Nina Update

Wow -- how time flies.

I can't believe the last time I updated was December.

I have been TERRIBLY busy with this silly programming class. I cannot wait till the terror that is this class is over. I just want to get through it...with at least a B average.

Still, Lance and Nina have brought joy to my life. Well, a joy when someone watches Nina for a few hours and I can come back and appreciate my baby some more. With the hours of work I must put into the this class, playing with her is next to impossible.

Again: I will be glad when the nightmare programming class is over. And I will NEVER take another online course! If I start talking about doing it in the future, please point me in the direction of this blog post.

Here is Nina being Nina:




Here is Nina developing gross motor skills -- let us all hope she inherits them from Lance!



Finally, on St. Patrick's Day, enjoy this pic of Nina in the crocheted skirt I made for her:



I wish I could get a better picture, but she won't stay still long enough for me to get a good shot. Plus, she wants to see the picture before I can take it. I should have taken a pic of her with the Bailey's buttercream on her face after helping Mama eat the Guinness Stout Chocolate cupcake with aforementioned frosting. She LOVED it!

More Cuteness from Confinement

I finished some toys for the cutie and am quite proud of my work. The owl bib pattern is MUCH cuter as a toy. Check out the front.



I made a different type of wing than the pattern so that it could flap. L was having fun playing with it. Here is the back.



Then I moved on to this pattern I found in Amigurumi Two! which features patterns for children (toys, rattles, etc.). The author also has Amigurumi World which also has adorable patterns. I really liked the fruit "houses" in Amigurumi Two! and made the pear. The photos came out very artistic and it almost looks like a little story.

The pear.


What is inside.


Pear and Snail. (The snail's eyes are embroidered)


The snail is a bit top-heavy.


I have a few more projects up my sleeve. I want to try to make some matrushka toys. I don't know what the gender of the cutie is, but kids like to chew on plush things and they aren't too picky. Since I like matrushkas, the cutie will have some matrushka toys!

I also was fortunate to run across a copy of The Floral Alphabet Coloring Book (found here).

It is a really neat idea - each letter of the alphabet corresponds to the plants within the letter. It is a wide variety of plants too - not just flowers, but also trees and fruit. I made copies and plan to use water color pencil to color each letter. Next, I want to cut out and back each letter, laminate the pages, and bind it. I think it would make a charming book.

But right now it is time for a nap!

Confinement

Sadly I have been unable to find a job - even temporary work. The whole summer has felt as if I have been under confinement - with nothing to do or prepare for except the birth of my child. Honestly, the preparations are not a huge, time-consuming endeavor. I have cleaned the house, re-organized, and purged till it became obvious that I had to stop because I can no longer lift heavy things.

I had grand plans to learn how to sew, but I am currently stuck as I am really scared of needles. I have read the manuals and understand the basics, however a machine with a needle is still quite scary to me.

Therefore, much of my time has been spent crocheting items for the little one. I have gathered various patterns for bibs, sweaters, toys, etc. I started some in Houston and have finished a few.

The bibs were the first things I have completed because they seemed less complicated and pretty straightforward. The only difficulty was that the pattern I selected had ties on the bib which I am not fond of - ties seem dangerous to me. I wanted to put straps on the bib instead which resulted in some problem solving. The end result looks quite charming in my opinion.

(REMEMBER: you can click on the picture to get a bigger image!)


The frog bib front followed a pattern I got from Lion Brand Yarns and the other bib follows a pattern I found in one of my crochet calendars I get every year at Christmas.



Here you can see the straps I added onto the frog bib. I can see how the ties would look better with the frog, but I think the straps are safer. Plus one gets to choose cute buttons! I just hope they are not too much of a chocking hazard.

The next bib pattern I attempted also came from Lion Brand Yarns and was an owl.


Here is my attempt using a variety of yarn I had left over from previous projects.



Here it is with the straps, which I fear I attached to close together - it might be better as a bib for a toy or doll later.


An unexpected result of the owl bib is I was able to have my own Rorschach test! Here are the results so far:

Lance - "oh, a dog! Nice!"
Renee - "A monkey!"
Megan - "A little fish!"

I have not developed a rubric for what these responses tell us about each individual, but I was confident that the bib did not look like an owl at all. I started to make another owl following the color scheme in the original pattern.

When I went back to look at the pattern, someone commented that it really was too cute a design for a bib and I quite agree. So I am making what hopefully resembles an owl, but I will make it a stuffed toy. I am also working on a pear-container with a snail toy inside. I will post those pictures when I finish.

I was also able to complete a cute sweater - I am stuck on what buttons to put on it. I could also choose one button at the top for a more swing-coat like design.



Here is the sweater up close.



I also finished a blanket. It was supposed to have a hood, but after looking at the picture long enough, the hood would make the baby look like a tiny, colorful Ku Klux Klan member. Not wishing to encourage idiotic behavior, the hood was out of the design and I made a tiny hat instead.



The hat looks like a little jelly fish. Lance was quite fond of it and wore it on his head as a fascinator.


He is starting to get a little sentimental about the cutie - all the little clothes are making him realize there will be a little person in our lives soon. I will take sentiment over what he said in the first months of my pregnancy which consisted mostly of scatological references and diapers.

More of what I have been making just as soon as I finish it!

Laziness

Gosh I have been lazy. In almost all aspects of my life. For Lent I gave up Facebook and so I have no vent for my ephemera and odd tidbits. Which I am sure the world continue to spin in spite of their absence (and perhaps even better!).

Thankfully I have finished my last graduate class in education (if my prof got out her guitar and sang us another song, I would have probably cried or taken the guitar and smashed it). Sadly, I still have to create a professional portfolio and have no idea what I am supposed to do for it.

To avoid such unhappy thoughts, I have been creating lovely things such as:



I had started a cape in the same yarn just before Christmas break, but it was requiring single crochet stitches and I was quickly loosing patience. I found the pattern online here and it looked easy enough. I finished it about a month ago and wore it to school with many compliments.

"Wow, you made that Mrs.K?"

"You MADE that??? Oh my gosh - it's so pretty"

And there was much handling of the cape.

Anyhow, there are more exciting creations I want to post, but I have to get some pictures to upload before I do them.

And I will also explain why I will be unable to make pysanky this year (but it is for a good reason :).

Christmas 2008

Ugh - I don't like being on the new calendar.

It seems like a good idea to be in step with the rest of the world -- no confusion about when Christmas is celebrated.

But I am not liking it.

When I was on the old calendar I could ignore all of the cultural and familial pressures to have "The Best Christmas Ever".  I could say "meh, it isn't Christmas yet."

Not so on the new calendar.  I find myself even more and more stressed out about getting gifts finished on time to give to friends and family.

And I even tried to "go green" and vetted the idea of buying my relatives gifts from World Vision with my mother.

There was a pause, and then she said to me, as kindly as mothers can:

"No...I think they want stuff."

Fine - stuff it is.  But on my terms (and some what "green").

I have always been into home made Christmas gifts -- they have so much more meaning when someone has made something especially for you.

But, I did end up buying a few things for various relatives - books, sweaters, etc.  My little bro is "getting" an xBox for Christmas (which I think my dad will spend more time on) and I could have gotten him a game for the system...

...but I bought him 2 books and recorded a song for him from one of the books.

Which is way better than any xbox game...right?

Anyhow, I also wanted to upload pictures of some of my hand made gifts.

 (click on pic to "bigify" it)

I loved making these bags -- tres simple.

I also loved making shawls.

These little scarves were also fun -- I ended up using that flower on more than one occasion...I should make one for myself.

Tea towels are my favorite craft now...

...but they take a lot of time.

So, I started crocheting potholders to make a set (and less tea towel embroidery).

So, I have had a lot of fun making things!

Honestly, the best Christmas present for me would be a project. Give me something to make - the materials and patterns -- and I will give it back to you next Christmas.

It is a win-win really :D

5 Random Things

In no particular order:

1. Harry, A History - This was a really nice look back at the past ten years of the Harry Potter fandom. I especially liked hearing Jo Rowling's point of view. Melissa Anelli, of Leaky fame, did an excellent job with this book. If you would like to borrow the book, let me know.

One thing that intrigued was a comment JKR made about Dumbledore losing Grindelwald, his former object of affection.

She explained that he just turned inward and remained isolated and academic the rest of this life. "Does that mean he as a one-hundred-fifty-year-old virgin? I don't know," she said softly, peering into her coffee cup as though he held an answer.

When I read this passage, the Sev/Lily fangirl in me quickly jumped to conclusions. Could Dumbledore's experience be similar to Snape's? It would seem possible given what we know of Snape from the books - especially since Dumbledore agrees to meet with Snape after Snape passed info onto Voldy...perhaps he saw in Snape a similar need to protect the one he loved?

Hmmm...I will have to think more about this. I would LOVE to ask JKR about how Lily and Snape felt AFTER they parted ways in fifth year towards each other. I can write my own conclusions, but I would love to know what she envisioned.

2. Lord of the Rings Directors Cut (a.k.a. "Deluxe Precious Edition")

Me wants it.

