Just left of normal

Which one of these is not like the other

2008-08-20T13:20:00.003-04:00

As much as i love this blog, everything weighing against me in my daily life always seems to win out. I feel that i have lost the desire to blog and express myself in writing. Not that i know how else to express myself... maybe if i spend some time repressing everything then i'll turn into that person people seem to keep expecting me to be.
And for now, hopefully, they will be satisfied that no emotional response from me is perhaps better than a possibly negative one.

To those very few of you that take the time to keep up with my not so exciting life, i bid you farewell; I deeply appreciate all your support. I will undoubtedly be back some day, but i can not foresee when that may be.

Friday Favorites

2008-07-25T12:27:00.003-04:00

I am forever seeing great ideas and products online and in magazines. So i though i might build an entry over the course of each week and post it on Friday as my Friday Favorites. The variety of things being so vast i thought i would create categories (i.e. organization, recipes, handmade, seasonal etc). Not every category would be included every week but as time passes I'll put together an organized area for locating favorites by category or by date. So allow my to commence with the very first Friday Favorites!

Seasonal Sensation:
Everyone knows that summer is the time for weddings. Whether it's because it follows spring -full of lovebirds- or just because it's the time of year everyone seems to have more fun, i don't know. But it cannot be denied, summer has it for weddings. I love Etsy and am always looking for great stuff... today actually, i saw the most gorgeous dress on the front page. This Custom Wedding dress by ktjean is gorgeous. It's perfectly feminine with a fresh yet vintage feel, the tiers gives is texture while keeping it simple and chic. I would love to have this as a wedding dress, therefore ktjean gets this weeks Seasonal Sensation Friday Favorite.

Beautifully Organized:
One of my favorite magazines -and i have several- is Blueprint (edit: i am sad to report that Blueprint got the axe by martha stewart - fun while it lasted). The January/February 2008 issue featured an article called Every Bling in It's Place. An organizational idea i immediately fell in love with and put to work in my own jewelry armour. This includes using lovely orphaned china teacups and saucers to organize your jewelry. The sides of the cups are perfect for hanging earrings especially those long dangly ones that always tangle on anything else it can get close to (as most of mine are). And the saucers great for rings and bracelets or necklaces. Now you'll see that lonely piece of china at the thrift store a little differently won't you?

Fashionable Chores:
Anything is more fashionable than hauling a sack of laundry down the street to the laundromat. Now there is a better way. This adorable laundry bag will not only look pretty on your arm or hanging on your bedpost, it also won't announce your laundry blues to the entire block. Personally i choked a little at the price but if your willing and not into making yourself a knock off it's worth it. 'White Devil' laundry bag by Burke Decor definatly gets the Fashionable Chores Friday Favorite spot.

Fresh Recipes:
This recipe is one from my personal collection, it's a very 'about' recipe... you know a pinch, a dash, a sprinkle. Well i take that back i'll try to be as precise as possible but you should add and subtract according to you taste. Summer is the best time for fresh lemonade. I never liked the powder mix drinks - any of them lemonade, kool-aid none. It wasn't until i was in middleschool that my worldly bohemian french teacher showed us how to make fresh lemonade and i loved it. It's quick and easy so don't fret.

You'll Need:

10 to 12 lemons (or about a cup and a half fresh squeezed lemon juice)
1 cup of sugar
2 1/2 to 3 qt pitcher or container
knife
cutting board
juicer (or just use your hands to squeeeeeeze the juice out)
glove (you will be thanking god, if you have even the tiniest cut on your hands it will burn)

Set aside one lemon to slice and toss in at the end or garnish the glasses. Juice the rest of the lemons and pour into your pitcher. -If you prefer less pulp pour the juice into the pitcher through a sieve or cheese cloth. Add your sugar and fill with water until it hits the 2 1/2 qt mark (if no marks there are 4 cups in a quart so you'll need about 8 cups or so of water). Lastly add your sugar and stir until you can't hear the sugar anymore. At this point taste it and see if you need more or less for me this is about perfect, i like it to be a little tart almost enough to tighten your jaw but sweet enough that it doesn't taste bitter. Slice your last lemon, throw it in and Enjoy!
If you don't like drinking straight lemonade but do enjoy lemon in your tea make this yummy lemonade and freeze it in ice cube trays. Then when you sit down to enjoy a glass off tea toss a lemonade cube in.

