Busted!

Ah ha! They really do snuggle when I'm not around. Perhaps it is just because I keep my apartment very cold...

2011 Goals- November Recap

I know in November many people in the blogosphere challenged themselves to post every day. I apparently took the opposite approach and did not post at all. I honestly have no idea where the month went (again). My goal progress also shows this. I think next year, instead of having 12 goals, I am only going to have six. Then I can really focus on making them happen. I will think more about that this month.

1. Make one scrapbook- no
2. Start and finish a sweater- finished!
3. Make a color work project- no
4. Knit Nana and Grandad socks- started Nana's socks
5. Finish or frog all 2010 knitting projects- no
6. Make a felt advent calendar- no
7. Work out 111 times-worked out 8 times. I need to learn to exercise while I'm home.
8. Lose 11% of my body weight- I'm still at square one on this.
9. Learn to walk in high heels- practiced for a couple of days.
10. Prepare an academic paper for submission to a journal- submitted another draft
11. Read 11 non-school books by different authors- finished!

2011 Goals- October Recap

Only two more months to go, I can't believe it!

1. Make one scrapbook- no
2. Start and finish a sweater- finished!
3. Make a color work project- no
4. Knit Nana and Grandad socks- no
5. Finish or frog all 2010 knitting projects- worked on my last remaining one
6. Make a felt advent calendar- no
7. Work out 111 times-worked out 12 times- much better than the last few months!
8. Lose 11% of my body weight- I'm still at square one on this.
9. Learn to walk in high heels- practiced for a couple of days.
10. Prepare an academic paper for submission to a journal- working on another draft.
11. Read 11 non-school books by different authors- finished!

Wedding Planning, Part 1

Warning: This is a wedding related post. I do not know how often I will do these, but I will try to make them clear in the title, so if you are not interested in weddings, feel free to skip them.

Second Warning: I think this is going to be a fairly long, photo-free post.

Mr. DB and I have been engaged for about six weeks. In some ways, I feel like we have made no progress on wedding plans. We do not have a date, location, color scheme, vendors, etc. etc. On the other hand, I do feel like I have a much better idea of what I want. Pinterest has been really helpful that way. Take for example my Wedding Ideas board. In the beginning, I was posting a lot of rustic pictures, barns, light colors, outdoor ceremonies... Then I realized, I do not like the outdoors! I do not like pastel colors! Mr. DB and I have never been to a barn together unless you count the Cornell Graduate Student Center. That is not the type of wedding we want to have. As I figure out what we do not want, I am starting to get a better idea of what we do want- an urban feel, exposed brick or stone, wood, warm inviting atmosphere, saturated color, a little vintage flair but still modern. So I guess we have made more progress than I think we have.

What is frustrating me is that we do not have any of the big things figured out. Mr. DB still lives in another state. We are not sure if we want to have our wedding here (expensive) or in one of our home states. We have eliminated our beloved Ithaca because it is so hard to get to for our guests. We are sort of at a standstill until we can visit venues during Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. I know I will feel so much better once we have a location and can start hiring the major vendors such as catering and photography.

Then there is the date. Can you believe that 2013 is already filling up for my family? Mr. DB's family is from Wisconsin and I would be devastated if they were not able to attend the wedding, so snowy months are out in case there was a blizzard or something and they could not travel. We cannot do it too late in the summer or fall because of our work schedules. Mr. DB and my brother are both graduating in May. My uncle is having his Coast Guard retirement party in April. See the problem? I am not such a huge fan of summer weddings when it will be really hot, but I do not know if we have another choice.

I am just going to say this: Wedding planning sucks. That's right, it SUCKS. You are spending an insane amount of money for one day. You and your partner have expectations and wants you did not even know you had. Ever thought about corsages or envelope shapes before? I bet you will find you have opinions on them the second you start planning a wedding. Then add in family expectations (real or imagined) and it gets very messy. I keep having to remind myself to think of all my married friends and family members. Most of them did not elope and still lived to tell the tale. We can do this.

