Knitting Crazy!

Over Thanksgiving, my Nana and I worked on a felted bag together. We knit it together so it's quiet special to me. Here it is before it was felted:

We made it with my hand dyed yarn. I haven't taken a picture of it now that it's been felted. I'm really happy with how well it came out.
At school I was asked to knit another two hats and one scarf. I have a bit of knitting to do this weekend. However, last night I started another felted bag. Here's the start of it: I know that the photo is dark, sorry about that. However, can you see the skull chart on the pattern? The main part of the bag is black, but the skull part will be red. I think it will look great when it's done. I'm really into this knitting, but I have to put it down to knit the orders that I have at school.

I also ordered the second beginner kit of chain maille from Urban Maille. I got it with some early birthday money that I got. I'm excited to have that come!

Too many crafts, too little time!

SOLD!

I took some of my wacky little scarfs to school the other day to sell for the holiday season. I also took in a knit bag, and a fuzzy little hat. I was so excited when a teacher today told me that she took the hat and stopped by later with the money for it. Then another teacher asked me to make the same hat and a scarf to match for her daughter for Christmas! I was so excited! It felt really good that people wanted to buy my hand made stuff to give someone as a gift this season. I was going to knit up a little felted bag for a friend tonight (no, I won't finish it tonight, only start it!). It was a great day!

Fun Thanksgiving!

I had a great Thanksgiving! I got to see my grandmother and hang out with my family!! I had too much wine and too much to eat. We had about 4 different pies for dessert and way too much food for dinner! It was a great time for all. Again, the young team for Trivial Pursuit lost AGAIN to the Old people team. We lose every year! This year we were in the lead thanks to my brother's girlfriend! She knows her stuff and we want her to come back for game time next year! We also played a round of Balderdash. Good times there!
My mom hosted all of us, so there were 9 of us for dinner and 10 for desserts. It's one of my favorite holidays!
Black Friday Mom, Nana and I got a bit of shopping done. My mom is almost done with her Christmas shopping, but I have a bit more to do! I'll get it done soon!

Last Day of School!

Today is our last day of school before five days of relaxing and hanging out with family! I can't wait! Tomorrow my grandmother comes and I am so excited to see her! Also, my brother and his girlfriend will come over too. I love this holiday since I can see my family and eat a great meal with them.
Today after school I can go pick up my beads. I hope that there were no more power outs so I can actually get them this time! It's not too far away from my house so I don't mind the short dive over there.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

No Beads Yet

I stopped by the bead shop on my way home from school to find that the owner said I have to wait until tomorrow to get my beads! WHAT?? We were told yesterday that we could get them today.
When she came into the shop today all the power was out. So the kiln has backup power and when that happens it resets itself. If the glass cools to fast it would crack and be weak. Since it had reset, it was just starting to cool now. I will be able to get them tomorrow. Oh well, I am so excited to get them!
Tomorrow is our last day of school for the week and then Thanksgiving on Thursday! My grandmother comes on Wednesday and I can't wait to see her! It will be nice to have her here for Thanksgiving. I don't know the last time that she was here in the cold weather with us, so will be a fun time for her!

Bead Maker

Today was my flame work class! I was so excited! My husband guessed that we would get a lecture on how to make the beads and then only have time to make one or two beads. I was told by the shop owner to dress warm and get there early. The class is limited to 6 people since they only have torches for 6 students and one for the instructor.
I got there early... I was the only one there for our class. There was also a chain maille class at the same time, but only one girl had shown up early for that one too. About 10 minutes before my class, the other folks showed up! It was a good thing I was dressed warm. The glass studio part is very cold!!! Our instructor lectured us for only about 10 minutes, gave a quick 5 minute demo and then the rest of the hour and 45 minutes were ours to play with. I think I made 5 or 6 beads! It was so awesome!!! We learned how to make very simple beads on a mandle. It's a metal stick that you wind hot glass around and then shape. I mixed colors, I added dots, I had a chemical reaction in one bead (the colors I used turn other colors!) and I just had a good time playing with the glass. Two of the ladies in my class needed so much attention from the teacher and did not want to try on their own. The lady sitting next to me was in her own little world. The other two people in the class were a husband and wife team. The husband was so into it and his beads were amazing! The wife was mad that her beads were not as nice and not bead shaped as his. Mine look like beads, but the colors that I used were kind of weird. I think they will come out cool, but I couldn't tell as all of them looked like a yellow orange glowing blob while I was making them!
Tomorrow after school I can go and get my beads. I would defiantly like to take that class again (they told us a second time in the beginner class and then intermediate is a good way to go). I have also looked over some of their other classes and I think they would be good to take sometime too!

