Three Olives And Some Yarn

Monday, February 28, 2005

Look Ma!! I Learned Something New!

SO.. I was learning to knit a few years ago.. a friend of mine volunteered to teach me.. so I went to her house every wednesday evening and we sat and talked and knit( I would say we talked more than we knitted or I knitted).. I didnt do so well and I didnt practice like I should have so.. of course.. I didnt get very good .. I decided knit just wasnt my bag..so recently I had the urge to pick the needles up again and try to relearn what I had put down.. I met another friend.. she sat me down and "refreshed" me.. I went out and bought a couple books to help me out.. and in general got seriously frustrated again.. and was about to give up.. then I picked up the book one last time to look through and saw that I was totally missing the option about continental knitting instead of english.. well .. being a crocheter.. the continental method made way more sense to me because of how the yarn is held.. I picked up my needles and started again.. I was like fucking MAGIC! The yarn literally flew off the ball and on to the needles.. of course its not perfect.. but I think it looks pretty good for some one that hasnt knit in about 5 years and struggled with it at that time.. so here is what I have been working on in rotation with the Mardi Gras Throw..

its just going to be a tube.. a shoulder warmer of sorts.. I will crochet some flowers or somthing for a little accent .. I am holding 4 strands of yarn .. a red mohair... and aqua mohair.. a little sparkle thread.. and a rainbow coloured thick thin... I think its turning out quite nice.. !! I might get brave and try to read a pattern soon.. now that I have this down.. I doubt there is anything I cant do! woohooo!!

Saturday, February 26, 2005

UGHHHHHH

OK Well.. here I am with no picture to show .. why? Because my "Mardi Gras Madness" blanket looked like shit on a stick! .. I frogged the whole fucking thing.. started from scratch this evening.. I was getting too carried away .. it was supposed to be a feast for the eyes.. instead it was giving me a headache.. It looked like a clown exploded.... so I frogged it all back.. revised my colour scheme.. and moved up to a Q hook.. things are better in the land of Olives.. its looking much much nicer.. I will be more happy with it .. and saved the ultra bright colours for the next one I will do ..

SO this morning I treated myself to breakfast at the bakery.. yummers!! and a visit to the LYS.. while I was in there.. a lady came in with a crochet question.. that none of them could answer.. you would think out of the lot of them there.. that at least ONE of them knew how to crochet.. they didnt.. I answered the lady's question.. I thought that was pretty sad.. maybe I should apply for a job..

anyway .. off to work onmy Mardi Gras gone bad.. LOL ..

Friday, February 25, 2005

Cheese Hater........

I ran into a lady today.. made some small talk while waiting in line at the supermarket.. she hates cheese.. not lactose intolerant.. she actually said "I hate ALL cheese"... how can you hate every cheese? I want to know.... how can you say you hate all cheese.. my god .. does she know what she is saying..?? I mean there are literally hundreds maybe even thousands of different cheeses.. how can you hate them all ? And if you hate cheese.. how do you eat pizza? I cant imagine not liking pizza... that is just WEIRD!

I finally figured out why I have felt like a flaming assed bitch the last couple days.. I had lost track of the moon phase.. its been a full moon.. I should have known.. or maybe.. I am just a bitch.. and I am just blaming it on the next best thing.. who knows.. !

On the crochet front.. I finished the AbFabKnockoff ...I used this Soft and Easy Afghan Pattern and about 20 or so different weights and textures of yarns...

so here is the finished thing...

I have started another in a Mardi Gras kind of theme.. it has mohair and sparkles.. I am hoping to have it done tomorrow ..

so I need to go work on that tonight.. so I leave you with this short sweet entry in hopes you forgive me for wanting to be productive

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

OK Enough Already

MAY I HAVE EVERY ONE'S ATTENTION PLEASE??!!!

Believe it or not .. the cigar picture made quite an impression on some of you .. for those that bombed me with email..

why YES.. I do know that smoking is bad for you .. I am 35 and I am very well informed.. I made it this long through life.. I think I did quite well for myself.. I find it funny I got bombed with mail about this however...not one person has warned me of the down side of drinking.. and my whole blog is covered in a martini theme... Also while I am on this tangent.. I dont smoke a whole box of cigars a day! .. I smoke maybe one a week... ONE!!! and I dont inhale.. you arent supposed to inhale cigars..

So all of you out there concerned for my health.. should be more concerned with all the second hand smoke I had to inhale for years working in a restuarant as a server and not my one cigar a week "habit" if you can even call it that LOL.....if i even smoke one a week.. ... it would be totally different if I were polluting some one else's air.. but I am not ... just my own..