I was thinking about all this as I was walking to the Metro after class tonight with a classmate. He asked me how wedding planning was going and I am sure he got way more than he bargained for. At one point, I told him how Mr. DB and I had been talking about centerpieces last night. I said "Centerpieces. Do you know what I never thought about in my life before? Centerpieces." The absurdity of the whole process hit me. My friend and his wife got married a few years ago, and he told me that it is hard. You are making all sorts of decisions. But in the end, you have to remember that your family and friends are there to have a good time because they love you. It all works out ok somehow. I have heard that before, but somehow hearing it from him, not on a blog, not from Mr. DB, but from a friend who has been through this fairly recently helped me put it all into perspective.

Yes, wedding planning sucks. If I did not care about centerpieces until six weeks ago, why should I let it take up so much of my emotional energy now? In the end, our family and friends will not care, and something will be on the tables. I just have to keep reminding myself that.

Striped Vanilla Socks

Pattern: Improvised- 64 stitch, k1p1 rib cuff, afterthought heel
Yarn: Studio Avenue Six Self Striping Sock Yarn in 186 2 DK Pink, 4 Purple
Needle: size 1.5 circular
Date Started: July 16, 2011
Date Finished: October 25, 2011
Comments:I started these over the summer and just got around to finishing the second sock. My first afterthought heel. I like that it means I can keep knitting without stopping for the heel flap and decreases. I do not think the fit is as good though because it is hard to guess the length. A fun experiment, but I think I will stick with my usual heel flap.

Blog overload?

Is it just me, or does it seem like bloggers are posting a little less than usual lately? I know I sure am. I am not quite sure if it is the change of seasons and weather, the start of the school year, anticipation of the holiday season, or what. I for one just haven't been knitting much. After all the Camp Loopy stuff, I needed a break, and now I do not have any projects that really interest me. I want to finish all my WIPs, and I want to knit two pairs of socks for Christmas, but I just cannot motivate myself.  Maybe I should start a fun project this weekend to get my knitting (and blogging) mojo back.

2011 Goals- September Recap

So how did September go? Mildly better than August. My excuse though is that I got caught up in getting engaged. I now have new incentive to work on my exercise, weight, and walking in heels goals.

1. Make one scrapbook- no
2. Start and finish a sweater- yes!
3. Make a color work project- no
4. Knit Nana and Grandad socks- no
5. Finish or frog all 2010 knitting projects- still one left.
6. Make a felt advent calendar- no
7. Work out 111 times-worked out 7 times
8. Lose 11% of my body weight- I'm still at square one on this.
9. Learn to walk in high heels- forgot about this, again
10. Prepare an academic paper for submission to a journal- holding pattern. My Professor presented the paper at a conference.
11. Read 11 non-school books by different authors- finished!

Camp Loopy Project 3

I'm so proud of myself - I finished all my Camp Loopy projects! The third challenge was to make something using 800 yards of yarn. I decided to make the Loretto Vest. Even though for my size, it was supposed to take over 800 yards, I had to add sleeves to make sure I reached the cutoff. I think it looks cute this way.

Pattern: Loretto Vest by Cassie Castillo
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers in Nectarine
Needle: size 7 circular
Date Started: August 21, 2011
Date Finished: September 15, 2011
Comments: Fun project. I still need to block it, and I'm sure once I do, the yarn will bloom and it will grow to a better length. Fenway wanted to help me take pictures:

Engaged!

It has been a fantastic, emotional week for me. Mr. DB and I got engaged on Saturday! Furthermore, he planned a huge surprise party with friends from 9 states at my favorite restaurant. It was the sweetest thing imaginable. I cannot believe how lucky I am to have him.

New Obsession

I held off as long as I can, but I have to admit, I'm obsessed with Pinterest. Have you tried it yet? I love that there is one place you can keep and organize all the cool things you see on the internet. Right now I'm designing the wardrobe I would have if I was my ideal size and had an infinite clothes budget. It is the satisfaction of shopping without the credit card bills! If you want, please check out my boards, and/or try it yourself. But I am warning you, it can be quite addictive.

