so, it's just after midnight, and it's still 75 degrees outside. what happened to spring?

i made a little bit of progress tonight. i turned some of this (a bunch of vintage linen fabric scraps i bought off of etsy, that i had absolutely no idea what to do with):



into this:


what a great way to use some of these little scraps!

i used the spiderweb tutorial found on quilt-it.blogspot.com. i wanted to try this block specifically for two reasons:

a.) i've been obsessing - OBSESSING - about it for the past week, ever since i came across these spidey web blocks on a different blog

and

b.) i wanted to try this non-paper piecing method of creating these blocks.

i'm still undecided. i honestly thought this block was going to be fairly complicated, but i found that the most tedious part of it (other than measuring & marking on the original triangles that were cut from the 12.5" square were cutting the strips. seriously! do you see that pile up there? all the pieces are different sizes, so it's not like i could stack a bunch up and just...zip! i cut them one by one. i know there is a better method out there - like stacking up similarly-sized pieces, etc. - but, anyways. i found the strip cutting to be the most time-consuming part of the whole process, because some you want to be fatter (2"), some skinner (1" and 1.5"), so, well, it's still a learning process. i will probably try the paper piecing method next, to see which one i think is easiest... this version was pretty easy, but there is a lot of waste with the cutting off the "corners" (or what have you) of the original triangles at the end. so we'll see. but, i have to say that i am pretty impressed with how this block turned out, considering that i had no idea what i was doing (for the most part), and sewed it pretty quickly.

*and then*, i was going through one of my fabric bins, and came across these fabrics:



ooh. ahh. i'm sure they were meant for yet another crazy eight quilt, but, i don't know...i think these are versatile enough to mix in with other fabrics!

and speaking of fabrics...in search of my patricia bravo fabrics, i came across the *awesomest* fabric website, hawthorne threads. i've already started a wish list; i'm sure this site will be one of my most frequently shopped! they just have a wonderful, wonderful selection of fabrics. soo excited!

ok. that's enough for this time. i'm getting ambitious with this blog...hopefully, i will keep it (somewhat) up! :)

so i was reading the paper today, and there was an article that had this statement:



honestly, i can't even remember what the article was about, decluttering or something along those lines. (you know, because i am *always* thinking about decluttering...but i just never get around to doing it... :) ) but when i read that, i was like, 'hmmph! so true!' however, i still really love 'later'...

i also had a chance to go through the new issue of quilt that i picked up the other day today. i found some new fabric that i just *have* to have:



this is the paradise line by patricia bravo. i just love the bold & rich color combinations! (*possible* spoiler alert...i'm thinking these may be some really nice fabrics to incorporate into my vqb blocks!) ooh...ahhh...can't wait! guess what i will be googling very well *all night* tonight?!?

i also saw a really, really nice quilt in there, too:



it's a pretty large quilt, coming out at 89x101". and honestly, i really wouldn't say that this type of quilt is "my style", with the diagonal block placement, sashing, etc. - as i tend to like more "scrappier"-looking quilts - but, how *absolutely fabulous* would this look, all done up in denyse schmidt's katie jump rope?!? i've had those fat quarters forever; they were originally intended for a yellow brick road quilt that never materialized. (these fat quarters are actually the only really nice memory i have of going on a weeklong trip to las vegas with my family in october, 2007 in which my luggage got stolen...enough said!)

and finally, another cute, cute baby quilt that i just *need* to make, for no reason in particular:



is this not the most adorable quilt you have ever seen, ever?!? i just love it. i briefly read through the instructions, and apparently, the black/white vertical rows are wonky-quilted...just alternating black & white fabrics sewn all weird so they mimic the black/white print in the large border rows. what a great idea, instead of just using some zebra-print fabric, like i would have done! (or am i just a slacker?) this quilt kit is definitely on my wish list! luuurve it!

the good, the bad and the ugly!

so i was commenting on all my photos on flickr, and then a realization came to me: why am i commenting on them *here*, when i can comment on them on my *blog* (that i never post on...)!

so i present to you the fruits of my labor the past week:


i found this one in a half-completed state in my pile of unfinished quilt projects...it's a unisex-ish quilt, although i think it leans a little more to the "boy" side...cute nonetheless, though!


this one was made with charm squares that resulted from a rotary cutting accident when cutting another "crazy eight" quilt - made with amy butler love fabrics.


oh...the shame. i'm not really sure what happened with this one. this one was supposed to be like the one on modabakeshop.com, but turned out disastrous. the charms were pieced perfectly, it was the sashing mishap...instead of just cutting them the length of the fabric (since i had enough anyways!), i *pieced* them - need i say more? it is a totally lopsided quilt. i tried to salvage it, and it just ended up more lopsided. sigh. another one for the "bad" pile!

