tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52463950825343629892024-03-20T06:13:15.621-04:00Fiber EquationsTeacher by day, yarn crafter by night.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-66835336603588729012013-06-28T16:17:00.001-04:002013-06-28T16:17:41.742-04:00A Trip to the Zoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Seeing Rusty's <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/ellievhall/red-panda-missing-from-the-national-zoo" target="_blank">escape</a> in the news this week reminded me that I haven't been to the National Zoo in almost a year! Before Mike and I moved to Virginia, I would visit all the time. The zoo was incredibly close to Mike's place, and conveniently located between Mike's office and house. Often I would drop in for lunch, then spend a few hours in the zoo on the way home. So yesterday I set out to visit again! Unfortunately, the red pandas were nowhere to be seen (Rusty is being kept inside until they secure the habit, and the female was hiding). I ended up exploring some corners of the zoo that I hadn't seen before, and didn't get sunburnt. Success!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1JMASRabGRE/Uc3qDZ54j_I/AAAAAAAABWE/KGhk2SluFgo/s650/bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1JMASRabGRE/Uc3qDZ54j_I/AAAAAAAABWE/KGhk2SluFgo/s1600/bear.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sloth Bear and her 6 month old cub. We weren't allowed up to the glass, since the cub has only been outside for a week or so. Sorry about the stupid frosted glass design...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New elephant (I think his name was Bozie?).</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Obligatory panda shot. This reminds me of the way my sister's cat sleeps...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fgn1eLMkfQw/Uc3uRWtUgHI/AAAAAAAABW0/wHh7slS30KE/s650/pleasework.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fgn1eLMkfQw/Uc3uRWtUgHI/AAAAAAAABW0/wHh7slS30KE/s1600/pleasework.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beavers were really active, and it was fun to watch them drag branches around!</td></tr>
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I love that the National Zoo is free! I'll definitely have to go back again soon so I can creep on the red pandas... Also, remind me to NEVER chaperone a field trip to the zoo. There were about 5000 camps there, and none of the chaperones were having fun keeping the kids together and engaged!<div style="text-align: left;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-18887837474958877932013-06-20T16:51:00.001-04:002013-06-20T16:51:25.113-04:00I'm Back!Hi. It's been a while. I feel like I say this a lot here, but when life gets busy, blogging is one of the first things to go. So, without further ado, here's a summary of the past few months:<br />
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Playing tourist at the cherry blossom festival in DC.<br />
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The Boy's 5 year college reunion.<br />
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Two fantastic weddings with college friends.<br />
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And an Of Monsters and Men concert (super good, go see them!).<br />
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I've finished a few projects that I'll be posting soon, both with knitting and non-knitting things!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-46958203335088603772013-03-04T13:45:00.001-05:002013-03-04T13:45:10.645-05:00Book List 2012 Part VI: FictionSo... It's March. And I'm finally finishing up my book list from last year. Whoops. At least I'm finishing! Without further ado:<div>
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<b><u>Fiction Books I Read in 2012:</u></b></div>
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<i>The Help</i>, by Kathryn Stockett</div>
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I wanted to read this before seeing the movie. Almost 100% of the time, I like the book better than the movie, and this was the same. There was more in the book, and the movie didn't convey some of the characters as well as I wanted it to. It was also the first book I read on my Kindle!</div>
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<i>Interpreter of Maladies, </i>by Jhumpa Lahiri</div>
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In college I took a courses on the history of India and the Middle East, where I discovered the joys of novels based in the area. This book is a collection of short stories, that I really enjoyed.</div>
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<i>Bed</i>, by David Whitehouse</div>
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This is the story of a son who, on his 25th birthday, refuses to leave his bed. It follows his life, and the toll his decisions take on his family. Like a lot of good novels, it's depressing. But a great read.</div>
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<i>Super Sad True Love Story, </i>by Gary Shteyngart</div>
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I read this after my friend recommended it to me. Umm, I <i>really</i> like this book. A lot. It's an interesting view of the near to mid future world. The most interesting part was the prevalence and incorporation of technology into our lives. Yes, there is also a love story.</div>
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<i>The Namesake</i>, by Jhumpa Lahiri</div>
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This novel follows a man and his family as he emigrates to America, marries, raises a family, and copes with the change in cultures. I decided to read this after reading Lahiri's <i>Interpreter of Maladies</i> (see above).</div>
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<i>How to Read the Air</i>, by Dinaw Mengestu</div>
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Many of these books came from the NYTimes bestseller lists. This was one of them. It's. Really. Boring. The son of an African immigrant tells his father's story, and recreates a road trip his parents took. All while the son's marriage is falling apart. I just couldn't connect to this one...</div>
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<i>Swamplandia!</i>, by Karen Russell</div>
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After her mother dies, Ava and her family try to keep their alligator wrestling show open. I can't say too much more without making the book sound strange. It is strange. But very good. This was one of my favorite fiction books, and another NYTimes bestseller.</div>
