StrungOut

ROCKIN yOUR sOCKS OFF!!

Well I’m back from Austin, as far as meetings go this one wasn’t bad and it was 100% better than the last one. I even got an award. That’s right I’m one of the big dogs (yeah, sure I am) I forgot my digital camera at home! It’s no great loss really. No blackmail worthy photos ops were missed, too bad. Next time I hope.

Well it’s supposed to rain some more here in not so sunny so cal. I am actually enjoying the rain for some unknown why reason. I think it’s because I am wearing my knitting, and I’m much happier in cold weather than in the god forsaken heat. Must be my Swedish/Irish roots. In anticipation I’m making soup   nothing’s better on a cold night than hot soup, and it’s so easy to make. You don’t even have to be home to do it. That’s why god created crock pots. This is a new vegan creation of mine it smells heavenly. I got up this morning and chopped up some zucchini, carrots, ginger, Italian parsley, Serrano chilies, then threw in some brown mushrooms (which I sautéed with onions & garlic), white beans, a can of chopped tomatoes, frozen peas, and quinoa (keen-wa) which is a grain high in fiber and iron. I cheated a little and added some organic vegetable broth to the water and went off to work. Martha's got nothin on me. Yes I even made my bed!

When I came home I decided to track my STR  package as I haven’t gotten it yet. Good thing I did, the message was: note left. Uh, NO. I have the WORST mail man EVER!! So I run off to my local post office and after having the shit scared out of me because they can’t find my package. I give them my address AGAIN and they finally find it. So I tell them I want to sign a note saying I want my packages left at my door which is what a carrier told me to do. Then they say you have to talk to your carrier first. I tell them I did. So the big boss comes over and says they can’t do that. Well then have the carrier knock at my door. “Oh, he’ll just say he did.”  When I ask “How can we fix this?” All I get is a blank stare

Thanks for all of your FUCKING HELP!!!

Anyway, lets open the box shall we. This is my first installment.

How great is this, they even send you a note book. I haven't read it yet but there's a pattern in there I'll be knitting. The colorway is Rainforest Jasper. It's just lovely.

How cute is the key chain?!?!?!

I know your jealous, it's alright I'd be if I wasn't a member. So what are you waitng for go sign up!!!!

Yarn, Yarn, Yarn

I just realized I’m holding back on some good yarn porn.  As you can see I've already started a scarf. This is the haul I made for my birthday last month. I actually went shopping at the end of last month. In case you don’t know Alamitos Bay has a birthday club where you save 20% on everything you buy. You get the whole month of your birth to make the purchase. But it’s only a one shot deal. So go sign yourself up!! The day I was in there one of the ladies who works there,  Lynn, was a rip roaring BITCH to 2 women in the place that I saw. One was an elderly lady probably in her 70's. She made snide comment to another worker about me. She thought I didn’t know what she was saying. SURPRISE! Now it’s my turn. Of course the owner wasn’t working that day. . Because of her attitude I came home with $$$. Over $150.00! I had planned to drop $300.00 in that store that day. The next time I went in there the owner was there and Lynn was in a much more helpful mood.  The point of this post is if you're in a shitty mood and your job has you dealing with the public.... STAY HOME, call in sick. We, the public will forgive you for the longer line, slower service....

My Body ain’t no temple today

Here it is 15, that’s right  boys and girls, ONLY 15 days until Christmas and I am stuck in the house!! Not by choice either. I’m allergic to basically oh, EVERYTHING! Last night I broke out in hives, no they were HUGE WELTS. They were all over my chest and back. So I loaded up on  Allergra and went to bed. I wake-up this morning and I'm  fine. After about an hour my thighs are itching, so are my palms, Yep they’re back and spreading. I was going to post photos but no one really needs to see that, now do they?!?! I can’t go get my tree, clean (I’m allergic to dust)…

But I can SHOP and let me tell you Knit happens is having a SALE on Blue Sky Alpaca yarns.

I bought out the Alpaca Silk in Plum. So get to clicking on the link. I may go back for more.