i am a freakin' idiot. so i choose possibly the worst time *ever* to knit these:



(did i mention that, in additon to knitting these, i am in the middle of my p.e. week and have a final coming up next week?!?)

in any case, though. i started the second (left) mitten this past sunday, and continued knitting it until i finished it (minus the thumb) this morning. and so i'm comparing the two mittens, and am wondering why the thumb gusset for the left mitten is the same as the one for the right mitten. then i realize: *i knit the right mitten again!* (this is the g-rated version. actual realization included any of a number of choice expletives.) sigh. oh well. i was going to actually just undo it and knit up the left one (again) but since it's done, i figure i'll just bind off and have two right mittens. so that means i will have to knit two left mittens. great.

mental note: make sure to read instructions. and when it says, 'work same as right mitten to beginning of thumb gusset', skip to the LEFT MITTEN instructions.

sigh.

so i can't believe i actually finished a project in time - actually, let me rephrase that - finished a project, with time to spare.

case in point: 23rd of december, i've decided to make all of my boyfriend's family's gifts. it's now 4:00 am on the 24th - the day we're exchanging gifts - and i'm just finishing them up, barely. eek.

but take a look at this!



and an even better photo:



and of course, it wouldn't be complete without my little "flair" -



my little "'made by' tags" are becoming a little common around here these days! (but how can you *not* love my monogram stamp? i swear, it's just about one of the coolest things i own.)

now a baby gift's just not a baby gift if there aren't any booties, right? why would i have to knit some, if i found these?



are these not the cutest things you've ever seen in your life? i actually have another pack to give along with these, with a pink care bear on them. but how could i have not gotten these - i mean, after all, i *do* have a grumpy care bear on my crocs...



whew...lots of photos this time! well, it's almost time for work, so, i'd better start getting ready...

happy new year!

okay...so i promised that it wouldn't be another year until i posted...and lookee who's here! :)

so...we're only 2 days and an hour into the new year, and i'm already knees-deep into new crafty projects. well, only two projects. but two projects that need to be completed within the next two weeks. yikes!

first up:



super-dee-dupter cute cabled baby hat. i'm doing the one on the right, but in a fuschia alpaca yarn. i'm making it for a baby shower that i'm attending on the 13th, to match this super cute striped outfit that i found at old navy. it's a fuschia-orange-white striped footed onesie-type thing with a crocheted heart on the chest. *the cutest thing ever*. and the best part is? it's a super-dee-dupter cheap gift. $5.99 for the onesie. $7.00 for the yarn. $2.00 for four pairs of care bear booties. (what a deal!)

the second project is a 'crazy eights' baby quilt, made out of a girly combination of heather bailey, amy butler and joel dewberry prints. it's going to be *fabulous*. i just cut out my squares this morning, and started the 1st set this evening. when i was pressing them, i found that i had sewn 5 out of the 8 blocks backwards. it's the 3rd time i'm doing this particular quilt, and i have to say that i've never made that mistake previously - even the first time i made it. i was going to rip them back, but figured that i'd just leave them. it's a pretty scrappy quilt anyways, and you'd have to be super anal-retentive to actually search for these 5 blocks that are going to be placed any which way anyways and notice that, 'hey...they're not the same as the other "A" blocks.' whatever. my kinda perfectionism makes me want to rip the blocks back, but, hey. so be it.

so i apologize no photos, but, you'll be glad to know that i overnight shipped a battery charger from amazon.com, so i should have it by friday.

so new year's. we actually went and did something pretty cool; we went to the house of blues and saw collective soul. the event was actually televised on channel 2 (i think?) so, it was kinda cool to be at an event that people were watching from home. i didn't make any new years resolutions, but, i think i'm partially saying that because i've already broken one of them (only kinda, though.).

resolution #1: stop eating out. i'm getting fatter from it!

resolution #2: stop shopping for non-necessary things. my house is so full of unnecessary items, and i've got an entire bedroom that is full of stuff that was thrown in there during my thanskgiving "cleaning".

as for resolution #1, i'm really trying. we did manage to make it out to chinatown on new year's day and had dinner there, but that really didn't count. resolution #1 now changed to specify, "no eating out for lunch or really, by myself."



