Sunday, March 30, 2008

Brace yourselves...

'Cause I'm posting!! Yes, finally. I am posting. Not a cheesy one either...a real post...with photos. Life has gone from relatively quiet to super busy in the span of a few short months and I don't even know where to start. Sheesh. First, we moved on Christmas Eve (we're masochists, what can I say?). And we didn't even just move right down the street or something easy like that. No, we moved several hundred miles south of our previous location, into this house:
our new house
This is technically the backyard as the house sits on a river and we have 150' of riverfront view. So freakin' cool...and very relaxing. I now have a craft cubby/work area that looks out at the river. What a way to wake up, I tell ya. We now live closer to my mama so you will be reading a lot about the stuff we do (Sunday dinners, movies, yoga, etc.). It's great fun.
In addition to my regular job, if one could even begin to call it regular, I have been in the process of becoming a certified yoga instructor. HURRAH!! I love it ever so much and now I can rattle on and on about asanas, chakras, doshas, and the like. I'm becoming certified by these amazing people. They are simply amazing and great teachers. The opportunity came up at just the right time for me to do it so I'm all yoga, editing, and knitting these days.
Travis started out working at a tattoo studio down here and, in the interest of keeping my blood pressure low, I won't get into why he no longer graces their studio. On the up side of him being free from the shackles of mismanagement, he has put together a private studio at home and we can now actually spend time together again. Working at the other studio meant about an hour and a half round trip commute and nine hour days but that is a thing of the past. Yahoo!! I'll link his private studio's website on my next post. And no, it won't be three months from now. I do solemnly swear to stop being a crappy, non-posting blogger.
The cats are still ridiculously cute:
Exhibit A:
Poogar the Bunny
Exhibit B:
Isabella Linton on Penelope
And, yes, that is Tako Yarns "Isabella Linton" resting on Penelope. Here is a wee photo of the finished sock, Poogar, and, of course, my foot sneaking into the photo. My feet have a mind of their own, I believe.
And, of course, my foot too
I sent Elizabeth (sorry about the lack of link action there) one completed sock and I'm about halfway through the other. It is the Whisper Lace Socks (ravelry link) and I'll fill you in on the details when they are finished. I will say that they are turning out quite a bit smaller than I anticipated so they are going to a friend of mine who has very tiny feet. These socks are one of the two lace projects I have going on right now. Last year at this time, I couldn't knit lace if you held a gun to my head. Thinking about that statement makes me realize that I couldn't knit lace now if you had a gun to my head. I'd be too busy crying and peeing myself to knit lace. So, let me rephrase that....Last year at this time, I couldn't knit lace while being massaged with scented oils. Now, though, look out because I think I'm all about some lace. I have big plans, I tell ya.
Speaking of big plans, I finally managed to knit a sock big enough to fit Travis. This is a mighty accomplishment because he has HUGE feet. Here is photographic proof of said sock:
A sample sock and the second
It is knit in Stitchjones's sock yarn, colorway "Tom Sawyer," like the Rush song and I've been loving every minute of it, especially since this giant sock came straight outta my noggin and onto the needles. We don't need no stinkin' pattern. I suppose that I had tried so many times to knit a sock big enough to fit Travis that when I finally decided to knit a sock from my brain, my subconscious made sure to get it right this time. The subconscious is a sneaky thing. It's surprising that I didn't end up with a sweater, considering how chilly I always am. It just goes to show who my subconscious is looking out for. Anyway. Since the skein of yarn from Stitchjones is so generous, I'll be able to squeeze out a pair of giant MAN socks (size 13US) and a sample sock to send off to the lovely and talented Stitchjones herself. She sent me this sock yarn as payment for knitting up a sample sock:
Stitchjones' Arashimaya
If you don't love it, you could be a fascist. I'm just sayin'...it's beautiful and soft and I can't wait to knit up some bright socks that scream, like an awkward teenager who has finally bloomed into lovely adulthood, "LOOK AT ME!!" In addition to that, Stitchjones and I are cooking up some other things so new patterns and free patterns should be forthcoming. Fun!
In other knitting news, I'm undecided whether or not to change the sidebar detailing my Christmas knitting (or lack thereof) because I very well may just keep them up there and actually knit them for people for Christmas this year. Since it's nearly April, I figure I should get a move on now if I'm actually going to knit for people for Christmas this year. I am, however, nearly finished with this:
A close-up
Since that photo just screams volumes about what the project is, I won't elaborate. Just kidding. It's the Print O' the Waves Stole (ravelry link) by the illustrious Eunny Jang. I'm working on the edging right now and I've done 12/120 (or 1/10th, if you like fractions, which, generally speaking, I do not) of the edging repeats. I loves it. It is/was my mama's Christmas present but she still doesn't know about it so mum's the word (sorry for the cheesy pun...it just sorta happened). Since I'm nearing the end of knitting this, my first REAL lace project, I plan on finishing it up ASAP and blocking it so be on the lookout for those photos followed by photos of my mother's reaction to said knitted shawl. The yarn, by the way, is Lorna's Laces, Helen's Lace, in Pewter and it is fantastic to knit with. More details when it's finished, of course. I will say that I had to devise a system of paper and many paper clips to do the charts on this bad boy, especially since it initially required loads of concentration.
Speaking of my mother....for Easter, my mother gifted me yarn! Yarn! She has seldom done this in the past but, on a pre-Easter trip down to Key West with some of her friends, she hunted down some yarn shops and hooked me up! I even got some of this:
Tilli Thomas Rock Star
Tilli Tomas, Rock Star, in "Atmosphere." I have no idea whether to knit it, pet it, or frame it. In addition to that badass yarn, she got me a great selection of other beautiful yarns (check 'em out on my flickr page if you are so inclined) and some Lantern Moon Rosewood needles. So freakin' sweet.
Well, dear bloglings and blogettes, I think I may be finished for the moment. Yoga, yarn, blog reading (I have like 2400 bloglines posts to get through so if I haven't been a good little commenter on your blog, feel free to bitch me out in the comments on my blog. I'm coming for ya so be prepared. *insert slightly evil laugh here*), and nature are calling. I hope everyone is having a most beautiful Sunday. I missed y'all and I'll be back soon.
Transmission Ended