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.