Finished!

So, I've been a bit quiet. Mea Culpa. Things have been rather hectic around here, but I'm hoping to get all updated.

I have a bunch of projects on my needles, have snagged some more fabulous fibers and stitch markers, and I doubt I'll ever get the opportunity to share them all with you. LOL.

However, I did just finish a hat and I want to introduce you to the Bubba hat:

The Bubba Hat ... in action

It was crafted from this fabulous yarn I snagged over at Gherkin's Bucket on Etsy. It's creamy, soft, luscious and just sparkly enough to keep me happy without sending me into a glitter-coma. The pattern is Handmaiden's In An Evening Toque hat, found on Ravelry.

Here are the yarn skeins I got:

Bubba - Superwash Merino/Silk/Nylon Sparkle/Faux Cashmere blend; bulky, 90yds

Quinn - 80/20 Superwash Merino/Silk blend; worsted, 202yds

The colorways are from the Vamp Camp Collection and are based on characters from the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Yes, I am a fan. I couldn't resist and the price was SO reasonable it made it a certainty that they'd be mine:)

I also picked up some stitch markers from the lovely soccerchic21 over on Etsy as well. Again, with the True Blood series (and trust me, there are more I'm waiting on because I went on a mini shopping spree as it had been ages since I'd gotten yarns to fondle!)

Eric Northman markers

Pam markers

Sam Merlotte markers

I have a few more projects on the needles right now and hopefully, when finished, I'll share them!

XOXO,
Bella

Happy Post-Zombie Jesus Day!

This is what I get to see everyday that I take Dragon to work. See? Mountains:D

So not much going on in our household this weekend (or for the past few weeks rather) thus the lack of updates. HOWEVER!!! I have completed some projects, started some new ones, taken a SLEW of pictures and I am here to inflict all of this information upon you.

Behold ye, and tremble in fear.

Purple Jade and Sterling Silver...so pretty!

This is a purple jade pendant with a silver dragon on it, courtesy of Uwajimaya Market in downtown Seattle. I also got some Puchi miniature meals...and they are made of awesome and cute!

Puchi Mini Meals...dangerously addictive.

It was amazing and we will definitely be going again sometime soon. It's so refreshing to finally have a place to go to get the awesome Japanese food that I remember from Japan:)

Now, on to the completed works! First up the infamous crochet orange scarf and knitted hat out of the Orange Slices Merino yarn from Andrea :

Finally completed. Very warm and very bright, they help to keep the dreary Seattle chill away. My favorite part (aside from the yarn) is the edging. It's a crochet braid stitch that looks to be much more complicated than it really is.

Then I splurged a little bit (a whole $6) and bought the Applejack hat pattern from Croshay Designs and proceeded to make two of them. The first is out of the amazing BFL in the ColdSteel colorway from the faboo Andrea .

And what's more, I had so much left over that I decided it needed a scarf to go with it, so I'm currently using the Magic Scarf pattern by Crazy Aunt Purl and still working on it:

Then I used a combo of the Dexter colorway in Merino/Silk blend from Cosmic Fibers Yarn on Etsy and some of the Obsidian Merino/Tencel from Andrea :
I didn't have enough of the Dexter to do more than the hat, so I'm thinking that if I knit a scarf for this one I'll do it strictly out of the Obsidian. And I'm thinking cables:D

Then we have the latest Calorimetry that I'm making for my BFF Dawn down in Alabama out of the most AMAZING chunky baby alpaca yarn! I picked it up from Yarnzilla for a steal and I will definitely be getting more of it because oh...it's so lush! I believe the colorway is called Ember Melange and the photos just do NOT do it justice!

That's my little purple skull cupcake stitch marker from Scary Merry over on Etsy. I adore them:)

And last, but certainly not least, I'm working on yet another scarf, this time using the incredibly gorgeous Her Eyes tencel from Andrea . Again....photos cannot capture how truly beautiful this yarn is, folks.

Those are the new bamboo needles I picked up on Amazon for a steal! I now have no excuse because I now have every size from 0 - 13 in 9" straights and DPNs.

I'm using the Old Shale Pattern, found on Ravelry, and so far, it may not look like much, but I swear, when it's blocked? It's going to be utterly fabulous!

So that's it for now:) I swear it's taken me entirely too long to get this update on here. But I'm sure that after viewing such beautiful yarns, you'll need a rest.

The battle for the water box is on. First Blade...

Then Kratos;)

Until next time;)

XOXO
~Bella

Cold and snowy.

