Vacationing :)

Well, I've done some knitting and some quilting (which is really fun, and I think I'll be doing a lot more in the future, especially since fabric is shockingly less expensive than yarn!), but I have no pictures because the digital camera is out of batteries. I also got a beautiful package of goodies from the back-tack exchange, including a rotary cutter that came in very handy for the quilting :) Once again, no pictures at the present.
But I'm going on vacation with my family up to Lake Tahoe for a week, so we'll definitely be rejuvenating the camera and I'll come back with lots to share.
So that's all for now... I'll be looking at this gorgeous view for the next 7 days:

Ah, beauteous!!! Plus also extremely relaxing. Woohoo! Updates soon...

P.S. The alpaca turned into a marvelous scarf, secret pal! I can't wait to wear it :)

Listing

Since I only have three more days of work before I'm free to spend my days knitting or going to the Santa Cruz boardwalk or lounging around in the backyard or reading books (basically doing anything that does not involve sitting in an office all day!), I thought I'd make a list of the knitting projects I'd like to get started on (yes, and finish) before I have to go back to school. All of the ones under SOON I already have the yarn for in my "stash", or cardboard box filled with yarn in the garage. And since my mom is not obsessed with knitting, she does not fully understand the joy of new yarn, and she will give me disapproving looks if I bring any home without using up what I already have. The ones under EVENTUALLY are the ones I'm dreaming of but don't have yarn/patterns for yet. But hopefully I'll zoom through the first list and be on to the second in no time! Just think of this as a preview of coming attractions :)

SOON:
Finish 2nd daffodil sock

Clapotis with brown linen/silk yarn from Michelle

Hurry Up Spring Armwarmers from Stitch n Bitch Nation in Noro Silk Garden (beautiful pink/purple/green/grey colorway)

Pretty scarf with alpaca yarn from my fabulous Secret Pal!

EVENTUALLY:

Lucky from Stitch n Bitch Nation, probably in plain old black

Glampyre's Orangina - every single color/color combination I've seen looks good! I'll have to think about it some more.

Top-Down Raglan sweater, making up the pattern as I go. This should be super easy, since I can do everything in the round and add stripes, ribbing, etc. I'll draw out a sketch before I really get started.

So hopefully this list will get me motivated to start knitting right away. I'll post pictures of my secret quilting project (for my sister's birthday) tonight when I get home to my digital camera.

Put a Sock in It!

Rascal Flatts was AMAZING! So, though I have a potentially rude post title, I am in no way trying to insinuate that they should shut up. I think they should have sung more because they left out one of my sister's favorite songs... Blake Shelton was really funny (the singing was good, not funny, but his filler speeches were a crack-up), and Shelly Fairchild has a few great songs - I may have to buy her cd!

The "put a sock in it" is what I'd like to do to the phone and fax machine here at work today. It's like a continuation of the ringing in my ears from the psycho-loud speakers last night! Maybe I should just put the 95% completed socks (see sock number 1 of the pair a couple entries down) and leftover sock yarn in my ears. For it is so very soft and squooshy :) I'll hopefully (cross your fingers!) post pictures of my happy feet in a finished pair tonight. One afterthought heel to go, and then I get to start on sock 2 of the next set, in KnitPicks Sock Garden Daffodil

Deeeeeeeelicious! It's not exactly second sock syndrome, it's just that I like to alternate, so I always end up making two pairs at a time. I also liked the suggestion I've seen on a couple blogs about knitting the second sock first. Might try that next time. This weekend I'm also going to be working on "surprise" birthday patchwork somethings for my sisters. "Surprise" because they have seen all the fabric and will be home and likely in the room while I'm sewing.

Non-knitting-wise, I was really happy to hear from my college housemate who's visiting London right now that she and her choir group are safe and heading home tomorrow. My thoughts are with all the people living and working in the city during this difficult time.

Random thoughts and Quizzes

A new knitty is up! I want to make a couple things from there for myself, even though I'm a girl. The baseball sweater is fantastic, and the tychus hat looks like a really interesting project. Ripley could be fun, too, though I think I'd change out the anchor pattern for something else, maybe a star or swirl. I'll have to think about it some more... Just wanted to thank the contributors for some great designs!

And because I know that my brother will absolutely LOVE this quiz, seeing as how Pocky is his favorite candy, I though I'd better include my results

what flavor pocky are you?

[c] sugardew

Oh yeah - and who's seeing these guys tonight?

That's right! Jessica and Lauren wanted to go for their birthdays (7-22 and 7-23) and I helped earn part of the money by housesitting, so we're all going to see Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton, and Shelly Fairchild. Hurrah! I'll let you know how it goes :)

Science!

This is a pretty interesting survey, and now I can say that


Which is pretty funny since I was a statistics tutor, too :)