Nuttin But Stringz

2008-07-25T10:59:00.005-04:00

OK so i am little behind the bandwagon but i had to share. Perhaps it's because if I'm watching tv it's Noggin or Nick Jr. Noggin however is my preference. So i am personally a music junk and baby girl is turning into one too, anytime there is music on she has to bust a groove. Noggin doesn't run commercials like other channels instead they have music time and run clips from (usually Jacks big music show) of artists playing fun songs and lots of kids all around joining in and dancing. Most often the songs are really fun and catchy, today in particular i was stopped dead in my tracks when i heard violins. As a child i played the violin and actually wanted to play the cello the following year but i had made to change schools and my parents couldn't afford to buy the instrument and pay for private lessons.

Back to the topic, so today they played the "strings" episode of jacks big music show where they introduce and play several different instruments that are strung. The artist song they did was 2 brothers who are from Queens, New York and have studied at Juilliard and Bloomingdale schools of music. They go by Nuttin But Stringz. After doing a little searching i found out that they were on America's Got Talent (sorry i don't usually watch those shows) that aired in mid June. Below is their clip from the episode. I have always been drawn to classical sounds and give props especially when they can incorporate the sound with rock or heavy metal or in this case hip hop/rap. Watch the clip enjoy it, check out their site... I can't stop listening. I may also add the clip from noggin (it's the same song only a tad different and significantly longer). Enjoy!

P.S. the song played automatically on their website is just as amazing.

Hurricane Watching

2008-07-24T10:31:00.003-04:00

I do apologize for my inexcusable tardiness. To be honest I've been stuck to the weather channel for the last couple days. If you didn't know, what was thought to be a tropical storm due to hit southern Texas yesterday actually turned into a category 2 hurricane before landing a bit north of where they forecasted it to make landfall.
I know, i live on the east coast why would i care? Well Sam is in the National Guard as most of you know and they sent him along with other people and supplies down there.

There is some cool video coverage on the Weather Channel website.

Honeymoon in Africa

2008-07-16T16:47:00.006-04:00

Searching randomly on Google and following links through pages i came across a website called Imagine Africa. It's a travel site centered mostly on Weddings & Honeymoons. I absolutely love this bed, i'd be just as happy to bring it home with me as spend my honeymoon in it. And that beach... need i say more?

Real Simple Eye Candy

2008-07-14T12:18:00.002-04:00

Real Simple is one of my favorite magazines, i haven't renewed my subscription so I've been stalking the site. I miss seeing this goody in my mailbox, I love the cover as much as all the contents. I was excited to see they have galleries that include covers from 2000 to 2007 and other various eye candy like the amazing paper constructions.

I should stop... I would post all of them here. Just a few of my favs at least, though i would just as quickly call all of them my favorites. You should go see the rest of the galleries if you get a chance. Especially if you need some wedding hair style ideas.

How to clean your coffee maker

2008-07-12T17:09:00.008-04:00

I've known this easy (not to mention green - and FREE if you already have vinegar in your pantry) method to cleaning the coffee maker since i was young because this how my mother did it. It wasn't until recently that i realized how few people not only don't know how, but don't even know that you can clean the coffee maker. So i thought i would share the method with you.

First empty your pot or carafe as well as dump the filter and grounds. If you have a removable filter basket rinse it along with the pot. Grab your vinegar (you don't have to be picky if you only have apple cider vinegar thats ok but regular distilled vinegar works best) Pour one part vinegar with two parts water into the coffee maker's reservoir. Set it to brew like a pot of coffee. Once it's finished turn the maker off and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

To remove the traces of vinegar left behind (and so your coffee doesn't smell or taste like vinegar ew) brew 2 more pots using water only through the maker. Between cycles allow it to set and cool for 15 minutes just as before. If you feel the need you can brew additional pots of water, especially if you still smell vinigar on it. If your maker is really gunky or old (maybe if this is the coffee maker at work) then you can run the vinegar cycle again before rinsing)
Lastly wash the filter basket as well as the pot with warm soapy water, don't be afraid to use that little scrubby brush either.

