Inspiration…
In the crazy haze that has been my life as of late, I have been distracted from creating things. I mostly been working or blogging or getting my etsy-act together. Kate sent me a link to an ebay item and it inspired me to make some art yarn. I can’t do it now, but at some point I want to…
Alice in Wonderland Tea Set by Nicole West
Beautiful!
Stitches West - The Haul
Ok, so here is the portion of the blog where I show off what I spent all that money on…
CoCo Knits patterns...
The first thing I picked up at Stitches were these patterns. The one on the top is going to be knit up soon. I tried to buy the Artfibers yarn for it, but they didn’t have enough. I have ordered some and it should arrive in 3 weeks. Yay!
The first of the fiber...
Red Fish Dyeworks fiber in a colorway perfect for me and a Spindlewood drop spindle made of Purpleheart wood.
Pretty and amazingly soft...
Some Jewel Fiber Design. I think it is silk and black alpaca. Mmmmmmmn….alpaca.
Lace is normally my enemy...
My lace scarf kit with Twinkletoes Merino/Tencel yarn. Normally lace and I don’t really get along well…but this scarf is actually kinda fun!
Project bag!
The project bag Suzanne made for me. She is Wonder Woman with a sewing machine!
My gooodie bag.
From the Knitmore Girls Meet ‘n Greet at Purlescence.
Slipped Stitch Stuff
Magnetic Bookmarks/row guides and some fun buttons from Slipped Stitch Studios.
This stuff is awesome...and it smells good too.
I picked up some Lo-Lo Bars from Bar-Maids. The were a hit among the ladies in my knitting group.
I was looking all over for this color.
Watermelon colored roving from Faerie Mountain Fibers. 2 oz. of merino…I wish they had more.
I can't take credit for this one...
Ang found this and told me I HAD to have it. It’s 8 oz. of Shetland. I told her if it was still there when we came back around, I would pick it up…so I did. It was apparently calling to me.
The color of flame...
I have to admit, this wasn’t the first thing I picked up in the Abstract Fiber booth. I had picked up something else when the lady who worked there had walked up to me and pointed this out. She said how in love the ladies at Abstract were with this particular color. I walked away…but came back for it. It was meant to be.
And last but certainly not least…my free sample of Kanji. The yarnlove of my life. I ordered 1200 yards to make the cute Coco Knits thing in the first picture. I plan on ordering more later in another color to knit the Geodesic.
::hearts::
All in all, not a bad haul.13
Stitches West…Day Two!
We started the day off slow. No getting there when the show opened…we took our time. As long as we were there by noon to get in line for the meet ‘n greet at the Purlescence booth, we were golden. Emily and I wanted to stop by and say “hi” to The Knitmore Girls!
Gi Gi, Me, Emily and Jasmin. Woohoo!
What? That’s right! I’m wearing my February Lady Sweater. I had to wear something I knit. It was very hot in there though, so I spent most of the day NOT wearing it.
A Stashymama sighting!
It is sort of becoming my modus operandi to have Day One be the freak-out fest, while having Day Two be much more relaxed.
The nice thing about Saturday was that we totally got to take our time doing whatever we wanted. I spent the day looking for yarn, but to be honest, I mostly bought fiber. I had gotten one ball of yarn in the scarf kit I purchased and that was the ONLY YARN I BOUGHT THE ENTIRE WEEKEND. Yes, you heard me right. On the other hand, I did buy just over a pound of fiber…but we will get to the fiber porn next post.
I have to say, during my leisurely stroll around the convention center, my favorite booth was the ArtFibers booth. They had this cool thing called a “yarn tasting” and they were giving everyone one free sample of yarn to swatch. This was exciting because I have been looking for a nice summer yarn that isn’t cotton and is something that doesn’t have mohair. Mohair=itchfest. Then…I fell in love.
Kanji...where have you been all my life?
I asked for a sample and spent the rest of my stroll down the next two aisles swatching it. Yes, I can walk and knit at the same time…
My talent...in action!
As a matter of fact, to attempt and showcase how supremely talented I am, not only did I walk and knit at the same time…I knit on needles that already had another project on them. Yup, that’s how I roll.
After a trip ’round the place, we headed to the bar for some rest/knitting time where we did some show and tell. Ang and Vilma bought some fabulous pyrex needles that we all admired.
Glass knitting needles...
Sensing a trend?
Emily, me and Suzanne
After spending the evening hanging out in the bar, we decided to venture out in search of food.
Dinner!
I can’t remember the name of this place, but they had really good steak salad.
After dinner, we headed back to the hotel where I did a little bit of knitting and then passed out…with my glasses on…and I slept that way all night.
Stitches…Finally!