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<i>Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West</i>, by Gregory Maguire</div>
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Two years ago, I saw the musical with my friends in Indianapolis. I liked the story, but thought the ending was really dumb. A year ago, I was lucky enough to see the musical again in DC (Kennedy Center for the win!). I decided I needed to finally read the book that started it all, and I really liked it. The ended is different, and much more realistic than the musical.</div>
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<i>The Night Circus,</i> by Erin Morgenstern</div>
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Okay, this was definitely my favorite fiction novel. It reminded me of <i>Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell</i>, in the sense that it was two magicians pitted against each other in the past. The book is full of beautiful images of the Night Circus, which is only open at night, and full of mysteries. Read this book!</div>
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<i>Gone Girl, </i>by Gillian Flynn</div>
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Yet another NYTimes bestseller... It took forever to borrow this on my Kindle, because there was a long wait list. It was a good mystery, but I hated the main characters. They were really annoying, and it made it hard to enjoy reading.</div>
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I promise the 2013 book list will be shorter! I have less free time, and the two books I'm reading are both long (<i>David Copperfield </i>and <i>Anna Karenina</i>).</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-56728325847417982082013-03-03T10:03:00.001-05:002013-03-03T10:03:45.287-05:00Gold BoxI've mentioned <a href="http://www.julep.com/" target="_blank">Julep</a> a few times before on the blog, but I'm going to bother you about them again. Why? I subscribe to the <a href="http://www.julep.com/maven.html" target="_blank">Julep Maven</a> service. Once a month, I pay $20 and get to pick from 5 different style boxes. They usually include 2 nail polishes and a beauty product. Julep polishes are 4-free, if you care about that stuff. I just think it's fun to pick my box! I don't buy every month... I started in August, and I've only bought 4 boxes since then.<br />
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Each month that you purchase a box, you are eligible to win a Golden Box, which contains extra polishes and products. And guess who won a Golden Box this month... Me!<br />
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I was soooo excited when I saw the package! I kept saying, "Is that a golden box? Oh my gosh! I can't believe I actually got one!" My boyfriend made fun of me. A lot. Totally worth it though! Check out the loot:<br />
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I got 6 polishes, hand creme, lip balm and a bracelet. Sweet! Of course, I couldn't decide which polish to use first... So I used all of them:<br />
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If you're interested in becoming a Julep Maven, you can use <a href="http://www.julep.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/47269/" target="_blank">this link</a> or reference code 3639713. For each person I refer to the program, I get points that I can spend on products. With the Maven program, you can skip a month anytime, and cancel anytime. Mavens get free shipping on all Julep purchases, as well as discounts.<br />
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Am I too excited about my Golden Box? Perhaps. But it's so much fun to win things!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-49932274458776456862013-02-26T19:45:00.000-05:002013-02-26T19:45:29.900-05:00Decorating InspirationOne of the challenges of renting an apartment is decorating. Since getting a part-time job at a Michael's Craft store, I have had to fight <i>strong</i> urges to buy everything. It's all so cute! And I get a discount! But back to complaining about renting... I'm afraid to do anything to the walls. We tried putting some 3M hooks up in the closet for our coats, and they fell off after a week. Not good.<br />
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So I've been trying to think of ways to decorate without heavy things. We don't have a headboard, and the blank wall above the bed is bothering the heck out of me! So I decided to mix the popular bunting idea with my Michael's supplies. Here's the inspiration:<br />
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The template (and top photograph) comes from <a href="http://theantibromide.com/blog/paper-bunting-with-project-download" target="_blank">Antibromide</a>. I plan to make my bunting much larger, to fit the scale of my bedroom. I would have never thought of adding tabs to the top to fold over and attach to the twine! Before I found this tutorial, I was planning to punch small holes in the top corners, and thread the twine through. Now I have options to play with...<br />
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The bottom photograph comes from <a href="http://design-seeds.com/index.php/search" target="_blank">Design Seed</a>. I saw a few color palettes on Pinterest, and thought it would be a great place to find a color scheme for my bunting. At first I wanted something with walnut brown and light teal, to match my duvet cover and sheets. The schemes just didn't feel right, and when I saw this relaxing palette, I knew I had a winner!<br />
