SBQ and Storykeeper

I decided to particpate in the HAED UFO SAL this weekend so that I could work on something besides Magic Witch(not that I don't like working on her, but I needed a little break). It was a great break--I LOVED it. I just love the blues in this piece and it goes sooooo fast after stitching Magic Witch which is loaded with confetti stitches(not that there is anything wrong with that).

So here is what I ended up with:

Storykeeper(3.6% OR 4800 stitches)

Now it's back to Magic Witch until she is done :)


Today's SBQ was suggested by Elisabeth
(http://sew-in-love.blogspot.com/) and is:

How many pieces have you stitched?
I've been stitching off and on since I was 12, but I don't have that many finishes. I've done 5 Precious Moments, 2 Garfield, 12 Cherished Teddies(months of the year for a baby quilt), 1 Lavender and Lace, 3 random--craft store kits, and 1 Shepherd's Bush needleroll. I also have a bunch of WIP/UFOs.

Out of these, how many have been
for you?
1--one of the Precious Moments ones I did in high school. That's just sad that I give most of them away, BUT that will change with my HAED designs--no one is getting their hands on those.

How many have had specialty stitches or other techniques
besides cross stitch? 2--the L&L had beading and the SB had specialty stitches

What Sign Should You Be?

It's a bummer I was born a Pisces then.

You Should Be A Virgo

What's good about you: you have a quiet determination and aren't swayed by emotions What's bad about you: you are an insane perfectionist and easily find faults in others In love: you are obsessed with making your partner happy In friendship, you're: helpful and giving - eager to be a true friend Your ideal job: poet, flight attendant, or natural healer Your sense of fashion: casual, upscale, revealing, conservative - you look good in all of it You like to pig out on: a well prepared five course meal

What Sign Should You Be?

Magic Witch and Booking Through Thursday

Magic Witch 75%

Moving right along on Magic Witch. 23700/31350 stitches done. I have had to amend my timeline on this one just a bit. The tentative finish date right now is October 19(I really want it done before Halloween and before HAEDs New Start SAL). Magic Witch will be taking a break this weekend as I work on Storykeeper for the UFO SAL.

I am also making progress on my top down raglan as part of my Project Clean Sweep month--hopefully I'll have the body done soon(I have about 4 more inches before the ribbing), then just 2 sleeves and I'll have a nice red sweater for winter.


Booking Through Thursday

1. Do you tend to read more books written by one gender over the other? Yes


2. If so, which one? Men? Or women? Is this a deliberate choice? Or just something that kind of happened? I tend to read more books by women, but it's not a deliberate choice. The story is more important to me than the sex of the author.


3. And (without wanting to get too personal), is this your gender? Female

Booking Through Thursday

But, enough about books. . . what else do you read?? Magazines? Newspapers? Professional journals? Cereal boxes? Phone books? Purchase invoices? Homework?
(Please be specific. There may be a test later.)

What else do I read?
**magazines(Real Simple, Better Homes and Gardens, Weight Watchers, Runners World, Celebrating Greyhounds, Interweave Knits, Cast On, Parenting)
**Professional Journals(Journal of Adult and Adolescent Literacy, The Reading Teacher, and as soon as it starts coming--Voices from the Middle and the English Journal)
**miscellaneous(various blogs/websites, Diva's homework, countless picture books, and song lyrics)

Avast, Me Beauties

Tis that time of year again. Talk like a Pirate Day be here again, so grab a pint of grog and celebrate. Black Bess Cash speaks,"Do Capt'n Jack and t' rest o' t' Black Pearl Crew(or is it Black Purl to all ye pirate knitters out thar?) proud on this joyous day o' all days! Dress in your pirate finery and show t' lubbers out thar what good pirates ye be."

What's Your Inner Hair Color?

Your Hair Should Be Purple

Intense, thoughtful, and unconventional. You're always philosophizing and inspiring others with your insights.

What's Your Funky Inner Hair Color?

Magic Witch

Magic Witch 73%

I am definitely heading into the final laps with Magic Witch. I have 22900/31350 done. And I have pretty much all of her face.

I am unfortunately behind in my goal to get her done by the end of the month. It's still possible but it's going to take a big push between now and the 30th. This week though stitching has felt like a chore(and that's not why I do it). I really, really, really want to get this done but I don't want to hate it when I'm finished either.

The knitting bug has pulling at me big time this week. Eunny posted the rest of her sock pattern--and her sock looks spectacular! I want to make that sock--I REALLY want to make that sock--I even got my computer to cooperate and print the charts for me. I think it may be my Socktober piece(along with Arrgyle).

Wow

I love this. I could sit and read Eunny's blog forever--all her work is amazing.

I would love to try those socks; I'm going to wait patiently for a pattern. If I could see all of the charts I'd print them out, but for some reason my computer only puts up the top three rows of chart 15 and half a row of the chart to the left of that. The whole key shows up though.

