Can I go to sleep yet?

Don't be at all surprised if this post is completely unintelligible. I've been up all night working in the lab again and I'm 29 hours into a 30 hour experiment. I feel like many parts of me are made of rubber. Like neurons, for instance. And they're about to snap back at any moment. But I must remain alert for another hour and a half before I can walk home (in the bracing cold, which I'm sure will wake me right up and then I won't be able to sleep -- argh), so I decided to write a little something.

I finished my second Seraphina shawl, which is a good thing because it gets cold in my apartment! It's the only thing about living in a tall building with lots and lots of windows that I don't like. I have afghans to wrap up in, but they're just so bulky. This will be much nicer when I'm curling up with a knitting project or thesis reference. I love this colorway so much -- I wish I could find more of it. I took dozens of pictures of it in all kinds of light (that were available) and I just can't get a good representation. It's such a rich chocolate brown and bright, cheery sky blue (Carolina blue!) but the picture is a little dull. And you can't really see the poofiness of the boucle yarn, either. It's very, very yummy.

Seraphina's Shawl by Doni
Joann Sensations Rainbow Boucle in blue/brown
Size US I hook

So now I have only one project that I'm seriously working on, but I'm getting ready to start another. Both are for Gator, so I'm not showing anything until he gets them. I may have to start something else too, just so I have something to blog about!

Although I wouldn't be surprised if I need to rant sometimes about my new TA assaignment...

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The twelfth day

It's Epiphany, which means the tree should come down tomorrow. :( It's not that I'm so sad for Christmas to end, it's just that I really really like the fairy lights in the dark evenings. Maybe I should just string some up for the rest of winter. I should be able to find some super cheap. (The tree is pre-lit, so it's not like I can just [easily] take the lights off the tree and string them up alone.)

It's been a fun twelve days, though, full of get-togethers and much food and drink -- all of which I have no pictures of because I SUCK, but rest assured a marvelous time was had by all. :)

Now that the holiday is over, though, I can show you the gifts I made for Gator and his mom. Teena got the waterlilies drop-stitch scarf, which I think turned out lovely. She says it will match her new coat quite well.

Drop Stitch Scarf by Christine
Red Heart Super Saver Ombres in colorway Monet
Size US 8 straight aluminum needles

Gator's present this year was pure fun. I've made him hats and a scarf and socks and I was running out of ideas of things to make for him that he'd actually appreciate. It came up during a phone call that he would like a stuffed animal ('cause he's totally secure in his masculinity and super cool like that), so I tried to find something that was big enough to be cuddly. I found the Animal Pillows pattern on Ravelry, modified the nose so that it's more of a muzzle, and totally winged it for the eyes (the googly eyes alone were much too small!). It's purple because that's his favorite. I call him Pudgy, but he calls him something else that I can never remember. I think he's pretty awesome and good for hugging, though.

Animal Pillow by Jennifer Down Under
Red Heart Super Saver solids in lavender
Hook size US I (5.5mm)

As for me, I got some really cool and awesome gifts this year, but the one I want to really show off, the one that makes me go "Squee!!", is my new microwave!!! It's full-sized but not too big, and has a moisture sensor so it will automatically determine how long something needs to cook based on its steam production! Science!!! It works really well and it's pretty, to boot!


This is what it looks like inside (this picture is mostly for Gator, who hasn't seen it yet -- sorry it's so boring, but be glad I didn't take close-ups of all the buttons and stuff):


While I was at the store picking out my wonderful new microwave, I also hit the 75% off Christmas decorations aisle. I controlled myself pretty well, I think:


This is all-metal and is pretty heavy. It's bright-colored and super cute. A fun addition for $3.75! Bargain!


This one, I admit, I have no idea what I'm going to do with. But I think it's incredibly neat-o. It has an eye at the end of each ray, so I can hang it quite easily, but it's pretty big and I'm not sure where a good place would be. Since we'll be living someplace new next Christmas, I'll worry about it then. In the meantime, it's quite festive on my floor.

I've also been working steadily on my latest Seraphina shawl and Gator's new socks, but photos of them will have to wait until next time. Oooh! Anticipation!

I've also been having non-stop lab frustrations, and I had better go face some of those right now. Thanks for attending my Christmas show-and-tell! Have a great one!

