towards the ground. I completely forgot that there are a stack of brick/stepping stones (that I snagged for my garden for mosaic-ing from a reno project) leaning against the post beside the car.

I also forgot that two things cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Not without dreadful scrapes they can't.

(The puffy ankle is unrelated to the scrape - but closely linked to the heat! Aaaand, it's the twice broken one.)

Oh and tell me this: How did picking up a stitch that only 'fell' 4 rows take nearly 30 minutes tonight? Those miniscule sock needles....

Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 12:11 AM :: (0) comments

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Process or Progress?




I do have a tendency to repeat things. Attachments to unavailable men. Jobs where I have to fight to invent the wheel. Diet and excercise regimes. I waffle between a determination NOT to gossip or complain and a natural inclination to do both frequently.

I fear I am easily influenced into doing exactly what I most want to do at the moment. Whether that be to forget about my long term health and have a Chocolate Extreme Blizzard or to abandon my Laura Tee and take up Socky after reading a sock heavy blog.

I spent the weekend in agonizing introspection, futilely trying to ignore the heatwave, and hard at work on Socky. I feel quite proud of Socky - but...I cannot actually see myself wearing this gharish thing. Those Kool-Aid colours. Interesting to work with but seriously what will they look good with?!

I read the pattern and was delighted to find out that 'turning the heel' is nothing but short row knitting. What the?! All that fuss for such a simple thing? I was sure it couldn't be that easy. Everyone was so certain that I would hate the process and I found it nearly painless. In fact I liked it a lot better than making that damned endless cuff!

{I realize that Socky looks quite narrow through the heel - but it is because the stitches are all squished together otherwise the needles stuck up at insane angles and Socky looked like he wanted to head into orbit.}

So at long last I get to my point. I spent nearly 2 days of free time working on Socky and he is not done. And he will need a twin. So this knitting thing I can't stop, must be about the process and not necessarily the progress. For me. Since clearly I take an awfully long time to get anywhere.

My intro to repetition? I was going to whine about my inability to knit quickly and compare myself to prolific knitters. Again. But I have decided that I value my time sitting and contemplating life in general and my own imparticular.

It's all about the process baby!

You can see my evil influence hard at work on my dear cousin Mandy.
Now she can't stop with the Sudoku either.
Mwa-ha-ha...

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Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 11:44 PM :: (1) comments

Friday, July 21, 2006

I'm Melting, I'm Melting...


Ok - apparently it is only 96.8 degrees here.
Boy does it feel worse than that. Maybe because it is typically 82 degrees when we think it is hot out.
Sheesh - and tomorrow they are predicting 100.4 degrees.
How will I make it?
Will I be able to knit??

Today I took the kids to Bowen Island. We had the best time. Until we left the seashore.
God it was unbearable. Those poor little people. They were just sweating. They devoured a watermelon in minutes! I did get them to drink enormous amounts of water. I just hope that they were sunscreened enough. I know I have some pink spots myself.

I did get a little knitting done on Laura's L sleeve. Not much. But more than I have had time for this past week.

Maybe I will work on my socks tonight. That way I won't have any yarn/hemp draped over me.
Maybe I will go watch a movie in the air conditioned darkness...Decisions, decisions.

Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 8:06 PM :: (0) comments

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Proof Positive


Ha! Mom found a pic of me knitting when I was a little girl.
Here it is.
Not entirely sure what I am making - most likely a scarf or a blanket (for Barbie. I was ambitious but reasonable - at least then I was!)

Check out our groovy '70's decor!
Ahhh the memories.

Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 6:21 PM :: (0) comments

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Home again, home again...


I'm back! Feels good to be home.
It was hot this weekend! You can see my Aunt trying to keep cool during a lunchbreak.
We had a great 4 days away. Laughed like fools together, ate too much food, stayed up late and learned a
LOT.
If you have never had the Peanut Butter Pie at ABC Country Restaurant you owe it to yourself to get there and have a slice. I ordered it more than once - even though I got a stomachache if I ate the whole piece, I still finished it the next time!

When I got home I had a package waiting for me from my fantastic Secret Pal! She is so great!! Thank you very much.
She sent me blue cotton fleece to make a petal shaped (pattern included) wash cloth. Just when I was thinking of making a wash cloth too!
She MADE me 4 beaded stitch markers. She sent me 2 large darning needles - I definitely need those babies.
Sent me a great Winter edition of Vogue Knits, some lavender scented wool wash (which is so cool since I have nothing like it) and some Crabtree and Evelyn powder.
Also included were some hip thank you cards that I totally need and a humongous package of cherry Nibs -- mmmmm....I love Nibs. There was also a nice message in a little card.

Secret Pal you rock! Thank you very much!!

Tomorrow I may get around to posting some knitting pics.


Oooh - and the lavender yarn I won from Warming Grace came while I was away.
I am going to use it for Sizzle!
That just might be the project I turn to after my wash cloth...

