Life on the edge of insanity

I am run ragged folks! I am absolutely beside myself! And then sometimes I actually find myself thinking "well, I had time enough to fit in that epidode of CSI this evening, so I mustn't be all *that* busy" but you know what, I AM! My brain is just gosh darn wrong when it thinks thoughts like that and it is very frustrating. One hour TV time, after a day of class, work, studio recording, phonecalls, homework, eating (somehow that always ends up quite far down the list) and maybe getting in the sun for a few minutes in order to retain sanity levels and do a little knitting...with all that considered I think that I am lucky to still be functioning. My mantra is '2 weeks to go and then I am free'...say it with me...'2 weeks to go and then I am free'...

On the plus side, sock one of baudelaire is officially finished and the heel has been turned on the second so it is straight sailing all the way home with them. Caught myself wishing for a cold night, just so I would have a legitimate excuse to wear them. No luck here though, the sun is absolutely splitting the pavements in Boston. The nights are a little hard to sleep through, but I am a sucker for the heat during the day...really enjoying it. Pity though all the rest of my knitting projects are not going as speedily as baudelaire. The shrug I had hoped to finish ages ago...actually I think I have run out of yarn, need to make a quick trip to the LYS and sort that out pronto, because it is so close to being done, would be a shame now to let it sit. I have also been having problems with the crocheted halter I made, don't feel very secure in it when it's on. Think I need to go back and put on more closures at the back, but I am not a very good sewer anymore. In fact I have 2 beautiful bags (the granny squares crocheted one and the unicorn knitted bag) which I would love to be using right now, but both need lining and I have no idea where to even begin to do that. Darn!

In other news, I went a bit nuts last week and ordered a pile of things from etsy for myself. I was lonely and I think I was trying to comfort myself with jewellery and one-of-a-kind things. When they arrive I will post pics. Can't wait really, girl needs some new earrings for the sun!!

Finding the Groove...

Wow, not only have I *finally* found the time to write a blog, but I also have finished items to talk about in it...WooHOO!! This is the halter top from Stitch n' Bitch: The Happy Hooker. It still needs blocked and I think I will need a new bra..oh gravity and cotton tops, heehee!

Also on display this evening is the lovely 'Wisp' from Knitty. I actually got it finished in time for the wedding and it did wear it on the day, to lots of lovely compliments. The mohair needs a few more wears and washes before it is really soft and wearable but I really love it and the buttons are cool. I have a new thing about buttons...the latest Pari craze!

Here are the things I do when I do have free time...I know, I am nuts. I could be sleeping but no, I am putting gems on my nails. Girl needs help! Was fun tho.

Here are the latest buttons I have got my grubby little paws on. I ordered them from an ebay seller, Obsidian Kitten, who was an absolute pleasure to do business with and sent lovely little business cards and postcards with my little purchase. It is nice to feel pampered and looked after, even if you are only spending a few dollars at that store.

And lastly, my current project (though to be perfectly honest I have been doing very, very little knitting, crochet or anything) are the Baudelaire socks, also from Knitty. I made them a little too long for myself, but love them so much I really don't want to rip them out and start again. The pointy toe is pretty much empty, no toesin there at all. They were perfect however for the plane trip on the way home and helped keep my sanity while I dealt with the whirl wind of the wedding, being pretty sick myself and my mother being in hospital for an operation. All in all, it has been a really draining time of year and I am so looking forward to the end of the semester.

Only 3 weeks to go and then I am an actual, real, original college graduate. My apologies to everyone that I have been neglecting these last few weeks while I have been trying to kepp my everyday life together (my secret pal, I am going to do a special post just about you and your final parcel, as that is what it deserves, no less!). Lastly, I want to thank my lovely DB for encouraging me to blog again. I have nearly given up on the whole thing, but he gently pushed me back towards the things that make me happy and reminded me how wonderful it is to have this onlline community of friends who appreciate my post and who are eagar to share in my small success :) Thank you Kolya! There will be post just for you too, soon!

WIPed

Yes, that is right. I am WIPed (whipped), heehee. And it is all down to the pattern 'Wisp' in the new issue of Knitty. I have to say that there isn't really anything else in the issue that I think I will make, but as soon as I saw 'Wisp' I fell in love with it and just *had* make it. Er, two days later and I have already completed half of it...



I don't know what has come over me, but a couple episodes of CSI: Las Vegas later and I realise I'm halfway finished. And the lacy is so pretty and open, I can't wait to block it. I don't think mine is as delicate as the ones in the pattern, however. I really want it to look as 'wispy' as possible but I think my mohair might be slightly thicker. I ever went up a needle size to keep the lace loose, even before blocking, but don't know how it will work out. Oh well, atleast a shawl is a shawl, no matter if it matches the pattern or not.



I really want to wear it to DBs cousins wedding in two weeks time. I have a silk print halter dress that is gorgeous but pretty thin for the changable Irish summer, so a little capelet or hood would be perfect for keeping me warm and still classy. Hood or capelet...hood or capelet...so hard to decide...

The Last Unicorn

...is my flatmates favourite film of all time. And I have decided, in order to curb my 'must-start-a-new-project-itis', to make a crochet bag with unicorns all over it with all the leftover yarn in my stash. This not only keeps me busy but empties my stash of half finished balls and is a project that is quickly finished (God Bless the speed of crochet!) thus giving my a nice FO in no time at all. And I am learning a new crochet technique called tapestry crochet, super cool! I also keep getting song ideas while working on the bag, and well that is just good no matter what! :) 3 songs and counting since the block lifted...


This being said my knitting has kind of ground to a halt. No more work on anything. And at a stage where I am pretty close to finishing a number of things. Oh well, it comes in waves and right now, with finals just over the horizon, the crochet project makes way more sense.