Dilemma

I'm sitting here thinking that I should pack up my stuff and head over to the guild meeting, however, my house looks like a bomb went off and I am actually considering cleaning it up... huh? I'm not sure what possessed me to feel that way, but I'm tempted. What a dilemma.
I should go to the meeting since I am in need of some serious help on my pink lacy shawl. I can't get that border to go and I need some help. It's not something I want to admit to since I'm quite proud of how well I did on the body of it. It would also be good to chat with other spinners and find out what's new in the month that has passed since I saw them last! I'm not exactly excited about going outside today and I think that's the big problem. It snowed and now that means it's cold. If I stay in the house the space heater is my friend and if I go to guild the building is always super cold! I think I'll go anyway because I love the people there! Now I have to motivate my self to get my stuff packed up! Ever have one of those lazy days?

Taking Hobbies to the Extreme

Ahh, hobbies. How I love them. How I love to take them to the next level. From knitting, I went to spinning. Now, spinning is turning into dying. How funny, that my new skill of jewelry making now needs to be extreme.
I started playing with some copper wire last night to make a bracelet. I found this cool pattern in my new Bead and Button magazine. I made the bracelet, and then I was playing with my scraps and created my own pattern for a bracelet. I had so much fun that I wanted to find a jewelry making class since everything I've done up til now is all self taught. After a search of our city for bead store, I found a studio that teaches people to make glass beads. HOW COOL IS THAT?? I called and they had one spot left, so I took it! On Sunday I'll have a day of making glass beads and then on Monday I can pick them up and make my own thing with them!!! I am so excited about this. They also offered classes in chain maille and other jewelry making stuff. I just love taking things to the extreme!
I can't wait to learn new things and I think this is a great thing for me to try! I don't know that hubby will be to excited about me working with the torch to make the beads. but it should be a good time!

Weird Story

I have never been asked to be a reference for anyone before. It would be very flattering if I had know that my name and number had been given out by a friend of mine. I was very surprised the other night when I got phone call from someone I had never spoken to but they seemed to know who I was. I was a little freaked out at first since I thought it might have been a scam.
This man was calling in reference to see what kind of person my friend was and if he was a nice person who would be suitable for dating his daughter. WHAT? This was something new for me. After talking to this father for a while, I figured out that it was real and he really wanted to know about my friend. I told him he's an A+ and should be given a chance. The father apologized to me since he had never met me and was just looking out for his little girl. After I told my hubby be glad that my dad didn't do that! If he had thought of it he might have!
I called my friend after this odd phone call to see what was going on. He said he was sorry and that he should have told me. He was waiting for a call from the dad to see if he could go on his date. The odd part is that they have never met face to face! He couldn't even met her without dad's approval. I hope that my phone call allowed him to have a date with this girl and I hope that they really liked each other so they can go out again.... I don't want the dad calling me and saying that I was a bad reference!!! Weird huh?

Sad Nesquick

Poor Nes, he is so unhappy since my cousin left! She thought he was the cutest of our rabbits since she said he "had personality!" They had bonded and she fed him extra treats... look at this sad face:He's being kind of pathetic about it since I won't give him extra treats... he doesn't need a sugar high to make him feel better!

Spun Up

Here is the first bobbin of the blue yarn: I finally got a picture of it. I spent time Saturday morning before my cousin woke up by spinning some of the blue yarn. It's coming along great and I still need to finish it so I can start to knit it. I need some help on the pink shawl that I was working on. My boarder is not going well. I think I need to rip it out and then take it over to the yarn shop for help.

Cousin's Visit

What a great time we had having my cousin here! My cousin is more like a little sister than a cousin. I don't have any sisters, but if I did she would be it! We just laughed all weekend long.
After getting her a winter coat, she need to "accessorize" her winter look. We went out yesterday to find her some cute scarfs and hats. She found these cute fingerless gloves, and two scarfs. I also taught her to knit, but she couldn't take the needles on the plane with her so I'll finish it for her and mail it to her.
Last night my brother came to town with his girlfriend to do a stand-up show here. We were in luck and got to go see him preform. My cousin has never seen his show so that was cool that she could see it. She also took a few head shots for him and his girlfriend too. My husband even got out of work so he could go with us. It was a great evening and I had so much fun seeing my brother and my cousin! It's always nice to get together with family.
I think we have her convinced that our town is were she should go to grad school. I even took her to our beach to help convince her that this is the perfect place for her.
It was a fun weekend and now I have to type up my report cards since it's end of term for our kiddos too. This week will be a long one and then we have 2 days of school and it's Thanksgiving! My grandmother is coming to my house for that, and Hubby's family and mine will get together for a nice big fattening turkey dinner! I can't wait! I love this holiday.

