Quickie post for the week

Okay I am seriously flat out this week, what with deadlines attacking me mercilessly. So I will leave you with a pic from the weekend, where bleak weather got me all domestic goddessy (seriously! I cooked, cleaned, sewed and washed, normally I'm lucky to do 2 in a whole weekend!)

Lets call this cake the 'ski slope' cake. For obvious reasons.



adios!

*update* I was doing some research when I cam across this, I am so incensed! Purely from a Library perspective, who the hell do these people think they are? What gives them the supreme right to tell me what I can and cannot read? The worst part about the whole thing is that I can say with certainty that these morons haven't even read the Harry Potter series, so how can they even know whether or not this series (which I enjoyed) are trying to convert lots of kiddies to practice witchcraft? Every time I read that last update, I really want to get violent, but by logic that would put me on the same low, low level that these people are on. GAH!!!!

Another link that got me furious, from the same group http://www.landoverbaptist.org/news1002/bookburning.html - they take pride in burning Aristotle, Plato and Socrates? Weren't these guys renowned philosophers of their time? Correct me if I'm wrong, but did this same group, one time or another in history, believe that the world was flat? Enough said.

Disclaimer: I just want to verify my position on something. I am not Anti-Christian. I am just anti-people who think they are better than the average being and impose their flawed belief system on everyone else. I can accept that as an athiest, I will be going a comfy centrally heated room with lots of other ill-fated souls, with some nasty dude with a superiority complex and a pitchfork. I can't accept that the same people whose simple idea of religion is flawed tell me what I can and can't read. Or do. Or anything.

On another note, I think I'll believe in Aliens. Because they have cool crop circles and thing called 'sensual meditation'. The motto "to tolerate differences is not enough, one should love differences"sounds like my kind of motto too. No hell here. Just sensual meditation and Aliens. Nice.

P-p-p-p-p-p P plate driver am I......

Okay so thats the best part of the post today. I am no longer a learner driver, from here on in, I may start slowly forgetting the importance of stop signs at teensy streets, my license is a funky new yellow, and frankly, I want to flash that little card everywhere I go (especially as the picture is slightly off centre, hehe). But how fresh in your mind are those crazy little road rules? Try here to see if you can still give way with the best of them. These are Queensland rules, but the basic rules are covered here. Let me know if you pass or fail!!!

Okay I'm finished bragging (well it is something to brag about!) but just to prove that I'm not always making beanies (I am) here is another scrawl I'm making for a soon-to-be swap partner next month.

The yarn is from my 'inherited' stash, and its lovely and soft with virtually no itch/scratch factor on your arms, on your face its different. Pretty huh?

Thanks to the folks at Good Yarn Karma I have received these awesome stitch markers. aren't they gorgeous? I actually want to go back to the sadist sister sock so that I may actually use them.


anyway thats all folks!

'I just love finding a new place to wear diamonds!'

My name is cliche girl, by day you may know me as the unrelenting broken record woman of doom (if I have to say 'remove your hat please' ONE MORE TIME), but when I lay down my jaunty broken record bun cover (as only evil library own) I pick up another outfit, I think I have decided that my super secret (well less than super secret now that its online) outfit for cliche girl is a diamond tiara, because Marilyn Monroe really did say it when she said (forcibly under the influence of a play like) 'I just love finding a new place to wear diamonds'. Because frankly, doesn't EVERYONE deserve a fancy tiara that they can worry about day and night until they find a super uncrackable safe to put it in.

ANYWAY onto the photos (of which there are a few)

First things first, the truly best project I ever knitted was the Irish Hiking Scarf, it was enjoyable, it was easy to count the repeats and I must say, I have never been so satisfied with a FO. So here we are, the always entertaining Colin, modelling his scarf,


A little more downcast, try looking to your right so everyone may observe the 'ooze' like texture of this wool.



And on things non scarf related:



Some ribbon I bought years ago at the Woodford Folk Festival, in retrospect I should have gotten two metres instead of the one of each (so I could use some on a top I've yet to sew) But I can't help but admire those beautiful colours in each, and the blue ribbon has to be my favourite, although I still haven't the faintest idea what to use it on yet.



Check out this packaging! Does anyone still buy bias binding like this anymore? I found an absolute stack of this at the opshop not too long ago. These are two unopened packets. I almost don't want to open them, because they look so quaint.



Only one of these iron on transfers are mine, the rest I bought at the opshop (blame everything on the opshop!) However I think these days the spice girls count as 'guilty pleasure I will only listen to at gay bars' as opposed to regular listening.



Here is all the opened bias binding. I have this vague pattern in my head for a wristlet I want to make myself in the future. Nothing like learning zips and bias binding in one hit!



And finally, just reinforcing the 'showgirl' theme, here is some of the original trim from the 1920's play I was in at high school 'The Boyfriend'. I was a chorus member (everyone remembers the chorus the best! NOT) alas I actually donated the dress to vinnies, because even though it looked like a shiny sack, part of my was always hoping to go to a dress up party. Alas.

Anyway enough memorabilia for now, hopefully in the next few weeks you shall see progress on word counts and beanies! A license would be nice too....

adios!

Diamonds are a girl's best friend....

Okay so this post actually has nothing to do with diamonds, I saw 'Gentlemen prefer blondes' recently. Such a good movie, I'd highly recommend it. Say hi to the girls from 'Little Rock' for me. He He

So I was cleaning my room and came across these almost FO. So I finished them off.