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Below are a few more inspiration photos for the bunting. To see more (and more palettes), check out my <a href="http://pinterest.com/fiberequations/home-ideas/" target="_blank">pinterest</a> page.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzIGI93qqmHHQlHA5dO_ILZwjQ5POFUoLg1uCeAlfpKDKX9ct_ZM16RPbT6pdLDmAFMMCabB3k0dQfDt0i9rMXlx3VxzmdSm1uIqsXSdtzugD3cjAzIPD9MgO5M7ZqwoAliS1tQHMZbyu/s1600/bedroom+kids+3+with+bunting.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKzIGI93qqmHHQlHA5dO_ILZwjQ5POFUoLg1uCeAlfpKDKX9ct_ZM16RPbT6pdLDmAFMMCabB3k0dQfDt0i9rMXlx3VxzmdSm1uIqsXSdtzugD3cjAzIPD9MgO5M7ZqwoAliS1tQHMZbyu/s1600/bedroom+kids+3+with+bunting.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-InOoNXRmnXU/TZ8cUPaZDjI/AAAAAAAAFy8/U4_v8bPrgIU/s400/IMG_5796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-InOoNXRmnXU/TZ8cUPaZDjI/AAAAAAAAFy8/U4_v8bPrgIU/s320/IMG_5796.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://paperribbonandink.blogspot.com/2011/04/dream-bunting.html" target="_blank">Source</a>, <a href="http://childrensbedrooms.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">source</a> via this <a href="http://georgygdesign.blogspot.com/2011/03/kids-bedrooms.html" target="_blank">site</a>.</span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-37018438231686645672013-02-25T17:07:00.002-05:002013-02-25T20:07:56.019-05:00A Knitter's ConfessionI read a few knitting blogs, and the writers always gush about adding gorgeous yarn to their stashes. Here's my confession though... I <i>hate</i> having a stash! It stresses me out. I'm the kind of knitter that works on one project at a time.* Right now I have a pair of socks that are half done, a sweater that's mostly done, 2 skeins of gorgeous local yarn from my brother (Christmas present!), and a skein of Madeline Tosh with pattern from my mom (Valentine's present!). Ack.<br />
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Why am I telling you this? Because I discovered <a href="http://metroyarncrawl.com/" target="_blank">something wonderful</a>. A yarn crawl. In D.C. In 2 months. With prizes! I've only been to 1.5 of the local yarn stores (the 0.5 was peeking in the door and being too weird to go inside. I always feel guilty browsing with no intention to buy), so this seems like a great way to see all <b>ten</b> local yarn stores. TEN! Then I realized that I would want to buy something at each store. Even if I stick to 1 skein, things could get pricey very quickly! While I am getting a sweet tax refund, I'm not sure blowing it all on yarn would be a good idea. It would only make my stash grow!<br />
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There is plenty of time to decide if I want to participate. Technically, this would only <a href="http://metroyarncrawl.com/participate" target="_blank">cost</a> $10. But I like supporting small businesses, and I'm definitely going to want to buy in every store! What do you think? Should I do it? More importantly, will my boyfriend survive me <strike>taking</strike> dragging him to so many yarn stores?!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">* Sort of. Technically I have a blanket that I've been working on for a few years. And 2 finished knit purses that need linings sewn into them... Finishing touches were never my favorite part!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-37823464579576117142013-02-20T14:54:00.000-05:002013-02-20T14:54:41.213-05:00Off the Needles: Arctic CircleI'm still catching up on my knitting from 2012! This lovely cowl was another project for my yarn store to display (I <i>still</i> can't get over the fact that people <i>pay </i>me to knit!). I really like creating these samples, because I get to work with yarn and patterns that I wouldn't choose for myself. I loooooove the look of cowls. But I hate wearing them. I'm not a big fan of having a lot of fabric around my neck. I'm pretty sure this comes from my intense hatred of turtlenecks when I was little...<br />
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This yarn was big and squishy, and the pattern was really fun to knit! The arrowhead stitch was new to me, and I love the look of it.<br />
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<b>Pattern: </b><i><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/arctic-circle-2" target="_blank">Arctic Circle</a></i></div>
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<b>Yarn: </b>The Fibre Company, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/the-fibre-company-tundra" target="_blank">Tundra</a> (60% alpaca, 30% merino, 10% silk) in Snowdrift</div>
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<b>Modifications: </b>none</div>
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<b>Ravelry Post: </b>here</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-51183440566370391202013-02-18T11:49:00.001-05:002013-02-18T11:49:13.058-05:00Book List 2012 Part V: MysteriesA lot of the books I read this year were mysteries. I enjoy the excitement of trying to solve the mysteries myself, and I get so involved that I usually finish the book in a day or two. This part looks short, but it's because I grouped the mysteries by series. You don't really want to read 19 entries about the same character, do you?<br />
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<b><u>Mystery Books That I Read in 2012:</u></b></div>
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The Harry Hole Series (<i>The Devil's Star, The Redeemer, Leopard, Snowman</i>)</div>
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My dad got me started on the Icelandic/Nordic/Dane/etc. mysteries. It started with <i>The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, </i>and it's still going strong. These mysteries tend to feature a flawed, middle-aged male character. Jo Nesbø creates beautifully complicated plots (but not complicated enough that you can't follow them). The hardest part is keeping track of all the foreign names! The lastest Harry Hole novel is on my book shelf, waiting to be read...</div>
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Stephanie Plum Series (<i>One for the Money, Two for the Dough, Three to Get Deadly, Four to Score, High Five, Hot Six, Seven Up, Hard Eight, To The Nines, Ten Big Ones, Eleven on Top, Twelve Sharp, Lean Mean Thirteen, Fearless Fourteen, Finger Lickin' Fifteen, Sizzling Sixteen, Smokin' Seventeen, Explosive Eighteen, Notorious Nineteen)</i></div>
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I love these books. They are short, witty and have great plots. I started reading the series after receiving one as a gift, and I couldn't stop. The first book was made into a movie, but I was disappointed with it. The humor of the characters didn't come through, and Ranger was not nearly as hot as I imagined!</div>
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Vish Puri Mysteries (<i>The Case of the Missing Servant, The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing</i>)</div>
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I chose these because the covers looked nice. They are good mysteries, but they remind me of Holmes. The main character will do a bunch of stuff without explaining his motives, and then randomly solve the case in a way that makes it difficult (if not impossible) for the reader to know what's coming. Still, they were fun reads.</div>
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<i>The Keeper of Lost Causes </i>(Department Q #1)</div>
