New Home

I've posted pics of my new home here.

I love it here. 

Hello friends.

I'm really sorry I've been so absent here... the truth is I haven't been up to much craftiness, and it might be slow going for awhile.  Long story short, Chris and I are splitting, and I am moving to Nevada City in the next couple months...

...which is the good part of all of this.  I'll keep y'all updated as I make the transition and get back on track with the makin' of stuffs.

Flickr Meme

This meme has been going around the Blythe peeps on flickr lately:

I was tagged by diana (whitefridaynight)!

4 favorite places to shop:
-Anthropologie (even though I can't afford anything there... I like the inspiration)
-Etsy
-Paxton Gate
-Rockridge Market Hall

4 favorite smells:
-pine forest
-almond
-violet
-lemon

4 "things" that make me smile:
-toys
-baby animals
-sweets
-interspecies friendship

4 people tagged for this meme: (see flickr)

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

I really am sorry.

No, really.  I have a some good excuses, I swear!  2009 was the worst year of my life, but 2010 is a good number for a new beginning, right?  I'm trying to do some evaluation, reorganization, and re-prioritizing of life right now...

Anyway, I'm catching up here now!

Here's some things I made for Xmas:

Mug Cozy for Mom
Knit in KP Main Line from a Knitpicks kit


Stocking for Rhiannon
Commission by her grandparents- knit in Lamb's Pride from a Mason-Dixon pattern.  “Rhiannon” BARELY fit. I lined the stocking with polarfleece so the fair isle wouldn’t get messed up with use…


Also, I did start doing that tumblr thing a bit- check it out if you have a chance...

Bits & Bobs

Here's what I've been up to lately...

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Trying out for dream jobs...

Sketches and miniature display for a Display Coordiator job at Anthropologie... I didn't get it :( But I can use the display at home for spring!

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Playing with dolls...

In the dollhouse I just finished making! I'll post more/better pics when I get some furniture done. By the by, these dollies still need names. I'm thinking of "Wren" for the Petite Blythe (2nd one)...

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Making crazy posters.

Poster I made for my friend Todd's movie (his design).

25

I got tagged and posted these on the facebook, but I thought I'd go ahead & put 'em up here, since I don't know y'all there!

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you

1. I have a sleeping disorder called hypersomnia… it’s like narcolepsy but not as bad. I don’t nod off in the middle of conversations, but I have to be really careful driving if I’m tired.

2. I collect things. Almost anything I decide I like, I collect. Yarn, skulls, jadeite, sweaters, rocks with holes, rocks without holes, dolls, fox-related objects, magazine clippings, pyrex, etc.

3. I am a super nerd. No, even nerdier than you think…I used to go to Ren Faire (No, I did not speak with the accent. I did, however, dress up.) and, as a child, I made several scale models of Star Trek vessels.

4. I didn’t want kids until I was with Chris.

5. I forgot how to ride a bike. They say it’s impossible, but I proved them all wrong. I had an accident, didn’t ride for a couple years, and when I got back on a bike (even though I fully expected to just go), it was like I’d never been on one in my life.

6. I’ve only been drunk once, and it was when I was 30 years old. See, I have a ridiculously high tolerance for alcohol, so I really have to be trying to get drunk… but it’s not worth it. I don’t get silly or fun, just sick. And I’m not keen on the taste. I only like drinks if they taste like candy.

7. Speaking of, I haven’t thrown up in about ten years. I get really nauseated, but no throwing up. I don’t think it’s psychological… I’m not scared of it…

8. I’ve only touched snow once. I’ve seen it out a window a couple times.

9. If I could live anywhere, it would be the UK or Ireland. With my own petting zoo.

10. I wish I could be vegetarian, but I will literally dream about meat if I haven’t had it in awhile.

11. I’m addicted to food. I can’t go a day without it. No, but seriously. And it’s the only addiction you can’t avoid, right? Like, you wouldn’t say to a heroin addict, hey, just have a little bit of the smack… just keep it under control, right? Oooo… I’m hungry.

