Broadway & Smiling Dogs Rule (no knitting)

So, Broadway. I love it. Love theatre. Love doing behind the scenes stuff - I was a costume wench in high school. Last night we started watching The Producers and I just didn't love it. Matthew Broderick was overacting. It seemed too much like a B'way show. Not like Chicago or Rent - they worked in a movie format. Broderick bothered me. Bummer. Oh Ferris.

Just because I was curious to the amount of shows I've seen or been involved with...
I've worked on versions of Into the Woods, Marvin's Room, You Can't Take it with You, Guys and Dolls, Serpent Woman, The Boy Friend, Fiddler on the Roof, Schoolhouse Rock Live!.

I'm a huge theater fan - I've seen Grease! (with Ricky Paull Goldin and Rosie O'Donnell (Did you know she Flickrs?)), Cats, Tommy, Rent, Miss Saigon, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Blue Man Group, Les Mis, Oklahoma!, SideShow, A Chorus Line, Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Mamma Mia, Riverdance. Sure, that's not nearly as many as some people I know. But I am confident in saying my theater appreciation is quiet healthy.

For my birthday this year, we have tickets to see Spamalot!!!! I can't wait!

Preview

THe weather has finally turned so nice! I'm trying to maximize my time outside and in the garden. Also, we've got company coming over on Monday. Shocking, but for today weeding and seeding and composting takes priority over knitting. Momentarily. There may be knitting podcasts listened to during the outdoor work, but I really enjoy having those for the car. We shall see. Expect posts to follow on the following topics:
*The Amazing Lace: Meet the teams Introduction (Challenge #1)
*The Broadway Post (Producers, what I'm going to see, what I've seen, what I've worked on)
*Swap and Pal catch up - (*waves hello to the Knitty Mellow SP! and June Colorswap SP!) I've got Q / A to post, and some blog reading to do. And for my tea swap pal (I know you don't know who you are yet) Your package is going out on Tuesday!
*Pictures - maybe of the dog. maybe of me. maybe of the baby robins that are in a nest outside in my front yard.
*Dog stuff. Bark magazine. Smiling Dogs Rule! Jackson is entered in the Old Navy new mascot contest.

Just for Reference

When we have kids, I want to dress them in these:
TrendyTadpole.com

Especially AB / CD", atomic symbol and drool monster.

I have the cutest dog ever. Photo Heavy

Period. No doubt. See? (Amazing Lace teammate introduction is coming later)
New duds.



Went to a dachshund meet-up / social today. My dog was ready with kisses for everyone, especially me - this is after he won a race! Check out that tongue!

May 11, 2006

So I think this is going to be my new computer wallpaper:

It's a tad dark, but I love the natural lighting and the room it's in. This was a deck that had been screened in to make an all-season room (not by me, I am all for decks) but it is a very nice space. Jackson likes to sit on that chair and keep an eye on the bunnies and birds. The yellow and white striped chair next to my little dog is one of a pair that belonged to my great-grandparents that my uncle had reupholstered and down cushions made. They go perfect in this room and are very very cool. And yes, in the photo you can see my pedicure socks, and my rolled up jeans.

Here's a photo of my attempt at illusion knitting, the Rosalind Scarf from magknits straight on:

and at an angle:


I uploaded the photos into flickr in a different order, this should have been posted first - a big thank you to Jae who was my Green colorswap partner!


She sent Schafer Yarn - Anne that is enabling me to enter The Amazing Lace! She also sent some truly delish aran yarn! And opening the green apple candy, peppermint chocolate and sour altoids packed quite a punch to the senses! We enjoyed the juicy treats last night while watching LOST. And I'm in love with the stitch markers! Jae is a truly awesome awesome person - she sent (seperately and very quickly) wool for one of my students science fair project!

May 9

I finished a pair of pedicure socks using yarn from Dani / Sunshine Yarns - I still have a ton left over! More to make. Gotta take a photo and post it. Do these count towards 200sox? or 2000 socks in 2006? I don't see why not!

Also, started working on Rosalind - I'm using Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool in Granite and Woad (I think, don't have the bands right here) - those colors are really close, will the illusion still show?

I've also got big plans to knit up CeCe & Cutaway in the near future.

We ended up returning the second dog, as great as he was, it just didn't work out. Jackson was actually quite unfriendly to the new guy.

My newest favorite podcast? Coverville

Choices / Advice needed! (Edit)

So the Arctic is a no-go. And I'm okay with that.

We're looking into getting a second dachshund - going to the same place from where we got Jackson today to look at his half-brother (a long hair) and his father (!) (a smooth black / tan). The long hair is ours! Coming home on Friday! He is just under a year old, and his name is Chi (rhymes with high or sky)!!

