Well, lookie there!

If you take a gander over to the right there, you'll notice that my works in progress are startlingly complete! (Except for the experimental ballband afghan, which is just a "puttering" project, so I don't actually count it.) How in the world did this happen? No classes! I'm really enjoying this winter break -- I've been working hard on researching my new project, but when I come home at night I leave it (mostly) all behind and get down to the serious business of relaxing with some handwork!

Most importantly on the FO front is the completion of the Crazy Quilt Coverlet! Finally!! Seriously, I've been working on this thing for about three years. I'd pick it up, work on it for a bit, then relegate it to the corner for months. Then I'd have another fit of activity on it, then more nothing. I love this afghan. I love the patterns of the blocks, I love the colors, I love the way it goes together. But, for some bizarre, unknown reason, I did not enjoy making it. That's why it has taken me so long. But it's finally finished and will be mailed off to its intended recipient today. I hope she likes it.


Doesn't it look grand on my sofa?

My only disappointment with the finished project is the size. It is perfectly within gauge, but it just seems so small. I guess I didn't really think about the finished dimensions that much when I started it. I could have easily added squares and made it larger, but it took me so long just to get this many squares done that it didn't seem like a wise choice to force myself into making more. Here it is stretched out on my full size bed to give you more of an idea of the actual size:


Small, eh? Oh well, it will just have to be a "curled up with a good book/DVD" afghan. That works, no?

Info: Crazy Quilt Coverlet from Better Homes & Gardens' Simply Creative Crochet, 2004. Made with Lion Brand Wool Ease and a size J hook.

So, yay! Big, looming project all done! That means I freed myself up to guiltlessly start a project for no reason whatsoever! So I did! And I already finished it, too! I made a Last Minute "Purled" Beret for myself about a year ago and I wear it all the time (the blocking eased out some and it looks less Guinan-ish). I didn't block this one on a plate, I just shaped it with my hands while steaming it and it's not quite as big around. Here's the top:


And the bottom:


But you don't really get the effect unless it's on a head, so here's my fatigued-looking noggin modeling it:


I have a couple of ideas as to who this will end up with. I have enough yarn left from two colorways to make another, so I think I'll do that before I decide. The berets will tell me where they want to go.

Info: Last Minute "Purled" Beret by Wendy Bernard for The Garter Belt. Made with Linie 195, 1 1/2 balls, on size 9 double poined needles.

Next up is a big project for my delicious husband in honor of our upcoming wedding anniversary. Exciting! And now, much literature reviewing for my research project! Have a great, productive day!

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Year end loose ends

Happy New Year! I hope your holiday was fun-filled and safe and I hope you've settled into the post-holiday routine with a minimum of pain and suffering. ;)

I spent New Year's with my friends Veronica, Anne, Anne's fiance' Andy, and Anne's cousin Kelly. We had a nice, low-key evening hanging out, watching some retro music videos and playing games. Oh, and eating. A lot. Or maybe that was just me. It was a good time, anyway.

Since then I've been taking it easy and coming up with new ideas for my research project. After months of frustration with a project that just does not work, I've got a new direction and it's pretty exciting. I'm pretty happy about it. I'll talk more about it when the wheels are actually in motion.

I only have one new year's resolution. I will not apologize if I don't blog for awhile. It's a hobby and, let's face it, an ego trip (look at me and what I did! Cool, huh? Yeah!). So if I fail to be trippy, we'll all survive. I have plenty of real things to worry about, I'm not about to let myself feel bad for not posting to a blog. Why I let myself feel guilty about not posting in the first place, I prefer not to examine too closely.

That said, Hi! How are y'all? Wanna look at the cool stuff I made? Yeah? AWESOME.

I didn't get my last FO's of 2007 posted while it was still 2007, so I'll do it now.

Gator received his Christmas hat just a couple of days late and he claims it fits great and that he likes it. Yay! His request was a hat with cables and I had some really great clearance yarn that I was dying to work with. I first tried to make cables all around the crown, but it made the hat almost too small for me so I knew it wouldn't fit him. So I frogged and redesigned. There are three cables up the crown with stockinette in between.


