Down time

Things have not been very busy here at the home of urbanpagan. I just really haven't had that huge urge to knit lately. *shrug* Mind you, this does not prevent me from having about five projects staring me in the face! *scowls* I haven't knit anything, not one stitch, in two days. Some of you would cry in horror! Some of you would wonder if I had a fever. But really, I think it's just because I haven't been moved. Or should I say, I just haven't moved at all. It comes and goes for me some days. The cry of the needles is like a siren's song most of the time but lately they just seem like whiney little bitches. I think I just need to finish something. That weekend bunny was just the boost I needed last week. I think I just need to finish the I Do shrug and all will be well with the world! The wedding I am making it for is on October 1st. The hat I am working of for the contest is due on September 30th. Nothing like a deadline huh? ;)

I know that part of my problem is my mad addiction to sock knitting. It consumes me... normally. All I want to do is buy sock yarn. All I want to do is teach people to knit socks. Is something wrong with me? ;)

Ah well, I'm sure it's nothing more than the down slump that all knitters get from time to time. And heck, I'm sure tomorrow I'll be at work and I'll be itching to knit something. Anything! *laugh*

Actually, you know there is the book my friend Maura just bought me as a belated birthday gift: The Yarn Harlot. Maybe I'll go read that and it will inspire me to grab my needles. :)

In the mean time, here are some kitty pics to appease the masses. Can you see what's going through her furry, little mind?



Yeah, I could too.



Bad kitten.

Look, a bunny!

This weekend was pretty slow. I decided not to do a damn bit of housework and slept in both days. It was great! :D

I worked some more on my I Do shrug. It's kicking along but the progress looks so slow that there's no point in taking a picture.

Saturday, I met Lass at Panera bread at The Streets at Southpoint and I worked some more on the hat for the Hats with Heart contest. I'm really just finishing up the double-sided band and it's uber slow going. She started her hat as well. She only got so far as the brim but it's looking good so far. :D

But I don't know if you realize, there is a new Knitty out! In this issue there is a little bear that for some strange ass reason, I just fell in love with! There is a woman in my office whose daughter just gave birth to a boy. I found out that her favorite color is Carolina Blue. So I decided to use the modification to the pattern to make it a bunny, and made her one in Carolina Blue. See...:



I added a little knit bowtie too. I picked up stitches and knit the bowtie on so that the baby can't possibly rip it off and swallow it. And here's the tooshie shot:



Same with the tail. I picked up and knit a few stitches.

The "S" on the chest is because the little one's name is Salvatore. :)

It was a very quick knit. I may do a few more as gifts. :)

Speaking of gifts, lookie what my SP sent me!:



A cute card, a copy of Spin-off magazine, some roving, a drop spindle and some Kool-aide. :) Thank you SP!

The screaming Meme's!

Actually, I don't have those... I just thought it was a great title. :D

Anyhoo, I was tagged twice so here it goes:

ten years ago: I was 21 and probably still recovering from the day my MIL took me out drinking for my 21st birthday. We both go so drunk, Eric had to come drive us home. Yup, he had to pic up his girlfriend and his mother because we were too drunk to drive. :P He's still not nearly as amused by that story as I am.

five years ago: Eric was still in the Air Force and we were still in Utah. I was selling cell phones and the living was relatively easy.

one year ago: I taught myself to knit and was also enjoying my first year as a homeowner.

five snacks:
1. Little Debbie Devil Squares
2. Devil Dogs
3. Sour Cream and Onion Potato chips
4. Animal crackers
5. Goldfish cracker

five songs I know all the words to (and will sing at the top of my lungs in the car):
1. Mad About You (Sting)
2. Grand Bazaar (Tea Party)
3. Bachelorette (Bjork)
4. Crablouse (Lords of Acid)
5. Jeremy (Pearl Jam)

five things I would do with $100 million:
1. Pay off my house.
2. Pay off all my relatives houses.
3. Buy my FIL a classic car restoration business and let him run it.
4. Buy a classic Jaguar and start restoring it.
5. Get Eric's Triumphs restored.

