17 years ago by s t a c i

10% Korting!

I’m ready for my 10% Korting. (More on that later.) The last few days have been thrown a little off-kilter with Tropical Depression Erin, and her fondness for dumping rain at dogwalking times. I shake my fist at you, Tropical Depression Erin! And my dogs shake their tiny paws!

Buy one fast-topic-changing Friday and get the second one for half-price.

I have no idea what that is supposed to mean.

	Let’s address the title of this post. I still subscribe to some Dutch retail store emails, because it is the only way I have to see how much of the language I can remember. I realize that I am forgetting Dutch…but I do know that this says “10% Savings on Everything!” Not really all that useful, but a personal triumph. Next…!
	I mentioned that I’ve been caught in a few rainstorms lately. I happened to get caught in one yesterday after getting a Mystic Tan….and the bronzer part of the spray melted off my body and onto my clothes. This is my tshirt after yesterday morning’s walk. I would have been embarassed if any neighbors saw this. Ah, vanity. Next…!
	On Wednesday I ordered take-out Cuban food. Chicken, rice, black beans. When I got home and started eating, Ike went NUTS. Like, really crazy. He WANTED MY FOOD. I couldn’t understand it. Chicken? I eat chicken all the time and he doesn’t care. Black beans? I figured out pretty quickly that it was the fried plantains. Huh? I don’t get it. This is a fussy, fussy dog who won’t even eat most dog treats. Maybe he’s Cuban. Next…!
	Another result of the wet weather has been that all of the wild creatures have been seeking higher ground to avoid drowning. According to an army of ants, Lou was higher ground. This poor little man was bit so many times! The more ants I brushed off of him, the more ants I found. Even with a Benadryl inside him, he’s still so very itchy. Poor Louis. Please stay out of ant hills and have a great weekend!

One last thing…

I got nominated as a Rockin’ Girl Blogger by Denise, so now I get to nominate some blogger girls I think are rockin’.

I’d like to nominate Janet, Laura, and Jeanne.

Thank you, Denise!

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17 years ago by s t a c i

Badass Girlie Baby Sweater

Phew.

The purple-bobbin-madness (a.k.a “Insanity”) is finally finished. Okay…I say “finally” as if it’s been going on forever, it hasn’t. It just took me a lot longer than I expected.

	And it’s a baby sweater! Details: Pattern: my own design Intarsia motif: Arrrgyle by Julia Farwell-Clay and Kate Gilbert Yarn: Dale of Norway Baby Ull Size: 12 -18 months Recipient: My niece, who still insists on not being born yet
	Can you see now why I kept it a secret? To show this knitting in-progress would have made the final product pretty boring.
	And, the inside. (For all of you non-knitters – this side is fairly important to us.) Not my best finishing work, but damn…I had a lot of ends to weave in.
	I had this many ends to weave in. Dirty little secret #1: I tie knots when I do colorwork. If tying knots is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.
	Dirty little secret #2: See the white, outlined diamonds? This is how they look now that I’m finished…
	…But this is how they looked before I duplicate stitched (embroidered) over the existing stitches. I suppose it was the weight of the bobbins that made these stitches almost disappear. Next time I do argyle, I’ll probably just duplicate stitch the outline stitches, and save myself the trouble of four more bobbins hanging from the work.
	I’ve been wanting to do something with the Arrrglye motif for a while now, and it was the reason I designed this sweater. The sweater has lots of tiny stitches to clearly show a detailed color pattern, and simple dropped shoulders to keep there from being much shaping. Tiny stitches + dropped shoulders = plenty of room for a big motif. I’ll be looking for other cool intarsia designs to use on this simple sweater pattern.
	Just so you know that there were no shenanigans…Lou supervised the photo shoot.

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17 years ago by s t a c i

Overdue x 2

No real emergencies, but two things are past due.

First, my current knitting project. The lavender one with the masses of bobbins. I told myself that I would be finished with it by Sunday. No real reason for the deadline…I just don’t like projects to linger on too long.