Then there are the rest of you that had to ask if I knew how phallic a cigar looks... well DUH.. come on guys give me some credit here.. I like to think I have a few brain cells....I smoke them for me.. if guys happen to like it.. well that is fine.. if you want to approach me and talk about cigars I will be happy to do so.. if you ever see me out smoking please come on over and have a seat.. as a matter of fact I love talking about cigars.. and martinis...BUT under no circumstance will I talk about other things that smoking a cigar may or may not look like with a perfect stranger.. so dont email me and ask those questions either.. I will not answer you ...

on to better things.. I found a throw I liked.. I am sure some of you have seen it.. the Absolutely Fabulous Throw by Colinette.. I cant bring myself to pay 185 dollars for yarn for one project... I couldnt do it so I took my own approach to it..

here is what I have so far ..I went a little wild with colours but I like it.. I think I need some mohair thrown in there for good measure...

well that is what I am off to work on now.. have a great evening every one !!

Monday, February 21, 2005

Instant Karma

As I sit here with a little smirk on my face.. I can say I totally believe in Karma.. what goes around comes around... I also believe that you get what you put out into the Universe.. so if what you happen to put out is resentful spiteful hateful behaviour that is exactly what you are going to get in return... so this brings me to a little story.. that some of you know already and some of you dont and I apologize now to some of you because its going to be vague and if you have no idea.. you wont know what the deal is anyway..I also have to say I have not revelled in this too much because basking in some one else's misfortune is not exactly nice either ... even if it is deserved

BUT... I have to smirk a little because out of spite some one snagged a roving on ebay that was pointed out to me specifically ...then she lied about how she knew about it .. so the best part is .. once she got it.. it was scratchy.. you have to LOVE instant Karma... you just HAVE to .. why was she being spiteful.?. because I simply pointed out the truth to her.. and she didnt like what I had to say...as a matter of fact she didnt like it so much she removed it from where I wrote it.. and in her reply to me she didnt even address the issues I pointed out .. she tried to turn it back on me..

I dont and wont apologize for the way I am .. I am honest and I stand up for what I believe in .. if in fact the truths I point out to you sting a little bit then that is life.. I know there have been many times the truth has been laid out for me.. no I didnt like it sometimes.. yes it has been known to sting.. BUT I am an adult and I own my actions..if I had it to do again would I ? yes of course I would because the fact of the matter is .. the behaviour that was pointed out was childish and deceitful.. and if that person cant own her actions .. then that doesnt seem to be my problem does it? .. or maybe .. as in the case of the roving it is .. because I miss out.. or maybe I didnt miss out because it was scratchy after all ...

I am honest.. blunt.. and sometimes short.. but the thing about me is no one ever has to worry about where they stand with me because I am upfront with that also... and for the most part .. I wont say something behind your back that I wouldnt have the balls to say to your face.. I try to be tactful... I wont say I try to be nice because sometimes its just not possible... I try to use my words in the best possible way .. but there are some instances that no matter how hard one tries... Its just going to sound bad.....

Sometimes along the way toes get stepped on .. feelings get hurt.. and others get mad.. but the bottom line is .. once its thought through ... I was only telling the truth.. and as much as I would like the truth to be nice and neat and easy .. its just not always like that.....Its hard being like this.. I do say what I think .. I am very opininated.. but think if it like this.. I am always the one people come to when there is a situation that isnt always pleasant.. because they know I can handle it... I can take it .. and I will do my best trying say what needs to be said.. with that comes alot of different things.. sometimes I end up the bad guy.. the hated one.. the "bearer of bad news".. I dont always particularly like doing these things.. but sometimes it has to be done...

I have been very introspective today.. I have been told many times " I wish I were more like you when it comes to just saying things".... well any one can be more like me.. you just have to realize in that comes being responsible ... you cant always know how some one is going to take what you have to say .. and you have to be prepared for people not to like you sometimes.. I am not always the most popular person but I can say I am the most honest...

I am not perfect.. as a matter of fact I am very flawed.. I dont sit on a high horse and look down .. I am right there in the masses with every one else.. I try not to be judgemental but damn its hard.. and I am at times.. I am one of those people..... life is very black and white with few grey areas .. I either like you or I dont.. there is really no in between.. and if I dont .. you can be assured .. I just wont talk to you .. sounds harsh .. but I would rather it be that way than to ever be fake about anything...

I guess in the end it all comes down to owning your actions and knowing you are really the only person responsible for them.. you cant control any one else but you .. ..

wow deep entry today .. you guys know I am usually full of wit and sarcasm.. but today I have been very reflective.. and I decided to let you all know a little about what goes on in my head.. (that is right I said a little .. cause there is usually lots going on in there considering all the voices LOL ..okokokok.. you didnt think I could go a whole post with out a little laugh did you ??)

The $%&#@*! Jacket..

Of course it isnt that bad .. nor was it that bad to work on.. just seemed never ending.. of course if I were smaller .. I am sure it would have taken less time to make...

