The 'Puffs are doing a KAL!

And I'm in! They're doing Wendy Bernard's Dream Swatch head wrap. It's one that I printed out a while ago, and put in my binder of "To-Knit Items". The binder has since multiplied into two binders, but that's neither here nor there, lol.



So anyway, the KAL starts Friday, and ends around the 16th-just in time for the next round of Quidditch!



I'm going to use Fingering Weight, while the pattern calls for DK. I want to use one of my new Dexter yarns for this... Bay Harbor Butcher, to be specific. Here it is, in all it's glory:

So, I'll be knitting it on size 3 needles, and can't wait to CO! I'll be knitting through the party on Friday. Woo Hoo!

House Quiz #3!

Who is your favorite member of the Order of the Phoenix? Sirius Black.

Favorite person at Hogwarts? Hermione

Favorite spell or charm to use? Reparo. It comes in very handy with my two clumsy house elves.
Best and worst classes at Hogwarts? Best? Transfiguration. Worst? Herbology. No green thumb here... More like black thumb!

Favorite flower? Calla Lily

What is your beverage of choice? Coffee, tea, latte, soda/pop? Soda. Coke, more specifically

Favorite muggle music? Barenaked Ladies

How many family members do you have? 4. Me, the husband, and the two house elves.

What do you do on your summer vacation? What is your Favorite vacation ever taken? If we can get away, we usually visit family in Vermont. My favorite was our Honeymoon trip to Antigua.

What is your favorite subject at Hogwarts? Why? Transfiguration. I think we all want to change sometimes.

How many pairs of shoes (footwear) do you have? Which are your favorite pair? Over 40. Once I hit 40 pair, I stopped counting! I love my black boots. Stiletto heels. Come to just below my knees.

How many projects do you have OTN (on the needles)? 7

What is the oldest project you're working on and when did you cast it on? Michael's baby blanket. I cast on for it as soon as I found out Alicia was pregnant. Michael was born last Friday, and I'm still not done with the blanket. *oops*. It's not hard. Just straight garter stitch... But its sooooo boring! lol.

Favorite Food(s): Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans with whole milk to drink. Yum!

Firsts

Emma Gorodok asked on her blog for us to post about our "knitting firsts", and link her to our blog for a chance to win a free copy of the GORGEOUS bag she made for the bag contest in the HSKS5 swap. Here's mine!

Today I tried i-cord for the FIRST time. I needed to make some for the bag I'm making for my spoilee. A bit awkward to start off, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly, and was soon on my way! I have one done, and one to go. It only took me about five-ten minutes once I got the hang of what I was doing!

I'm also currently working on my FIRST sock (Monkey) which is ALSO my FIRST lace project.

At the same time, I have my FIRST sweater OTN, a gift for my dh. It's my FIRST cabled project as well....

Lots of FIRSTs for me! All during my FIRST year at Hogwarts, too! I should be exhausted!!!

Excited

About a bunch of things!

1: I've started the ordering for the things in my Hogwarts swap package, and my handmade item is done. I can't wait to see everything come together!

2: I got my swap partner for my "Favorite Things" swap, and have started filling my box.

3: I've signed up for the "Baker's Dozen" sock KAL. Starting in June, there'll be a pattern a month for a year, with a 13th pattern on-going as the year goes by. I think I'm going to piggy-back this with the F.R.I.E.N.D.S KAL, and make the monthly socks in the next season's box color... Two birds, one stone... All that Jazz.

4: Laura is finally potty trained at night. Just in time, too... I had used my last diaper the other day!

5: Kyle (my brother) picked out his birthday present. He was looking through my "Son of Stitch 'n' Bitch" book. He was debating between a hat and a sweater. Thankfully (for both my sanity AND my wallet) he picked the hat. LOL

I'm in Love...