Introducing the ultra thick scarf, with what I suspect may be handspun yarn, from a magic yarn ball ala aussie swap.


In this two-for-one special, you see a beanie (destined for a small shop in Melbourne) and a neckwarmer that was the easiest project in a 'learn to crochet' book (Kids Crochet by Kelli Ronci, a must have for the learner!) and I still manage to lose a stitch somewhere in the middle. Hence its 'tapered' towards to end for a better fit. (My excuse and I'm going to stick with it dammit.) The Neckwarmer just needs an oversize button to set the whole thing off and then I need to book a trip to the antarctic, because it will be too thick for everywhere else!


I have resolutions for this week and I'm publicising them so I can't back out.
1. send off completed beanie. ASAP
2. Do at least 3 beanies.
3. Pass driving test.
4. Start uni assignment. Min. 300 words per segment (3 segments)
5. Do other assignment, Min 300 words. Grr.

That ought to keep me busy for one week. Wish me luck with the driving test (again), keep your eyes peeled for roadwrorks, schools and aged home.

And don't bite your nails, like I do. Double bugger.

adios!!!!!!!

Sweet like chocolate

I thought you should know what I've been doing given that I'm flat out, and I have wonderful plans for a clone should I ever get one.

First things first, it was a hot, long Friday, and I saw this $19 bit of chocolate I just HAD to have.



See? Mmmm new magazine smell, one of the best smells going I reckon.

And just to show what I've been stressing out about,



All it needs is a wee flower and my fancy pants label, and voila!

What I've been upto

I can still rant and rave about my commitments (not including an insane asylum... yet) but for once I have real proof to show I have been busy worrying about things that aren't uni.
See?



My label, hand designed in paint, and played around with in word. Given that I am not a top fashion house, methinks paying top dollar for this baby might yet be a pipe dream.

next post: random song lyrics, beany pics! and 'the final product!

adios

I come bearing pictures!

Seriously, I have been absolutely shocking in the past few weeks, and with computer upload times being horrible, I've needed to devise new systems in order to post pictures yada yada yada whatever.



I call this, UFO - masochist style. Because the best idea for a first sock is of course, an afterthought heel (started!) and teensy tiny needles, or worse, decreasing on teensy tiny needles. My fingers ache at the memory.



Some books I bought... actually they were both a bit disappointing. But that shows what happens when you buy and you don't get a chance to squiz through them.



More books, these are MUCH better (read: slightly more expensive). Those Indian and China cross-stitch books? Consider them books of unique paradise, enshrined within these tombs are little slices of artistic heaven. If I could turn them into embroidered masterpieces, I would, in a heartbeat.



Ooh! Pretty Taj Mahal, one of the more slightly challenging pieces, but all I can say is 'Isn't it pretty?'



Another classic example of the hardest project in the book, but can you blame me for loving all of those colours and intricate teensy weensy lines? Plus I think this is done on 28 thread aida cloth (count em folks, 28 threads to the inch. Sucker be not thy name. Tonight)

I think I'm turning Chinese, I really think so, shadow puppets, quick, easy, will look incredible as white on black aida. 14 count. Thankfully.


This transfer book was a real, cheap wonderful find, and I'm so glad I got it. I love it so much that planning a 21st present (embroidered table linen) is harder than I thought. So many funky designs, so hard to choose!!!!


And finally, just because I feel like throwing in another picture, here is the view from inside to outside my sister's place on a hungover sunday morning. I just think this looks artistic. :D




Anyway enough of my babbling, I shall produce next post, pictures of beanies (or at the very least, a beanie) which shall become commonplace this month as I figure out the most cost effective way of crocheting, and labeling the damn things. Grr.

adios!

*enter cliched excuse about blogging here*

I am a bad bad blogger, so everyone so sorry for not posting in a whole week! Firstly there was my birthday, so no posting then, and then there is the rather small matter of not really having done anything that crafty in the past week. If visions of grandeur counted as crafty stuff, this wouldn't be a blog, it'd be a book.

Things that HAVE happened this week.
1. Received a shiteload of books from fishpond which is like amazon for Aussies AND they take eftpos (HEAVEN!) so expect some pics/ changes to this website soon!
2.Have been, (dare I say it?) SOCIAL this past week, yes people I forced my way into Brisbane, caught myself a fella (better make I don't speak too soon! Touch wood!) Went to one boring 21st where the upside was free canapes and free champagne (sorry, SPARKLING!), my kind of party really.
3. Got a consignment with a soon-to-be open shop in Melbourne. Have frantically been trying to come up with ideas for labelling and, well everything, not having been involved in a small business/dealing with consignment issues before.
4. Limping. Simply put, my toe did not like having the ingrown part being pulled out and has reacted by aching as much as possible, and just looking gross. Needless to say, I'm over wearing thongs to work.
5. Of the stacks of books I bought, I purchased 'dummies guide to XHTML'. I am thinking I'd like to shake up the look of this blog, add pictures or just do something FUNKY with the minor idea of moving this blog to a proper professional website or something if the consignment/selling handmade goods thing starts working out. I love crafting, and I love the idea of multiple people enjoying things that my hands create, I hope that I may explore many different crafts, because learning is fun.

So once again I apologize for my posting slackness, and I promise things will start to pick up again (even if all the pictures are beanies. Black ones with red flowers, or whatever.)

Adios everyone!

Sally

Happy Birthday to my Mum and my father, 4 years apart and their birthdays are on consecutive days! Between my birthday and theirs, its one very expensive week!