I made this pattern with a few adjustments.. I made seven rounds on the collar instead of five and increased the chains on the last two rounds.. on the sleeve .. I made them longer and the same increase in the last two of the five rounds I made on the ends... with a yarn I had on a cone but its the softest(softer than say Bernat Cottn Tots) nicest yarn ever.. even though I cant tell you who made it or its fiber content..I can tell you its a nice colour way with ice blue.. butter yellow.. tan and ecru... so with out further ado .. the jacket I have been grousing about all weekend..

of course this picture makes it look uneven and its not.. I am just too lazy to stage another picture.. and this was good enough for government work .. so I left it..

I am sharing this next picture with you because I think it is one of the best most recent pictures I have.. and frankly I dont have much more to talk about

It shows off my second love behind martinis.. cigars... I absolutely love a good cigar .. especially with an extra dirty martini(three olives, OF COURSE!!) .. and some good conversation about anything except politics or religion.. cigars should not be wasted on heated discussions like that.. they are to be savoured .. enjoyed.. loved... and relaxing...

and because I dont have much more to talk about .. I leave you with this picture of me and hope it placates you til I can be more witty ..

Friday, February 18, 2005

Friday

So I am sitting here thinking about what I should be blogging about today cause its been super boring around this house.. I have indeed worked on my bedjacket and still have hopes of finishing it up tonight..

The new landlord came by and told me they were reroofing the house next week.. oh joy.. roofers on my house at 6 am in the morning isnt my idea of fun.. last year I went through this same ordeal in my own home .. it took them a full 10 days to finish.. I know this roof wont be that bad.. I just still have flashbacks of mine being done.. The part about mine that will always be a mystery is the fact I left for a few days in the middle and you would have thought that would have been the time they would have done the part OVER my bedroom.. I didnt know how wrong one could be about things like this.. they saved that for the day I got home and then started.. at 5.45 am no less.. I have been assured this is a one day job ( I am quite certain it is.. I mean how long could it possibly take some one to roof a house the size of a large refridgerator box?)...

I also recieved a bittersweet piece of news on updating this house.. its a good thing for me.. but sad all at the same time cause.. I really like fire.. my fireplace is going to be converted into a hearth area so a wood stove can be installed.. this will be nice for the heating aspect but sad for me because I really enjoy my fireplace as ineffective heatwise as it may be.. so the week after the roof.. my fieplace gets a make over and I will have a nice new soapstone stove instead.. with a copper fireback on the fireplace.. at least the new owner of this house has some taste... i *heart* copper.. I am also going to get a ceiling fan installed in the living room to replace the very 70's light fixture that is up there.. there is talk of an added mudroom where the side porch is and a deck out back.. I am excited for both of these things.. more living space is always better.. and the mudroom will have shelving so all my yarn can live in the same place and I can have my bedroom back .. wo0t! I will also be getting a paint job for the interior.. I cant believe I am going to get to have colours.. maybe not exactly what I would choose for myself .. but something better than this whole house of antique white.. its depressing.. I love colour..with a little luck I can guide the owner.. I would choose to have a green living room .. a grey bath.. and a slate blue bedroom with a very light terra cotta or gold in my office... I think those colours are very neutral but nice and wouldnt have to be changed for the next tennant.. I maybe very wrong about that.. but one can only hope..

Well I am off to work on that jacket.. I am going to get it done tonight if it kills me!

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Early Mornings ....

I think I need to start some legislation.. making it illegal to call any one's home before say NOON!! I am not a morning person.. many of you know that already.. so when my phone rang at 8.05 this morning.. I was expecting some bad news on the other end.. it wasnt.. not even important.. so I promptly cursed out the telemarketer.. and went back to sleep...I know that most normal people are up at 8 and at work already.. not me.. I am usually up to about 3 or 4.. then I sleep in.. I am just dreaming really well by 8... at any rate I asked to call them back AT HOME at 2 am.. they were really offended by this request.. because they would be sleeping.. so .. I said.. " What the fuck do you think I was just doing?" and hung up!

On the busy front.. I have worked all day on my prototype bed jacket.. after three starts I am seriously on the way .. I am on the sleeve section now and hope to be finished with it tomorrow.. as well as the swap shawl I have going.. I have been on a path as of late with my stuff.. It feels good to get things done...I want to get my colourful butterfly done too .. with my silk yarn.. I guess I feel I can reward myself if I get some stuff done.. I can actually justify in my mind making something for me ..

I went to the library here today.. two whole books on crochet.. both CRAP.. what a gip! Other than that.. for a small town library its pretty nice.. I am still on a search for an old crochet book.. when I find it or am able to get one.. I will be so glad...

ok back to the jacket!!

My New Look

Hey every one .. tell me.. do you like my new look ? of course it wouldnt have happened at all with out a little help from Lori who on just the slightest mention that I wanted a new look found this lovely template and helped me with the code..actually.. she did all the work and I copied and pasted.. Lori.. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! YOU ARE THE BEST!!

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

WIP Wednesday and Some Nostalgia

woohooo... I didnt ~~wait til after midnight and then change the time~~ forget work in progress Wednesday this week .... this week I feel a little more organized..

so whats on the hooks this week ?