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Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 8:04 PM :: (0) comments

I gots nothing but this meme

I stole this from Bronxie Knits

Life's To-Do List - I've bolded those that I have done so far.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03.Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07.Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08.Said 'I love you' and meant it
09.Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11.Visited Paris
12.Watched a lightning storm at sea
13.Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14.Seen the Northern Lights
15.Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17.Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18.Touched an iceberg
19.Slept under the stars
20.Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22.Watched a meteor shower
23.Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25.Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26.Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30.Had a snowball fight
31.Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33.Seen a total eclipse
34.Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36.Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38.Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 10 provinces
41.Taken care of someone who was drunk
42.Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44.Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47.Taken a road-trip
48.Gone rock climbing
49.Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51.Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53.In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56.Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59.Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61.Gone scuba diving
62.Kissed in the rain
63.Played in the mud
64.Played in the rain
65.Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67.Started a business
68.Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69.Toured ancient sites
70.Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72.Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74.Crashed a party
75.Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77.Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80.Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83.Got flowers for no reason
84.Performed on stage
85.Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90.Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone : hmmm does home count?
92.Buried one of your parents : along same line would symbolically count?
93.Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100.Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102.Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108.Piloted an airplane
109.Petted a stingray
110.Broken someone's heart
111.Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113.Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116.Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117.Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118.Ridden a horse
119.Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127.Eaten sushi
128.Had your picture in the newspaper
129.Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133.Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135.Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136.Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138.Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141.Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146:Dyed your hair
147: Been a DJ
148: Shaved your head
149: Caused a car accident
150:Saved someone's life

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Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 12:12 AM :: (0) comments

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Laura, Laura, Laura



Ok - so not the best pictures around but...they give you an idea of why I should buy a tripod or ask a friend to take pics AND how far I am on my Laura Tee.

I am pleased to say that I have joined a Yahoo group for BGK's that has KAL's!! Talk about motivating.

Here is the address if any of you wish to join too :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/big_girl_knits/

I am leaving for 5 days tonight. So I will not be blogging til I get home again. Ahhh. To be free of children for a few days! No. I shouldn't say that. We had a great time Cosmic Bowling today (laser bowling). Still, a break is always good.

Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 7:00 PM :: (0) comments

Monday, July 10, 2006

How could you say "No"?


Ok come on. What kind of person are you if you see this little face snuggled up on a picnic blanket beside it's owner and you say "You're going to have to put that dog in your vehicle. No dogs allowed on the beach."

Beach my ass. It is patchy lawn and gravel beside a lake. I am surrounded by 6 kids shivering in their wet bathing suits and there are a total of 2 other families in the area.

Oh dogs are allowed in the park. Just not on the beach. The rest of the 'park' is parking lot and forest. Ah. How reasonable. Wait. Wait. It gets better. It is a mere $1000.00 fine if the Municipal Worker comes by (apparently this chick with the rake is just a messenger) and the dog is sitting with us. If she is locked in the overheated vehicle no problem. And no - that is not a typo. One thousand dollars to have a dog on the 'beach'.

If I choose to smoke upwind from a group of children that is my perogative, but the dog cuddled up beside it's owner? That will not do at all. She could cause a dog fight I'm told. Second hand smoke kills (not that the man 2 picnic tables over cares) but this dog tangled in my yarn is an imminent threat to the park facilities.

Where are our priorities these days? Why can no one be reasonable? She is not a pit bull. She weighs 12 lbs and she was ASLEEP!!

The sensible 8 year old boy starts putting his stuff in his bag while saying to the other kids "Come on. If Kira has to go let's all go." Awww. Even that doesn't sway the rake lady. So we leave 1 1/2 hrs early from our field trip, drive around the lake to the playground - oh. There is a sign there. No dogs on the 'beach'. Apparently any section of imported gravel at this lake is beach. So Kira and I sit in the van watching the kids play.

I knit. I knit angrily. I hadn't realized I could do that. I never really had to before.

Earlier I had been laughing at Kira. She always, always tangles herself in my yarn. The strangest part is that she cannot untangle herself. She just looks at me when I say "fix your leash". This command works just fine if her leash gets between her legs or around her feet. She daintily hops out of the loops. Yarn however defeats her.

Is it a protest? Does she envy the time/energy I spend with my yarn? Or is she a frustrated knitter?

She reminds me of a Mitch Hedberg qoute: 'A kitten bats around a ball of yarn but what he's really saying is, "You know I can't knit, motherfucker." That is one foul mouthed kitten.'



Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 11:02 PM :: (0) comments

Sunday, July 09, 2006

I'm Cheating



As it turns out I quite like the colour of the tinted primer. After consulting my cousin, an artist masquerading as a contractor, I decided to forgo the paint and leave the primer on its own. It is a very tranquil purplish blue - the chip I originally chose is called Hydrangea and actually that is what I have now.

