Four meme and all that other update stuff

I was reading Creature Comforts (http://www.creature_comforts.typepad.com/) and she tagged anyone that hadn't been tagged yet, and wanted to be so... Oh and she added a few questions too.

Four Jobs I've Had: I've had 9, but here's just 4 of them
- Subway Sandwich Artist
-Hotel Housekeeper
-College IT Assistant
-Video Game Advisor (I worked in a game shop)

Four Sites I Check Daily:
Hummmmmmmm daily?
- yahoo mail
-my msn mail
-my 60+ yahoo groups (usually I do 3-4 a day not all of them every day)
- i dunno, my sites tend to change daily

-Four Places I've Lived:
I haven't moved that much but I think I have four:
- Penns.
- SOuth Carolina
- Virginia
-Maryland

Four Places I've Holidayed:
I've never hardly been on a real vacation. The closest I've come is traveling in an RV for a week to get to my Grandmothers, making cool stops along the way. Usually for "vacation" we always go see family.
- Maryland (before I lived here)
- Florida
- South Carolina (after i moved away)
- North Carolina (one of our RV stops)

Four Places I'd Rather Be Now:
- Nowhere, I'm happy where I am I suppose
- Although I would love to move to the UK.

Four Films I Could Watch Over and Over Again:
- Empire Records
- How to Make an American Quilt
- How to Deal
- 13 Going on 30 (or whatever it's called)
- Oh WAIT Harry Potter 1-4!!! I watch atleast 1 a week.

Four TV Shows I Love:
- The Simpsons
- Family Guy
- Creature Comforts (a british show using claymation to interview animals, it's hilarious!!! If you haven't already watch it!!!)
- Roseanne ( i even tivo it!)

Four of My Favorite Dishes:
-Pasta anything
-My dads hamburgers
- tuna salad
- popcorn- it's a meal if you eat it like one!

Four Magazines I Love:
I subsribe to over 30 magazines (yea no joke!) so this is tough!
- Spin Off
-Dollhouse Minatures
- I can't remember the rest

Four Products I Can't Live Without:
- A slotted spoon- I use my slotted spoon more then anything when I cook
- my Louet
- roving/fiber/yarn
- my computer
Four Words That Describe Me Best:
- crazy
-goofy
- weird
-talkative

Four Things You Didn't Know About Me Until Now:
- At work they call me "Bubble Girl" because I am both afraid off, and allergic to almost everything.

- I was born in Maryland, and then 21 years later moved back to a town only 45 minutes away from where I was born.

- Almost every day of my life I've slept with a white soft blanket named "Fuzzy." Even today it shares a bed with my husband and I. It's isn't like a baby blanket or anything, it's a full sized bed blanket, but I just like to cuddle it. I've had it so long I can't sleep without it. A friend of mine is highschool used to always call me Fuzzy Wuzzy (and sing the song constantly) because of it.

- I once was addicted to milk, I was up to a gallon every 1.5-2 days, plus the milk I drank when eating out. That's where this extra 30 lbs came from.

So I dunno who to tag, I dunno who reads this. So if you want to be tagged, TAG your it!



Wow this whole post is taking me forever. I saved it as a draft and am now on day two of typing it up!!

I can't believe I have a whole week to catch up on! I hope I don't forget to say anything. I'll just go through the week.

Saturday last week we went on a quest for "Color in Spinning" two weeks ago (now anyway) I saw it and passed it up, then I was no more then home and decided I made a big mistake! I HAD to have it! So this past weekend we went to get it. We decided we would go to the nearby town to our favorite burger joint and then to bookstore in the same shopping center to get the book, finish off with a little DQ, and be back home in about an hour. That didn't work. We went to the bookstore and they didn't have it. So we had to go to the bookstore in the next shopping center (yes they are literally that close together) and that bookstore didn't have it! So they called the bookstore where I originally found it, the store that is about 30 minutes from that store, and they DID still have one copy left. They were holding it for me. So what did we do? Well at about 9:30 at night we headed to get it! We got there, looked around a bit, then got back home at about 11. We drove around two counties to get that book. But boy was it worth it!!!! I was up until 4 am just looking at it and reading pieces of it! If you don't have it I really recommend getting it.

