Handcrafted Happiness

Simple things to be grateful for

2011-11-14T09:32:00.004-06:00

a small head resting on my shoulder
a mug of hot tea or coffee on a cool morning
dinner gatherings with good friends
using something I have created in my everyday life
checking on C before bed and watching him sleep
seasonal baking
cooking all of our meals from scratch. I never realized before how much I love to cook
discovering a community of crafty women locally, and actually being able to attend thanks to family
loving my home more and more each day

What are you grateful for?

2010-12-12T09:25:00.002-06:00

Sharing a picture from Meagan Glover!

Podcast Recommendations?

2010-02-07T13:16:00.002-06:00

I am looking to build a good podcast library. I would love some suggestions for knitting, crafting, spinning/fiber, gardening, sustainable living/green life, and photography podcasts. Any favorites? Podcasts you can't live without?

Starting the New Year off right

2010-01-01T15:44:00.002-06:00

So far 2010 has been pretty low key. Phillip is sick with a sore throat, so no smooches for us at midnight. Poor thing. At least it was his turn this year, breaking my streak of getting horrifically sick on New Year's Day. He seems pretty ok with vegging out on the sofa playing his new video games from Christmas.

I have actually been pretty busy. Cleaned the kitchen, organized the laundry room, and I am cleaning up our storage...er...I mean Guest Room to make way for the crib. Why do we have every mismatched sheet set that Phillip had before we got married crammed into the closet? I am going to purge useless items and repurpose the rest. Wish me luck. Hopefully Mom is coming over later to be my sanity keeper as I wade through the mess!

Hope your New Year goes wonderfully!

Hey there

2009-12-29T09:06:00.001-06:00

Posting should resume shortly, as I will be using my new wonderful Christmas present: A Nikon D90!!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T21:15:00.003-05:00

Happy Halloween to all! We had a blast handing out candy to all of the neighborhood kidlets. I just had to show off the pumpkin my Mom carved for my husband. She has started a tradition of carving him an awesome pumpkin every year. All of our trick-or-treaters loved it. Way to go CraftyMom!

Checking in

2009-10-23T14:03:00.007-05:00

Just stopping by to say hi. Life has been crazy lately, and I totally forgot that I have a blog! Phillip and I have been so busy having adventures in the past few months. We traveled to Kentucky to visit his family. While there I was incredibly sick. I was using my inhaler pretty much every 3 hour which was scary. We hiked up the pinnacle and to natural bridge in the Red River gorge.

We went to the Knoxville Lindy Exchange and had a blast dancing and visiting with all of our friends. When Phillip and I got home, we also found out something interesting.
We are excepting our new addition to arrive around May 31st to June 5th 2010. So you know what this means...baby crafting! Phillip and I are going for a more gender-neutral theme with Speck. I love greens, browns and yellow, and we will see in December if I can get some more specific crafting done. We will be able to find out the gender then, so I can really crank up production. As of right now we are planning to cloth diaper, set up the guest room as the nursery, and re-use as much as we can. We'll see! I am pretty excited to sew up some cute accessories. Since we are planning to go pretty minimalist with baby gear, I really want to make stuff we can use. If you have any good ideas or essential items, let me know.

Hello again

2009-05-27T22:04:00.002-05:00

Sporadic posting is my middle name. I attempted to find a new home over on wordpress, but I felt pretty limited with my blog's appearance. I might stay here, I might find another blog home, but I will update with details when I can find what I need. :)

Life has been flying by. Work has been crazy, I have lost 2 out of my 4 coworkers in the past two months. Which honestly? I am a-ok with. One of the aforementioned coworkers was a very toxic individual, and brought the drama-llama to the office everyday. The other followed along, since the Toxic Coworker (TC) was very two-faced and fooled the other into thinking everyone was out to get her. Now, peace reigns in my worklife, which alleviates so much stress from my life.

I have been crafting up a storm! I have finished two sweaters since I last checked in here, two earflap hats, a set of mitts for me, a cowl, a pair of stockingette socks, and a beautiful lap quilt! I an currently cutting out a layered Barcelona skirt in a great moda polka dot print. I should have my skirt done this weekend if I can sit at my sewing table. I had a flare-up of an old back injury this past friday. I have been pretty much shackled to the couch on muscle relaxers, ibuprofen and pain relievers. My Memorial Day holiday was spent hobbling around. Hopefully all of the good care I am doing for myself will pay of with a return of good health and an active weekend! There are more seeds and plantlets to go in the garden! I am also thinking of some peach freezer jam, or maybe strawberry. expect some more pictures either tomorrow or this weekend when the light is better.

Moved!

2009-01-14T19:54:00.001-06:00

This blog is moving!

Come read at www.flashalee.wordpress.com

This blog will remain up during the transition, so don't worry about it disappearing! Remember to change you feed to www.flashalee.wordpress.com!

2009-01-03T10:02:00.002-06:00

"Confronting your limits is no fun, and I have a bad habit of wasting time and energy beating up on myself for not being instantly and naturally talented at everything I try."

I was reading the Athleta Chi blog, perusing a story by Shannon Mullen when I ran across this sentence. This, this is something that has been plaguing me for years. I stopped, stuck my something that I have not been able to put in words myself. All my life l I would rather fail at something than actually try it and do poorly. I didn't fail because I couldn't do it, but because I simply didn't do it at all. That is no way to live my life, in fear of not being perfect. It is incredibly unrealistic, no one is perfect the first try. I am adding this to my goal list for 2009, as something to work on in my personal life.

Expect to see more goal posts as I discover additional items that I need to work on in my life.

2009

2009-01-02T09:16:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year! 2008 was a busy year for me. My second year of marriage to my partner-in-crime, a new job, new hobbies, loss of focus with the old ones, a few good friends that went into the hands of God, and illness. I am looking forward to seeing what 2009 has in store for me. I love reading everyone's end of the year blog posts, the reflection of the past year, and the hopes of the year to come. I find it so inspiring. So this year, I have thought of my own theme/hope for '09.

This year the word that has been floating around in my head is Simplicity. Cutting out the over consumption and truly living with what I need, not what is "oooh-shiny!" "look over there!" that distracts me in the moment. I want to be more aware of what I need, what I can get be without, and what truly makes me happy. Now, this isn't about deprivation. I have a great job, thankfully my dear Phillip has a great job. But I want to start saving more for our future. A nest-egg for when the moment is right to add on to our family so that I may stay home and not worry about how to pay bills. For that great trip we talk about. I know personally I try to fill perceived holes in my life with 'stuff''. Tangible objects with the notion that these possessions will make me happy. All it seems to do is weigh me down. This is the year to DO more, and sit around and buy less. I know this will be a struggle, but I think it will be a worthwhile one. And really, i am not just talking about Simplicity in my purchases. I want to provide simple, tasty meals, be active and not have to feel like I am needing to buy stuff to be active and creative. Do more with what I have already. Enrich my life with activity. Clean up my damn yard this year and add to our property value. Create an aesthetic and stick with it, not change with the slightest whim. I want to use my cooking skills to simplify my grocery purchases. Using my new bread machine and Artisian bread book to the best of my ability. Eliminate as much HFCS from our diets as I can. it is all about creating a good simple, fulfilling existence.

Good luck to you and yours with your goals and resolutions. Here's to the new year, full of promise and new possibilities!

A Merry Christmas to All...

2008-12-25T20:31:00.002-06:00

And to all a Good Night! Merry Christmas my friends, see you in the New Year after my travels, with FOS, and new crafty plans.

Happy...December?

2008-12-02T19:57:00.005-06:00

Where did November go? Seriously I think I blinked and November was gone! I have crafty gifts for my friends and coworkers, but I need to exchange some of my supplies out and I am ready to get ready. I am planning on a step-by-step photo array, so I am really lookng forward to this!

My teal pullover is going great. I started the first sleeve and I am loving it! I checked the fit and I think with a good blocking that it will relax a bit and have the fit I am looking for. The sleeve is flying by, so hopefully I will have a FO soon. I am knitting the fantastic Bas Relief Hat in mmmmalabrigo tortuga and oh, is it yummy yarn. I need to rip back to the ribbing, because obviously I cannot chat and count at the same time while hanging at Unwind. But I am getting the hang of using a cable needle and need I remind you that it is malabrigo? Wonderful stuff, I just don't know how I will be able to knit with another yarn again. Well, considering I am going to start the FLS in malabrigo Vaa next! So I'd better get to it! Later!

Just thought you might like to know

2008-11-19T21:35:00.001-06:00

Knitting with malabrigo is like knitting hot chocolate. Creamy, rich, decadent hot chocolate.

A productive, albeit hectic week

2008-11-15T22:56:00.002-06:00

So, this week Phillip and I made the commitment to do a bit of exercise every day. We are planning a weeklong snowboarding trip in the beginning of February, and we are cross-training so we can seriously tear up the slopes. We have been alternating power and endurance days, with two days off during the week to recover. I am already seeing a difference in the way my clothes fit and in my overall health. I have more energy, my mood is better, and I just have this glow of well-being and contentment that is simply wonderful. I am motivated beyond belief, and Phillip is so proud of me. Tonight I ran for a solid mile, and I could have gone farther, but Phillip wisely advised me (teehee) to pace myself. I have not run a purpousful mile since high school. Sure, I run way more than that playing Ultimate, but I get many breaks and that is more stop/start than continuous running. I have always hated running with a passion, but I loved it tonight and I really am looking forward to my next run. I want to go farther and see if I can go past my prior stopping point. I aim to misbehave on the slopes this year, and I think 2009 will be one of my best yet.

To all Veterans with Love

2008-11-11T08:12:00.002-06:00

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for serving, sharing , and making sure that I am free to pursue my dreams. Thank you for giving yourself and your family so that I may have the life I love and want. We should honor you more than one day a year. Know that all of your sacrifices will never be forgotton.

Thank youto those still serving, and to your families that serve with you. I especially thank those not here to celebrate this day with us. Bobby Gerran, we love and miss you.

Thank you Neil, Eric, Nate, David, Ken, Michael, Jason, and all the others close to my heart! thank you for serving, and God Bless you and keep you safe!

Thankful

2008-11-09T19:18:00.002-06:00

This weekend I am thankful for good friends, good food, great weather, better insight into myself and my shortcomings, a patient husband, joy in nature, antiseptic foam with pain-relievers, planning ahead, the scars on my body that heal, but remind me that sometimes that which scares us makes us stronger.

What made you thankful this weekend?

