PRGE-4 Questionnaire

1. Why did you join PRGE? I took part in the first two swaps and had a lot of fun.
1.a. Have you done other swaps? no Are you doing other swaps right now? no
2. What are your five favorite things? (these don't have to be knit related)
knitting, skulls and crossbones, coffee, chocolate, sewing
2.a. Do these things allow any hints into your personality for your punk pal? yes, I think so
3. What are your three favorite things that you have made with knitting/crochet? I don't usually like my FOs.
3.a. What do you tend to make with knit/crochet? hats, socks, sweaters
3.b. What do you hope to make (or complete that you have started) someday? A brown sweater of my own design that I have one sleeve completed
4. What five things would you love to see in a swap box someday? Why?
pretty paper, fabric, or yarn; something personal from my swap pal to let me know what he/she is like; chocolate;
4.a. What do you hope to never see in a swap box again (or ever)? fun fur (no offense previous pals)
5. What are your three favorite yarns? What are your three least favorite yarns?
Socks that Rock; cascade fixation; sock blanks; most worsted wool blends
5.a. Do you like solid, self-striping, or multi-colored yarns? solids and same color varigateds
5.b. What are your favorite colors? Black, peacock blue, purple, pink, brown What are your favorite colors to knit with? most any
6. What are your five favorite delicacies? chocolate, coffee, tea, Socks that Rock, chocolate
6.a. What yarn do you hope to one day try and why? Malabrigo, I've heard great things
7. What are your three favorite guilty pleasures? chocolate, Ghost Hunters, Torchwood
7.a. What are your favorite tv or movie charactors? see above plus Psych
8. What are the five things you look forward to every week?
8.a. What do you do during your week (ie - work, take care of three kids, race walk)?
9. What do you collect? Bells, coffee mugs, skull stuff
9.a. What collects you? handbags, shoes
10. When is your birthday? March 19
10.a. What is your favorite holiday and why? Halloween, do you really have to ask?
11. Do you have any wishlists? no
11.a. Do you have a "favorites" collection anywhere that your pal should know about? no
12. Do you have any allergies or health related conditions that your pal should know about? no
12.a. What drives you nuts?
13. What do you do for work and what do you do for fun? I'm a statistician/research analyst. I do crafty things for fun
13.a. What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Open my own yarn store.
14. What would you like your pal to know that is not covered here?
14.a. Are you excited for the contests or will you just pretend that they do not exist?

How Cute is This?

halloween advent calendar
Originally uploaded by mique123

I'm starting to think about Halloween projects. I know I want to make a monster wreath, but this Pottery Barn calendar is too cute. At $60, it's a project that would actually be cheaper to make, unlike most that I take on.
The kids haven't decided on costumes yet, so I probably won't be making those. What are your Halloween To Do's?

Knitting-related LOLcat

more animals

Hurricanes

I posted this on Ravelry, so forgive the cross-post.
DH and I were talking about how we sometimes miss hurricanes if we don't have one in a while.
I think it's because, growing up poor, hurricanes were a time to get the whole family together. Usually there was only one member of the extended family who had a nice enough house that everyone would be safe in.
We would all get together, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and usually spend the night or a few days, depending on if the electricity was out.
We would all hunker down in the living room on a mattress, because there was usually only one hurricane lamp and it stayed in the living room. We'd listen to the radio and watch channel four news until the power went out. If we were lucky, we'd get a few days off of school.
Does anyone else have sort of nice hurricane memories?

Beware: Buttload of Photos Ahead!!!

These first photos are of the stitch marker bracelets I sold last week.


























These are hats I finished last week. The pirate hat is for the Ravalympics.




























Shetland Not-So-Shorty modeled by my disgustingly cute sister.














Margaret's birthday cake.

Brought my camera wire to work

to try and upload some photos. But then I forgot my camera. As G would say: Wa Wa Waaaa! (in her best gameshow losing voice.)
I guess you guys will have to wait.

I feel so growed up!

I sold my first set of stitch markers last week. I wanted to wait to post about it to make sure they buyer liked them. Here's what she said:

Shannon,
THEY CAME TODAY!!!!!!! and I LOVE THEM!!!!! I cannot wait until Saturday to show them off (my friend is definitely not getting hers until after the weekend!)
I really like the fact that they fasten with the magnets–so easy and so smart. And you did such a good job mixing and matching up the beads–I envy your artistic eye!
Thanks again. I’m sure I’ll be in touch with you again.

Sara

I took some photos before I sent them. I'll try to upload them soon. I still have to photograph the Shetland NS Shorty and New Republic hat I finished. Somebody remind me- kthxbye!!!!

Baby steps

Well, we have a birthday coming up next weekend. That gives us less than two weeks to clean the house. Having company over really helps to motivate us to keep things clean, but there's always a mad dash to give everything a good once-over and it usually ends up with me apologizing for the mess anyway. This year M has invited a few friends from gym class. The thought of strangers coming over really makes me want to make sure everything is nice so, I've decided to start doing a little each day. Of course, that is much easier said than done, especially with three anti-adults running around and spreading "fun" everywhere. If I have to clean up the large foam alphabet puzzle one more time, I swear, I'm going to tie those ankle biters up until the party. I try to use the flylady system, but it's very difficult to do alone and DH thinks doing dishes and laundry (but not folding or putting it away!!!) gets him off the hook.
The other problem I have is our hardwood floors. DH tried to mop with pine sol and Murphy's against my better judgement and now there's a sitcky film I can't get off. Martha says use vinegar and water and that worked a little, after FOUR tries.
Do any of you have suggestions for cleaning up while playing zone defense against three children OR for cleaning hardwood floors (walnut, specifically?)

In other news, the Shetland Not-So-Shorty is done. I also finished a New Republic Hat. Well, alsmost finished it. The buttons I got from ebay have the shanks cut off. Stupid me thought "no shanks" meant they were the kinds of buttons with holes. Uh, no. They are buttons that used to have shanks, but have been castrated.
I haven't had time to figure out how to fasten the band of the hat, but I'm leaning towards an embroirdered "X" where the button should go. If anyone has a large (2") button to donate, you know how to reach me. I'll get action shots up as soon as I figure out how to get my camera to quit giving all my photos a ghostly white halo.

ETA: "We" is my Four-year-soon-to-be-five-year-old. We'll be kntting at the Chimes for "me" in March.