five places to run away to:
1. My bed, under the blankets (with Eric).
2. (When at work) one of the atriums in the hospital, to knit.
3. (When ditching house work) Yarn's Etc.
4. (In general) My house. Always feels great to pull into the driveway.
5. Someplace I've never been before and one that I can just drive to when the urge strikes me.

five things I would never wear:
1. Burkha
2. Taffeta (Never. Again!)
3. Anything that is not meant for my body shape. It would make me look like an ass!
4. Anything with Barney, or Barbie, or Veggie Tales on it. O_o
5. Plastic shoes

five favorite TV shows:
1. Star Trek (Old school! Kirk, Spock and McCoy baby!)
2. Farscape
3. Babylon 5
4. Absolutely Fabulous
5. Cold Case Flies

five biggest joys:
1. Kittens!
2. Puppies!
3. Goats!
4. Really, any four legged mammal.
5. Being in Eric's arms. (Yeah, I'm a romantic. Who'd have thunk it.)

favorite toys:
1. My 67 Mercedes 200D. (Yeah... it was a toy! Too bad I had to sell it. *sniff*)
2. Dice! (One can never have too many dice.)
3. Pirates of the Spanish Main, Crimson Coast or Revolution, ships. (They are so nifty!)
4. Cat toys that I can play with my cats, with. (Whoo there was some good English!)
5. My DVR. I"m not a big tv watcher but this thing is so kewl!

five people to pass this on to:
1. Azuredrake cuz she's away and she can't fight it. Muwhahahaha!
2. Lass because well... why the heck not?
3. Rogue Knitter because I've read her blog a few times and would like to learn more about her.
4. Lumen2002 because she SP'd for me and she was the best! I'd like to learn more about her too. :)
5. Tamara cuz I like reading her blog and would like to see her answers.

Okies, now that that's over, on to the knitting content. The second sleeve of the I Do shrug is coming along nicely. The beads slow me down but there's not much more beaded knitting to do. See:



I finished (mostly) the hat for the Hats with Heart contest. I decided to make a hat for a girl. I've got that two tone ruffle:



And I'm making a ribbon to pull around the brim:



I'm using the technique of double sided knitting. At first, it's pretty slow going but once you get the rhythm on... it's pretty easy.

In cat news, Trouble and Velvet are really enjoying the toys that Lumen2002 sent me. Velvet hordes them:



Trouble likes to sleep with hers:



In response to comments:

Ragan said: it is hard crocheting with beads...i bet knitting with them is harder.

You know, I never even thought about crocheting with beads. *ponder* I might have to do that. It's actually not that hard. Just time consuming.

Heather said: Oh man, you make me look so bad. I got the yarn as far as the bedroom to show Mike, and there it is, sad in a plastic bag. Soon, soon *sigh* Thanks for the call today, it was really nice! Have a good night!

Hey that's what friends are for. Like I said, give me a call if you need to. I'm here for ya. As for the hat... don't worry! We've got until the 30th of this month to get it done. I just had some instant inspiration and decided to work on it that very moment.

Helen said: you also totally make me feel like my (current) decision to most likely not have kids is great because you have the freedom to do what you want and enjoy your husband

Oh yeah, it's got its benefits. Now, I'm not dogging on the little ones. Far from it. I just know for a fact that I couldn't handle having little ones right now. So Eric and I are doing everything we want to do now before we decide if we will or will not have little ones. (We're actually considering adopting. Yeah... we really are! I know... now I've floored some of my friends.)

To keep everyone calm and bring them all back to the reality known as Eric and Lisa not breeding (thhpt!) here is a pic of what Velvet woke me up for at 6:50 this wonderful Sunday morning!



Yeah it's cute, and I'm sure it's nice and tasty kitty, but this is what I like to call a weekend *grumblegrumble* Rotten kitties. Waking me up when I want to sleep in...