2011 Goals- August Recap

Wait, is it September already? Really? Are you sure? August was super busy for me. I was in Michigan, New York, Virginia/DC, and Wisconsin. I almost hate to say this, but I am glad school started again this week. I need some structure back in my life. Anyway, I cannot say it is too surprising that I did not get much done in August.

1. Make one scrapbook- no
2. Start and finish a sweater- started a new vest
3. Make a color work project- no
4. Knit Nana and Grandad socks- no
5. Finish or frog all 2010 knitting projects- still one left.
6. Make a felt advent calendar- no
7. Work out 111 times-worked out 1 time. Is that even possible?!
8. Lose 11% of my body weight- gah, I think I'm back to square one on this.
9. Learn to walk in high heels- forgot about this, again
10. Prepare an academic paper for submission to a journal- second draft of one paper is submitted (for a conference then a book, but I'm counting it)
11. Read 11 non-school books by different authors- finished!

Let's just forget August and focus on September, ok?

Earthquake!

Yea, that was not fun. Let's not have another one, ok?

Favorite Thing: Gimme Coffee

Picture from Gimme Coffee*

Oh, Gimme Coffee, how I love you. Right now I'm drinking Guatamela Asociacion Chajulense. Organic, shade grown, fair trade, plus amazing taste. Everything I believe coffee should be. We bought it while we were in Central New York - it is a Cornell institution. I wish it was not just a once a year treat. Shipping is prohibitively expensive, but I did notice they have a couple of stores in NYC. I think we will have to make a stop the next time we are visiting Mr. DB's brother and sister-in-law there.

Summer is for Traveling

Big Red Barn, Cornell

I am not quite sure if I mentioned it or not, but I spent the last month or so at the University of Michigan attending statistics camp. Yup, I know you are jealous. Because your reaction to that statement is probably the same as all of my friends and family, I will just skip over that, except to say that Ann Arbor is beautiful.

Corning Museum of Glass

After my program was done, Mr. DB and I headed to Keuka Lake in central New York to spend a few days there with two of our good friends. I hope this is becoming an annual trip. It was actually during this trip last year that Mr. DB and I started dating. The trip was so relaxing. Even though it rained a few days, we kept ourselves busy with brunch at Stonecat Cafe (try the grape juice) and visiting the Corning Museum of Glass and Cornell. All around, it was a good end of summer trip.

The farm

We also had the opportunity to go to the nearby farm of two of Mr. DB's professors. They own 170 acres and have the most beautiful, rustic barns. They made some of the best home made pizza I have ever tasted.

Camp Loopy Project 2

This is my second Campy Loopy project. For this challenge, we had to make socks or mittens/gloves with a cable. I chose to make a pair of slipper socks:

Pattern: Long Night's Journey Into Day by Star Athena
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Pinky
Needle: size 3 DPN and size 4 circular
Date Started: July 16, 2011
Date Finished: August 7, 2011
Comments: I modified the cuff a lot. Please see my Ravelry project page for the details. Overall, this was a very fun and quick project. Here is a better look at the cable:

2011 Goals- July Recap

I swear this year is going by much faster than last year. Does anyone else feel this way? I can't believe it is time for another recap already! Here it is:

1. Make one scrapbook- no. I know what I'm going to do though.
2. Start and finish a sweater- didn't work on it
3. Make a color work project- no
4. Knit Nana and Grandad socks- no. I started socks for Nana, then decided they weren't right for her.
5. Finish or frog all 2010 knitting projects- still one left.
6. Make a felt advent calendar- no
7. Work out 111 times-worked out 3 times- ick, even worse than last month!
8. Lose 11% of my body weight- not sure, I've been slacking, as evidenced by the lack of working out
9. Learn to walk in high heels- forgot about this, again
10. Prepare an academic paper for submission to a journal- first draft of one paper is submitted (for a conference then a book, but I'm counting it)
11. Read 11 non-school books by different authors- finished!

Hmm, not so good. Things are keeping me crazy busy for the next few weeks, but when school starts, I think I need to re-commit myself to my 2011 goals. 

