Tuesday, July 26, 2005

awesome crafty person alert!

I just found a really neat site thats got a tailorbird nest and some other crafty things. Like interesting journals and not-your-average-buisnesscards for sale.
quick, go check out IdentitySeven !

Friday, July 22, 2005

So Im checkign my emails...

and i came across one from Berroco. And they have a new yarn. Which really isn't novel in an of itself. they have new yarns like every week. But this yarn, is exactly like the yarn I've been spinning with my drop spindle. Except I think I pick colors better than they do. Some of them dont quite work together for me. A lot like Kureyon. You'll be doing great, and them come along a mile long stretch of this compltely random color that looks garish even in the best light and of which a solid explanation of its placement would be whoever was spining it at the factory saw an extra piece of roving left abandoned on the floor, and went "oh what the hell. I'll give this one a bit extra!" mmm run on sentances. So anyway. They also went to the trouble of making up some patterns for me! So maybe I'll make this little bear, and a larger version of this bag with my over abundance of handspun. And i really like the idea for this scarf... its like crochet mesh or something, with handspun run through it. Might be one a those too... I'm picturing creamy chenille with my pale blue roving with shots of purple that looks like cotton candy right now. Or something.
I love the idea of planting a unassmuing little bulb just before winter sets in, and brilliant flowers popping up months later after the ground finally warms up again. And i love, no LOVE tulips and Ive never had them in my yard. Just the occasional vase. I'm so excited i can hardly stand it!
So here's what will be poppin up in my garden next spring. Dutch tulips and blue grape hyacinths, Grecian Windflowers, Double Daffodils, Giant Hyacinths, and Double Red Riding Hood Tulips.

Maybe after its not 100 degrees outside i'll feel like knitting again. Because right now, i really cant bear the idea of it. Although spinning doesnt seem to bother me. SO maybe Ill have the first 1/2 lb of the roving i dyed spun soon. I think ive already done about an ounce of it.
And I'm so proud of it. :D It's spinning up just like i wanted it to! My plies are less than stellar though. So I'm gonna need some help with that.

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Movie Meme - Top 100 Movies

Movie Meme - Top 100 Movies
Bold the ones you've seen.

1. CITIZEN KANE (1941)

2. CASABLANCA (1942)

3. THE GODFATHER (1972)

4. GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)

5. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)

6. THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)

7. THE GRADUATE (1967)

8. ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)

9. SCHINDLER’S LIST (1993)

10. SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952)

11. IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)

12. SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)

13. THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957)

14. SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)

15. STAR WARS (1977)

16. ALL ABOUT EVE (1950)

17. THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951)

18. PSYCHO (1960)

19. CHINATOWN (1974)

20. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST (1975)

21. THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940)

22. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)

23. THE MALTESE FALCON (1941)

24. RAGING BULL (1980)

25. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)

26. DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)

27. BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967)

28. APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)

29. MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939)

30. THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948)

31. ANNIE HALL (1977)

32. THE GODFATHER PART II (1974)

33. HIGH NOON (1952)

34. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)

35. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934)

36. MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969)

37. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946)

38. DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)

39. DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965)

40. NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)

41. WEST SIDE STORY (1961)

42. REAR WINDOW (1954)

43. KING KONG (1933)

44. THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915)

45. A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951)

46. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)

47. TAXI DRIVER (1976)

48. JAWS (1975)

49. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)

50. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)

51. THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940)

52. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953)

53. AMADEUS (1984)

54. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930)

55. THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965)

56. MAS*H (1970)

57. THE THIRD MAN (1949)

58. FANTASIA (1940)

59. REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955)

60. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)

61. VERTIGO (1958)

62. TOOTSIE (1982)

63. STAGECOACH (1939)

64. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977)

65. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)