Voila you'll be able to brew smooth delicious coffee once more :D

As long as you have the vinegar out you can clean the mashing machine by adding about a cup of vinegar and running a full regular cycle to clean it. This only needs to be done every 6 months to a year. I'd clean the coffee maker once a month.

Everybody's Free

2008-07-09T11:31:00.005-04:00

Don't worry about the future, or worry that know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle tuesday.

Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) - Baz Luhrmann

Boutique Knits

2008-07-08T21:00:00.018-04:00

Ladies and gents i am so excited about this book i can barely contain myself. You better believe that if it's in hardcover i am borrowing it from work (yeah we can "borrow" or in essence check-out hardcover books from work for a couple weeks - to read - then return). I was surfing for new knit books and the cover of this one drew me in from a mile away. On amazon it was one of those tiny little thumbnails next to the "others who bought this item also bought..." It was screaming to be clicked.
Like a good girl i did so, love at first site with the hat on the cover. I love the retro flapper style. Not to mention take a look at this little number (below) *lo-haha-ve*. Ok this is my next conquest. Boutique Knits is going to be the next addition to my knitting collection.. eventually anyways haha.
It usually pops up on the amazon list over here on the right, if it isn't you can go to my aStore it will be the very first listing.

I have returned

2008-07-06T12:38:00.005-04:00

When i got home i realized i had taken fewer pictures than i thought. However that's ok, it's about the journey not the destination right? We stayed in Williamsburg, VA for the week and there was surprisingly a lot to do. We spent time in historic downtown Williamsburg where there are shows and tours going on all day. It's all quite interesting, my brother his fiance and i went on the ghost tour one of the first nights. It was engaging to hear the stories even if we didn't see any ghosts. One of the last buildings was on a back street, one that was also employee housing. Before our tour guide told us about it he told us to get close and my stomach started to feel queezy, after which he called it the "most haunted house of downtown williamsburg".

We also went to Busch gardens on two occasions and i only got to ride one roller coaster but that's ok it was the best one (included two ninety degree angle drops from about 20 stories) my brother wouldn't even ride it. There was plenty to see there, we all went to a stage show in Ireland (it's set up similarly to Epcot's world showcase but about 1/3rd of the size and only includes 4 countries). When the show finally started baby girl was completely enthralled. She didn't even want to stand or sit on my lap she wanted to sit on the chair next to me. There weren't many rides for her since she is still so small but she loved the carousel (the picture wasn't that great but it was the best out of 5, he couldn't get her to look). She rode it twice and was ready to walk back on. She'll be my roller coaster buddy one day.

Among the other areas we visited were Jamestown and Yorktown. There has been a dig going on in jamestown for the last several years to uncover some of the history. There are several areas that are built over original foundations and they put some glass flooring so you can see the original foundation. Half the town is now underwater, the only building that seems to still be standing is the church. There are several tombstones with the original etching still on them however it is hard to read.

It was over all pretty fun, i would have liked to spend more time in historic downtown Williamsburg and seen some more of the shows and happenings there. I guess it just gives me an excuse to go back haha. Not to mention the HUGE Yankee Candle store that very randomly (well random to me) has a huge section of Vera Bradley - the whole wall had every style of wallet, handbag and shoulder bag in every available fabric choice. But it didn't stop there they had the luggage, place mats, tea sets, pj pants... any possible thing VB makes i am sure you can find it there. All i could do was drool, i had already spent my money at the Coach outlet (got a $98 MSRP wristlet for $42) . Next time i go you better believe I'll have set aside a few hundred dollars just for spending.

Woooohooo Vacation

2008-06-26T22:31:00.004-04:00

It's that time... the one where you make a mad dash running around the house grabbing up all the things you've been meaning to pack... and ending up packing waaaay more than you thought you would. I look into that big shoulder bag and say to myself "ya, all those snacks, fruit cups and empty juice cups will fit in here fine." Then tragically only about half that stuff fits. This has been happening to me repeatedly and sadly i can't find any bigger bags, these were the biggest i had. I was sure they would work, i mean honestly i didn't think my sense of perception was really so far off. But i just had a light bulb... We have a stash of those really huge Ziploc bags (actually i think there are a couple of sizes), the ones that can hold like a big quilt. I don't actually know why we have them other than my mother is exactly the type of person to have a stash of huge reusable plastic bags that fold flat(very type A). Perhaps I'll use one of those.

