Turkish Baths are off!

That's right! I didn't have to go to the Turkish Baths tonight! Unfortunately, our plans were cancelled because Carl came down with some kind of stomach bug. I put him to bed and I'm watch some Inspector Lynly while I work on my gauge swatch for my designing class with Stephanie Japel this weekend!! I'm so exicted. I can't wait to tell you all about it when I get back.

Equus and Turkish Baths

Last night a couple girlfriends and I went to see Equus. I have to say it was phenominal and very intense. I thought the Daniel Radcliffe was amazing. Its the kind of play where the main characters are never really offstage and he never faltered. The naked scene was slightly awkward (I also think it might have been a little cold in the theatre) but once all the stripping was over and they got back to the action and talking I forgot all about the nudity. If you don't mind a slightly out there play with nudity that is VERY well written and acted go see it. 

So I'm having my morning coffee right now (don't worry the coffee is on the table and the computer is on my lap just in case I spill again) and I'm trying to prepare myself for the day. I'm off tomorrow so I can head to VA for a class with Stephanie Japel so I have a lot to get done at work before I can leave. But that's not what I'm preparing for. The other day Carl asked if I would go to this Turkish bath place with him tonight. I said sure because I'm a good girlfriend. I went on the site last night to see what treatments they have and I was shocked! Every description scared the crap out of me. I kept hearing this deep eastern european voice as a read descriptions like "we'll beat and pound out the stress" "we hit you with brooms" "if you want us to be gentle tell us" and various other things (yes there is actually a treatment where they whack you with some sort of broom). I'm sure they aren't as violent as they sound but the descriptions don't encourage me to find out! Hopefully, I make it out alive tonight.

I know I haven't talked about my knitting very much this week but I really haven't done much. I still have a mitten to finish and I'm working on both my shawls. I've also been really into my spindle at the moment. Tonight I have to start winding all my yarn for class and knitting up a guage swatch. Of course that all depends on how bruised and beaten I am after this whole Turkish bath thing.

Off to work, have a good Thursday.

EUREKA!

I finally figured out the support spindle!! And by "figured it out" I mean that I stalked Cat from LetKnit2Gether.com on plurk and asked her if she had any pointers. Apparently you need to hold the fiber at about a 45 degree angle from the tip of the sindle. Once you hit the correct angle the twist will actually start to travel up the leader/fiber. I kept trying to spin at a 90 degree angle and the twist never came. I nearly chucked thing across the room it was so frustrating. But now that I know, I'm making things yarn not pretty yarn but yarn all the same. So I should say a very big THANK YOU to Cat for helping me out (not that she read the blog but I still want to put that out there). I thought I was losing my mind when I couldn't figure the little bugger out. THANK YOU CAT!

I dyed

I decided today I would dye some of the roving I bought. I think I had a little too much fun since I managed to dye about 3 of 5 pounds I have. They're all superwash merino and they feel like butter (really want to spin them). There are a few colorways I want to keep for myself but alas they must be sold.

They are all drying at my mom's house in the burbs. I'll pick then up on sunday and will hopefully have them in the shop next week.

I just made it back to the city and I'm exhausted. I asked my brother to get me a supported spindle for my birthday and it finally arrived so I'm trying to figure out how to use this thing but I'm at a complete lose. Anybody able to help (click the link to see what kind I got). Iwill love you forever if you can.

I was going to make potato and cheddar soup for dinner tonight but I am way too tired to make soup from scratch. I guess I'll make up a batch on friday when I'm off. Then Carl will have food for the weekend while I'm away with a few friends. It really is the best fall weather soup. So yummy with crusty bread...now I'm salivating.

Ok collapsing. I watched Lost in Austen yesterday and now I'm in the mood for a little Darcy so I'm going to curl up with Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife and read (I think this is the fifth time I've read this book...man does Mr. Darcy take her!...SWOON).

Scaring the "In-Crowd"

I finished book in the Southern Vampire series (the books True Blood is based on) last night and had nothing to read on the bus this morning so I grab my copy of In Sheep's Clothing that I just received yesterday and headed out the door. I got on the bus, found me a seat and started reading. Next thing I know the little fashionistas on the bus are looking at me all strange-like. I started to chuckle a little inside, is it wrong that I found/find enjoyment in frightening them just a little?

Today I raise my geek flag a little higher!

Why I can't have nice things...

I got up early, grabbed some coffee and my spinning and sat down at the computer to check ravelry quickly before I started my spinning. Next thing I know I'm spilling my coffee all over our BRAND NEW LAPTOP while Carl stares at me in horror. Next thing I know I'm jumping up to get paper towels, dumping the coffee out of the computer onto the coffee table (yah that has a whole new meaning now) and running to the bathroom to start blow drying the keyboard dry.