For now I'll just enjoy the pictures :)

Stuff and Nonsense

Stuff:

My Secret Pal, Valerie, has started a shop to sell her stitch markers. She made me some when I was her pal and I bought another set from her shop. This is good stuff--she finds such unique beads. Go check it out :)


And, Cynthia must have been up bright and early(or very late) over on the East Coast, because I was greeted with an email early this morning bidding me to check out these. They were in the new Knitty and I'm fighting the urge to purchase them asap. My only problem is that I rarely, if ever, knit with size 13 needles(WAY too big); SO they'd be purely decorative(and really there is nothing wrong with that) ;)

Nonsense:

Remember my autumn knit list? Well the new Knitty has provided even more fodder for the list. I already printed out Viveka(I love the sleeves on that) and I'm thinking Sherwood might work for Diva(I have some nice lilac colored cotton fleece I think would work well) or Rage.

And I haven't decided if this is brilliant insanity or insanely brilliant, but I may work up the courage to give it a shot.

What Part of Fall are You?

You Are Apple Cider

Smooth and comforting. But downright nasty when cold.

What Part of Fall Are You?

This description is pretty accurate as Fall is tied with Winter as my least favorite seasons.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday

1. We asked last week about what draws you to your favorite kind/genre of book. This week, we want to know--how often do you depart from that comfort zone? If you love mysteries, do you ever read fantasy? If you primarily read cookbooks, do you ever read a good romance? This is such a great question. When I was teaching, I always told my students that you need to be open minded to all types of literature. I used to insist that they give a book at least a chapter before they decided they didn't like it. That being said I am one of the worst offenders in pigeon holing myself into a very limited genre.


2. How MUCH variety is there in your reading? Do you mostly stick to one type, with just the occasional toe-dip into a different style? Or do you generally read a variety of things, just, maybe more of your favorite style than anything else? As far as fiction goes, I read predominantly fantasy(narrowing it even further to things with werewolves, vampires, fey, dragons, etc.) I do read other things as the mood strikes me. I'd say the only genre I really can't stand is historical fiction--blah! I read a fair amount of nonfiction too. Anything I have an interest in, I tend to read all I can on the subject. I love to research.

Magic Witch--the Quest for the Finish!

Magic Witch

This week I'm up to 20900 stitches which is 66.6% done. I'm a little behind but I should be able to catch up to my personal goal of 25456 stitches by September 16.

I'm loving this right now; it's so nice to finally be working on the witch :)

RIP 2006 Autumn Challenge

Moving on into fall. Amanda talked about this challenge and it's perfect for me because it runs through the end of October. I won't be reading much(if at all)in November as it will be Nanowrimo time again--hurray!!



Here are my five choices for this latest challenge:
(1) Magician's Gambit(Eddings)
(2) Castle of Wizardry(Eddings)
(3) Enchanter's Game(Eddings)
(4) The Pit and the Pendulum(Poe)
(5) The Premature Burial(Poe)

The first three may not be in the exact spirit of the challenge but I want to finish so they're staying and the last two definitely go with the theme.

Summer Reading Challenge--The Final Tally

Lord of the Rings
The Belgariad
The Black Jewels Trilogy
Eldest
Knit the Classics(1 summer book)
rereading HP4-6
rereading Dark Hunter series: finished
Dark Side of the Moon: finished
Danse Macabre: finished
Sword of Darkness: finished
How Full is Your Bucket?: finished
Pawn of the Prophecy(Book 1 Belgariad): finished
Queen of Sorcery(Book 2 Belgariad): finished

Now for a little non fiction. My husband asked me to read How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton. First, the print is HUGE and it's only 111 pages(barely a book as far as I'm concerned). Personally, I wouldn't have paid $20 for it. It's all about being positive and creating positive interactions. It was okay. Did it make me more positive? I doubt it.

I finished 6 books total over the summer and I'm pleased with that. I am really loving the Belgariad and I'm enjoying savoring each and every page. Thanks to everyone who recommended it to me!

Recent Stash Acquisitions

This is the booty from my August Stashalong Free Day--I'd bought some and ordered some and wanted to wait until I had it all in one place to post it :)


Stash Enhancement

Bottom up:
4 skeins Blackberry Ridge DK in Joyce's Choice for a Clapotis
2 skeins Lorna's Laces Sport in Springer(Diva picked this out for a hat--so technically it's not mine--it's also not a colorway I would pick out)
1 skein Knit Picks Superwash sock yarn in Bare
3 skeins Knit Picks Essential sock yarn in black, burgandy, and ash
2 skeins(only on pictured) Socks that Rock in Lucy(eventually for socks because one of my kitties is the same color as Lucy)

All the Knit Picks yarn is for the pirate argyle socks.
And the STR Lucy yarn is something I'm going to covet for a little while ;)

Purple

Dark Purple

To others, you seem a bit dark, mysterious, and moody. In truth, you are just a very unique person who doesn't care what others think. And you really enjoy your offbeat interests and friends. You've decided that life is about living for yourself - simple as that.

What Color Purple Are You?

Project Spectrum Clean Sweep

Okay--here's what I'd like to accomplish knitting/stitching wise this month.

(1) Finish Magic Witch(April Project Spectrum piece)--a lofty goal, but doable(if I'm determined enough)

(2) Finish my top down raglan(March Project Spectrum piece)

I know it's not much but I'm trying to set "realistic goals" rather than ones that I can't reach--the eyes bigger than your stomach phenomenon; or in the case, the eyes bigger than your ability ;)