It looks kind of funny when it's not on a head, but it's big enough that it looks ridiculous on me...


You can't really tell that there are multiple cables unless I turn around, so...


Info: Three Cable Hat of my own design. Rowan Big Wool Fusion (discontinued) - 1 1/2 balls. Double pointed needles, sizes 9 and 9.5.

Though the Fusion is discontinued, Rowan still makes Big Wool. If you ever get a chance to use it, jump. It's so great to knit with and the resulting hat is crazy warm. I loved every minute of making this hat! I wasn't even that sorry to have to frog it and reknit!

Last fall I found out that Sugar n' Cream started making a self-striping line. I had a little trouble finding some, but I was really psyched to find out how it would look to use it for a garterlac cloth. It pooled more than I had hoped, but it's an interesting result. It's pretty trippy, I must say:


I kind of like it -- it's got a folksy look to it.

So this concludes the 2007 FO parade. I also already have a 2008 FO, but I'm saving that for my next post. I'm super happy about it. I'm sure you'll be on the edge of your seat until I share it with you. Because I'm just that important. And I refuse to apologize for that fact.

Hee!

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What I did on my Christmas Break

Christmas was nice and quiet and cozy. I talked to Gator a couple of times, made a little Christmas dinner, watched DVDs and knit. I finished my new hat!


I made up the pattern, but it's just alternating 6-stitch cables and stockinette, so no great shakes. But I like it! It has a nice, big brim that folds up to make a warm double layer over my ears and forehead.


The brim is so big that you can't really see the pattern unless I look down like this. Of course, now it's not cold enough to need it, but it looks like tomorrow I'll be glad I got it done -- big storm's a-brewing for Beer Town.

I mailed Gator's hat to him yesterday, so as soon as I have word that it's arrived, I'll post pics of it, too. But it doesn't really look right on my small noggin since it's made for a much larger head. Maybe sometime I can get pics of Gator modeling it. I wouldn't hold my breath, though.

I don't feel very well this morning, so I'll go to the lab a bit late. There's not a great deal to do there anyway, but I do have a lot of reading to do. I really wish I'd arranged to take more time off over the holidays, even if I didn't go anywhere. I feel I need some re-charging time after such a strenuous semester. I'm sure it will be fine -- it's not like I'm working that hard right now anyway.

It's been fun browsing around the Blogosphere, seeing what y'all did for the holidays. Plus, I got pulled into the vortex that is Facebook, so I've been strolling around there a bit, too.

If you haven't already posted it, what did you do for your holidays?

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Christmas Eve

It's been a quiet day today. I slept late (for me), lounged around, watched some episodes of The X-Files, and cast on a new hat for me.


I'm kind of making it up as I go, but I know I want a wide brim to turn up, so that's where I am so far. I'll keep you posted. I using yarn to match my braided cables scarf, though the pattern will definitely not be so intricate. I kind of like the matching thing, plus I think the natural color will go well with my new dye job (another fun Christmas Eve activity):


I was going to show a before pic, but it was too horrifying to see the light of day.

Right after I colored my hair, my wonderful Aunt Judy called me! It was a great surprise and a nice treat. I hadn't talked to her since I visited her last Christmas (I know, I'm a bad niece), and it was so good to hear her voice. Merry Christmas again, Aunt Jude, and a very Happy New Year. I love you!!!

This evening I'm going to watch a few more DVDs and knit some more. Nice, quiet, restful. And I'm going to get a warmer hat out of it, so hoo-yah!

Becky tagged everyone who visits her blog for the Ornament Meme, so I guess I'm "it". I'll pass on the favor -- consider yourself tagged.

Here are the rules:

1. Take a picture of your favorite ornament and put it on your blog telling everyone about it.

2. Post a link to the person on whose blog you found out about the Ornament Tag.

3. Post the rules.


This is my favorite ornament. It's the first in the Hallmark series of "Frosty Friends" ornaments from 1980. My mother won this as a deuce prize at a bridge game that year and we/I have collected every ornament in the series ever since. I still buy the new one every year. This year was the 28th year and they're all on my tree. In fact, those and several Star Wars ornaments make the bulk of my ornament collection. My tree is pretty full.