You know I am so OCD with stuff like this, i lose my motivation to do something if i don't feel like i can execute it exactly the way i think it should be. Not to mention things always seem to be last minute... i'll start one thing and be thinking of the other things also and then i'll see something else i need to do (or pack) as well and then another and then another and i just get overwhelmed. Maybe i just think to much, sammy has to keep my straight and tell me to just think about and complete one thing at a time.

I know this was really just a teaser but i have to go talk to Sammy since i won't be able to talk to him for about a week. I am going to miss him sooo much especially his voice :(

Small Change

2008-06-24T11:38:00.002-04:00

It's a bit of a crazy week, we are preparing for an up coming vacation, baby girl is starting to get a runny nose and i have work and appointments this week.

I changed the layout (thank you capt. obvious), I liked the last one but i have thing about not wasting space, or at least wasting as little as possible. I found this one and was happy with the additional column. It is a little simple but i may be able to fiddle with it later. I sort of miss it having that girly touch, but it has to be gender friendly for Sam. So i thought this might be ok. We'll see, might fiddle with it some more.

I thought i had shown you the spun party mints. Apparently i haven't been on top of things like i thought, this is it before it the spin was set. And below is my new ball. I am torn between selling these (and future) hands puns, i feel like i should knit some of them. One reason being that i've never actually knit with a hand spun yarn that i know of. Another being that, how can i sell it without knowing what it would be like to work with - meaning i spin to tightly and it gets to kinky and twisty on itself or i don't set the spin well enough or what other sort of yarn woes may come along with a hand spun yarn. But i don't even know what sort of pattern i should use it for. It isn't really a lot of yarn - which reminds me of a question i had... if i want a decent sized skein of yarn how much roving should i be looking to buy?

Something in the Water

2008-06-20T13:12:00.005-04:00

Maybe there is something in the water because let me tell you this is turning out not to be my week. After getting up this morning around 8:30, as mom is rattling off a list of things she needs(read:wants) me to do i ask her if she wants me to take baby girl to daycare or leave her at home since i have to go to work. I get "daycare, of course.. duh stupid" (ok she didn't say the last part but her face did) and she keeps going on and adds on something about "besides you won't get out of here for an hour anyway". I've told her more than a couple times and i interrupt (which i doesn't like by the way she just keeps talking and gets louder, would even yell over you) to remind her that i have to have her in the daycare before 9. I get all kinds of huff and puff but she still helps me get baby girl dressed and fed so we can leave.

When i drop her off i completely forget to tell them that i won't be the one picking her up (we had a quick conversation in the rush to get out off the house about her picking baby girl up because i didn't know when i'd be done.) Everything since getting out of bed until that point had been a blur. On my way to work i take a few deep breaths and tried to gather myself. Once i got there i bet you can guess what i did getting out of the car. No i didn't rip my pants, one better... ya, locked the keys in the car. *sigh*

Since then things have gone alright other than noticing the "check gauges" light pop on as i pulled in the driveway and my gas gauge hovering on the E. I don't even remember the last time i had a full tank of gas, it used to only cost me around $20 now twenty barely gets me half a tank. They can only do this for so long before everyone gets fed up and start some sort of movement. I would personally lead one if i thought it would do some good.

I cheewawa (translation: ugh >.<)

2008-06-19T15:13:00.007-04:00

It's one of those days... my head has been hurting off and on... i've also been either uncomfortably hot and not able to cool off or just cold. That though is mostly due to where i am in the house. Thankfully our family vacation is coming up like next week so i can just think about that instead. We'll be gone until sometime after the 4th of july (haha twice today i've almost said "until after labor day" - i wish). And i am excited to say that Sammy will be stationed here as of the 5th (he's a nerd for not posting >.<). So i'm really excited and really nervous at the same time since it will be the first time we will be together in person.

