Homeschool Convention... and TARDISes...

Yes, still working on the TARDIS Kindle cover.  Would have had it done, but migraines have been plaguing me all weekend.  :/  Anyway, here it is (almost done).

The actual knitting part is done.  Yay!  I just have to embroider "POLICE BOX" at the top.  Then I have my own TARDIS!  Well, as close as I'm going to get, anyway...

So, in other news, my husband and I went to the Midwest Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati last Friday!  Had a great time (except for the migraine).  Thankfully my husband noticed that the convention hall had a first aid station (since I didn't have my purse with me, thus no medicine).  They were very helpful and once the ibuprofen kicked in and I could actually see correctly, everything was fine. 

I don't remember if I have mentioned that we homeschool.  Obviously, we do.  It would be a little creepy if we just went to strange conventions that had absolutely nothing to do with us!  Like showing up at a professional cake decorators convention just to see if they were handing out free samples.  Actually, that doesn't sound like a bad idea... I wonder if they have a professional cake decorators convention...  or a Starbucks convention...  ok, sorry, I must just be hungry!

The convention was great!  We didn't go for the whole three days.  We just got the one day vendor hall pass.  Trust me, though, the vendor hall was HUGE, so it pretty much took all day just to walk around it!  We found a lot of the books we are going to need for next year (thank you Rainbow Resources) and found a great booth with nature unit studies called Shining Dawn Books.  Definitely going to do a few of those next year! 

I really needed to get back to the convention this year.  It can be overwhelming (especially your first time) but it really helps me to get focused back on school and the direction God wants us to go with it.  Oh, and the roasted cinnamon pecans strategically placed under an air vent were pretty nice, too!  Both packs...  :P

Scarves and TARDISes...

Ok, so there is only one TARDIS, but I am making my own version!
 

It's a Kindle/ (insert your e-reader brand here) cover!  This one is for me, but I might put it on Etsy as a made-to-order type thing.  I found this pattern online, but I can't remember whose blog it was on right now.  It was written to be knitted from the bottom up, but I modified it to go top down (I just find that easier to do).  I do remember that one site I got on said that a Kindle cover and the TARDIS went perfectly together because a Kindle is a small box that holds much more on the inside!  I love it!

In other knitting news (and I know you are always waiting for more knitting news) I found knitting books at my local library's discarded book sale!!!  I mean knitting and books (really cheap books), what could be better?!  So I found about four knitting books and one was Celebrity Scarves 2.  Now, let me just say, this book is great.  It was made to fund Breast Cancer research, and as the daughter of a breast cancer survivor (and as a woman) I have to love that.  Also, I was really amazed at how many knitters there were in Hollywood!  The only problem I had with the book is how fun it makes knitting a scarf sound. 

Have you ever knitted a scarf?  Oh, it is (or can be) relatively easy.  This book had a lot of garter stitch scarves (only the actual "knit" stitch, no "purling") and used a lot of specialty yarns (like fun fur or bulky yarns), so it looked cool without being really hard to knit. 

Here is the funny/scary part.  It said all these cute things like, "Just cast on 4 stitches and knit till it is the desired length" or "knit until you run out of yarn".  What they don't tell you is that these are knitting euphemisms for, "knit until you actually want to poke out your own eyes with your knitting needles" or "knit until you have enough length to fashion a noose to hang yourself, or the person who invented scarves in the first place"! 

Sound harsh?  Well trust me, there is a reason why cowls are so popular right now.  Cowls are basically really short scarves that just button around your neck.  Believe me, they had to be invented by some poor knitter that started out thinking, "oh, a scarf, that should be easy!"  But somewhere between 5 inches and 60 inches thought, "Oh, heck with it!  It really just has to keep your neck warm anyway!"

So... that scarf you were hoping for on your next birthday... how do you feel about Kindle covers??  :P 

Just Keep Knitting, Just Keep Knitting...

Just keep knitting, knitting, knitting.  What do we do?  We knit, knit...

Sorry, Nemo flashback.

Where was I?  Oh yeah, knitting!  I've actually gotten some knitting done (well, half-way done).

Here is my current project...

I know, it is way too warm for a hat like this, but I love the yarn (Yarn Bee - Melody Bulky) and it is winter somewhere in the world!

Here is the project I was working on until the cool, colorful yarn lured me away...

It was supposed to be a baby blanket, but unless Larry the Cucumber and his wife are expecting a son soon, I think it is a bit long.  :/  I am thinking of adding random color stripes and just making a really big, crazy blanket.  I don't know.  Maybe it is meant to be a shawl. 

By the way, my next project is going to be a Kindle Cover that looks like the TARDIS!  I think I'll have to keep that one for myself!  I will keep you posted.

Facebook and Too Much Information...

So, I was on Facebook, because that's what I do every time I sit at my computer... whether I want to or not... it's a compulsion... I need help... and sleep, apparently.

