I have a pounding headache. And a cold. I am tired. My kids are insane. Calgon take me away.

I am making progress on my sister's bag though, thank goodness. My head is stuffed up so sound is all magnified and these children are so stir crazy it is really insane. How much longer for Christmas break? lol

Shhhh, it's a secret! 

Here is my sister's purse I am madly crocheting away on, wheeee! 

The New Year is almost here

The holidays are flying by.

I am working on my sister's purse, her birthday is New Year's Eve. We'll see if I can magically finish by then. ;)

Merry Christmas Eve!

I hope all of you have a very happy holiday!

For some reason

I was a day ahead on the whole Christmas thing. I had thought Christmas was on Saturday, wooohooo a reprieve!

The only gifts we have left to get are for one of my sisters and Joe's brothers. Oh and all that wrapping. The plan is to get the hosue cleaned tomorrow and start on the wrapping, wish me luck!

I finished the black and white hat, I'll have to post a picture, and I've started the shawl, I love the colors of the yarn I've chosen.

When weather men try to be funny I'd like to smack the crap out of them. WE DON'T WANT YOUR FUNNY, WE JUST WANT THE FORECAST MOTHERFUCKER!

Apparently I only needed to bitch about the camera to get it to work. ;) Here's an extreme close-up of the sixth bag, which is still blocking. 

This is the hat I made for myself. The picture isn't the greatest but I am going with it. It's purple with bits of red, I love it. 

A close-up of the flower, upon posting I am thinking I should've messed around more with it in Fireworks. Ah well. 

Here is the first bag where the flower will go. You'll have to use your imagination as the flower will be felted and a taaad bit smaller. 

Okay so it's Christmas time,

and I'm sure any readers would understand this time of year being busy. Right?

Still no pictures of the bags. :( My digital camera is doing all sorts of weird things and not taking pictures or holding a charge, grrrr. So no before pictures of the last three bags, and I also forgot to take before measurements. Sigh. If all fails I will resort to a cell phone pic, but you probably wouldn't be able to tell what the picture is of.

The bags are all felted and blocked and some just need their handles assembled. I am also adding a flower onto one of them for sure. My aunt decided to use them as birthday gifts for the year, you can imagine how relieved I was at finishing them so close to Christmas and feeling horrible and wondering exactly how much overnight shipping would cost and then finding out I could relax just a tiny bit. Whew.

Up next are two bags for my Grandma and my sister, and Arenne and Abbie have requested their own, especially when they learned I could add things like flowers to them. lol. I have to say at this point I am pretty bagged out, and am very glad I didn't commit to any other Christmas projects. I am determined to make myself a scarf to match the hat I made myself that I promise to take pictures of IF my camera cooperates at some point.

As for the non-yarn news, I am actually more ready for Christmas than I have been in the past as far as buying gifts goes. Wrapping is an entirely different story and I predict the same process as last year where I decided Santa gifts should not be wrapped! Wheee! I am hoping to finish up the shopping tomorrow and who knows when the wrapping will take place as I am working in the evenings and the kids will be off school starting Wednesday. If only the 3 year old could be distracted for me to get them done Wednesday but we all know that is impossible.

My sisters and family are coming into town at the end of the week, I am SO excited. I think I will steal the baby and take him home with us. I can't wait to see how much he has changed and hear him screech in person. Why is that now I can just laugh at the screeching? With my own I really wanted to invest in some earplugs, but with the nephew it is the CUTEST THING EVER! Probably like all things baby and child-related, I can send him home. ;) I can't wait to be able to see my sisters in person again and just have some really good family time.

I somehow have got to get more in the whole holiday spirit thing because it feels just like any other Monday except that I have more to do in a week. Hard to believe Christmas is THIS WEEKEND. Gah and someone light a happymerryjoyfulholidaychristmas fire under my ass, please.

Still no pictures

Soon, I promise. I know they are the most exciting part. ;)

In the meantime, check out Guster, one of the best bands of all time.

A felting we will go!

It's felting day for two of the bags, I've finally finished sewing their pockets on. I don't know why sewing on the pockets seems so tedious to me. Probably because I feel like they should be done but then I've still got to do that part.

This time around I was smart and wrote down the bags dimensions so I can re-measure after felting and see how much they shrink. It should be interesting not only to know for future projects, but also because I have some knit and some crochet and I can see if there is a difference in the finished projects.

