A cold and lonely night in Santa Fe

Okay so today's title is just another tripod lyric, has absolutely no bearing on what I am going to say, but it is amusing nonetheless. I hope.

First things first, the pirate party I was so excited about was a blast. I dressed as a dag, and discovered everyone else made a real effort. Also a LOT of English people. With very strong accents, to the point where I was lucky if I could understand half of the conversation (enter visual imagery of me trying to look very interested, whilst trying to figure out WHAT THEY HELL THEY ARE SAYING). What made this 'lost in translation' effort was alcohol. Not much, but enough to get the internal translator working on 1/2 capacity.

The weekend by contrast was completely uneventful. In all. I studied, studied, studied some more. contemplated tea, made a haughty remark at a haughty waiter, (felt so GOOD!). Got serious work done. Got told off by a policeman (nothing serious, left my noisy-nobody-steal-me laptop out to save my spot. Guy told me it could be nicked. Fair call.)and went home. The end.

Also decided to stop making beanies for sale after I've made this lot. My poor poor wrists can't handle any more abuse and I'm dying to make something nice for myself with all the stuff I already have, something that DOESN'T have a deadline attached. Sheesh.

adios

p.s. I should give you an update on my wallet, I received it in the mail on friday! What I mistook for opportunistic theft turned out to be someone seeing me rush off the bus leaving the thing behind. They (I suspect she) even left all the money in there!!! miracle!! Seriously good karma going their way. So thank you all for your concern, I have been really touched and everything is back more to it's wallet-y self. :D

Hey everyone

Hope you are doing well! Its the end of the week and I am TIRED. I was going to make a bag for this bash tomorrow, Hell I had marked out of the pieces and decided which fabric to go where... but the tiredness told me to do something that required less brain power. Like typing. The only downside of typing is trying to read my own writing. See? I barely know id I'm using brackets or the letter c. self induced grr!!

Rats, I had something (slightly witty!) to say but now it has disappeared. RATS!

Till later!

adios

The sunny side of the street.

Things are looking good.

Sure I don't have my wallet (or this fabled, rather expensive ID card either) bust the smiling gods are telling me that I need to party. And I'm planning. You know, I have long suspected that there just simply isn't enough dress up parties in this world and as a result, I get overly ecstatic when one is coming up. Alas me being a first class stinge (stingey/can't bear to part with money) I am not spending a cent on the costume.

Ideas thus far. (feel free to contribute)
- make a beanie then make one ear flap = pirate with eyeflap (Told you I'm stingy)
- Use existing scrawl somehow.
- Make a bag using a combination of black fabric and map fabric. Best excuse to practise putting in zips and a good chance to get acquainted with some TAST stitches and embroidery improvement (I've been feeling the embroidery bug lately)

Anywho, I can't think of anything more of interest today.

Have a safe ANZAC day!

adios

Third time is the charm.

I've had number two, hit me with number three already.

So this is turning out to be a shitty fortnight. Last Monday, my grandmother passes away, and my sister has really nailed things on the head here. Which really was a horrible week.

Got stood up on the weekend, and I'm still sour for that. I'm over people just taking and taking and not listening to me, and then conveniently forget to tell me important things.

This week, the powers that be has stolen my wallet. With my transport money, and my license and my medicare card. Forget all those annoying loyalty cards, I need my license!!! I can't drive without it. While I still hold a minute hope my wallet will be returned (sans money, I'm still too much of a realist) I suspect one of the people responsible is a student who attends the school I work at. Hope against hope he does the right thing, go to the library tomorrow and return everything, money intact. In the meantime, cancel all the cards, put off plans for paying bills and layby for another week, and resign myself to a trip to the Road Traffic Authority, and hope like hell I don't leave my vital documents on the seat behind me. Like my wallet. AAARRG

On the bright side, I found that it really does pay to be nice to bus drivers, One bus driver helped me look for my wallet, including a brief scan for the kids, the other bus driver (someone I enjoy chatting too), let me on for free. Given that I literally did not have two cents to my name and had that nasty sensation of my stomach dropping out, complete with the worst feeling of hopelessness, these guys are my life savers. Thank your deity of choice for that.

So thank you for reading whilst I winge about things past, and deal with 'friends' I wouldn't trust with am empty bottle, let alone something valuable, like information. I'm not sure if I've had three bad things, or if I should sleep tight and hope tomorrow doesn't bring something really exciting, like am amputation lol

adios. Sleep tight

p.s. I just googled my name and found out that I am a girl reporter character from the 60s. Cool!

Me? I just like pretty things.

And lots of them.

But first, a winge. If you are having a party on friday, tell me it is friday, don't tell me it was friday when I am all dolled up nearly at the place the party WAS meant to be. You may work casual shifts and hate your job and work different hours to me, but that STILL doesn't turn a saturday into a friday. Ever. Also you could swear blind that you told me on friday, but not only would that defeat the purpose of me turning up, given that said social event was on that day. Just get the sodding day right. Especially when you ask me what I'm doing on a saturday, for pete's sake. GRR.

