Christmas with family

There are some naughty pic in this post just to warn you. My christmas was pretty good. I had an almost all envelope x-mas gotta love that. Chuckles got me a Coach purse & my dad got me a mini sewing machine, which unfortunately is a piece of crap. I didn't get any more pics of the items I made but I will take pics of the nintendo controller pillow I made chuckles & was a pretty big hit.

So my mom got a gag gift from my dad, she was joking with him about wanting him to fix her up with one of his friends & kept asking about him in a joking manner. So what does my dad do.....Calls chuckles & I and says lets got to Hustler, yes as in Larry Flint. We have a hustler Hollywood about 20mins away since we are so close to Cincy. My family is pretty open about sex but it was cracking me up when we went to look thru the toys & I would say "Hey dad look at this one" guys kept turning around giving me the weirdest looks hehehe

So anyways this is my mom after she got the box open & realized what it was. That blurriness to the pic is 9 smokers in a living room. I'm the only non-smoker it almost killed me. That is my cousin who is the coolest...he's a vietnam vet that just amazes me.

This is my mom inspecting her new boyfriend. yes that is what you think it is.

This is my dad with his gift of a pussy whistle from chuckles. Just so you know my dad doesn't believe in wearing clothes without holes or stains even though he has a whole closet full. OIY

I will posts some pics of the nintendo pillow when I have more time I have been running ragged this week.

New items & The Mist review

I know most of my posts lately have been about my shop, honestly that's about all I have time for outside of x-mas presents. I won't bore you with all of the x-mas items because they are pretty much the same things over & over just in different colors. I am making something really cool for chuckles but cant post pics until after x-mas. Lets just say it's gamer inspired ;)

I listed this hat tonight that was based on a pattern I found online, but changed up a bunch to fit my needs. It's made with 2 strands, 1 of acrylic & 1 of 100% wool that I recycled. I really like it. These hats have been selling really well most sell within a couple days of listing. I really wish I could make them in a shorter time frame so I can list more but my right arm has been killing me. I can barely move it up & back without any pain. I may take some of my x-mas money & indulge in a massage this year.

I also listed some neckwarmers. My first time making them but they came out very warm. I almost want to keep them for myself.

We went to see The Mist last Tues. I haven't read the story in a good 10-15yrs so I can't remember if it matched the book exactly. I do remember in the book they never really saw the monster just the tentacles & in the movie there is more than 1 monster & you get to see them all. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the movie. The last stephen king movie I saw was 1408 which SUCKED big hairy monkey balls. This time I really enjoyed it. Granted it was really sad because of how realistic they made the crazy religious fanatics. Chuckles & I were both like this is why you never stay with a group of people when the shit hits the fan they either get crazy & start trying to kill people or they do something stupid & get people killed just like in zombie movies. When civilization collapses you always just stay in your own little family. Oh & if you aren't a big fan of creepy crawlies or bugs you won't like it. Even I had the willies from all the mega sized bugs. I would def recommend seeing it just be prepared for being a little sad at how selfish & fucked up society is.

The beginning of a handmade christmas

Here are a few of the handmade items I have made as x-mas presents. So far I've started on gift baskets for the "moms". I've been making crochet washcloths & I may make more just to practice different stitches. I got 8 bartowels for 4.99 and cut them in 1/2 to get more out of it and made towl toppers out of fabric I had in my stash. This was my first time trying button holes, very easy. I'm surprised I havent thought about trying them before. I had bought a bunch of dishcloths that I was going to embroider but decided to make boo boo bunnies out of. My soon to be step-mom has her bathroom done in bunnies so I thought she would like them.

I also got a great deal on casserole dishes at Old Time Pottery for $3.99 & found some fabric in the $1 bin at walmart that looks semi-classy that I'm making casserole dishes out of. I may make hot pads if I have enough time.

I also went to the thrift store this week to get some sweaters to recycle for x-mas presents. My MIL said she would wear a calorimetry & told chuckles she would wear a hat if I made her one. She crochets also so it's weird to make something for someone who can do it also. Chuckles said she doesn't do it as well as I do & thinks she secretly likes my work. This is the first completed item a calorimetry done on 10.5 needles with 70 stitches CO.

Etsy items

I've sold $81+ worth of stuff on etsy over the holiday. Man I love black friday madness. So I had to list a couple new item. A pink panta, a slouchy newsboy cap & a mint chocolate chip colored panta. If you are interested check out my shop.

http://www.missmotleys.etsy.com/

I know my blog has been kinda lame lately. I have been making x-mas items, nothing really interesting enough to talk about. I promise more after the holiday season.

Beowulf

Went to see Beowulf tonight. Kinda cheesie but the 3D action was pretty good. A lot of people in the theatre were laughing at parts I'm sure the writer didn't mean to be funny cause it was just corny. They did show a preview for another 3D movie with Brendan Frasier Journey to the center of the earth. I liked the old version so we may check it out, it looked pretty good.

I listed 2 new hats on etsy before we left for the movies & when I got back I had sold 3 items. WOO HOO maybe I can pay a bill or 2. This is the other hat I listed today. It's really soft & very cute I hope someone buys it.

I weighed myself about 2 weeks ago & I have lost 30lbs. I guess you can tell now because a couple people have commented on it. Chuckles was like it looks like you lost it all in your legs. Probably because all my jeans look like a potato sack on me. But I'm not complaining as long as I don't loose it in my tits.

Today is Chuckles b-day so I am taking him to see Saw IV. I'm not a huge fan because to me the sequels were never as good as the first but he loves it. We are going to the mongolian for dinner since it right across the street from the movie theatre.

I got an e-mail yesterday from someone in my past I haven't talked to in years. Isn't it so weird to hear from someone after so many years it brings back so many memories & feelings you totally forgot about.