Never Enough Butter!

My cousin came yesterday! It's been great having her here! I took her for a tour and interview at the one college here so that she could see if she was interested in going to grad school here. Being that she's from a warmer state, low 40's is FREEZING for her!
This morning we decided that we would make some apple crisp... my mantra of you can never have enough butter seems to not be true with apple crisp. YOU CAN HAVE TOO MUCH BUTTER!!! OOPS! Oh well, some of it tastes good, but some of it is drowning in butter. Too bad, that was my fault.
So far our weekend has been great! Hubby and I took my cousin shopping for a heavy winter coat. All the school she is looking at are up here in the northern tundra (as far as she is concerned!!), so having a heavy wool coat is a must! We spent about an hour looking at coats. She found one that was heavy enough and long enough by my standards (butts must be covered since sitting on cold benches can freeze one to the bone!), with a hood! We also drove around the city so she could see where she could live if she moves up here (of course, I want her to move here, since it would be nice to have family here!!)
Tomorrow we are just hanging out and shopping. YEAH for fun days, and you can have TOO much butter!

Home Sick

Yesterday, I called into school (even though it was a Sunday) to cancel my teaching for today. However, I was shocked that they could get a sub for me!!! That's great news! I thought for sure no one wants my schedule of three building in one day! However, there seems to be someone who is willing to take it on! I can't believe it!

Today, I will lie low and recover my strength. Lying low for me means knitting, reading, napping, and working on my jewelry. I saw this great necklace on display yesterday at the store. After looking at it for a long time I bought the same beads and tried to recreate it for myself. It's not exactly like the store one, but I like how it is coming out! I used a suggestion from one of of my beading magazines that said if there is wire left over use it to make a pair of earrings... so I did! If I'm really ambitious I will make a bracelet to match! Wow, a whole set! Here's how it looks... not the best pict (sorry!)

Sick

I haven't been feeling well this weekend. I went out today hearing that there was a great sale at the one shop on beads. While I was picking out beads I started to feel dizzy. Driving home was not the smartest idea, but I did get home. I've already called in sick for tomorrow. I don't think it would be good to go in while feeling dizzy. Not smart.
Also, my cousin is coming on Friday. I want to feel better for her visit!! Hopefully tomorrow's day of rest will help me feel better and get over my sickness soon!

Getting Ready!

Last night I went to a costume party for the staff of one of the building I work at. It was so awesome! This group has invited me to a few of their get togethers, and I love going out with them! They are a fun bunch of people who all have very different interests. Last night I put on one of my hip scarfs over a black skirt and a purple peasant top that I have. My gypsy costume was the easiest thing I could come up with! One girl came as a angry/drunken bride's maid... her mom suggested that she wear her wedding dress, but seeing as her wedding didn't happen, she thought the idea was cruel. I have to agree with her on that. However, she was in good spirits and was my buddy when the boys brought out a Nintendo Wii!! Oh man is that fun!!!!!!!!! I totally want one now! We had a group of us playing a bowling game on it. Also, we had a few drinks and that helped make it a little more insane!

This group loves to get together and have game nights, so games were broken out. We played Apples to Apples, Taboo, and Blurt! I've only played Taboo before. I couldn't stop laughing. It was a great night out!!!

Today, I got up and started to clean thoroughly because of my cousin coming to visit next weekend!! Since she has never been to my house I want to make it super clean and nice for her! I can't have her seeing our messiness that is everyday!!!!!! So, I'm working on it.

During my cleaning of my study upstairs I let out Nesquick and Tira. Nes is so good. He will play and be content in the area that I have blocked off for them (they use to be able to run the whole upstairs, but due to the renovation of the bathroom that's not possible right now). Tira however, is so bad! She will look for ways to escape as soon as she can. I thought I had it set so that she couldn't get out today. They were fine for a while so I went to continue my cleaning spree. I checked on them about 5 minutes later, and there she is wiggling her way out of this tiny space in the barrier! So, five minutes of chasing her around the upstairs before I could heard her back into her cage. Pain in my butt, but she's so cute! Look at that cute little naughty face: