i'm too crafty for my own good.

whooa. - oh yeah. it's me. and, if anyone is even following this blog anymore (which i suspect is no one), i'm sure you figured i'd fallen off the face of the earth. i've come close (not really), but, no, i actually am still here, on the face of the earth. truth be told, i've been just really, really busy. busy crafting, and busy procrastinating. i can't tell you how many photos of different projects i've taken over the past few months - okay - nearly year - with the intentions of showing off my handiwork on my blog. but have i? noo...of course not. but i had intended to, and well, that's all that matters.

since my last post months and months ago, i've discovered a new crafty thing to get in to. what is it this time? quilting. i actually took a quilting class at this quilt shop on halsted at the end of the summer, and, i've been hooked. my first quilt was a quilt for my boyfriend, to surprise him on his 30th birthday:

and, as for my second quilt, which essentially was a super-sized queen version of this quilt, done in more "girly" (think: pinks, greens, yellows) fabrics, well, that's still sitting on my ottoman. it's almost done, though, all that's left is to stitch the rows together - the worst part, in my opinion - but, i'll get around to it one of these days. you know, after i finish the baby hat that i need to make for a baby shower the 2nd week in january, and let's not forget the baby quilt that i need to start also for around that time, so i have time to send it out to get quilted.

speaking of quilting - okay, see, i thought knitting was an expensive hobby. which it is. but quilting? whoa...that's a whole different story. sure, i could use the $1.00/yard walmart fabrics, but, do i really want to? naah. that's why i spend about 10x (no exaggeration) that. and the final kick in the butt? after you spend all this money buying the fabric for the front, you then need to buy all this fabric for the back. and on top of that? it needs to be sent out to be quilted. i really can't complain, because after making the $170 quilting mistake that i did the first time, to quilt and bind my tiny little 50x60 quilt - i've researched and researched and found that sending it out is much more practical. sure, i have to box my quilt top up and get my butt to the post office, but the cost savings is more than enough to justify me being a little less lazy.

so my boyfriend told me a little something funny the other day. he said that "...the general perception of making gifts is that it's quicker and cheaper...but now i know from you, that it's not either of those." that's right, honey. i went all crazy and made my entire boyfriend's immediate family gifts this christmas - a wreath for his mother, those banded towels from amy butler's in stitches for his sister, and a knitted hat in this fabulous bulky charcoal grey donegal tweed yarn for his father. oh - and let's not forget the most impressive gift of all - the i spy quilt for his nephew! it's truly darling. i've actually got photos of all this stuff, but, since my camera ran out of batteries the other day (and with no charger to charge it with - that's another story in itself), i'll post them next time.

next time won't be a year from now, i promise.

hump day.

sorry for the lack-o-posting here for a while, but, gosh...just so much has been going on here lately!

first off: da bears.

i have to admit, i know hardly anything about football. i remember hearing this thing on the radio a few months back, that they were having some class for chicks who didn't know anything about football. so we could at least learn. and enjoy. and i remember saying to myself, 'i should sign up for this.' but i didn't. but it doesn't matter. i was at the gym the sunday before last, cheering the bears on, and what a game it was - phenomenal. it was close there for a second, but, geez. all i can say is, 'woo-hoo!' three more days till game day. i'm so excited. i even knitted myself up a bears hat last week!

secondly: dan.

any post bears-game excitement quickly dissipated when dan (my ex) called me. he wanted to go to dinner. i knew better. i said 'yes' anyways. we went to greektown. i was crying by the end of the night. ugh. i knew better. i *knew* better! he told me to 'not be a stranger' at the end of the night. i told him that i was better off being one.

thirdly: nick.

ohh...nick. what a sweetheart. i have to admit; i've been in chicago for nearly six years, and have not even barely *touched* the surface, when it comes to seeing and doing the city. he has made it his personal mission to be my official chicago tour guide. last saturday we started off with a quick drink at this bar that i always walk by, but have never been in, that was followed by an evening of live jazz at the back room, and to top it all off, we ended the evening at the signature room. need i say more?

fourth: i've been sick.

sick as a dog, actually. it's been coming and going for over a week now, but, got so bad on monday that i took a half day and took tuesday off to recuperate. i'm glad i did, because all that sleep i got from monday night-tuesday helped me out 100%. i'm still coughing and feel a little miserable, but nothing like i was on monday. *that* was ridiculous. oh, and mental note, never go to the gym while sick. it makes you feel *worse*.

fifth: i've been knitting.

bears hats, actually. my visit to my lys before my ballet class last thursday proved very exciting...they had some lorna's laces bulky in 'go bears!' orange and navy! *the* coolest thing ever. if it weren't 1:30 am and i wasn't totally cracked out on robitussin dm and nyquil, i would take photos. but it is 1:30 am and i'm totally loopy, so, next time i'll post photos (i know i always say that. but i will.). that was the quickest hat *ever* that i've knitted. started thursday before class, finished 100% by friday afternoon. (woven-in ends and all.) now, my manager saw my hat and was very excited. she wanted one too. i told her that i'd start one for her (since she doesn't know how to knit in the round) and she'd just have to knit the body, and i'd do the decreases. now, she wants another hat for her kinda boyfriend guy she's talking to...and considering that we're in a bit of a time crunch, i started while watching 'devil wears prada' and am ready to start decreases now. and earlier tonight, i had mentioned to nick that i was knitting this guy this hat, and now *he* wants one. so off to the yarn store i go on thursday...again. but i don't mind.

anyways. let me put my insomnia to good use and finish off this hat. or at least start to finish it. i've got a few more hats to start/finish before sunday! go bears!

so wow. we're 13 days into the new year's already...can you believe it?