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This book. It's a typical northern European mystery: Struggling middle-aged male character, etc. But this was possibly the best mystery I read all year. I'm soooo impatient for the next books to be translated into English!</div>
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<i>Heat Wave </i>(Nikki Heat #1)</div>
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I'm a fan of Nathan Fillion. It started when my friend got me hooked on <i>Castle</i>, and continued when I discovered <i>Firefly</i>. This book is "written" by Rick Castle, the character on Fillion's tv show. It was pretty bad. Really bad. Please don't read this book. Just watch the tv show!</div>
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The Hangman's Daughter Series (<i>The Hangman's Daughter, The Dark Monk)</i></div>
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I first read these because they were free to borrow on my kindle. They are set in Bavaria in the 1600s, which makes them different. It was interesting to read about daily life back then, and I believe some of the names and places are based on the author's family tree.</div>
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Southern Vampire Mystery Series (aka Sookie Stackhouse Series, aka the books <i>True Blood</i> is based on!) (<i>Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas, Club Dead, Dead to the World, Dead as a Doornail, Definitely Dead, Altogether Dead, From Dead to Worse, Dead and Gone, Dead in the Family, Dead Reckoning</i>)</div>
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I confess, I am a fan of <i>True Blood.</i> I know it's a ridiculous show, but it's a guilty pleasure. It's fun to read the books: The first season followed the first book quite closely. But from there, the show started going in its own direction. The next few seasons did loosely follow the books. They aren't close enough that seeing the show ruined the books though!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-5619674266577629982013-01-29T22:16:00.002-05:002013-01-29T22:16:46.498-05:00Off the Needles: Countess MittsI finished off a few things this winter that I haven't shared with you yet! This pattern was one of the samples I <i>got paid</i> to knit for my LYS. It comes as a cute little kit from Blue Sky Alpacas that includes yarn and the pattern.<br />
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Ohhhhh my the yarn! When I win the lottery I'm definitely going to buy an alpaca farm. And then just roll around in alpaca. It's so soft! SO soft. This was amazing to work with!<br />
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I should note that I knitted this to gauge. I have fairly small wrists, and these were snug on me. I would suggest going up a needle size if you have larger wrists.<br />
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<b>Pattern: </b><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/countess-mitts" target="_blank">Countess Mitts</a>, from <i>Blue Sky Alpaca</i></div>
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<b>Yarn:</b> Blue Sky Alpacas Royal (100% alpaca)</div>
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<b>Modifications:</b> None</div>
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<b>Ravelry Post:</b> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/smelanie88/countess-mitts" target="_blank">here</a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-29669726231356553932013-01-16T16:11:00.002-05:002013-01-16T16:11:38.642-05:00Book List 2012 Part IV: Non-fictionThis list is pretty short. Like, 3 books short. Does this mean I should be reading more non-fiction books?<br />
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<b><u>Non-fiction Books That I Read in 2012:</u></b></div>
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<i>Mennonite in a Little Black Dress</i>, by Rhoda Janzen</div>
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A memoir about how the author coped with a divorce and a devastating car accident. It was interesting, but didn't grab me as much as other memoirs.</div>
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<i>Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)</i>, by Mindy Kaling</div>
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I wasn't sure what to expect out of this book. I knew Mindy was an annoying character on <i>The Office</i>, but nothing else about her. I was really impressed to learn about her career. She did a great job of connecting anecdotes to form a cohesive book (as opposed to Tina Fey's book, which you could tell was written by a sketch writer). As yes, as a twentysomething girl, I could relate to it.</div>
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<i>Moby-Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea and of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists, and Fools, Including the Author, Who Went in Search of Them, </i>by Donovan Hohn</div>
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I found this while I was browsing the NYTimes best sellers lists. Or maybe their Top 100 Books of 2011? Either way, it sounded interesting. And it is! The author explores everything that could have happened to the duck bath toys that fell overboard while crossing the ocean. EVERYTHING. From where they could have ended up, to the impact of disintegrating plastic in our oceans. This one is definitely worth checking out.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-20655238489582182382013-01-15T14:09:00.000-05:002013-01-15T14:11:46.061-05:00Book List 2012 Part III: The ClassicsIn high school we had to define what a "classic" book meant. I think we decided it was a book with a message that could speak to many generations blah blah blah... To be honest, most of the time classics = old. This isn't to say that they're boring! I guess the first definition still applies. If they weren't great books, people wouldn't be reading them 100+ years later. Or maybe people just read them because they are free on the Kindle... Anyway, here are the classics, in the order I read them:<br />
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<b><u>Classic Books I Read in 2012:</u></b></div>
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<i>Emma</i>, by Jane Austen</div>
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Goodness, these books make me laugh. The women decide in the blink of an eye that they are madly in love with Mr. Soandso, and then spend days swooning over them. It seems a little unrealistic, but I guess there wasn't much else to do back then. It's a cute love story though.</div>