I'm working in the evenings starting tonight so pics will have to wait.

Silly head kids. :)  

I love my kids. :D 

My uncle's brother

passed away this week. He was 54. 54 years old, with children, and grandchildren, his wife, his parents, brothers and sisters. It was sudden and he was too young. It's still unbelievable that he is gone, even though I attended his funeral today. Still unbelievable. My heart breaks for his entire family, his friends, and for those of us who considered him family.

Bag Order Status

I am now on bags 5 & 6. One knit, one crochet. This way I can alternate for a little variety. I still need to make a handle and pocket for bag #4, and then felt 2, 3, & 4. My plan is to do that on Monday, and finish up these other two bags and get them all done by the end of the week. Let's see if I can actually do it!

Next up are bags for my grandma and sister, for their birthdays. I already have the yarn. Thankfully it's different colors than I've been using. I REALLY want to get started on the cabled backpack from Knitpicks, but alas it will have to wait. I also am dying to make some socks and felted hats. I do need to make a hat for Mr. Blue, so I'll throw that in there somewhere.

I think I could sit and knit and watch Law & Order all the time.

Bag #4 so far. It was feeling a bit men's sport sock to me, but hopefully as I add the rest of the colors that image will leave my mind.  

Here are the two squares I made for the Sybermoms Warm Up America blanket(s). In Bernat Denim Style, I just need to weave in the ends. I'd love to get these purses done so I can do some more squares. 

Six felted bags for a Christmas order, barely started by October? They thought it couldn't be done. It's not...yet. No job, one skein of Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in grass, and a handy set of circular needles later I am one fourth of the way into bag #4. Go Blue, Go!

Arenne asked if she could learn to crochet, so away we went. She really took to it and crocheted most of the evening. She learned to chain and single crochet.  

Abbie wasn't as interested as Arenne until she saw how well Arenne was doing, then her competitive streak took over. She put it down a few different times, but kept at it. 

Here are my girls with their finished projects, Ari's a necklace and something else, Abbie's a headband. 

Here's where I am at progress-wise. Three bags, mostly done, all that's left is half an i-cord, another pocket, assembly, and felting. The pic is a little garish, I had to play with it so you could see the stripes. 

Aaaah, I love knitting in the round. Bag #3, about halfway done. 

To continue with the Oddness

that is me, I am sitting here knitting an i-cord, drinking my Budweiser, and watching the Hawkeyes. Life is good.

Moving on

Bag #3 is begun! I am so proud. #2 is not completely finished, I'm working on the i-cord and need to make a pocket as well, along with felting. I'm knitting bag #3 and plan on starting #4 in crochet. I figure if I have one started each way I can flip back and forth if I begin to get bored. Here's to me knowing me, eh?

The girlies and I had a great time at the craft fair, complete with princess hats for them and puzzles for the boys. I also found Christmas presents for our parents. I believe this is the absolute EARLIEST I have ever had Christmas presents bought. In spite of years working in retail, I always, always put off Christmas shopping until the last minute.

On a funnier note, at least for me, last night I stopped by the convenience store on my way home from work. Up at the counter the guy rang up 1 6 pack bottled Budweiser, 2 small bags of Cornuts-plain, 1 bag of Cheetos Cheese popcorn, and 1 smallish bag of Tato-Skins Cheddar & Bacon chips (my most favorite chips EVER) for me. He asked for my I.D., mentioned that I must be a college student, and then choked on his own tongue when he saw I was THIRTY. Oh who knew a trip to the convenience store for trashy manly type stuff would be so good for the soul?

Felted bags #1 & #2. 

Flares are not my friends.

Down for the count, hurting and exhausted. Always fun.

I have however made a little progress on the second scarf, have started and frogged a hat for me twice and am 3/4 done with the second of the felted bags. Now I am off to clean my bathroom, having just vacuumed. Next up is a trip to the craft fair with my girlies. Wooohoooo.

Deep Thoughts with Blue Crochet

Mock if you will, and you really just might. ;) These thoughts inspired by Dazed and Confused. I did hear the audible groan.