12. I’m also addicted to TV. Even if I’m not watching it, it has to be on the whole time I’m home. Chris & I made an agreement so he doesn’t kill me, though- I only have it on when he’s home with his OK. It really is an addiction, but I have no interest in stopping. I watch some terrible shows, though. Judge Judy comes to mind.

13. I love music, but I’m not musical. I can’t play an instrument, sing, keep a beat, or dance. I can’t whistle, either, but that’s not because it’s musical, just in addition to.

14. I hate the word “artist”. It makes me cringe. I’d rather say I paint pictures. That sounds douche-y, too, now that I write it. Damn it.

15. I’m not sure I’m an artist (uuuuugh) anyway. I’d rather knit than paint, which is pretty much an indicator, right?

16. If something is miniature, I will probably love it. Furniture, animals, dessert, you get the idea.

17. I have a deep water phobia, but I would like to live at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

18. I’m also afraid of the dark. I’m oddly superstiticious for a borderline atheist.

19. My wedding ring was also my great grandmother’s wedding ring. It’s an alexandrite. Chris went and got it from my grandmother without me knowing, which may be the most romantic thing he’s ever done (you haven’t met my grandma). Heating up water on the stove last week so I could take a bath at our hot-water deficient house may be a close second.

20. I’m thankful every day. I think about how lucky I am every day, for every meal, pet, warm room, relationship, etc. I have.

21. I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.

22. Sometimes I cry if I’m having a bad day and then someone is nice to me.

23. I am a pessimist, but in a pretty optimistic way… see, I just assume the worst will happen at all times, then when it doesn’t, it’s like Christmas!

24. You know how people like to say they’re young at heart? Well, I’m old at heart, I think. I have hobbies like knitting and sewing, collect tchotchkes, watch show like Monk, and have a penchant for dressing in a lot of cardigans and sensible shoes. Chris argues that he is much older at heart, but I think I’m pretty good competition.

25. Everything it seems I like’s a little bit stronger, a little bit thicker, a little bit sweeter, a little bit fatter, a little bit stranger, a little bit harder, a little bit harmful for me. Ok, those are song lyrics, but it pretty much sums it up.

Thanks True Up & Pink Chalk!

This was awhile back, but I just realized that I never posted pics...

I won a $100 gift certificate to Pink Chalk Fabrics from True Up!

I tried to save it for when I had a project lined up, but I'm an instant gratification kinda gal. Here's what I got:

They are very courteous and friendly and have the most lovely selection of designers...

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These are the stack packs I got... on the left is "Sugar Snap" by Melissa Averinos and the right is Amy Butler's Daisy Chain (in the pink colorway). They will be quilts at some point. You know, when I learn to quilt. Don't look at me like that. It'll happen.

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These are the single pieces... mostly 1/2 yards, some full. I don't have any specific plans for them yet- an apron or two for sure, Blythe/Pullip clothes (more on those ladies soon), Nutcracker Dolls, small things like that. I'd love some suggestions!

Xmas Sigh...

Well, it's over... and we're finally home!

Here are the last of the Xmas pics (I hope)...

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Jamie's present... a bookbag/accessory set- not quite as good as the gift she gave us- she took Chris & I to Of Montreal, which was for sure added to the Top 5 shows of all time for me. The image set I used was from the lovely Danielle Thompson, here.

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Xmas candy gifts, 'cause we be poor. And it wouldn't be Christmas without me trying to throw my back out over ridiculously involved food gifts... There is peppermint bark, fudge, peanut butter balls, and spiced nuts in there. Cute Martha packaging from Michael's.

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Cranberry Orange Vodka

I'm big on the food gifts... surprise...

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Table set for Xmas brunch for my fam. My new tablecloth is so freaking adorable that I want to leave it out year-round! I suppose I feel that way about all our holiday decorations, though. The Roseville castle has been leaving their lights on year-round... maybe I should join in...