(please pardon the horrible photo. it was cold; i wasn't wearing any makeup, and it was snowing.)

as for my 2nd resolution, well, i'm trying. also. i wanted to make a quilt for our friend's wedding this august or september (no date set yet), so, i log onto quiltersobsession.com and discover they're having one of those "the more you buy, the more you save" sale. since 15% just isn't enough for me, i had to go for the big guns and went for the 25% off of $200. (and i really would've gone for the 40% off of $400 but just couldn't find enough stuff to buy.) so, i ended up buying a quilt for them, a quilt for me, and some fabric to make a bag for me. not that i need another bag, and forget the fact that i got a $100 gift certificate to brownson5th.com so i could buy myself another vera bradley tote. sigh. it could've been worse, it could've been worse. i keep on telling myself that.

well...it's nearly 2 am, and i have to work early tomorrow, so, i'd better get going here. hopefully i'll be able to make some progress this week and post some photos soon! happy new year!

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!

secret pal swag!

so, on my trip to my super nice post office early last week, i was presented with a few boxes, one of which contained my second secret pal 9 package! i wasn't even at chicago ave. yet before the box was torn open, to peek inside:



of course, i couldn't *open* all the pretty lovely presents, i had to wait until i got home that evening...and i couldn't even *belive* all the super lovely stuff i received!

super lovely gift #1:


*fabulous* knitting needle holder. with a zippered pocket inside and all! and speaking of the inside, take a look at this!



it's pink! geez, secret pal...i coudln't have made a nicer one myself! :)

super lovely gift #2:


an *absolutely gorgeous* drop stitch scarf. it's a beautiful light blue hue, with a shimmery yarn carried throughout. i was *so jealous* of this scarf that i had to start one for myself! (details following!)

super lovely gifts #3:


yarn. candy. candle. = awesome! and did i mention that i probably ate like half of the caramels before i even got to north ave.?

and take a look at this super lovely card she sent me:


isn't it the cutest thing you've ever seen?

so *thank you thank you thank you* super secret pal! once again, you're the *bestest*!

yesterday (saturday), i spent running errands. it really *isn't* a good sign when you're barely out your door, and you see those bright lime-green vest clad traffic management authority people out, directing traffic. but i did manage to get my errands done, and started swatching out my sorta copycat secret pal 9 scarf:



i started actually with an orange, which i definitely did not like (too retro-looking), and then so, since i couldn't find a suitable yarn while i was out on saturday, i decided that i'd go stash diving, and ended up liking the 3rd yarn the best. in order from left to right (if you can even see it in this completely blurry photo): first was a moss green blue sky alpacas yarn, from a previous secret pal round (too blah), the second was a pink worsted weight alpaca (too bright), and the third (and my favorite) was a kettle dyed merino in a very different pinky/mauvy color (just right. like the three bears.).

this is a totally overexposed photo, but here's a little detail of my scarf:



it'll be absolutely *fabulous* when it's done. i've already knitted one of the mohair/glimmery balls up, so, i'll probably start the 2nd while i'm waiting at the dentist's tomorrow.

i've also learned one very important lesson today:

never never never never ever buy knives that are on display



my sister and i were at bloomingdale's home store this evening, and, because they didn't have the particular knife set that i wanted in a box, the associate offered the display model. so we took it. we dragged it halfway across the city (okay, total exaggeration), and, as i was removing all of the price tags on EACH INDIVIDUAL PIECE, i found that:

a.) the block was broken.
b.) the tip of the chef's knife was bent.
c.) the tip on one of the steak knives was damaged.

and, as a final kick-in-the-butt, i decided to look up to see if my knife set was even complete. a quick visit to williams-sonoma.com proved otherwise. *not only* was i missing my 8" carving knife, it was replaced with a 3" parer! *you've got to be kidding me!*

so yes, i learned my lesson. i will never buy open-box, display knives again. (not that i'll ever buy another set of knives, period.) i'm going to have to go to old orchard tomorrow to see if i can even exchange these for a set in a box. and, well, if not, i'll have a set of very nice, very sharp, knives in my hand. (just kidding on that last part.)

ah well. it's 1:37 in the morning, and i will be going to bed very soon. i've got a long day ahead of me tomorrow!

until next time!

my cats *have* to have this:



okay, fine. *i* have to have this. i don't think you understand.

in a wee bit of insomnia this evening, i somehow ended up on the ikea website, and came across this super cute cat bed. nevermind the fact that it's $60.00, and, despite the fact that my cats already have several very cool, very trendy cat beds, i just have to have it. it's the coolest thing i've ever seen. (that, and griffin will look just so adorable sitting in it. it'd be his twin!) hopefully, it's a relatively large bed. it's definitely on my list of 'things to check out' next time i'm at ikea. i'm lucky in that i actually have two ikeas that are relatively close by - in fact, they're probably equidistant. however, i've not set foot in an ikea store in probably in excess of two years. this'll soon change, my friends! :)

(did i mention that i was going to stop shopping?)