When did my life become, well, life? All of those things I wanted to be, all of those dreams, hopes, plans. How did it become this? I wouldn't have thought ever I'd be this at this age of my life. As a teenager I was convinced I'd be long gone, away at college, living in a loft-that I now know to be impossible to afford for a college freshman paying her way through college, pursuing all those things I'd always loved. Writing, drama, english, the written word. Poetry readings, coffee houses, obscure bands, and me reveling in my true self.

In actuality I graduated highschool dating a farmer (seriously, had you known me in high school, in spite of growing up in Iowa, this would've shocked the hell out of you) deciding to stay home, work in the same old retail world I'd lived in for the past four years, and pay my way through community college. Hell, it was better than student loan debt from a way too expensive school, right? Within the year the farmer was gone-really he was a great person we were just not meant to be together. My only regret is that I haven't really known him since and in that old cliched way I think we could've been great friends. I met Mr. Blue at a tedious telemarketer job-verification NOT sales *snicker. After a few trips to the track to run together he asked me to an REM concert. Kismet it was. My favorite band of all time, this gorgeously not quite Adonis man who'd ridden a skateboard and was completely himself, in spite of being popular and all that. As cheesy as it may sound, we really were meant for each other.

Instead of jaunting off to the loft to live a bohemianly poetic SOHO life, I stayed home, worked three jobs, and went to community college. I then dropped out of said college as to not lose my main job. I met Joe, fell in love, and that was that. We had our babies, lived our lives, and were just us. I've "found myself" in such a roundabout way, and really do love who I am-for the most part. I've waitressed, cleaned houses, and am now working as a supervisor for a rewarding job. It doesn't matter what I actually do, what matters is that I do the best at what I do. I've since published articles, acted in an independent film, built up a local music promotion business, learned to become a pr goddess, built up my yarnishness, and been more succesfull than I had imagined at the jobs I've been in. The most successful thing I've done is to the marry the man who is right for me and have these beautiful children who amaze me every single day. I've overcome things I couldn't have imagined and I absolutely love my life. It may not be the movie version of small town girl moves onto bigger world, but it is the real life version of small town girl becomes who she was meant to be and flaunts it in spite of all the bullshit. Who would've thought all those diary entries ago that just being me would be so...ordinary and great all at the same time?

Now I will end this sanctimonious bullshit to continue a hat I started for myself from Homespun. Night all.

P.S. To make my life complete Mallrats is on. True love I tell you.

Work is seriously

cutting into my freetime, sheesh.

I'm here! The first scarf is done, except for the weaving of ends and I am at least half done with the second. Plain old regular knitting, cruising along, aaaah. I felted the first of the six purses and am working on the second. I foresee a HUGE GINORMOUS knitting/crocheting fest to get them all done. Wheee.

Tonight a freak accident in the Blue household led to a large gash/laceration in my five year old's cheek. I rushed home from work, bundled him up and dashed him off to urgent care, while Mr. Blue stayed home with the other three. The Bubby Man was brave and stoic after his initial tears, as the doctor fixed him up with some fancy schmancy glue in place of stitches, much to my evident relief. I am so proud of my Bubs, he was much more brave than many have been. That child is such an old soul and I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to know him, and have him as my child. He is not as old a soul as to not be impressed by having his cheek glue back together. ;)

It should just be a scarf.

A simple scarf. I've promised my boys scarves, bought the yarn ages and ages ago-Lion Brand Wool-Ease. My first KNIT scarf, plain old knitting. I have now restarted FOUR times. Yes folks, FOUR TIMES. Gauge is off, I didn't cast on enough, thought about cabling, decided to restart on smaller needles. Now I am thinking I may have cast on too many stitches on the smaller needles. I am only three rows in. My usual mode of thinking is FROG and start over! At this point though, will it ever be right? If I frog once more have I thrown myself into some sort of cycle? Is this some new way of procrastinating?? Do I secretly want to scrap this and start over with a bulkier yarn that will work up more quickly? I am leaning towards just getting on with it. So what if it seems wider than I had planned? My boys won't care! It would just add to the warmth, right?

It should be so easy. And we all know this is just my way of putting off working on the purses.

This is my sister, Jenny, in the shawl I made for her while in California. Amazing what you can do with Target dollar yarn, eh? Jen is so pretty, I love how these pictures of her came out. 

It can also be worn around the waist, I love this pic of my sister. 