Swedelicious!

This Christmas I decided to make some Swedish themed decor... Every Xmas Eve in my life has been spent at my Swedish grandmother's (and non-Swedish grandpa, but you know, he didn't decorate) house, until this year (Chris & I have decided to start switching locations year to year instead of trying to do both family celebrations). Anyway, I decided to have a brunch for my family before we leave town to make up for it, and thought I needed some Sweden in the house for it...

Swedish Hearts

Wool felt with blanket stitch edging.

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This year's Christmas Cards

I carved a block for printing these and finished them with stardust pen details.

For non-Swedes, the Julbock (or Yule-goat):

"is a ubiquitous symbol of the winter holidays in Scandinavian countries"... continue at Altreligion

Now, it's mostly thought of just as a cute Xmas decoration, though...

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Lucia Doll

This is the first doll I've made with yarn hair, which was a bit tricky, but she really have to have the braids. The crown-wreath is loop knotted yarn with felt/tiny pom-pom candles. And she's even got Dala horses on her tights!

"Lucia Day, December 13th, initiates the Christmas season by marking the beginning of brighter days to come in Sweden. It is customary that the eldest daughter as Lucia... dresses in a long white gown with a red sash around her waist and wears a crown entwined with sprigs of myrtle greens on her head. Five or seven lighted candles in the crown spread a luminous glow around her."
-American Swedish Institute
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Next year, I'll make some tomte... I just ran out of time...

It's beginning to look a lot like...

...sweetness.

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Invites to my fam for a Holiday brunch... made with Martha Stewart stamps- on my new (repro) Christmas tablecloth... I'll post another pic of it, I'm sure.

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Our outdoor wreath... it's very sparkly. I bought the base wreath (which is glittery and has pinecones and dried leafy stuff) and put silver sparkly leafy stuff in it... Here's a pic you can see it better in:

Yes, White Kitty is trying to eat it.

I leave it up all winter, since it's not strictly "Christmas-y".

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Our indoor wreath. Hmmm... as I look at it now it doesn't seem terrible Christmas-y either. Maybe I should leave it up all year! I made it years ago, with a grapevine base, moss, sparkly fruit, leaves, berries, and glitter.

Both wreaths have a Labyrinth-y (as in the movie) look to me... natural, mossy, glittery... sigh.

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We don't have a mantle/fireplace, so I started using our new (to us-thanks D&K!) entertainment center as such.

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My Grandma gave me this a couple weeks ago... it's been up at her house every Christmas for as long as I can remember and I love it sooooooo very much. I'd hug it if it were more cuddly.

I lucked out! I was explaining to her how Ebay works & told her I had been looking for a tree like that one there, and she said something along the lines of "that thing? You can have that! Take it home today!". Yaaaaaaaaaay.

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This is a cardboard ornament I just finished painting... I made a hole in the bottom so you can poke a tree light though to make it light up. There are more handmade ornaments a couple posts down...

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The whole tree. Sorry it's not a great view, but honestly, it's shoved between three pieces of furniture, and I just couldn't get a good shot. You get the idea, anyway, right?

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Next up, I'll be posting more X-mas stuffs... all along the Swedish theme! Yaaaaaaaaay Sweden! Uh, you'll see.

I'm working on something...

This is the first garment I've ever sewed... not counting the shorts and apron I made in my 8th grade Home Ec class (mostly because I can't remember a thing about them or the class other than they existed). It's a secret until I finish...

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And a Happy Mama's day to all the mama's out there... We had ours over for brunch yesterday:

I can post this Strata recipe if anyone's interested...

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UPDATE!