So after being up late I woke up about 11 the next day to go to my very first Fiber Club/Spinning Guild. They are an unoffical guild with no dues or agenda, you just go and work on stuff. And it was GREAT! I had a good time and plan on going again. It's every month. There were about a dozen ladies there. Most were spinning, and they had some nice wheels!!! The hostess of the group and her husband own a small business of spinning supplies and handdyed rovings and such. They even have a Golding wheel!!!!! I didn't get to see it this trip, but next time they are going to give me a tour of the house so I can see all that they have. I plan on swinging in this weekend to buy some rovings, and may help them fire up the dye pots. When I was talking about my book quest they invited me to come help! I still need to email her about it. After I got home from that I had a slight headache, that quickly turned into a migraine. So I went to bed.

Monday I woke up and it still hurt some, so I called in late to work. Nothing else really happened Monday that I remember.

Tuesday I got some packages! My Mielke's Order came.














And I got my Gifty Swap! My swap partner was Samantha over at Plump Pudding, http://plump-pudding.typepad.com/ She sews and sent me some great sewn stuff.

She sent a needle/hookcase (shown rolled up) a sewing needle case, the brown/white/pink/gray thing opens to flannel pages for my needles, a tape measure, and the thing with yellow trim in a klennex holder, it holds those small things of kleneex.
















A Knitting Needles/Crochet hook case













A nifty tape measure!


















And while i totally love that stuff I'm just so thrilled with her for fining my favorite candy! She lives in Wales, and I am just in love with a lolly they have over there. She contacted me to see if she could get anything for me and I said those! I used to have a penpal/swapper friend in Wales and she would send me candy, she sent me these and Ijust love them! I've been craving them, and dreaming of them, but didn't have a way to get any. So I was just thrilled then Samantha got me some, and apparently it wasn't easy. She said the package was delayed while she found some. They're called drumsticks and they are chewy instead of hard. They are creamy flavors, she sent Raspberry n Cream. They are just the best candy I've ever had. I have the worst sweet tooth. I've never left the east coast, but have had candy from 8 countries!



SO thanks Samantha!!!!! I love it all!!!






On another note, Samantha has two of the cutest boys! You should check out her blog to read about them, and read about her too of course! She sells her handsewn stuff, I'm not sure if she regularly sells to the US or not, but she has great stuff!


Now for the rest of my week. Weds nothing happened that I remember. I had another migraine and mostly rested all night.

Thursday was pretty boring also. BUT I found the funniest cutest candy! Check this out! This is a whopping big candy too, bigger then a Quarter Pounder real burger! Not heavy cause it's marshmallow, but big! It just so much like a burger to. The powder sugar on the buns look like the flour does on real buns. Then they made icing sesame seeds. It's really neat. Really Big in calories too! 412 calories! 97 carbs! 8 points!!! I figure I will cut it in fourths, then each fourth is only 2 points, not to bad.

I plan on taking some to my parents if/when I visit.

I also bought two cross stitch kits yesterday, I've had the urge to cross stitch, I know it will only get worse, so I figured I better buy soemthing now, buy a cheap one or two kits, before the urge is so bad I just buy the first kit I love and pay a fortune for it. I got home and was about to start one when I realized I dont' have a hoop! So I'm going to buy one at work tonight.

I also bought a "Hexagon Lap Loom" it's the plastic thing that you weave small shapes with. The finished product has like a flower pattern to it. I have some ideas for stuff to sell using it. It's kinda hard to explain. I'll upload a few pictures later or tomorrow or something.


And that's pretty much my week! Now you're all caught up, so I'll end this post, finally!

UGH!!!! SO FURIOUS!!!!