On the subject of vacation, i am trying to decide what (and how much) to take with me. We'll be gone about a week and have plenty to do but i am sure we will also have plenty of down time - i mean thats what vacation is all about right? I've decided i will take along two books, one that i have already started and the second i haven't chosen yet. I'm having a hard time choosing, i am flexible as far as genre - whether the author is a good story teller or not is what hooks me. Being a slower reader (i seriously have to read every word) if a book doesn't catch me within the first 5 to 10 pages i move on. Usually i chose subjects that are heavier or thick with story (i can't think of any other way to explain that) but i think i want something light possibly on the humorous side because it's summer and i'll be on vacation. I've read all of the shopaholic books with the exception of the newest, and baby, only because it's not in MM paperback yet. Yes i am one of those weird people that have to have all the books of the same series in the same size of paperback (hate hardcover like a weirdo too). I also liked a couple of Jane Green's books Mr Maybe, Jemima J., and To have and To hold. I tried to read Something Blue by Emily Giffin and Watermelon by Marian Keyes at one point but neither grabbed me (oh, i also tried to read the devil wears prada i was over it on the 3rd page - way to whiny). So i guess i am asking for suggestions. As long as it's a good story that doesn't move to slowly.

I plan to also take knitting with me, i think i am going to take 3 projects with me, my clapotis and 2 smaller ones. I thought about only taking one but i don't want to finish it and have nothing else to do. On the flip side i don't want to only take one big project and feel like i didn't get much done because it's not actually finished. I have this thing about vacations, i have to finish something. Be it a book or a project/craft of some kind, it just has to be completed. If i don't finish something i feel like the vacation isn't complete. -Seeing that outside of my head seems odd but it's totally true- Am i the only person who feels this unusual need for completion?

In other news my close friend of about *makes a face trying to remember* 12 years now i think, is pregnant with her first child due in September and she only just got married this past December. There is a huge long story i can tack onto this about her less than healthy habits, but i won't cause we all have our thing. Actually there are a number of things i could go on about that i guess i just need to vent (not bad things about her just random things about the situation). I guess i'll save it and make a separate post some other time. For now i need to prepare for work. If i don't see you again, Have a good weekend!

Party Mints Package

2008-06-15T14:24:00.005-04:00

Ok as promised, an update with added visual stimulation of my newest arrival. When i received it i was so excited i didn't even think about taking pictures before i tore into it. Thankfully it was double enveloped, the outer one had a little snag but no further damage. The roving itself was rolled up in cute tissue paper and secured with a sticker. To be honest i was really impressed with the welcome gift and overall presentation. We purchased it from exclusivelylindalee.etsy.com, she also included a Customer to Friend certificate which included a discount for all future purchases. I defiantly recommend giving her shop a look.

Here is the welcome gift spun (and my eye popping leader yarn) i wasted no time, i even kicked sam off the phone to do so. And let me tell you it is so lovely and soft you almost can't feel it. I am working on building up stock so i can reopen my etsy shop. So i'll keep you posted, for now i will leave you with a few more pics.

Sometimes the thought doesn't count

2008-06-12T11:17:00.004-04:00

I think i contemplate posting a lot more often than i actually post. I think if i had a lap top, being that it's portable then I'd post way more often because i could bring the computer instead of having to bring the stuff upstairs to the computer.

I got the roving Sam bought for me yesterday. I was so excited i opened it all up before i even thought about taking pictures. The shop owner included a 'Welcome Gift' of some extra roving soooo pretty. I kicked Sam off the phone and spun up the extra roving right away. It wasn't a lot a small ball maybe just enough for a hat or a small neck warmer. I did much better on one but that in part is due to how soft and lush it is, so soft you almost can't feel it. I took more time and care to drafting and created a long piece that i could put on my arm. The yarn is more even this time as well somewhere between a sock yarn and a worsted weight (maybe thats the same thing but i dunno). I have pictures of all of this to post but my poor camera died and is currently charging. I'll have to add them in later along with more info about the etsy seller (i was quit impressed).

Ichigo laying under a Sakura Tree??

