Currently, Me

I did this kind of post back in February, and thought it’d be cool to do it again :-P Maybe it should be like a monthly, every-other-month type thing.

Obsessing over…

Loop Batts, if I had the money, I’d buy every single one of them. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Also, Lollipop sock yarns.. I’ve heard so much about this yarn, but never was online during the shop updates. But I saw one was happening a week ago, or something, and quickly scootered over there and got me and my mom each a ball. I’m saving mine for traveling knitting *and* I’m planning on trying my first Afterthought Heel by Laura Linneman (ravelry link :-P) from The Knit Girllls (one of my favoriteest podcasts)

Working on…

Well, at the moment, the projects that are front and center are..

The Wispy Cardigan (my KAL with Hannah ^_^)

The Featherweight Cardigan (just an inch and half left on the collar)

Various little iCord headbands

The Mysterious Unnamed Sweater (a.k.a. the one I’m designing :-P)

and tons of other stuff ^_^

Spinning wise, I’m working on finishing my Mom’s birthday batt, which is happy happy happy ^_^

Thinking about…

Graduation! Major major graduation, the first one is only a week away! And the second one is 2 weeks away. It’s getting closer every day! Lots of stuff needs to be done. I’m also thinking about all my amazing friends and family who are helping me stay sane and happy while we all work together. They’re seriously the best <3

Anticipating…

Haha, more graduation stuff. Starting junior college in the fall, with a busy schedule. Knitting in class ^_^. Ballet recital. Piano recital. Getting to go back to the town I grew up in and graduate with pretty much everyone I grew up with. Working this summer. Getting my driver’s license. Lots of stuff, haha.

I’m also looking forward to the happiness of Tour de Fleece and the Ravelympics! It’s going to be epic!!

Listening to/bands I’m addicted to…

Allie Moss! Paper Aeroplanes! Jenny and Tyler! JJ Heller! Mumford and Sons! The list is endless ^_^

Eating…

I’m craving some chocolate chip cookies.. but alas, they are not to be had. I think I must fix this problem :-P

Wishing…

That it would rain, haha. More time for various things like knitting, spinning, reading, and focusing on the blog. That I could take another trip over to London, Dublin, and Edinburgh.. it’s almost been a year, and I miss it :-P Missing friends and wishing they didn’t live so far away.

Musical Monday!!

This song. Now has so many memories mixed in with the words and melody. So many amazing memories. Like you really have no idea.

I gots amazing friends that live far far away, and I misses them.

It’s name shall be… Footsie.

Ze seaming is almost complete ^_^ Obviously, all that’s left is the sleeve seams.. then weaving in the ends

(it’s being held at the top with a little safety pin.. otherwise, it wouldn’t have really looked like anything when I had it on, haha)

Then there a little neck edging that needs to be picked up and done. Then the side edging and button holes. Which, we’re going to get buttons for this (and Chalet, haha) today ^_^

Also, I said I was pondering a new name for this, right? Well, I thought of it.

It’ll be called Footsie. (Don’t give me that look, Emily, hahahaha ^_^) for reasons that are rather complicated and mainly inside jokes. But yessss, that’s the new name ^_^

I’m lovinggggg iiiit. And can’t wait till it’s done ^_^

My hands smell like Soak, and I’m a happy person.

So. Now it’s finally happened, I can talk about it. Before, I couldn’t, and I was *THIS CLOSE* to exploding.

For one of the bestest friends ever, Joey and I went to Connecticut for a week to surprise her for her birthday.

And just to say things simply for now, because I’m short on time, it was so extremely epic, you have no clue whatsoever.

lots of pictures were taken (470, to be exact. Which I’m told thats still not enough, but the epicness in each pictures makes up for the apparently, small number, haha :-P)

So, we just got back last night… at like 10 ish. So, today was full of laundry and getting things back to normal… and missing really amazing people. BUT! Tomorrow, holds going through pictures and posting them in a special facebook album, which then pictures will be posted here. So! Never fear :-P

But on the knitting side of things, I got soooo much. I finished an entire sweater (minus the buttons, which shall be gotten tomorrow) finished all the pieces for another sweater (which also requires buttons… which shall also be gotten tomorrow, haha) I finished the second sock to a pair. I… finished a hand spun hat on just one flight (I was very proud of myself, haha)

So after all the important things were done today, I blocked the sweater pieces so I get to work on putting it together.