No crafty pics but I will have some later I need to list some pillow cases chuckles granny made after I iron them.

tree hugger calorimetry

I have been in a tree mood lately not sure why but they just seem so beautiful to me. No big bushy green ones, but dry willowy ones with thin branches. Anyways I was bored at work yesterday & had some of this acrylic that reminds me of the colors of nature. All I had were some 10.5 needles free so I tried it. I CO 84 or 86 stitches which made it 24in long. and then I did a freehand tree on the side. I really like it. I kinda want to keep it but I listed it on etsy. We need money more right now than I need any more accessories. Although we went to the flea market & the African dudes there had some really great Coach, Prada, D&G & D&B fakes so I may splurge & get one for my x-mas present to myself. I really want a lime green prada I saw a girl carrying at Krogers the other day. Granted it wouldn't match anything in my closet but it was so pretty.

Chuckles & I took my mom to the grocery store. She told us if we take her once a week she will buy us groceries so I was like hey we are short on cash why not we never get that much anyways. We went to the Krogers by our old apartment that basically only hires dykes in the deli dept. They got to know me when we lived there but I always thought it was so funny that when it was just me they were just polite & got my turkey never talking much but when Chuckles is with me they all become chatty cathy. Every one of them does it. It's like what you can't talk to a femme because she might magically turn hetero right in front of you. Only if a butch is with her, it makes her more queer *eye roll*. But I will admit I do enjoy the better service I get & my mom got it too when she ordered her meat. Oh well......

new etsy items

I listed another scrap yarn scarf, this one is a scarflette.

I also listed a calorimetry. I may list a few more items I need to make some extra money. I don't really have anything interesting to show. I have been mostly making dishcloths while at work for x-mas presents.

romance novel humor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9IacjxH3lY

OMG I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants!

Sunflowers & calorimetry

These are the pics I wanted to post last week. First the beautiful sunflowers chuckles brought home for me last friday before I had to be at work. Don't I have the sweetest boi sometimes.

I have also been making calorimetrys from knitty.com. This is my 2nd & 3rd completed one. This is my first followed pattern. These 2 are made with cheapie acrylic & I CO 90 stitches. I have another brown one. I was thinking of listing a couple on etsy to see if anyone is interested.

Dirty old men

I usually don't talk about work that much because unless you work here you wont really get it but I must share today.........

A dirty old man old enough to be my father just called & as the convo was going on he was like oh I would never lie I'm a minister....Oh realllllly correct me if I'm wrong but isn't today SUNDAY your one day of work? lie #1

I didn't pay you guys because my car was stolen, well actually both my cars a Jag & a Mercedes were stolen within the last month *eye roll* then later well I had to put down $1000 to get a new Mercedes and they are cutting me a check for the one that was stolen for 8k. Ok how old is this Mercedes & what happened to the Jag didn't get any money from it because it doesn't really exist. Now my thinking was you have to scratch up a grand for a down payment on your mercedes but you cant pay $15 for your credit card payment, wouldn't common sense say if you can't afford $15 maybe you need to get something like a Saturn just a thought. I made a joke that maybe he needs to get a car that is less tempting & he replied that well he is in a church community & has to have something stylish. Uhhh ok since when is it better to fork over a buttload for an unnecessary car than it is to give to charity. I grew up with a Grandmother who I would consider the most giving christian in the world very mother teresa like & she would give a person the shirt off her back if they would need it & you would never catch her in anything designer because she had much better use for her money. when did it become acceptable for ministers to care more about their image.

Then he proceeded to ask me personal questions. Am I married, did I go to college, where I live, basically being a perv saying he was looking for a younger woman to marry EWWWW. My smartmouth had to pipe in even though I can't really say anything I find ways of making a point. He started with the do you go to church speal. I was like nope & there was the usually come back from him to which I always reply I don't feel you have to go to an organized church to be a religious person. That reply always gets the money grubbers real fast MWAH HA HA they never like that one. Then he was talking about going to anti-gay rallies & doing the "right thing" ohhh if he only knew.

Then he was like well if you get any info on my problem you can call me & tried to give me his number. I was thinking dude I know EVERYTHING about you already don't even try it. I really hate dirty old men, I mean come on even if it wasn't totally gross on his end for all he knows I could be 400lbs with warts all over my face.

Ok rant over.......

Blogger is a PIMA

Well I took a bunch of pics today including the beautiful sunflowers chuckles surprised me with but blogger is being a big ol butt so I can't post anything. GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

I did list my scrap scarf that I posted a pic of in my last post on etsy if anyone is interested in it.

I also made 3 new calorimetries but cant post pics again. Oh well I'll try later. I wish you could kick websites, wouldn't that be an intersting inventions......virtual butt kicks hmm

lots of pics

I've finished a couple things recently. A hat made of a bulky lambswool, angora & alpaca blend that was so much fun to play with even if it made me sneeze. This was my first time making a hat on straight needles instead of circulars. I think prefer circs, I wasn't really big on the seaming & it was kinda hard to judge the size in straight needles. This was really fast to make. Those are also my new glasses that I really love.

I have a couple of stitch books that I have been trying to work my way thru practicing new stitches. I just learned the waffle weave (yes I know I'm behind). Anyways I made a carry case for chuckles new GPS. It was just seamed up on 2 sides & I made the handle from chains & weaving it thru the stitches. Uber easy & it has a good padding for the GPS screen.

I also finished a scrap yarn scarf. I had 2 full large ziploc bags full of scraps. I am 3/4 of the way finished with my second scarf & I haven't even gotten down to 1 bag yet. This was made holding 2 strands together & using a knifty knitter. I relaly like it but I think I may list it on etsy. I was thinking of making something similar to this but doing it in rainbow shades. Like making an all red section of various scraps then going to orange etc. I think it would come out really cute.

Recycled hat

I haven't really been crafty lately. I only joined 1 swap & I will post pics of what I sent after my partner receives. I did however finish a hat I have been working on for quite some time. I made it on some plastic circulars that I received in that huge box of yarn a couple posts back. They are pretty old but I must say I really liked working with the. It's weird because when it comes to crochet hooks I despise plastic & love wood but with knitting needles I like plastic & dislike wood, weird. Anyways here is the hat I finished. I cant remember the needle size off-hand but I would say somewhere between 5 & 7. I also made a really cool scarf from all of my scraps that I'm thinking of listing on etsy. It's so funky I can't decide if I want to keep it myself.

In entertainment news we went to see Eastern Promises last week. The movie was good even though I figured out what was happening like 1/2 way thru but the ending sucked. If you don't want a spoiler don't read any further. Vigo is a cop in the movie. DUH I figured that out as soon as he fucked the girl in the whore house & gave her that card you knew something was going to happen to help her get out of the situation. My pet peeve was ok he is a good guy & the midwife keeps the baby WHY didn't they end up together it was so stupid. Instead of making him a cop & giving everyone the hope the move would be a HEA why not just keep him as a good bad guy then you could be like aww they can't be together because he is mafia but you know he really loves her. Making him a cop was just stupid I kept thinking ok he took down the boss & his next in line is a alkie so it wouldn't be hard to take him out why does he need to stay undercover.....stupid. BUT I did like the full frontal of Vigo. Even though I don't get into penis watching I think men in movies get it way easy by never showing the goods. I am all about the equal opportunity fool frontal. Let the world know some of your fav dudes aren't hung like a horse.

And on that note I'm off to read some smut. I must recommend http://www.ellorascave.com/index.asp if you are tired of the same old romance novels. They cater the the more modern descriptions instead of saying something like her flowering womanhood their authors use words like pussy & cunt which the feminist in me loves! And they also cater to people who like bondage, boy on boy, threesomes yada yada. Oh & most are ebooks so you can be a perv in the comfort of your own home ;)

Wristwarmer pattern

Supplies:
Worsted weight yarn
H or I hook
tapestry needle (optional)

Stitch pattern:
Multiples of 2 + 1ch
Row 1: sc in second ch from hook and in each ch across
Row 2: Ch1, turn; skip first sc, (sc, dc) in next sc, *skip next sc, (sc, dc) in next sc; repeat from * across
Row 3: Ch1, turn; (sc, dc) in each dc across.
Repeat row 3 of pattern

Sc decrease: YO insert hook, YO insert hook in next stitch, YO pull thru all loops on hook

Pattern is worked from knuckles towards elbow.
Ch 29 (I have small hands so chain as many as you need to go around your knuckles in multiples of 2 + 1)
Work pattern stitch for desired length. (Make sure you remember how many rows you have completed so your warmers will be the same length.)
Last row work a HDC in each stitch around.
Seam up sides either with a needle or with slip stitches until the beginning of your thumb knuckle. I don't like to cut & join yarns so I worked sl along one side of the thumb opening then I joined the sides again.

Thumb:
Row 1:For thumb join yarn to any stitch & work 1 row of sc around hole. Don't join with a sl just keep working sc's
Row 2: Keep working in sc until 1/2 way down thumb start working sc decreases in every stitch until you reach the other side then work 1 sc in each stitch & 1 decrease at the stitch where your thumb "web" is.
I know it sounds weird. Basically just decreased on the outside of your thumb where your first knuckle would be & the web so it won't bunch. More decreases around the knuckle less in the web.
Row 3: repeat row 2
Row 4: work 1 sc in each stitch, in last stitch use a sl stitch & weave in ends


If you are wondering I used a 100% wool from a recycled sweater.

update 02/15/08: I was asked if this was an adult or child's size. This pattern is for an adult size. You can make it in any size you need though. The multiples are listed at the top & can go up or down if you need to. Just wrap it around the knuckles of the person they will be made for & it will fit the rest of the wrist fine.

Update 11/28/09 This lovely etsy seller http://www.etsy.com/shop/needlepattern is trying to sell my FREE pattern. If you ever see this or any of my other free patterns for sale, please let me know. I am offering these to you for free to use for personal use & no one has my permission to sell them.

Resident Evil

So chuckles & I decided to go see resident evil last night. I have been waiting for this to come out for some time. If you know me then you know I love zombies & I love any movie that has a chick that kicks butt so I totally loved this movie. Can I just say how entertaining it is to go see a movie that is about a video game. It's like all the gamers come out of the woodwork or their mom's basement & haven't seen daylight in a couple year. It's so fun to watch. Anywho go see resident evil, if you liked the others you will like this one. I interested in seeing 30 days of nights now & Hitman from the previews.

In crafty news I haven't been doing much because I have been reading a lot lately but I did make a pair of wrist warmers & listed them on etsy. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7164090 if they don't sell I'm going to keep them for myself they are uber warm.

I will write up some book reviews in the next week or so. I have been reading basically a book a day. The first 3 books in Lora Leighs Breed series & almost the whole dark hunter series by Kenyon

Book kick

I've been on a romance novel kick lately due to boredom. I went to Krogers the other night at like 1:30 am because I was bored & picked up a couple trashy novels hoping they would put me to sleep. Yes I like my smut what can I say. I'm not really into porn movies or magazines......even though I knew a girl who did them, but that's a whole different story. But I like my romance novels. Yes they are predictable & you could probably read them by skipping whole pages/paragraphs (and I do sometimes) but they are fun & light hearted. They are my version of a romantic comedy. Anyways one of the books I got was "Hidden Agendas" by Lora Leigh. I really liked it. Light on the plot but heavy in the naughty scenes. I hate romance novels that play up all the different character with elaborate name & you can't remember who is the lord & lady of which duke & duchess blah blah. So needless to say I will be looking for more of her books in store. I purchased a couple ebooks but they are really tiring on the eyes. I may hit half price book tomorrow.