anyways, i spent my weekend cleaning my living room and setting up/decorating my christmas tree. (photos forthcoming.) last year, i had a 7' tree which i felt was too short, so, this year, i opted for my 8' tree that i bought for 75% off at target after christmas last year. it's pre-lit, so i don't have 1500+ lights (or whatever national lampoonish quantity i had on it last year, which took me a week to do), so it was pretty easy. and definitely not as blinding as last year's tree. ooh, and the ups man dropped off my restoration hardware tree skirt on friday, and, oh my gosh, it is so, so, so, so, so, so very me. i'm afraid to use it, though, because my cats have a tendency to sleep under the tree during this time of year, and i'd really hate for it to get destroyed. so, i was thinking of making a treeskirt to cover my treeskirt...ooh! or maybe i'll just get some of that vinyl stuff that people use to cover their furniture. idea! hey, it'll be tacky as hell totally protected though, right? we'll see, though. i do have an absolutely *gorgeous* treeskirt that i bought a few years ago that i *love*, so, i don't know if i'll just use that. ugh! so indecisive! i need to make up my mind!

so it was a pretty productive weekend. i cleaned my living room, put the bows on my wreaths outside (since it was relatively warm today), put up my christmas tree, and geez. i'm exhausted. photos to follow next time! until then!

shame, humbug and slack-o-rama

so it's been a few weeks since i last posted...oops! so much has happened during those two weeks, also!

first off: i'm *so* disappointed that mario lost. what a crock!

secondly: i took my first ballroom dance lesson with my boyfriend a few weeks ago. although it was a lot of fun, i think i'm going to have to trade in my ballroom shoes for a pair of steel-toed boots. (and to think...the *first* pair of shoes that i purchased were open-toed...i can't even imagine if i wouldn't have traded them for a pair of closed-toe shoes!)

third: i was off for a week before/after thanksgiving. i swore i'd clean my house. kinda didn't happen...

fourth: i swore i would clean my house this past weekend. instead, i get called up at 8 o'clock in the morning by my sister, asking if i had wanted to go up to the outlet mall in pleasant prairie, wisconsin. after debating about it for a really long time, i decided that i'd just go up there. what the heck, right? it ended up being a two-day long shopping spree, no joke. i ended up just staying at my parents' house up north saturday night! (gotta love the automatic cat feeder/waterer!)

speaking of the automatic cat waterer... two fridays ago, after coming back from an exhausting day of black friday holiday shopping (more on that later), i came home to this awful, awful screeching sound...their cat waterer had run dry, (oops!) so i refilled it (this was friday night.). anyways, i had gone out someplace on saturday, and, by the time i came home, i noticed that my carpet was wet. i figured it was probably just the little bit that had splashed out when i had refilled it (despite the fact that i had cleaned that up the night before), but, thought it was weird, so, i looked at the cat waterer. the *entire* reservoir was empty. all two freaking gallons of it. i went through nearly a dozen bath towels before going to home depot, and picking up a shop vac. apparently, they don't work all that well on carpet, but, i was able to extract a little more water from it. so i just set it on the blower function, in another futile attempt to dry my carpet. and i swear, it's a week later and my carpet is still damp. maybe not, or maybe i'm just crazy, but, i swear it is. i'm setting the space heater on it before i go to work. (just in case it is still damp. or just to settle my craziness.)

black friday was a total joke. i couldn't believe it. after perusing the ads on thursday (and receiving a list of things that i needed to purchase for my mother), i set out for kmart at 5:30 am. i figured i'd go out to the suburbs, since i could hit all the stores i had wanted to go to in one shot. so, i get to kmart at like 5:58, and there is a line of people in front of the door, at least 200 people deep! (i had no idea kmart was going to be such a hot commodity on black friday.) anyways, people were literally running into the store, and anyways, i had made it to the back of the store to pick up these tool bags that were on sale (perfect for my cordless drill & screwdriver), and this man was running around the section, and saw me holding my ad (mind you, from my thursday paper), and was like, "could i see your paper?" and i was like, "i'm sorry, i've got to run and get a few more items!" bah humbug. hey. they had a fat stack of ads in the front of the store, and if he didn't bother to grab one because he was too busy running to the tool section, well...

so then, after kmart, i headed to menard's. uuugggggghhhhh. just thinking about it makes me shiver. people were literally buying *carts full* of crap...hundreds and hundreds of items. i just had to buy my popcorn (from the list) and fake ott lamp and knife set and scram. good thing i grabbed some magazines to read from off of the shelf; i was in line for 45 minutes. unbelievable!

then came orland square mall, which was a complete, total unbelievable nuthouse. it was awful. but i got everything i wanted, except for the only chihuahua ornament that they had at field's. oops. macy's. when the lady was putting it into a box, she had dropped it, and its back feet and tail came off. great. but i have to say, they *did* ship me one from another location (go figure, state street) without any shipping charge. and, i have to say that i love getting my christmas shopping without having to leave the house. how convenient!