It’s been awhile, but this is the Beulah sweater (which shall be getting a new name. It’s being thought about at the moment :-P)

I love love love LOVE the way my hands smell (and my bathroom, haha) after I wash something in Soak… in the Unraveled scent, I think. Whatever the Ravelry one is… IT SMELLS SO AMAZING.

And the yarn, after the washing it’s so so soft and smushy. Which is pretty amazing, because it was already really soft and smushy. So now.. it’s soft and smushy and smells good ^_^

So yes, be on the look out for amazing pictures of amazing people. People who I miss. Like crazy. Major major crazy, haha.

Goodbye, 2011. Helloooo, 2012.

Out with the old year, and in with the new ^_^

Unfortunately, I’m bringing in my new year with feeling rather icky with some strange stomach bug. Or something. I don’t know. Whatever it is, it’s not cool.

So, I’ll be like everyone else and say how fast the year went by. It feels like it was just January. Which, obviously, it wasn’t. It was 11 months ago. Almost 12, haha.

Things happened, things changed, things were learned. Soooo many good things happened. Though, not to say that nothing bad happened to me this year. Lots of bad stuff happened, but that’s just… part of life, haha. But the good stuff does definitely out-weigh the bad stuff, which is definitely a happy fact ^_^

I met so many awesome people this year, it’s not even funny. People, that I hope to be friends with for a loooong time (“If you stumble, just make it part of the dance” :-P) I became better friends with people that I already knew. (“Poor Bob… Poor poor Bob.” *dies*)

So some of the big highlights of the year… Let me think…

Well, in February, I officially became an adult, haha. That’s…important, haha. I also became addicted to Doctor Who. Extremely addicted… as you all well know, haha :-P
April, Emily and Sam came for the ball. And that was more than extremely epicly awesome. (yessss, for LY words, haha)
May, I got my hair cut. It went from the middle of my back to being a little longer than ear length.
June, so began our world travels, where we spent… 3 weeks visiting Ireland, Scotland, London, Paris, Rome, Florence, Bath, and Oxford (yes, we went to *all* of those places. In 3 weeks. And we didn’t die)
July, this was our mini resting month. At the end of July, Joey and I headed to Manitou, Colorado for 2 weeks for Summit
August, this also includes Summit. And at the end, the Ballingers came to play for a dance practice. Woot woot, Prairie Fire! And that visit, no words. No words. It was amazing ^_^
September, I began my UFO bin workage, haha. Finished I think… 2 sweaters that had been languishing for forever. I also began my Christmas knitting
October, I took an online photography class, which was amazingly awesome. I learned a ton.
November, this was a busy month. I saw Owl City in concert. I yarn bombed for the first time. Finished a sweater in 19 days. And made my best and most favorite FO yet. Thanksgiving happened, my sister-in-law graduated PA school, Annnnd. I think that’s it, haha.
December, the Ballingers came to visit again! (eeeeee, so happy ^_^) to play for our winter ball. Which was so amazingly awesomeeee. My Christmas ballet recitals happened. It was awesome. Annnd Christmas happened.

And here we are, December 30, 2011. Haha, writing all that stuff down, I had fun remembering all of it.. looking up stuff, looking at old pictures. So happy :-P

So what do I plan to do in 2012? Well, first off.. I really hope I do what I want to do, haha. That I actually finish some things that have either gotten started recently, or have been started for a very very long time.

I plan to:
1) finish the various blankets I have going. Such as the Mitered Cross Blanket, the Granny Square Blanket, and a blanket that… was supposed to be a birthday present 2 years ago. (yes, I do know that’s a horribly sad thing to say, haha)

2) get my license. If it kills me. Which the traffic here, since it *is* insane, haha, could do.

3) finish almost everything in that UFO bin. And use up the stash yarn I’ve saved up.

4) Spin. a ton. and knit with it.

5) Have fun times with my friends. It’ll be awesome.

6) Graduate. This is important, haha.

7) and most importantly glorify God in everything that I do.

and a bunch of other stuff that either I have no idea will happen, or I do know will happen, I just don’t know.. a lot about it, haha.

Anyways, dear readers, I hope you’ve had the best 2011, and I hope that 2012 will be even better for you :-) Thanks for sticking with me through 2011!

Now, lets go knit and watch some Doctor Who ^_^

Oklahoma City, and it’s yarny adventures.

Phew, I’ve done a lot of traveling over the past few days…my sister-in-law graduated from the Oklahoma City University PA Program. Which is so awesome, that’s a ton of work, and she did an amazing job. I did take pictures of the trip, with my phone (except for two of them), so I’ll just show you some of them :-P

Upon getting to Oklahoma City, people took naps, people worked, and my mom, dad, and myself… what did we do?