I thought

The weather was supposed to be more pleasant in the midwest. It is too hot to do anything, including knitting. Even my computer is rebelling by overheating after 15 min. I don't appreciate it enough, but I think ac has to be one of the world's best inventions. Too bad my apartment doesn't have it.

Camp Loopy Project 1

Yay, I finished something! And I am absolutely in love with it. I decided to join Camp Loopy this summer. We have to do three projects, each in one month. The first project was to knit a scarf/shawl/wrap, something to keep your neck and shoulders warm by the campfire. The challenge was that we had to use at least two colors of yarn. I decided to do the lace in a different color than the stockinette on my shawl.

Pattern: Asking for Roses by Amy Swenson
Yarn: The Loopy Ewe Solid Series in Ice and White
Needle: size 6 circular
Date Started: June 25, 2011
Date Finished: July 6, 2011
Comments: The final size (55" x 11") is a little smaller than the pattern said it would be, but I think I used thinner yarn. I am very happy with the size though because I can wear it more like a scarf than a shawl. As I said, I am in love with this project. How about a close up of the lace?

Nightmares

Do you ever think about nightmare scenarios? You know, those things where your heart drops and you stop breathing? Of course there are TRUE nightmares involving loved ones, health, shelter, natural disaster, etc. But I was surprised by a smaller nightmare today that I never thought of - my computer not turning on. When I get up in the morning, I feed the cats, start the coffee pot, and turn on my computer. Except things did not go as planned today. I turned on my computer, it made a spitting sound, and the screen went black. Ok, power off, try again. Same thing. AHHHHH! The majority of my research is either on Dropbox or a remote desktop, but I have started a new project recently and I have not backed that up. I backed up my photos a month or so ago, but there are some new ones. Not to mention the expensive software that I use to do my work. AHHHH! Ok, what to do? I have a monitor from the last time the video board died. Plug that in, easy peasy, right? Nope, it will not recognize the monitor. Ok, now what? Call Dad, of course. Except that he is in Japan. Ok, text then. Thank goodness he had not gone to bed yet. Long story short, I am typing from my computer, and my most important files are backed up. Nightmare postponed. However, who knows if I will be able to turn on my computer next time. I really did not want to buy a new computer. And even if I had the cash readily available, I cannot stop working for the week or so it would take to get the computer, set it up, and get the new (and very expensive) software. Not thinking about that now. As far as nightmares go, this is not bad at all. I just have to keep reminding myself that.

Madison

Mr. DB went to the University of Wisconsin Madison for undergrad, so I have been hearing all about it for years. I finally got to visit this weekend. I only got to see a little bit of it, but it is a fun city. I could see us living there, if we were ever fortunate enough to get jobs at UW. For now, here are some photos. Can you tell I have been having fun with Hipstamatic?

My favorite building.

The Union.

I stole this picture from either Mr. DB or his sister-in-law. The sunset was amazing.

2011 Goals- June Recap

I just got back from spending the 4th with Mr. DB's family in Wisconsin, so this is a little late. A fun time was had by all.

1. Make one scrapbook- no
2. Start and finish a sweater- didn't work on it
3. Make a color work project- no
4. Knit Nana and Grandad socks- no
5. Finish or frog all 2010 knitting projects- finished one project. Only one to go.
6. Make a felt advent calendar- no
7. Work out 111 times-worked out 5 times- yikes!
8. Lose 11% of my body weight- not sure, I've been slacking, as evidenced by the lack of working out
9. Learn to walk in high heels- forgot about this
10. Prepare an academic paper for submission to a journal- working on two papers
11. Read 11 non-school books by different authors- finished!

Because this was not very exciting, I'll leave you with a picture from the plane last night. We could see all the different fireworks displays.  Pretty amazing. If you ever get the chance, it is definitely worth it to fly on the 4th.

Finished!

I did not quite get these done in time for my aunt's birthday, but considering they have been on the needles for 13 months, a week or two late is not too bad.