I guess I'm not spinning this morning and I guess I will have to drink my coffee before I get on the computer in the morning. 

At least its friday!

Knitting Goodies!

The HR lady at work gave me a gift certificate to knitpicks for my birthday. Of course I ordered some goodies right away. I picked up Knitting Lace with Meg Swanson and the knee-sel. I think knitpicks finally figured out how to ship in a timely manner because I placed the order on friday and it arrived today! I haven't been able to watch the DVD yet because Carl has been here and I think he'd kill me if I tried to make him watch it. I did however whip out my chart for the Winter Twilight Mittens so I could try out the knee-sel. This thing is awesome!!! I hated working on patterns with charts because I could never find a place to put my pattern where I could read it and knit at the same time. But now it's just right there in front of me!! Ok I know I sound like one of those sales people on HSN or QVC or something but this is thing is freakin awesome. I think I see many more charted patterns in my future. 

Anyway, I've been waking up super early of late. OK 6 am is not super early but it is when you're 25, you live 20 minutes from work and you don't have to be there till 9am. I keep waking up at 6am bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ready to start the day. Carl however, has been sleeping in so my being awake annoys him so I have taken to sneaking up to the living room and knitting or spinning. I thinke this is the perfect way to start the day. I get a little coffee from the deli across the street and say hi to my coffee guys, then I come home, pop in something good to watch and I knit or spin. Its just so wonderful. I think its starting to effect my attitude too. I've been in a rather crummy mood the last few days but after some days of early morning me time I'm starting to feel a mood shift. I'm actually a little happier anbd pleasant! I know right...me...NICE! 

Sorry, Carl just walked in with really good cookies, I'm trying not to salivate too much on the keyboard right now. I should probably take that as a sign to leave you. Have a good night!

And the winner is...

Aunt Kathy!!! You have won two beautiful skeins of natural wool from Sankow's Beaver Brook Farm in Lyme, CT. In total I think there are about 450 yards. This stuff is beautiful, despite my crappy pictures. Email me (address in sidebar!) and we'll arrange shipment!



Aunt Kathy's Story:

I always remember my 15th birthday as being special, but can I tell you why? NO, it just was. Also every year once we were a teenager our dad would take us out to dinner at a grown up restaurant just the birthday girl and him. Those were very special.

Now every year, my mom and my two sisters and I always celebrate our birthdays on the same day in a Mexican restaurant and we flirt with the waiter and say OLE when we eat a red chip. One year the ceiling fell in on us in our booth, omg that was funny.

This year however (my birthday is 11-5) I am having a life changing surgery and from here on out this year will always be the birthday I LOVE the most.

Thank you all for participating! It's been so much fun reading your birthday stories. And thank you Eliza for reminding me to add Kathy's story!!

SHEEEP!!

I'm back from the NY Sheep and Wool Festival and I'm exhausted! My mom and I had a fabulous time we have so many pictures to share with you guys. It was so much fun. Unfortunately, I have to run off to work this morning so you will have to wait for a real post. Till then please enjoy the sheep!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

YAY it's my birthday!!! I am leaving today for Rhinebeck so I won't be blogging for a few days. I thought to celebrate my little birthday I'd give my blog readers a little birthday discount at the shop. So for all of today, October 17th, you can get 20% items in the shop just by writing "I read your blog!" in the comments to the seller when you order! When I get back from Rhinebeck I will return 20% of the purchase price to you (sorry there's no easier way to do this through etsy but a deals a deal!). Enjoy!!!

It finally happened

I am officially an adult. Its Columbus Day, I have no work, we just got back from a 9 hour drive, I'm still in my 20's and I cannot sleep passed 7 AM. Yup, you heard it here first, Alyssa is all grown up.

Its just a few more days till my birthday and Rhinebeck!!! I'm starting to get excited!!! I've been making a mental list of all the things a want to get and see but I'm sure that will be thrown at the window about 20 minutes into the first day and I'm going to spend like we're not in a global recession. Ah...it will be fun.

Exhausted

Friday night we left at 6pm and drove from our little apartment in NYC and drove straight through the night to the Outer Banks (North Carolina) for a friends wedding. We arrived at 3 am and collasped. We woke up on Saturday and set about finding a sausage biscuit for breakfast because whenever I'm in the South that's all I want. We loaded up on food, headed back to the hotel and got ready for the wedding. It was a beautiful small wedding on the beach. It was warm but the wind was insane, by nightfall we were all freezing. Regardless of the temperature the we partied late into the night. I woke up this early this morning and decided to let Carl sleep in. I grabbed a coffee and head to the beach for some early morning reflections. I always loved the beach, especially in the morning when most people are still inside sleeping or eating breakfast. There is nothing better than feeling the rush of wind off the sea, hearing the waves beat the shore and tasting the salty air first thing in the morning. I wish I could wake up like this every morning.