Did you know that 18-month-old babies are significantly bigger than 6-month-olds? Yeah, I should have figured that out, too. There are a LOT more stitches in this sweater than any other baby item I’ve knit. About 35,000 total, if my math is correct.

See the scale there? I’ve been weighing each piece and crossing my fingers. I’m so close to being finished, and so close to being out of yarn…

The second “thing” that is overdue is my sister. As of today, she is TEN days past her due-date with Molly Renee.

When I talk to her on the phone, she’ll say, “Hello (pant, pant), how’s it going? (pant, pant)”. I’ll say, “How are you? In labor? Why are you panting?” So far, her answer every time has been something like, “Oh, I was just walking to the kitchen.” She isn’t very comfortable.

Once Molly Renee is born, I have decided to celebrate by releasing the Renee baby blanket pattern. Hopefully, for my sister’s sake, this will be soon.

Lou, all stretched out after a very warm morning walk. (He was panting as much as my sister.)

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17 years ago by s t a c i

Keep a Secret, Tell a Secret

Is it Friday again already? Wasn’t it just Friday, like, a couple of days ago?

Whatev.

We now return to your regularly scheduled fast-topic-changing-Friday, already in progress.

	I cannot WAIT to show you what I’m knitting. I could show you what I have so far, but it would make the final product a little anti-climatic. I’ve arranged it in this photo to hide the good parts. I should have something to show you on Monday. And it’s FUNNY. Next…!
	I’m ready to go public with one of the big changes I have coming up. I’m moving to Austin, and I’m so excited. I thought that I should wait until I actually have things set up there, but then I thought again. Wouldn’t it be better to open up the possibility of making more Austin connections before I even leave Houston? Yes, indeed. Details as they happen. Next…!
	Now that I’ve decided, on my own, that Texas will be my new home – I need to make a big change. This former Alaskan needs to cowgirl-up. I need to acclimate to Texas weather. I need to make friends with it. I promise to do my best, right after this godforsaken heat wave passes. Next…!
	Apparently something happened outside that only red dogs could hear. Have a great weekend!

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17 years ago by s t a c i

Life’s Little Barometers

So how am I doing? Pretty well. I have a lot to say about all of the big changes that are happening, but I’ll wait until I have photos to show for these changes – in true verypink fashion.

A good barometer for assessing how I’m feeling is for me to take a look at the things I’m able to do again. A few weeks ago, my work with Basenji Rescue came to a halt. But I’m back at it now! I couldn’t manage to put a meal together back then, either…but I’m actually able to cook and eat a few bites now! (The Divorce Diet works AMAZINGLY well, but I don’t really recommend it.)

And my knitting…

I know I must be feeling more emotionally stable if I can handle this much chaos in my knitting.

Insane.

From barometers to thermometers…

The heat index here in Houston is probably 106 degrees (41 degrees Celsius), and where is Lou? Basking in the direct sun – on a black rug, no less.

He could burst into flames at any moment.

He seems okay with that.

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17 years ago by s t a c i

Bobbi Bear is Prey

	Baby Bobbi Bear is complete! After the sad realization that I was out of yarn while he was still earless and missing an arm, he’s all fixed up now, and cute as can be. I have a problem, however. My dogs LOVE him. And not in a good way. He must smell like a real animal (alpaca, perhaps?), and my dogs are mighty African hunters. They want to tear his new little arms right off his body.
	Here’s Bobbi, chillin’ on the sofa. Watching a little National Geographic Channel – something about polar bears, I’m sure.
	But not for long! Abe wants to disembowel him.
	Bobbi was on his way to the kitchen for another beer when Ike tried to chew his face.
	I believe that I will keep Bobbi up on a shelf for his own safekeeping. I will bring him any beer he wants, and make sure he gets enough National Geographic Channel. Thanks again, Drew. The Bobbi Bear kit was a great gift. He was really fun to make. I promise to keep him away from the bad dogs.
	Up next…my own design, still kind of a secret. I can tell you that it is lavender, and will involve a lot of bobbins. The whole bobbin thing is new territory for me, so, fingers crossed. Shouldn’t this photo be named Knitting in Outer Space or something?
	I gots a little movie for you. It is called A Symphony of Croutons. Turn up the volume for maximum enjoyment. Abe was there, just not in the video frame.