Saturday

2008-11-01T16:50:00.002-05:00

Rosemary Pork Roast in the oven, permeating the house with such a wonderful scent. Comfy pants and tank, cute glasses, hair pulled back. Husband playing games in the craft toom, and I am creating Christmas spreadsheets and lists. Taking craft breaks to knit. Enjoying my Saturday even though I woke up in pain. My back was spasmy and achy, but a good dose of ibuprofen, my TENS unit, and PBS on the couch has helped a lot. Tomorrow will make up for the relaxing slackage of today.

Fall...almost here

2008-10-13T08:42:00.002-05:00

As the Fall progresses I can start to feel a bit of the Autmn coolness in the air. I took tea this weekend on my back patio and even got a bit chilly. It was so peaceful watching the birds flit around, knitting and just enjoying our yard. My heirloom tomatoes have come back to life and are starting to produce (yay for an Autumn Harvest!) The birdfeeder has been alive with Bluebirds, Jays, my Mama Cardinal and a happy red-headed woodpecker has been flying about. The deer have been stalking the backyard at a regular time each night, and Phillip and I get a kick out of watching them frolic. Maybe the cooler air is putting a kick in their step, too.

My teal top-down raglan is moving along at breakneck speed, at least, for me. I am past the bust increases and about halfway down the body. I may just be able to wear this sweater this winter after all. I have plenty of projects marinating in my head, and I plan on sharing later this week. Unfortunatly my camera was left in Atlanta, and is now making it's way back home, so I don't have any pictures to share.

I have to get back to work now, but I plan on gathering some thoughts here later this week.

A quick hit...

2008-09-22T19:00:00.003-05:00

This weekend was the Southern belle Swing Bash in Atlanta. I got to see tons of my Atlanta Dance buddies, take some great classes, and social dance with more leads than just Phillip. I really made a poor decision choosing the Advanced track, I should have chosen the Masters class, but I am glad that I did not have to contend with giant Wanna-Be Lindy RockStar (heretofore know as WBLR) egos all weekend. Evita's classes were amazing Saturday, and I am literally hurting in muscles that have not been worked over in years. I took up two journal pages alone in things to work/think on in my dance-life.

Today I learned that I do not do well with lack of control, it makes a tingly feeling start between my shoulder blades, and causes me to become nauseous. I start to feel overwhelm with them increases my anxiety level. This sucks, to say the least and I don't really know how to stop this visceral reaction to stressors. Sometimes we lack control , and I used to be more adaptable and flexible. What happened, I don't know. But I really want to do something to relieve that bottomless pit feeling I just got earlier when things spiralled out of my control.

I have decided that I need to become more mindful and aware of my day to day life, to record my trials/tribulations/and overall lessons that come to play out. I am going to try to keep better track npt only in my personal paper journal, but to share my life more on this blog. I think being accountable on this space will help me to grow as a person and blogger. So hopefully there will be more crafting to share, but be aware that I am going to take this farther than just my CraftLife, that I am going to include my DanceWorld, KnitLife, GreenLiving, and FeministThoughts. I hope you will bear with me as I try to embark on a new bloggy journey

Listmaking

2008-09-18T21:51:00.002-05:00

Southern Belle Swing Bash this weekend. Must claim lots of dances, I feel a drifting of sorts between me and the scene.
knit on the Cascade Pullover, and think of a name.
remain mindful of how I feel, and what I eat.
study the fingering on the violin, research full-sized.
Sunday Night, draft the apron pattern.
work on the Emerald Coast sock.
journal

It's the most wonderful day of the year...

2008-09-05T07:47:00.000-05:00

We interrupt this blog-break to bring you breaking news:
Pumpkin Spice Lattes are back in stock at Starbucks!!!!!!!!!!!

YAY!!!! Much joy and delicious pumpkiny goodness for all!

Please say a prayer.

2008-07-23T12:22:00.002-05:00

My good friend Bobby G passed away this week. His B52 bomber went down making a run off the coast of Guam. Please say a prayer for my friends and his family, as this is a very rough time for us all. He will be missed, and we loved him so much.

May you keep dancing in heaven, Bobby. We love you!!!

Hencircle

2008-07-08T21:17:00.002-05:00

So what business does a suburban dwelling girl like me have joining the farmgirls? Well, for as long as I remember I have always felt this affinity for the outdoors and nature. Be it gardening, crafting, or just appreciating the work of others, farmgirling it is where it is at! One of my biggest influences has been Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. One day I might be close to suppling a portion of our food with homegrown. You know, now that I think about it, I have always wanted to be DIYGirl, making my own clothes, cooking up handmade beauty products, and decorating my house with handcrafts. Hopefully this will give me a big push to do more for myself, and re-release that inner farmgirl in me.

What I did on my summer vacation

2008-06-20T07:52:00.002-05:00

Attended a Bachelorette party at a fantastic condo in Destin, FL with my favorite girls
Blueberry picking with Travis and Meagan (our kiteboarding buddies who run the dance we attend) Philip and I picked three buckets full! Our freezer doth overflow , and I will never buy store-bought blueberries again! For the same price as a teeny-tiny container at the store, I could pick my own gigantic bucket. Nothing beats sun-warmed fresh blueberries right off the bush!
Spinning on my new Ashford Joy, heretofore known as AJ. I love everything about AJ, and I am searching high and low to find new info on spinning. Even my fiber-disinterested husband thinks my wheel is the Bee's Knee's!
Kiteboarding! Phillip bought two new kites , and a new board. We are ready for any wind condition (except for no wind!)

Say hello to my little friend

2008-06-03T18:56:00.003-05:00

My Joy is here, my Joy is here!!!

Can I call in sick to work due to myfirstspinningwheelitis???

Hey, guess what.

2008-05-30T07:53:00.001-05:00

I bought a wheel!

Camera goes "bye-bye"

2008-05-12T11:14:00.003-05:00

My beloved digicam is out of commission. This has happened one too often and I am not happy, since it has thrown off my blogging mojo I was building up. Arrghhh! More to come when I get home form work!

The best person I know,

2008-05-11T09:40:00.004-05:00

is my Dear Mother. You have been an inspiration to me, both in parenting and how to be a good wife and person. You are patient, creative, adaptable, hardworking, loving, motivated, filled with love, beautiful, humble, a good listener, and the best MIL that Phillip could ever dream of.

Thank you, from the whole of my heart, for being my Mother, for standing by me in any situation that I may have gotten myself into, and for loving me so much.

I LOVE YOU!!!!!

What a week!

2008-05-04T16:53:00.003-05:00

This has been a chaotic week for me. I have been having trouble breathing for about 3 weeks now. We thought my work environment was making me sick, and plant management has been doing a check on the ac units to see if there if a mold/mildew problem. No matter what we have been doing, it is still muggy as all heck in the office. Well, this past Wednesday I wake up at 2:22 am feeling like someone is sitting on my chest. I managed to get my inhaler (that thankfully m coworker wrote for me 2 weeks before) and go into the bathroom. I take my dose and pray that I don't close up my airway completely. I still am having trouble, and I put my cell and inhaler on the bedside table in case I need them. I took my inhaler again at 5:25 and it doesn't help at all. I go to work early so I can set up the office for the day's procedures. I had a feeling I would be leaving , so I wanted all of the contrast and consents ready. ( I work under fluoroscopy on Wednesdays and Thursdays helping to perform pain-blocks). I manage to make it through the morning's procedures so I can go to the Immediate Care clinic at lunch that is attached to our Pain Clinic. (Thank God i work at a huge Medical Complex!!) By the time I get to the counter, I hear someone getting off the phone saying that Dr P___'s nurse is on her way over and she can't breathe. As I lean on the counter my lungs seize up and I can't breathe! They slap some oxygen on me, and the doctor listened to me. I got a stat jet-neb breathing treatment, and after that failed, a steroid shot in the ass. Then came the chest xrays and blood draws. Turns out I had been having an acute Asthma exacerbation and was exhausting myself. The physician was almost going to admit me to the hospital, but decided I WAS OK TO GO HOME. The rest of the week has been a struggle to breathe, and get on with my life. I haven't been able to play Ultimate, and it turns out I have a lung infection so I am on Antibiotics, an inhaled steroid/beta-angonist med, a steroid dose pack, singulair, and my rescue inhaler. All this for a girl who up to two weeks ago only took a BCP!!! It still hurts to take a deep breath, and I pulled a muscle in my upper right chest muscles that makes a deep breath impossible. I have had to go easy at work, and I am so scared that something is going to happen to make me not be able to perform my job. If my workplace is making me ill, then ...gosh, I don't know. I can't not be able to play my sports!
My husband and I are active people, and I need to be able to run around and stay active. I'll keep you updated on what is happening.

A new, healthy me.

2008-04-25T11:00:00.002-05:00

In a fit of inspiration and after a long time of longing and dreaming about swimming, I took the plunge so to speak and joined the YMCA that abuts my office. I hit the pool on Wednesday, and boy...am I out of shape! I swam laps and did a few pulling/sculling and kicking drills. By the time I showered off, got home and soaked in the tub, I was in pain. I seriously overworked my lat muscles, and I could hardy sleep. Even so, the smell of the chlorine, the goggles, the suit. Ahhhhh. Oh how I have missed leaving my heart and my energy in the pool. Swimming is like an old friend that you don't see for years, but can pick up right where you left off. Only in this case I bit off more than I could chew. Although I do in a weird kinda way, enjoy that all over-exhausted tiredness that comes with a good workout. :)

Still working on a few WIP that are languishing, I have been a bit sick lately and it has sapped all of my knitting mojo. Maybe this weekend I can get the peplum of the claret cardi finished, since I really want to work on Hew!

Really? Last post in March??

2008-04-15T08:14:00.002-05:00

Time flies when you are having fun, I guess. Work has been going great, except for the fact that I am allergic to something in my office. Dance is amazing...we just got back into town after ATLX5, and I have to say it was probably my most relaxed event so far. Atlanta was beautiful although I can leave the pollen there, thankyouverymuch! I had tons of great dances, and I am renewed in my commitment to get better. Yay for yummy dance-goodness!!

The week prior to ATLX Phillip and I went to Kentucky to visit. It was a pretty nerve-wracking trip for me. Not because my In-Laws aren't awesome, because they are, but because a couple months ago Phillip approached me about moving to Lexington. Needless to say, I was conflicted and curious. There where advantages to moving, and advantages to saying here. Now I really don't have to think about it anymore, since the possible position isn't so much as a progression up the ladder, but a lateral move with not a good chance for advancement. There goes that idea! I have been able to kiss that knot in my stomach goodbye and focus on making our life here the best I can (which, honestly, I haven't been doing). I am going to join the Pensacola Archaeological Society, spend more QT with my friends, and take better care of me and my home.