I also recently applied for another job AGAIN with he city. They never reply to me so I'm not getting my hopes up. One girl I know took a civil service test & didn't get a call back until 2years later. Tells you how great the city of dayton is, now I know why our streets are so jacked up they sit around with their thumbs up their butts.

I got 3 passes to the movies today at work & they catered Mama DiSalvos not bad. It's pretty sad their catering is better than the restaurant itself. I will probably use my passes to go see the new resident evil that I have been waiting for. I hope its good.

I haven't posted in a while because we had guests over the holiday weekend. We went to Young's Dairy & Chuckles wants to take me to the sheep shearing on the 15th. I secretly think he just wants to play with the goats & sheep again but it's sweet anyways. I have knitted a couple hats & I'm in the middle of 2 star baby blankets. One to sell to a co-worker & one to list on etsy. I also recently listed some buttons & hats (one already sold) on etsy if anyone is interested. I've been using my kick ass bag that I posted ablut last time every day & I LOVE it. I even made a new wallet for it since my old leather one was getting dingy.

We went to see the new halloween last week. It was ok. Totally not what I expected from a Rob Zombie movie. It made the movie more realistic how he did it, showing why Mikey was fucked in the head because his mom was a stripper & his stepdad a perv yada yada but it was kinda boring. But the dude they got to play the adult Michael was freakin huge he had to be a pro wrestler or something. I would say wait for the DVD.

I don't really have any new pics except the one from when chuckles caught a baby bull frog in the back yard he was so cute. I'll have to post that one when I am home from work.

Amazing bag

Check out the amazing bag I recieved from the secret craftster swap. She is bound to get great swap karma from such an awesome package. I'm usually not the type to gush about anything but this bad is pretty freakin sweet. I LOVE IT!!!!

free yarn & needles

My dad's g/f is too cool she is the garage sale & freebie queen. Check out these huge boxes of goodies she got for me for free. One of her friends had to put her mother into a nursing home & she was cleaning out her items. The before boxes:

Yes those ar my toes (atleast they are painted) and yes that is miss jasmine rubbing on the side of the box. I swear she is like a crack fiend when it comes to boxes, plastic bage & paper. I was pouring yesterday when we came in but I couldn't sit still until I could go thru the box so I ran out to the car when it slowed a little bit. Anyways some after pics:

This is by no means everything. This is most of what I am keeping. The water bottle is full of straight needles & DPNs except 1 pair I'm using right now. Check out the vintage all plastic circulars they are pretty neat. Unfortunately all the circulars are small sizes & I need some large ones, but I'm not complaining. I do need some help identifying the wooden item in the top right corner. I was thinking it may be used to stuff small items but I'm not sure. If anyone can help I would appreciate it.

There were some other items I'm going to send to my swap partner so I won't mention them here. I also have a item I'm not sure about it looks like an accessory for an old kenmore sewing machine by my best guess maybe to make button holes & some fabric scraps that I plan to give to chuckles grandma (ducks & country hearts, not really my thing).

And here is the after of the yarn box after some winding. Its mostly acrylic. Only 3 small balls of cotton, 1 of mohair & maybe that large green ball in the middle is wool, I'll have to test it.

After box:

the walmart bag is all baby yarn so maybe someone will have a rugrat soon & I can use it. The other I may try to sell on etsy this winter & for x-mas presents.

I also received my package from the crochet bag swap. It was so worth the wait. Unfortuanately customs took 1/2 of the items. I'm thinking of stopping swaps for a while because of all the problems I'm having with the PO.

Here are the great items:

Weight loss

I felt like telling someone this. Not like anyone reads my blog but I feel like sharing. I dropped down to part time at my job in Oct of last year due to the stress level. I was literally feeling suicidal & there is no job no matter how well it pays that will make me go on anti-depressants that I don't normally need (in my head anyways). So since Oct I have lost 20lbs!!!! I haven't been trying to loose weight, I came to terms with my curves long ago but it is nice for my clothes to fit a little better. I haven't really changed my diet except staying away from cafeteria food because I'm not at work when they are open. And I don't really exercise, the most I do is light cleaning & playing with the dog. But it's so cool to me that I have lost that much. Granted I'm not sure where maybe my pinky toe but it's still cool.

Maybe my flabby arms will start to disapper from all the knitting/crocheting.......I wish!

Blah

I haven't really felt like blogging lately because I have been feeling pretty blah about the things I have been making. Currently I have a sweater & two caplets going that are knit. I have been so bored with doing the same stitch over & over that I was falling asleep while knitting so I decided to whip up a couple small things. I made a swiffer cover out of some cheap scratchy acrylic I picked up in a grab bag of yarn from the thrift store. I need to sew some buttons on it & I will report how well it works. I crocheted it with some pretty huge bobbles for scrubbing. I'm also working on a small shawl while at work just so I could do some different stitches. I really need to start making items I can list on etsy since some of my things are expiring.

In home news chuckles has a new job WOOO HOOO finally. It looks like it may be a good fit & it will be nice to have some extra money coming in. The seamstress job I applied for said they would have a decision by last wed & I waited till monday to see if they would call & nothing. I really REALLY hate calling a company about a job because I sound like a total goob. You would think I didn't talk on the phone all day...... anyways the chick was like actually we have a meeting Friday (tomorrow) with the company we are looking to get this from so we haven't made a decision yet but I will put a note on your resume that you called. I was kinda iffy about the chick because she didn't really talk that much in the interview but she seemed impressed I called. Cross you fingers for me.

We went to see the Bourne Ultimatum last week. I really liked it, then again I liked the first 2. I found myself laughing a lot during it. Not in the jokey kind of way more like the smart-ass kicking the bad guys buts way. It was pretty good I recommend it. Invasion comes out this week & I want to see it. Chuckles isn't a big fan of nicole kidman but I was like come on it's invasion of the body snatchers we HAVE to go see it. I freaking love all the body snatcher movies, the whole your friends are out to get you like zombie movies is great.