66. NETWORK (1976)

67. THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962)

68. AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951)

69. SHANE (1953)

70. THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971)

71. FORREST GUMP (1994)

72. BEN-HUR (1959)

73. WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939)

74. THE GOLD RUSH (1925)

75. DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990)

76. CITY LIGHTS (1931)

77. AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)

78. ROCKY (1976)

79. THE DEER HUNTER (1978)

80. THE WILD BUNCH (1969)

81. MODERN TIMES (1936)

82. GIANT (1956)

83. PLATOON (1986)

84. FARGO (1996)

85. DUCK SOUP (1933)

86. MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935)

87. FRANKENSTEIN (1931)

88. EASY RIDER (1969)

89. PATTON (1970)

90. THE JAZZ SINGER (1927)

91. MY FAIR LADY (1964)

92. A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951)

93. THE APARTMENT (1960)

94. GOODFELLAS (1990)

95. PULP FICTION (1994)

96. THE SEARCHERS (1956)

97. BRINGING UP BABY (1938)

98. UNFORGIVEN (1992)

99. GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER (1967)

100. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942)

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Um, maybe i should change this to a gardening blog.

I really dont ever talk about my life on here. And the knitting has totally been over taken by dirt and flowers. If i could do both at once.. i would. Hopefully next year, i wont be doing as much in the garden, since most of what I am doing now is fixing the lack of care the last 10 yrs or so here. And getting land ready for beds. Ha, 'land' like ive got acres or something. But yeah.
I should really try to get a good picture of the whole yard, so that when i say 'ditch' youve got the idea that its a stone wall/stream kinda thing. Well, stream when it rains anyway. But its not a big ugly dip in my yard or anything. Its rocked and comes up about a foot above the ground, 3 or so below. And wont look so overgrown or baren this time next year. (Im waiting for the poison ivy i found the other day to die before i finish clearing it. and by me, i mean the kid were paying to clear it since everytime i get down to do it i get attacked by mamoth killer mosquitos that only like me apparently. )
I dyed the rest of my roving today. I think i've figured out how the dyeing transfers into the yarn after its spun. So its less experimental now. Which i like. Sometimes its good to just try things, but when I want enough pretty yarn do do a project? Experimentation not so hott.
I'll take pictures and post them later. Along with links to the gorgeous bulbs Im about to buy to cover the strip of grass on the other side of the ditch with.
I know. I have a problem. Shut it. It'll be gorgeous and you know it. And when we sell this house, you better believe its all commin with me too. (and it will prbly take one uhaul just for the yarn, books and plants. but thats ok. )

Thursday, July 14, 2005

Boobholder disaster

OK ... So I love this pattern. Its great. But apparently I can't make things to fit me. Unless I turn into a 34 B , this thing is not for me. But that purely my fault. Sigh.
I cast off last night at SnB. Seamed the sleeves just now. And then tried her on. At least i seamed the sleeves in a totally non permenant way with a nice smooth yarn and no knots. What all was wrong with it you ask? Well I'll tell you.

  1. The sleeves are 4 1/2 inches too wide.

  2. They also need about half the increases it calls for at the puffy part. Cuz too much puff. (i didnt tighten the sleeves at the end like it said to do. I already liked the length and i didnt need more poof with my broad shouders and chest. yikes. So i just did the garter for 7 rows instead.).

  3. The chest needs to be about 2 inches shorter, and 3 1/2 wider to accomadate the boobage so that nothing stretches too much. So I'm going to start the increases called for after the separating of sleeves and body before that.
So now i have to rip the whole thing back to the sleeve increases. And prlby have to write another "So guess who ran outta yarn" email to Elabeth.
* I have half the ball left from the last one i got. So far I am on ball #5 of the Colorspun. And im holding it double. Not bad, eh?