that was it, until i went to oakbrook later that evening, to have dinner with my boyfriend and his family...

but i won't bore you with that.

after stitches midwest, i swore i would never buy any more yarn. rrrriiiiigggghhhhttt. here's just a sample of one of my extremely shameful purchases that i've made as of late:



(this is only *part* of the package.)

i'd better not buy any more yarn anymore. my trip to my lys on tuesday had better been my last for a while. i only went there because i wanted to knit up a long, grey scarf like cristina on grey's anatomy was wearing the other week (when she went running). i *have* to have one.

and the reason i really *have* to have one is this:



you should've seen it on friday! (okay, it really isn't as bad as what they got in the suburbs. but still!) *awful, awful, awful* snow. and it's so cold that the stuff just thaws and freezes. thaws and freezes. my back stairs are a *joke*. they are deceptively fresh snow-covered ice chunks! *awful!* (but don't you just love my wreath-covered fence? i was supposed to put out ribbons and bows also, but, it *snowed*! good thing i put them out on wednesday evening, despite almost freezing solid!)

and, before i leave you for this time, i just wanted to show you my (one of my) *most most most favorite* purchase of this weekend's shopping spree:



*gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous* silver sage/brown towels for my guest bathroom. (the design really isn't me, but, the colors are, so, i just couldn't resist!)

my *most most most* favorite purchase photo is forthcoming...a christmas tree skirt from restoration hardware...i should have it by the end of the week, though!

that's it for now, folks! stay warm! (i'm trying to!)

p.s. i received an e-mail from our sp9 hostess, stating that my pal's e-mails are having a hard time coming through... i've not seen anything come through lately (or get stuck in my spamblocker), so, secret pal, if you're reading this and trying to contact me, please do so again and i will make sure to add you to my "allowed" list (although i thought i did before!)! anyways...we'll figure it out! yay! :)

i'm voting for mario.



what a hottie! whoo-hoo! and boy, can he dance!

so i've been such a slacker lately. i know. i'm blaming mario. actually, no, i'm not. i'm blaming the show - dancing with the stars - for my lack of blogging as of late. i've really never followed the show, until my mom and i were watching it on halloween - and i was hooked. and now, i'm determined to take ballroom dance lessons. in fact, i'm so determined to take ballroom dance lessons that:

a.) i've persuaded to convince my boyfriend to accompany me, solely by my enthusiasm

b.) i've already bought ballroom dance shoes

c.) i've already researched where and when we will be taking lessons. (starting next week!)

how about that?!? but anyways. in all my efforts in getting my ballroom dance lessons underway, i've been a total slacker in the blogger world lately. so...let's get caught up on things!

a few weeks ago, i picked up a *fabulous* - and i mean *fabulous* package at the post office from my knitters tea swap pal! so, i opened up the box, and, i find this cute little pink shopping bag (that will work perfectly for a lunch bag):



whoo-hoo! we're off to a good start...it's pink! :)

but inside, there was goodie after goodie:

most importantly, the yarn:



this soft-as-anything, 55% mohair/45% merino hand dyed yarn from maple creek farm, in the colorway 'pretty in pink'. *absolutely gorgeous*. i've got 490 yards of this baby - i've not decided on a project for it as of yet, but, this stuff'll be absolutely *fabulous* once it's knitted up, with the slight variations and all...

so i got the yarn. and what else does she spoil me with? a lantern moon yarn/project tote, no less! (i swear, sarah must've been reading my mind every time i saw the little project bag - i wanted to buy one, but never did, as i always convince myself that i could 'make a better one'. let's forget the fact that my halloween tote turned out inside-out. i *still* could make a better one.)

so that's just the tip of the iceberg.

in addition to the yarn and the lantern moon bag, i got all kinds of treats:



i got chocolates. bochox chocolates. sigh. so much for another birthday! :)

and of course, the requisite tea:



an assam and an irish breakfast. my two absolute faves! (i like this 'send what they like' thing!) and some honey sticks. and a 'tea for two' kit, which included the *cutest* little tea balls, so cute that i had to photograph them:



that's them, sitting on the little tea ball holder, next to a quarter, to show you the size! *adorable*!

and i really thought that was it. until i was taking out the last of the tissue out of the bag, and found a silver teapot-shaped teabag holder (which, unfortunately, my camera ran out of batteries before i could photograph it.) again, sarah must've been reading my mind, because i've seriously *wanted* one of these for a *really long time now*. that, or she secretly sees me putting my tea bags on folded-up paper towels, and having a soggy mess to clean up later. (this happens on a near daily basis. and i know i could use a plate or a dish or something other than a paper towel.)