With "Cosmic Fibers" aka DharmaFey on Rav. LOOK...Just LOOK at her yarns inspired by the Showtime series "Dexter". Oh so very yummy.... I'll be snatching up the whole set as soon as that stimulus check graces my mailbox. She custom dyes. I can NOT wait. Here are the yarns, in alphabetical order:

103:(inspired by the bloodbath found in Room 103)

Bay Harbor Butcher: Beneath the Bay:
Dexter:
Dexter's Canvas:
Dark Defender:
Hawaiian Shirts:
(inspired by the shirts worn by Dexter and the rest of the P.D.)

Hooker's Fingernails:
(if you've seen the show, this makes perfect sense. If not, watch the show! She
actually did freeze frames to match the colors perfectly!)

Ice Truck Killer:
Lila:

These colors are all perfect representations of the characters and situations they allude to. Oh man... I really can't wait to get these in my hands! Even Jake (my husband) is excited... He wants a pair of socks in "Dark Defender". I told him I'd make them in "Hooker's Fingernails" lol... When I told him about these, he rolled his eyes at me and said "Oh man.... You're obsessed with that show. What's THIS gonna cost me?" But honey.... You get a discount for buying them all.... ;)

In the end, I had to agree to put away half the amount in increments between now and the time our check comes, and the other half can come from the check. I also had to agree to go on a spending freeze... No more yarn, no more scrap stuff, no eating out... NOTHING. For six months. I think it'll be worth it. Considering that besides these 10, I also have five unrelated hanks coming from an ebay seller, one on it's way from etsy, plus there's the HSKS going on, which'll give me one, and the "Favorite Things" swap may have yarn in it... Plus, within the six months of no spending come my birthday AND Christmas. :) Doesn't sound too hard to get through to me, lol...

Swap Partners!

Yay! I'm so excited! The owl dropped off my parners today! Both the person I get to spoil, and the person who is spoiling me are in Slytherin. I can't wait to get to know everyone. Hopefully my spoilee will post on her blog soon so I can get to know her. I can't wait to start tailor-making her parcel!

Enrichment

My enrichment counselor and I got together last week to talk over some ideas for spring/summer for enrichment, and the quarterly enrichment meeting. I think we came up with some great things!
We're going to be making lap robes (little blankets that fit onto your lap, for watching TV, or great for those who are wheel-chair bound. These will be donated to a local nursing home, for a great service project!
We'll be taking a road trip to Old Sturbridge Village (http://www.osv.org/) in June for Wool Days!
We're looking into going to Shakespeare in the Park, a 4th of July fireworks get-together, and maybe even a minor league ball game this summer for families!
We're looking into doing a FHE packet group. If you aren't familiar with the LDS church, go to: http://http//www.lds.org/hf/fhe/welcome/0,16785,4210-1,00.html to read more about Family Home Evening. This group would be a great way for the sisters to get ideas for FHE.
For our quarterly meeting, we're having three great classes!
1. A Mother's Panel. We'll have 4 or 5 mothers from the ward on a panel, and the sisters in the class will be able to ask them parenting questions, to get ideas on how other women of the same faith handle the same issues that they are facing.
2. A bread class. The sisters who take this class will bake something, and get a packet with recipes to take home!
3. "Your Personal History in an Hour". This class will discuss writing your journal, and getting YOUR story recorded, and will include journal prompts, like "What is your favorite Christmas Memory?"


So, lots of stuff in the works! I'm so excited, and can't wait to see this all come to fruition! :) I really hope that these things we have planned will edify the sisters, and uplift them!

HSKS 5

I just found this cool thing on Ravelry (http://www.ravelry.com). It's the "Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap 5: The Order of the Phoenix". How cool is that? I signed up, so hopefully I'll be accepted. Would that not be the most awesome thing in the world? lol. It's a three month swap, at the end of which you get (and give) a package with a handmade item, sock yarn in your house (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin) colors, new knitting needles, a knitting accessory (stitch markers, row counter, etc.), and a knit or crochet pattern. There can also be other "extras". Stuff that the person who has your name has learned about you during the three months the swap has gone on. How awesome is that? :) I'm super excited, and really hope I get into Hogwarts!