It was a snowy day yesterday, apparently. I woke up to huge fat flakes falling from the sky in that dizzying whirl that can hypnotize you if you stare at it for too long. It didn't last for too long, and it didn't stick, because it was gone by about 2pm, but it was pretty while it lasted.

We're coming up on the rainy season around here, apparently, with forecasts stating that it should be raining all week long. I actually rather like the overcast days with random sun breaks.

As Dragon said, it's a good thing we hit the Uwajimaya market downtown on Saturday. Oh, I was in absolute HEAVEN!! I've been yearning for Japanese culture since I've been back stateside these 11 or 12 years now, and I believe I've found everything I could possibly want at U market. It's definitely somewhere I'm going to be taking my parents when they come to visit:)

I'm still working on the orange scarf that never ends. I suppose it might go faster if I actually put in long stretches of time crocheting it. I really should get it finished before, say, spring, so I have a chance to wear it. *laughs* I think right now, it's approaching the length I want, I'm just noodling with various ideas of how to edge the thing. I think I might do just a simple picot edge because it just seems to cry out for something easy.

I received two WONDERFUL skeins from my yarn pimptress this past week. I am utterly enamored with these two yarns. They both satisfy my "dark yarn" sweet tooth while being utterly soft and fabulous. I don't know what to do with them yet, but I do want it to be something I can wear regularly because I really adore the colors! Here...let me show you:

On Cat's Paws (Merino/Bamboo)
Coldsteel (BFL)

I adore both of these yarns. SO pretty. So addictive. And I am totally on the hunt for something fantastic to turn them into!

In cooking news, I made a fantastic White Cheese Chicken Lasagna on Friday night. The only change I can think of making would be to season the chicken a bit more and add a tiny smidge more spinach, but overall, it was quite tasty.

Other than that, I've been busy busy with work. I'm thinking of dropping back down to one company as opposed to the two I'm working now. I feel like I'm burning the candle at both ends, but due to some financial obligations, I won't be ditching the first job until the middle of April, most likely. I'm anxious to get there and who knows? I might be able to manage it earlier rather than later.

Also, the months of June, July, and August apparently are going to be quite full for us! In June, we've been invited to join a bunch of coworkers in Las Vegas. Considering everyone in my family has been without me, this will be my first excursion and I'm quite excited! My mom will apparently be joining us there, as will my good friend Dawn from Alabama. It's about time I get to meet her!!

In July, my folks, my grandmother, and my aunt/uncle are apparently coming to visit for a week. It's shaping up to be quite a large group. Hopefully, I'll be able to come up with plenty of things to keep everyone occupied! Dragon might have to work a few of the days but that's fine...it saves him from having to deal with my relatives;)

And then in August, Dawn and Jeff might be coming to spend some time here! *bounces about* We're thinking of going to Hempfest because Dragon and I missed out last year, so it'll be 1000xs more fun with them along;)

So that's it, for updates right now. If I think of anything else, you'll be the first (or...second) to know;) And now? Some updated pics of our furbabies:

Kratos sits pretty for the camera.

Blade, showing off his pretty face.

Mumbles, interested in "other" things.

About as close to a group shot as I'm going to get. Kratos is the only one missing (and yes, the area is a disaster, but it's cleaner now!)

Shadow decided that one day this past week was "take your kitty to work day" and proceeded to firmy entrench himself in Dragon's work satchel.

Could you really resist this face? This face is the only reason he's still with us and not out in the snow. LOL!

That's all for now!

XOXO
Bella

*tap tap* Is this thing on?

Is this not the cutest face?

Mumbles impersonates Mom after a long night working the phones.

I've been remiss in updating, but I have a good reason! I've been working my happy little ass off in an effort to both pay my bills (current and upcoming) AND to start feeding my yarn addiction again.

Miss Andrea is tempting me like whoa and that squeaky sound you're hearing is me over here wringing my hands in wanton lust at some of the most beautiful fibers I've seen yet. Here...let me show you. First up? The ones I'm dying to beg her to add to my stash...seriously:

Pressed Roses (Hemp)
Is this not one of the most lovely dusty rose colors you've ever seen?

Depression Glass (Tencel)
Something about this color just calls to me. I don't know if it's the darkness, or if it's the way the darkness is made light with the shiny nature of the tencel...either way, it's gorgeous and I covet it.

Wallpaper in Old Rooms (Shetland)
I..uh...have this thing about purple yarns. And, I know I already have too many skeins of purple yarn but frankly? I don't care. I love this one.