The back of the shawl, I almost added more fringe, but Jen liked it just as it was. :) 

I think I've recovered

fully from my bout with the flu. Whew. That was awful and horrible and I am so glad to be feeling better again.

Working again, back at the other job, we reopened for a few more weeks. It's been great. Aside from the flu.

I have also officially turned 30. The number seems way to grown up for me. My birthday was great and so far I have adjusted okay to leaving the twenties. ;)

On a yarny note there is sadly not much to report. I am 3/4 through the purse. Yes, still on the FIRST of SIX. GAH! There will be some mad crocheting and felting coming up here pretty quick folks. At this point I am not seeing many other Christmas projects in my immediate holiday future. I do need/want to make hats and scarves for the boys. Trying to decide how to fit them in amongst the paid work.

I do have pictures of my sister in her shawl to get resized and up, hopefully either today or tomorrow. Something's gotta liven up this blog, the poor little nephew man has been doing way too much already. ;)

My sweet little nephew in the pumpkin hat I made for him. Isn't he ADORABLE? 

Slump what?

The first of the six bags is begun. Woohooo! My crochet hand is smarting a bit, I will perservere in spite of it. Thinking I will knit the next one to give my hand a break.

I have a good lead on a job that is just right on Monday morning, and am working for a friend of ours during the day on Monday. I was also informed that the temp job may open again. How does this happen? One week of slumping, and now jobs coming out of my ears. Let's hope things continue on this fantabulously green path.

Now I will continue with my crocheting and red wine sipping and Law & Order SVU watching. Aaah.

Slumpety slump slump...slump slump.

I am in a yarn slump, sigh. So my job is finished, I am home again, and I have turned into a slovenly piece of mom goo. I am even wearing those yoga pants that we all know are really just sweat pants in disguise. HELP!

I was working on the shrugs, the first one is okay, but I am not that fond of it. The second I am liking a lot, especially as it in Debbie Bliss Alpaca silk, EXCEPT that I am sure I am going to run out of yarn and will need to find a place to order more and I am convinced that I will run into some sort of problem with this.

I need to get going on a certain purse order and I just keeping looking at all that wool and then not actually DOING anything with it.

I also need to clean my house. I've put it off the whole week, except for some light vacuuming and now it's time to pay the piper. So far I have been good about laundry today, that counts for something, right?

I also need to actively search for a new job, which includes moving the old hard drive into this computer. I got so far as disconnecting the old hard drive and then realized I needed to get the screwdriver out and would probably end up contorting into odd positions to get all the screw out. ANNNND I will need to unhook this tower, open it up, jack around in there, and then rehook everything up. Since this is computer related something will end up being wrong so that I will need to unhook and rehook everything again. It wasn't fun getting underneath this desk when I was 40 some pounds lighter, I have no illusions it will be any better now.

If anyone has a magic solution to getting out of a slump like this, or really any sort of slump, please let me know.

The end.

My job is over. I was called and asked to come in again yesterday so I was able to get a bit more time in and have another last day.

It's hard to fully explain how much this experience has meant to me. And for me. The past few years have been tough, with my mental illness and my physical illness and remembering who I am in the middle of all it. This was tangible proof I could go out and do something, something I wanted that was important to me. In spite of feeling like I was too far out of the work world and that I shouldn't out of fear of my memory troubles and health crap, I went for this job and was hired as a supervisor. Big moment for me.

I have absolutely LOVED it. Working again, bringing in an income, and proving to myself that I can do this has done wonders for me.

The best, best, best part of this job though was what we were there for. To help the hurricane victims. Talking to the people I've spoken with and just listening when there wasn't much else to do and hearing their strength are gigantic reminders of perspective. It's been emotional, in very stark ways, but mostly it's been incredibly rewarding and touching.

On Friday I will go pick up my last check, say goodbye to the few who are left working, and that will be it. I will really, really miss it.

This is the scarf I am making for my other sister, in real color it looks just like fruity pebbles. I cast it off today and just need to add the fringe. 

The Boys Blue room, still sparse as it was just done, but it turned out well.

The Glowing Pink bedroom. This one shows the girls decorating skills. I am thinking of repainting the ceiling as this room is very, very, very pink.

Another view of the girls room, if you couldn't tell. Please don't mind the bedding piled up on the bed.