Speaking of zombies I am in the zombie swap & I have made a couple cool things, I'm not going to post them until after my partner gets them because I think that's rude to ruin a surprise but everything is looking pretty good. I think this year I may go as a zombie for halloween if we go to the OD. I'm tired of freezing & you never see any women with cool horror costumes on, they are all to worried about looking like a hoochie.

secret swap

I have received 2 great packages from my secret craftster swap. Chiquita & Dylan both received little sweaters. I am seriously impressed with how fast my partner can knit. I'm also surprised dylan liked his outfit & didn't try to take it off. we have been trying to find something for him to wear when its really bad out in the winter. I am so happy about what I have received. Its nice to get some cool items since my last 2 packages have been lost .

Ebay items

I listed some items on ebay for chuckles if anyone is interested. 3 World of Warcraft books & some gevalia coffee.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZkittenoh

Interview

Well I had my interview today for the seamstress position. It went really well I thought, the easiest interview I have ever went to I wasn't nervous at all. The guy doing the interview said more than I did I think. They have great benefits & pay well over what my min would be & it looks pretty easy. The guy said my experience in customer service was a big plus on my resume because if they were short staffed he could use me in the front office & he also said I really like you, you are easy to talk to YAY! Then he was talking about the business & he was saying how much he hates corporate america & how they treat their employees & I was thinking in my head OH MY GOD I TOTALLY AGREE....but I was cool & said yes I feel the same way. and to top it off they have a dog in their office. I LOVE a company that has a dog it is so progressive. I really hope I get it.

I'm currently working on the anthropologie inspired caplet from this pattern http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=62184.0 using size 13 needles. I'm making it out of this really outrageous recycled yarn. It is a thick & thin that is fushia, light pink & white with a small strand of gold. I got it to make baby items out of but everyone I know is having a boy. I may not keep it I may just sell it but I wanted to see if I could do it.

mom's b-day

So today was spent with my mom. If you don't know me in person lets just say my mother & I have a weird relationship. She fell about 3-4yrs ago (the night chuckles & I met for the first time actually) and fell into a coma from the pressure of the blood on her brain which left partial paralysis, which is way better now you would think she was just drunk if you saw her walking. We found out later she had a stroke & that was what caused her fall....so needless to say she is a little loopy. Yes I can say that & it's not mean it's my mother she is aware of how she is, to a fault sometimes. So anyways I was expecting this to be another stressful day. The last time chuckles & I took her anywhere she flipped out on me for no reason in the middle of the grocery store & turned all linda blair. I was like umm ok I think it's time to go now. Chuckles was like you two have some serious issues she never flips out on me like that. But to my surprise it was actually enjoyable. Granted I felt like a big pig at dinner because I was the only one who ate their full meal, mom with her no appetite & chuckles with the jacked up teeth/lip but all went well. It's so weird to be happy about a normal day with my mother. I wish more people would appreciate how great of a relationship they have with their mom just by it being normal.

In crafty news we went to the thrift store & I picked up a sweater for .99, its acrylic but it was really soft & had great colors so I will use it. I also got 5 cheesie romance novels. Then I made chuckles go to joanns with me like 15mins before they close because I saw a cute little knit jacket pattern I think I could do & didn't have the needle size for it. I also picked up a skein of SWS which I have been dying to try but they have been out of the last couple times I have been there. I only got one to see if I like the feel of it when I work with it before I shell out any money we really don't have right now.

Post dentist

So today was the big dental day for chuckles...... poor thing. I got a couple of rows completed in the waiting room, it would have been more but some annoying lady started chatting me up about some guy she talks to online (you've got mail was playing in the waiting room). What prompts people to start talking to you when you are obviously into your own thing knitting not giving them any acknowledgement. I could tell as soon as she came in she was a talker she kept making little sounds thru the movie & I said to myself oh great I KNOW she will talk to me....why do strange people feel this insatiable need to talk to me all the time. I never get the cool people talking to me the ones who look interesting or like they can carry on a meaningful conversation, no I get the crazies (oh the late night wal-mart stories I could tell you about crazy people) or the neurotic speedy soccer mom types. I know I look normal you would think I was an average middle-class hetero plain fat chick ohhhh how opposite I am. Sometimes I want to break out in a really loud conversation about fetish & play piercing & gay boy porn just to freak out the conservative (and I have before) but I just don't get what prompts people to talk to me. Don't get me wrong I'm not mean & I like talking to people I will chat people up in the store sometimes but only ones who I know want to talk, it was obvious I was in the knitting zone not looking at anyone & of course I'm talked to. It's like when you go to a bar & get hit on by a dude you have no interest in.....I want to say umm ok what exactly prompted you to ask me to dance I didn't smile at you hell I didn't even look at you, it's obvious I'm not interested in dancing otherwise I would be dancing. But do I get asked to dance at my type of bar......nope oiy

While I'm venting did I ever tell the story about the time I was hit on by an aryan nation "minister". Oh yes you read that right. I know my close friends who haven't heard this story are cracking up already, it get more amusing. Not only was he a so called "minister" he literally came up to my boobs & had bad teeth *shudder*. He had told everyone in the factory I was working at that he liked me before he had the nerve to ask me out, it was a huge joke & one of the other anti-prejudice guys I work with joked "what? you would make a great all white child bearing aryan woman with those hips & your blonde hair & green eyes" he knew I was a bottle blonde at the time and wore colored contacts & a good chunk of my ancestry is native american. Needless to say when he worked up the nerve I said NO before he made it within 10feet of me & he was like but uhh & I said nope I know not interested. Everyone around had a hard time not laughing.