Here's where I cheat in the meme. I'm adding my two favorite new additions to my tree this year:


My dear blog buddy friend Judy sent me this lovely, colorful snowflake with my Christmas card this year. I really do have a card and flake for you, Judy, I'm just very behind this year! Thank you so much! Isn't it gorgeous?


Also, my neighbor and new friend Ron gave me this anchor ornament. He's a Navy man, loves the sea, boats, and sailing and I love how this ornament is so "him". I think it's charming.

I just talked to Gator a bit ago, and he told me the mailman knocked at the door with the books I sent him from Amazon just as they were opening gifts at his Mom's! What good timing! He also reports that he is now the proud owner of Guitar Hero III, so he's in hog heaven for a while. He won't even notice that his hat is late! ;)

Some hot cocoa is calling my name, so I'm going to enjoy the rest of my quiet evening. Best Christmas Eve wishes to everyone!

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My dilemma

My and my husband's families are in Missouri this Christmas.

I am in Milwaukee.

This decision was made for many practical reasons between my husband and I, and I believe all the reasons were good, sound and, in view of the bigger picture, completely right.

But it means that I'm isolated from my entire family for the holidays.

I rather like being alone, and can easily find a thousand ways to happily spend my time for a couple of days. I've been looking forward to the relaxation I will finally get. Except for The Day. I don't really want to sit around by myself all Christmas Day. Except maybe I sort of do. Maybe I can explain this crap.

I have several options for spending my Christmas day. My friend Anne has invited me to her family's celebration at her grandmother's home which is about an hour out of the city. There will be Christmas dinner, much game-playing, and a gift exchange. I like Anne a lot and I've met her parents and they are great. I think it would be a really fun time. Any other day. I don't really want to be the poor little friend who didn't have anywhere else to go on Christmas. I don't have any food to take, and no money to buy any. Do I think they would actually care if I brought a dish? No. Would I feel retched if I didn't bring something to this stranger's home? Most definitely. I'm sure I could whip up a gift for the exchange, but I already have gifts I haven't made for people I love. And apparently you get a gift if you go, whether you reciprocate or not. I just can't not take a gift. This option has several strikes against it, but a big pro -- namely it would be fun. Most probably.

Alternately, several of my friends from school are international students who will be around and who aren't Christian, so it's just another day to them. A couple have said that I should call them if I want to do something on Tuesday. That's very nice, but I don't want spend the day pretending I like curry and explaining what I would be doing to celebrate if I were with my family. So, bah humbug, I'm not likely going to do that, either.

Another problem with both of these options is that I don't want to be caught amongst strangers when I have my "Christmas Moment". Ever since my parents passed away, I cry at Christmas. Not for a long time, and usually not full-on weeping, but it always happens. And I never know what's going to set it off. And I really don't want to be the girl who not only doesn't have a place to go for Christmas but who still cries randomly because, poor thing, her parents are dead. Of course, it appears that I am that girl, but let's not make a big production of it, shall we?

Part of me wants to just lay around the house in my pajamas, eat random stuff, play with my Ipod, and knit. But I know I will look out the window at the empty streets, at my empty stocking hung by the heat vent with care, at the empty area under my tree, and at my near-empty pantry and that will depress me. Apparently, its already depressing me.

I fully admit that there's something really fulfilling about wallowing and throwing a little pity-party. I know that if I'm alone on Christmas day, it will be my own doing. I know I'm being a brat -- if I can't have my family and my husband I don't want anything, so there! But it's really partially true. Someone else's family, no matter how wonderful and charming and welcoming, can never substitute for my own. How fake is to put on my happy face and feel awkward all day just so I can say, "By Golly, I didn't spend Christmas alone!"

I know I should have more grace than this. I hope get over this pre-holiday PMS and become my normal, cheery self. I hope desperately that I re-read this post tomorrow or Tuesday and think, "Egads, I'm glad I'm not always such a freaking little ball of sunshine!"