Speaking of the good life...I am totally living it! It is almost beach-weather! Yay for getting back on the surfboard. Tiny plants are poking their heads up, and I have been spending my lunch hour sitting outside knitting. Since we are staying here for the undetermined future, I joined the YMCA so I can get back into the pool and swim my little heart out. I need to gain the strength I lost when I hurt my back, and this is my first step.

Crafty-ness is going great here:

Yarn: Yarn Pirate Booty Club: Rum Runner

Needles: Colonial Rosewood DPN size 1

Specs: cast on 64, 2x2 ribbed cuff, stockingette leg, shortrow heel,wedge toe. Easy Peasy!

Quilt Pictures to come soon!

The Lapzilla is Dead! Long live the Lapzilla

2008-03-04T11:22:00.003-06:00

My beloved Laptop has died. I am awaiting the box that will soon arrive to ship it back to HP and they will have to wipe it clean to bring my baby back to life. Bear with me while I am computer-free. Pity me for all of the information that has been lost on it. Mourn as I have to resort to using the HusBeast's computer, which entails shoving him out of the chair and stealing it.

Oh, and the Claret Cardi is alomst done, but my pics have been eaten by my laptop. Same as all of the other FOs I have.
Wednesday is my 28th birthday....I feel old already. How sad is that?
We might move. I am conflicted about this.
My iron was damamged, and I have projects I need to do.
Life seems kinda broken, but overall pleasant. This is confusing to me.
Oh, and Shannon...I am waiting for one goodie, and you will soon have a package!!! Tee hee hee!!!
I somehow switched to bullets in the post. I have always liked a good bulleted list.
I went to the beach with friends this weekend and actually felt sunshine on my face. I think I have mild Seasonal Affective Disorder, and I cannot even begin to express how good the sun felt! It is stormy here again and I am dreaming of the sun (and a working laptop.)

I might drag my feverish butt to the store and get a new iron. Or not.

Hee!

2008-02-23T09:54:00.001-06:00

No, really...YOU make my day!

2008-02-15T20:15:00.003-06:00

The ever Fabulous NotScarlett tagged me with one of the nicest memes going around the blogosphere, the You Make My Day Award.

I was completely blown away, since this is the girl who got me into Ravelry!! Thank you so much Sarah!

I read eleventybillion blogs, so many that I had to switch to Google Reader, so this was really hard for me. Here is goes:

dogged. : Ashley is incredible talented, considerate, takes wonderful pictures, and makes me wish I had a doggy to sew for and take to the park. I always love to see what she is working on, since she creates items that I love before I even knew I loved it!

soto softies: Maritza is one of the most creative bloggers out there. Not only does she create softies I love to grab up (I'm at 5 and counting!!), but she manages to find time to post at eggman, knotty bits, inside the softie machine, theneedle, and soto softies!! Maritza, you are totally my crafting hero!

Chara Michele : I came for the patchwork scraves, and stayed for the awesome. Chara inspires me to be more creative in my homelife, to appreciate to beauty around me.

The Dance Primer: AmberLynn is a fellow lindyhopper, and her posts really make me think-think-think about dance. Not only does she have great interviews with popular dancers, but she posts interesting questions about spreading dance love. Thanks Amber, for helping me to be a more mindful dancer.

january one : What else can be said about Cara? This is the first knitblog I ever read, and I am so glad I stumbled on her when I google searched about knitting. Her phenomenal photography inspired me to pick up my camera and take pictures, and I hope one day to churn out monkeys like her! With picots!

Stitchy Fingers: Shannon, my dearest Shannon, how do I count the ways that you make my day? You saved me from an ill-begotton swap, you make beautiful spindles that fuel an addiction, you have the most adorable family, and you have a package coming to you soon (I am waiting on something to arrive in the post) You have been making my day for a long time.

the KNITTING PHILISTINE: Megan is a knitting archaeologist. She is living my dream. I am totally going to run away, finish my archaeology degree, and blame Megan!

Team Knit: Two girls who I would completely let pick out my clothes and knitting projects.

NotScarlett: I am totally passing this one back to Sarah. One day we shall meet IRL. And oh, shall the world tremble before us!!! muuwahahah!!!

kelp!knits: I first ran into kelp! on flickr, and soon discovered someone I would love to have a craft-day with. Ever time a new post pops up, my queue gets longer!

Whew!! I could go one and on, but no one wants to hear me yammer on about how awesome knitbloggers are! (Since we already know!)

Gotta go get a good friend from the airport, so I'll be back.

Fat Tuesday!

2008-02-05T10:20:00.000-06:00

Happy Mardi Gras to all, eat, drink, be merry, and most of all VOTE!!! ;)

Lassiez le bon temps rouler!!!!

Happy Anniversary, my Love

2008-01-27T10:58:00.000-06:00

Here's to our first year. May the next fiftybagillion be as wonderful as this one!

Us smug and pouty on our Honeymoon in Park City Utah this time last year.

Is my husband awesome or what?

2008-01-21T14:09:00.000-06:00

I was walking around Sunday shopping with my husband (which can be sheer torment, depending on his mood.) when he completely blindsides me. Not only does he shop around for invisible zipper feet with me, but he holds my hand and doesn't misbehave at all. (I am on to him...he tortures me at stores so I quit asking him to go..heehee...little does he know it is how I torment him!) Then he tells me the most amazing thing-he would like to get me a sewing/craft table for the back office, so I can always have a place to sew, instead of dragging the machine out to the breakfast room, which acts as our only eating surface right now. *swoon!!*

So here is where you come in, crafty readers. I need suggestions/websites/examples of sewing/craft tables that I can show him.. Please leave a link in the comments, or email me at flashalee at gee male dot com!! Thank you so much!! :)

Crafting in the New Year

2008-01-15T18:42:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone! Life has been going great here in 2008. The sewing machine has been humming, the knitting needles clanking, and the oven working in overtime! My good buddy Becca came pver last weekend and we started sewing skirts from AmyB's awesome Barcelona Skirt. I cut out the A-line, and Becs is trying her hand at the Apron Overlay. We had so much fun shopping for fabric at The Sewing Center. Is it a bad sign when one of the owners knows you by name? Hee! I had almost more fun helping Becca pick out her fabrics that I did my own. (I guess that is why I am QueenEnabler!) This weekend she is coming over and we are finishing them both.

In my knitting world I am currently knitting on my Blue Sky Alpaca Reversible Hat. I am almost to the start of the decreases. Yummy and squishy! I am taking a break from my claret cardi so that I can focus on an upcoming baby knit!!! My good friends the Whites are expecting their first in February, and I want to craft some goodies for them. I am planning some Last Minute Knitted Gifts baby booties, and some custom Onesies. In fact, I should get cracking on that right now....

Happy bloody New Year.....

2008-01-02T20:45:00.000-06:00

New Year's Eve, a masquerade ball to be attended, in New Orleans. Sounds good, right? Wrong!!! It is a recipe for sitting at your host's, on the couch, doped up on Nyquil sick as a dog, wretched as can be. In fact, I am still sick. and the husbeast is hacking on the opposite couch. I had to go home today from work, and I probably will miss tomorrow too. Arrghhh!

Welcome 2008, you had one chance to make a first impression. Key word...had.

/rant

Merry Spoilage to me!!!

2007-12-22T18:27:00.000-06:00

Ok, so tonight I decided to wrap the gifts my in-laws sent to us. I take all of the boxes we have received, and I start opening them. I try not to look too hard at the contents, since I don't know what is for me and what is for Phillip. Imagine my surprise when the first package I open looks like this:

Awesome crafty stickers and a Wee Wonderful postcard about my pal,

An awesome star ornament,

The linen pouches contain a bag of rose-scented bath crystals, and this cute handcrafted pendant!

Take my word for it, this pendant is awesome, I just don't have a good enough camera to take an adequate picture.

And yes, your eyes do not deceive you, that is HANDMAIDEN SEASILK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I lovelovelove it! The skein doesn't have a dyelot/name, so I am calling it Sunset On The Sands. It is literally the color the sun turns the sand here at Navarre Beach. I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life!

Next I found this amazing length of velvet ribbon that perfectly matches two fat quarters of Amy Butler prints. And everyone knows my love of Amy B! ;)

My SP11 was Rusty of rustyk.vox.com!! I could not have asked for a better pal, and the gift was much appreciated in this hectic season. Thank you, Rusty!!!
I am so lucky to have been your pal!!!!!

It's been a long, long time...

2007-12-16T19:36:00.000-06:00

Hiya. Life has been progressing here and I just have neglected this here blog-o-roony pretty badly. Oops. I started my new job, have been enjoying it so far, and I have started to learn a little about what I am doing with it. I work for a Pain Management doctor, and it is so incredibly nice to come home at a decent time, have weekends off, and get to be home for the holidays! I hope my new path will curve into a far reaching career.

Blogginess: Google Reader=awesomeness. Try it out! I am going to be going over my blog list and deleting/editing/cleaning up soon, it is out of control. I need to pare down my reading list, and spend more time crafting, rather than reading about others. Not that I don't enjoy my blog-reading time...but my blogroll has reached gigantic proportions.

Knitting: still slogging away at the Claret Cardi. I discovered that my gauge is waaaay off, and thankfully Trill was able to help me mod enough so I didn't have to rip all of my work. Lesson? Ummm...DO A GUAGE SWATCH IDIOT!!! Heh... can you believe I have never made a gauge swatch before? Lesson sincerely learned. I bow down to the Goddess of Gauge, so that She may grant me a successful FO. Also finished up a fingerless glove out of Blue Sky Alpaca, but I am waiting on the other one until I find a cast off I like better. Any suggestions for a nice stretchy simple cast-off? Anyone? I am awaiting a knitterly present from my In-Laws...so expect a new sock started after Christmas. In Yarn Pirate. Yum.

Sewing: I finished TheMom's birthday patchwork scarf, I cut out all of the pieces for an Amy Butler In Town Bag, and I am probably going to start putting it together tonight after Mom's Belated B-Day Dinner. I have so many ideas about making napkins and household objects...I have an idea for all of my delish Amy Butler Lotus charm squares, another Amy Butler quilt, a Heather Bailey Freshcut quilt, and some umm...personal items that women need monthly.

That is all for now, I will be returning with pictures soon.

*ETA* She loved the scarf!! :)

**ETA, again** I just spilled an entire glass of water all over my pattern, cut out pieces, and an entire length of cord. Further progress to be delayed while everything dries out. Boo.

I am Thankful...