While I’m on the fiber/knitting front, I’ve finished my 2 pairs of gauntlets, see..

Here they are in Charcoal Brickett

and.............

Here they are in Cooked Charcoal.

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Yeah, for me I completed my first knit along!!!! The last to join, but not the last to finish!!! I love this pattern, easy, yet interesting. It’s the first pattern that I’ve been able to knit myself, with no help.

They fit perfect.

Since I'm house bound, I'll probably finish my second sock.

I’ve already done the heel. For some reason I had more trouble knitting my second sock than the first. Which I know doesn’t make any sense, but that’s me.

Too much going on

Just a quick post to show off my goodies that came in the mail! Let’s start with the books, shall we

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I’ve already loaned out Alterknits, I should get it back to night at Knit Night.

I was trying to finish my 2 pairs of gauntlets and guess what!?!?!?  I ran out of yarn. So yesterday I covered a good portion of So. Cal. When I found myself in the Lake Hollywood area (yes there really is a lake). Burbank is just a hop, skip & jump. So off to Unwind I went, only to find out that they don’t carry Zara. BUT, on the bright side, they still have yarn 50% OFF from the sale I missed. So I came home with this.....

It’s Silk! The BEST part, ONLY $4.00 a hank. I’ll be making a stripped something. Unfortunately there wasn’t enough green so I bought peach to make up the difference.

In other news…. It only took 24 years but soon Eddie Van Halen will soon be a single man. The papers have been filed.

He’s the only musician that I have met that I couldn’t speak to.(I've met and hung out with many famous musicians) I never believed I could be star struck but he’s my dirty little secret. A story for another time. Wine will have to be involved (lots). EVH Rocks my world or did when he was young. I haven’t seen him lately and he’s got more than a decade on me.

The things I'd do to that man right there.

Let's just say...He'd be wearing a great BIG smile and nothing else.

Here Knitty, Knitty

YEAH!!! The new Knitty is out. It’s FAB-U-LO-SO. There’s a ton of things I want to knit. Now all I need is a ton (o.k. 2 tons) of time. With the Grand Daddy of all holidays coming up who couldn’t use some extra time?

I'm sorry did someone ask me what this is? It's something I forgot to disclose on my last post. There's no translation necessary is there?

Everyone sees my daughter’s hat made out of the Print 127 and the scarf made out of the Sari yarn, right? The scarf is for me, unless I’m a present short (God Forbid). I came home early to meet the UPS man (of course he'll show up tomorrow when I'm not here). He should be bringing me my (much needed) wine shipment. Last month’s shipment has all (2 bottles) been drunk. No, I don't need an AA intervention. One bottle was taken to a party.

Not to mention the postman is expected to leave me yarn & books. Hey I know I was good this year (video iPod still mine). Which explains my $364.50 Neiman Marcus order I placed. No it wasn’t for a Prada wallet (maybe next time).

The sad part is it was for silverware. And it was on SALE. I have NEVER had a complete set of matching flatware, forget a nice set. So I figured I deserve it. December 13^th is the expected arrival date. Hopefully I'll be posting pictures of my loot tomorrow. Now I'm off to work on my guantlets. I may have to make yet a third pair.

Naughty or Nice

I LOVE the holidays. Usually I’m done with my shopping by October 1^st       at the absolute latest because I HATE the crowds.Well, as we all know my daughter has been an angry Santa lately. Hence I haven’t been in the mood to buy her diddley do. The other day I went to Costco to renew my membership. I just happen to quietly ask “Hey, do you have any iPods?”   “Why yes, we just got in the new ones.” In a hushed voice “ There’s only 12”.Needless to say I came home with the best present a teenager could get.

My darling daughter not having a clue, yet thinking she knows everything, once again had the attitude of a big smelly TURD. So I’ve decided to keep the video iPod for myself. (I was going to return it.) She’s going to have the smallest Christmas on record. Sucks to be her. (I'm looking for lumps of coal.)