I made it, I finally made it!
Sure, I left at 6-something in the morning…picked up the ladies…and commenced driving. We made a few stops, including a little detour at Pyramid Lake.
Something happened here...
Kids, this is where we learned that, no matter how much Dramamine you consume, coffee and oranges just don’t mix.
We got to Santa Clara sometime after 2 p.m. We checked in and headed to a local restaurant to meet up with a friend of mine for lunch. He’s super cool and the girls love him ’cause he knows how to have a good time with a bunch of knitters. We were having an awesome time hanging out, but we needed to get back! We hadn’t walked the floor yet and it was getting late.
Here is where the insanity begins. We hit the convention center at 4 p.m. and the showroom closed at 5 p.m. I learned a valuable lesson in the last hour of Stitches on Friday. No matter how much I seem to think it is a “good idea”, not taking any knitting with you to a knitting convention is just plain dumb.
So I spent that hour running from booth to booth in search of a project. At what seemed like the very last moment before closing, I found two projects. I picked up a scarf kit and some fiber and a spindle.
With “the crazy” apparently haven taken over my brain, we headed to the bar for some knitting.
Time for a break...
We met some nice ladies in the hotel lobby.
Apparently this is my "crazy face".
So my girl Emily helped with some yarn ballin’ and I was able to start knitting my scarf. It was still early so we headed to Sunnyvale for some grub.
Holy crap! That yarn is shiny!
I had a Mexican Hot Chocolate. No it doesn’t have alcohol in it. It IS tasty though.
Me and Emily
The ladies!
Once dinner was done and we got back to the hotel, we had some show and tell.
Shawls!
And Suzanne had made me a project bag using one of the skull buttons I purchased on etsy for my sweater. Too cute! Once she starts selling these I am gonna totally pimp her out here ’cause she’s got skillz!
The perfect project bag for me to use while I walk and knit on the floor Saturday!
It was a long day, so I headed to bed to get myself prepared for Saturday…
The dash to get ready for Stitches West!
This seems like the longest day ever! My last day of work before my Stitches West trip.
The game plan...so far...
I’ve printed out my coupons, map of the show floor, started making a list of things I am looking for… and most importantly…
I got my February Lady finished!!! Thank God, I feel like I got something accomplished. Especially since I haven’t gone to the bank, filled up my gas tank, bought snacks and water, packed…or even figured out what I am knitting while I am there. I am NOT bringing Lucy (my spinning wheel) or any yarn with me. I am, however, bringing all of my needles and notions and my laptop. I am just gonna wing it as far as my knitting is concerned…
So, I will actually try to sleep tonight, with visions of yarn and fiber dancing in my head…’cause I need to be out of the house by 6 a.m.
Yeah, wish me luck. I’ll be picking up some Starbucks…
The Birthday Pageant continues…
I had never heard the term “Birthday Pageant” until my friend Juline had used it a year or so ago. She was celebrating her birthday and stretched it out for some time. What a great idea! I had never done that before.
Well, this is the second year I have planned to go to Stitches West, and it happens to be a week after my birthday, so why not have a Birthday Pageant?
I started my celebrating on Saturday the 20th (my birthday) and I have decided I am celebrating all the way to March 1st!
To continue my Birthday Pageant… I received a package in the mail from Juline.
A beautiful handmade card and a scrabble tile necklace...
And check this out! The back of this scrabble tile has a picture of me and my daughter!!
Too cool!!
She also bakes and takes fantastic pictures of her food! She made some wicked marshmallow and honey/yogurt blondies. They seriously kick blondie ass.
They are so tasty!
I am lucky to have such talented and creative friends. Juline has a really cool blog called Cakewalk. Check her out, she’s amazing!
Paczki Hunting!
Ok, so for a few years now I have been obsessed with finding myself paczki here in Los Angeles. I am a Michigan native and am used to celebrating “Paczki Day”.
For those of you not in the know…or those of you that aren’t Polish…Paczki is essentially a deep friend jelly donut. Wikipedia describes them like this:
“Although they look like bismarcks or jelly doughnuts, pączki are made from especially rich dough containing eggs, fats, sugar and sometimes milk. They feature a variety of fruit and creme fillings and can be glazed, or covered with granulated or powdered sugar. Powidła (stewed plum jam) and wild rose hip jam[2][3] are traditional fillings, but many others are used as well, including strawberry, Bavarian cream, blueberry, custard, raspberry and apple.[4]“
They also should have said they are made of awesome. They are also, like, 800 calories a pop.
Anyway, “Paczki Day” or “Fat Tuesday” came and went and once again I did not have my beloved Paczki. My friend Kate at work found this 5 year old lead on where to find some out here in Cali. It was the only lead we could find on the internet…and it was a long shot.