Anyways back to chuckles the poor boi ran into the suv while getting out of the wheelchair. Then the poor thing started lip biting & now has a huge gash & I mean HUGE under the front lip because of the novocain. It is causing more pain than the pulled teeth & causing a fat lip. And I'm not even getting into the crying for mo reason I've been saying in my head most of the day awww poor thing.

In better news I get a call today about the seamstress position I applied for. It's kinda far but it's close to my dads house so if I get it & I have bad weather issues I can crash at his house. But I will probably fudge up this interview, I don't know why I don't get offers I think I do well but we'll see.

Oh & I received a great small item package from my secret craftster swap.....a sweater for chiquita! How cool is that. I can't wait for the other items if this is my small item. It was uber cute

I've been working on the cutest thing today for my swap partner that I almost want to keep it for myself. I hope I have enough ____ to make another. It's for my secret craftster swap so I can't even take pictures of it for like another month.

I played hooked from work today, whoda thunk it skipping work at place you hate sometimes I wish our contract wouldn't' be renewed in 08 so I would be forced to get a job somewhere else...not that it would be any better.

Tomorrow is the big dentist day for chuckles so I will probably get another inch completed on my sweater in the waiting room. Its about twice the size of the last pic. It should be a fun week..... chuckles doesn't take pain well so it should be like having a bear with a burr in its ass living on the couch all stoned. Oh & my moms birthday is this week...fun *blah* Maybe I can slip out to the thrift store down the street & get a couple sweaters to recycle to take my frustration out on.

I'm thinking of making some knitting needles & listing them on etsy after I'm done with my swaps. I'm really going to get into the zombie one I've already been looking up patterns for gorey things. I would really like to make a shawl pin, the ones that are basically a circle with a stick thru them for this winter. I made a mini shawl the other night at work because I was so bored of knitting I was falling asleep. It's way easier to crochet in between calls because its kinda brainless than it is to knit & remember where to increase. I'll post pics later is just basic grey in caron simply soft (it was going to be the stripe on my sweater) it's very plain but I'm thinking of doing a cool fringe. I'm going for the charleze sweet novemeber shawl look she wears thru most of the movie.

Latest swaps

These are the items I have sent in my latest swaps. My partners on the dishcloth swap have received & my partner for the knit crochet goodie bag should receive any day now if she hasn't already. Here is what I sent for the knit/crochet goodie bag swap.

My partner is a beginner crochet so I decided to set her up with some basics. She only had 2 hooks so I sent her:

-3 hooks

-a hook holder made from an old book, similar to a book purse but I sewed the lining & outer fabric together as well as glued it because of the strain you put on the lining when using the elastic. It also has a large pocket

-2 bags of gluten free pasta for her son it was hard to get where she lives

-a yarn ball holder so you can walk & crochet

-2 stamps

-3 pages of stitch patterns (front & back)

-a pencil case which I thought would be good for hooks & makers yada yada

-some hook grip covers. I love these for my metal hooks

-and a copy of crochet for beginners & the bag it all came in

My other swap was a dishcloth swap & I had 2 partners one who wanted purples & the other who liked red & black so I sent:

Holy cucumber batman

So I haven't been checking my garden much this summer because we were invaded by bunnies & I didn't think much would survive. They pretty much killed all my broccoli & cauliflower plants except 1. Welllllll I went to check on the peppers & cucumber tonight when I let the dogs out & happened to glance under a big leaf holy crap! Check these out, yes that is a 20oz bottle for size comparison.

I finally took some pictures while I had the camera out. This is my second attempt at a knit hat. Basically the same style I made as before but in the correct size this time. It's made from recycled yarn that looks like a handspun but is an acrylic, I love it & will probably wear it a lot this winter.

I also have a picture of my progress on the top down raglan. I'm making it in a 3x size probably solid black with 3/4 length sleeves. I'm pretty slow at knitting this is probably 15+hrs of work.

If you read my blog you know I have picked up knitting again after 20+ years. We I decided to jump in head first & I'm knitting a sweater from this http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=152316.0 pattern on craftster of a design your own top down raglan. Can I just say again how freakin long knitting takes OH MY GOD. It took almost the whole time of watching Starship Troopers to finish the neck. I watch Knitty Gritty so I would say I am at a medium pace geezy peez I've only gotten 3in done. well at least I started early for winter. I'm making it out of caron simply soft......I try every experiment with cheap yarn so I won't get mad if I have to scrap it in black. I think I want to make it solid black I think it will look great with my knee high leather boots this winter. I say a cute black with a little shimmer yarn the other night while at wal-mart, I may do a couple rows of it to keep me from nodding off while I knit.

And speaking of Wal-Mart chuckles & I decided to cruise by Barnes & nobles friday after I got off work at midnight to see if it was crazy. Not too bad a bunch of zitty teenagers dressed up, people actually couldn't wait they were standing outside reading. I think its amazing that someone has captured kids so much that there is a group that will wait outside for a book instead of a video game system...I love it. I wish more kids would get into reading as much.

I received my copy of I Am Legend last week & sat & read it & the other stories up to mad house ( I think). Not bad you can def tell it was written in the 50's but it's not too dated just a little tame on the violence & gore. I never knew his story Dance of the Dead was the inspiration for the masters of horror episode until I started to read it & I was like wait a minute this sounds familiar.

Chuckles & I rented some movies last night. We were both in a horror movies so we got 2 of the 8 movies in the horror fest, don't rent them they are BORING. I got one called the breed with angela rodrigues *drool* in it which will be worth it just cause she is in it & the new hitcher which I already saw the first but it wasn't my choice. I swear I will post some project pictures soon I have been playing mamma bear to chuckles because the toothache.

I have finished a knitted hat & a bunch of swap items & I'm going to get sewing for the latest one I entered a secret craftster swap, I've never done one before so it should be fun. There is suppose to be a zombie swap starting soon & chuckles was like you got to join it! Duh

Oh damn its 9:59 I'm outa work WOO HOO!!!!

