I'm Famous!

TeamKnits just featured one of my projects! Go forth and comment!

Just Call Me Sissy

I've never claimed to be a domestic goddess. In fact, I've never claimed to be domestic at all. It's much easier and much more fun to go through the motions- baking cakes and cookies, melting crayons with the kids, sewing comforter covers, etc. All those things make me feel like I'm being domestic, and more importantly, make me APPEAR to be domestic without having to do all the hard work.
It's not that I don't like cooking and cleaning every day for my family. It's that I Hate cooking and cleaning every day- for anybody! For the short time I was home after the birth of each of my children, I literally felt myself going nuts. "Housewife" is something akin to "Prisoner of War" as an occupational option to me.
There's a reason the ancient tale of Sisyphus is a cautionary one. You screw up, you have to push a boulder to the top of a mountain every day for eternity only to have it roll down to the bottom just in time for you to start pushing it up again. That's housewifery my friends! It never ends. The mountain of laundry and dishes never goes down. The mouths are always hungry. The floors are always scuffed or sticky. Every time you finish, you are right back where you started.
It's much easier for me to use this as an excuse to not try. If it can't be perfect, why should I spend time on it? I could be knitting, or painting, or sewing, or doing something else that has an actual finish line.
Except it shouldn't be perfect. It won't ever be. But I can at least make it better.
I just read a study that found gifted/talented kids set themselves up for failure because they think if something doesn't come easy, it won't come at all. The concept of hard work is foreign to people who never have to try hard. I can see this attitude popping up in my psyche wayyy tooo often.
I guess that's the lesson I should learn from Sisyphus: instead of trying to keep the boulder at the top of the mountain, I should try to push it a little more each day. I might not get to the top, but if it backslides it won't slide too far.

Thrift Challenged

I don't know what the deal is.
I can't seem to get on the whole "Thrift Store" bandwagon. It's not that I don't come across awesome thrift store redo projects all over the blogosphere, and then become obsessed with trying them until my head explodes and I need to go lie down.
It's the stupid thrift stores around here. I can never find anything worth saving in there. Maybe I don't go often enough. Maybe people around here are cheap (they are). I just don't know.
There's another blogger around here that has no trouble finding great things at the thrift stores, but she's not giving up her sources. Maybe she's just beating me to the good stuff. Maybe my aspirations are a little high.
You tell me.
Here's my thrifty wish list:
dining room chairs- any condition
outdoor furniture- any condition
dress form (yeah, I know. In my dreams.)
picture frames, dishes, decorative items to revamp
Am I being unreasonable?

Here's a Photo for Ya:

This was a cake purse I made for my sister's graduation/birthday.

Supersize Me

I've started a new blog (Yeah, this is getting out of hand).
I'll be featuring knitting patterns that look great knitted up on a variety of body types. I'm open to suggestions and testimonials.
You can fin it at:
www.OneSizeKnitsAll.blogspot.com

Leave some comments while you're there, but I'm going to moderate so don't bother saying anything bad because it won't see light of day.

Things That Make You Go

YAWN!
I just can't get back into this clappy.

I don't know if it's the yarn (Rayon), or the colors, or the pattern. This is my second try; the first was with a lovely tencel-alpaca blend that I frogged before the first dropped stitch. I just can't pick it up again. That's a lie. I pick it up, and put it back down over and over.
Thing is, the rayon is very nice and drapey. It's perfect for the pattern, if not a bit thin. So, I can't imagine frogging it and knitting something else with the yarn. What do you think? Finish? Frog? Pull a Scarlet O-Hara and think about it tomorrow? I need opinions people!

Paranormal Swap Survey

1. What are your five favorite things? (these don't have to be knit related)
yarn, fabric, chocolate, office supplies (I know), coffee
1.a. Do these things allow any hints into your personality for your paranormal pal?
I hope not
2. What are your three favorite things that you have made with knitting/crochet?
Mad-Color Weave socks, Randy Reindeer Hat, Shetland Shorty, Widdershins,
2.a. What do you tend to make with knit/crochet?
There's no rhyme or reason to what i pick
2.b. What do you hope to make (or complete that you have started) someday?
Wavy lace shawl
3. What five things would you love to see in a swap box someday? Why?
chocolate, stationary, stitch markers, pretty yarn, something to remind me of my swap buddy
3.a. What do you hope to never see in a swap box again (or ever)?
fun fur or anything made with novelty yarn
4. What are your three favorite yarns? What are your three least favorite yarns?
Yarn is like children, I can't pick a favorite.
4.a. Do you like solid, self-striping, or multi-colored yarns?
Same color variegated or solid.
4.b. What are your favorite colors?
What are your favorite colors to knit with?
Jewel-tones, Brown, any shade of purple
5. What are your five favorite delicacies?
good chocolate and coffee
5.a. What yarn do you hope to one day try and why?

6. What are your three favorite guilty pleasures?
knitting, Ravelry, sleeping late
6.a. What are your favorite tv or movie charactors?
The guys from psych and Bones. The "Top Gear" hosts.
7. What are the five things you look forward to every week?
Saturday, Sunday, Friday night, dessert, Starbucks on occasion
7.a. What do you do during your week (ie - work, take care of three kids, race walk)?
I'm a project director for a Longitudinal Database Project at a small research institute.
8. What do you collect?
skulls and crossbones, bells,
8.a. What collects you?
coffee mugs
9. When is your birthday?
March 19
9.a. What is your favorite holiday and why?
Halloween, I love to decorate and try to outdo myself each year.
10. Do you have any wishlists?
no
11. Do you have any allergies or health related conditions that your pal should know about?
no
11.a. What drives you nuts?
bad drivers, yarn with sticks in it (Noro!!!!)
12. What do you do for work and what do you do for fun?
work- research, fun- gardening and crafting
12.a. What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
Move to Paris for a year
13. What would you like your pal to know that is not covered here?
I can't wait!!!!

Well, I almost had to rescind that "I'm Not Dead" thing.

Last week, the cold/allergy season descended upon my home. I, of course, got it worse than anyone probably due to the added responsibility I've taken on at work. After a week with a cold I got a virus that not only kicked my rather large, but nice, ass, I ended up in the hospital for a night with fluids and meds. That was Saturday. I finally started eating again yesterday. I'm still feeling crappy today.
So, as for now, I'm still not dead. I just feel like I am.

An explanation is in order

Guys, I don't know how to say this, but I'm not dead.
I know, some of you are very surprised to hear this considering the comments I've received on this blog and on my Ravelry page.
What happened is a fellow Raveller named Sharon
passed away a few weeks ago, and I wrote the memorial in "This Week in Ravelry" as I always do. There seemed to be a bit of confusion between Sharon and Shannon and a lot of people think I was the one who passed. It's okay, really, because I pretty much grew up answering to Sharon because people make that mistake a lot.
I just didn't want to freak out anyone else who wished me to "Rest in Peace" and then saw me posting from what they thought was the great beyond. (Yes, that happened.)
In short, I will be happy to rest in peace when my time comes, just not yet.

Valentine's Day Project

We made heart-shaped crayons by melting regular crayon pieces in little silicone cupcake heart cups. Very easy and the kids loved it.



We melted the crayons at 250 degrees for about 15 minutes. When they were cool, they popped right out of the cups.



We made one of each color and two rainbow crayons.