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Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

First of all, I'd just like to point out that this is a real card that you can buy. Why did I not know this months ago??? (Click to embiggen)


It's been a nice and quiet Christmas Eve here in Beer Town. I mostly listened to the radio while I knit and crochet, made some more shortbread, had nice visits with a couple of people who live in my building, and surfed the innernets without guilt of any kind. Wonderful.

Now that the gift-related handwork is done for another year, I started right in on a couple of projects I'd been itching to get at. Gator gets a new pair of socks. I've started the heel flap:


I've also started another Seraphina shawl, this time made with Joann Sensations Rainbow Boucle in an awesome chocolate brown/robin egg's blue stripe. So squishy and yummy! I wish I'd found this yarn a long time ago!! I also wish this colorway was not apparently discontinued. I think I'd make about four dozen things with it!


Aside from the card I featured above, the other TOTALLY AWESOME thing I discovered today on the 'net was the Droidel. Oh yes, kids, your eyes do not deceive you -- that's "dreidle" spelled like "'droid". As in 'droids. As in R2D2. It's things like this that make me almost not hate George Lucas anymore. Almost. I had to print it, cut it out, and glue it together POST HASTE!!!


Then I had to spin him and scamper about my apartment singing,

"Droidel, Droidel, Droidel!
I made you out of paper!
And when I'm good and ready,
with Droidel I will caper!"

(apologies to the real dreidel song and anyone who thinks I'm making light of a significant tradition. I'm not, I swear. I genuinely think dreidels are cool. I just happen to think that just about anything can be improved by the addition of R2D2. And it makes me ridiculously happy. Happy's good, right?)

Another happy Web-related Christmas bonus: Amazon has a bunch of free MP3 downloads and right now that includes a bunch of really great Christmas music. Another thing I wish I'd know about a lot sooner. But better late than never!

Tomorrow I'm going to my friend Rachel's home for the day to eat, play Wii with her kids, eat, watch movies, eat, and possibly pass out in mid-crochet. And I'll probably call Gator every fifteen minutes or so. I love you and miss you, honey. Merry Christmas, my darling. :)

I wish you all a wonderful holiday full of peace, love and laughter. Merriest of Christmases.

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Baking for the holidays

The end of the semester and the beginning of the holiday season has left me little time to blog -- sorry! I have been doing some knitting and crocheting, but as this has been all gift-related, I can't show you anything until after they have been received. But I can show you this:

Spritz cookies -- recipe straight from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook -- just like Mama used to make!


And classic shortbread using the recipe that came with the super-cute shortbread pan.


There will probably be more shortbread on Christmas Eve. I forgot how simple it is!

Hope your Holiday prep is going well!

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It was a gray, cold day here in Beer Town, but not as bad as it has been. But my Saturday Sky (I know! I haven't posted one of these for ages!) is not much to look at. I included some pretty church for interest.


Thursday was my birthday (39, if you're wondering) and I had a fabulous day! There were presents, food, and lots of cards! I almost ran out of room for all of them on my sideboard!


It's a bit humbling, really. I'm not sure I'm a good and thoughtful enough friend to warrant the outpouring I received. There was some serious love I was feeling. So nice, though! Many, many thanks!!!

Yesterday was laid back, but today was another fun day. V and I went shopping, then we had a terrific supper at County Clare, then we went to the Marquette v. UWM basketball game -- a cross-town rivalry that was a really good time. Marquette won (we were heavily favored) so I got to cheer a lot. We were pretty sloppy and high-strung during the first half, but we calmed down and got the job done during the second half. Especially the defense, but the offense really improved, too. Nice playing.


Then I came home and found this on Wil Wheaton's blog. HILARIOUS.


And now I'm going to bed. My life is very good right now. If Gator lived with me, it would be freakin' perfect.

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Ways in which I'm stupid

Well, I'm sure there are many, but let's focus on how this stupidity translates into bad knit blogging, the most potent stupidity known to knitters with connections to the innernets everywhere!