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17 years ago by s t a c i

Humble Folks Without Temptation

Is it Friday again already? Well, good. I’m ready to change topics fastly…

	Let’s get the title to the post out of the way first… Here’s my South Park character. She looks as much like me as my Simpsons character, I suppose. Mo sent me the link to this little treat. You can make your own here. Next…!
	I finished the top! This is Twisted Sisters Pattern “Eve”. I have a feeling I will wear it more like this than how the model is wearing it. I’m not even gonna model it like she did for a laugh. I’m more of a “bra girl” myself.
	The yarn is perfect for this scarf. It is Mountain Colors Twizzle, in merino and silk. Reversible cables. No wrong side. Super soft and warm. Thanks again for the yarn gift, Melissa! Next…!
	I like to think that I care about my appearance. I take time to do my hair, wear makeup, and keep my nails nice. So why on earth do I wear this ugly row counter half of the day? Is anyone out there making a row counter that I can wear with pride? Next…!
	This is my lovely souvenir from the girls’ trip last weekend. It is made from the fuzzy fur of the alpacas on the Old Oaks Ranch, and spun with a little angora bunny. I even found out that the bunny’s name is Charmin. Don’t squeeze her! Next…!
	We are Ba-sen-jis if you please. We are Ba-sen-jis if you don’t please. Have a great weekend!

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17 years ago by s t a c i

Three Little Birds

Ooooo…didn’t feel like posting. Then this happened!

Do you know the song Three Little Birds by Bob Marley and the Wailers?

Rise up this morning,
Smiled with the rising sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singing sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Saying, this is my message to you…

Don’t worry about a thing,
Cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Don’t worry about a thing,
Cause every little thing gonna be all right!

I swear, I opened the door, and they were there! They weren’t afraid or anything – they just sat and watched me. What a wonderful surprise!

I was feeling sad and weird, and they totally changed my attitude.

Three little birds.

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17 years ago by s t a c i

Happy

I don’t need to use a lot of words in this post, because the photos say it all.

It was a great weekend.

	Laughing and drinking.
	Knitting.
	Lots of photos…
	…And lots of posing for photos.
	Nature. (Unfortunately, that included bugs, lizards, and one brave scorpion.)
	Alpacas.
	Yarn shopping.
	And a big stupid bear. It was a fantastic time away from it all. In fact, my face kinda hurts from laughing so much. I can’t thank you guys enough…Abbe, Amy, Caro, Jene, Kristin, Meg, and (almost) Snowden. I really needed some fun, and I had more fun than I could have imagined. Thank you so very much.
	Update – I was there, too, and here is photographic evidence. I didn’t have any photos of myself until I snatched this one from Caro. I look so relaxed – I need to remember to hang on to this feeling.

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17 years ago by s t a c i

Quick and Dirty

Today is an especially fast-topic-changing Friday. I’m headed off for a girls’ weekend full of knitting and drinking.

The Friday verypink Rule: Don’t get too comfortable with any one topic. They change before you know it.

Here we go!

	This is the dirtiest part of the “Quick and Dirty” post. This is my sister Phyllis’ dog, Izabelle, who you may remember from my recent trip to Alaska. She is dirty here…
	…and clean here. I couldn’t believe how different she looked! My dogs look the same when they are wet. Maybe a bit darker, but nothing as ridiculous as this. Next…!
	My Simpsons character, obviously before my haircut. You can make your own here. Next…!
	Bobbi Bear! Out of yarn! Just one arm and two ears left! Tragic! Next…!
	If there is a sunny spot in this house, you will always find at least one dog there. Have a great weekend! (I know I will.)

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