The paint I went with is about 2 shades lighter. I did a trial patch that I re-covered with the primer. I am liking this shade a lot.
Perhaps in another few years (or months!) I will feel like going lighter still. Until then I will enjoy this -- and not just because the thought of painting another 2 coats in 5 hrs of sweaty labour made me want to lay down.

Now I am going to bitch - see that lovely view from my window? It used to be incredible. I could see the river and the eagles in winter. I overlooked a meadow. And then the neighbours from hell began building. I am on the 2nd floor. That is the roof of their ginormous garage. Their home is a monstrosity that does not fit in the neighbourhood at all. Seriously. It could BE a community center. Two adults. In a sprawling, empty 6 bedroom, 4 floor home with a 1 1/2 story garage. And they smoke. Outside. Which means they and t heir drunken friends smoke in my room.

The only good thing I can say about them is they are nearly never home. Oh, and I still throw Kira's doo-doo over the hedge - only now it doesn't feel wrong!

PS I resumed work on my Laura Tee - ummm. I couldn't understand how I could be short rowing for the bust already. Uh-yeah. The instructions were work these 2 rows 15 more times. Which would be 32 rows. Not 17.
The only good thing is that I was reading ahead in the pattern so I hadn't begun the short rows yet - or I would be frogging.
Maybe I need a colour coded chart that I can cross off as I complete each section or something simple like that for the math challenged knitter I am.

Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 6:47 PM :: (1) comments

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Lazy Weekend?!?





After reading Jessica's post about Wishing I thought I had better take advantage of the fact that I have the house to myself and finally paint my bedroom.

God - I forgot how much work the prep is. Of course if I was even marginally organized it would have taken very little time to remove pictures and cover furniture. Alas, I cannot even remember the last time I got a chance to put clothes away, reshelve books or dust - YIPES!

So it took me quite a while to clean out the bedroom, vaccuum, dust and then tape in preparation to prime the room.That's me after prepping the room. Realizing a little too late that this is a hell of a big job!


Yeah. I have to prime it first. Which means I will be painting at least 4 times before tomorrow night.I have no one but myself to blame. I am the one who wanted a Navy Blue bedroom. After 5 years I changed my mind. That is not so bad really.


When I pried the lid off the primer - look at the stunning colour I was met with! Then I started thinking of new colours I'd like to try if I was braver - that hot pink is tempting - but where on earth would I use it?

Well. I have one coat of primer finished and now I am waiting for it to dry. Great time to blog! ;-) But it's a good thing I went for a primer don't you think? That blue is still making itself known fairly strongly.

If I have not collapsed after painting I will post the results.

Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 9:31 PM :: (0) comments

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Shelby's Wedding








Shelby & Jared's wedding was perfect. It was beautiful, it was happy and so much fun.

I had a hard time narrowing down pictures for the blog, yet somehow I did not take one decent picture of the wedding party together. The Best Man is pictured alone - he is Jared's older brother and the Bridesmaid was Shelby's little sister - the girl in black opposite her in the Cousin Picture.


We all had a great time. It was the first time in a long time that every member of our family was altogether. So we had photo's taken of all of us cousins, including our newest cousin, Jared.

There is also a picture of Kai's father during the ceremony {which was really touching} and of my brother and his girlfriend on the dancefloor. As well as a picture of Seth & Shae in their wedding finery.

This weekend was crazy busy, wedding, farewell BBQ, baby shower and house guests! I am looking forward to doing nothing but knitting tomorrow before I have to head back to work. I'll admit that tonight has felt a little lonely after all of this family togetherness. Post wedding letdown I guess.

I hope to post a knitting update tomorrow.

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Posted by Miss Scarlett @ 11:08 PM :: (0) comments

Listening

Grey's Anatomy

Buttons
(I know, I know tasteless)

Reading

The Memory Keeper's Daughter
HP and the Philosopher's Stone

Viewing


Sopranos - Season 3


Rome Season 2

Stashalong Goals Met

1. Sizzle
4. Darling
7. Mary Janes
8. Absorba
9. Felted Oregon Tote
12. Purple Roving Scarf
13. Le Slouch
14. Uniscarfity

On My Needles

Anemoi Mittens

Baby Blankie

Blanket of Many Colours

Cotillion Socks

Laura Tee

Ravenclaw House Scarf

Severus Snape Gentleman's Fancy Socks

Surprise Baby Gift

Up Next

Bathrobes x1: Seth
Seed Stitch Noro Hat: Me
Kidlet Socks: SP9

Patterns & Shops

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  • Dishcloth Boutique
  • Kitty Pi
  • kpixie
  • KnitPicks
  • Knitty
  • Perchance To Knit
  • Shelby's Designs
  • Spunky Eclectic
  • stopsandstarts
  • Toe-up Jaywalkers
  • Hints & Help

  • Socks 101
  • Archives

    KnittnFool: July 2006