For the above whine, could you tell I've been stood up again? I seem to attract a certain 'please stand me up' vibe. Former credibility: a little. Current credibility: none. I reserve the right not to believe you. Ever. The sky may well be falling on my head, but because you tell me it is going to happen tomorrow at 9am, won't mean I'll have my umbrella and a suitably kitschy sign with me. GRRRRR

Onto pretty things. I love pretty things, especially when one of them involves you FINISHING THE THIRD STRIP OF YOUR STASHBUSTING BLANKET! Woohoo! I must really have no life, I think it's taken me a little over 3 months for this strip. For something that is the length of a queen sized bed plus over hang, shows lack of social commitment only a fan of World of Warcraft would understand. (Sorry guys, but I really do loathe that game)

Without further adieu, here are some pics

ooh! Pretty!


My cat the poseur


Fluffy bits!



Also some lovely mega pretty things I've found on the net, http://alliesinstitches.blogspot.com/index.html - The beauty of crazy quilting, scroll down to see some real beauty

http://inaminuteago.com/crazyquilting/cq-samplerquilt/quiltindex.html - have you seen such beauty? All in teensy little blocks? Is it a wonder that I'm thinking of finding the embroidery hoop and trying some stitches. The only downer is that there are not a lot of resources for people who know virtually nothing about the actual construction for crazy quilting. Like piecing the original blocks for example. The books in the library are (suprisingly) rather dull too. I will continue to look!

adios for now.

Today's the day...

So today is the day of my Grandmother's funeral. Wearing black is one thing, seeing someone who you have known for the entirety of your natural life being interred in the ground is enough to get red-rimmed eyes for the remainder of the day.

On the bright side, I finally got to my sister's place last night (dare I venture to say that public transport, ESPECIALLY in surfers, both sucks and blows? I do.) And I was woken to a lovely cup of hot chocolate (my sis makes the BEST hot chocolate.) and we promptly went to the pool for some exercise. I found out rather quickly that I am a lot less fit than I ever used to be. Sure I did about 7 or 8 laps, but I also had the misdirection to hit a wall with my head (ouch) and bump into several people (Sorry!!). I fortunately stuck to the 'keep head above water so that I may puff and pant as much as I need' strokes, worked the legs, and I am exhausted!

So thats my day in two segments. Funeral, and bumping (some might call it harassment) people in the uni pool. Couldn't think of a better way to spend time away from school. lol

adios.

Those scurvy rascals!

Arrr!!! The title today comes from the very funny ABC kids program 'Those Scurvy Rascals', sadly they don't have a website, but if you do get the chance, watch it because the entire, 5 minute plot works beautifully, and the characters don't say a word. Here is all I can remember of the show's song.

They all sail aboard,
from Jamaica to Panzance,
They don't want gold, they don't want treasure (NO!)
They just want your pants.

Pants on the poop deck
Pants in the hold
Pants in the boat where there should be gold..

Unfortunately I've forgotten the rest of the song, but at least it's a funny song. On other piratey news, I am invited to a coworker's party, which involves a lot of a) alcohol (ouch me head, me hearties) and b) pirates. I'm kind of secretly hoping that it's dress up, because there are not enough dress up parties these days.

And just to make this post all the more positive, the idiot whom I so loathe working with? Well it turns out he is only working fulltime for one more week! YAY! Party! The downside, well I am flat broke (as for why? see previous post) and my supervisor's birthday is on the day before she comes back. Rats, rate double rats, triple fucking rats! Apologies for the swearing, where the usual expletive substitution just doesn't work.

Oh and something pretty special about my supervisor, she is qualified! (QUALIFIED! I am seriously loving the term qualified when the choice is between working with an imbecile who talks too much and is just a general pain in the arse, to working with someone who has a valid opinion, who just doesn't shit you off in general)

Oh and we got air-con at work. Just in time for winter. Makes you smile doesn't it.

Oh and I've also decided to make the knucks from my beautiful Noro, given that this is a finger-up pattern (not suss, honest!) means I can make the knucks as far as I can stretch the yarn. Two hands, two balls, coincidence? I think not.

adios!!!

*edit* I've just received the utterly horrible news that my Grandmother has passed away. This zany crazy lady has been in Intensive Care for six weeks, so we've been expecting the worst for a while... but I still can't believe it. Her. Gone. SHIT.

Will post pictures later.

double adios, goodnight.

Boy have I been busy...

So you know that I've been busy, right? Well yesterday I thought I would spoil myself by going to the craft and quilting fair, conveniently located in the Gold Coast Convention Centre. While I couldn't take photos inside the place, (including some of the most incredible quilts I have ever seen!!!) I also had a stack of fun and spent faaaar too much money. Here is what I splashed out on.



Noro! Freaking Noro!! I mean most people have a hard time trying to source this in the U.S. (it is a Japanese product) and these little skeins were the softest things going, (I'll give you the fibre content tomorrow, something like a large percentage of silk and lambswool), not cheap (like $13 a skein, which is only 40grams!) but I got enough for a beanie, which I think I might turn into ultra yummy armwarmers if the yardage is right. I have the card for the shop which is in Bardon, so a place which is firmly on my 'to go' list.