Anyway, this got me thinking.  I use Facebook (and Twitter, and Pinterest, etc) everyday.  I <3 it (I can't believe I just typed that).  It is great for keeping in touch with extended family and promoting my Etsy shop, but sometimes you learn way too much information about people you harly know...

Like that girl.  You know, the one that sat across from you for two weeks in the fifth grade and then suddenly up and moved to Cambodia.  Well, NOW you know exactly where she ate dinner last night (I mean, street address and all), that she is currently in a relationship that is "complicated", and that she "likes" Baskin Robbins, Ron Paul and Toys 'R' Us.  Oh, and she recently moved back from Cambodia because they don't have a Baskin Robbins and the only Toys 'R' Us actually forces the children to make their own toys.  (Not sure where Cambodia stands on Ron Paul).

Ok, I need more sleep... or more coffee... another compulsion.  While I do that, why don't you go visit my Facebook page!   ;p

We Were On A Break!

Yes, once again in our on again off again relationship, 5 A.M. and I took a little break!  (Scared ya', didn't I?)  It wasn't like we actually broke up.  I just decided to see other times of the morning... like 7 and 8... ok, and in a couple weak moments, 9... but that is over now.  5 and me are back and better than ever!  Well, back anyway.  Skinny Pilates Lady seemed happy to see me.  She didn't say so, but I think she was.  I'm pretty sure, though, that Super Skinny Pilates Lady was secretly laughing every time I had to do a "level one move."  The lady in level one, with the walker and the oxygen, she was just happy to have company.

Ok, so enough of that.  See what happens when I wake up that early!  I get delusional! 

Really, though, I have been very busy lately.  My life has been a blur of hospitals (not me, my Mom) and doctor's offices (this time, me... and my daughter... and my Mom).  Everyone is doing pretty well now, though.  God is good and I love the (sometimes crazy) life He has given me!

I have found one good thing about hospital waiting rooms.  They give you plenty of knitting time!  I finally finished the giant tote bag!  I lined it and everything.  Not bragging, just really pleased with the way it turned out!

It is, of course, for sale on Etsy... http://www.etsy.com/listing/96051452/knitted-tote-bag-beach-bag-crafting-bag

Here are some pics of it...

Here it is!  Wooden handles and everything!



Here's the lining!  I hand-sewed it.  Don't be too impressed, I was just to lazy to figure out my sewing machine!  :P

 I am currently working on a baby sized Easter hat.  I thought that was a good plan, but then I realized Easter is like, 2 weeks away.  So, maybe someone will buy it next Easter!  :P 

Fell Off The Wagon, Again!

Don't worry, I didn't get hurt!  :P 

I just haven't been getting up early... or blogging much... or exercising...

I bet Skinny Pilates Lady will be mad at me.  She won't say anything, though.  She never does.  She's cool like that. 

Anyway, I have been knitting.  I got done with the Shamrock Kindle cover and have now started a giant striped purse.  Not sure what it's going to turn out like, but here it is so far...

The seed stitch part (the tannish part around the edge) will be the top.  I love seed stitch, by the way.  I always thought it would be a pain to do, but it turns out really nice without having to remember much of a pattern. 

This is some of my Yarn Fairy yarn.  So I'm not exactly sure what it is made of.  I am pretty sure it is mostly wool because it won't burn.  At least, it won't stay on fire.  Yes, I set the end of it on fire (on purpose).  Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (a.k.a. The Yarn Harlot) said to do this (carefully!) in one of her books.  You see, wool isn't exactly "fire-proof", but it is "fire-resistant".  It will put itself out.  Whereas acrylic will basically melt, like plastic. 

Knitting with someone else's yarn got me thinking about yarn as an art medium.  I know, I must need more coffee if I am starting to think really deep thoughts about yarn!  But seriously, yarn is like paint or clay to a knitter (or crocheter).  Two knitters may look at the same yarn and see two very different projects.  Like, my yarn fairy saw a hat and I saw a small pouch.   I looked at green and white acrylic yarn and saw a cell phone pouch and a Kindle cover.  My husband's Grandmother (she was a crocheter) would have seen a baby blanket or a baby sweater and hat.  Yarn is the medium and the artist makes it what it is going to be.  Pretty cool, I think.

Ok, off to drink more coffee before I start thinking deep, philosophical thoughts about my knitting needles!

I Took A Shower In My Own House Today!

Aren't you happy for me?! 

We have a shower!  We don't have a whole wall around it yet and for some reason on the new shower handle hot seems to mean cold and cold seems to mean hot, but it doesn't leak and it is actually in my house.  So, I am thrilled! 

Well, with all this construction going on, I haven't had much time to knit.  :(  One of my items was, however, featured in another treasury!  Here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTc4MDMwODh8MjIzMzE2NTM3OQ/some-of-my-favorites-1?index=1

My Snowflake Pattern Purse is the item that was featured and the treasury was made by Meagan of Ears To You 2 .

So, I will try to get back to normal life (and hopefully my knitting) and you go check out these links!