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Monday, July 24, 2006
Cookies and an Adorable BabyI'm in the final week of my summer associateship - I've had a fantastic time, but now need to lose the "summer associate 15" so that I can fit into my clothes again! And this last week is very strange - on the one hand, I'm just about done, so it's hard to stay motivated. On the other hand, I really REALLY want to get an offer, so I still need to make a good impression on my way out. Every other job I've left has been a true "I'm moving on" transition, so I've never been in this situation where even though I'm on my way out, I still need to worry about what impression I leave. Plus, there's the small stress that I'm now really banking on this (almost, but not 100%, guaranteed offer) - I'm not doing the Fall Interview Program, so if (and that's a HUGE if), I somehow don't get an offer, I'm pretty screwed.So I stressed out about all of that a bit this weekend, which means that I ignored it and did something productive - like making Spongebob Cookies.  Don't you just love the little cookie-cutter?  So while I mixed up the dough...  Abby, Cricket, and S wrestled in the living room. Ok - so maybe the wrestling was mostly S and Abby, but Cricket definitely supervised. Perhaps she was waiting for someone to tag her in? I bet she'd wield a mean folding chair...  Then while I carefully put each cookie on the baking sheet, Abby very thoughtfully helped me clean up any cookie-dough I dropped.  Then, while the cookies baked, more doggie-wrestling!!  These were SO fun to make - even though the icing (from a tube) is nasty and the eyes/mouth are also not so yummy ... luckily, there was plenty of leftover dough for lots of "non-decorated" cookies.  So then on Sunday I got to go hang out with my favorite little girl - Lindsay is the daughter of my best friends from college, and she's 9 months old. They live in So.Cal, so I don't get to see her much... she's so much bigger than when I saw her in December!  And speaking of babies - I hit the craft/fabric stores this weekend and finished my baby kimonos... First up is the "Sheep Climbs Hill" Kimono - knit in hand-dyed naturesport (superwash) with navy blue ribbons and a little sheepie button...   And here we have "Rubber Duckie Kimono" - knit in Mission Falls 1824 Cotton (the old stuff - from stash) -   And finally - here's a sneak peak at the project I just started - any guesses?  Labels: Baby Gifts, Dad's Vest, Random 0 comments || # Tuesday, July 18, 2006 Camping, Now With 100% Less Rain!Last weekend was the July installment of the summer camping odyssey - and the last until we get back from Ireland. And luckily, unlike last time, the weather was perfect - low 80's, nice breeze, clear skies, and NO RAIN. We had a fantastic time...... Especially Abby the 3-Legged Wonder Dog, who got so excited when we started getting out the camping stuff that she almost couldn't stand it. She wouldn't let us out of her sight - you know, in case we forgot to bring her or something! Once on the road, she proved that she did, in fact, remember how much fun it was to sniff out the window - this was my view for most of the drive through the park.  And once we set up camp, we headed over to the Big Meadow for some serious sniffing. The tall grasses were perfect - lots of rodents to chase, and those crazy-looking 2-legged dogs that always follow her on the end of the leash could keep up!  The Meadow was full of all sorts of flowers - I particularly liked this one, but I have no idea what it's called.  We occasionally managed to get Abby to sit still and "rest" - but she really couldn't understand why we didn't want to keep chasing everything. I'm fairly certain that if Abby could describe her vision of heaven, it would look exactly like Big Meadows, only with more squirrels, a large bed for snuggles, and plenty of beef jerky trees.  On the way back from camp, we came across these gorgeous butterflies - Phyl-Phyl, these beauties are for you!  Finally, after another trip to the Big Meadow, a yummy dinner of grilled chicken, potatoes, salad, and angel food cake with cherries (we're all about roughing it...), it was time for bed. Unfortunately, as you can tell from this picture, Abby wasn't at ALL tired. Nope - not one bit. She was just having a little problem keeping those dang eyelids open, that's all...  The next day, we hiked a few miles along the Appalachian Trail, vainly attempting to keep up with Abby. On the way out of the park, the Princess got to sit on S' pillow "so she'd be more comfortable."  