New items on my shop

I listed 2 knit patterns on my shop that are tree patterns. Very cool check them out.

Score!!

So chuckles & I decided to hit some garage sales today. Yes I know all the good stuff is usually gone by friday but we were bored. I can't believe all the pure crap people try to sell. We actually skipped a lot & were headed to the thrift store when I had chuckles turn around to check out one we passed. I got a huggies wipes box full of clay molds...mostly faces & flowers for $2. Then we decided (we being me) to go to the thrift store. I found 3 good craft magazines. 1 of knit stitches which I may split up & sell on etsy. a crochet one to make cozies for casserole dishes which I have been practicing & one of various crafts that had a cute crochet afghan pattern. I also got 2 flat sheets one to make a skirt of & another to make the cozies out of, 2 gifts in a jar books still with tags, a cheesie romance novel and the best thing a sewing basket with a dowel for thread that is too cute that had its original tag of $26 on it, all of this for $12. Not bad. I need to take some pics to show the things I have been working on.

New item listed

This is the newest item I listed on my etsy shop. If you have read my blog before you have seen these. My original patter for a yarn ball holder. Its so you can walk & knit/crochet.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6443267

check it out, I do custom orders on this item also

I listed a new circular needle & DPN case on etsy today I hope it does as well as the other I was really surprised at how fast the first one sold.

Today Chuckles my father & I changed the brake pads & front rotors on chuckles Rendezvous. Not bad for 2 fatties & an old fart only took us 4hrs. We decided to hit 1/2 price books after we left my dads & I got a copy of Year Zero, it looked ok. Chuckles also found 2 copies of Foxfire #3&5. If you don't know about foxfire I recommend checking them out if you are into natural homemade basic living. It's a series of books that started out as a magazine about how people live in the Appalachian mountains. The cover everything from mid-wives, tanning hides, canning food yada yada.

For my swap partner

Things about me....

My sizes:
clothing-3X
shoes-10
hats-XL
ring-7
height-5'11"
weight-260(dropping about 1-2lbs a week)
ankles-9-9.5in
wrists/hands-small(It's weird but I'm a amazon with tiny hands)
pierced ears (3 on each ear actually)
14g barbell in my tongue
18g ring in my nipple

Clothes I like:
Skirts, especially long peasant style tiered skirts
flip-flops. I don't wear socks in the summer & part of the fall
scarves
shawls/wraps
fetish wear mmmmm
corsets
knit hats (it's hard to find one that fits so I wear the few I have a lot)
hippy dresses

My style:
I dress like a combo of a hippy & preppy
I LOVE Old Navy....well because its cheap & everything is basic
I love wearing a wild print & a solid together with funk jewelry
I buy things more on texture than looks but I do try to stay current
Fall/winter is my favorite time for clothing you can layer & all the yummy sweaters start coming into season. I'm very much a sucker for something I can pet
I love body glitter
painting my toenails (my fingernails are horribly short)

Sense of humor:
I have a VERY dry sense of humor. sometimes people think I'm serious
I'm very sarcastic
I love freaking people out & making them think
I don't believe in making fun of other people but will make fun of myself a LOT....but I am kinda snarky & say "what was she thinking when she decided to wear that today" quite often

The house/family:
I'm in a committed relationship
I'm queer but not heterophobic (meaning I love men just don't want one)
No kids yet, but definitely want them
2 dogs a weenie & chihuahua
1 cat
I own my house its 110yrs old
My style is Pottery Barn on an Ikea budget
I love natural wood, maroon, paisley, things with texture in my house

Things I like:
sea turtles
celtic knots
owls
trees
large handbags
Ikea
vintage buttons
60s-70s fabric
recycled items
books (trash romance novels, horror, dean koontz, DIY)
fingerless gloves
long wrist warmers
shells especially abalone style
baked goods smells
real sunflowers
rainbow anything
socks with toes
stretchy toe rings, I have weird shaped toes so can't wear the metal ones
paisley
mermaids
zombies
pin-ups
ankle bracelets
tea hot or cold
iced coffee drinks

Things I would love to get:
Bags. Especially project bags. I like them to have a really big body with 2 short straps
Quilts. Yeah I know that's a big one
Wall hangings. Think maroons & browns in lush fabrics with a little bit of India style embroidery
Hats. I have a big mellon
fingerless gloves
chunky bead necklace
vintage fabric. Oranges & browns, 70's butterflies
handspun yarn
sarcastic t-shirts
handmade paper
tarts (the melty type not the food)
crochet patterns
plus size sewing patterns


Things I DON'T like:
things made from duct tape
sequins
rhinestones
floral smells especially lotions
clutch style purses(the ones that look like envelopes)
messenger bags
the smell of smoke
cell phone cozies
amagriwhatevers, it's a crocheted suffed animal for petes sake
stuffies
I like things to have a use, no knicknacks


Politics & beliefs:
I don't have a set religion. The closest I would compare my beliefs to would be a mix of Pagan, wiccan, goddesss worship, greek/roman gods, nature worship & a little bit of Buddhist mixed in. Basically be nice to everyone treat them as you would be treated & if there is a god/goddess he/she shouldn't be feared they would be all loving.
I'm not part of any political party.
I'm pro-choice for everyone else & pro-life for myself (I couldn't do it but who am I to tell others what to do)
I hate prejudice of any kind
I'm very fat positive & hate "style" magazines & I think they should only show real women not skeletons
I don't believe in censorship. I think every "shock" moment is an opportunity to educate your child.
I believe in over educating teens about sex, lack of education is the main reason AIDS is still around
I think the state of the world is also because of people being uneducated. There would be no war if people could talk out their differences...but again I'm a realist about it.