Last Sunday, I finished Inga's Haekelbeutel and was so excited to felt it. I'd never felted anything before! So I looked up instructions for machine felting on this here innernets (I'd read it all before, I just wanted a refresher before taking the plunge), gathered up my stuff, and headed up to the laundry room. I pinned it up in a pillowcase, selected a few pair of jeans to keep it company (and help with agitation in the front-loader) and set it going. Yay! Now all I had to do was pray that it felted well and shrunk up a lot, because it was SO very large and in charge, you guys were just going to laugh when you saw --

Oh.

No.

Hmmm. Yep, that's what I forgot to do. Take a picture of it before I put it into the machine so I could show before and after felting pics and you could see the dramatic difference. If there was one, you know. And, as it turns out, there was one. A big difference. Not that you'll truly appreciate the difference what with not being able to see it and all!! D'oh!!!

Well, anyway, here it is after two rounds in the washer and dryer and some shaping with the trusty steam iron (which you may notice I would use on everything if I could). I'd still like it to be a little more even, but it's terribly difficult to work with. Suggestions?


It's all thick and squishy and yummy and the stitch definition is nowhere to be seen. I still intend to line it, but I couldn't wait to start carrying it anyway!

Inga's Haekelbeutel by Inga Joana Mertens
Patons Soy Wool Stripes in Natural Navy
US size I hook

I've already purchased yarn to make a spring/summer version...

...that I will photograph before felting!!!

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Recovery

I've mostly recovered from my sickness -- just a little bit of coughing and sniffling left. But much better!! I no longer have that hit-by-a-truck feeling! This is a vast improvement!

So, since Anne and Andy have gotten hitched (and Anne successfully defended her dissertation on Tuesday -- Yay, Dr. Anne!!!), I can show finished pictures of their wedding gift. I had showed some of the in-progress photos because I wasn't sure it was actually going to be their gift for a while there. Here is the funky fresh ripple afghan in all its glory:


I made it as long as my sofa so it would be nice and big for cuddling up under. I also tried to photograph it with an artful drape like they do in the pattern books, but I think I ended up with more of a "here's what it looks like wadded up on the couch" vibe:


I attended Anne and Andy's gift opening brunch, so I got to see them open it:


I hope they cuddle under it to many a rousing football game this winter!

Pattern: Easy Ripple Afghan by Susan B
Yarn: worsted weight stash acrylic of many types
Hook: size US H

I also started on a Christmas gift for my MIL, that I'm calling the Waterlilies Scarf. The Easy Dropped Stitch Scarf pattern looks really nice in the Monet colorway of Red Heart and really does remind me of his waterlilies paintings. If the sun ever shines here again, I'll get a nicer photo that shows off the color. But for now, this will have to do:



Much catching up to do in the lab -- hope you're all having a fun and productive week!

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About 27 kinds of awesome

In which I try to distract myself from sickness

I'm home quite sick today, but as the medicine hasn't kicked in yet and I can't sleep for the coughing, I thought I'd make a quick post. I'll mostly let the pictures do the talking today.

Nov. 1 was my friend Anne's wedding. It was a total blast.


Aren't they adorable? It was an autumn-themed wedding with different rich shades of brown as the main colors. The (cheese)cake was stupendous:


I was a posing fool. I posed with Rachel:


I posed with Veronica:


And I posed with the bride herself:


I wore the Maui shrug that I crocheted (mostly) during the Olympics. I liked it. It made my little black dress more festive. You can kind of get a sense of it, but the photos that really featured it didn't come out. I'll have to just play dress up one day and have a photo shoot. Someday.

The wedding was awesome and I had a great time. Congrats Anne and Andy!!

Then Tuesday night, while I watched election returns, I finished all the blocks for my Inga's Haekelbeutel:


Yesterday I pieced them, but I'll save photos of that for later. Can't blow all my news at once -- you never know when I'll have news again!

Okay, I think maybe I can try sleeping now. ::cough, cough:: Well, maybe not.

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Olfactory delights?

Since I live in a high rise building with 108 apartments, there are always many aromas mingling in the hallways, especially during mealtimes. But the elevators usually smell like one of two things: pizza or cologne.

Tonight, however, as I rode the elevator up to my apartment, I was assaulted by an odor that I had never encountered before. As I rode, I tried to analyze the scent and was unsuccessful during my journey. But as I turned the key in my door it came to me.

The elevator smelled like urine-soaked pine needles marinara.

Figure that one out.

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