I borrowed the set of three DVDs from an HP meetup friend (super cool and generous). I am THOROUGHLY enjoying it - it has the full film, with effects and music added in, behind the scenes look at how the whole film came together, and commentaries by everyone involved (well, I didn't see the key grip's commentaries, but that is ok - really!).

There were many more songs in the original. Which is kinda cool because they are WAY shorter than in the book.

Small confession - I skipped the songs when reading the series. WHAT! They were a weensy bit boring to me...

Also, El Hubarino (LG) started watching it with me and I have to pause it every 20 minutes or so to explain the plot.

Maybe if he watches it a third time through, he will get the connections.

Then again, he did see it in the theatre the first time and could not remember if Frodo lives.

:|

Seriously - he asked me yesterday if Frodo lives -and he has seen these movies before!!!

The one thing the hubbster won't watch with me is all of the "Making of" features. I LOVE THESE - they make me want to become a movie craftsperson! I can paint things, and link plastic chain mail, and...hold a cord, or something.

3. Which brings be to TEACHING - I do love it despite above sentences. Teaching is never boring and you get better over time.

I applied to Seattle University, am accepted, and will soon begin studies to earn my professional certification (which is the same thing as a licence). It will take me a year and half to complete.

:|

So, I will be at my job for another year...I hope...

I mean...I hope I don't get the boot.

My principal seems ok with me lately, despite my goals meeting which ended ok, but I still had to call the hubbster in tears over it.

:(

Still, things are going ok NOW, and I have to focus on that.

4. I am making Christmas gifts - which is a lot of fun. My embroidered tea towels are getting MUCH better. I would post them here, but some of you might be getting them as gifts and I want them to be a surprise.

They are fun to make and the crocheted bags are coming along nicely too.

That is all - oh wait.

This just in -

5. Obama reads Twilight with his daughters.

Ew. Twilight is a piece of poo. Seriously - I have read excerpts because that is all I could stomach. In the words of Smegol, "It burns us!".

I am disappointed - but I guess nobody is perfect!

Hello Halloweeney!

Here is me dressed as a Ravenclaw. I made the earrings - yes, that is a duck bead.

Yes, I know the Ravenclaw mascot is an eagle. But, if the house can be called Ravenclaw and have an eagle for a mascot, surely they would except another bird, a duck, as a representative.

And the duck bead is a great reference to the Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail(just think about it...).



The scarf I completed last night. It took forever and I ran out of blue yarn.

Clearly it is not long enough.

The students were obnoxious today - and predicting such behavior, I gave them all tests.

:)

But, by far, the most annoying of them all was seventh grade. That class is generally good natured, but they were UBER HYPER today.

Upon entering my class, without so much as a greeting, they bombarded me.

"Who are you supposed to be?"

"Are you supposed to be McGonagoll?"

"Are you supposed the be Harry Potter?"

(in a really bad English accent) "HARRY POTTER?"

"Are you supposed to be McGonagoll?"

"Is that an old Nun's habit?"

"Where is your scar?"

:|

After giving them a brief lecture on boundaries and consequences (IE. detention), they settled.

And yes - those are my robes from St. John's. Lance chucked his in the bin, but he kept the hood. Otherwise, we could have been Cedric and Cho!

:D

Crafty...

A few things I have accomplished within the past year...and some more recently...
I actually made 2 of these for the P-J twins in Santa Fe.



This I made for Sam P-J as a little "pick-me-up" for having twin sisters now...



...he enjoys Finding Nemo.



This scarf in Ravenclaw colors is for me! I thought it would be cool to do a shell pattern so it looks like an eagle soaring


:|

Yes, I am a nerd.

And yes I have sketched companion scarves for each of the houses.

:|

Moving on, I also created some posters!




Eh - they were a samples for the kids. We are celebrating a Red Ribbon Day this year - so that is me singing the Queen of the Night Aria instead of doing drugs (though if I ever did sing that Aria, I *might* need to juice it...slightly).

And I really ought to post the patch I attempted on a sweater.  But, I decided to photograph this:



I will always remember The Pumpkin King via this blanket. A long time ago, the PK and I shared a house for a summer - probably the only house in NM with mildew and a dead bird in the closet (well, maybe not the *only* one).

I am such a paranoid freak, I did not want to leave doors or windows open despite the dry heat. PK convinced me one day that leaving a window open in our bedroom would help cool it off and, unless an intruder was about 7' tall, it would be difficult to get into our mildew ridden abode. I agreed.

The only problem was that it was a windy day and the oil lampada on the window sill took a tumble onto the corner of my comforter which lay on the bottom bunk (yes, we had bunk beds...on loan).