We headed to the yarn store.

And Gourmet Yarn, the store, was extremely epic. Because 1) the selection was so huge, it wasn’t even funny. and 2) They had a TON of Madelinetosh. That picture is just a little bit of their selection. My mom and I kinda had a mini-knitter’s heart attack. There was just so much goodness.

It was too good to pass up. So we both came home with some. I got a different color as well, but that’s for a different post :-P This amazingly gorgeous yellow is going to be a hat. The Poet Society Tam, in particular. I also got two adorable little buttons to go with this yarn.

I surprised myself by being so attracted to that yellow. I’m not a huge yellow fan, actually. I don’t think it looks that good on me. But I love this yellow. Who couldn’t love it? It’s just a happy hue.

I got stitch markers. for 6$. Be jealous.

They came on this thread, as well as the little holder, which my mom and I were confused about. Why the little thread? I soon found out, when I got it out of the package for further inspection, that it was made to be a necklace, so you could hang it around your neck, and get stitch markers easily. That is what I call a brilliant idea. Oh yeah.

Day 1 – going to Dallas: Started before the division of the arms.
Day 3 – coming home to Houston: Body completely cast off, and only 5 more rows on the edging, and the sleeves left.

Yeah, I spent a lot of time sitting around either in the car, or listening to people. I was having a total blast.

I also started the Hunger Games. HOLY COW. SO STINKING AMAZING. I CANNOT PUT IT DOWN. Except.. now, of course, because I’m writing this. But I shall definitely go continue to read this after I’m done.

Annnnnd…

I finished an early Christmas gift ^_^ The recipient adores it. Annnnd it’s really really cool. I’m happy with how it turned out. I used the Big Snowy Owl pattern from Purlbee SoHo

Just btw: I’m absolutely swamped for the next… 2 weeks ish. So if the weekly posts aren’t there, or if I’m not posting as often as I usually do (and as often as I’d like. holy cow, I love to blog) you’ll know why.

I’m so excited for Friday, you have NO IDEA!! HOLY COW.

NaKniMo – day 2. and… OWL CITY CONCERT. WOOT.

Progress! Booyah! I finished the ribbing on the bottom of the sweater last night. *accomplishment* I thought I wasn’t going to be able to get that done, but I was! It was happy.

So this morning I was able to start the lace and cabled bit!

Simple lace, just YO (yarn overs) SSKs (slip-slip-knit) and k2tog (knit 2 together) (yayyyyy for knitting terms translated into English, haha) It makes me happy.

And little cables…

Doesn’t look like much, but it’s going to.. hopefully soon :-P

Also… next time you’re at Starbucks…

Get their Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino.. it’s like.. the best thing since sliced bread pretty much. Really. It’s epic amazing.

ALSO, very quick quick before I leave you guys.

I’m heading to Oklahoma City onnnn… Friday morning, earlyyyyy. Guess what I’m going to go do/see?!????

Besides my amazingly awesome sister, brother, and sister-in-law, I’m going to see…. OWL CITY. *cue major excitedness and happiness and general jumping-around-the-roomness*

^_^

I’m going try and get posts done before I leave. But if I don’t… and there aren’t any. You’ll know where I am.. and I do have an actual reason for not posting, haha :-P

NaKniMo people, knit on! NaWriNoMo people.. write on! And good luck to everyone!

And to the people who are doing both… I think you’re crazy, haha.

Quotable Friday!!

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” – Lin Yutang

Things I Miss and Things I Love

Dear Everyone:

*shuffles feet awkwardly* *hums* Heh heh…

Ok, so maybe I haven’t posted all that much…while we’ve been gone. We still are gone. But this is the first free afternoon that we’ve had in awhile. No museums. No shopping. No walking around. No nothing.

It feels extremely nice.

So here I am ^_^ writing a post, yaaaayyyy!

There is absolutely waaaaay too much to talk about everything. Like…just even thinking about talking about *everything* in *one* post is just…insane. and shouldn’t even be thought about, haha.

So, here’s a list. Er, two lists. Lists are awesome, dontchaknow?

Things I Miss: (PLEASE TAKE NOTE: this list is not necessarily in any particular order ^_^)
-Bertie. Holy cow, I stinking miss him. SO STINKING MUCH.

-my bed

-the piano

-the freedom to be able to play the piano

-texting ability to certain peoples. ^_^

-people who speak English fluently (not that we don’t see…people who speak english. It’s just that…we’re SURROUNDED by…Hi-my-first-language-isn’t-English-people.)

