A Favorite Picture

Mr. DB took this picture last summer during a trip with friends to a lake in Northern Wisconsin (or was it Michigan? I cannot remember). I had it blown up and printed on canvas. It has been sitting in my closet since before Christmas. I finally hung it up on the wall behind my couch this weekend. It makes me sublimely happy. Not only do I think of him every time I walk into my living room, but it is so tranquil and peaceful that it calms me, even if I am walking in the room to do homework.

Waiting

Not exactly my favorite early Saturday am activity. Good thing I really love the Red Sox and Mr. DB. I'm trying to get tickets to see my beloved Sox play his Brewers in June.

I'm pretty sure this is what I am going to see all day.

ETA: I got in an hour and 40 min later, and the only tickets they had for the three games was standing room only, and I hate that. :( Maybe we can find last minute tickets.

Snow!

Last night we got our first school canceling snowstorm of the season. I was going to say school canceling worthy snowstorm, but that just is not true. People around here are whimps. I am sure my family in Boston, who just got another foot of snow or so, are laughing at us right now. It is ok, we deserve it. However, not having to go to class last night was really nice.

Phew!

I passed my big exam :)

What I'm Obsessed with Right Now- Links

1. Sewing blogs. Green Apples is one of my favorites right now.

2. Vintage clothing. Seriously, it is all I want to buy. Check out Vixen Vintage- her outfits are beyond adorable. I want her wardrobe sooo bad.

For a combination of 1 and 2, see the Sew Retro blog. I really like that it is a collaboration between many different crafters.

3. Gray. Basically anything. I'm obsessed with the color. My most recent purchase? Cute rain boots.

4. Ruffles, especially on blouses and accessories.

I guess I am going through a girly-girl phase, which is so funny because that is not me at all.

5. Knitting a sweater. I'm dreaming about Parcel, Turn of the Glass, Hay Cardigan, Plain and Simple Pullover (Ravelry link), Goodale, and Sarah Rose.

Back to Reality

I spent a very nice long weekend in Michigan visiting my boyfriend. I even managed to get some knitting done while watching football. Mr. DB* was thrilled that my A Little Jazz is "Packer Green." Of course, for the upteenth trip, I brought my camera and forgot to take pictures.

Now it is back to reality. My to-do list is impossibly long. For now though I'm enjoying a few quiet moments drinking coffee and eating my Nana's zucchini bread with one of my cats snuggled on my lap. They have been crazy, so I know they missed me.

*Everyone needs a good blog nickname, right? No, my boyfriend and I are not super formal. Nor are his initials DB. It's a shortened version of a joke name my family calls him.

Recent Purchases

I have been trying to be very good about not buying yarn lately, especially because I have not been knitting as much. Still, I could not resist a few additions (clockwise from top left): Miss Babs, Plucky Knitter, another Plucky Knitter, and Dream in Color. You should recognize the last one from my Ripley. The Miss Babs is a beautiful Kelly green. I took a million pictures in all sorts of light, but I just could not capture it. I've started working on A Little Jazz with that. The other green, the Plucky Knitter, will be a Joyful January Hat, I believe. I am not quite sure about the gray Plucky yet. Any suggestions for me?

I also bought some madelinetosh sport in the colorway crumble. I wish I could get a better picture. Here is a link to the picture on Etsy. It is a richer color than it appears on my monitor, and soo pretty. I think it will become an Autumn Vines Beret, although I am worried that it might blend in a little too much with my hair color.

First Finished Object of 2011

Please excuse the terrible, I-just-woke-up-am-wearing-my-around-the-house-clothes-and-no-makeup-and-I-really-need-to-dye-my-hair photo.

Pattern:Ripley by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Giant Peach
Needle: size 10 DPN
Date Started: January 9, 2011
Date Finished: January 9, 2011
Comments: This project was absolutely perfect for what I wanted it for- an easy, quick-gratification project to blow off steam after comps. It did not even take me an entire day to finish. I think I picked up the stitches on the wrong side, but I kind of like the bump, so it is ok. I chose to do a hybrid version between the two levels of slouch. I am way into vintage looking stuff right now (more on that later), and I like the fact that this hat has a slight vintage feel with the pleats. Which, by the way, were not nearly as difficult as I thought they would be. Plus it matches my warm winter coat.

It's a Big Day!

Please keep your fingers crossed for me! I'm taking my first set of qualifying exams for my PhD today. It is very grueling: 3 7-page essays in 15 hours (assuming the questions for the article review I already wrote did not change). I have been studying for months, and basically full time for the last week, so I feel confident in what I know. However, the sheer magnitude of information (7 semester long classes full!) means that it is impossible to know everything. So here's to hoping that they ask questions I know or I can find the answers to quickly, and then I do not drop dead of exhaustion in the middle!

PS- There might be radio silence for awhile. I am going to need some rest and relaxation, and classes start again Monday.

Everyone Loves Knitting

I bought this shawl, rather than making it, but I am glad Fenway appreciates hand knitting. Maybe I should make him a snuggly blanket for the cat bed I need to get around to buying him.

Full disclosure, although this is a cute picture, I was mostly trying to figure out how to post photos directly from my IPhone. It didn't work. Does anyone know how to do that? If not, I guess I'll just have to read the owner's manual, or better yet, ask my boyfriend who always seems to know how to do that kind of thing. Perhaps there is a Blogger app?

Last FOs of 2010

Yes, I did do a little knitting the last couple of months. I think there are a couple of things I did not show you, but these are all I can think of for now- a baby sweater and matching hat for my stepmother's new niece.

Pattern:Louise Cardigan by Kristen Rengren and Cat-eared Baby hat by Sophy T. O'Donnell
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in Giant Peach
Needle: size 4 circular (sweater), size 1.5 and 2.5 circular (hat)
Date Started Sweater: October 30, 2010
Date Finished Sweater: December 19, 2010
Date Started Hat: December 20, 2010
Date Finished Hat: December 24, 2010
Comments: I'm not quite sure what sizes these are, but aren't they cute? I have decided I really enjoy making baby stuff. I do not know anyone else who is even remotely close to having a baby, but I think I might just start knitting stuff for the fun of it, and find a baby to put them on later. I did not make any major mods to the sweater, but I skipped the button tab and the ears on the hat.

A detail shot:

Happy 2011!

Well hello there! I know, it has been forever. I cannot even begin to tell you everything that has kept me busy. I will say that I'm taking the first round of comprehensive exams for my PhD soon, so things are still a little up in the air. However, let's not dwell on that, ok?

It is a new year. I know for a lot of people that means New Years Resolutions. I hate this concept. I am sure I explained why at some other point, so suffice to say I do not make them. However, I love to do lists. I think they are the perfect way to organize your life. And let's be honest, if I do not write something down, I am probably going to forget it. So while it might just sound like semantics, although I do not like New Years Resolutions, I am a fan of yearly goals. In honor of 2011, I decided on 11 goals this year. It was difficult because I think I actually have closer to 15 to 18, but I believe in being realistic. My goals range from the typical, to the crafty, to the slightly silly.

Without further ado, my 2011 goals:

1. Make one scrapbook
2. Start and finish a sweater
3. Make a color work project
4. Knit Nana and Grandad socks
5. Finish or frog all 2010 knitting projects (there are 4)
6. Make a felt advent calendar
7. Work out 111 times
8. Lose 11% of my body weight (no, I am not going to tell you how much I weigh)
9. Learn to walk in high heels
10. Prepare an academic paper for submission to a journal
11. Read 11 non-school books by different authors
    

PS- Maybe I should have made posting on the blog more often a goal.