Black Cherries (BFL)
See above. But this one? This one is special. This one, provided no one else snags it? This one I am definitely going to beg Andrea for because omg. I seriously adore this like whoa.

And then, we have the ones that ARE in my stash right now:

Blood Ties (BFL)

This color is so decadent. I already know what I'm going to use it on. And I can't wait!!

Learning to Climb (Hemp)
I don't think words can adequately express how much I adore hemp yarn. No really. This lovely skein is already slated to become a fabulous hat that I am almost guaranteed to wear everywhere.

Dark Opal (tencel)
Along with my adoration of hemp comes my utter love for tencel, courtesy of the delicious Andrea herself. I also have an obsession with black opals...and this just combines the best of both worlds for me.

Sam's Eyes (Tencel)
This is the commissioned yarn I asked for. The color is absolutely perfect for what I asked for and it will be turned into a fabulous shawl that I swear to All will be worn at every available opportunity.

Dragon's Tail (Tussah Silk)
This one is for my Dragon. I saw it and immediately thought of him. Plus, it'll be my first foray into knitting with silk. I can't wait!

On Cat's Paws (Merino/Tencel)
One of my favorite poems from childhood, and again with the grey/blue prettiness that is quickly starting to rival purple as my favorite colorway.

Amethyst (Hemp)
Again. With the purple. And the hemp. How predictable am I?

So there you have it. The pretty pretties that I'm totally looking forward to in the coming month. I've been suffering yarn withdrawal due to fundage issues, but with the new job literally swinging along? That won't be a problem anymore. I'm sure my Dragon will be SO pleased. {/sarcasm} But...if I can keep him indulging his comics/collectables addictions, then he can wholeheartedly support my yarn/oils addictions and we'll just be happy as two peas in a pod!

On the work front, things are really great. I've had a rough go of it only with getting my body back into the "work all night, sleep/work all day" routine, but I think I've finally finagled a solution. I cannot even express how thankful I am to have gotten this second job because it is, head and shoulders, a step above any other phone work I've done. It's a well oiled machine (pardon the pun) and every single thing they've achieved is fabulous. I feel like I'm a part of a community who actively WANTS me to succeed. Of course, this means less time to blog here because now I have to keep up a blog for them AND chat with callers AND keep up with SC work...it's exhausting, but I'm still trying to make sure I carve out time every night to do a little knit/crochet.

I may bitch, but lordy, I am blessed. This month has been especially rough on both of us, but I'm overjoyed that there's a light at the end of the tunnel...and it ISN'T another oncoming train.

Add to that these two little morsels of happiness: My brother IS actually engaged to be married, so there's a trip to Florida sometime next year for that. And the second morsel? My mom told me that she and dad are coming to visit this July! *dances* Now, the only down side (which, theoretically SHOULDN'T be) is that somehow *coughDADcough* my grandmother got wind of their plan...and it has now become a family affair. I guess it's going to be my folks, my grandmother, AND my aunt n' uncle along for the ride. So let's just say that July is going to be quite...interesting.

*yawns* Okay, my bebes! I need to get some sleep. My dragon should be puttering around now getting ready for work. I'm super proud of him for keeping a 93% on his numbers at work! Today he's bringing home GS cookies in celebration. *dances* I may not need them for my hips, but my tummy really digs this time of year.

Until later, dumplings!

XOXO
Bella

Foggy days, crisp nights.

The last few days have been full o' fog around here and I've been enjoying every minute of it. To my macabre mind, I suppose it's just spooky enough to make it feel more surreal than it might to the average Pacific Northwesterner.

But then, I'm still newly transplanted.

It's a new year, therefore new goals, hassles, irritations and triumphs. We've been getting out and seeing the city more, slowly but surely, and I'm currently dying to get tickets for Cinematic Titanic's first show here in March. In case you don't already know, and I'm sure most of you don't, I'm a huge fan of MST3K. So when CT announced tour dates, you know I'll be in attendance:) See, this is one of the big reasons we moved here in the first place. The opportunities are crazy! Combine that with another Abney Park show next month and you've got a me that's just squirming in her pants to get out and get on with it!

I've been working on a new scarf. I'm using the lovely orange merino I got earlier this month and after searching high and low, I settled on a scarf that's similar to the Circle Crochet Scarf pattern and I fully intended on using that particular pattern. But then, while perusing through my Encyclopedia of Crochet the other day and found the perfect stitch pattern for it.