Dan's cousin is getting married this summer. Yesterday while going in to order a bridesmaid dress, Betsy & I found the perfect dress! It's a Marilyn Monroe style dress (like this one, but it doesn't tie at the neck and a little more gathered across the middle - it's black with green stems / two shades of blue flowers all over it.
Poor cell phone photos - the dress is by Luly K (which I can't find any website for)


I want to make a shawl / wrap as the back and shoulders are bare / open and I know we'll be in church and a long car ride so I want something to cover me if I get a chill. However, the wedding is in August, Long Island. Any ideas? These are some I already like:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
and with further poking about, I find that I'm really into Kiri (pdf file link) or MagKnits Trellis Wrap or this Candis wrap thing

Opinions?

April 22 - Vacation is almost over!

Anytime I think of something being over and done with, I think of the old HBO show "Baingames" - I tried googling and didn't find much on it - it was around 1984. Ending with "Braingames is now... Over!" anyway.

I am having difficulty with it being so grey and overcast today. Yuck. Hee - I just asked Dan about Brain Games and that set us off a nostalgia whirlwind. Did you watch "SquareOne? (ooh, I found clips!) and "Cloak & Dagger" has been on our local cable stations lately - I caught a few minutes of it, but I remember watching this at my Gram's house with my cousin and something about it really freaked me out. I should watch it again...)

I finished a dishcloth - it's from Mason-Dixon Knitting - I used Sugar'n Cream in a lime and orange color. The colors are best shown in the kitchen photo - it is like looking at peas and carrots. Jackson is there for a length reference.


I really enjoyed this - quick and satisfying. And perhaps most importantly, successful!

I finished reading prep by Curtis Sittenfeld - really liked it alot. I also saw "Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit>" - cute! I want a little rabbit from that movie.

Onward to attempt a set of pedicure socks for a friend's mom who has set me and other friends up several times with manicures and pedicures. OR, I could work with the splurge that I bought myself - some Cherry Tree Hill Suri Alpaca for the Trellis Scarf in the Spring IK.

I think I'll be making some banana bread today / tomorrow....

April 17 - vacation!

Happy Easter!

I used those easter chickies in my placecard settings at Easter dinner which I hosted - see, like this:

I love those little chicks. Bitter with Baggage is highly amusing. I would love to see a series with these little chicks and knitting... (it may not top this though)

Easter dinner was a huge success. I'm lucky that my family and in-laws bring just about everything. We clean house / provided the space, no biggie.

My other springy / Easter craft projects included felting the daffodils:
and my wee bunny


Very much in keeping with Project Spectrum unintentionally.

School's out this week. Yay! At the bookstore in town I bought Diary of a Worm and Diary of a Spider - I mentioned how much my 6th graders liked the book. I noticed a poster for the Spider book and commented on how cute it was. Now, here's a moment when New Englanders are just the best ever. The lady gave me the poster, a teacher discount (15%) and tax exemption (even though I didn't have the tax id number!) Wow. I'll shop there again and drop a mention of my students. Something positive in light of all the negative press that has been in the paper lately.

Pictures!

First off, Project Colorswap - April:

Marji was such an amazing swap partner! This box was heavy! She sent along "The Life of Pi" which I have been wanting to read for a while now. There are orange sherbet jelly beans and yellow / buttered popcorn jellybeans! There are orange milk chocaltes! There are items to encourage and help my sewing - a pin cushion / spool holder / tape measure / fabric / pattern!! (Yes Marji - I will try to make the pattern that you sent - can't wait for the tutorial!). There's a lantern moon bee tape measure! There are two skeins of creamy homespun yarn! There are 4 skeins of Classic Elite Flash in a yellow / orange! There's a homemade apron! WOW! I don't know that I can thank you enough - I love everything in there and I look forward to reading more of your blog!

Now for some photos, because I'm now on vacation and they are funny.
Jackson - in his Old Navy polo (it has a pocket) / new Easter duds.


Jackson, as a drunk frat boy


It's a Double Dog Dare (other Old Navy shirt)


Easter is coming...


No really, I can feel it creeping up on me...


Ack! It's a chickie!

Orange-Yellow

A HUGE box arrived on Tuesday, and it was perfect timing. It was a long day to begin with and my evening commute which maybe takes 30 minutes took 75!! The box came from FiberArts Afloat (Marji) for Project Colorswap - so much orange and yellow goodies, that I cannot start to do it justice without the photo to accompany the posting. Thank you thank you thank you - I love everything in there and expect to be gushing about the items for a while :)

Life is crazy. School is crazy. The state of Connecticut is crazy for requiring video footage (on VHS mind you. Old School New England. The most difficult way possible.) for the next level of teaching license.

Tomorrow is a half-day. Then I'm on vacation for a week! I expect I'll catch up on blogging and knitting and reading.