Eventually, Carl woke up and we hopped in the car and drove home. So a 1,000 miles later I have one completed Winter Twilight Mittin and the second one started. I think the model in the pattern has smaller hands than I do but I like them and can't wait to have a pair.

Now that we're home we're having a much deserved cocktail, watching something on the Dust Bowl and crashing...I hope you all had an eventful weekend too!

Scary

YSE Last    Net Change       NWSA 9.01     -0.96       DJIA 8,579.19     -678.91       15 minute delay

It's a good thing I know how to knit myself a sweater, you know in case things continue to go downhill and we don't have HEAT!

Dyeing Day

My mom is out of town this weekend so I decided to go home and turn her house into my very own dye studio. I got up early, had some coffee and boarded the train out to the burbs. I picked up the latest issue of W Magazine so I could check out the colors for the season. It was interesting but there was too much black. How many skeins of black yarn do you think I could really sell? That’s right, NONE! So I threw that to the side, put on some tunes and enjoyed the scenery.

Before I could start dyeing I had to run to Walmart to pick up a few things. Since its getting chilly and I have to hand paint outside on the deck (Mom’s rules!) I thought I’d try dyeing some solid colors in a crockpot. I figured Walmart would have the best deal and it did but, the lines were awful!! The lady in front of me took a whole 2 minutes to count out 46 cents and she only had 1 penny in there!! It was absolutely frustrating. And they had no vinegar!! I can buy a rifle but not vinegar? So weird.

Anyway, I decided to test out the crockpot with this skein of bulky weight yarn my Secret Pal sent me (pictures of the last two packages will be at the end, she spoiled me!!). It was interesting. The dyeing took more time which meant I could mix colors while dyeing which was nice. The smell wasn’t so good but then I realized I still had some packaging attached to the damn thing, I’m lucky I didn’t burn down the house! This method doesn’t require as much physical exertion as the hand painting. Normally at this point on a dye day I’m half asleep and my back is sore from bending over the table all day applying the dye. All in all I really enjoyed the process and the results.

My mother doesn’t really keep food in the house so I picked up a bag a beef jerky and survived on that all day. She has 8 different kind of V8 fusion though. I swear that woman is just weird.

I also found some dyes mom picked up for me that will work on cellulose fibers. I can’t wait to try them out! I’m a little scared though. They seem to be much more involved which means I will really have to pay attention when use them. It’s definitely a dyepot process so mom’s going to have to let me inside when I use them.

…I just realized I’m nearly 25, living with my boyfriend and pretty much an adult and I just mentioned my mother about 20x....what does that say about me?

On that note, let’s look at presents! I never shared the 2^nd package from my secret pal:

I got my first ever skein of Socks the Rock (THANK YOU!!) and Knitting Vintage Socks which I have always wanted but never bought and a kit to make a tiny sock for a tiny sock blocker keychain!

My 3^rd and final package was originally addressed wrong and when I tracked it USPS told me it was returned to my Pal then 2 days later it magically showed up on my doorstep!

One of her handpainted skeins and some GORGEOUS roving as well as some wonderful soap! Oh and of course the bare skein of bulky! I’m still thinking of what to make with it! You can check out her shop here she has some amazing things.

Ok Carl put on The Ruins so I’m going to snuggle up and pretend to be all girly and scared!

How about a little contest?

Today is October 1st which means its officially the start of my birthday month!!! (yes I am that annoying, at least you all don't have to live with me) Anyway, I thought we'd do a little contest! My birthday is on the 17th and I will be at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY that weekend so I thought I could bring back an extra special prize for you all! 

This is how things will work:

1. Tell me your favorite birthday story. It can be funny, sad, happy, embarassing...I don't care just share one of your birthday memories. - 1pt
2. Link to the contest and let me know you did so I can run over and check - 1pt
3. Tell me who sent you here if you found your way here from another blog or even ravelry and that person will get an extra point! (YAY recruiting others!)

Number of Points will equal the number of times your name is put in the proverbial hat! I will select a winner on Monday, October 20th 10pm (NY time). 

Now get crackin!!!! 

WooHooo

I feel like a real business woman!! I woke up early this morning and started reloading the notebook page of ravelry looking for my ad and its there!!! I had to reload a bunch of times but it really is there!!! Sorry for the gushing I'm just a little excited! Now I'm off to shower so I can head out to my real job.

Have a great day everyone!