2008-06-11T14:34:00.009-04:00

I may be completely cliche in saying this but i used to think that my Japanese name would have been Sakura. It seems really popular, or maybe i have selective hearing. Sakura means 'Cherry Blossom'. I am sure many of you have herd of Sakura Trees, or at the very least have seen it and didn't know what it was called. When the warm weather starts in the Sakura tree blossoms with hundreds of tiny pink/white flowers. Choosing this name and loving the beauty of the tree before knowing they were the same must say something about me. I would love to lay under a sakura tree while it was shedding it's blossoms and close my eyes so all i could do was feel it. I know it's not a very "powerful" name, but on the contrary i think it can represent a deep inner strength symbolized buy being so deeply rooted to the earth.

Alright, enough dreaming onto business. I know there are some Bleach fans around here (i know at least one personally :D). If you are an anime fan and haven't seen bleach i highly suggest checking it out! On the same note I am pleased to pass on that NCM Fathom and Viz Media bring to you Bleach the Movie! It will be in movie theatres (selected) nationwide, but only for two night - June 11th and 12th at 7:30 PM. There is a theater listing here to find one in your area. It's a MUST SEE!

Secret Project & A Baby Clapotis

2008-06-09T09:05:00.005-04:00

I am notorious for having way more projects going at once than i can actually finish. This my secret project, i am sort of free handing. This one should take me a good while because of the size of the finished product (intended size anyway). Once i am farther along i will share more, to be honest it's still in birthing phase.

I feel like i post way less often than maybe i should. It seems to me that the feed numbers jump around like crazy. I've been thinking about making a craft blog of mostly just tutorials and walk through's of really cool projects. What sort of really cool projects you ask? Well... cool ones, lol and of course eco-friendly. Tell me what you all think.

Speaking of i actually have an idea for something i want to try today, i'll update later.

I almost forgot to add the bit about the Baby Clapotis. When i first started my clapotis i was way excited and got as far as starting the body and after the first drop i was disappointed. I didn't like the look of two strands in the drop (i had been knitting it with 2 strands help together). But i didn't want to waste all that work and frog the whole thing. So i went ahead and bound it off (yes adding the drops). I thought i could add icording to the two long ends and let my baby wear it. Set it on the back and criss cross the front over the tummy, allow the cording to continue around and tie in the back (which is a plus cause it will also be hidden). However the increase rows in the pattern aren't going to be enough for a child over say 15 to 18 months. i suggest continuing the increase rows an addition 6 times. Also you could measure your child, with their arms out wrist to wrist and continue until it's approximately that long.

Party Mints

2008-06-07T15:23:00.006-04:00

I am so excited i just thought i'd throw in this little blurb, i talked sammy into buying me some roving off etsy (after a little coercion and bargaining)it's a lovely mix of pastels called Party Mints which it does look exactly like. I pray that it will be beautiful to work with - at least more so than the first. Here is a picture of my humble little spindle.

I had dad drill the whole in the center of the wood which actually worked pretty well. I've had to glue the whorl 3 times though because my dad would see it on the table and fiddle with it. He'd ask if it was working out or what it was for while he'd just pop the whorl loose like it wasn't even glued and slide it up to the hook or down the other end. Then he'd try to spin the whorl on the dowel and make a comment about it not spinning very well, then i'd tell him the whole thing spins at once not just the whorl. Then he'd say "oh, well it slides around an awful lot for that" *smacks forehead* The other two times i wasn't present when he moved the whorl but i know he did because aside from it being loose it was in a different spot than i put it in.

Alright i am off to work on my Ridged Lace Cowel (a pattern from Elinor Brown found here) - which is actually the real reason i came up here to the computer because the pattern was just not coming out like the picture and i had to find out what was going on. I found the exact issue on her ravelry page "Pattern was corrected 6/3/08 to remove a stray YO. New stitch pattern repeat should read ”yo, k1, yo, k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k2”" I was ending up with all these extra stitches and not enough pattern repeat and then it just looked really wonky. Now it should be better.