Speaking of which last night I finished "The Time Traveler's Wife" - so compelling, confusing but only if you let it... I had to stay up while the hubster went to sleep. I enjoyed it alot! Next up I think I'll either read "Teacher Man" or "Prep"

Stay tuned for drunken frat photos of Jackson.

My new favorite phrase

If you don't already read Crazy Aunt Pearl you should. I am now adopting "Funky Shui" to describe all areas of my life. It will be my new phrase. Consider this my copyright tribute / acknowledgement.

Phrases that I am done with:
"Describe the lesson's main objectives, including elaboration the expected scientific concepts and processes. Describe the main learning objectives and the use of resources to support students' learning. Describe how you monitored students' learning and what you found out about their understanding of the lesson's main concepts. Describe the instructional adjustments you made in response to your findings about students learning needs during the lesson."

1 week and 1 day until vacation.

Get the kleenex

Oh how awesome is this?
Put your pictures in a Kodak commercial - the link was found through ljcfyi - I was nearly in tears from my own, but in a good way - makes me want to dig up older photos and scan them, then cover the walls in my house floor to ceiling with photos. I have enough. I bet I could. Please leave a comment or email me if you make your own commercial!

Sigh.
It's been a stinky day.

April 2

I almost can't believe that it's April already. Sheesh. As much as the days may drag, all of a sudden they're gone!

Last weekend I went to New York City with Betsy and stayed with our friend VIK. Pictures will be added later.

We went to The Stoned Crow which was very very cool. In fact we stayed there all night!

On Saturday we ventured to South Street Seaport hoping to maybe check out the Bodies but the line was HUGE. We went shopping and bought shoes (Shocking!) We found Seaport Yarn - excellent place! I behaved very well and only bought a pair of needles and some stitch markers. As we ventured on into the city, we went to the Flatiron Lounge for some girly drinks to toast our good friend Jenny who is getting married!. We were quite pleased with ourselves - not being terribly girly-girl gals, we were quite successful in exercising both X chromosomes :) We went to chinatown for dinner at Joe's Shanghai - holy chickens, it was delish!

As if Saturday was not busy enough, our Sunday was quite full too. We met up with another friend Mike, and saw a fellow high school friend perform a very touching tribute in RiddleLikeLove (with a side of ketchup) - so so good! Elizabeth championed some goodcauses while she was alive.

I also discovered Kinokuniya - it took a little hunting, but I found the craft section (thank goodness for origami - it was my clue that I was close!) So many books had dachshunds in them - I didn't buy any knitting or crochet books. Instead, I picked up two bag books (ISBN4-391-62127-4 & ISBN4-8347-2377-1) and a quilt book(ISBN4-89396-868-8). I also grabbed two very cute Totoro notebooks and a book of postcards.
(In looking for links to the books online, I found this site - how cute are those labels? and I never thought to check out clover's website!)

Knitwise, I'm in the midst of several projects that need fixing, so they all bug me right now.

"March"ing On

Life has quickly gotten the better of me. In short (pictures to follow tonight I hope):
I applied for a trip to the Arctic.

I received a final package from my Knitty Mellow Pal - I have some gorgeous blue-green mohair yarn and 2 skeins of Noro Silk Garden, "Simple Knits with a Twist", and fabric - an awesome pal!

I received the "Yarn Aboard box from Jessica which had some of Claudia Hand Painted Yarn in the most gorgeous shades of blue / green and a lantern moon bag (so spring like) - my box is currently waiting in the car to go to the post office.





My dog was the cutest little German-American posing as an Irish-dog on St. Patrick's Day.


My internet has been up and down. I have to replace the router.

I've been working on Daffodils and Tulips and bunnies.

I'm going into New York City this weekend - hopefully I'll find the Japanese book store for crafty things. The empire state building is on the list. Not sure what else.

I think this is a great idea
1. A blog which you think people have not yet discovered.
Life in Purple, and for crafty (not strictly knitting) mylittlemochi, ohsewpretty, wee wonderfuls, SewingStars

2. A blog whose author lives close to you physically.
Heide!

3. An unusual or weird animal picture.
My dog puts up with a lot of me trying to pose him. Not that he's not naturally photogenic mind you!

4. An entry that made you laugh and got you strange looks from your family or co-workers.
GoFugYourself &

5. An idea you wish you thought of.
Project Colorswap - but I am proud to be a part of it!

6. Something you'd like to knit.
Odessa, GuppySweater, Bulky Cabled Sweater, Kepler - the list keeps growing...

7. A picture of something you consider beautiful.
the banner on knittingbyeye's site

8. A blog whose author you'd like to one day meet in person.
Dani, Christine, Lolly, ThreeOliveMartini

9. A blog of someone you have already met in person.
Betsy!

Mail Catch Up

It's a surprise snow day - well, not a complete surprise - I thought we would get an early dismissal, not the full day off! Excellent. I've been meaning to post to say thank you to Amanda - she sent chocolates and heart soap (in my new favorite scent - Body Shop strawberry) - I have signed up for Yarn Aboard!) and she needed to swap the person to whom I am sending the box, no sweat - but she sent the goodies anyway!! How sweet!