I just had a big, amazingly long, yet still unfinished blog post, and then POW it disappeared!!! I somehow hit the magical mystery key that only cats walking across the keyboard can find that deleted the whole thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not just cut it and can easily paste it. It is GONE. Gone away for good.

I'm not retyping that whole thing. I'll just update tomorrow.

Guess what???

Today was a good day. Work went by quickly. And then I came home to a package!!!!! Any day with a package is a great day!

Here's what I got:
All from my secret pal! The stuff is just great!!! The box said Indianapolis. I dunno if i believe it, but time will tell.

She sent me a felted bag!!!! Which looks amazing!!!!

Some yarn, wool, I forget what kind she said Noro maybe?, but she says it felts beautifully. in a beautiful blue.

A Sanrio Hello Kitty wind-up toy. It's a little teapot ride, with sanrio characters in the cups. The cups spin, and the whole thing spins. It's pretty nifty!

Also three types of Hello Kitty candy. One of which I just love for the sole purpose that it says "For sale in Japan only" which just makes it special to me. These candies are only a point or two a piece (for Weight Watchers) so I plan on them being a treat that is worked in whenever I can spare the points.

She also sent some Candy Heart Truffles!! Truffles are a serious fav of mine!!! They are 5 points though, SO I plan on using them as a reward if I keep to my points all week.

Thanks Pal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I also just placed a rather large order. Where? At Mielkes! I order several pounds of natural roving, and some dye kits! Each kit dyes about 8 lbs so I ordered two kits, to make sure i have enough. I think I ordered about 5 lbs of roving, plus i have 6 lbs of wool here, plus other roving, so.... I also finally ordered a Niddy Noddy. I plan on buying the skeinwinder for my wheel, but that might be awhile so... I also ordered some stuff I can't mention cause it's secret!

I was going to buy 15 balls of handyed roving on ebay, for $10 a pop!!!, but realized I can get more poundage for less money if I just buy the roving and the dye. And have more fun doing it!!!

I plan on using quite a bit of it myself, but want to also sell some, maybe on etsy? I can hardly wait though.

Oh wait! I didn't explain where this money came from!! I decided to put my loom off a few months. I mean, why make shawls, when Spring is almost here?? The craft show in April is to late for shawl sales. So I plan on buying it in July or so, for stuff for the September show. Sounds a little more shawl like doesn't it? Plus I spent $350 on my wheel, and don't use it nearly as much as I should. I decided I should get more of my $350 out of that, before buying something even more expensive. I don't even have all the accessories for my wheel yet, why buy a whole new something?? I haven't given up the idea of my tri-loom. I still really want it. I really really want it. But this definently seemed like a better idea. I mean why spend my Springtime (and money) on shawls that won't sell until Fall?? One person pointed out that I already had some loom money, I shoudl just keep saving and go for it while I've already started, but I don't even have half. I don't even have a third! After the crazy electric bill, and my hospital bill, I wouldn't be able to get my loom for quite a while anyway! I just plan on saving about $100 a month for my loom, instead of every single dime for the next month.

I also realized that I didn't have enough of any yarn for my loom. I mean I have yarn! Lots of yarn. But not enough of one type/style/color/etc etc to make an actual woven shawl. I would have saved every dime, gotten my loom, and not be able to use it! I would have to wait to go buy more yarn! SO I also plan on buying some yarns for it.

Really I just need to start buying more at a time anyway. I only buy 1 skein. 1 skein of this, 1 skein of that, because I usually make hats and such that only need pne. But now i want to do more. A hat and matching bag. A sweater. A solid shawl instead of a holey lacey one. I'm thinking of buying 10 at a time from now on. Same kind, same color. Ever heard of the yarn club? They sell stuff by the bag at a slight discount. I'd have to calculate if the discount is better then work but it's a thought.