I can say I actually completed two butterfly wing shawls .. wo0t

so in progress..

I have ..

... a bed jacket for me cause I just didnt want to wait.. but its not in the Elann yarn.. its a yarn I picked up on my last trip.. a very nice soft yarn.. I want to actually work one through to see how it works out before I use "my" yarn.. and of course to make sure I have enough.. and tweek the pattern.. If I ever followed a pattern to the T when it came to something for me.. I would be amazed !!

... another shawl...

... a bag in the works..

... a wrap on my tunisian hook..

... designing a jacket...

.. still working on my swap shawl.. I think that will be my mission tonight.. get it done and pieced together..

...some spring stuff in lighter yarns and more delicate..

I look busy dont I? I think I need to find some help to do all that daily stuff I hate ... like clean the cat box and vacuum !

.. so .. went to the mail box this afternoon.. NEW CATALOGUES! .. I love new catalogues.. they make my day.. I get to look through and see what is coming in and going out.. its always nice..

As I was flipping through the new Victoria's Secret Shoe Book.. I was reminded of my childhood .. god that seems so far away .. and of the first time I coveted a pair of shoes... I have always loved shoes and boots.. ALWAYS... there were times I would buy shoes and eat rice for a week because I HAD to have those shoes..I digress.. I opened the the shoe book and started to flip through and RIGHT there on page 43 (click here if you dont have the catalogue) I was reminded of my first envious thoughts about shoes...

Those Candies sandals were my first real want in the shoe world.. of course my older sister had a pair JUST like that..they were called slides then and I was 12.. so my Mom would never let a 12 year old wear a shoe like that.. it would be scandalous...so I literally begged my mom for slides.. I HAD to have slides.. I was gonna die if I didnt get slides.. EVERY ONE had slides.. and I didnt .. I just knew the rest of my life was going to be shit if I didnt get those slides!! I ended up with a pair very similar to These I am sure my mother got them for me just so she didnt have to hear about fucking slides the rest of her life.. I am convinced she would have probably never bought me shoes like that but I am a persistant person to say the least.. I am sure I had her convinced I would become some crazed serial killer if I didnt have slides ...let me tell you .. I wore those slides with EVERYTHING for the next month..... so that my friends is my first vivid recollection of my lust for a pair of shoes..

In all honesty.. I probably own about 75 pairs of shoes.. and another 75 pairs of boots.. all assorted styles .. heel height.. colours.. there is nothing that can cheer me up better than a new pair of shoes.. well except a new lipstick.. or some yarn.. shoes are top on the list though.. I wont get into my lipstick ~~addiction~~ ~~codependancy~~ habit.. I will suffice it to say.. I probably have as many tubes of lipstick as I do shoes and boots combined... I can tell you there are ALOT worse ways to spend money LOL .. and you know there is just something about a $3 tube of lipstick that can totally make my day when its been rough.. of course the darker the better.. I have ~~large~~ pouty lips.. so in my opinion.. I think they look best in dramatic colours.. ... I will save my lipstick thing for another post.. but let it be known.. a tube of Burt's Bees Lipbalm in shimmer and a new pair of shoes is equal to nirvana!

Random Acts Of Martini Madness

Its been martini madness around here.. I received several martini themed RAOK's over the past weekend.. here is my picture then I will explain the goodies..

Before I start...let me say these things came from four differernt sources..First.. you will notice.. a set of 4 olive embroidered beverage napkins!! SO CUTE!.... second.. there are 3 yes count them 3 book thongs done in the martini theme.. the giver even made the "olives" have pimentos.. these are AB FAB in my book !! (no pun intended)....the martini stamp.. OMG.. I wanted to run out today and get some blank stationary just so I could stamp some stuff.. I didnt.. but I reallllllllly wanted to.....and last there are Kool Aid packs.. YES!! just the thing I needed for that 3 and a half pounds of natural wool yarn I just ordered.. I am going to be a dyeing fool!! My house will reek of vinegar and various fruit flavours for days.. I dont care.. I cant wait to make some fabulous hand painted yarn!! SO THANK YOU ALL ... FOR YOUR KINDNESS... I love every thing I have recieved!! and of course you can never have too many martini or olive things around your house.. !!

I finished up the throw I started last night .. It is the 5 and a half hour throw from the Lionbrand website... tres easy! and it really didnt take 5 and a half hours.. that might be because I used an S hook and not a Q so I had less stitches to make.. I also used 4 yarns held together instead of the 2 strands of jiffy they suggest.. I held an olive chenille (super bulky @ 300 ypp) , an earth coloured silk blend (the dark brown in the picture not sure of the weight about a worsted) a rayon chenille in mango (the flesh coloured strand in there 1400ypp) and a nubby natural coloured cotton for some texture ( approximately 2000 ypp) I think the colour combination and the texture combination turned out really nice.. this is going to be a birthday gift for a friend..