Over the weekend I got a package from Gail (that's her blog, her knitting blog is here - so cool!) - my Fiber Godmother - ooooh! I am so excited! There's Rowan Recycled Chunky and Biggie (I've been dying to try!), sweets, soaps, candles, and sheep stitch markers! This has been a really fun swap, and my "Godmother" was above and beyond!


I recently finished "reading" Dirty Girls Social Club by Alisa Valdes Rodrigues - quick, enjoyable.

I finished the booga bag felting-wise, but need to finish the straps part - and today I finished a daffodil - (pattern here) - how cute is that! And easy too! I'll be doing lots of these I think. Gotta find some ribbon to toss it into the wash.

FO! Scarf #2 and projects

I cast off last night and wove the ends in this morning on this:

It's Li's Reversible Herringbone Rib Scarf - it was a quick knit, once I figured out the pattern and kept it straight in my head. I used 2 balls of Berroco Foliage - love the colors - the red is truly flaming, it almost overshadows the other great colors - yellow, green, purple. It's very spring like, I like it alot.

I went to Yarns Down Under to spend my gift certificate - I finished getting the yarn that I need to do the Flower blanket, the yarn (and beads!) to do odessa, the yarn to do the Wobbly Tote KAL, and the yarn to do Spork, a felted courier bag. I also picked up One Skein - can't resist the baby bibs, hat, bolero, bags and the cupcakes!!!

I had the brilliant brainstorm today too that i could do the knitted felted hearts from the Knitting-Pattern-a-Day calendar in green and sew 3 or 4 together to make clovers for St. Patricks Day.

I think I'll also use some of the Berroco Pleasure that I now have so much of to make the Hourglass Sweater from LMKG (she did, it looks so good!)

I now have more than enough to work on for the rest of the year~!

D is for / Catch-Up

D is for Dachshund of course!

Jackson loves coffee. At least, he thinks he does. We don't actually pour him a cup of java in the mornings. I love this little mug - it has a cartoon on the front by Gary Larson that says "While their owners sleep, nervous little dogs prepare for their day". Perfect.

D is also for dishes - I picked up these little rice bowls at the local health food place - so cute inside and out!


In knitting, my jaywalkers are a bust -

I love love love this yarn (Sockotta, a new stripes colorway), but I can't get the sock up over my heel. I went up a needle size and knit with the smaller cast on # and it's just not right. Groan. I think it's back to the books for now and work back up to it. In the meantime, I'm holding off on socks for a while.

My booga bag needs to be felted:

Hopefully after I'm done posting this.

February vacation is this week, and boy is it needed! I'm hoping to knit (and sew!) and knit and knit. And shop. Dan got me a gift certificate to Yarns Down Under for Valentine's Day - how awesome is that? And I'm looking into taking a class at sit-n-knit, along with attending the CT Flower Show - this week is going to fly by!

Mellow SP Thank You!

I'm belated in this thank you post - on saturday I got a package from Sweden!! - first off, it's covered in stamps - I am such a geek - I had a huge collection when I was younger. I especially noticed the stamps of forest animals because we were watching Grizzly Man (pretty good by the way). Inside this package were two skeins of yarn - a cobalty-blue-purple and a royal blue - they are so pretty!! The website on the label is here - cute site, I love the little hedgehog! The colors are stunning and they are so soft - but, mellow pal - help me out - what's the guage? yardage? could I use it to make the odessa hat in magknits? There was also a beautiful little crochet decoration too - you're very talented!! Thank you again! I look forward to using this yarn!

Random Bits

My parents are off to Africa - Kilimanjaro (Take two) - and so far, no one has gotten sick or died like last year, so already it is a plus. They're out and about until Feb. 20. Nearly unbelievable - so I sit here, do my thing, knit a bit and think good thoughts.

I've been working on jaywalkers with Sockotta (#621 - blue / green / gold-ish / black-ish stripes) - so far so good.

I found the new Magknits today - holy cow, it's great! I love love love Odessa, and the sushi, and the ziggy scarf...

I also joined Sew? I Knit! because it seems like the right motivator to get me learning / using the sewing machine. How hard can a skirt be really? (Famous last words I'm sure...)

We watched the 40 Year Old Virgin lasst night - funny, cute.

I was able to finish 95% of my lesson plans this week while at school - that opens up lots of knitting / crafty time this weekend!