and if you're curious to find out who this awesome chick is who sent me all this stuff, it's sarah (as if you didn't know already!) *thank you thank you thank you thank you!*

the funny thing is, is that sarah immediately e-mailed me at the beginning of the knitters tea swap exchange, she had mentioned that she was going to go to the new york sheep & wool festival at the end of the month, and asked if it were okay if she sent my package out late... of course, when i hear the words, 'sheep and wool festival', i get extremely jealous (despite the fact that i didn't even know what it was but it sounded fabulous nonetheless) and was like, "no problem! none at all! actually, i'd really *love* if you get my secret present from there!" and geez. good thing i'm not an impatient person... (at least not *all* the time...) :)

so thank you again, sarah - you are the *greatest*! *greatest!* (*seriously!*)

so, as for everything else exciting in my life, well, it's pretty much the same old, same old. i'm very excited though, because in addition to starting my ballroom dance lessons next week, i'll be taking a ballet class starting in january. how exciting! it's been a good five years since i've actually been in a formal class, so, we'll see how this goes... (flexibility? what's that?!?) but, i'm excited nonetheless. i was even able to pick up my ballet slippers as well when i got my ballroom dance shoes! (talk about killing two birds with one stone!) and sunday, instead of *cleaning* like i said i was going to, what did i find myself doing? knitting? nah... i was sewing my elastics on my ballet slippers! oh my gosh! stop me now! i'm obsessed! (hmm...if only i could take this enthusiasm and apply it to other areas of my life...)

well anyways, i just remembered i have to go in early to work tomorrow, so, that'll be it for this time!

hugs! :)

happy (belated) halloween!

okay...i meant to post these earlier this week, but, i was (and still am) recovering from my self-inflicted sweatshop from last thursday-friday-saturday. just as i was finishing up my bonnet for my halloween costume (two hours before the party! eek!), the doorbell rang, and my mail lady dropped me off a package containing these very colorful and autumn-ish gifts:



(i actually didn't even unwrwap each piece for a day or two, because i wanted to photograph just how cute and nicely wrapped they were!)

but then, when i unwrapped them...look what they contained!



pumpkin muffin mix, a cute candy corn mug, just filled with assorted candies, a bar of handmade oatmeal soap, and the nicest yarn ever - i don't have the skein close at hand, but, it's this absolutely fabulous pinky/rosey/burgundy-ish yarn that is just *yearning* to be knit into a hat. (cabled, of course.)

so, thank you *sooo much* secret pal...your package was a very welcomed surprise to a very stressful saturday! (did i mention that, i was up sewing until 6:17 am saturday morning, to have to go in to work at 9:00 am?)

anyways. the fruits of my labor (and why i decided that i am going to start my halloween costumes in *june* next year):



they came out surprisingly well, although i look about 50 lbs. heavier because of my elasticized (non-fitted) dress...but that's okay. as i was cutting out my original pattern the weekend before last, i realized that the whole fitted (darts, zippers, gathering) thing was just *not* going to work because a.) i have no idea how to do them (properly, at least), and b.) i had no time at all. but, despite all the problems i had (everything that could have went wrong did) and the realization that i had purchased the *wrong* faux suede-ish fabric for the indian costume, they ended up turning out pretty okay. (fraying fringes and all.) but i learned my lesson, though. next year? i'm *definitely* starting in june.

so a post from me just wouldn't be a post from me if there were no complaining involved, right? today's drama involved a situation at work that i wasn't even involved in, got thrown in the middle of, and subsequently ended up getting blamed for. such my luck. it actually was such an awful, traumatizing event that, after i got home, i immediately logged on to amazon.com and purchased the following two books:

1.) coping with difficult people: the proven-effective battle plan that has helped millions deal with the troublemakers in their lives at home and at work

and

2.) a survival guide for working with humans: dealing with whiners, back-stabbers, know-it-alls, and other difficult people

*maybe* just *maybe* i can get some insight into this whole thing. and maybe i can learn a thing or two! (or at least manipulate the situation to my advantage!) sigh. the drama. just thinking about it gets me all worked up again! here's to everything settling down and working themselves out!

keep your fingers crossed...until next time...

oh, and p.s.: i've decided that i'm not going to buy unnecessary stuff anymore. my house is *so filled* with stuff that *was not here* when i moved in (a year and a half ago). we'll see how long this lasts...

i must have some kind of sickness.

yesterday, while on my lunch hour, i went over to nordstrom rack, where they had an entire wall of scarves, hats and mittens... yes, they were very cute, but when i looked at the price tag? $12.99 for a hat? yes, that's *super* cheap...and in my non-knitting days, i would've bought it in a heartbeat. of course nooo... i could knit one that's better. (but forget the fact that the yarn *i* like would probably drive up the price at least threefold.)

