Help Name A Sheep, Win Valuable Prizes!

My dear Hogwarts Sock Swap partner is having a contest for her 100th post! Go check it out!

Ok, off to frantically knit.. how many days left till Christmas? EEK!

Inner Daemon

If, like I, you've read the His Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman, you are probably geeked about the movie coming out as well. I just found out that the website allows you to see what your daemon is, and allows others to comment on your daemon to make sure that it really fits your personality! :) Here's mine...



If you don't think this quite fits me, click on the "is my daemon a match" link above & answer a few questions. You can change Klitus and help determine his final shape! XD

Not Much

That's what's been going on. Ok, a LOT has been going on, but not much worth noting.

The Mystery Swap is wrapping up.. I've only got about 5 people left who haven't received their packages yet and most of those are caught up in the backlog from the UK postal strike. There were some ups & downs with this, but overall I'm happy with the way it went and my participants seem to be very happy so all is well. I'm actually going to do a round 2 in January! :)

The Circus was in town this past weekend and we got to hang a bit, which was nice. My sis & Autumn went to their show. I think sis enjoyed it, but Autumn not so much. Still a little young for this type of thing I think. She said she liked the music, but she was bored before the first song finished and was extremely tired by the end of the night. Kris won't be doing much with the band this month because the acquisition of our office should be finalized soon and he will be a busy boy during the change over. We will definitely be working the New Year's Eve show in Philly though, it sounds like I'll be doing video for them.

Knitting has been happening, but not as much as I would like. I'm glad that I limited my X-mas knitting this year. As it is I'm not sure I will get it all done in time. :( However, I am just about done with my shopping! Yippie!

Zombie Love

As some of you know I am a bit of a horror freak, and I have a particular soft spot for zombies. My dear hubby found this for me yesterday.

The singer is Jonathan Coulton, who we were actually introduced to by our niece Sofia this summer. She is a fan of the Code Monkey song. Funny stuff.

Ups & Downs

It has been a roller-coaster week of stress. On Tuesday we had an all-company meeting, the topic of which was top secret until we arrived. I actually knew some of what was going on thanks to Kris being management & all, but people were seriously wigged out all day. So what's going on? We are in the process of being sold to a big, public corporation. This isn't a big surprise to people, AMG has been on the market for the entire time Kris has worked there (6+ years). And the company that is buying us seems to be genuinely interested in preserving the company culture as much as possible. However, it is a big transition with lots of small unknowns that are causing big stress for most of us. Especially since the sale will most likely be finalized around Christmas and they have stated there will be a few "redundancies". Thankfully I know my job is safe and we have had assurances that Kris' position is safe as well. But nothing is finalized yet and I'll not be easy until it is.

Goddess? Well, Maybe...

I've seen this quiz before, but don't remember every taking it. Apparently I'm a...

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Goddess. You are constantly giving and are unconcerned with reward, you simply want others to love knitting as much as you do. If someone wants to knit miles of novelty yarns, you are there for them. If someone wants to learn short row shaping, you can help. There are no taboos in knitting, only opportunities to grow. Everyone should have friend like you around if they want to learn to knit, and there's a good chance that your passion has rubbed off on a few others.http://marniemaclean.com Take this quiz!

Happy Halloween!

She's so evil, even the eyes glow! ;)

I hope everyone had a great & safe holiday! I got home to find my sister & Autumn had already arrived at my house for some trick or treating! My Mystery Swap package had also arrived, but it would have to wait until later. We had a quick pizza dinner and took off, leaving Kris in charge of handing out the candy.

After her bag was full and they left for home I finally got to open my package!

Items individually wrapped & numbered
to heighten the suspense!

4 skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca yarn (how did she know I’m a sucker for alpaca?!), bamboo needles, point protectors, and The Knitter’s Bible Knitted Accessories book. She picked the Magic Mitten Gloves for me. I absolutely love the pattern and am currently fighting the urge to shove my other projects aside and start this right away.

The theme she picked was Autumn, and I think Meaghan filled it perfectly!

Overwhelmed!

I got home today to find a lovely package on my doorstep! It's my Knitter's Tea Swap 4 package from the fantabulous Ruth! I have to say this was the most fun I've ever had with a swap. When I got my partner assignment I thought they had made a mistake at first and sent me my own questionnaire back, our answers were almost identical! Ruth is just a great person, I'm so glad I got to meet her! Ok, now for the goodies...

Everything individually wrapped
with neat little tags!

Bounty of goodies! Lime & Violet yarn in Greensleeves, CTH in Misty Moor, 3 packages of loose leaf Darjeeling!! (2 black & 1 green), 1 box of Organic Green Darjeeling bags, Honey, Honey dipper, Mesquite incense, beeswax bear candle (labeled as a b-day gift), assorted Dark Chocolate, Vanilla wafers, sock pattern, toys (notice the awesome boxing frog pen!) & treaties for the babies (organic cat nip & raw hide -see below)!

