this is going to sound really bad, but, i think i have knitting-related attention deficit disorder. now, i haven't been officially diagnosed or anything, but, i swear - when it comes to knitting, i could have five different projects on the needles (currently: 4) and, if i see something else that catches my interest, i have to drop whatever i'm currently working on, and try to figure out the next project.

this is my current "figure-me-out" obsession: http://www.sheepinthecity.prettyposies.com/archives/000079.html

so i have some gorgeous manos del uruguay yarn that i purchased at this yarn store up in long grove last holiday season - and i have the size 11 brittany birch needles. but, what i don't have is the slightest clue as to how to knit this, to make it look the way that it looks in the photo (nice). i've ripped back my first two rows so many times that i'm just going to have little multicolored yarn chunks scattered all over the place if i can't figure it out! i've googled and googled and googled to see what i can come up with, but, i've just come up empty-handed, every time. as a last resort, i actually e-mailed the blog's author to see what her take is on what i'm doing wrong. so, we'll see what happens with that. in the meantime, though, i think i'll stick with my 1x1 rib scarf that i started yesterday. at least *that* i can handle.

(until i can find something else to knit up, that is...)

i think the lazy, dog days of summer are coming to an end.

so, i was supposed to re-pack up all the stuff in my second bedroom today, to prep for all the carpet re-stretching, re-tacking, re-whatever they have planned for this coming wednesday. umm, not so much.

in the midst of moving stuff around in the closet, well, i came across a part of my yarn stash. and what did i do? take a break and start knitting up a 1x1 rib scarf in this gorgeous handpainted bulky yarn, in the "geranium" colorway. i couldn't resist! so much for packing! it wasn't all a waste, though - i had to take advantage of this gorgeous weather that's passing through... the high today was 72 degrees and breezy! absolutely beautiful!

i knitted up about 10 rows or so, and decided that i really had to get going on this whole packing thing. but, i got sidetracked (again). this time, it was to try this cinnamon bundt cake recipe. call me crazy, but i am in *love* with that cinnamon creme cake from corner bakery. but, all my internet searches have proved fruitless, and so now, i'm left with experimenting with all these recipes to see which comes the closest. this is attempt #2, and we'll see how this one comes out! more updates next time...and, if i'm ambitious enough, i'll start posting some pictures up here as well!

i'm never drinking green tea past 8 pm again.

calling all chicagoans!

so, i just discovered a new yarn store: nina, located at ashland & division.

there was actually a write-up about it in this month's (or maybe it's next month's) chicago magazine, the 'best of...' issue. and i really have to say, i do agree.

now, i wasn't able to spend a whole lot of time in there - considering that i had 15 minutes before they closed. instead of being pushed out the door, i was told not to worry about it, and take my time. i still managed to get out of there at 6:01, but, let me tell you, i'll be back in no time!

it's a very cool, contemporary place. kinda fulton-loungey, if you will. very uncluttered, very upscale, very trendy. yarns are arranged by brand/type, so it makes it easy to see if there's a color that you like in the yarn that you *love*. i managed to escape spending less than $100, but, let's not forget that i only had 15 minutes... :) i purchased two skeins of blue sky alpaca's blue sky bulky hand dyes, in this rich orange color (#1015), perfect for this bulky, drop-stitch scarf that i'd like to knit up (as soon as i find a pattern). i also purchased two skeins of the blue sky alpaca alpaca & silk, in a lovely pale blue, to knit up their 'opera scarf', which was inspired by the cute little display that they have there. i'll have to take photos once i have my wip's. (i feel so cool now. i'm using ackronyms!)

bottom line: nina is a must-visit, even if it's just for the "cool" factor. check them out at: www.ninachicago.com

i'm an addict. remember when the whole webcam thing was all the rage? i used to spend hours going through people's archives, seeing what was going on in their lives. i don't know, there's a certain fascination with seeing other people live their lives. maybe i'm just a peeping tom. but hey, these people *want* to be seen.

lately, i've found myself reading people's knitting blogs, in the midst of my late-night internet surfing of all things knitting and non-knitting related. it's nice to know that other people have knitting-related frustrations like myself. but they've also proved to be an invaluable resource - they're sources for ideas and inspiration, and what i like the best is, is that some of them contain links to all kinds of websites yarn and knitting-related - websites that i probably would have not come across otherwise.

so, this is my attempt in aquiring a peeping tom. enjoy the ride!