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<i>Pride and Prejudice</i>, by Jane Austen</div>
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More drama! I was familiar with this plot line from the Bollywood movie <i>Bride and Prejudice</i>. The book doesn't have nearly as much dancing :(</div>
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<i>Mansfield Park</i>, by Jane Austen</div>
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Yes, I went on a free Kindle book Jane Austen kick... Apparently this book is also a movie, which I don't understand. Because nothing happens. Nothing. It's a bunch of rich people living in the country, hanging out. They act out plays and walk around. Pretty boring. Oh, and people fall in love.</div>
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<i>The Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</i></div>
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I had read one or two Sherlock mysteries in high school. But I loved reading all of them! Doyle must have been ridiculously clever. Reading this gave me a new appreciation for the British tv show about Sherlock!</div>
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<i>The Picture of Dorian Gray</i>, by Oscar Wilde</div>
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This book goes back to my goal of reading all the books that have characters in <i>A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen</i>. It's a little terrifying. Dorian is quite terrible. So, don't ever wish that you can be forever young, okay?</div>
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<i>The Invisible Man</i>, by H. G. Wells</div>
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This book also fits my <i>League of Extraordinary Gentlemen </i>goal. It's a short read, and you actually feel sympathetic towards the invisible man. Sometimes.</div>
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<i>King Solomon's Mines</i>, by Sir H. Rider Haggard</div>
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Another book from my <i>League of Extraordinary Gentlemen</i> quest. This turned out to be really interesting. Once you get past all the old African slang, it's a great adventure (and only a tiny bit racist for how old it is).</div>
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<i>Treasure Island</i>, by Robert Louis Stevenson</div>
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I don't know how I missed this one growing up! It's a wonderful adventure. Seriously, if you haven't read it yet, GO. Now.</div>
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<i>Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea</i>, by Jules Verne</div>
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Somehow I always thought the 20,000 leagues referred to a depth. Once I got over that, this was a really fun adventure. I think part of why these old adventure books are so great is that there was a lot of unknowns back then. It allowed writers to create their own places and creatures, which is exciting!</div>
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<i>A Journey to the Centre of the Earth</i>, Jules Verne</div>
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I really like Jules Verne.</div>
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<i>The Mysterious Island</i>, by Jules Verne</div>
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I realllllly like Jules Verne. This may actually be my favorite of his novels. Think Lost, but less confusing. And with no chicks (sorry dudes).</div>
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<i>The Child of the Cavern (</i>or <i>The Underground City), </i>by Jules Verne</div>
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This one actually wasn't as good. But still good.</div>
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<i>Dick Sand, A Captain at Fifteen</i>, by Jules Verne</div>
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Okay, I may have gone overboard downloading free Jules Verne stories. But this was a cute coming of age/ adventure story.</div>
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<i>The Hobbit, or There and Back Again</i>, by J.R.R. Tolkien</div>
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I wanted to reread this before I saw the movie. It brought back a lot of memories (and made me want to reread the LOTR series!)</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-18086758653306923882013-01-08T22:19:00.003-05:002013-01-08T22:19:33.770-05:00Book List 2012 Part II: Young Adult<div style="text-align: left;">
I think part of why I enjoyed these young adult books so much was that they provided a nice break between the heavier books that I read. There's something really satisfying about finishing a book in a few hours! I should also point out that in no way am I trying to give serious book reviews. I don't feel qualified, and it's been a loooong time since I had to analyze my reading! I just want to give you a quick idea of what it was like, and hope that if you're interested you will follow up on your own.</div>
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<b><u>Young Adult Books I Read in 2012:</u></b></div>
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<i>The Hunger Game </i>Series</div>
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(<i>The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay</i>)</div>
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Yes, these are for young adults. Yes, the main character gets annoying as the series progresses. But you should read at least the first book! The concept is really interesting, and it's a quick read. I love anything with a depressing, post-apocalyptic future, so this series won me over!</div>
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<i>The Dark Is Rising</i> Series</div>
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(<i>Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark is Rising; Greenwitch; The Grey King; Silver on the Tree</i>)</div>
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I read these on the recommendation of a friend. It was one of her favorite series growing up, and I can see why! There are mysteries, good battling evil, and some fantasy. I enjoyed them at my present age, and I would have loooooved them as a child.</div>
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<i>His Dark Materials</i> Series</div>