This was also at a crochet stall that also had stacks of really nice yarn. Not quite sure what to whack this on yet...

check these ceramic buttons!! It was only when I got home I realised that I couldn't use them for clothing, which means I'll have to make a display of the like.

Now for a while I have had an idea of making my own beginner's quilt, and while I was in the thrall of buying so many fat 1/4s (and all so pretty! And cheap!) I used some existing fabric and fabric from those beautiful quarters and made this:



Now with projects I either plan them to death, hastily start and read the instructions (to my detriment) or use little planning and just 'go'. This is one of the just 'go' ones. I did make a 50cm2 template as a general guideline, but otherwise just went for it. I believe the style is called 'log cabin' perfect for beginners and supremely awesome for things that JUST need to be the feature. This seems to have a theme of work' (or misogynist leanings, I'm not sure...)



Here is a cross section of the second piece, as you can see I had some left overs from the first square that I really wanted to use, I still have some perfect border fabric from that FQ which I will definitely use in another square.



Here is a better picture of the remaining fabric, if you don't mind twisting your head. I must say that given I couldn't find a hard ruler anywhere, I think I did a pretty good job (aside from all the ironing, GAH!) I mean I used 1.5 seam allowance, which evened everything up, plus given that I don't have an overlocker, I trimmed the seam edges with pinking shears, that needed some serious WD40 to get going. I have a feeling the WD40 is the way most people would improve scissors (they DO need a good sharpen) but it did make things slightly easier.



Oh and I met Pru Mapstone.. How cool? I got her book, fondled some seriously funky creations (probably a little TOO funky for my tastes) and learnt some cool thing about freeform crochet and knitting. Just call me fangirl. Lol




See?

And last but not least, I got some actual well and true sock yarn!

In the wool! Did I mention that I had an absolutely awesome time there and spent far too much time and money? Of course I did.

Thats all for now folks!

adios

Heya!

Okay just checking in, saying hi, yada yada yada... Dare I say lately that I've been catching up on non-craft-related work...Which is both scary, and annoying, but at the very least it is a great excuse to 'hang out' in the new State Library. A wonderful building with everything I need there!!! Woohoo! Now if I could only get my ever so noisy laptop with a silencer, I might get even more things done... (p.s. WHEN DOES THIS WORK END???? GRR)

No crafting lately, well I have, but then its been beanies, and I think I've developed a real anti public transport thing lately, which has led to an 'anti things I normally do on public transport' thing. Not fun. However just to prove that I am fun and games when it comes to online stuff, I have found some super duper fun links.
Firstly, what happens when you have a book to sell, and a limited number of kitchen appliances.

How to write a better blog. I will definitely take these things into consideration, but now I just need someone to help my jazz this place up a bit!!

Okay next post should have some beanie pre-sending, post-finishing. Hopefully. Or I might have a wee small temper tantrum involving hair pulling (my own hair). Until I at least remember that I am responsible for the whole beanie thing in the first place. Rats.

No craft today

The Black Dog (depression) has been having a play, so I've not be doing much. My sister has been home which is fun, and mum has even popped in, and I've made a million plans which have come to nothing.Oh except I got to drive a car by myself!!! Best fun ever for someone with a brand new license. Lots of fun till the car died just as I was leaving the carpark. I think I need to convince the sister to let me chauffeur her everywhere...please?

The term is nearly over...

But that doesn't mean I can relax. However I do have a sock to show you!



This is the 'sister sock' from I care not to think how long ago. Not only did I finish this in the ICU waiting room, I tried it on, only to realise that stinky feet and brand new socks, means double the death for your nose. Ouch. But still, look at the pretty striping! Cheap kmart yarn, that I didn't realise would have the striping going on. The heel is an afterthought heel which meant I couldn't try it on whilst making. Actually has anyone else found that the afterthought heel is not terribly attractive whilst off the foot?

Also saturday I forced myself to sit down and relax at my favourite cafe, a really lovely place. Being the yummy place it is I ordered the pumpkin soup and what soup it was!It was so yummy I took a photo (conveniently located for soup related missives!)


Does that look like good soup or what!

Then I picked up a package that someone had sent via whale mail (sea mail) AGAIN! but given that I sent a really dodgy package, she sent me a truly awesome package, and nothing got confiscated, and I am doing some major pr control and trying to make it up to her... Could anyone tell me what someone with nasty ulcerative colitis needs to be comfortable? I'm making some sunflower cushions that she can squeeze at the moment, but I was thinking about trying to make some rice packs or something or a really good book (my idea of a good book is Robert Louis Stevensen (pirates!) or Agatha Christy?) HELP!!

Here is a scarf she sent me



Have some freaking cool times!!

adios

Just to prove I'm not a raving mad lunatic

Indeed I am not a raving mad lunatic. Just a raving one. I am overdue in posting, and for that I apologise, however I have had a HELL of a weekend, and am consequently uploading the majority of the 35 pictures from it. My sister (with newly created blog is a brand new blogger (nothing in the entries but you should read the side panel! Man she has stuff sorted!) I have received a long awaited swap package, and I found the world's best pumpkin soup. So I took a photo of it, because you need proof of good soup.

So I hope you are all well.

and adios