P.S. If you have any comments on my drop spindle, maybe i should make the whorl smaller or something... let me know please and thank you :D

Trial and (more) Error

2008-06-07T13:15:00.002-04:00

A few posts ago i mentioned some smelly roving... well the last 4 days have really been adventures in spinning. I found out through my craftster post how to wash the roving and so i did, it went well. Though i only did two strips at a time rather than the whole mass because i was to afraid of it felting because it's really kinky grabby wool. After having it out of the bag for a while i realized maybe it wasn't as smelly as i thought. It did smell a little but it could have been magnified by the fact that it had been in a plastic under the bed box for at least 6 months. Also the water didn't appear to be dirty at all so i opted not to wash the rest and go ahead and spin all of it and worry about washing it later.

I split the strips into quarters and drafted each one (however at the time i couldn't remember that word for the life of me). I had seen several videos where people were just spinning and it looked easy. What i didn't see was the "pinching it off" then let it run up. Though it wasn't to bad, i didn't expect my first spin to be perfect. I spun it all and then the error REALLY started.
I was completely unaware of how or the need to set the spin of the yarn. Though i thought something should happen i just had no idea what. I ended up wrapping the yarn in a center pull ball and fought with it the whole time. I knew i must be missing a step so i took to scouring youtube again for something more in depth. I finally found these videos by Megan (i am not going to butcher the spelling of her last name). She's adorable not to mention clear and thorough in her explanations. She made three videos that take you through drafting the yarn, spinning then finishing it. Exactly what i was looking for, not to mention it included all the details i was missing. She also has the videos on her site www.theartofmegan.com (adorable as well) so check her out.

I proceeded to wrap the yarn around the chair back and being the so very smart person i am, i didn't notice the issue until i was done wrapping it. Can you see my new dilemma? *sigh* So i carefully wrapped it back onto the needlework frame i had it on the day before from the chair. I successfully tied it, put it in hot water and wrung it out in the correct direction. Currently it's hanging in the laundry room with about 8 hangers hanging on the bottom. haha. Hopefully i left it in the hot water long enough. There are a few more pictures on flicker if you want to flip through. I'll let you know how it finishes up.

Police Gear

2008-06-05T09:28:00.002-04:00

Let me throw in this quick post about a cool online police gear shop. It appears that they have everything you'd need including tactical pants, Under Armor, LED flashlights, holsters, blades, handcuffs, wallets. QuickClot, weapon light, watches, paracord, packs and duffels. They also have BlackHawk closeouts that range from hydration packs to Mag Vests. There is also a variety of brand name boots. Plenty more items to choose from and pretty much anything you'd need with reasonable prices. The site also has a section with photos and videos where you can even submit your own and possibly get some free gear.
Give www.lapolicegear.com a look, you'll probably find just what you're looking for.

(This post sponsored to you by PayPerPost)

Spinning for cookies

2008-06-02T22:38:00.004-04:00

I have been stalking spinning videos, posts and websites for a while now with the intention of making a drop spindle. I have the parts i just need to sand them and put them together. I bought some beautifully colored roving about a year ago and still have it. However it actually smells really strongly, like they just sheared the sheep and threw it in the bag. But that seems odd because it is dyed, it would have had to be in some liquid at some point which would at least rinse it enough to reduce or eliminate the smell, right? Or is this totally normal? I don't just mean it smells strongly i mean i can smell it through the plastic bag it's in without even bringing it close to my face. If this isn't normal how can i get rid of the smell? Should i wash it and if i am going to wash it should i do it before or after i spin it? Ugh i started a thread on craftster asking the same question. Really any suggestions let me know.

Last night i got all googly eyed over a homemade oreo's recipe from smittenkitchen.com and just had to make them. They came out so well... but let me tell you they are very sweet when you haven't eaten many rich foods in a good while. But it's ok they will just last longer since i can't handle more than one at a time. And i thought it would only be appropriate to store them in one of my moms old tins (she has lots) that looks like an oreo. If you enjoy cooking and know someone who likes oreos try these. Everyone's reaction has been "are these supposed to taste like real oreos?" and i nod or say kinda.. maybe.. ya and they soon follow it with "cause these are way better, these are so good." I am using my co-workers as guinea pigs and making them leave me a comment card if they have one. I might adjust the recipie just a tad to make the cookies a little chewier and the filling a little less intensly sweet. We'll see, i'll make my mom help me.