-Dr. Pepper (I’ve had to switch over to coke. Not that this is a bad thing. Coke is totally awesome. But, I mean. If I had a choice. Dr. Pepper allllllll the way. Sadly, Dr. Pepper is not to be had, haha)

-my home. my house. my family smell. (yeah, call me weird. But …I don’t care :-P You know how everyone has their *own* smell? Like…I dunno. And it’s totally not a bad smell at all, it could be fruit…or cookies..or tea…or something that doesn’t even have a name. Whatever ours is, I miss it.)

-The access to my entire knitting collection. Needles, notions, patterns, everything. It’s hard living off of just size 3s, 5s, 6s, and 10s. You can’t…really…do a whole lot…with *just* those, haha. The problems of a knitter.

-a familiar yarn store…in other words, Yarntopia. And don’t get my wrong, I stinking love finding new ones, and seeing what they have..meeting new knitter people…all that jazz. But, I miss my LYS :-)

-being able to sing in the shower. (Yes, I admit to singing in the shower. But come on, who *doesn’t* sing in the shower..?) Since we’ve been in..mostly bed and breakfasts, everyone is like…right next door. the walls aren’t really that thick. You can hear *everything* (and…it’s not like I could sing if we were in a hotel either. It’s just..yeah) When I get home, I’m going to siiiiiiing. sing sing sing. ^_^

-Lastly. And most importantly.
I STINKING MISS MY FRIENDS. Holy cow. You know the saying of “You don’t know what you have until you’ve lost it”? That’s…kinda…like…this. But not really.

I mean, it’s not like I’ve “lost” my friends forever. I’m obviously going home…(SOON! I can’t WAIT to be homeeee!) and I’ll get to see them again. But..there’s something…comforting knowing that “Oh, I have friends in Houston. I know they’re there. I’ll get to see them on Sunday, YAAAYY!” and all that jazz. (that’s…my new phrase, haha. I’ve started saying that, haha)

and while we’re gone…it’s like “I have friends! …oh. We’re on different continents.”

Which…isn’t that big of a deal, cause…yeah. But I dunno, to me, there’s something that’s comforting knowing that…you have friends *near* you. And *STINKING AMAZINGLY AWESOME* friends at that.

And this also spreads to my friends who don’t live in Houston :-P Europe is an uber long way from America. I never really realized how far it really was. Until..now, haha.

*end friendship rant* ^_^

Things I Love about Being In Different Places:

- different languages, and being surrounded by people who are speaking a different language than you are (yeah, that probably sounds really contradictory from what I said before :-P. You can have so much of it before it becomes too much :-P) It’s been fun…becoming more acquainted with different languages…and being able to use what we’re learning in a regular conversation. And people can actually understand us. It’s…really cool. I like it.

-Seeing so many different kinds and types of people. If you’ve been with my in any big public place, you’ll know that I *adore* to watch people. (*tries to not sound stalkerish* heeehee :-P) Yeah, I’ve had the best time in the entire world…watching people. It’s…just soo…interesting. and…a huge learning experience, haha. I’ve learned a ton about the places we’ve been by just watching the people.

- Having a passport that has a bunch of stamps from various places in it. Plus, it as a TARDIS cover. Can’t get much better than that.

-visiting yarn stores ^_^ Enough said, haha.

- trying new things. stores, food, drinks, everything. It’s…pretty awesome.

And yes.

There are a ton more things that I miss, and that I love about being overseas. But that’d take forever to list :-P

Anyways, I hope this relatively long post..long post…haha, will make up (relatively, haha) for the lack of posts from before ^_^ I’ll be posting more pictures soon of yarn…FOs (YES. I finished a shawl. and I’m…*THIS* close to finishing the shawl I’m designing. *FEELS EXTREMELY ACCOMPLISHED*)

When I get home…I’ll be doing the Tour de Fleece, Stash Dash, sleeping, burning off HT, catching up with all my friends, and …all that jazz ^_^

I’ll be posting more information what exactly I’m doing in the Tour de Fleece and Stash Dash later…when I have more access to…everything. Haha :-P

We leave Florence tomorrow morning, head to Rome for 2 days. Then we head to Bath and Oxford. Then to Heathrow one last night, for a late morning flight back to Houston, Texas.

I love Houston. I miss Houston. I miss…well, I miss a lot of things, haha. But…I won’t go into that again :-P

Ciao! :-)

Quotable Friday!!

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson