Monday, April 27, 2009

How Do Ya Like The New Look?

My blog looks different. Heehee! See that 'yarn pixie' in the banner up there? I drew that!!! Do you believe it?!?! I had no idea I could draw something so cute!

I was gonna blog today, but I took too long redesigning my page... sorry kids... next time.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Friday Fill-In!

1. Apparently there's some sort of stupid pill that 90% of drivers are taking.

2. Golly, I love a sunny day.

3. 2009 is pretty hectic so far.

4. I had only two Oreos yesterday, that was it.

5. For too long I've been putting off being really serious about getting healthy.

6. I am not obsessed with knitting, crocheting and yarn; I am not!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to cutting fabric for wedding centerpiece mats, finishing Ryn's tiny ami bunny and SLEEPING.

Tomorrow my plans include riding with Honey Pie to Mom and Dad's so he and my Dad can go get suits and hopefully meeting up with my Aunt Patty to pick her brain about (and maybe enlist her help for) flower arranging and other decorations. Also, I plan to make my yummy chicken salad for Stu. He swoons over my chicken salad. =D I went out to lunch for Admin. Day at work, told him about my half a chicken salad sandwich I'd bring him, then forgot it. I felt so bad. He said I could make it up by making him some of my chicken salad this weekend. ...AND if I'm feeling really ambitious, I'll practice some fondant...which I never got to last weekend.

Sunday, I want to RELAX! All day. But, we have plans to look for a place to live again. But, I hope to enjoy a nice shoulder/back massage from my honey before bed too. It's a deal we made to keep us motivated to exercise.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

In Your Basket Coaster - Free Crochet Pattern


In Your Basket Coaster
April's themed coaster for my niece, Danika.


Materials:

Worsted weight yarn
H hook
yarn needle for weaving in ends

Basket:

Row 1 - With basket color, ch 14, sc in 2nd ch form hook, sc to end, ch 1, turn.

Row 2 - (optional - change colors as desired in this row) 13 sc, finish off, weave in ends.

(bottom of basket)

Row 1 - Attach basket color w/ a ss to 5th sc in from right, on the row just worked, sk 1 sc, 5 dc in the next sc, sk 1 sc, ss in next sc, ch 1, sk 1 sc, ss in next sc, turn.

Row 2 - 2 dc in ea dc along curve, sk a sc on foundation row of shells, ss in next sc (as seen below--)

100_4956

100_4957


--ch 1, sk next sc in foundation row, ss in last sc of foundation, turn.

Row 3 - 2 dc in ea dc along curve, ss in last sc of foundation row, finish off, weave in ends.

Handle:

(WS) attach w/ a ss to 3rd sc from right, ch 13, ss to 3rd sc from left, ch 1, sk 1 sc on basket base, ss in next sc, turn.

Row 1 - 2 dc, 1 dc (6 times) in chain, 2 dc in last ch, finish off, weave in ends.

Eggs:

Egg 1 - (RS) Pick a color and attach w/ a ss to the inside corner where the handle and basket meet on the right side, sk 1 st, 5 dc in next sc, sk 1 st, ss to next st, finish off, weave in ends.

Egg 2 - with 2nd color, join w/ a ss to same st first egg was finished in, sk next st, 5 dc in next st, ss to inside corner where basket and handle meet, finish off, weave in ends.

Egg 3 - with 3rd color, attach with a ss to center dc of 1st egg, sk 1 st, 5 dc in next st AND corresponding stitch on 3gg 2, putting hook through front of both stitches (as seen below--)

100_4959

In Your Basket Coaster


--ss into middle stitch of egg 2, just like the beginning ss on egg 1, finish off, weave in ends.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Very Little Crochet, Lots of Planning

Photo Album and Knit & Crochet Photos updated!

Tiramisu Baby Blanket
I finally got the Tiramisu Baby Blanket done yesterday for my co-worker. I barely got this done in time! She came to visit the office and I was scrambling to thread the damn ribbon on the conference room table before she came downstairs to leave, and I just finished up RIGHT before she came down. Good thing I work for a cool place that let's me do stuff like that on very rare occassion while working. ;) It was a surprise and she loved it. I even got a hug. =D

Love this look, but threading the ribbon is a pain! Maybe it was too thick, it just kept folding.

That picture just doesn't do the colors justice-- a sharp pastel pink and a warm milk chocolate brown.

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I went shopping for wedding stuff with my sisters Jen and Ashley, and Jen's daughter Julia and Ashley's daughter Danika. You might already know her as That Baby. [wink]

Shopping for Wedding Stuff
My sister Jen, That Baby and Jen's daughter Julia at Costco.

Shopping for Wedding Stuff
That Baby and her cousin, Julia, play in the shopping cart at Costco.

Shopping for Wedding Stuff
Then, That Baby and I took a trip just the two of us for the first time. We went to Walmart for centerpiece vases for my wedding. I also bought a clear plastic box of silk rose petals in shades of pink and while riding in the shopping cart seat, Danika "helped hold it" by banging on it and smooshing it, causing a petal or two to come hanging out of the side of the lid.

I had a lot of fun though. Shopping with a baby is a bit more challenging and takes a bit longer... especially when you have to sit the back seat by the baby in the car seat and wash milk from the bottle she was drinking in the store off her face before leaving. It wasn't that bad though, I really think I could do this baby mama thing.

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Me & My New Jammies!
Now I have jammies to match my DOTS flip flops. =P

I actually took this pic to remember how cute my hair turned out today. I love pin curls, but they take SO long to dry. I drove 45 minutes to my mom's with them in and they were still wet.

New Jammies!
Here's the top...

New Jammies!
...and the bottoms. Oh, look! A tattoo! =P

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We also got the wedding invitations done last night and I got them to the post office this morning!

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Well, I think I'm off to maybe work on April's themed coaster, I'm a bit behind on that one. [looks at the computer calendar] Yikes, a lot behind. But, hey... I'm planning a wedding, I have an excuse. On second thought, I might just work on something mindless. I'm tired, but don't wanna go to bed yet.


G'nite!

Now Playing:
Bewitched
Witch or Wife

Friday, April 17, 2009

Friday Fill-In!

1. Join me in rejoicing, for there are marshmallows in the sky today.

2. Put a little love in your day!

3. Happiness is something you make.

4. I wanna be dazed and confused.

5. I'm waiting for the day when everything will finally fall into place.

6. Sometimes sweets are hard to resist.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to stuffing wedding invitations with Stu and then relaxing and hopefully getting rid of the (muscle?) pain that I've in my neck for almost three days now by way of icing, tomorrow my plans include trying out fondant for the first time. I found two different recipes that I'd like to practice for future baking and Sunday, I want to knit and watch movies, of course!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Hork 'N' Crochet

Photo Album and Knit & Crochet Photos updated!

So, I was up at 3 AM this morning horking my guts out. Blech. Musta been the corn dog I had at Lagoon yesterday. [shivers] Anyway, I wasn't doing a whole lot better this morning either. So, I stayed home from work and got some needed rest. Then, after my breakfast of a slice of dry wheat toast and half a banana (we do the BRAT or BART diet in this house when you're stomach won't hold anything else... bananas, rice, applesauce and toast), I layed in the bed on put on a Three's Company DVD and my fingers got to itching. So, you guessed it, I picked up the yarn and crocheted... on my back, elbows on the bed. I got quite a bit done...

Tiramisu Baby Blanket
I got the Tiramisu Baby Blanket for my co-worker nearly finished. I would have too, had it not been for running out of the brown yarn for the edging and the fact that the Walmart here doesn't carry Wintuk. Curse them! I even have the ribbon ready! I'll just have to grab the same yarn I have at my parents' tomorrow.

Diagonal Knit Baby Blanket
I got all the ends woven in on the diagonal baby blanket that is for the first child that Stu and I have. He bought the yarn for my for my 28th birthday with the same intention that I used it for. And 3 birthdays later [blush], it's finally an FO. Good thing too, we're getting married in a couple months. It did sit waiting for end weaving for a while though... so really it's been done before now. And Stu knitted a row on this one! It's the one just above my thumb nail...

Diagonal Knit Baby Blanket

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Tiny Ami Cat
I also finished Ryn's Tiny Ami Cat.

Tiny Ami Cat
Complete with tail. He was just a head with only a face for several weeks. Poor thing. I try to do one of these a week, usually Sunday night, for Ryn, to build a collection for her from the Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet book that my younger sister, Ashley, got me for Christmas. Unfortunately, the cat got pushed back for the Tiramisu Baby Blanket for a few weeks. But, today, finally, I became wracked with guilt enough to get the kitty done. I usually put the tiny ami in Ryn's bathroom drawer so she finds it in the morning, but I finished it before bed and couldn't wait to give it to her. She was excited. Heehee.

Tiny Ami Cat
(I know it's a blurry picture, but it's so cute!)
Oh, and thanks for the book, Sisser, I'm having a blast making these tiny animals... 'cept for the fiddly tiny parts, like the limbs and ears, oy! Haha!


Well, that's been my day. I'm feeling better(ish) and will be going back to work tomorrow. [sigh] Hopefully, I can get a little bit more done on another hibernating project before bed and feel really good about myself!

Oh yeah, and we finished registering for our wedding, so we can get invitations done now, booya!

G'nite!

Now Playing:
The Sign
by Ace of Base

(Whoooooo! Let's hear it for high school memories! Whoohaaaa!)

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Ahhhhhhhh!

That's what I did most of the afternoon. But, it wasn't a bad thing. Stu, Ryn and I all went to Lagoon today. We got season passes for the summer and I gotta tell ya, amusement park on Easter Sunday, is rad... no lines whatsoever! Just to the left is The Wicked (stats). That's right baby, you're actually launched 110 ft., straight up, then you fall straight back down. We went on lots of other rides too, just mostly the big scary ones. We had a blast! Well, minus the fact that I got a tiny dizzy and nauseous during two consecutive rides. But, then I ate a big fat piece of rich chocolate cake with layers of mousse, let out a couple of burps and started feeling better. Pffft. Heehee. Stu also bumped his head pretty good a few times on The Wicked seat head support and it gave him a headache. He stopped riding then, but it's okay because Ryn and I just went on 3 more rides right next door to each other and we were done. My throat feels like I've just been to a rock concert from all the screaming and I probably won't have a voice tomorrow because of it. But, I love screaming, makes the rides more fun... and that insanely crazy screaming of mine makes my honey laugh hysterically while he's sitting next to me.

Now Playing:
Little Heaven
by Toad The Wet Sprocket

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Gimme, Gimme Yarn!


Photo Album updated!

Look Mom, I Have Teeth!
That Baby's got two bottom teefers, yay!...
(Clickable for better view of teefers.)

...and thinks that sunglasses are hilarious.

That Baby Thinks Sunglasses Are Hilarious!
This is my current favorite picture of her... it just doesn't get any cuter.

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Thursday Night Entertainment
Ryn and I ended up watching the wax melt in my brand new Scentsy warmer... then we laughed at ourselves for it. www.scentsy.net/

Thursday Night Entertainment
Ooh, her's pretty, huh? I LOVE this thing. Sheer Safron is my favorite. It reminds me of those herbal/spiritual/new age/witchy/hippie shops that smell like sage or patchouli. I used to visit them all the time.

Thursday Night Entertainment

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The Saturday Play By Play

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So, my day started with the tribe going to the laundromat and getting laundry started. Stu and Ryn then left me there to go get grocery shopping done. There were three people immedately near me dozing while they're clothes went round and round in the machines. I was crocheting, of course, and thinking, "What a waste of time to sleep at the laundromat when you could be knitting or crocheting." Go figure, a yarn addict thinking something like that.

Oh, and let's not forget the dude on his cell phone... on speakerphone... talking about salt water cockroaches and how he doesn't have time to babysit some retard... I'm assuming at his job. That was annoying. I couldn't hear my laundry mates snoring. And we all know how relaxing that is for me, being that I listen to it through the night with Stu all the time. (Love you babe!)

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Then I met up with the SLC Stitchers gals for a sale at Soul Spun Yarn! Yay!

Girls from the SLC Stitchers @ the Soul Spun Sale
Rifling through some pattern books.

Too... Much... Pink... Can't... Decide...
Too... Much... Pink... Can't... Decide...

This is my first time ever going into a real yarn shop and actually feeling okay about buying high priced yarn... but probably only because it was all 30-50% off.

I'm also sporting my "Crazy Cat Lady" hair today. This is what Stu calls my hair when I don't persuade it to go either straight or curly. I was cursed... er, blessed with chunks of both curly and straight. Isn't it so prettyly frizzy-- I mean, fluffy? Just like baby chick down... aww. Pffft.

Oh! And I wore my "I ♥ my gamer" shirt that Stu bought me from J!NX (gaming merchandise). He plays with Mr. J!NX himself (and the crew) on World of Warcraft! Oofmygosh! I just stumbled across this awesome shirt there! [To Stu] Honey!...We gotta get this... [trails off]

Girls from the SLC Stitchers @ the Soul Spun Sale
All four regulars from the SLC Stitchers Thursday night knit group were in attendance for today's event.
(L to R) Me, Jennifer, Michelle and Peachy.

Girls from the SLC Stitchers @ the Soul Spun Sale
Peachy (left) and Michelle. (I guess candids were too scary, everyone kept posing with yarn.) =P

Soul Spun Loft
This shop looks like it's basically an old house from the 30s or 40s turned into a store. This loft was awesome! (There's Peachy, checking out the Baby Bobbi Bear pattern that I buy soon after this picture was taken. Teehee.)

So Cupcake!
After the sale, Michelle and Jennifer had to get back home, but Peachy and I headed next door for a hot chocolate and straight chai tea from So Cupcake.

So Cupcake!
This little cupcake place is hands down, THEE cutest ever! Too bad they were outta cupcakes for the day... well, maybe it's a good thing, I have a wedding dress to fit into soon.

So Cupcake!

The guy that took our order (and the girl washing dishes behind him, both) thought it was very weird that I ordered chai with no milk and said they never heard of anyone ordering chai that way. It's really yummy and taking out the milk could save you a couple hundred calories and (in most cases) will bring your drink down to under 50 calories.

Latte = milk in Italian. Betcha' didn't know that, huh? Haha. Oh, you did? ...well, please, can't I have just this one "I'm so smart" moment with my readers? Please, pretty please? (So, yeah, this paragraph used to say that latte = milk in French. But, then I looked it up. I believe in being accurate with what I say and for some reason felt inclined to double check. I sure don't remember my high school French very well. I really don't deserve that "I'm so smart" moment after all.)

Anyway... back on track here. Next time you want to order a chai latte or even just a chai (lots of coffee shops seem to call chai lattes just chai nowadays too), ask for a hot (or iced) chai, no milk. If it's too strong, you can ask them to add water instead of milk. Be forewarned, they will look at you like you just ordered in Japanese or something. But, I happen to think it's well worth the "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout Willis" look you'll get and it's the most tasty, low calorie, coffee shop treat there is.

Then I came home and rubbed my new yarn all over my body and chanted in gratitude to the yarn Gods...

Not really, but I did show Stu and Ryn and took a picture for you...

I Got Sunshine In A Bag
We each set a limit for ourselves and everyone stayed under, 'cept me. I went 20 cents over. >.< That's okay though, the girls forgave me. XD

(Clockwise from pattern) Blue Sky Alpaca Baby Bobbi Bear pattern (I've been waiting to justify buying this pattern for SO long, but it's hard to pass up when it's staring you in the face, in real life... for 30% off), Berroco Softy (so yummily soft!), Phildar Midland and (my splurge) Jojoland Melody Superwash. Stu actually really liked the Jojoland Melody... and wanted me to make him a robe with it, haha. Don't worry, he was joking, he knows that I would need WAY more yarn than one ball.

Wee, what fun we had!

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Oh and then I painted my nails...

My Nail Art
A Mauvey Peach with black embellishments. I'm not exactly sure what I was going for here, but it looks a bit Asian or Boroque inspired, pretty.

I also started taking a biotin supplement on April 2nd for my nails (taking that and my multivitamin religiously every day now). I've seen many a person online raving about what biotin will do for your nails. I just can't seem to keep them from spliting or breaking before they even get long anymore. It's unnerving. I miss my long nails. They say it usually takes a good month to even tell a difference. And of course, you have to consider how long it will take for the biotin affected new nail to even reach the end of the nail bed. Here's hoping for the best.

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Oh! And I'm still pluggin' away at the Tiramisu Baby Blanket. Almost...got...it...(reaching for the "FO stars", straining) Uuuugggghhhhh!

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This Week's "Thanks A Ton Lover Buns":
Stu left what he was doing in his game last night to tickle my back as I fell asleep, my favey. Thanks, babe! Love you!

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Okay, we're all caught up now. Ahhh, doesn't that feel good?

Now Playing:
Decode
by Paramore

Friday, April 10, 2009

Friday Fill-In!

1. Anonymous...quit your belly aching. I'd like to see you come up with one of these every week and not have a few that "suck royally", as you say.

2. Life is a wonderful thing... if you make it wonderful.

3. Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for I love grapes. =P

4. Sitting on the porch with a cup of tea on Sunday morning is what I look forward to most about Spring.

5. Who needs therapy when you having knitting!

6. Peeps MUST go into the Easter Basket!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to once again deluding myself into thinking that I actually have a chance at getting the Tiramisu blanket that I've been working on forever done tonight (oh and maybe a hot bath before bed... I love my hot baths before bed), tomorrow my plans include laundry, grocery shopping and a going out of business sale @ the Soul Spun LYS with the SNB girls and Sunday, I want to have fun at Lagoon! We got season passes and are planning on going Sunday!

Friday, April 3, 2009

Ugg!

Photo Album updated!

Pacific Veggie Pizza
We had this fantastic (for Domino's) thin crust Pacific Veggie pizza for dinner tonight. It's got spinach, tomatoes, red pepper, onions, mushrooms and olives with mozzerella, provolone and feta cheeses. It's no Rock Creek Pizza California Garlic Vegetarian*, like we get at my office, mmm, artichoke hearts. But, yeah, it's pretty good for a fast food pizza chain. I think the thin crust is my favorite now too. It's like pizza on a cracker... it's really interesting.

*California Garlic Vegetarian – White sauce, three cheeses, garlic, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, fresh tomatoes, red onions, scallions and artichoke hearts.

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My niece Danika did something pretty cute last night. I got to my parents' house and she walked to me to say hi and started playing with the top of my shoes. I said, "Hi, Boo-Boo!" She babbled, "Boooo-Boooo!" I repeated what I had said and she did it again. I then said, "Okay, that's just too cute. That's my new name for her."

The Ugg Walk
That Baby walks around in Nana's Ugg boots... she did pretty good, nice and steady and slow. She loved it, so cute!

The Ugg Walk

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Whew, okay, it took me almost an hour to post this... I gotta find a faster way! What with uploading videos and uploading and captioning photos on flickr.com for each post.

I think I'm gonna go take a hot shower and lay down, may not get any crochet done tonight... I could SO fall asleep right now. Long week, ya know?

But I gotta tell ya, I'm sure glad I'm home for the weekend (I stay at mom and dad's 2 nights a week, they're closer to my work), I really missed Stu for the past [almost] two days. Nice to know that even if I do crash out early and wake up missing him, I can always shuffle into the living room for some hugs. ♥


Now Playing:
Roseanne
Ballroom Blitz

Friday Fill-In!

1. Angel or not, I will scratch your eyes out if you piss me off.

2. You can't have me any way you want me.

3. As my mother used to say, you're full of bologna(?).

4. I feel uncomfortable if I don't shower after I'm done working out or doing something strenuous.

5. Even in the most crowded of rooms it can still feel cold.

6. Somewhere in the future is a day fraught with peril.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to sleeping (and loving on my honey), tomorrow my plans include sleeping (and maybe looking for a place to rent) and Sunday, I want to sleep (and finish the Tiramisu blanket I'm working on, plus watch some movies)!