Crafts I want to learn:
spinning
glass blowing
soap making from scratch
hairpin crochet-learned but need patterns
wheel thrown pottery
welding
large loom weaving
carving wood on a lathe
pyrogrophy (woodburning)
dying with natural items
furniture making
applique quilting
tattooing


What I would love to do in life:
Live in the boonies or on a farm away from most people.
Become totally self sufficient, solar power, organic grown veggies, sheep to raise & sheer for fiber, growing fruit for baby food yada yada
homeschooling my kid(s)
I'm a little bit of a paranoid survivalist & I want to be able to not have to depend on others
Be self-employed or doing a job I love so I can spend time with my family & be able to putter around in a craft shed

I will update as I find other things

Rainy day

I haven't taken any pics of the crafty items I've made lately but I did get some cool pics of the rain today. I was a torrential downpour for all of 30mins & they were testing the tornado warnings today during it......how stupid is that, sure lets test the tornado warning sirens while it looks like there may actually be one we won't freak anyone out nahh. Now I'm curious to know how many dumbasses actually hit the basement when they heard it.

I have completed a knit hat out of some thick/thin that I recycled from a sweater that looks like a handspun but is really an acrylic. I'm in a morbid mood so to me the colors look like brain matter. It has blood red, grey, yellow I will post a pic later its been an eventful couple days.

I listed a case made specifically to hold your circular needles & DPS on my etsy shop if anyone is interested. I will load an image when blogger stops giving me attitude.

UPDATE: Ok so I listed this item Sunday afternoon & it sold on Monday. How freaking cool is that!!! I made another to see if it was just a fluke or if more people will like them.

I posted some new knit patterns tonight on etsy if anyone is interested. I'm only charging $3.50 & I can send it anywhere via e-mail. Check them out

Just a little forwarning for all the pro knitters out there before you laugh at the below post please take note I haven't knitted with needles since I was 8 & I'm 28 now. Also I was really bad at it that's why I tried crochet.

So I really like knitted hats & arm/wristwarmers so after watching a bazillion episodes of Knitty Gritty I got the urge to try knitting again. Let it be know I really REALLY hate how long knitting takes so it will probably take me forever to finish something because I will have to stop every so often to work on something because I get bored. Anyways I made a hat using size 5 circular & DPNs......and it was my first time working with both thank you very much. I can say I really do not like DPNs. The yarn is bernat denim style. I like to practice with a cheap yarn so I won't care if I frog it. I didn't follow a pattern becuase frankly I wasn't sure if I could so I looked up a couple hat patterns & saw what the average cast on stitches were & went from there. Its a little big & short so I may add a row of sc around the brim to tighten & lengthen it. Not sure yet but I kinda proud of myself for a first try. And if you are wondering yes my glasses are ghetto & taped I haven't had time to schedule a new eye appointment.

In other crafty news I recieved one of my swap packages for the dishcloth swap.

Day by Day Armageddon

So I was looking for a copy of I am Legend on amazon the other day & came across a book called day by day armageddon selling for between $33-$100 for a paperback. I was like um ok WHY? So I read the reviews sounded pretty good. I'm normally not the journal format type of book reader BUT I am a big zombie apocalypse freak so I checked it out. There is a free preview of the month of January in the book here http://www.tacticalunderground.us/journal1.htm and I honestly enjoyed it so I ordered it thru books & company. I had stopped by my actual store location the other day while out to see 1408 (which I will comment on later) and the dude at the store said they had it but it had to be shipped to my house for $17 something so I came home & got on their site & it was only $15.99. It's a special order so it may be out of print but it doesn't hurt to try. Chuckles read the preview & was like we're gonna fight over the book pshaw I bought it, I get first dibs.

On a crafty note I finished the dishcloths for both of my swap partners & hope they enjoy them. I went to Trader Joes today to pick something up for my crochet goodie bag swap. I know you're thinking ok what is at trader joes that has to do with crochet......you'll just have to wait till the swap is over & I can post pics.

My hands have been KILLING me today & guess what it's been raining most of the day hmmmm & the doc says it's a pinched nerve suuuuuure couldn't be arthritis nah the doctor who gave me bextra (yeah the one that causes strokes) could never be wrong. If you are wondering I took like 2 of the sample pills he gave me of bextra & didn't notice a change so I put them in a cabinet....lucky for me huh. I threw them out after I saw the recall & lawsuits. I did finish a small crochet project for the crochet swap it helps with the stiffness but I can't do much or they will hurt more.

I have to work tomorrow bleck. I need a new job..........please fairy godmothers of great careers help me get a new job that won't drive me insane and I can pay the mortgage with oh & I can be creative at & I don't get a dick for a boss. I think I should just become a foot fetish model oiy

Garden swap

Here are the items I sent in my last swap. Click to enlarge

From top left clockwise.

~A garden tool tote. The lining was made with a vinyl tablecloth so it would be easy to clean. I made it baby crib bumper style so she could sit small plants in the open area.

~a metal cake pan. This is an old trick my grandmother used to keep the birds & some animals out of her garden. The noise it makes when it hits the stick scares the crap out of them.

~a rockabilly headband, you really cant see it in the pic but there are little skulls in the hankie print. When I bought this fabric there was a religious lady behind the counter...one of the ones that wears the little white cap over their buns...anyways she was like wow that fabric is really ugly & asked the other lady to cut it. Being the freak I am I took that as a compliment from her.

~some pink flame gloves hand painted w/o a stencil

~2 bloody pots

~a little bag that holds soap. You hang it over your outside spigot & you can wash/scrub your hands in one step. It was done in a sc, ch1 stitch very easy. The soap is a M&P made with strawberry tea

~a spiderweb birdhouse. This was easy it was made with scrapbook paper & just decoupaged on. The biggest problem was cutting & folding it without too many rips.

~A good luck garden pick painted like dice & a horseshoe

~ the little garden markers are made from cocktail picks with a Latin word on 1 side & the meaning on the other

~ the Ziploc baggie is a baby spider plant