case in point:

while perusing the internet last night, i came across this website called funwithyarn.com, and fell in love with one (well, multiple, but this is what was available), called 'citron baby' - it reminds me of cupcake frosting: (must've been the cupcake that i bought at sunflower market earlier this week.)



it's absolutely gorgeous, and i knew i just couldn't pass it up. but what am i going to knit out of it? a hat, of course. a hat that's three times the price! :) oh well. i *lurve* it.

anyways, this past monday was my birthday, and, my boyfriend and i were going to go out to dinner after he picked me up after work... so, i opened my presents (build-a-bear chippendale cow...he's cute, but only wearing a bowtie and carrying a box of chocolates and roses, hence the 'chippendale') and flowers (of course) - which i actually took a photo of, but forgot to upload it for this post - but, he was super sleepy, so i told him that we'd just go 'next time'. it's okay. after running a stop sign, and then almost hitting this woman in the crosswalk, it was definitely for the better. he got home, and (almost) immediately went to bed. sheesh!

ok...time for work...until next time!

i can't sleep...so here are my answers for:

a contest...in honor of tali's first birthday! (happy birthday!)

1. where is your favorite knitting spot?

anywhere and everywhere! i've actually found that the time i spend on the cta has been a great help - i actually *have* fo's now!

2. if you suddenly could never knit again (shudder) - what would you do instead?

i'd take up piano lessons again. learn how to sew really well. and i'd *master* the craft of baking really, really, really delicious goodies.

3. if you could travel anywhere in the world - where would you go and why?

i'd love to go to ireland - i'd love to see two things: the sheep and the yarn!

4. when you were little - what did you want to do "when you grew up?" are you doing it?

one of the things i wanted to be was a lawyer. and no, i'm not doing it.

5. what is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

strawberry or apple pie

(i actually have a few finished projects to show off, but, with all the excitement of the going-ons today, i totally forgot to photograph them! next time, i promise!)

so with my birthday coming up (next monday), i told my boyfriend that i wanted to go to the pumpkin farm that was advertised on a few billboards along i-55 and lagrange rd. on the way to his place - and he agreed to take me. anyways, i guess he talked to a few people, and found out that this one in hobart, indiana - county line orchard - was *way* better, so, we ended up taking a little trip out to indiana yesterday morning... what a fun morning it was!

we took the little tractor ride out around the place, and went out through the apple orchards...since it was so late in the season, there were only a few varieties left, and i was unimpressed with everything but the suncrisp apples - totally delicious! (kinda similar to my beloved honeycrisp) we ended up picking a few dozen of those. (as my boyfriend says, they're totally fresh off the tree!) we headed to the little 'pumpkin patch' nearby, and picked up a few small pumpkins, and this is the part that cracks me up... when you're finished with your apple and pumpkin picking, you go to this little tent at the front of the orchard so you can weigh & pay...and we were behind this dad, son and grandma that had this wagon with *two* bushels of apples. they weighed the first one, and it was like 28 pounds, the other was like 36. and while they were doing this, the grandma was like, "how much are the apples per pound?" and had this kinda astonished look on her face... anyways, the point of my little story is these people had like $80+ worth of apples, and i really don't think they had intended on spending that much. but what are you supposed to do? say, "oh, let me take some of these out...i didn't want this much..." anyways, after weighing and paying (and, i should add that we weren't surprised by our amount) we dragged our apples and pumpkins back to the car, and then headed to this little petting zoo that they had in the back...i wish i would have brought my camera! you feed these goats and lambs and llamas this seed stuff from your hand, and let me tell you - these guys loved it! a goat even bit my hand (not hard) because he was so excited - and i didn't even have any feed at that point! (we still had to go and buy some!) i even bottle-fed a baby calf (ella) out of this *giant* baby bottle...it was the cutest thing *ever*. (again! the camera!) so, after that, we went and had lunch from their little outdoor grill, and then our last stop for the day was back inside their big red barn where we picked up a few things and i also bought a apple cookbook - i mean, what *else* am i going to do with 9# of apples? (actually, i probably only ended up with 6...my boyfriend kept some.) so this afternoon, i came home, and started my little project:



apple streudel muffins, from my apple cookbook! (they did turn out quite delicious, if i may say so myself!)

okay...well, i have a knitters tea swap package to prepare and i'm gearing up for sp9 tonight...until next time!

secret pal 9 questionnaire!

since i can't sleep...here we go!

1. what is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? what fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

i like wools, especially "different" ones (think: colinette) and handpainted yarn as well. i don't really like acrylics and "novelty" yarn such as eyelash or fun fur -that type of thing.