I also received another amazing parcel from my dear Secret Pal...I know, another one!! Enclosed was a lovely lipbalm, ylang-yland handcream (just want to sniff my hands all day, getting funny looks from DB!) and a pair of the most beautiful earrings you have ever seen!! Now let me tell you that my passion for earrings knows no bounds. This addiction was inherited from my mother and has lead to use both having pretty sizable collections that we sometimes swap between in order to make sure that every beautiful pair get a wear. However, these earrings will totally be off limits. They are just too beautiful. Little blue beads clusted around a bottle green, glass leaf with gold hook. Perfection! Thank you SP, so much. What an amazing gift.

The rain washes me clean and suddenly I can!

Well, it was raining...all weekend long. The most rain Boston had seen in years, though for me it just felt like home. In fact it was quite nice and cosy to be inside, hearing the wind howl and the rain patter the window panes. And it made for a very creative and restful weekend. It started with a bath and an impromptu poem on the wall (see previous post) on Friday night. That evening I also started my dyeing experiment for the first time and these are the results. (I have really shaky hands and try as I might none of these photos would come out in focus, do I just want to apologise now for the rubbish shots!!)



I was so proud, bounding about the apartment like a school kid. The colours didn't come out as vivid as I had hoped but I think I put too much water in the dye, so that will be something to try differently next time. The first skein (I used KnitPicks superwash sock yarn) was dyed with a sky blue and bright yellow. The green formed from mixing in the pot. It really reminds me of the beach, which I haven't seen in an age, with the yellow sand, green/blue sea and seaweed...it feels lovely and fresh. Very springtime :) And the other colourway was for Project Spectrum, using the colours for this month; yellow, green, pink. I decided to go more 'citrus' and used a lime green and a more orangy pink. It kind of reminds me of a big beach ball, but again is really zingy and fresh. I took Brookes advice (thanks Brooke!!) and just followed my instincts with the colours. I had such a good time and can not wait to try some other methods of dyeing.



I think both of these are going to end up as socks, probably nice lacy ones that I can wear in the Spring and Summer. I have been really craving some summery projects recently and once my Clessidra socks are done I am going to start on some crochet halter tops and other things to get me in a sunny mood. Spring is in the air! And speaking of more projects, here is a photo (finally) of the gorgeous sock yarn my SP10 pal sent me and a little swatch. It has taken all more will power not to cast on another project with this, but patience is a virtue and it is for the best. I think it is destined to become a pair of Queen of Cups or Baudalaire socks from Knitty, though I am a little dubious about starting another chart based pattern after the Pomatomus affair.


The Clessidra are going great however and here are 2 finished legs...WooHOO!!! Just the feet to go and I am done. Brookes yarn is so so soft to work with and the way the colours are coming out, well, lets just say that the heels of these might need replacing annually :)


But of all the knitting, dyeing, poetry-writing and fun-having, the best part of the weekend was that I finally ended my year-long songwriting block. I was blocked BAAAAAAD, hadn't written any original songs in so long and was kind of starting to give up hope and then, BAM!! After a lovely, relaxed weekend I couldn't sleep on Sunday night and at 4am I got hit with a brainwave and by 5am I had a song (I have written most of my songs late at night/early in the morning...just seems to work for me). And then, after getting a few hours sleep and saying bye to the DB again (back off to Ireland to sort out visa stuff...America is great but the immigration stuff makes me want to scream) I was messing about on my guitar I got hit again, hard. This song basically came to me nearly fully formed and even the parts that weren't there immediately arrived after with little effort on my part. And this is the first song that I really wrote with my guitar, my playing has now got to the stage where I can play what I need to accompany myself. I am hoping to record them soon and then when I get them on my myspace page I will be sure to provide a link so you can all hear. I would love your feedback and criticisms.

I am so happy and relieved to know that I haven't 'lost it', and just buzzing with energy. All I want to do is CREATE...anything...just create!

I interrupt this broadcast for a special news bulletin...

I have been lying low this week, concentrating on school and enjoying having my DB about. His job unfortunately didn't work out in NY (company were trying to screw him round) but all is not lost as he has contacted some of the other companies he had interviewed with and wanted to hire him, and with a bit of luck he will be employed elsewhere and not be deported! Phew! The stress of it all, but on the upside I have loved having him with me 24/7. I have missed him so much as part of my 'everyday' life.

The knitting has been going really well too. I have finished the first leg of Clessidra and am loving the pattern. I have decided to start the second leg instead of finishing the first sock completely, as I have a sneaky suspicion that I won't have enough yarn to finish both. Looking into purchasing more, silly me not to make sure before I started. I was also prompted to start the second leg after receiving ANOTHER parcel from my secret pal. I swear, she is spoiling me something rotten. She actually made me a 'magic loop' knitting kit, since I mentioned wanting to learn how to knit on 2 circular needles in my SP10 questionnaire. She recommended this as a great place to start and, well, I was powerless to stop myself casting on and trying it out.

The kit included Addi Turbo circular needle (I have never tried these before and really didn't understand what the fuss was about...I get it now!!), a skein of beauiful Lisa Souza purple SOCK! yarn, directions on how to knit socks the 'magic loop way, chocolate and hazelnut tea and a packet of Haribo gummy bears :) I was so happy I immediately knitted a gauge for the SOCK! yarn, just because I wanted to touch it and then, after scouring the net and not finding a pattern that really looked worthy of this gorgeous yarn, I had a brainwave...cast-on the second leg of Clessidra! Needless to say, I am a very happy girl and was all weekend. Thank you so much Pal...YOU ROCK!! Photos to come.

...And now, back to your regularly scheduled programming :)