On another musical note, I stumbled across some great knitting music. I listen to a wide variety of music. There’s always music on in this house. One day I was in my LYS and I heard a female voice I didn’t recognize. So I inquired about it and was told it was Eva Cassidy.

The sad news is she died a few years ago and she was only 33 of malignant melanoma (Girl had some pipes).

I’ve found her CD’s used (about $8.00) on Amazon.com.  I usually buy new cds or get them from cd baby ( great site for indie music). So the artist gets paid. But since She has passed, you don’t know who’s getting paid.

I have 3 of her CDs which are all good. I’d say my favorite so far is SongBird, But Live At Blues alley isn’t far off. Her Music and a glass of wine makes for a relaxing night of knitting.

SALE

Just thought I do my part for everyone out there in blog-land who loves a deal......      

As much money as knitters spend on yarn that should be 100% of you. Let your fingers RUN to Little knits or just clic the link. They have a Noro sale going on that should curl your toes. I plan to be doin some felting here shortly. Be sure to read the list on the left side of the page because lots of other goodies are on sale as well.

I also bought some sock yarn that even sounds delicious, it's called parfait.

I love when presents are waiting for me when I get home, Don't you?

How was your Mother's Day

I hope everyone had an enchanted mother’s day. Because being the mom of a teenage girl, I sure didn’t. I know This too shall pass.

I however am a BIG believer in taking care of one’s self, so I did.

Get your minds out of the gutter this isn't vibrator chat. Wrong Blog!! Hmm I wonder if there is such a thing out there in blog land??? Note to self....

Anyway I digress…

I Don’t whine, I go shopping!!!! Wanta see???

First I got myself a remote control boom box. The down side is I have to program in the stations. What happened to plug & play??? This must be one of those…”You know you’re getting old when” moments. Arrrgg

I believe this calls for some new CDs. Can one ever have enough music to knit by???

I also bought myself a new knitting bag!!! Not just any bag no, no, no

but a Zelda tote by Offhand designs.

Isn't she Purdy?!?!?!

I love the vintage fabric and it holds quite a bit as you can see I have my fab funky (FF)

purse in there right now. It  (FF) should be finito in a few weeks. I have to go downtown to look for some crushed violet velvet material for the lining.

Last but not least I bought myself some Adagio tea. Remember the FedEx rant???

Great Tea, LOVE it!!!

I also got a little knitting done on Dumpling. I have to deal with the sleeves now. I've never dealt with sleeves before this should be fun.

With that I will bid you adios for today.

Yarn Hopping

Where we left off on Friday I needed more yarn/ribbon to finish my purse…. Well I went to the original place of purchase and they only had one skein of the eyelash and they won’t be re-ordering that color. I hopefully will be o.k. But it will be close. As for the main ribbon, no mas and they are no longer carrying it. As I had to work on Sunday that meant Saturday would be my only day to hunt down my ribbon.  I began planning my travels as soon as I got home Friday.

First stop Alamitos Bay Yarn Co. in Long Beach. Lovely store a bit on the pricey side and the staff was a bit aloof not real friendly but they had the ribbon I needed and a few other things…. I don’t mind paying more but I feel the treatment of the client should also increase with the price paid. Sort of a benefit to the snob factor.

Next and last stop the Stitch café in my old stomping grounds SFV. You read it right I drove from LB to Valley Village all for yarn with gas costing $2.59/gal. I LOVE this shop. Nice homey feel. Everyone that works there is helpful and friendly. Guess what? They had the ribbon I needed too and it was cheaper. I didn’t care about the cost even though I checked it out. All I cared about is that I found it and own it.

They were having a Rowan sale. I of course had to partake in said event.

I also found out in 2 weeks they are having a Noro sale. I of course will be a buying fool. I will be/am scouting the pattern books for things to knit with Noro.

I thought you might like to see the spoils of all that driving.

I have plans for everything I bought.

There's a baby blanket, baby sweater and I think 3 baby beanies in that pile. So go on  have more kids. For once I'm slightly ahead of those damn breeders.