Corrina enjoying her treat.
She thinks Ruth is awesome too!

I am completely overwhelmed! She definitely went above and beyond and I'm feeling a bit guilty that I didn't do more for her. Her package is currently waiting at the post office for her and I really hope she likes it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Autumn's Bittersweet Heart

That's the tentative name I've got for these socks. I've finished the first & am really happy with it so far. I'm casting on the second tonight and will hopefully get a fair bit done this weekend. I'm really glad I went with the folded picot edge for this, I think it really finishes the sock off well.

I wasn't going to post about them until after Christmas, but I just couldn't wait.

So, Autumn... No Peeking!

Tagged

I know I've been remiss on the posting, but I didn't really have any updates for you. Luckily, I've been tagged for a meme by Anita from the Mystery Swap.

The Rules:Once tagged, you must link to the person who tagged you. Then post the rules before your list, and list 8 random things about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag and link to 8 other people, visit their sites, and leave a comment letting them know they’ve been tagged.

1. I turned 35 yesterday. Ouch.
2. The first time I went to college I majored in Theater. I dropped out after the 1^st semester. When I went back to college I majored in Psychology & minored in Philosophy, so I could be completely unemployable. I need 20 credits to graduate, but I haven’t taken classes for 6yrs.
3. I LOVE horror movies & books. I watched my first horror movie when I was 6 and have been addicted ever since.
4. I am clumsy. Very clumsy. I am constantly dropping things at work and have fallen down the stairs (usually sliding on my ass) many times. I also trip over my own feet.
5. I’ve been going through infertility treatments on & off for about 8 yrs and am about to give up.
6. I hate cleaning. Really, really hate it.
7. My dream is to own a yarn store. I have no idea what to do to accomplish this.
8. I am terrified of spiders.
   

Let's see, who to tag. Joanne, Mary, Denise, Ruinwen, Devin, Ruth and anyone else who might want to do it. Can't think of 2 more right now. :)

Indian Summer

Gosh its hot. Mid-80s here today. Had to turn the air conditioning on as soon as I got home. It's supposed to be in the mid-upper 80s all weekend. This is definitely not proper weather for October in Michigan! And I was just getting all my sweaters out. :(

So, you're probably wondering if I've actually been knitting lately. I have been, but it's all on super-secret Christmas stuff, which makes posting about it neigh on impossible! Still, I am making good progress and am about 1/4 way through the big one.

That's about it for now. Excepting that I want to put in plug for Bryan Fuller's new series Pushing Daises. It's great fun. Very whimsical, and Jim Dale was narrating the first episode! It's also keeping in the Fuller tradition of calling female characters by male names (George, Reggie, Jaye & Chuck!). I hope this series lasts, I was very upset when Wonderfalls was canceled... I wrote my very first angry letter to a network because of it! :)
So... check it out. The first episode is available for streaming on ABC's website.

Knitters Tea Swap

So no sooner do I complete all the swaps I'm involved with (not counting the one I'm hosting), but then I go and sign-up for another!

This one I've been waiting for though. I always seem to miss the deadline. Sign-ups started today & will end once there are 200 participants. I'm so excited! :)

One Happy Ravenclaw

My package from Avada arrived today! Whee! She told me the other day that she was finishing much sooner than anticipated and should be mailing soon. She certainly spoiled me!

Super comfy House Socks, pretty stitch markers, Empress size 2 needles, Cascade fixation yarn, pedicure set, lotion, magnet, Harry notepad, dark chocolate (mmmm moose munch, won't last long...) & jam! I'm overwhelmed!

Not only were there yummy treats for me, but there were even goodies for Corrina. The greenie is already history and the freezer pops are being eagerly awaited. :)

Close up of stitch markers

Ravenclaw House Socks

The socks fit perfectly & are super comfy. They are warming the feets even as I type! :) Thanks so much for making this the most fun swap ever!

My Friday Night

Grant you, kinda boring & fuddy-duddy but more excitement than I usually have! So what are the little doughballs? Well, you may remember me writing of the fantastic bagels my bil made for us when we were out in Seattle. Honey tried to make them the weekend after we go back, but they didn't turn out quite right. I think its because he just scooped the flour into the batter with the measuring cup instead of measuring it properly. The dough was extremely stiff, but the bagels were still quite tasty. So last night I decided to give it a try myself!
This is what they looked like before being put into the frig overnight. And this is what they look like after being baked this morning...

Bagel with asiago cheese,
oregano & basil

OMG! I am the bagel master! XD Seriously, best bagels ever! The recipe is quite easy, it's just a bit time consuming what with waiting for the dough to rise and all, and the ingredients are what most people already have in their house except for the yeast and the malt powder, which we couldn't even find and used malt syrup instead. I'm so excited! All my previous attempts at any kind of bread making were disasterous (not counting quick breads which don't have yeast). I think I'll be making these for Christmas morning. :)

Muggle Post Comes Through

My fair Gryffindor's package arrived safely! Yippie! And she's loves it! XD

So, now I can talk about what I sent. First off, I want to show you the adorable stitch markers I got for her from Sunneshine's Etsy shop.