Knitting-to-go

2008-05-31T22:00:00.004-04:00

I am so excited about a design I've been working on today... well a couple. I have done a fair amount of brainstorming throughout and trying to draw out whats in my head as well as work out the logistics of putting it together. I've nearly finished my first prototype and i've actually learned a lot about how i want to work the next one differently. But i like it's finished look it just needs tweaking. I also need to perfect the order it is put together and write it out or i may forget something. For the sake of surprise i can't show you a full pic but i will show you this teaser.

The other small yet sort of big news is that i decided to go ahead change the yarn of the clapotis i was working on which was a little disappointing since i had already finished the increase rows and moved into the body. It may not sound like to much to some of you, but to be honest i've never knit anything larger than a hat or scarf. So it was a bit of an accomplishment for me that i had gotten that far. But i am not going to give up i really want to finish this one. I changed over to a dusty blue worsted weight. Hopefully it will go a little faster this time haha.

Come on Social Spark, light my fire

2008-05-30T09:37:00.006-04:00

From IZEA comes a great new get paid to blog social networking site called SocialSpark. I recently singed up (linked through PPP which is also from the great people at IZEA) and couldn't be more enamored with it. It's free to get involved with only a few minimum requirements for your blog before you can get started. If your blog is more than 90 days old with 20+ posts your pretty much qualified. If your blog isn't qualified right away don't fret you can still build up your network by adding friends, giving props and scoping opportunity's. All your information including your blog link and thumbnail will appear on your profile whether your qualified yet or not. I've been through my share of paid to blog sites in the past and none of them compared in quality to Social Spark.

Not only do they have a great concept here but they have excellent Customer Service (better known as Customer Love). You don't get the standard "Please allow up to 48 hours for a reply" that turns out to really be 72+ and even then you only get half an answer. They list the hours of operation for Customer Love -understandable and necessary if you want an answer from a real person. If you can't find the answer to your question within the well organized FAQ (which you most likely will) then you need to submit a ticket. I recently submitted a ticket myself and received a reply within a few hours. I don't think i have ever received such a prompt response to an issue aside from calling an 800 number (even then it can still take an hour)

Let me also mention their code of ethics (you can read more about them here):
>100% Audit-able In-Post Disclosure - by keeping your readers aware and informed that you are getting paid for certain content you maintain trust.
>100% Transparency - all participants and participation is viewable by the public to keep everyone honest.
>100% Real Opinions - social spark encourages real opinions because in the end posts irrelevant to the topic will only hurt you.
>100% Search Engine Friendly - sponsored links carry the "no-follow" attribute as to not affect search engine rankings.

SocialSpark's bottom line is to provide an opportunity for bloggers to make a little money doing what they do best (blog) and maintain an honest open relationship with every one involved. It's a great opportunity and you have nothing to lose so check it out.

I'm melting (it's so hot)

2008-05-27T15:39:00.003-04:00

I feel so blah today. The weekend was a little more emotional than it needed to be (totally my fault i admit). I'm missing Sam, but i'll let him tell you about it when he's back. Then last night we took baby girl to the emergency room because she grabbed a sparkler where it had previously burnt out. At first i thought it was fine but there seemed to be a big to do from my dad, so i called the United Health Care nurse line and she was also concerned about it. So we (me and mom) took her in and after 3 hours of waiting, 5 actual minutes with the dr and another 30 minutes waiting for the nurse we were able to go home again.

Thankfully they were not as bad as they were hyped up to be. They were however 2nd degree burns that need to be cleaned and bandaged twice a day. Then especially when the blisters 'rupture'. For now it's ok because i won't be working a lot this week. Though making sure they keep her out of the sand box at daycare may be an issue next week.

I had planned to go through my yarns and take pictures and organize them a little so i could set them into ravelry. But as you can imagine that hasn't happened. Also, I am a little stuck on my clapotis... i still really want to make it but i think i want to change my yarn choice. The yarn i've been using is 2 strands held together, when the stitch is dropped, since they aren't twisted around each other, there are twice as many strands and it looks more like an accidental run in your jeans or pantyhose. I don't really want to but being as picky with my own work as i am, i just need to frog it and start over with a different yarn.

So hopefully i'll have myself together by the end of the day and i'll whip up a hello kitty amigurumi.