Pattern: Dancing Diamond Socks by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in Dupont Circle
Needle: size 1.5 circular
Date Started: May 21, 2010
Date Finished: June 23, 2011
Comments: This was a really fun pattern, once I got the hang of it. As always, Wendy's pattern was perfect- no errors and easy to understand. I also found the lace quite "readable" so even when my chart marker slipped, I could figure out where I was quite easily. I got the yarn at the Washington Nationals Stitch n Pitch last year, and even got to meet the dyer. She was super-sweet. Wendy also lives in this area, so between the dyer, designer, and the name of the colorway, I think of this as a "local" project.

Trip to Boston

Mr. DB and I went to Boston last weekend for a whole host of my family events: my cousin's graduation, my aunt's birthday, Father's day x2, my stepmother's birthday, and most importantly, the first time a lot of my family met Mr. DB. I think it went really well. Of course everyone loved him (or at least would not dare say otherwise to me). One of my brothers was away at Philmont, and we did not make it to Fenway Park, so I guess we will have to go back soon. :)

Monday we had some free time, so we went to lunch with a friend from graduate school and had dinner with two of my high school friends. In between, we walked around downtown Boston. We went to Downtown Crossing, Park Street, shopped a little by Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, and even rode the swan boats. Yes, it is cheesy, but also very cute and romantic.

This was my favorite tree. Isn't it beautiful?

Look What's Back in Action

Remember these? Ok, it is an old picture, but I am actually about at this point on the second sock.  I decided it was time to take them out of hibernation and finish them for my aunt's special birthday on Friday. Yes, I know finishing a sock with this type of patterning in one week with everything else I have to do is quite ambitious. We will see if I can finish it. My fingers are crossed. The yarn really is too pretty to languish in a project bag.

First 2011 Goal Completed!

It is June, and I have finally completed my first 2011 goal. Look over on the sidebar. Yup, I finished reading 11 books by 11 authors. Actually, I have read more than 11 non-school books so far this year, but I got on a Jane Austen and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle kick. I am sure I will be reading many more books, but I love the feeling of accomplishment. I think having a Nook has really aided in my reading. I have always loved to read, but never thought to carry around a book, so I did not read as much as I like. I do not think that technology can ever replace the wonderful feeling of a book in your hands, but it is not a bad aid to reading more when you are out and about. Do you have a Nook or Kindle? Has it changed your reading habits?

Memorial Day Weekend

Mr. DB and I went to his childhood friend's wedding in Saint Louis over Memorial Day weekend. It was a very pretty wedding, but I did not take many pictures. Every time Mr. DB and I are together, I am determined to get a good picture of us. I have one on my iPhone, but it is a little blurry. Hopefully his SIL got a better one. However, I did take some pictures of our outing the day before. Can you guess where we went?

That's right,Anheuser-Busch brewery. It was fun, but after watching the documentary Beer Wars (it is fantastic, btw), I feel sort of guilty for going there instead of to a microbrewery.

2011 Goals- May Recap

Where did May go? Seriously, I have no idea. I have a feeling this summer is going to fly by. I did not do so well on my goals this month.

1. Make one scrapbook- no
2. Start and finish a sweater- still in progress
3. Make a color work project- no
4. Knit Nana and Grandad socks- no
5. Finish or frog all 2010 knitting projects- same place as last month
6. Make a felt advent calendar- no
7. Work out 111 times-worked out 12 times
8. Lose 11% of my body weight- 5% and counting
9. Learn to walk in high heels- no
10. Prepare an academic paper for submission to a journal- no
11. Read 11 non-school books by different authors- first month I did not read anything by a new author. I have been working my way through the complete works of Jane Austen.

Bella Rue, Part III

The update in which there are sleeves! I heard on the Knitmore Girls podcast that doing the sleeves before you finish the body, rather than at the end, is easier because you do not have to keep flipping around a heavy sweater. I tried that, and it was so much easier than when I made the sleeves of my Liesl. Jasmin and Gigi, you are geniuses.

And very cute back detailing.

Only two more skeins of yarn to go!