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(<i>The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass</i>)</div>
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I honestly don't know how I missed reading these as a kid. My brother read them. A ton of my friends read them. At least I finally got around to it? I can see how inspiring they would be to a child, and I enjoyed the series (although the ending is pretty cheesy when you're 24). I have been told to NEVER watch the movie.</div>
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<i>Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</i></div>
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KenyonCollegeKenyonCollegeKenyonCollege. I love my alma mater! Last year, two YA authors from Kenyon made the NYTimes best seller list at the same time. One of the books was this one. It's based on these old photographs that the author found, and I love the concept. Plus, KENYON.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-88890509652656451572013-01-03T12:58:00.002-05:002013-01-03T12:58:26.650-05:00Book List: Part IIt all started with a tweet.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QKx0XvEwac4/UOXCNnoiCgI/AAAAAAAABFA/7oe8UdKDZZQ/s1600/twitt.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QKx0XvEwac4/UOXCNnoiCgI/AAAAAAAABFA/7oe8UdKDZZQ/s1600/twitt.tiff" /></a></div>
So it's my brother's fault, really. The tweet inspired me (and my dad) to keep track of how many books we read in 2012. Umm. I sort of had a lot of free time in 2012. My job in the beginning of year had some free periods, and I was unemployed from June through September! All in all, I read over 80 books. I'm going to break them down into categories:<br />
• Classics<br />
• Mysteries (quick reads)<br />
• Fiction (should I call it modern fiction? Yes, I know all of the above categories fall under fiction too)<br />
• Graphic Novels<br />
• Young Adult (just because I'm 24 doesn't mean I don't enjoy these!)<br />
• Nonfiction<br />
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Today we will start with the graphic novels. Why? Because it's one of the shortest groups!<br />
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<b><u>Graphic Novels I Read in 2012</u></b></div>
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<i>Maus Vol. I and Maus Vol. II</i></div>
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A beautiful graphic novel about the author's father's experiences leading into (and including) World War II. Different types of characters are represented as different animals (Jews are mice, Nazis as cats, etc.).</div>
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<i>Black Hole</i></div>
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My sister is really into graphic novels, and this is one that she owns. It follows teenagers as an STD spreads. The STD manifests itself different ways in different people - all of them weird. One girl starts shedding her skin, one grows a tail, and one boy develops a second mouth. Gross but intriguing!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-13697219354200267272012-11-28T15:51:00.001-05:002012-11-28T15:51:59.506-05:00MIAUgh. I know, I know... It's been ages. And I'm sorry.<br />
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I decided to get a second job to help cushion my sub earnings. At the same time, I ended up getting a 2 month long-term substitute job. I started in November, and I've been teaching 5 math classes every day. Between the 2 jobs, I've been working 60ish hours a week. It's exhausting. And it's left very little time and energy for blogging. I've still been knitting a little, and I plan to get back on track once I finish my long term sub job.<br />
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Meanwhile, I appreciate your patience and understanding with my absence. I like both my jobs, but I'll be happy when I have more free time!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-45052350487271047092012-10-27T19:53:00.001-04:002012-10-27T19:53:30.964-04:00Off the Needles: Plucky HoneyI've been finishing a lot of projects recently, and haven't had time to share them with you! After my <a href="http://fiberequations.blogspot.com/2012/10/off-needles-drapey-sweater.html" target="_blank">Drapey Sweater</a>, I made this shawlette from some of my <a href="http://fiberequations.blogspot.com/2012/10/plucky-knitter-trunk-show.html" target="_blank">Plucky Knitter yarn</a>.<br />
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This pattern was really easy to memorize (4 stitch repeat for the win!), so I didn't mind that the rows got longer and longer and looooonger! The texture is enough to make it interesting without being overwhelming. Sorry I don't have any pictures where I'm actually wearing it. I never think to take them until it's dark out.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2BDKKSqsWM/UIxzIiA7T6I/AAAAAAAABEQ/ZFqSra_JTp8/s1600/shawl4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2BDKKSqsWM/UIxzIiA7T6I/AAAAAAAABEQ/ZFqSra_JTp8/s1600/shawl4.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: #444444;">Pattern:</b><span style="color: #444444;"> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/honey-bunches" target="_blank">Honey Bunches</a></span><span style="color: #444444;">, from </span><i style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://www.irishgirlieknits.com/" target="_blank">Irish Girlie Knits Designs</a></i></div>
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<b>Yarn:</b> Plucky Knitter Plucky Feet, in Princess Phone (90% Merino, 10% Nylon)</div>
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<b>Modifications:</b> None</div>
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<b>Ravelry Post:</b> <a href="http://ravel.me/smelanie88/hb" target="_blank">here</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-67392744389080755112012-10-24T11:31:00.000-04:002012-10-24T11:31:57.598-04:00Off the Needles: Drapey Sweater<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/brackishthenine/86068909/VKW11_Relax_12_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/brackishthenine/86068909/VKW11_Relax_12_medium.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from <i>Vogue Knitting</i> Winter 2011/12</td></tr>
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The photo of this pattern in <i>Vogue Knitting</i> looks so comfy and warm! After knitting some complex things this summer, I wanted an easy knit. With no shaping and loads of stockinette stitch, this sweater was perfect!</div>