But yes - there was knitting. A second baby kimono - for a co-worker expecting in August who doesn't know baby's gender. I used about 2 skeins of (old) Mission Falls 1824 Cotton from stash. The 2-color borders were a bit of an intarsia-related pain, but definitely worth it in the end. This weekend I'm planning on making a stop at some fabric-related store to find ribbons or buttons or something for both baby kimonos, which will then get wrapped up and sent off. I can't say enough how much I love this pattern!  Labels: Baby Gifts, Camping 0 comments || # Tuesday, July 11, 2006 RandomnessThe theme for this post is "pictures I found on my camera."Last Saturday, I headed over to the Happy Place to kill a few hours before World Cup action. I decided that I would finally clear out my basket of "things that I really should get around to finishing." So I grabbed my tapestry needle, wove in some ends, and finished 2 pairs of socks, both knit from MDS&W yarn (Ellen's Half-Pint Farm), and both destined for Christmas gifts for a friend with slightly smaller feet than mine, since these turned out just a little too tight for me.  Ocean Socks Pattern: my own  Sunshine Socks Pattern: my own Then I turned the tapestry needle onto the Hand-Dyed Moderne-esque Blanket...  I'm very close to being done. I would have finished during the World Cup final on Sunday, except that Grandma was there, and I couldn't really work on her Christmas present right in front of her. So I've been working on it here and there at home... I have 2 more border-edges and a few more ends to weave in, and then it'll be done! Dude, this is SO my blanket. Screw Grandma.   Ok, and this photo is completely random. I've been netflixing Monarch of the Glen (and S and I are TOTALLY going to the Scottish Highlands next summer...) and one of the characters keeps wearing this Aran - this pic SUCKS as I couldn't really get a good screen-shot. But I love this sweater, and I think I may have an idea for that huge pile of cream cormo in my yarn-drawer...  And next up in the "completely random photo" series - S and I attended my law firm's prom on Saturday night - it was a blast!  And what did I knit on during the World Cup when I couldn't work on the giant blanket? Why, a Baby Kimono, of course! It still needs ribbons or buttons or something to be completely done, but all of the knitting is finished - including all the ends and seams! I used nature-spun yarn that I hand-dyed, and knit it in st st instead of the garter called for in the pattern. I used a 3 row moss stitch edging to keep things from curling too much, and it is ADORABLE. I'm just about to cast on for a second...  Labels: Baby Gifts, Grandma's Blanket, Socks 0 comments || # Monday, July 03, 2006 I LOVE Long Weekends!My attendance at work today was "optional." And even though I'll pay for it a bit on Wednesday because I'll have to finish up my project in one day, it's totally worth it to have a blissful 4 day weekend.Saturday was spent watching the World Cup, and working on my official World Cup Knitting - what started out as the Moderne Baby Blanket from the Mason-Dixon book. I'm using the yarn I dyed in my last dyeing adventure, and I really honestly was following the pattern. Until I didn't anymore. (But really, kn0wing me, is anyone surprised?) This is perfect for watching the soccer games as I basically never have to look at it, and the rows go on FOREVER. I think it'll become a lap blanket for my Grandma.  The only downside is that the blanket's current size means that you get a lap-full of wool when you're working on it, and it's been HOT here. How hot? This is how poor Abby spent the 3 hours following her afternoon puppy walk on Saturday -  Sunday was even better than Saturday. Erin came over and helped me "use up" my dye stocks. I tried handpainting for the first time...  This is destined to become a baby-kimono. From Mason-Dixon. Because apparently I can't knit anything else...  Erin tried handpainting...  And I made some decent yarn - this is yarn that I handpainted in shades of red and pink. It looked too "Valentine's Day," so I overdyed it lightly with purple. I may make a felted box out of it. (Quick - one guess where that pattern is from!) Or it may just hang out in stash for a bit until I come up with a project. Except that it's not superwash, it would be perfect for a little girl sweater....  I also overdyed some mustard-yellow superwash yarn (it was an AWFUL color. I got it for free at a yarn swap.) And now it's a nice, variegated copper.  But my best dyeing project? I turned the Socks-That-Rock yarn that looked like this...  ... into lovely, coppery yarn that looks like this. Because no matter how much I tried to pretend I liked the combination of teal, 2 oranges, hot pink, purple, and green, I just hated it. And now it may be my favorite sock yarn of all time.  Labels: Dyeing, Grandma's Blanket 0 comments || # |
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