I also worked on my studio some. It's really, really, totally trashed. You can hardly even sit anywhere! I need to make space for a table (for dyeing and large felting scarfs and such) and for my floor loom! And I really would like to have a nice organized place. I want to try to fit a couch in there, but I don't thinkI'll be able to. I think a couch might be a stretch. I've taken a new approace I should have taken long ago. If I don't REALLY want it- toss it. 3 trashbags left yesterday. The problem is that I start out really well, the first bag is full in no time, then as I am in there longer, I start to become more selective, and less and less seems to go into bags. So I'm limiting my time in there. "I'll spend 30 minutes." " I'm not leaving till I have 2 bags of garbage." Hopefully before I die it'll be clean. I'm hoping the end of the month.

I think I've blabbered enough. Bye for the night! Thanks again SP!!

Pictures

I'm going to post a few pictures, and describe each one with two words or less. Ready?



Front Yard


















Back yard

















Handcarding Fool!

I am so broke.

So we headed to the post office today because I had a huge stack of packages to mail. Penpal stuff, swap stuff, etc etc. And You would't believe how much it cost me.
Go Ahead try to guess.

$44!!!!!!!!!!

One package to Belgueim (which I just totally spelled wrong) cost me more the mail then the price I paid for it's contents!!

I think in the future swaps might be a rareity. That $44 is on top of the over well over $100 that I spent for the actual contents.

So I'm thinking maybe I'll do every other SP or something. I Dunno, it's just that that is a lot of money!! Mailign them one at a time felt different. It would be $8 here $6 there, but $44 at once really makes me realize how much I'm spending on these things!


On another note I got a few packages myself today:

Package #1- I'm offically a Weight Watchers. I can't remember if I talked about this already or not. But I ordered the basic stuff (on eBay) to do weight watchers. I'm not going to do meetings to anything, just do it myself at home. The kit came today and I think this might be hard. I'm allowed 22 points a day. My favorite chinese meal= 13 points for a small portion, I don't tend to eat a small portion.

Package #2- More windows for my mini Harry Potter book. My old sticker windows got damaged, and the teacher sent me some new ones.

Then the topper

Package #3, A gift sent on behalf of my Fiber Godmother! Good Ol Mel (from http://crazycatladymel.livejournal.com/ ) sent some of her handmade stitch markers. With a note : A gift from your Secret Pal, It isn't me Really. Here's the set i got:

Now being a beginner knitter I just have to learn why (and how) to use stitch markers.


These are GREAT!!!! Thanks Godmother!!!!!!


There was also a small pin that says "Knit in Public"



Now that I've actually seen stitch markers maybe I could make some in the future!

I'm also curious how my godmother knew of my unspoken love of monkeys!!

So in other words, it was a great mail day!!! And the packages made me temporarily frget about my serious brokeness.

Just a Little Catch up & A package!

I haven't posted in awhile. Why? I was sick as a dog! Saturday my throat hurt, and I figured I was just having throat/tonsil problems again (it happens to me A LOT) but by Sunday I was SICK. Real Sick. I could hardly get out of bed. Monday I called in sick. Tuesday I managed to get up, and go to work. But know what happened? I was only there 1 hour before I was so sick I had to go back home! So no pay Monday or Tuesday, this check is going to suck. It doesn't affect my loom to much though. I should still be able to order it the end of this month. So Tuesday I felt better by that afternoon, and my period started, and I got sick from that. I guess last months not getting sick was a 1 time thing. But now I am 100% better. I've just had to spend the last few days catching up!

So now for the package. Today I got the mail expecting my Weight Watchers stuff to come any day now, and found another package. A Package from Bethieee! Bethieee was my spoilee for SP6. And she sent me a little thank you package. It was so great!!! Here's what it contained:

2 beautiful handknit washclothes in my favorite color.

a baggie full of handdyed roving. It looks solid in teh picture, but it's actually a blue and green mix. very pretty!!!!

a few slivers of super nice soap

a gold leaf pendant

a small heart shaped box that says "Cutie" and is filled with v-day theme jelly bellies

a tube of Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Therapy. Which couldn't have come at a better time. I'm allergic to somethign at work, and it gives me a dry scaly rash, after I can stop the rash part it takes a lot of good lotion to make my hands not gross anymore. whatever it is that I'm allergic too I came in contact with recently, and I am at the stage where i need good lotion.