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The knitting itself went fairly quickly. As always, I avoided the finishing details for a few weeks.</div>
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I'm pretty pleased with the results. I wasn't sure I could pull this look off... Part of me wishes I had gone with a more drapey yarn. My sleeves don't fall exactly the same way as the model (but that could be me over criticizing myself? Or sewing the seams too tightly?). I love the twist in the front too! It's not often that the reverse side of stockinette stitch is shown, but it's beautiful in its own way.</div>
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<b>Pattern:</b> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/12-drape-front-sweater" target="_blank">Drape Front Sweater</a>, from <i>Vogue Knitting Winter 2011/2012</i></div>
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<b>Yarn:</b> Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted in Stone (100% wool)</div>
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<b>Modifications:</b> Instead of sewing side seams, I used a provisional cast on for the sides and connected them using the three needle bind off. I also added an additional 2 inches in length.</div>
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<b>Ravelry Post:</b> <a href="http://ravel.me/smelanie88/1dfs" target="_blank">here</a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-84257080850162816072012-10-21T19:41:00.004-04:002012-10-21T19:41:55.013-04:00WeekendingI took advantage of the gorgeous weather this weekend to get my autumn on! Saturday was The Boy's high school homecoming game. It was a great day to watch football! The trees and National Cathedral made the perfect backdrop. They even had the president mascots from the Nationals race during halftime!<br />
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Today we drove to a corn maze in Maryland with some friends. There were a lot of pumpkins, farm animals to pet, and dead ends in the maze. Again, the weather was perfect! It was great to get out of the city for a few hours.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-29797139238224631982012-10-16T15:37:00.000-04:002012-10-16T15:37:32.223-04:00A Dream Come TrueI'm unbelievably lucky. Recently my LYS back home asked if I would be interested in knitting samples to display in the store. Since I have an abundance of free time (and I love knitting), I said yes! <i>I am getting paid to do something I love.</i> It's awesome. Even more awesome is the fact that both projects I was given are made with really nice, soft, expensive yarn. The kind of yarn I can't normally afford to work with. It's making me knit more quickly, because I don't want to put it down!<br />
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I'll put up more pictures when I'm done! Hopefully there will be more sample knitting in my future...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-37566029629921604232012-10-08T12:15:00.002-04:002012-10-08T12:15:44.974-04:00Chicken Soup WeatherThis weekend made it impossible to ignore fall any longer. It's cooled down a lot, and I turned on the heat for the first time today. I decided it would be the perfect time to try a chicken soup recipe I found on Pinterest. The recipe can be found <a href="http://www.creativelydomestic.com/2010/10/guest-post-crockpot-chicken-and-noodle.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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To make chicken soup, you will need:<br />
• 5 cups chicken broth<br />
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (10.75 oz.)<br />
• 1/2 cup chopped onion<br />
• 1/2 cup chopped celery<br />
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots<br />
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions<br />
• 1 can corn (15 oz.), drained<br />
• 1 package egg noodles<br />
• 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded<br />
• seasonings to taste<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I poached and shredded my chicken the day before. On soup day, simply throw everything <i>except</i> the chicken and egg noodles into your crockpot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Add chicken and egg noodles (the recipe calls for 1.5 cups, but I wanted lots of noodles and just used the whole bag!), and cook on high for 1 hour.<br />
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That's it! It's super easy and delicious. Next time, I'll probably add more carrots and broth. Since I used so many egg noodles, they sucked up a lot of the broth. I just like carrots, so I'd add more.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-2942759196747348832012-10-04T19:56:00.000-04:002012-10-04T19:57:34.134-04:00Plucky Knitter Trunk ShowI've seen <a href="http://thepluckyknitter.com/" target="_blank">Plucky Knitter</a> yarns featured a lot on other blogs, and on Ravelry. I was always tempted to buy some, but was nervous about spending so much money on yarn without being able to feel it in person! That sounds silly, but I didn't want to throw money away on yarn that could be scratchy or rough. Recently, the Plucky Knitter had a trunk show at my new local yarn store! It was the perfect opportunity to scope out the store <i>and</i> the yarn.<br />
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I got there about 40 minutes after the store opened. It was packed. I knew it would be good when I was walking down the street and saw a lady with an armful of yarn leaving. She warned me that some colors were already sold out! I picked up my pace and entered a sort of paradise. Yarn. Everywhere. Soft. Colorful. <i>Expensive</i>. Immediately I regretted not planning to buy sweater yarn. I had no idea how much I would need for a sweater, so I stuck with my plan of buying a skein or two of fingering weight yarn. That thickness is good for a pair of socks or shawl out of one skein.<br />
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The pictures above are just two of the three tables displaying Plucky Knitter yarns. So many colors! I think I spent a good minute just staring and wishing I had several hundred dollars to spend. I circled the store, scoping out the situation. Then I stared some more. Finally I decided on two skeins.<br />
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Gorgeous. I already used the yellow skein for a project I'll share with you soon!<br />