Saturday, July 09, 2005

Knitting pictures

Morning Glory Farm Where I got my roving. They have AWESOME yarn. Hands down, the best selection of non novelty yarn I've ever seen. Plus, they have dye, roving, spinning wheels, drop spindles, needle felting supplies and tons of other stuff.
Braided Cable Baby Sock The top portion of the Better than Baby Booties Braided Cable Baby Socks. I have more of it done than this, in the blue. But don't have a photo of it. You can use your imagination right?
swpeng And a penguin in a sweater just for good measure. I'm sure I should do a photo credit... But I don't know where I got it.

flowers, flowers everywhere

alien flowers i couldnt keep alive but <3
These are flowers i knew id probably kill, but i couldnt resist them. I cant remember the name right nowm but when i find the tag ill put it in here.
Dahlia
Dahlia.. I want a ton of these next year.
Pink Lilly orange lillies
Some of the few lillies that survived. The guy that mows our lawn weedwhacked them when they popped up. I won't mention how i told him about planting the bulbs just two weeks before, and to watch out for them ...

toad garden
The only part of my garden i can get a decent picture of. Its under a large treem and has just enough shade to make picture taking quite a chore.

Dyeing roving... the lazy way

Q: What do you get when you mix a few drops of food coloring (Wiltons and the regular kind) a dab of vinegar and a few ounces of roving?
A:
merino top roving
south african roving

*
. (DO NOT put vinegar in your black Wilton food color gel, it causes it to separate and you will get all the colors that make black) .... Unless that's what you want. And then go for it.)
**You must set in sunny spot and left outside until done. I recommend soaking roving in water for 20 minutes, then pouring dye over it however you desire, then microwaving until container is warm so Saran wrap will seal tightly. I put mine in glass pie plates. I noticed when I added water to cover the roving before setting outside, that the dye washed out of places when water hit it. So to test whether it was done, I took water out with me in a glass and poured it in a spot. If the dye stays, its done. If not, leave it where it is.
***results may vary

Dyeing roving... the lazy way

Q: What do you get when you mix a few drops of food coloring (Wiltons and the regular kind) a dab of vinegar and a few ounces of roving?
A:
merino top roving
south african roving

*
. (DO NOT put vinegar in your black Wilton food color gel, it causes it to separate and you will get all the colors that make black) .... Unless that's what you want. And then go for it.)
**You must set in sunny spot and left outside until done. I recommend soaking roving in water for 20 minutes, then pouring dye over it however you desire, then microwaving until container is warm so Saran wrap will seal tightly. I put mine in glass pie plates. I noticed when I added water to cover the roving before setting outside, that the dye washed out of places when water hit it. So to test whether it was done, I took water out with me in a glass and poured it in a spot. If the dye stays, its done. If not, leave it where it is.
***results may vary

Now I remember why I don't have cats anymore...

So I went out in my back yard to see how a trellis, (um thats the one that arches over a walkway or somethign right? ) would work on the other side of our stone ditch. I saw one i really liked today that had lots of detail and was really sturdy. And i think it would look great next summer with some grapes hanging off it...
Anyway. I was out looking at how that would work, and checking on the bird feeders when i noticed a blue jay in my garden. Not just any blue jay, a baby jay. Gorgeous blue wings and fuzzy grey back. And nothing shy about him. Just curious and happy to be around. He let me get really close, within 4 feet, before he would scoot a couple hops away. He finnally had enough of my watching, and flitted to the other side of the ditch where he nesteled into a hole in the stones. So i walked off and let him be. I looked out the window at him every once in awhile to see what he was up to. And soon he was perched on the flat feeder we have hung from a branch, not eating, just looking around. And totally oblivious to the large orange tom cat staring up at him longingly.
And apparently i needed to be reminded of what a naive city girl i am. Because i didnt think to run off the cat before he could eat the pretty bird id just decided i was quite fond of. And before i realised it, he was leaping up at the blue jay, and had his back in his teeth. And no amount of yelling, throwing of objects, dive bombing parents, vicious attack poodles and an extremly upset blonde was was going to persuade that damn cat to let go of his prize.
I am not going to keep Mollie off that damn cat, or keep her from barking at him any longer. He's an awful pest, that eats my birds, and taunts my dog, and pisses in my yard. He can expect to be hosed the next time his furry ass crosses that fence.
And my longing for a lovely smoke grey cat to wander around my garden and decorate my yard is sooooo gone.
Bastard.

lol