See, I envisioned this scarf, because of the yarn, looking like little slices of mandarin oranges, so I went with Catherine's Wheel. And yes, it's crochet:

See that gorgeous color? Believe me when I say that the camera does NOT do justice to how lusciously beautiful it is.

And my favorite dyer/spinner extraordinaire is at it again. Look at this: (picture totally taken by Andrea, by the way)

Now, I will admit my ignorance, because I don't know what Black BFL is (the fiber she used for this yarn) but is that not one of the most gorgeous red colorways you've ever seen? Can you imagine a deep violet color? OMG! So pretty!

So naturally, I want some. *laughs* We'll see what happens;) What with working two jobs now, I might be able to keep up my yarn-whore habit! (As it is, I'm totally tempted to have her add the Purple Haze merino she has in her shop. I keep lusting after it. Darn her!!)

Oh! And I haven't forgotten the backlog of stitch patterns of the day. I'm still doing them, I've just gotten caught up in other things. Hopefully over the next week, I'll get them all photo'd and uploaded and let you all know what I'm doing!

Game's on, have to run:)

XOXO
Bella

Happy New Year!

I've been dealing with a sick Mumbles. Apparently, his brother stole some yarn and HE ate some of it. Cue massive bouts of puking combined with lethargy and non-interest in food or water. It's been going on for about 24 hours, and of course, with the exception of emergency vet clinics, any regular vet is closed today.

*sighs* Why oh why does my problem child have to do this on the holiday?

He's puked up some of it so far, twice, and looking at the pattern repeat (as well as how long I was out of the room) he couldn't have swallowed more than maybe 6 inches, 4 of which is already out of him.

I'm just keeping a really close eye on him right now.

As for everything else, we were up, bright and early, at 7:30am to take Trina her Calorimetry. She was extremely squee about it, even putting it on and running outside for a smoke so she could test it (it was coooold and windy today). To say it made my morning is an understatement. Especially when it was to have a smoke break and I was able to bum one off of her (despite my, erm, quitting this morning *blush*).

How is the new year going for all of you? I'm working on my first swatch from the pattern book of stitches, the twisted stockinette stitch. I skipped regular stockinette and garter stitch because, well, let's face it...I think we're all pretty familiar with them both;) I'll post a picture of the swatch when it's done later today!

I have some Sauerkraut and Kielbasa bubbling away in my oven, our traditional New Year's fare, which we'll chow down on with some molasses bread later. So the house smells pretty wonderful right now.

What are you guys up to? Anything?

XOXO
~Bella

Knit-geek, ahoy!

I received a $100 gift card to Barnes and Noble for Christmas from my employer and I've been sitting on it, patiently plotting, trying to decide what I want to use it on.

I've had my eye on Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby for a while, but kept hem-hawing around picking it up because I couldn't justify buying it when I was still a n00b to the knitting scene. Well, I finally decided to get it and it's just gorgeous. I adore Victorian lace and have wanted to try it for myself. I'm still intimidated all to hell, but there is such a variation of different types of lace patterns that I really can't see myself NOT using it. I'll definitely be starting small, though. *laughs*

I also picked up The Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns by Sterling Publishing Co. from the bargain bin. At a little over $14, it was a steal! It is chock full of fabulous stitch patterns that I can already see myself making use of! So, so happy with it:)

As for the other books, they're not knitting related, but for anyone who's interested in how eclectic I can be:

Death, A Life by George Pendle,

and three of the The Element Encyclopedias:

Secret Signs & Symbols,

Ghosts and Hauntings,

and Birthdays.

I finished up the two Calorimetry scarves for the baristas, already given Dinah's to her tonight! She was quite excited that I hadn't forgotten:) Good. Girl needs something bright to wear because she's such a perky person anyway. Thursday we're going to swing by and give the other one to my punk-girl. She should love it too.

I've discovered that as much as I love buying yarn and knitting for myself, I also really seem to enjoy knitting for others too, if for no other reason than to see the joy on their faces when they get that hand-knit item. They truly appreciate it.

I'm still knitting away on the kitten paw scarf and I've been toying with the idea of making a skull motif scarf or shawl out of the "After the Fire" yarn I got from Andrea. It's such a darkly beautiful yarn....I dunno! Suggestions are welcome on what I should make of it! If I knew how, I'd make a pair of stockings, honestly, but I don't trust myself to make them look right. *laughs* I'd love to make it into a pair of the skull stockings over on the Victorian free patterns website I saw earlier today.

In any event, I'm going to go back to watching The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning. Why yes, I watch Disney movies. My brother works there. I'm...er...supporting him;)

XOXO
Bella