How much beef jerky and pretzel chips do you think that will take?

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Gray day

Happy Winter Solstice! Yes, it's the shortest day of the year and I, for one, am quite thankful for that fact! I currently go into work at 7 am, as soon as dawn breaks, so that I can leave while the sun is still up and don't have to walk home in the dark at 4:30. Milwaukee is just enough farther north than Missouri for me to really feel the difference in daylight hours. I'm looking forward to the days slowly getting longer and having more light in my life!

Today I ::gasp!:: have a Saturday Sky to share with you.


Now, lest you think I just made a big gray square in Photoshop, I'll let you in on the secret as to why my sky picture looks as it does:


It's foggy, kids! Gray, dreary, and limited visibility. I'm very glad that my trek to the lab will be on foot.

Most of the day will be spent in the lab, trying to optimize the Proteinase K concentration for my next experiment. Oh, you are dying from the jealousy, I can totally tell. Everyone else's pre-holiday-Saturday activities pale in comparison.

Tonight I may do something completely radical: Write my Christmas cards. Yep, I'm obviously right on top of things this holiday season. Does anybody really care that much if cards are late? I sincerely hope not.

Once the cards are done, I will get back to work on my other great holiday tradition -- late handmade Christmas gifts! Gator's gift hat was already going to be late, but I've just discovered that, despite my best calculations, it's going to be too small for his sweet noggin. So, it's getting frogged and re-knit in a slightly different pattern with a different gauge. Which means that it's going to be even later than originally planned. I'm very glad I already sent some non-handmade gifts so he will certainly have some goodies from me under the tree. I'm also very glad he loves me for more than my punctuality.

Off to work with me! Enjoy your weekend!

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The fun never stops -- and I'm pooped!

Ever since finals, I've been relishing the thought of having some nice, veg-out time for myself -- maybe a whole day in my pajamas kind of thing. But it seems, instead, that I've been in uber-socializing mode every night of the week. Christmas parties, graduation parties, dinner at friends' homes, stitch night. Oh, and there was some massive paper grading thrown in there last week. All of this has been incredibly fun and I'm so happy I now have the time to enjoy all this socializing without guilt (except for that still-not-sent-Christmas-card guilt), but I'm still almost as exhausted as I was during finals! Since I'm on my own for the holiday, I hope to get caught up on some serious sloth.

Tonight the professor I was a TA for is taking me to dinner at the Water Street Brewery and to my very first Marquette Men's Basketball game as a thank-you. Isn't that sweet? I'm very excited. I'm not a basketball fan, but going to a sporting event is always fun, even if the sport itself isn't my favorite. Plus, this is my school now, and I'm a supporter, even if the constant sound of soles squeaking on the floor drives me a little nuts. Anyway, I think it will be a really good time. Plus, I really like Dr. Waring and I always have fun with her.

Last night's festivities included attending a Christmas concert put on by the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. The music was varied (Farandole, pieces from The Nutcracker, Silent Night, Sleigh Ride, etc.) and the performance was top-notch. The space in which it took place was amazing, too. The Basilica of St. Josaphat is a beautiful old Polish cathedral on the south side of the city, built in the late 1800's using stone from the demolished Chicago Post Office. It was completely renovated in the 1990's, and the interior is crazy with its ornamentation.

I don't think pictures can do it justice. There was just so much to look at!! It was a magical evening.

This weekend won't necessarily be all that restful either, considering my darling little Tetrahymenae have seen fit to be difficult and now I must run experiments tomorrow that were supposed to be run today. Darned little guys. Like they have their own little lives to live, or something!

Oh well, I can sleep when I'm dead, right?

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Survival

Hi! Still not dead! In fact, feeling fairly jaunty for the moment. How are you?

In order to accomplish everything I needed to towards the end of this semester, I had to just put the hammer down and remove myself from the blogosphere entirely. So I haven't posted, and I haven't read any blogs since before Thanksgiving. So I have no idea what's up with y'all. It'll take forever for me to catch up. But I'll get there!