2007-11-22T22:10:00.000-06:00

...for all of you, dear readers. I am thankful for my husband, my family, my fantastic friends who never cease to amaze me with awesomness, my new job, my health, my home, the birds around my house, Unwind with Yarn, being able to travel for lindy as much as we do, having food on the table, not worrying if I am going to lose my place to live or if I am going to be able to eat that day...

I have a plan...a Christmas plan!

2007-11-20T19:59:00.000-06:00

This Christmas I am:

customizing my wrapping paper (stay turned for details!!)
knitting a throw for the couch
asking for magazine subscriptions for my favs: MSL, Country Living, County Home, Fitness or Shape
breaking out the creme brulee kit for maple creme brulee for Christmas
draping garland on the mantle/sideboard
finishing the puffed sleeved cardigan, heretofore known as the claret cardi!

Look who came to play!

2007-11-15T15:37:00.000-06:00

Who could it be??

It's Sasha, my very first soto softie!!

She just got here, but we already are having a full day!

Cutting cheese...

putting away Target purchases....

folding new napkins....

and knitting away on my puffed sleeve cardigan.

Thank you Maritza! I love her!!!!

AVS redux

2007-11-11T19:03:00.000-06:00

This past weekend was possible the best dance weekend of my life. It ranks higher than the weekend I finally understood the 8-count. Something inside me clicked. Frame happened, joy with each dance occured, and a smile was plastered on my face. I really felt like I understood lead/follow, that connectedness which allows us to read the lead and express it as a follow. I am not usre when this change happened in me, but the whole weekend was permeated with feelings of "ahhhhhh". I only had a few moments of wariness (when I saw that the J&J I entered was vastly different then what I imagined). But I said "Self, make the best of it...dance for the sheer love of it, and do not think of what could have been. Deal with what is." And I did. Phillip, Becca and myslef swept the Beginner/Intermediate (uhh...way beginner-heavy) Jack and Jills. First for me and my partner Josef, second for Phillip and Beth, third for Becca and Aridy. A good time was had by all, and I really did try to push myself. Next year....Open/Advanced. So that I may dance way out of my league, get my ass handed to me, and grow as a dancer. Delightful!

Saturday Night was a very magical night for me. I cannot express the fun and creativity that infused each dance. I truly hope that the leads I danced with felt a bit of the feeling that they gave to me. I could replay the event over and over in my mind and keep finding little nuggets of awesome to ponder over. Thank you AVS, for being the catalyst for an enormous shift in my danceworld.

Maybe even more memorable than the dance-revolution I had was the mingling/meeting of new friends. I made an effort to mingle and interact with dancers outside of a "Hey, wanna dance" interaction. It was so fun to get to know these people that I only see every few months. Heather from Knoxville: I wish you were here, and we could have knit-night, shopping trips for bargains, and discussions on all things academic. (including the latest exploits of hunky profs). Bella: you fit is with our wacky circle, and man if that's not easy to do. Thanks for the dinnertime, and I hope the gym was fruitful! Alan, Jesse, The Deanster, Hurley, and Jerred: This weekend wouldn't have been the same without ya! I owe each of you a goodbye hug from Sunday that I left to early to give! Thanks for helping me to realize that a better dancer lives inside me. Each of you either by a dance, or by working out a move in class, gave me a tiny boost . You all have a perma-position down here with us if you even have to come down Pensacola way.

All in all: Best.Damn.Dance.Weekend.Ever.

In the space between days...

2007-11-07T23:30:00.000-06:00

....I get reflective. I also hear creepy noises that make me sit up and wonder if something is trying to get in. I'm not worried, I have my big ass knitting needles poised to defend, but still. I am also digging the cold, still nights. The sky so clear that I can see all the way to the stars. I love Fall/Winter sky. If only the mosquietos would go ahead and die already. It would make investigating the patio a little easier.
Crap! That time is was right behind my head. Alright, I am going to turn out the light and....AAAAAAAAAAAA!

Hello there!

2007-11-06T09:39:00.000-06:00

Gosh, sorry it has been so long! It has been a very busy month for me. Phillip and I attended the Knoxville Lindy Exchange, and it was so much fun!!! I got to hang out with some new friends and spend time with some old friends. Our host Chris took us rock climbing on the Friday before the dance. It was really exciting and nerve wracking to climb on the side of a river cliff, and I discovered that I am a bit to short to start at the 5-9 there. Boo for shortitude. Ah well, I am doing some arm exercises to give me the strength to get me above those hurdles a bit easier.
The dances themselves were fun. I really enjoyed the afternoon dance on Saturday, the food song battle kept the floor packed. I have already stated my opinion about the Saturday main dance elsewhere, and I really don't want to rehash. I may find the post and put it up here.

I got a wee bit of knitting in the car, however most of the drive was in the dark. I worked a bit on the puff-sleeved cardigan, and ended up having a little accident with it. when we unloaded the car, a needle pulled out, and luckily I didn't drop any stitches!! I have been plugging away, and by now I am halfway through the increase section. (Or as I like to call it, slog-heaven)
I am almost done with the second Roza sock in STR beryl. I have turned the heel, picked up the gusset stitches, lose a rosewood DPN, bought an ebony set to finish with, and I am getting started on the foot.

The most exciting news I have to report.....I turned in my two-week notice at work on Monday!
I waltzed in there with a smile on my face and a lightness in my heart. I have been searching for a new job since this summer (well, and beyond that to be perfectly honest.) on November 20th, I start orientation as the new Pain management nurse for White Wilson Medical Center. They have never had a Pain management doctor before, so I get to help write policy and set up my own office! And just in time for the holiday season! I get holidays off, and NO WEEKENDS!!!! I cannot tell you what it did to my heart to hear Phillip say "You mean I get to have my real wife on the weekends now?" I am so excited to start on this new career journey! I'll be sure to give updates! Oh, and I now get an hour's lunch, i mean eating while knitting time!!!

Hugs to all, enjoy your week. I'll be going to Atlanta for the Atlanta Varsity Showdown this weekend!

KLX and knitting

2007-10-23T12:34:00.000-05:00

KLX came and went. It was a lovely, lovely time in Knoxville. The leaves haven't turned yet, but there was a refreshing nip to the air that made dancing for hours upon end feasible. I really felt I found my musicality, and I have danced faster than I ever have before. The Friday night dance and the Saturday afternoon dance pretty much tied for favorites. I hated the music at the Saturday Night dance!! I totally did not drive 10+ hours to listen to neo-swing and hip-hop. Although I did have two awesome dances with Hurley (Orlando) and Christian (Gainesville) to Outcast and some rap song respectively. I finally got to see Annie IRL, and boy do I wish she lived closer! An awesome, well-traveled, smart lindyhopper....:) I also got to spend some time with Heather A, and I would love to have her down here, too. DJ, Lindyhopper, and knitter!!

Spending time with the in-laws was just wonderful, we stayed yet again with Chris and Alison, and I fell even more in love with K-ville.

The downside? I cannot find my camera anywhere. I last used it on the day we went climbing, and hopefully it is still in Chris's magic-van.

Gotta run, more later.

Busy Bee

2007-10-10T19:14:00.000-05:00

This weekend is the Knoxville Lindy Exchange. (see the sidebar for a link) I am so excited to get to Tennessee and see all of the lovely dancers that attend this event. I love Knoxville, the city itself speaks to me. The hilly mountains, the forests, the abundant National Parks, the college atmosphere, Market Street...I love it all. Phillip has an Aunt that lives in Knoxville, and boy do I enjoy seeing her and the family. A 10hr car drive that allows me to knit isn't bad either ;) We are driving up ourselves this time, and meeting both my SIL, Amy and Sarah, and my MIL MaryAnne. I am looking forward to seeing my in-laws. I adore them to pieces. I have not seen Sarah since she started college. I am so proud of how well she is doing...like we ever had a doubt!
Oh! and Phillip and I are going up early to rock climb with our host, Chris! I am so excited! Dancing, family, knit-time, husband car time, and rock climbing!!

I'll report back after the event with a little dance wrap-up.

In crafty news:
I am getting closer to the heel on my second Roza's Beryl sock. I had a little mishap with the sock riding around in my purse to and from work. A needle pulled halfway out and stitches dropped all the way to the cast-on edge. I ripped the second sock and started over. I have made some good make-up progress. I plan to finish is on the ride up to Knoxville. I am also reworking a Noro Kureyon top down hat that I started last year. The colors are knitting up beautifully, and I plan a my-so-called scarf to go along with it.

In other news:
I love clotted cream! I purchased a tiny pot from World Market and finally opened it up today. I made some really ugly (but tasty!) scones, and smothered them in clotted cream. Heaven! I added a teeny bit of Apricot Preserves and had a proper tea-time. Although I don't have any plain good black tea...just green,chai, and a tazo assorment that I really don't care for. Give me a delish green tea, or a nice black tea. Ah well, I'll be on the look-out. And I broke my tea-infuser. Drat!
Next on my list are madelines. I have a fantastic madeline pan I received as a wedding gift, and I am dying to try it out. I love baking, cake decorating, and,well, cooking! Right now I am making my famous pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting to take with us to K-ville. Yum!
...there goes the timer...gotta run!

Later my dears! have a fun-filled weekend, I know I will!

Hiya

2007-09-29T14:37:00.000-05:00

Hello out there...I have a question. I just received an amazing set of Summer Stitchettes from Wee Wonderfuls. I don't remember buying this, it didn't come with a packing slip or a card, and I can't think of any contest I might have won it in. Secret Pal, was this you? Because I love them, how did you know I just bought the Embroidery Stitch Bible on a whim at Books-a-Crapload? Thank you!

Peace

2007-09-21T12:47:00.000-05:00

Is having my parents over for dinner, enjoying the fall inspired mum my Mum brought (it hasn't opened yet...a big suprise yet to come!), the cute dishclothes/potholders in fall colors Mum also brought, getting to spend time with my parents at my house...like a real grown-up!

Today: getting to hang out with my bestest friends Nate & Leslie. Nate was Phillip's best man, and Leslie should have been part of my maids, but I just didn't think. I love these two so much, and I am so glad we get to hang!

Hoping: that the darn tropical storm goes aways! My plants are too buggy to bring in! Yikes!

Southern Belle Swing Bash

2007-09-19T11:21:00.000-05:00

This past weekend Phillip and I attended the Southern Belle Swing Bash in Atlanta. it was my first time attending an event designed specifically for followers, and I did walk away with some things to work on in my dance.