I can say.. I always love it when a project takes less time than anticipated.. simply because I always misappropriate my time.. I never get it right.. I have never been right on the money .. its usually the thing takes more time than I thought .. this is especially true with driving.. I have a few friends that will attest to that.. I have been getting more real about time in my older age.. but I dont think I will ever get it completely right .. always late when I shouldnt be or early when its not convenient.. go figure.. LOL .. oh well.. at least I keep things interesting and my sisters have won bets on what time I will show.. at least I am consistant!

I have a few other things to show and tell.. but alas .. they will have to wait til tomorrow .. its getting late !! Where does the time go!!

Monday, February 14, 2005

Has It Really Been A Week ?

I suppose the first order of business should be this :

Music Meme

Deneen tagged me with this on wednesday last week saying I didnt blog enough.. and I suppose I dont since its been a week between blogs.. or maybe I just like super long ones ...

1. Total number of music files on your computer

*that would be zero.. I have a CD player and a radio for music .. I dont need them on my computer..*

2. The last CD you bought

* Linkin Park - Metora *

3. The last song you listened to before reading this message

*cant put a fnger on the song.. but I listen to the big band station here alot .. so that was the last music I heard before coming here *

4. Name 5 songs you listen to often or that mean a lot to you.

*NickelBack- Someday

*Linkin Park- Numb

*Elton John- Blue Eyes

*Madonna- Say Goodbye

*Blue Oyster Cult- The Reaper

5. Who will you pass this stick to (3 people) and why?

I am not sticking "it" to any one... I feel if my friends want to do this they will .. I dont have to tag them to make them ...

So on to the news front..things have been hectic and busy and crazy around here to say the least.. I have been on the quest for the perfect tire replacement.. and of course there isnt one that really exists.. I have however found something that is suitable ... will last more than 20K miles..the reviews were pretty good.. (of course nothing is perfect and there will be a bad review thrown into every mix) and will cost only half of the originals would.. so that makes it a little better.. my phone rang this afternoon though.. informing me of a back order on said tires .. so I am still waiting.. my tires arent so bad that I cant drive them around town so I am not freaked out yet.. now .. if they take more than another week to get here.. I think I will start to get a little nervous..

In my mail box today .. I found my reward for my Adagio link.. I didnt take a picture because it is definately not as impressive as what other people recieved.. I supposed if I actually blogged more .. more people would visit and in turn I would have recieved something other than a small tin of English Breakfast tea .. but a reward is a reward.. I am not complaining .. its one of my favourite teas and they were nice enough to send it!! I would have linked them with out the reward .. so its just bonus!.... there were other things in my mail box.. today and on saturday.. but I am going to keep you all hanging .. til I can get some pictures.. I wouldnt want to tell every thing in one post .. you might not come back!

I have to say this.. I have never been smitten enough with one pattern to make two of the same thing back to back.. I have loved a pattern enough to make one and then another down the line.. but NEVER back to back.. until ....Holly posted her Butterfly Wing Shawl over at Crochetville... this pattern works super fast and is so beautiful .. the shape is fabu.. its like the shawl hugs you when you are finished with it...

I have made two of these this week.. the first one will be finding its's way to Burfica and Alekx's mom... she has had a tough time the past few weeks and has made the trip from Arizona to Texas to stay with Alekx for a while.. I was asked by Burfica how much I would charge for a shawl.. I asked who it was for.. she told me her mom.. and I knew what I had to do .. I made this shawl and have packed it with a few other small treats and sent it out .. I did this because as she and Alekx were going through all this.. I felt helpless.. I am across the country ...not in a place that I could have helped if I wanted to .. I have known these two since the first days of my computer ownership(over 7 years) .. and consider them as close as sisters.. this was my way of helping.. I talked to Burfica a little more and asked a few questions.. I had wanted to try this shawl out .. this was the perfect opportunity.. this is Lion Homespun.. I dont know the colour..I traded for it and it didnt have the band.. and its trimmed in some furry yarn I also traded ..of course Lily has to inspect my work before I could pack it up...

The second of these .. came about .. when I was shopping for yarn at Melanie's.. she is ALWAYS so good to me and generous.. I thought I would make something out of the yarns she sold me .. and give it to her as a way of saying "Thank You" for her kindness.. she neither knits nor crochets ... this is what I came up with for her...since the first one came out so nice.. this is done with a variegate that has peach..pink..white.. and lavendar in it .. a solid peach and a solid pink.. the variegate and the pink are thick/thins.. and the peach is just soft and kind of textural..

I really love both of these.. and I think the recipients will be more than happy with them ..