2. what do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

i'm using this bucket from garrett's popcorn. i'd love to be more organized and sew up a knitting needle organizer of some sort (so i can actually *find* my needles when i need them!), it's just that i have *so many* needles that i'd have to make an organizer for every kind (ie. shorts, longs, bamboo, birch, bryspun, etc.)

3. how long have you been knitting & how did you learn? would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

i've been knitting for a few years (maybe three?) now. my mom had orignally shown me how to cast on and knit, however, by the time i actually *did* these things, i had totally forgotten. so, i bought one of those long, chunky scarf kits with my 40% coupon at michael's, and taught myself from there. i would consider my level to be intermediate.

4. do you have an amazon or other online wish list?

yes, i do.

5. what's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)

i'm super-sensitive to all body products that are scented, but i absolutely *love* bath and body work's 'sweet vanilla sugar' scent for candles and home fragrancing oils. i also love 'birthday cake' fragrance as well!

6. do you have a sweet tooth? favorite candy?

oh my gosh, yes! i absolutely *love* those brach's caramels from the bulk bins. they're the best! ooh! and i love cupcakes, too!

7. what other crafts or do-it-yourself things do you like to do? do you spin?

sewing. i just upgraded my singer (that i just bought) to a viking. i'm not that *serious*, but i guess i am a bit ambitious.

8. what kind of music do you like? can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a cd)

i *love* soundtracks (grey's antatomy - the best music *ever*!), musicals, and i guess what they'd consider to be "pop" or "top 40" as well.

9. what's your favorite color(s)? any colors you just can't stand?

i absolutely *lurve* pink, or a pink/brown combination, or a blue/brown combination... i also love the "fall" palette when it comes to handpainted yarns, and i absolutely adore the color silver sage, especially when it's combined with a khaki or taupe color (like my tiles!)

10. what is your family situation? do you have any pets?

my two cats, madeline & griffin, allow me to live with them. (sometimes.)

11. do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

i definitely wear hats, scarves and mittens. not too much into the poncho thing, though...

12. what is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

probably hats and scarves. they're so quick to knit up.

13. what are you knitting right now?

i'm currently *obsessed* with cabled hats, so, i have two on the needles currently, and i'm sure i'll have more very soon. (i've made two so far in the past month or so.) i'm also knitting this scarf from french girl, which i've been knitting *forever*. (i started last thanskgiving, ripped it back, and, am in the middle of it again just now.)

14. do you like to receive handmade gifts?

yes, absolutely!

15. do you prefer straight or circular needles? bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

i usually knit on shorter (10") needles if my project allows it; and i absolutely *love* brittany birch needles. i also like bamboo, and am really liking bryspun for my lace-y projects. i *love* addi turbos for circulars.

16. do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

yes, both. bring on the yarn in skeins, baby!

17. how old is your oldest ufo?

so old, that i can hardly remember. i don't think i ever finished my *first* project (after the scarf-from-a-kit) when i first started knitting, of a hat/scarf/mitten set in a super bulky weight yarn.

18. what is your favorite holiday?

christmas!

19. is there anything that you collect?

does yarn count? :) i have amassed a small collection of maneki-nekos, and really, that's almost all that i collect (although my house is just *filled* with stuff...)

20. any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? what knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

i'm always dying to get my hands on something new; i just saw colinette's 'skye' in the 'dark umber' colorway at this yarn shop (it was part of a kit), but, it's absolutely, absolutely gorgeous. i would also love some 'lobster pot' yarn, in their slightly variegated pink color, although i can't seem to find the non-cashmere version anywhere. also, i'd love to have this cabled beanie knitting kit. i currently do not have any knitting magazine subscriptions; i usually just buy them if there are enough patterns inside that strike my fancy!

21. are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

i'd really love how to knit continental-style. it'd make my ribbing on all of my hats go so much more quickly!

22. are you a sock knitter? what are your foot measurements?

no, i'm not a sock knitter. small needles scare me. (i'm doing a hat on a #6 right now, and it's taking me *forever*.) that, and the fact that i lose all my socks. but i do wear a size 8 shoe, though!

23. when is your birthday? (mm/dd)

october 23! right after all this fun begins! yay!

happy anniversary!

today marks our (my boyfriend & i) one-year anniversary. woo-hoo! in celebration, we went to go and see "hamlet" at the chicago shakespeare theater at navy pier last night. since i only live in the city and have *never* been to navy pier previously, after we saw the play, we walked around navy pier a bit to check it out, and of course, no visit to navy pier is complete without a ride on the ferris wheel:



i can't believe a year has gone by so quickly! happy anniversary, baby!