Atlanta in September is so very beautiful. Crisp in the morning, warming up in the afternoon, and cooling off just in tome for evening dances. It was perfect to slip outside at the night dances and enjoy the fresh air. It is hellacious to drive in the ATL, but I loved downtown and the cafes. We had a delish breakfast at the Crescent Moon Cafe, and I was able to get my venti Pumpkin Spice Latte before the morning classes.

I loved some of the settings for the classes, Agnes Scott College in beautiful, but no A.C. is a very bad idea for such hard swinging work. I was dripping with sweat after the first class, and it just got worse as the day went on. The Georgia Tech Ballroom was a better location for classes with parking and A.C. I would have liked to see a dance at Agnes Scott perhaps, the cooler night air would have chased away the grody feeling a bit better.

The classes were interesting, but having male volunteers made it a bit difficult for us followers to work on our dance. Not every lead was intermediate (which was one of the stipulations for attending) thus we as follows couldn't really focus on us, we had to worry about the lead yanking us around. And as the leads were volunteers, the naturally was a shortage. Too many follows had to step out of the rotation for lack of lead, and as I paid a pretty good amount to attend, my expectation was to dance the whole rotation. I signed up the day registration was offered. I even brought a lead. As an organizer, they could see the lead/follow ratio, and yet allowed too many follows with not enough leads. Disappointing.

The instructors were great. Peter Strom and Frida Segerdahl are amazing dancers. This marks the second time I have taken from Frida, and she still amazes me. Seriously, click on their names and watch some vidoes. Serious bad-ass dancing!

All in all, a good event that has the potential to get better. I had some of the best dances ever at the Saturday Night dance, so see you in November at the Atlanta Varsity Showdown!!

Oh what a beautiful morning...

2007-09-19T11:18:00.000-05:00

Sitting on my patio, sipping pumpkin spice coffee, listening to the birdsong and watching the hummingbirds duke it out over the feeder. A cool breeze rustling the tree tops, my feet just being warmed by the sun's first rays. A smile on my face, lightness in my heart. Mockingbirds tussling in the trees, the cardinal fussing at me for invading his domain.

I love the fall. Transition seasons always hold so much promise.

Lookie what I got!!

2007-09-14T09:48:00.000-05:00

I came home form work....and what do I behold?

I see wrapping.....

I love the brown and robin's egg blue paper and ribbon! The ribbon will be worn as a headband, that's for sure! :)

See what is inside!!! The theme of my package was romance and nature. Everything came from my pal's LYS, and man...do I want to go to that LYS!!! :) I think she nailed it on the head! I just love everything! It was such a pick-me-up to come home from work and see all of my goodies! (hence the flashy-nighttime pictures!) I am so spoiled!!

THANK YOU SUPERCRAFTY!!!!!

Knitting Lingerie Style!!! I have been drooling over this book! And can I tell you Phillip was mesmerized by the cover. Totally intrigued.

***Edited to add: My Knitting Lingerie Style was signed by the author herself! I wasn't sure, but my SuperCrafty pal confirmed it!!! Every bow down to the awesomeness that is my SP11! Pal, I don't know how you did it, but you are Awesome!!!! *********************************

Sarah's Yarn

100% bamboo!!! I have been wanting bamboo yarn ever since that episode of Stash and Burn
where they talked about the LBT. Thank you, it is so amazing! I just want to cuddle it, it is so soft. I am torn between the Montego bay scarf from IK, and the Surplice Bodice Camisole from my new Knitting Nature!!!

This lavender sachet is already scenting my stash, keeping moths away!

This is the best organic/vegan/all natural candy I have ever had!! I keep it in my pocket at work, and I pop a few in my mouth and am instantly happy! Yummy!!!!

Mmmm...soy. I am loving this Rosemary candle. Soy is clean burning, and rosemary is such a wonderful scent.

Not pictured: Ravishing Sex Goddess tea. Me and my friends have already drank tons of it on girl's night, and I left it at my friend's house. Actually, I think she is trying to steal it, but no way!! I'm getting it back! :)

I have the best pal! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!!!!!

10 Things

2007-09-10T11:47:00.000-05:00

I was perusing my blogroll this morning while sipping my coffee and stumbled across this post by the scent of water. I was inspired to post my own 10things post, albeit not as thorough as hers.

10 things simple things that make me happy

10. My toaster oven. I grew up with only a simple toaster. I never new the joys of toaster-ovenhood until I married and had a house of my own. I was given a toaster oven as a wedding gift, and let me tell you, I haven't been the same. Pizza reheated almost tastes better the second time, cheese toast is meltier, english muffins are crisper...I could cover anything in cheese and pop it in my toaster oven and be happy. I think I'll name her/him. Any suggestions?

9. Boots Renew and Rewind Serum I first heard about this magical beauty serum on not martha. I picked up the last one at my local Target, and my pore thank me daily. I have always had oily skin, but love the feel of rich, thick creams. This lightweight serum has the luxurious feel I love, but is light enough that I am not a greasepot by 10:00am. I even have had a couple of people ask me what I have used on my face, as I look smoother and clearer (I suffer from adult acne...blasted, blasted acne). I love this stuff, and it is never to early to combat wrinkles. I am approaching 30 in the coming years, after all.

8. method cleaning products with the corresponding microfiber cloth. Good for the environment, good for my home, and gets me the clean? You have to love that!

7. Romantic Home Sewing. I love this book Shannon! I am truly inspired daily.

6. Sleeping in, wallowing around in bed after Phillip goes to work, especially after a long weekend at work. Somehow the bed feels softer, the covers cooler, and my body is more relaxed. Heaven.

5. The great customer service at the Container Store. My foldable stacking shelf can in badly damaged, and they are sending me out a new replacement. And confirmed my second ordered shelf is on it's way. And I don't have to mail back the broken one!! I love their customer service!!

4. My Joy of Cooking Anniversary edition. I have yet to have a meal out of this book that Phillip hasn't exclaimed over. I just made the banana bread recipe (fiddled around with, of course) and whoo-boy it is yummy!

3. A long warm bath

2. Pumpkin anything...my coffee creamer, pumpkin candle from Target, pumpkin soup, latte, pudding, the color....I love pumpkin!!

1. When my Phillip kisses me goodbye while I sleep, or the vice versa. His smile makes my knees quake, and when he kisses me goodbye my whole day feels brighter.

Swap Angel

2007-09-04T11:23:00.000-05:00

Remember the color swap I did back in May? I blogged about it here. Well, I did eventually get a note from my partner, citing a hectic life and issues. She said that she had a package ready, it would be mailed soon, and she would email me again when it went in the mail. I replied back, thanking her for letting me know what was up, and telling her how excited I was to get a package in the mail. I never heard from her again. No package, no email, nothing. I looked at her blog, and she pretty much quit blogging, too. I hope all is well with her, but from looking at her blog I noticed that she participates in a ton of swaps. She wrote about getting so excited about getting goodies, and I think to have participated in so many, and recieved so much, that it is pretty selfish to taketake take and not give back. *sigh*

Enter Shannon. Shannon had completely renewed my faith in swaps and the such. She took pity on me, and volunteered to be my Angel. Out of the kindness of her heart she put together a package for me that was perfect in every way. I danced around my kitchen and squeeeeeed to my husband's dismay (serious eye-rolling from him). I feel so grateful and happy, and I have already made use of some of my goodies!!

Take a look at my haul!

group shot!!

CopperPot roving that i just want to roll around in.....

custom spindle from Shannon's own esty shop: SpinSanity based on my favorite AmyButler fabric "Gothic Rose" *swoons* It is a masterpiece. And coordinates with my swing bag ;)

lookie at the shaft!! You simply MUST go buy yourself a SpinSanity Spindle!! I totally am going to collect them, and give them as gifts!!! Shannon, you are talented beyond words! It spins like a dream!

Don't you wish YOU had these stitch markers? I love the color combo.

Sew What! Skirts: I bought this for my own SP, and really wanted one for myself! I have fabric que'ed already! :)

Romantic Home Sewing: I have already made the apron out of this book! I love it so! I am inspired to organize the home, and for that my hubby thinks you should be bronzed and hung in a place of honor! ;)

yummy coffee flavored treats! Not individually pictured: creme savers, which are now at work for me to enjoy! My fave is creme brulee'

Thank you Shannon, from the bottom of my heart. I am planning a package for you, and I just want to you know how special you have made me feel, and that you are amazing!! I am lucky that you found me, and that I now have you in my life. The blogosphere has really been wonderful to me, and you are a huge part of that. Thank you!!!

I have something important...

2007-08-30T11:52:00.000-05:00

to blog about, however I do not have my camera connector/ubs/thingerdoodle. More to come when I find it!!!

In other news, I ran today. Well spurts of running amidst longer periods of 'walking while panting' One should not run at 10:30 CST in Florida in August. Not.A.Good.Thing. But after the extreme heat wore off with the help of a cool shower, Aveda Foot relief (ahh...peppermint cools.), ice water with lemon, and a delish ripe peach, I feel like a new Ashley. A new, stronger, I can do this Ashley. I can get back into the shape I am used to. YessireBob! Does anyone know of any good podcasts about running/exercising/fitness at home? I would love a link or a nudge in the right direction! :)

Ok, off to look for that darn camera cable!

Don't even want to think about food.

2007-08-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

I don't know what is wrong with me. Last night about 9:30PM I was sitting on the couch watching Anne of Green Gables on youtube. All of a sudden this burning sensation came over my stomach, from the pit of my stomach all the way up into my head. I was constantly sick, no warning, just a slight escalation of the cramps that followed the burning feeling. Luckily I was able to reach the bathroom in time, but I couldn't keep anything down. Even water was too harsh. I slept in the guest room last night so that I wouldn't keep Phillip awake. I slept with a trashcan next to the bed, fortunately I did not have to use it.

I have not attempted to eat yet today, so wish me luck with that. I have managed to drink some water today, but I feel a little dehydrated still. I hate this feeling....

A sad aspect of today.

2007-08-21T13:13:00.000-05:00

I had to throw out 3/4ths of all of my orchids today. One orchid I bought at an auction last year infected two rows of my plants with scale. I fought the good fight, but ultimately lost. I threw out over 10 plants, and at rates of $25-30 USD per plant....*shudders*. Some of those plants I have had since I moved here from Orlando 2.5 yrs ago. I am so very sad. I learned my lesson the hard way. Inspect every plant thoroughly before purchase, isolate/quarantine each new plant when you bring it home for at least 3 months, and for heavens sake, routinely look over your plants for signs/symptoms of something amiss. My plants used to be in my bedroom before I married, and now have a grow-room of their own, which lead to a bit of neglect on my part.
Learn from me, a mourn a little for my babies that are currently in the trash bin . Pots, saucers, medium, plants. All in the trash.

What a waste....R.I.P, my dears.

I give up.

2007-08-20T15:00:00.000-05:00

You know, I really tried to post the Enc. of Me meme, but I am simply not the post everyday type of blogger. With my work schedule the way it is right now, I simply cannot maintain the level of mental fortitude needed to post after work. Blah. Maybe after I get that new J.O.B I want. We shall see.

In the meantime, I am knitting away on my Retro Redux Shrug (heretofore known as RRS), and I have an upcoming car trip to Atlanta for Southern Belle Swing Bash, and i am going to finish Roza's socks on that trip. So now I must start planning my next pair of travel-socks. I have to always have a sock on the needles to work on while riding in the car/knitting at work/knitting at swing during songs I don't care for/beach knitting/etc... :) What to knit? What out of the SockStash shall I cast on? Hmmm...decisions. I should have you very fine knitterly friends help me out!!

from the top:

(a.) Lime and Violet Box of Wishes (b.)L&V The Dancers (c.) L&V Carolina Shag

(d.) L&V Lindyhop (e.) Yarn Pirate Rum Runner (f.) L&V Pisces

(g.) L&V Lyra (h.) Lout Gems Opal French Blue (i.) Yarn Pirate Calamity

Now for Pattern Options: Monkey for the variegated yarns?, Charade for the Rum Runner? what about the legwarmers form One Skein converted into socks for the Louet?, Any ideas??? HELP!!!!

What should Ashley knit next? What is my new sock project??

Catch up

2007-08-16T12:55:00.000-05:00

C: cookies, creativity, coffee, cupcakes, CLIMBING!!

(we miss you, Michael. Have fun in Va, and come back soon!)

D: Dancing. I don't know where I would be without all of the friends I have made dancing. I can count the number of people that I consistantly hang out with on one hand that don't dance in some form or fashion. Heck, my husband even got me into the form of dancing I do today. I teach, i learn, I travel every month around the country with the man I love and my friends for one thing. To dance.

SP11 Contest

2007-08-16T12:43:00.000-05:00

1. What is the one knitting accessory you could not live without?
My tape measure! I didn't realize how much it came in handy until I left it at home on a trip.

2. If you're heading on vacation, do you take knitting with you? Ifso, how much and what type of project?
Of course! I always have a sock, and I have a scarf that I use for KIP. I am enjoying this scarf so much I don't want to finish, so if I only knit on trips, it will last longer....

3. Where have you travelled to that you'd consider your favorite spot?
Right now Spain would have to be #1, but Park City Utah is right there on the #2 spot. We honeymooned at Park City, and it will always have a place in my heart.

4. What is your favorite knitting book at the moment? Do you own it?
No, but I would love to! I lust over the Sock books: 25 sensational sock, knitting vintage socks, 25 more sensational socks...my stash of sock yarn would tremble in fear!

5. Do you listen to podcasts? Which is your favorite(s)?
Lime and Violet was the first podcast I listened to for knitting. They feel like friends I would meet for coffee and to chat about knitting and would roll around in yarn with me.:) I also listen to Stash and Burn. Cast on, Hey Mister Jessie (lindyhop podcast), the yehoodi Talk Show ( again about lindyhop), and I really like Ready,Set, Knit by Webs. Sheesh, I listen to tons of Podcasts.

SP11 Questionnaire

2007-08-15T14:57:00.000-05:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I love to use natural fibers. Wool is probably my favorite. Mainly I choose yarns based on the project, and on the softness of the yarn. Softness is the key! I have used cotton before, but I really didn't like it at all. I have heard Cotton Fleece is nice, but I have never tried it.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I made a DPN holder for my bamboo DPNs, a couple glass jars for my aluminum straights, and my wooden straights are hanging out in a box. i am not what you would call "organized

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I learned to knit 19yrs ago, but seriously picked it back up last winter. I am an advanced beginner, I suppose.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
yes...

5. What's your favorite scent?
mmm...food scents, apricot, shea, lavender, basically anything organic and natural. I am allergic to Bath&BodyWorks products, so I rally don't like their scents;)

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Yes, but I have maore of a salty-tooth:) I love lifesavers gummisavers wildberries, chocolate with almonds in it, and wite chocolate. Do you remember Alpine White? Yummy.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I have a spindle and am learning to use it. I love to sew, both by hand and machine, and I am really wanting to learn to embroider.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants
to make you a CD)
I listen mainly to 1930-40s jazz and big band swing. Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, The Cats and the Fiddle, Slim and Slam...

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I love all colors as long as they are saturated. I am loving purples, burgundys and greens right now.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live with my husband only. He is allergic to pets, so I can't have any furry friends. *sadface*

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I love knit hats. We go snowboarding every winter, and gaiters/hats/scarves get used out on the slopes! I have never had mittens.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I am loving shrugs and sweaters right now, and I always have socks on the needles. I have extreme project ADD, and need frequent doses of Knitalin to stay focused. (thanks miss violet for the term!)

13. What are you knitting right now?
heeheehee...Retro Redux Shrug from Lace Style, Feminine Puffed-Sleeved Cardigan from Fitted Knits, and Roza's Socks form the Spring Interweave.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Oh Course! Handcrafted = happiness ;)

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I always loved straights, but now that I am starting to knit sweaters I have been using more and more circs. My needles are a wide variety of material, but I always head to my bamboo/woods.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Yes, I love them.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
Wow, from last fall, my first big project clapotis in silk garden. I majorly screwed up, and need to frog and rewind all of the 3 skeins that I knit up. Still makes me mad to even look at it. Grrr...

18. What is your favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving. Pumpkin Spice lattes are in the stores, pumpkin pies, orange colors everywear, sweaters, and lots of comfort food!!

19. Is there anything that you collect?
Beside sock yarn? I collect American Fostoria, unique coffee/tea mugs, exotic coffee, orchids, and sewing notions.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What
knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I subscribe to interweave knits. I have looked at other knitting magazines and none of them really impress me. I love any project that is posted on ThePurlBee. I am always in search of soft yarns to make a cozy shawl or scarf from, and I love patterns that my friends have knit so that I can share in the fun.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Toe-up socks!!! The only way I'll be able to knit HusbandSocks.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
See #21 :) I wear a US size 7 shoe. length:

23. When is your birthday?
March 5th

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
Flashalee

B is for.....

2007-08-04T21:56:00.000-05:00

beaches,

best buddies,

being lead in a dance that.just.feels.right.

beginning my fairytale...

This post is for a special person who knows who they are..

2007-08-03T10:35:00.000-05:00

How long have you been knitting?
I learned to knit in elementary school, but didn't pick up the needles again until last year

Do you consider yourself a beginner, intermediate, or advance knitter?
I think I am an 'adventurous' beginner. I have knit socks, basic shawls, a mini-sweater, and I am working on my first cardigan!

What needles do you prefer? Wood?Metal?Plastic?
I mainly use wood needles, I love my bamboo needles!

If variegated or solid yarns were sitting in front of you, which would you go for?
I have tons of variegated yarns, I love them, but I have been drawn to more solid yarns as fall draws nearer...

Any other crafts or hobbies?
I knit, spin with a spindle, sew, and I am wanting to learn to embroider. I also teach a dance class with my husband, and we are surfer/snowboarder/rock climbers! :)

Are there any colors you love/hate/would tackle someone for?
I have always loved saturated colors. Lately I have been loving jewel tones such as rich greens, browns, reds, blues...

Are you a choco-holic?
Chocolate is good, but I love candy of all forms. I am a nurse, so we love our sugar-rushes!! I am a HUGE coffee addict. I am addicted to the bean! ;)

Smells? Scents??
I am allergic to most bath&body works products, but I am always bringing home new lotions and soaps. Lavender is good to toss in the stash, and anything organic get a second and third look from me! :) I am extremely allergic to anything with melons in it, real or fake....bleeech!

These questions have been pulled from many questionnaires and memes, and I hope this helps. If you post the same on your site, that would be nice!!! :)

Thank you for being my "Angel" I can't wait to reciprocate!!!!!

Encyclopedia of Me

2007-08-03T10:04:00.000-05:00

Shamelessly borrowed from BellaDia, I have decided to do the Encyclopedia of Me meme. Today I start with the letter A, and progress through the alphabet until I get to Z day by day. Hopefully I will be able to post everyday, although on the days I work my posts will be latelatelate.

apples: biting into an apple on a crisp fall morning watching the leaves change

altitude: that feeling you get standing on the ridge of a mountain before you push off down the slope

alpaca: comfy shawls that wrap you in softness

activity: be it snowboarding, rock climbing, dancing all night at an exchange, surfing...my life is filled to overflowing with activity

athletic: why, yes I am!

Anderson Cooper: mmmm...makes silver hair sexy

adaptable

a good friend

academic

Ashley D Ingram

Pictures....

2007-07-31T11:29:00.000-05:00

using my Gothic Rose Swing Bag,

spinning with my new Cascade Little Si,

knitting on my Retro-Redux,

reminising about my Saturday Sky.

What a month it has been

2007-07-23T17:24:00.000-05:00

So July has turned out to be one heck of a month. Between exhausting myself at work, and searching for a new job, I have not been blogging like I have wanted to. Granted, I have kept up with all of you, (NotScarlett...Stamp!) and have missed all of the crafty-talk we share

I started and finished the Swing Bag by Amy Butler in my favorite Gothic Rose (photo to come Thursday, when I get my camera connector back!) I love this pattern, and have gotten more compliments on this bag than on any of my store-bought handbags. I an so ready to tackle the Cabo Halter I stashed away in my fabric drawer. I also am planning a quilt, but I am very intimidated by the prospect at this juncture in time. I don't know why I am so scared to start this quilt. Meh, we shall see who triumphs!

On the knitting front, I have started the Retro Redux Shrug from Lace Style. I lovelovelove my yarn choice. Cascade "cloud 9" is soft, a bit fuzzy, and feels so wonderful against the skin. I am reminded of one of my favorite sweater I wore in high school. I had this angora cardigan made out of forest green yarn. I would wear this sweater everyday if I could, and one of my classmates, Stopher Harrison, would call it my "fuzzy green gorilla sweater". Why? Who the heck knows, but I think he thought I would take offence. Sorry Stophy, never happened. Even back then I could appreciate the naming of knits. :)
I have also started on the Puffed-Sleeved Cardigan from Fitted Knits (which you can buy together with Lace style for $32.10 USD!!!!!!!!) I am using Cascade 220 in a beautiful red-burgundy-claret color. In fact, I am calling this my Claret Cardigan. I kicked some cardigan ass while watching Pride and Prejudice (A&E version) but I screwed up somewhere in my stitch count. I noticed the error somewhere in the sleeve increases, and after flinging it across my living room, I just need to riiiip back to the start of the stockingette portion and go from there. Arrgh!

Pictures, once again, to come when I get my camera connector back, I left it over at a friends house.

Happy crafting!

tooo...tired...to......

2007-07-13T21:07:00.000-05:00

Lots to say. No energy to say it. Work has sucked the life out of me. More work tomorrow...must sleep...will blog Sunday. Or Monday. Whatever day I don't work this week.
Must...log off...computer.

Sleep good. Ashley sleep now. Sentences too hard. Must find new job............

Yarn Ahoy!!!!

2007-06-15T20:15:00.000-05:00

I just signed up for Yarn Pirate's Booty Club! I am such a joiner, but I HAD to. I declined to sign up for Blue Moon's Rockin Sock Club 2 after saving myself a slot, and I really regret it. And, I get lovely sock yarn in the mail. The selection of sock yarn in town is not the best, so what better than to have it dropped at your front door?

I finished the minisweater, FO photos to come at a late date, after this weekend of servitude in the hospital. I am already looking around for another sweater project! This time, no cotton yarn!

Have a fun weekend, and think of me, locked away on the nursing ward of doomy-doom-doom.

MS 3

2007-06-14T15:58:00.000-05:00

I just signed up for the Mystery Stole 3 , so should you! The group closes to new members on July 6th, so be sure to head over there and join the fun.

Finishing up the minisweater...more to come.

Knitbloggers are the best!

2007-06-12T11:50:00.000-05:00

Why I love etsy:

These lovelies came from the delightful doggedknits's esty store: aeshannon.etsy.com

I cannot say enough about Ashley! She is a great seller. I ordered this adorable wristlet from Ashley, unknowingly while she was on vacation. Not only did she make me a whole new wristlet while at her family's, but she even included a Good Soapworks of Athens ginger citrus hand cream!!! I have been drooling over Megan's soaps and creams for some time, and now I have a tub of my very own! Many, many thanks, Ashley. I have been wearing my new wristlet everywhere, and all of my fashionista friends are eaten up with handbag-lust!

I have been knitting on my minisweater, and working a few rows of my Roza socks during my lunch breaks at work. I also have a curtain and pillows in the planning stages, and maybe a quilt...perhaps. I am waiting on an order from the Fat Quarters Shop to get here before I go further. I am still looking for leather for straps for my handbags I am working on, but I have not found a source yet! See a previous post for a heartfelt plead!! Help!

Gotta go soak in the tub now, my poison ivy rash is screaming for oatmeal bath!! Later!

One sock down...

2007-06-06T10:55:00.001-05:00

and one more to go. My first ever sock is off the needles and kitchenered (badly, oops!). I finished off the first of the Desert Sunrise socks on the trip up to Kentucky, but the sun finally came out today for the photo shoot. I learned a lot from this sock. It by no means fits perfectly, and I even kitchenered the toes vertically instead of horizontally (I blame lack of sleep for that one), but all in all I loved it!

Sock knitting HOORAY!! I have a tone of nice sock yarn in the stash. The second Desert Sunrise sock will be knit on the way to the Private Collection in Knoxville at the end of this month. The mindless stockinette makes for good car knitting as I navigate from the passenger seat. Yay for husbands that do the driving so the wifey can knitknitknit to her heart's content!

I have already cast on for Roza's socks from Interweave Knits, and I am loving it! I am using my STR mediumweight in Beryl and size 2 Clover dpns. Love! I knit a few rows at lunch break during my nursing shifts (saves my sanity, it does), and I got a lot accomplished at the Orchid club meeting last night. Although, it kinda ticks me off every meeting when I bring out the knitting and every asks if i am pregnant. Hello...I am working on an adult-sized sock. No baby here. But, they really do mean well, and I am the only member of the club of child-bearing age. Hee. The president this year, Jim, was telling me that he always knew when his wife Pam was pregnant because, "I would see her crocheting baby blankets" So I guess he just flashes back to those times.

Speaking of orchids, my Equitant Tolumnia "Galveston Bay" is blooming. All of the members last night made me promise to show it next year at the Show. Pretty cool! It is a very nice plant. It is also the first of my orchids that I got to rebloom! Every year it gets bigger and bigger. Jim thinks I could get an AOS next year.

The flowers: (there is a good reason they call these Dancing Ladies!!)

The whole plant:

Have a great summer day!

In Stitches...

2007-06-05T12:39:00.000-05:00

Hi ya'll. I am planning on making the leather-handled shoulder bag form Amy Butler's In Stitches. I have searched my hometown for the leather needed, but I am going to have to go online . Not that I have a problem shopping online. :)

Have any of you made this bag, and if you used leather, where did you purchase it? I have used our great, glorious Leader Google, but I really have not found a site I feel I can trust yet. Any good sites you can lead me too? Or, if you didn't use the leather, how did you substitute?

Many thanks to you wonderfully crafty bloggers out there!

Swap sadness

2007-06-01T13:02:00.001-05:00

I signed up for my first swap. I had so much fun picking out surprises for my partner. I merrily sent off my package, and waited for the person who got me to send me a package. Well, it is now officially June, and I have not heard anything from my person. My sender doesn't have a blog, so I don't know if she was having family issues, and I haven't gotten an email/teaser/sorry I flaky/anything. :(
I am not that upset about not receiving anything, for me the whole point was to make someone else happy. But I am a little peeved knowing my sender got a package, and didn't make an effort to send one out.

Does this happen a lot in swaps? I am kinda wary of signing up for another one is this is the norm.

Kentucky

2007-05-29T09:38:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a fun trip:)

My darling SiL Sarah graduated with multiple honors: Cardinal Scholar, Kentucky Scholar, Governor's Scholar, and her gown was so colorful with all of the club/organization cords she had. I took her to Magpie Yarns, but although it was a beautiful store, it really wasn't what I imagined. pretty much it was the run of the mill yarns every LYS has, minus any spinning supplies. I was tempted by the Brittany needles, but the only interesting yarn was the Claudia Handpaint. Everything else I can get for the same price at Unwind, or on the Net. I ended up getting her some baby cashmere in a fab hunter green and some dpns to make her first hat.

Amy, the older SiL, loved her drawstring pouch and BSA alpaca&silk. In fact, she used the bag as a purse the entire time we were there!!!! :) I felt so good that she liked it, and I plan on making more goodies for my new sisters in the future.

On Friday Phillip and I taught Swing/Lindy hop at Sarah's project graduation. It was pretty fun, and I got to see Sarah with her high school buddies. She was so proud to show off her big brother, and I was so proud of her and her friends.
We didn't get to go caving on Saturday. We had to make it to church at 5:30 and we could not have been able to wash the cave-funk off of us in time, so we took Sarah to the stores and to see Pirates of the Caribbean: The End of the World. Not too bad, better than Dead Man's Chest, but not as good as the original. Sarah wore the Pirate-themed Threadless shirt I gave her. We went to church, and then took our cousins M and O to college park to play on the slack line. A good tie was had by all, and M learned a valuable lesson: if you ask cousin Phillip to spin you on the tire swing endlessly, he will do it. She learned a lesson "Some adults will do what is good for you, and some adults will do just as you ask them too. Make sure you know what you are asking them to do" Thankfully, she did not barf in my car on the drive back to JoJo's (the grandmother). And M promises she won't ever spin around that much again. (My hubby is a jerk, I know. He pulls the same 'life lesson' crap with me, too.)

Sunday we took his parents MaryAnn and Perry, along with Sarah to the Red River Gorge for some climbing. We tackled a 5.7 bolted climb, and stayed there the whole day. I wish we could have gone out there for longer. I reached my second wind after we left for the day. I lovelove love climbing! I would go every weekend! Perhaps one day....

In crafty news, in case you made it this far:
I finished my first sock!!!!! The first of the Desert Sunrise socks happily awaits it's mate. I learned a lot from this first sock, and I have a feeling the second sock will be far better than the original, but WHO CARES!!!?!?! I finished a sock! Yay for 10 hr car drives where my darling husband drives the whole time, and I get to knitknitknit until I make myself car sick going through Jellico Mt.

Pictures to come after my camera battery charges enough to let me download my photos.

Tata for now, I must unpack and do laundry. Happy crafting!!

2007-05-28T17:37:00.000-05:00

I have been tagged! Here it goes:

The rules: Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those who are tagged need to write on their own blog those 7 facts as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven other people and list their names on your blog. Then you leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog.

1. I was hit in the shoulder by a javelin in high school. I was told that I would have died on the spot if I wasn't so strong in my shoulder muscles from swimming.

2. If I bite into something in my food, I immediately get sick. No if, ands or buts! Instantanous barfing.

3. I cried at the movie Casper when he became a real boy for an instant. In front of the swim team 9-12 yr old girl I took to see the movie. Oh, and wanted to smooch Casper, what a hottie!!

4. I used to be afraid of heights, but Phillip has broken me of that. Now I crave going up high. On mountains. Not in airplanes that people want me to jump out of. That is for CrazyPeople.

5. I was an Archaeology student in my old life. Loved it, should have stayed in it, but I think I was meant to be a nurse. Or a nurse who has a super-archaeologist alter-ego. I miss my poor Moche sometimes. I bust out the old Fagan for some good reads....

6. I used to make jewelry, and once had two offers from different shops to sell my work. I never took them up on it.

7. I am addicted to lip balm and have about 5 different ones in my handbag at all times. And what by chance do I actually use on my lips? JASON Organics Shea Nut Butter. Figures.

Wow, easier than I thought. everyone I know has currently been tagged, so I tag all of you!! Go to it girlies, and let me know when you post!!

My second F.O. (sewing, that is)

2007-05-23T22:06:00.000-05:00

My SiL Amy is unable to do the yarn crawl with us on Friday, so I made her a consolation prize:

A drawstring pouch containing two skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca Alpaca and Silk, and an easy shawl pattern from my LYS printed on a nice notecard by the shop. I love how easy the pouch was, and I really want to make myself one with handles for a cute handbag! In fact, I am planning it!

Ok, we have to get up super-duper early in the morning, and my husband can't sleep if I am not in bed. Ahem.

Good night, friends.

Lookie what I did!!

2007-05-18T21:39:00.000-05:00

Made out of this:

5.95$ roving dyed by Sarah at Unwind, and a basic, not really pretty spindle. Oh, God..so addicting! I want another, prettier one!! And another, and another, and MORE ROVING!!!

Oh, man. I'm in deep!

To dye, or not to dye.

2007-05-17T21:38:00.001-05:00

So, hokay. Here we go. I want to dye yarn. I have a spare crockpot left over from the wedding, and I think I would enjoy dying. Is an end-all, be-all tutorial of dying? A book or magazine I should read? A particular post of a kind soul I can be directed to?
Thanks!
*cross-posted 'round the intarwebs*

Lovely, lovely day...

2007-05-17T18:10:00.000-05:00

...spent knitting on the patio scaring the birds, enjoying the slightly shade in the roof overhang, listening to the new Lime&Violet, drinking coffee with heavy cream and vanilla extract, rejoicing when the love of my life shows up and puts out the slackline, kicking the slackline's butt, doing pull-ups in preparation for rock-climbing at the Red River Gorge, finding junky clothes for caving, eating yummy pasta and meat sauce, new sale pants from anthro.

I'll be here next week:

Berea, Kentucky, rock outcrop at the Pinnacle

Red River Gorge, Kentucky, premier climbing area in the mid-atlantic!!

ETA:

add sitting on my patio drinking Merlot while knitting with my husband, listening to the birds chirp, feeling the cool breeze, releasing the husband to go back inside because he doesn't care for sitting outside at dusk.

Whew!

2007-05-16T08:42:00.000-05:00

What a week. Work has been kicking my ass. I have come home every night so far and gone straight to bed. No reading, no knitting, no snuggling with the Husband. it hasn't been too horrendous, but steady through the day, no time really for a break. I have the next few days off, before I work the entire weekend, so I am taking my time for myself and the house. Knitting, sewing, perhaps a little cleaning. Tonight is Sit n' Stitch at Unwind. I am sooo there. I will be wearing my new Georgia tee and working on a few projects. I am thinking about looking at a few spindles and "practice roving" tonight, and seeing if they carry the yarn for the Ogee Lace Wrap
and maybe price the yarn for the yoga bag/bottle bag. the bottle bag intrigues me a tiny bit more. My precious Nalgene get no respect, and a lacy home for it could work.

I have some Fat quarters coming in from one of my new favorite etsy shops: Starlit Nest. I went ahead and purchased some Amy Butler and Freshcut by Heather Bailey. The Quilt Corner in Pensacola only had three Amy Butler fabrics, and I wanted a backup incase the Sewing Center in Ft Walton Beach didn't have very many either. I am planning on making the drawstring bag from In Stitches, and a patchwork tote loosely based on one of the pillows in the same book. I really want to make some pillows and a shower-curtain (you'll see!) from her fabrics, but I really want to touch them in person, not just drool over the internet. Hopefully the Sewing Center will have oodles of Amy Butler in stock, just waiting for me to go nuts!

I'm off...hopefully some photos next time!
-Ash-

It arrived!

2007-05-08T10:09:00.000-05:00

Socks That Rock! in Nodding Violet and Beryl. I have no plan for these, I just had to drop them into my cart and click BUY. *sigh* I am putting off winding them into balls, hoping that will motivate me to clear off some of the UFOs lurking in my basket.

More later! I am off to clean and organize. The garbage disposal is emitting funkadasious odors and I need to consult Heloise.

-Ash-

insert ~squee~ here

2007-05-01T11:31:00.000-05:00

Want some of your own? Clicky-clicky!! Just done go and buy it all out from under me. ;)
Now all I need is to buy a spindle and figure out how to turn this into yarn. ;) Sit and Stitch May 16th, here I come!

Tonight if the Greater Pensacola Orchid Society meeting. We will have a guest speaker and Phal. sale. Hoo-boy, I need to *forget* my checkbook at home. Or not, depending on how you look at it. ;) I am kinda bummed about the timing (only my luck, wouldn't you have it) since tonight is the 1st Blues on the Beach out on Pensacola Beach. All of my buddies and The Husband are going. But I simply cannot punk out on Mom tonight. She has been looking forward to Orchid club for a couple of weeks. meh...there are plenty of BotB, and Phillip can't really complain since he missed every single one last summer in favor of Ultimate Frisbee. So there! :P ;)

Recent discovery: brown free-range eggs are yum! As is Organic milk. I am anticipating brown egg and our homegrown tomato sandwiches in the very near future. I just have to keep the bird feeder fell stocked so they leave my little 'maters alone. I am really getting into the whole organic movement, I have been feeling healthier and my skin has been improving. Now to find Rosewater and Jason Organics shampoo/conditioner in town. It feels so good to be reverting back to my greeen roots.

Back to work tomorrow and Thursday, but I am off this weekend! Which will be nice, since I have to work almost all of the Saturdays of this month so I can be off for DSiL's HS graduation up in Kentucky. We are going to go CAVING!!! And perhaps a little jaunt to Wild and Woolly in Lexington, hmmm??? maybe a trip to the Red River Gorge for some climbing action? Phillip already promised to visit his old college swim coach to get heirloom seeds. Maybe I can get him to take me back to that yummy pizza/pasta place in Berea also.

Must resist spending until the trip! Good thing I have my BMFA STR arriving any day now! Yay! for Nodding Violet and Beryl! I just have to figure out what to make that isn't another yummy chevron scarf. Socks, maybe? I need to think on that. Crapmonkeys! I need to get a spindle....ah, well, I don't put in tons of soul-sucking time at the hospital for nothing!

Off to go play on the Lime & Violet MoDDD , (while slogging away on the minisweater, and doing laundry! Duh!)
-Ash-

Plugging away

2007-04-30T17:36:00.000-05:00

Still here, busy with work-craziness. I am savoring the chev and the minisweater. Each moment of knitting is a moment I am not stressed about work. Ahhh...

So this weekend I am planning a sewing frenzy after the Dance we are attending on Saturday Night. This dance could mean big things for me and the Hubs. The dance ('sock-hop' *cringe*) is being held by CenterStage, a dance studio here in town we are thinging about working with to create a monthly dance in Pensacola with. We also want to start to provide workshops by Lindy Instructors from all over the country, and a good working relationship with CenterStage could be the venue we have been looking for. To be able to provide workshop space so we can have the instructors we want teaching in the area....a dream I just recently discovered. So we'll have to see how it goes this weekend, it might all be a bust. But you see, I am evil, and have another venue I thought about today! Craziness!!

So this isn't a text only post, I leave you with a picture of the sweet viola plantlet that opened up this morning, and my new fuschia I found at Wally-World:

Oh, yeah!! I have Jury Duty next week*sigh*, so expect some Seriously big progress on my WIPS.

Talk to you later, Chickadees

Gotta love car trips

2007-04-27T10:57:00.000-05:00

Last week my husband, friend Kim and I drove to Atlanta, Ga for the Atlanta Lindy Exchange. Four days of non-stop dancing. My feet are still tired, but man-o-man was it worth it! My husband deserved kudos for driving the whole way, with allowed me to knit in the car until the daylight failed me. I made some serious progress in the chevron scarf. No knitting in the minisweater (yes, I know I was going to wear it in ATL, but my circ cable was too short, and my LYS was out of the size I needed!) but I went to the LYS when we returned and bought a Lantern Moon rosewood circ. So warm and slippy. I am sloggin through, and hopefully will be done soon. I am itching for a FO to post.

My delightful LYS, Unwind is starting to hold Sit and Stitch Night. The next one I can make is May 16th. By that time, my roving from bethbrown.etsy.com hopefully will have arrived. YAY! I want to learn to spin so much. Now, to start with a drop spindle or the wheel....:) I am thinking I can buy a small bag of roving at Unwind to play with at Sit n Stitch, and have the lovely Sarah show me a spindle and the wheel. That way, I can make an informed decision prior to letting my wallet do the thinkin! I am looking forward to this. I have been hoping to spin yarn for some time now.

My girly-friend Rebecca will be coming over next week to help me put together my sewing/craft room. She is also teaching me how to sew with my sewing machine. I have gathered some cute fabric, thread, and notions (visit my flickr for the goods) and am ready to dive into the fabric arts world. Hurrah for crafty friends willing to pass on their addictions to others! (Never fear, I gave Becca orchids, and she almost now has more than me!!)

Until next time...

Ideas?

2007-04-17T18:22:00.000-05:00

I am in love with a few of the multi-colored varigated yarns on Blue Moon's site, and i need a few ideas as to what I can make with them (other than the Chevron Scarf).

Anyone out there have any ideas for an advanced beginner??

-Ash-

WIP

2007-04-13T12:12:00.000-05:00

Last night during Grey's Anatomy Girl's Night at my friends Leslie's house, I made some pretty nice progress on my Minisweater and my LMKG Chevron Scarf. Today the sun was shining and I took the handknits outside for a little photoshoot. Pardon the newbie-ness. :)

Ahhh...love those colors together. I cannot believe how much I am loving this project. I have to force myself to put it aside and work on my Minisweater, which I hope to finish within the next week. Zoink!

Sorry about the crappy shot, but my stitches are squished on my circ, and I don't have time to go to the LYS for a circ with a longer cable. And I would scavenge the longest cable off of the project currently holding it hostage, but it is my car knit (simple garter stitch shawl) and I have a 7-hour car trip to the ATL next weekend!!

Thanks for taking a photobreak with me! See you soon.
-Ash-

Ommmmmm

2007-04-12T23:24:00.000-05:00

Tommorrow, I go to yoga. heaven help us all, I will get stress reilief, peacefulness, oneness with the !@$#@da*n universe, and I will have a mat to knit a cozy for.

I demand inner peace! (puleeease?)

April brings out the enviro-girl in me...

2007-04-12T10:32:00.000-05:00

Aveda is offering a Pure Priviliges rewards club. Check it out. Earning products and supporting sustainable products at the same time? Wonderful.

Also, check out Sew Green. These wonderful blogging women are dedicated to helping us become a little more aware of the world, and the options that surround us.

I'm trying to do my part: growing salad greens and tomatoes in my backyard, buying enviromentally conscious products like pesticide-free rice and milk, cleansing products from Seventh Generation, using my dishwasher to dry on the racks instead of using the heated dry option, opening my blinds and keeping the overhead lights off during the day, and using my beloved Hints From Heloise to keep my home running smoothly.

Hope some of these tips help! I'll try to do a sustainable craft post soon....

-Ash-

New blog/ old blog

2007-04-09T12:04:00.000-05:00

Hi! Long time no read. I am attempting to resusitate my blog from the cavernous depths of Blogger's stomach.

Stay tuned for updates and new posts on all things crafty in my life.

Welcome back!