So, since the oil was not going to come out of the jaquard, so I just cut off the oil-soaked corner and sewed up the loose ends.

Guests always wonder what happened to the comforter - what with the missing corner and the doggie patch covering up the india ink an ex spilled on it. So, now you know.

Why I Have Not Blogged Lately...

Excuses, excuses, excuses.

I am just plain busy.  The school year started and even though I felt I was ready, I certainly was not.

And it is not as if I have nothing to blog about...there is PLENTY out there to write about the world at large.

I just haven't created anything lately.  Which I feel is supposed to be the *point* of this blog - not just random rants, etc.

Actually, I did create something recently.  I made a very cute crocheted bear for a friend's new baby girl.  But beyond that, my needle has been hibernating.

I need to take pictures of the things I have finished them ship them off.  

But there are other responsibilities that I have and I don't have time to sit and write or take pictures and upload them.

I do have time, however, to surf around on the Internet and look at other people's blogs - go figure.

My fanfic writing has come to a halt.  I find myself so worn down by my day that I have not the energy to get going on my writing.  I think about those characters - sometimes.  Most of the time I have been researching.  My current research is British History.  

For example, the local Harry Potter meetup had a, well, meetup, at the Seattle Public Library book sale.  It was SUPER cool - I got 19 books for $19!  I even got Kate and Odious some books to replace their lost ones...unfortunately they were not the titles I thought they had lost. 

(Hand to God, I thought they lost a lot of Dickens, and looked at a beautiful copy of The Pensees and Possession and thought "oh, those weren't on the list".  I am kicking myself now.  But, if anyone needs any additional Dickens, I am your girl!)

As I was perusing the classics section and picking up massive volumes of Dickens books, I found a really cool little book called A Child's History of England by Charles Dickens.  I looked cool and seemed about my reading level/style, so I purchased it for the low price of one dollar.

Now, I did not know that Charles Dickens was a racist or I would not have picked up the book. Perhaps it is not fair to call him a racist - hindsight is always 20/20 - but what he writes is sometimes quite offensive.  For example:

It was a British Prince named Vortigern who took this resolution, and who made a treaty of friendship with Hengist and Horsa, two Saxon chiefs.   Both of these names in the old Saxon language, signify Horse; for the Saxons, like many other nations in a rough state, were fond of giving men the names of animals, as Horse, Wolf, Bear, Hound.  The Indians of North America - a very inferior people to the Saxons, though - do the same to this day.

When I read this, I exclaimed "Says who?".  The hubby was woken from his slumber (poor fellow) and told me to hush.  Still, I was not keen on reading further after Mr. Dickens here insulted my ancestors.  Dude needed to back up and take in the accomplishments of a people and recognize AND respect.  Just because they did not take tea at four every afternoon does not make them "inferior" - I seriously doubt the Saxons carried out tea while trying to prevent the Danes from burning their house to the ground (or whatever).

True my ancestors got kicked around by the US government and various other governments, but that does not make them a "very inferior people"! 

Still, I read on, because I figure it was worth at least a dollar to finish.  And I like all of the names - why Odo is not more popular in Britain is a shame.

So, this is how I conduct research for my fanfic.

I was tempted to purchase the $30 10th anniversary edition of the Socerer's Stone, but I am saving my money for Beedle the Bard.   All the new edition has is a picture of Snape looking a lot like Rowan Atkinson and new cover art with the Mirror of Erised.

If you are wondering what all the links are about, check out this site.  I *really* like this cartoonist - and he is vegan!

By the way, I am trying the vegetarian thing - I break for seafood, however :(  Not all there yet.

The hubby is not pleased.

Will actually create something soon.

No Wonder I Never Received a Thank You...

...the shawl was totally...well, it looks like an oversized placemat.

Let me give you the back story: at the beginning of the school year, a mother of one of our students was diagnosed with ovarian cancer :(

Really nice family and the mom was undergoing chemo and could hardly move. So the family mostly stayed at home to keep her company. So, our junior high teacher team thought it would be cool to make them a gift basket with fun stay at home activities, like movies, board games, snacks, etc. :)

I volunteered to make a prayer shawl. Everyone thought it was cool, and I even finished it up at the staff Christmas party (so the whole of the teacher population thought it was nifty too).



And...I was cleaning out my folders today and found these pics I and the husband took - and realize it looked COMPLETELY wonky. :S

Now I feel really bad that I gave someone some really cruddy stiching - but she is much better, so maybe my lopsided efforts worked...or not. I am just glad she is better:)

The moral of the story: A good effort...will always be a good effort!