2011 Goals- April Recap

1. Make one scrapbook- no
2. Start and finish a sweater- in progress
3. Make a color work project- no
4. Knit Nana and Grandad socks- no
5. Finish or frog all 2010 knitting projects- same place as last month
6. Make a felt advent calendar- no
7. Work out 111 times-worked out 14 times. Best month so far!
8. Lose 11% of my body weight- doing pretty well at this- almost to 5% :)
9. Learn to walk in high heels- walked around in heels several evenings. I need to work on this in May because I have a few heels-necessary events coming up in the next couple of months.
10. Prepare an academic paper for submission to a journal- Professor asked me to co-author something, which is really exciting! Also planning some other projects.
11. Read 11 non-school books by different authors- read two books.  Actually 4, but two were by an author (Jane Austen) that I've already read.

New Cat Toy

This week, I was reading Turtlegirl 76's blog, and I saw a link to the cutest Etsy shop. I had to order a kickstick, and boy am I glad I did. As soon as I brought the package into the room, Fenway yowled and started trying to break open the package.

I have two very happy cats.

And when they are not playing with it, Fenway thinks it is a perfect pillow.

Happy Easter

These were a present from my mom.  Aren't they beautiful? I hope you have a wonderful Easter.
-Megan

Some Days I Just Feel Like This

Comic is Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Post. I don't know when he originally posted it. Re-posted from Thrifty Decor Chick blog.

Bella Rue: Part II

I am about 40 percent of the way through Bella Rue, so I thought it was time for another post. I learned one major lesson so far: alternating skeins of hand painted yarn is not optional, it is mandatory. I have no doubt you can see the line where I switched to my second skein, and then when I started alternating. I think hope in something other than bad bathroom lighting it is not quite this bad. I know it is noticeable now, but I am hoping when the whole sweater is done it will not scream out at you like this. I suppose I should rip it out and start again, but I am just not that type of knitter. Lesson learned.

How about a side view?

It's the Real Opening Day!

Dear Red Sox,

It is opening day at Fenway, one of the best days of the year. To make it even more special, you are playing the Yankees. Just as a gentle reminder, you are trying to win, not lose, remember?

Love,
Megan

BBC Top 100 Books

A challenge has been going around Facebook lately- how many of the BBC's Top 100 Books list have you read? Out of curiosity, I did it, and I have read 32 of the books. Some of the others are on my bookshelves, unread, and some I have never heard of. I also read probably a dozen of these books in abridged version when I was younger, but I am not counting those. I think some of the books will be making it to my summer reading list. I would like to have read at least 50 of them. For fun, these are the books I have read. You can see the whole list of books here.

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

How about you? How many of the books have you read?

PS- As a side note, I cannot believe the BBC would include so many Harry Potter books as well as Wilkie Collins and not include at least one Sherlock Holmes book.

Bella Rue: Part I

I started a new sweater. As soon as I saw the pattern for Bella Rue, I fell in love: the vintage feel, the cute collar, the back detailing, the pockets, oh my! I got the yarn at Web's anniversary sale last year, so I thought it was about time to use it. The pattern calls for about 100 more yards than I have, so I made the collar a little shorter. I also do not know if I will make the pockets. They are one of my favorite parts, but I think they might draw too much attention to my bulges curves. I might add some bust darts too, to make it fit a little better.

Anyway, I need about 5 skeins of the yarn I am using, Araucania Nature Wool Solids, so I thought it would be fun to show you how far I get after each skein. Without further ado, here is the first twenty percent of my Bella Rue:

And a detail shot of the collar and button band:

2011 Goals- March Recap

I always feel like March is divided into two months: pre-Spring Break and post-Spring Break. I can barely remember before break. Here's my recap: a pretty good month for knitting and reading, but not so much for anything else.