But I have officially made it through the semester, taken all my finals, written all my papers, and graded all the exams for the class I TA. I'm free! Well, except for all that research, but I'm actually looking forward to being able to focus on that alone for about a month. It will be great, in fact. And fairly normal feeling -- I'll spend a lot of time in the lab, I'm sure, but I get to actually leave at some point, and then I don't have to study or grade or prepare for discussions, etc, etc, etc. How novel! That means I get to knit and crochet some! Awesome! I've been jonesing.

The first thing I did was finish a little project I had started over Thanksgiving. See, every year the Biological Sciences department has a Christmas party that includes a potluck and a white elephant gift exchange. Last year I decided that this year I would make something for the gift exchange. So I whipped up a little something and I just finished it -- happy dance!

Oh, what is it, you ask?

Well, what would you make for a white elephant gift exchange?

I thought it was a no-brainer, actually...



I also started a couple little projects that I can't show just yet... But when I can, I will. Ah, this project startin' and finishin' just feels so good!!

Hopefully, we're back to our regularly scheduled blogging...

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Long time, no see!

::crawling up from underneath a mountain of research papers and PowerPoint presenttions::

Hi! Wow, it's bright up here. Even though it's overcast all the time and the sun is only up for about 4.5 hours per day, it's still much brighter than my dark corner of studyallthetime-ness. But it has to be done. The only way I accomplish anything is to just remove myself from the innernets altogether. Otherwise, I start "checking my mail" and the next thing I know, three hours have gone by. But I know what Britney bought at the convenience store yestrday, by golly. And isn't that what's truly important? I think I'll be back among the living sometime before Christmas. At least until I start studying for qualifying exams...

Anyway! I promise not to bore you with my exciting stories of learning about paramutation or oxygen-hemoglobin binding kinetics. No, really, I promise! You should really just praise me all day for this.

I poked my head out of the jumble because I'm winding things down so I can enjoy four uninterrupted days of not studying -- I'm going to Missouri to see Gator for Thanksgiving!!! I'm so excited!! I leave very early tomorrow morning for Chicago, where I'm meeting my friend Amanda, who is driving to Columbia. Roadtrip with fun friend and a long weekend with Gator! AWESOME!!

But before that happens, my cool New Friend Veronica (it's been, like, a year. You'd think I'd stop calling her "New". Apparently not.) is taking me to see Debbie Harry tonight! How fun is that? I'm so ready to rock out to Rapture. And now I'm in the Man From Mars! Tee hee.

So, okay, yes. I do get study breaks. And I've even spent some of them crocheting. Cwazy, I know! So I finally (only a couple of months late) finished "Sister" Annette's wedding potholders! I hope she likes them! (Of course, I hope Mick likes them, too!)




Bright and cheerful and cool. I like them, anyway. :)

And last, but CERTAINLY not least, I got the best surprise in the mail yesterday (all the way from England)! A pressie from blog buddy Judy! It's a little crocheted turkey "butt" refrigerator magnet and it came with the most lovely card. Ain't it the cutest? (And don't I look tired?)


Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love making friends on this here Interblag!

And now, excuse me while I go eat guitars... Hee!

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That was Halloween?

Hope you all had a safe and happy Halloween. I stayed home, read a book and talked to Gator on the phone. I didn't really want to do anything else, but it seemed so weird that I wasn't doing something else. It was nice, quiet, and I was asleep by 10:30. I like sleeping, so this was totally acceptable.

Hi! I'm old and boring! Wanna party?

I actually meant to share this with you guys yesterday. It's my new favorite Halloween song. (This implies that I had an old favorite Halloween song, which isn't the case, really. Though I suppose I never really get tired of the theme from The Munsters.) If you follow the link above and then click on the link that says "Re Your Brains", you can extend the Halloween spirit by one more day. I think it's funny as all get-out. Office Space meets Dawn of the Dead. Lurve!

Okay, I'm burrowing back into my hole now. I'm preparing a big seminar presentation and house/kid sitting for one of my professors this weekend. Give me strength.

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