I have also started a blanket, been making plans in my head about my bed jacket.. (I might get to that by fall!) .. working on my shawl swap partner's shawl.. designing a couple things I am thinking of submitting ....I recieved my Entrelac Crochet book in the mail.. I have been practicing that.. I cant say enough about this technique.. its easier than it looks.. and very interesting.. I am trying to figure a way to make this in the round for a bag.. but I think for now I will have to just make rectangles and be happy with that.. I dont care .. I *heart* this !! I cant wait to finish my project and get it all fulled so I can show off ! I have been spinning a little.. I should do more of this but I have so many irons in the fire at the moment.. I feel I cant really.. because I really need to be working on projects.. besides that I have my eye on some wool that if in fact I get it.. I will be a dyeing biatch for the next week or so .. and then I can make more Entrelac bags.. woohooo!!....the last roving I had my eye one wound up in some one else's stash because I waited just a little too long to bid and I suppose she was trying to teach me a lesson.. oh well c'est la vie.. all I can say is if she did it to be hateful or vendictive.. I truly believe in Karma.. and It will all come back to her..

My animals have seriously been driving me crazy for the past two days.. its been raining off and on here.. when that happens of course I cant just throw the dogs out to stay .. and the cats dont want to be out in it .. so I have had all 5 animals piled in the house.. its a rare occurance really .. it just makes this place seem even smaller when they are all underfoot.. tomorrow will be nice .. it will be a nice break to be able to make them all go out .. well except Winston.. she hasnt been spayd yet and wont be going out til that happens.. I dont want any more surprises concerning animals !

This time of year really makes me miss being at home... this is the time of year I start to plan what I am going to do new in my yard... how I will rearrange my flower beds.. I start to see my bulbs popping up.... I start my seeds for the garden or any flowers I want a jump start ...I love digging in the dirt and reaping the reward of flowers ... fruits .. and vegetables.. I seriously miss that.. its therapy to me.. here .. I have two small.. I mean small 2 foot by 3 foot beds.. last year I had a mix of coleus .. herbs ..peppers ... and flowers in them..not sure what I am going to put in them this year.. doesnt even seem worth it to plan it.. just fly by the seat of my pants.. go to the nursey in a few weeks and just pick out what jumps out at me to place there..

I think I am all talked out..

HAPPY VALENTINE'S EVERY ONE !!

Monday, February 07, 2005

Thanks....

Every one.. thanks for your well wishes and concerns.. I have found new tires that will cost me half of what the old ones did and also will last over three times as long... so as soon as the tire shop gets them in .. I will go and get them put on.. til then.. I am stuck here.. but hey.. I have new yarn so I have plenty to keep me busy .. My family all understood.. so that is good ..I am still disappointed about not going BUT would have rather stayed here than risk hurting myself or some one else because of a tire issue.. and hell maybe next planned trip I will get more than 4 days to go.. so it will probably all work out in the end..

Have I mentioned I have been loving the hell out of my mail man lately.. not only did I receive the Urban Flair leaflet today from Deneen today.. saturday brought me goodies as well .. Tiff over at Crochetville had found some really cute boxes.. I messaged her and asked if she would send me a couple.. and that she did.. along with a little surprise .. some Reynolds Lopi

also I had won a gift certificate from Elann .. I wasted no time picking out this..its Quechua.. alpaca and tencel from the PeruvianCollection..in dusky lavender

I will be making this bed jacket with it.. I will have to say that was the quickest I have ever seen an order filled and shipped..it was packaged very well .. I give Elann 5 stars for service and they have some great prices and take pay pal!

I have started my shawl for the swap at Crochetville.. of course I could tell you more but I wont because I know my swap partner reads my blog.. LOL.. sorry Rebecca! Just know .. I think its fab and if it wasnt pink I would consider keeping it myself ! .. I also started Holly's Butterfly Wing Shawl.. with some new yarns I picked up saturday .. you can bet you will see pics of it when its finished.. its going to be nice .. I just know it !

UpDate.....

ok.. I have been on the phone all morning.. first call was to BMW.. and before I go any further.. I think I need to clear something up.. I dont have a BMW..I have a Mini Cooper..but I have to deal with BMW for all my Mini stuff..

I talked to Jeph(pronounced like Jeff) in the service department.. very nice guy.. he explained to me ( and the sales man should have as well and maybe he did but I was so excited about my car I didnt hear him ) that the tires on my car are performance tires because I have the S version of the Mini which is a performance car...and the tires on my car were only rated for about 20K miles..he also explained they were a softer rubber because they were performance tires..and I wasnt the first person who had called and brought this issue up...and as I said I was probably told and in the excitement let it go in one ear and out the other... I went and checked my odometer.. I have 27,860 miles on my car.. so I considered myself lucky to get that many miles out of those tires.. they still have a little life in them...but not a road trip life left...Jeph even went so far as to tell me that since my Mini came with roadside.. I shouldnt worry about the run flats and get a better all season tire for less because roadside would come rescue me if I had any kind of problem.. and if it made me feel better just have a can of fix a flat in the boot for precaution...