“If you want a great paczki, you can find it not at the Polish Parish on West Adams but at the Polish old folks’ home next door. As you’re facing the church (3424 W. Adams Blvd.), go into the driveway immediately east of the property (not the church lot). There’s a small sign with a single Polish word that starts with an S (forgive me, I was in a donut daze and can’t remember much beyond the paczki). Go through the parking lot and in the front door. Trays of big fat paczki, beautifully brown and filled with prune butter (sprinkled with powdered sugar upon request), will be right in front of you. $1 each. A Chowhound posting from Nov. 2002 said they’re only available on Sunday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., but I’m not sure if that’s true — the Polish American lady who told me where to go said they served them “all the time.” Just to be safe, though, go on Sunday because you can get a 3-course lunch at the Polish church for $8.
scrapirony Feb 13, 2005 08:18PM”
I was only brave enough to take a picture of the wall...
Bag o' Paczki!
Ooooooooh yummy!
Success!!
Happy Birthday to Me!
I have been busy slaving away on my February Lady Sweater, trying to get it done before I leave for Stitches in less that a week. Last year I didn’t wear any of my own knitwear to show off at Stitches. WHUT? I know, shame on me! I am determined to get it done and I am, quite literally, in the home stretch. Boy, sleeves sure do seem to take forever.
Sorry for my crappy Blackberry photo.
Saturday, I took the day off knitting (sort of) to celebrate my birthday. I had a day full of fun activities.
First, my kids presented me with the cake they made…
Yes, that is yarn and needles...and some balloons.
Then my husband gave me the card he made…
The inside says something like "Wouldn't you like to get 'Pegg-ed' for your Birthday?"
We left the house to head to Chinatown with a stop at Pep Boys…and hell yes…that is me putting in power steering fluid IN A CLAPOTIS. Check it out! You know it looks good.
That's right! Me, under the hood.
If you didn’t think that wasn’t awesome enough…we headed to Chinatown where I had Dim Sum for the first time. We ate at The Empress Pavilion…it was quite an adventure. The kids weren’t so sure about it though. They enjoyed the little shop next door that sold the cool toys.
The girl picking at a sesame ball while reading "Yum Yum, Dim Sum"
After we ate, we walked down to the street where Chinatown had a parade in my honor! Isn’t that the nicest thing ever?!? Huh? Chinese New Year? Yeah, I don’t know what you’re talking about…
Dragons!
Flags!
More Dragons!
My party hat...
It was already a long day, but it was far from over. After getting home from the parade, my husband and I got ready for dinner. I had no idea where we were going. After driving in the dark, along winding roads, we got to Inn of The Seventh Ray. It was a beautiful place, with fairy lights and a creek. It even has this little new age bookshop near the entrance. It was lovely! I did take one picture of the city while we were driving back…
A blurry pic of the city as we were whizzing by...
We got home pretty early and luckily the kids were asleep. I parked myself on the couch and worked on my sleeves. I guess I did get some knitting in after all!
More stuff…
I had Cassandra take some pics of me in my Bruised Sweater at knitting a few weeks back…
Here I am...after a very long week.
Close up of my stitches...
Really it’s just an excuse to have Cassandra take close-ups of my chest for me to post on the internet. Or at least that is what I told my husband…luckily nothing I say phases him much anymore.
I have also been trying to come up with ideas on ways to use my leftover hand spun. I thought hair accessories might be the way to go.
My messy mop with a cute headband
Someone’s been a busy girl!
The slippery slope of my latest crafting phase started like this…
A Special Order...
My sister-in-law works for an entertainment union that…oh screw it, I’m not using names…the girl works for Screen Actors Guild and needed some fancy jewelry for the latest SAG Awards. I made this. It is a crappy photo, I know, but they turned out really pretty.
Stitch Markers Galore!
While I have been in my whole “trying to make lemonade” phase, I’ve decided to start getting my act together and start selling stuff. I haven’t gotten all of my photographs taken and color corrected yet, but for a girl who works a full time gig *and* has preschool aged twins, I think I am making pretty decent progress.
I am also attempting to get a little knitting done. While waiting to get the Manos I ordered for my Clasica Coat, I broke down cast on a new sweater. I had some Asland Trends Invernal in my stash to knit February Lady so I started it. It’ll be freakin’ awesome and so far it seems like a pretty quick knit. I anticipate I will have it done in time to wear to Stitches West.
Coming along nicely...
The buttons will definitely make this sweater extra awesome. I got them from happysilence on etsy.
Search
Archives
ClustrMap
Blogs
Favorite Places!
Non-Knitterly