Ham & Asparagus Breakfast or Brunch Strata

1 1/2 lbs. Ham (ham steak, not lunchmeat ham, eeew), cubed (you could place this with more veggies for a vegetarian version)

olive oil

1 cup asparagus, cut into 1" pieces

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

1 cup onion, chopped

6 large eggs, beaten

2 cup 2% milk

2 loaves ciabatta bread, sliced (about 1/2" thick) & crusts removed

2 cups gruyere and/or swiss cheese, shredded

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Saute the asparagus, mushooms & onions in olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) until tender. Mix in the ham.

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Combine the milk and eggs together, mix well.

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Oil a 2 1/2 quart baking dish and place a layer of bread in it. Top with half the veggie/ham mixture and a layer of cheese. Repeat with another layer of bread, mixture & cheese. Cover with a third layer of bread. Pour the egg & milk mixture slowly over the top, making sure to moisten all of the dish. Sprinkle generously with cheese. Refrigerate for at least an hour- I let mine sit overnight (up to 24 hours).

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Preheat your oven to 350F and bake one hour (until browned and bubbly). Tip: I like to put a baking sheet underneath the rack in the oven to catch any drips.

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Enjoy!

Family Tree

I just posted a bunch of old family pics to my flickr...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nillakitty/sets/72157602085814689/

Anyone in the family have any to add?

Shoe Envy

You may have guessed that I have a minor shoe obsession (my WISTS get a little ridiculous). For example, I am currently obsessed with the granny boots featured in Rowan 40 (on pages 39-41, 45-46, and 57) and even took it as far as writing to Rowan... they told me they had no information, as their stylist brought them to the shoot, so I looked up the stylist (Emma Freemantle) and emailed her representation, but got no response. Do any of you have ideas on getting information available on them (brand, availability, etc.)? Or have you seen similar boots anywhere? They are partly brocade-ish fabric & partly leather...

Paint

My MIL's best friend Joan started this project she read about in a magazine... It's a group effort self portrait piece where each of your friends/family paints a self portrait in a little square on a large canvas. I think it's a pretty great idea & I'm thinking of starting my own...

Here's Joan's:

That's me in the red hat (from this pic).

And here's Laika's square... Ok, she didn't paint it but I'm sure

this is what she would have if she could....

Chris painted a really nice one, too, but he didn't take a picture, of course. I'll try to get one later- I'll try to post a pic of the finished product, too.

Neglectful.

A short photo essay on Things I Neglect in Favour of Knitting ("favour" because it's fancier):

Dusting

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Painting

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Cleaning the Refrigerator

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Cleaning Out the Garage

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Cobwebs

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Hedge Trimming

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Going Outside

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Tending the Garden

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Cross Stitch

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Needlepoint

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Dirty Dishes

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Laundry

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Jewelry Making

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Reading

I'm sure I'll be adding to this list.

A couple of the culprits that keep me from my duties:

For Jaelynn Steck:

The Baby Bolero is from One Skein.

The hat is based on one in One Skein

Wonders (shortened like my previous one & the

lace pattern altered to match the Bolero detail).

In Jo-Ann Sensations Smania.

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Ysolda's Urchin

From an unmarked skein... I'd been looking for a use for this single skein rolling around the stash for years- this was the perfect project for it! I think it looks like moss.
I made another in Adrienne Vittadini Nadia, but I frogged it...I don't think it did the yarn (or the pattern) justice. I need a bigger thick n' thin yarn to make the pretty bubble-y look of the original. I'd still like to make a white (or very light color) version like Ysolda's...

hers looks like clouds.

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Seaberry Shell

from Interweave Knits, Summer 2006

It's knit in Caron Simply Soft Quick (Country Blue)... Just barely got by with 2 skeins... I shortened the neckband to do so. This yarn feels soft & drapey pre-knitting, but not so great after... I'm not really fond of non-natural fibers, though. I pretty much hate them. Probably will knit another in another yarn.
The pattern was great except for the neck shaping... very confusing. You could also knit this in the round easily.

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I have a couple more, but I need to take pictures still... maybe I should add my neglect in recording my knits photographically that to my list.