So being the cynic that I am .. I got off the phone with Jeph and immediately called a tire dealer here in town and talked to a very pleasant but very southern Steve... he again said the same thing Jeph did about my tires.. they were performance tires.. soft rubber.. not made for extended driving etc etc.. made almost the same suggestion about the less expensive tires.. so that being said.. I will be getting new tires soon .. will keep you all posted on what I go with... Probaly a goodyear or something of that sort..

Just wanted you all to be updated..

Sunday, February 06, 2005

Well.. I Should Have Known...

holy shit..just when I thought I was getting ahead.. .I went to get my tires rotated before I left today.. when I heard my name being called I couldnt believe they were done so fast!... well there was reason for that.. they werent....as a matter of fact I didnt get my tires rotated... because my tires are so ate up it wasnt worth it.. from the outside they looked great ... on the rack when you looked at the inside.. they are basically falling apart.. what the fuck! I only have 24K miles on them and they arent cheap tires... they are Dunlop run flat tires..

SO .. I didnt go on my trip because I was told it would be dangerous.. now the big question is .. why are these tires so fucked up.. I will get my answer tomorrow when I call the BMW dealer and the manufacturer of my tires.. I want some answers... to replace these tires for the same that are there ... will cost me 1000 dollars.. no joke.. they are 250 dollars a piece.. for that kind of money I should be able to drive at least 60K m ore mile.. AT LEAST! I am very dissappointed.. the last vehicle I had .. my tires went for 85K before needing replaced.. so you can imagine my disappointment driving away from the garage today and then having to call my family to tell them the news.. another set back.. maybe in a few m ore weeks I will get there and be able to have my Christmas and birthday ..

My Adventure Yesterday

Yesterday was yarn adventure day.. its where I travel over three hours to wander around my yarn seller's warehouse.. then I get to wander around touching stuff and looking and ooohing and ahhhing and of course find myself saying "i must have this" even though I know I have 200 pounds of yarn at home already.. so .. here is what I dragged home yesterday ...

I found some really nice things.. and super soft.. trying to get ready for spring and springy things.. even though my instinct is to buy colours I love and wear .. not every one likes those nor can wear them... and of course I made myself buy pink and peach stuff.. even though those are two colours that RARELY are seen on my body.. it seems lately or maybe I am just noticing this love of pink every where .. I will admit on some people its a nice colour and in small doses and jsut the right shade I have been known to wear it.. its just not something I seek out..I had to leave a cone of mohair that I wanted badly.. but the way I justified it.. is.. since it was so much .. how much more could I get with the money I spent .. and the answer was 6 more cones .. so I weighed my options and the more won over the pretty.. if it had been for personal use.. then the pretty would have won .. but I have to make a profit some where .. dont I? ....

I am leaving out for 4 days this afternoon .. I am going to leave here at about 4 and will get home at about midnight.. I lose an hour going back .. so that isnt too bad really .. I am usually up that late anyway .. gives me some time to get my stuff together tonight .. get a few things cleaned up around here.. and make sure I am not forgetting any thing.. that is always the sucky part.. getting down the road and realizing that you forgot smething that was kind of important..

I will be really nice to see my family and friends.. I havent been home since October.. this is going to be a nice relaxed visit.. because I have only told a few people and my family I will be home.. I know that sounds terrible but if I dont do it this way I come home way m ore tired than when I left because I will have been on a constant go level.. and I dont like that at all !

I hate feeling stressed and pressure.. this is supposed to be my break.. and you know for the life of me I dont understand some people that get mad over this.. but my theory is this.. if they really missed me and wanted to see me that badly THEY could make the trip here.. so I dont wear myself on my visits.. I do exactly as I please because it is MY time I am taking to do these things.. and as in aforementioned posts..I dont like a schedule nor do I like to be pressured.. especially when its my relax time ..

Friday, February 04, 2005

Patience Is A Virtue....

just not one of mine.....my mom always said this to me as a child.. patience is a virtue.. now that I am all grown up ... I am sure that it is just not for me .. some how I missed encouraging patience within myself along the way .. my older sister has the patience of a saint at times .. so I think my ration of patience was given to her.. because I am the most impatient person in the world (there are things I have all the patience with but not many and that only goes so far )... especially when it comes to waiting for something I want to get here.. right now .. that thing is my entrelac crochet how to book.. the visions of market squares bags keep haunting me in my dreams.. I want one.. NOW.. and its not like I dont have enough on my plate to keep me busy at all times.. I could crochet 24/7 and still not run out of things to do but I ~~need~~ want one more ! I think this stems from ~~my project ADD~~just liking to learn new things.. and of course I want to learn to knit.. and I will ... but I know to get good enough to do entrelac knit would just take too long and ten years from now that market squares bag is going to be really passe .... so I guess this is my version of taking the easy way out..learning to fake it with crochet.. not really fake it because this technique is done in tunisian crochet which was once known as shepard's knitting.. and it really is like knitting only you use one needle/hook...at any rate I want my fucking book here NOW!!! not that I could start today anyway because I have many things to get completed before I take off to go home on Sunday..