AND:

A large assortment of candy! Most of which is already gone. I didn't eat all of it, I shared a few pieces with my buddy at work.










Thanks Bethieee!!!

Okay so I didn't

play hookie. I went to work. I actually had an ok time, which hasn't happened yet working at night. I found out my boss likes me. He's not like in love with me (which has happened to me before with a boss) but he likes being my manager, likes working with me, likes the way I do my job, likes chatting with me, and doesn't want me to move to a different department and therefore leave him. I think I won't ask to move to the other department I like, because in actually I think I would hate my new boss, he tends to be a serious jerk, and I do all in all like my manager.


My Mom is buggin me for pictures of my shrug, so I'll have Nick finally take pictures today. I also need to run an take a picture of the slipper sock I made for him, hold on I'm going to run and do it now!! So I ran and took a picture of the sock. I think it turned out pretty well. My husband has some big ol feet. He wears a 13 or 14 shoe depending on the style. And I dunno if it's just me or what, but handmade socks seem to look gigantic. So this thing is HUGE!

Here is is flat.





















This is how it fits, this is just for reference because that is my big ol foot in there, not his.



















And here's a total size reference. And YES that is my arm, and for those that don't know I have amazingly long "monkey" arms, it's kind of amazing that they don't look to long on my body. They definently don't drag the ground when I walk. UNless that is why my knuckles always have mystery cuts??

By the way notice my bracelets? They are fibers I've spun! I tie them on as a little walking fiber gallery. Then when I talk to people about spinning I just hold out my arm "Oh see I made these..."


I didn' notice it until this picture, but I have a weird spot on my arm. Notice the reddish part around that one mole. Well in real life it isn't red, but the skin is different then the rest. It's probably a scrape, but I'll put some lotion on it to make sure it isn't just dry.

And yes that slipper sock goes all the way from my elbow to past my wrist!!!


NOW for a little game, and a test to see who actually reads this blog. Try to guess what method made this sock? Knitting? Crochet? something else??? Maybe I'll give a prize or something to the first person that guesses correctly.

Now about the sock. The sock is made with a vintage acrylic yarn, it has an actualy worked shaped heel, and a cuff at the top (which will be getting and elastic band.) It's just gathered at the toe end.


In other news, I'm going to do Weight Watchers. I ordered a complete kit thing on ebay, and instead of paying a ton to attend meetings and all that I'm just going to do it myself. Well not myself because my good friend from work is going to do it with me. And another friend might also. We're going to all Weight Watch together, aand work out together a few times a week. My goal is to lose 30 lbs. To the untrained eye, I look good and don't appear overweight. BUT in all seriousness I am. I am almost 10 lbs over the healthy weight for my height. Since I am 5'8" with very large hips, I do conceal my large amount of fat well. BUT I know it's there and I'm not happy. So I'm going to do something about it. I don't feel that anyone should be unhappy with their body, and if they can do something they should, so I am.


Oh and here's a funny thing you might not see very often.

I created this totem which I call "Ode to the Postman"



No really this is three cases of plastic shoebox containers! 72 total. Why? Because they only cost me 6 bucks a case!!!! I bought these a couple weeks ago and they were just in the back of my car all this time. Nick took my car to work today, which I allow him to do because he will fill the tank while he's out, and when I woke up we had brought these all in for me. Everyone was asking me what I was going to do with them. One case is for my Mom. But the other two....