Aren't they friggin' adorable?! Sunneshine is a great seller too, they arrived within 2 days of me ordering them!

Ok, now for the socks.
I made her Fawkes socks using Cherry Tree Hill Sockittome in Sugar Maple. Let me say, totally love that yarn! It's the first time I've used it but it won't be the last. Really, a super joy to knit with! So soft & warm, unfortunately it's not superwash, but it's worth the little extra care.

Pattern Notes: I used size 2 dpns for this pattern. Really easy lace pattern. Quickly memorized & very quickly knit. Unfortunately the flame pattern doesn't pop as much with the variegated yarn, but I think its lovely anyways. Will probably knit these again.

This was actually the 3rd pattern, as well as the 3rd yarn choice I had for this swap. I initially picked one of the simple house sock patterns, then the quidditch socks. I was unable to get proper sizing with either even though I was using the recommended needles & yarn (Lang's Jawoll), which is really crappy yarn & will never be purchased by me again. Seriously, bleck! I will mostly likely just bin the skeins I have.

So that's it for me with the swapping for now. Avada is about half-way done with my socks and will mostly likely be sending my package towards the end of October, which is the actual ship date. The Mystery Theme Swap I'm hosting has finished registration & I've got 54 people signed up! I'm just managing this, unless someone backs out. :)

Worky Work, Busy, Busy

Most of my free time lately has been spent getting the Mystery Theme Swap up & running. It's been a lot of work, but I'm enjoying it. I hope it comes off well.

Anywho. I'm just popping in here for a quick update until things settle down a bit. My package for the Hogwarts Sock Swap was sent off a month early, in typical Ravenclaw over-achiever fashion, and my Gryffindor pal, Avada, should be receiving it either today or Monday. I'm so excited. I hope she likes it!

Also, I have started on my Christmas knitting. A pair of socks is on the needles for one lucky recipient. And one very lucky person will be getting something made with this...
No details will be given at this time in case said person decides to read my blog. :)

So, now I'm off to do some knitting & a bit more organizing. It will probably be several days before I can post again, so I will leave you with a bit of Corrina cuteness.

"Stay away from my chicken if youse
knows whats good for youse"

Ravelry Summer Camp

My package arrived today! Yippie! (Click for big)

Contents: letter from home, pencils, pens, pencil sharpener,
Phoenix h&g mag., Russel Stover Chocolates, H&D cherries,
bracelet & Radiant Twist yarn

Close-up of yarn

Thanks so much Robyn, it's a wonderful package. I've already broken into the chocolate and can't wait to knit something with that gorgeous yarn... probably socks :)

I Must Be Crazy...

I've decided to host my very own swap! :) It's open to knitters & crocheters and is an international swap. The idea is that you will know who your partner is but the theme of your package will be a mystery. All skill levels are encouraged to participate. You won't have to make anything for your partner, just send them everything they need for a small project based on the theme you select for them. The swap will run from October 1st-November 2nd and I will accept sign-ups until Sept. 24th.

If you are interested, please see Mystery Theme Swap for details.

Happy Feet

That's what I've got since my Sockapalooza package arrived this afternoon! Wanna see?
This package was definitely worth the wait! Not only does it include one gorgeous pair of socks what fit perfectly, but it also contains a skein of Schaefer Anne, a skein of Austermann Step, and a mystery skein that I assume the fabulous Wendy dyed herself. There's a set of pretty blue stitch markers and a new chibi to boot! It also contains a ring pop, pop rocks & fruity mentos! I feel so spoiled! Below are a couple pics of the socks. The first shows of the the lace pattern well & the second shows the purty turned picot edge!
The pattern is Elfines by Anna Bell, which is such a lovely pattern I put it in my queue, and was knit using Crystal Palace's Panda Wool in Violets. The bamboo content gives this yarn such a lovely sheen that doesn't really come through in the picture.
Thank you thank you thank you! I absolutely love them! XD

Seattle Story

One of Seattle's pigs

I don't want to give a long, drawn out account of our trip. Frankly, we didn't do much. Our purpose was to hang out with family & friends and to finally meet little Declan. This we did, and we had a wonderful time. I'm just sorry our trip was so short.

Declan's feet in the socks I knit

The t-west contingency was very kind to put up with us for the weekend, we are such trying creatures. Honey's brother even made us homemade bagels on Saturday morning! Next time we will have to stay longer so we can have more time with everyone and maybe have time to hit the yarn shops. :)

BTW- with all of that time on planes (6+hrs each way), I was able to finish my Gryffindor socks! The package is almost ready to go, I just need to pick up some goodies...