i didn't make any new years resolutions this year, but, i think it has worked out better. now, i'm actually *going* to the gym, and, in addition to that, i'm also taking two ballet classes and a tango class, to boot! so...knock on wood...this will keep up. (and it'd better!)

so now that i have all this free time on my hands, i've taken to watching a few movies the past few weeks. so much so, that i actually even signed up for blockbuster's "netflix" thing last weekend while i was at blockbuster. (okay, so i got suckered into it, but, still...it's a two week free trial.) last weekend, i watched 'the break up' (you've just *got* to love chicago) and also 'the lake house' (also still gotta love chicago). today, i watched both 'take the lead' and 'click' (which i cried through parts), and actually made *a lot* of progress on a few projects of mine. i finally finished up my garter stitch handpainted yarn/moonlight mohair scarf, and i'm about 97% complete on my bulky ribbed hat...i would've finished it, had i not misplaced my size 10.5 double points. i think i've got maybe like 3 more decreases to do, and, it'll be done. it's amazing what i can get done when i'm not browsing the internet!

today wasn't all that productive (in terms of house stuff) of a day, but, despite the fact that i watched my movies, watched the grey's anatomy episode that i missed while i was in ballet class, and finished up that scarf, i was still able to make it out to the post office this morning to pick up some packages, go to pier 1 imports to buy another two layers for my wine rack, completely update my match.com profile, go to the gym and the grocery store. geesh! i guess i *can* be productive sometimes! :)

i *was* actually supposed to go out (on a second date) tonight, but, the guy kinda freaked out i think. i guess at least i'll have to give him credit for actually calling and giving me the courtesy of letting me know, instead of just leaving me hanging (like any other typical guy would). who knows, though. this whole dating and meeting new people thing is so bizarre. i wish i could just fast forward and skip the drama!

anyways. about my finished projects: i'll post photos of the scarf and hat next time...the scarf turned out beautifully, with just the right amount of shimmer, and as for the hat, well, it's just a basic 2x2 rib hat, but, because of the handpainted yarn i knitted it out of, it reminds me of life savers candy. (you'll understand when i see it.) next project to complete will be my 'cristina/grey's anatomy' grey rib scarf, and then hopefully, i'll get that french girl one out of the way, considering that this is my 2nd winter working on it. good thing my blockbuster queue is all filled up...

new years, (not really) missed connections, bad boyfriends and brazilian waxing...

here's hoping everyone had a very safe and wonderful new years!

just a few comments on my evening last night:

mid-30ish dude, sitting at the bar, with your friend wearing the packers shirt: okay. enough with the ogling. it was very flattering, but, there are two things that are very wrong with this picture: you didn't buy me a drink, and, *you have a girlfriend*. it's not that flattering anymore.

corey: you were cute and looked great in a suit, you are working out in california but are originally from minnesota. it's really not a good idea to start talking to women in a bar when:

a.) you're there with your ex-girlfiend.
b.) you flew out last-minute from california to chicago to spend new year's with her, even though you're broken up.
c.) tell women - who you've just met at a bar - this.

you're all sweet and nice and all, but, corey, honey, you've got to give it up. yes, five years to be together is a long time, but, she obviously doesn't want to be with you. she's selfish, and that's why she keeps you around. you're too different; you said so yourself. get over her and go and find a nice, decent woman who appreciates you.

oh, and by the way, i would've loved for you to buy me a drink and talk in the upstairs bar - but - it kinda ruins it when your ex-girlfiend comes along and squeezes in between the two of us, isn't it?

i kinda ran out of there without a goodbye - but, hey. no hard feelings, though, k?

heavy: we met on the dance floor at tequila roadhouse. actually, we didn't meet. you kinda started dancing all up on me. gross. you told me your name was 'heavy'. a bit inebriated by this point, i thought i misheard, and asked you, "javi? like javier?" and you replied, "no, heavy. like, 'heavy duty'." enough said.

***

i'm kinda enjoying this being single again thing, but, on the other hand, it really kinda sucks.

speaking of all this: just one more comment:

dan: we had a great 14 months together. you're too much of a spaz; i'm too much of a "distraction". yes, i know those aren't 'your words', but, you're still an asshole. *two* days before christmas? two? could you have picked a *worse* time, ever? i'm really suspecting that this all went down because you're hanging out with your friend brendan a lot now. you said it yourself, he is the biggest scumbag you know. and guess who's following in his footsteps? don't you dare compare me or our relationship to that of his and his little skank girlfriend, you selfish, selfish person.

and maybe just one more:

ray: i looked awful, i know. but it was after the gym! i haven't seen you in years; you are still very sarcastic and fun to be around. starbucks was a little strained, though... maybe it was because we were both thinking the same thing? guess we'll never find out, though...

okay. i'm done. maybe i should just transfer this post to the rants/raves section of craigslist... :)

anyways. the *real* reason i'm posting is because i'm probably on the "bad sp" list. no comment on that one. speaking of sp9, i'm crazy. i actually waited in line - at the post office, no less - last saturday for *30 minutes*, so i could mail her package. ridiculous! i had no choice, though - it's either that, or wait until wednesday to mail it out! ah well...

i've decided that my big box of rowan will be my last yarn purchase for a while. just call it a new year's resolution. now it's time to scale back the other shopping. i was *very* bad yesterday. i've had an awful past few weeks, and, i've gone a little crazy the past few days. but at least now, i've found my *absolute favorite* bikini wax place - sisters, at water tower - and, i have a new, not-given-to-me-as-a-gift-and-it-makes-me-want-to-melt-it-down-and-make-a-new-ring-out-it-it, right hand ring to boot! it's currently out, being resized, so, i will post photos of my beautiful, totally "me" ring asap!

ok. *definitely* too much bitching this time. hopefully, more interesting stuff/fp's next time! happy new year!