Well here's a brainstorm list:



48 Uses for Plastic Shoeboxes
1. paintbrushes
2.stickers
3. wood scrap for miniatures
4. miniature doo-dads
5. miniature findings
6. paints/stains for miniatures
7.circular knitting needles
8. knitting/crochet doodads (like stitch markers, yarn needles, etc)
9.letters from penpals
10.double point Knitting needles
11.rubberstamps for cards/letters/etc
12.lace bits and bobs
13. sewing thread
14. tiny skeins of handspun
15. small fiber (like silk, camel, etc)
16. dyes
17.scraps of colored wool
18. bead stuff
19. precut atc
20.atc doodads
21.jewelry
22.pictures
23. scissors
24.blank notecards
25. smalls scrap balls of yarn
26.pens
27.markers
28.pencils
29. tape measures
30.tools
31.drill bits
32.dremel stuff
33. largeish paper scraps
34. crochet hooks
35.books to alter
36. incense
37. small candles (though I have so many it would take alot of containers)
38. cds to alter
39.postcards to use
40. embossing powders
41.meltart stuff
42.pearlex
43. wet felting stuff
44.needle felting stuff
45.naalbinding stuff when I get it
46. weaving shuttles and such
47. mr potato head parts
48. those "free take one" patterns and pamphlets (though this would defienently take more then one box.)


I could keep going, but I do only have 48 boxes. I said I could find used for them all!!

And with that I close this post. But later I'll post pictures of my shrug.

I think I just might play Hookie!

Why you ask??? Well there are a ton of reasons:

1) It is such a beautifulllllllllllllllllllllll day. I have the heat off, the windows open, a neighbor is going laundry and I can smell it (laundry is one of my favorite scents) and it's just glorious.

2) The only time I see the light of day is the weekends, friday during the day, and on my drive to work Monday-Thursday. It's always dark when I leave work. Or getting dark. I feel like if this keeps up I might get riccicks!

3) I've never played hookie a day in my life. Yes never. Not once in highschool, not at any other job, never. Every single time I ever called in sick I was honestly sick.

4) I've just had the toughest couple of weeks.


But I really shouldn't. Why? Well for that there is only one reason.
1) My loom. I am more then halfway to my total needed. And I am supposed to be getting a check in the mail then would cover the rest! BUT what if the check never comes, then I will need the money from work to get my loom. If the check never comes in the mail, and I miss work today I'll put off getting my loom about 2 weeks. Make that 3 weeks.


Ohhhhh what to do what to do. The weather says tomorrow will be rainy and sucky, so I can't just enjoy a beautiful day tomorrow. It's today or who knows when.



I guess it's time to decide, because if I'm going I need to go get dressed.

i forgot something

Since i have every intention of going straight to bed when I get home from work I need to tell you everything now.

My spinning wheel is acting up again. i THINK that I might need a new bandy piece. But I'm not going to stop there. I'm really loving this whole saving to buy something big and nice instead of my usual crap thing. SO after my loom I am going to save to shell out $300 and get a high speed kit, a drive band, a skienwinder, and something else I can't remember. Maybe I'll shell out evern more and actually buy a few bobbins. Because I only have two, and two feels very limiting.

I'll be getting the:
Louet High Speed Spinning SetIncludes a high speed flyer, drive belt and three Fat-core bobbins. This is suited for someone who wants to get all the accessories required to begin fine spinning...$187.00

Skeinwinder - Fits S10 - S51...$130.00

and i have to find out if the drive band in the kit is the same thing as the regular band or if I need to buy another one too. And i might buy some bobbins, and from Mielkes.

I wonder if I could get the other spinner at work to check out my wheel for me??? She's been spinning for years, and me only a few months, so maybe she'll be able to tell me why it suddenly does this??


Oops, gotta go, time to finish up and leave for work.

I am sooooooooooo

sleepy.

I am just exhausted.

Last night I was talking to my Mom and towards the end of our conversation it went something like this:

her- What is that noise?
me- oh, i was snoring.
her- but you aren't asleep, why are you snoring?
me- oh, wasn't i asleep?

then I went to bed, at like 9. and slept. until 7:30, and am now slowly preparing to go to work, because i have got to get that loom.

i think i might just sleep on my lunchbreak. who really needs to eat anyway?

Oh an on a completely different topic, I just ordered my very first item off of etsy. I bought the coolest blue roving for 10.50. I am saving every cent for my loom, but I just couldn't bare the idea of not getting this. I would totally kick myself if I didn't order it.