One of these days I am seriously going to get organized and write down every thing I want to do and make a schedule.. RIGHT! who the hell am I kidding?? Even if I did make said schedule.. it would never work .. because the things I have scheduled myself to do wouldnt be what I *wanted* to work on in the said scheduled time.. then I would start feeling pressure.. and guilt about the written schedule and my lack of respect for it... then crochet would seem like work .. and I would just quit.. because once something becomes not fun to me I dont like doing it any more.. so .. no schedule.. sometimes I wish I had been born a few days earlier.. Capricorn.. all neat and tidy.. organized...then I take it all back and realize being an Aquarius is what I am all about anyway ( I did get a few Capricorn traits thrown in for free since I am born on the cusp).. I fly by the seat of my pants with a blatant disregard for what I "should" be doing ..marching to the beat of my own drummer ... very happily at that.. the exception to that is being on time.. I wish so hard I could be on time.. its just not in me (for work yes.. every thing else fageddaboutit) .. now.. if I could only get people to totally understand me .. wouldnt that be great! *sidenote* there are more Aquarius geniuses than any other sign...*another side note*.. Einstein didnt even know his phone number .. he had to look it up every time some one wanted it... that is a fact.. (man am I liking * today or what??)

The small things in life are what totally amuse me and make me happy .. take this.....

something as simple as this totally made my night... I was at the grocery doing that grocery thing .. I hate ...and what do I spy.. ORANGINA.. you may note the bottle is empty.. that is the way it came in the house because I couldnt contain myself enough to wait .. take the picture then drink it.. I had to drink it .. RIGHT THEN .. well when I got to the car anyway .. I fell in love with this drink the first time I went to Europe.. and let me tell you its not the easiest thing to find here... so when I do find it.. I get stupid.. especially when its the big bottle like this .. so I cracked that baby open and in the three minute drive home had it drained.. the only way that shopping trip could have been any better is if I could have found some Schweppe's Lemon soda.. I havent had that in ten years either and I am totally in love with it...wait .. its been *gasp* 14 years.. man times flies.. well I do take that back .. 14 years ago I first fell in love with it .. I have been back to Norway .. and I had it about 7 years ago.. havent had it since.. I *heart* that stuff.. I am not a serious soda drinker but if I found Schweppes Lemon any where near me.. I swear to god and all things holy that is all I would drink for weeks on end.. I dont think I could ever get tired of it.. EVER!..

man.. I have gone on and on about basically nothing today.. see .. this is what you get when I get up decently early and blog filled with caffeine.. scary.. have a great day every one !!

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

WIP Wednesday

Even though these are the wee hours of Thursday.. we are going to ~~change the time before I post~~ pretend i did this ontime .. .....

Lets see what I have going...

...still some super secrets....

...my shawl swap partners shawl....(you might get a sneak peek next week)

...I am smitten with the butterfly shawl over at Crochetville that Holly designed......so I have plans to start that.. just have to decide a yarn....

...I know this list doesnt seem like much .. but believe me the super secrets number about 6 so I AM busy!!

So you all get extra treats .. I am going to do Show and Tell tonight too .. woohooo!

first up.. I went to my LYS the other day Bella Filati...

Had to show the bag.. its is pretty .. the store is too .. while I was there .. I picked up this.. its Linie 60 Tondo.. I am hoping to make the open fan cardigan in the interweave crochet magazine out of the green. brown , and salmon in some creative way ..

so today right out of the shower.. I decide I am going to snap some pics of my finished stuff.. so I am looking sooooooooo hot you might want to only look at one at a time ..

here is the spiral poncho from the Lionbrand site..

I used a bigger yarn and a bigger hook than they called for.. actually yarn is two I wound together.. brown chenille and a variegated chenille in brown, peach, pink, purple... the fringe is the variegate and a thin thread like yarn I have that is the purplish colour with slubs of peach ..

next is a shawl.. I really like it.. made with a burnt orange chenille.. a tannish taupy chenille.. and the lighter colour is three strands of chenille in a flesh, gold, and variegated with gold brown and orange and flesh in it .. I scalloped the edge in leiu of fringe.. .I took a vote and the scallop won!

I have a pair of Frye boots about that orange colour I like to wear this with.. I get alot of compliments on it when I do wear it ..

Here is my little blue bag with its finishing touches on it ... off white felted cord and a wooden button .. simple but nice.. i think this bag would look good with jeans ..

I have been so intrigued by all the entrelac knit I have seen lately.. especially the market squares bag.. I was incline to buy this the other night .. to see if I can replicate the look in crochet..

The final picture tonight.. a small gift I found in my mail box yesterday.. I am not sure the giver wants to be recognized so I will leave it as .. a fairy godmother.. but its the cutest thing ever! .. I *heart* this dipping plate and spreader.. how could I not..? my name is indeed 3 Olives !!