1. Make one scrapbook- no
2. Start and finish a sweater- no
3. Make a color work project- no
4. Knit Nana and Grandad socks- started socks for Nana but had to rip them out because they were too big
5. Finish or frog all 2010 knitting projects- Finished two projects, the baby booties and Mr. DB's scarf
6. Make a felt advent calendar- no
7. Work out 111 times- worked out 7 times
8. Lose 11% of my body weight- gained a little, so back to 0
9. Learn to walk in high heels- forgot about this one
10. Prepare an academic paper for submission to a journal- I'm still in the ideas stages
11. Read 11 non-school books by different authors- read several books. This is by far the easiest goal

Something That Isn't Green

Another finished object, and an old one at that. I am halfway through finishing my 2010 projects, hooray!

Pattern: Saartje's Booties the Bockstark Way by Kris Stanton
Yarn:KUAS Yarns Fingering Weight Superwash Blend Wool in Sex in the City
Needle: size 2.5 circular
Date Started: October 16, 2010
Date Finished: March 29, 2011
Comments: These were supposed to be a baby gift, but I decided I want to make a set with a hat or sweater instead. I will put them aside, because I am sure someday someone will have a baby girl, even though none of my friends are even considering such action and my relatives are past the baby-making years. (Not to mention it is not even in my 5 year plan!) The actual knitting did not take too long, I just got lazy about making the button loops. There is a fantastic tutorial here.

Interstate Traveler Scarf

This is the scarf with the world's longest bind off. I named it the Interstate Traveler Scarf because I worked on it during our drive from Virginia to Wisconsin. I think I was binding off through all of Ohio, parts of Indiana, and for several hours in Wisconsin. That is because it is a sewn bind off, so I had to start with three times the length (probably about 5 feet, so 15 feet or so of yarn). Mr. DB kept making fun of me: "Through pull pull pull pull pull. Through pull pull pull pull pull..." I am very happy with the final product though. This is my favorite jewel tone shade of green, and I think it has the perfect amount of ruffle. And isn't the shawl pin adorable? I got it from fibrespace, where I also bought the yarn.

Pattern:Palindrome: A Little Jazz by Samantha Roshak
Yarn:Miss Babs Yummy Monochrome Sport & Sock Yarn - 3 Ply in My Kelley
Needle: size 5 circular
Date Started: January 12, 2010
Date Finished: March 13, 2011
Comments: I made a few mods: cast on 220 stitches to make it longer and increased front and back on every stitch to make it more ruffly. Here it is stretched out:

Button and Brad Bobby Pin Tutorial

I recently got my hair cut very short and decided the style needed some cute accessories. I trolled Etsy for awhile, but decided that I could make my own at no cost. I did up a little tutorial. Nothing earth shattering, but it is a fun little project.

Supplies

• Hot glue gun. Mine is actually a low-heat one, but I think I hot one would work better so that it stays tacky longer for better placement.
• Old buttons and or brads
• Bobby pins

This is what I did to make my new favorite hair accessories.

1. Look through your crafting stash and find interesting buttons and brads. This is a great way to use up single items because you do not need a matching set.
2. Clear off your table so that it looks presentable in pictures. Not that my apartment ever looks anything but presentable.
3. Gather supplies.
   
4. Plug in hot glue gun.
5. Do laundry and have a cup of coffee. Coffee may be substituted for your favorite caffeinated beverage. One of those lucky people who eschews caffeine? Have a glass of water. It is almost always good for you.
6. Get distracted for 10 minutes trying to figure out how to spell the word eschew.
7. For buttons, put a line of hot glue on the flat surface. I tried the loop, but I found that was not large enough to be secure, so instead I used a radius of the button. The diameter would probably work better, but unless you have extra long bobby pins, that might make the pin too short.
   

8. Quickly line up and put the flat part of a bobby pin into the glue.
9. Press firmly.

10. For brads, fold over the flaps.


11. Put glue on one of the flaps.
12. Quickly line up and put the flat part of a bobby pin into the glue.

13. Admire your handy work.

14. Realize that it is 11:30 and you have not done anything useful yet today.
15. Put your new bobby pins aside to let them bind.
16. I suggest you find a place away from cats and other creatures that might think they are fun toys.

17. Clean up your materials and actually do something for work or school.
18. But first, more caffeine (or water).
19. Wait a month or so until you have done your hair to take "after" pictures.