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I'm really glad I got to check out <a href="http://www.fibrespace.com/" target="_blank">Fibre Space</a>, and I plan on returning soon. Those smarties have a rewards card! And they're in an adorable part of Alexandria (near where the boat wedding docked) that I want to explore more.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-61495417890454162932012-10-02T09:59:00.001-04:002012-10-02T09:59:19.555-04:00A Weekend of CelebrationsThis weekend was full of celebrations! The Boy's birthday was last week, but we decided to wait and celebrate on Saturday. We went to <a href="http://www.dogfishalehouse.com/" target="_blank">Dogfish Head Ale House</a>, and it was amazing. Seriously. We couldn't move afterwards, we were so full and the food was so good! Since it was The Boy's "birthday," I was driving and couldn't sample every single beer... So clearly we have to go back! There is a picture of the beer menu below, it's huge! (The checkmarks are what is available, not what we drank!)<br />
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Did I mention that the food is delicious?!</div>
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That night, we attended the wedding of a friend from high school. It took place on a paddleboat, and we cruised up and down the Potomac for a few hours. It was beautiful, the wedding was beautiful, and the bride was beautiful! I wish I had taken more pictures.</div>
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The boat was docked in Old Town, Alexandria. I had never spent time there before. It's adorable! There are a ton of shops and restaurants, and a free trolley! It's also very close to a yarn store...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-38099834117794816782012-09-30T21:37:00.000-04:002012-09-30T21:37:38.307-04:00Last List! Lists to Make...<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">This month, I am participating in </span><a href="http://30daysoflists.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #bf9000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">30 Days of Lists</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">. 30 Days is a challenge to journal every day, even if it is just something small. The topics will range from serious to silly, and I'm excited to spend each day on a new topic!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I know that font is a little difficult to read, so here's the list:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Knitting goals</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Blog posts</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Recipes to try</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Books to read</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Christmas presents to buy/make</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I hope you enjoyed the listing with me! I'm excited that I completed my goal of blogging every day for 30 days! I hope to continue posting at least twice a week in the future. I'll see you there! :)</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-56565794336702440712012-09-29T15:20:00.000-04:002012-09-29T15:20:23.041-04:00What I've Finished This Week...<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">This month, I am participating in </span><a href="http://30daysoflists.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #bf9000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">30 Days of Lists</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">. 30 Days is a challenge to journal every day, even if it is just something small. The topics will range from serious to silly, and I'm excited to spend each day on a new topic!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b><u>What I've Finished This Week</u>:</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Season 2 of The Walking Dead</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• <i>Journey to the Centre of the Earth</i>, by Jules Verne</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Scheduling appointments</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Swatching for a new knitting project</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Sorry for the lazy post, but I have to get ready for a wedding tonight! (Don't worry, it's not my wedding)</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-77174005659343852242012-09-28T21:01:00.000-04:002012-09-28T21:01:18.705-04:00Little Joys in My Life...<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">This month, I am participating in </span><a href="http://30daysoflists.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #bf9000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">30 Days of Lists</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">. 30 Days is a challenge to journal every day, even if it is just something small. The topics will range from serious to silly, and I'm excited to spend each day on a new topic!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b><u>Little Joys in My Life</u>:</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Reading until I fall asleep</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Homemade garlic bread (and my new garlic press!)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• Knitting with soft squishy yarn</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">• The Walking Dead</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Yes, I finally started watching The Walking Dead. And I'm hooked. I'm almost done with season 2, and I can't wait for season 3 to start!</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5246395082534362989.post-54921486724981453282012-09-27T20:15:00.001-04:002012-09-27T20:15:39.159-04:00The Bravest Things I've Done...<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">This month, I am participating in </span><a href="http://30daysoflists.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #bf9000; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">30 Days of Lists</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">. 30 Days is a challenge to journal every day, even if it is just something small. The topics will range from serious to silly, and I'm excited to spend each day on a new topic!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I've always laughed at myself for wanting to go into teaching... I hate getting up early, and I hate being the center of attention. Yet somehow I love teaching. Yes, it terrifies me. The responsibility of being the <i>only</i> person to teach X, Y and Z to a group of kids is a lot.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Studying abroad was also scary. I realized I was going to an <i>entire continent</i> where I didn't know <i>anybody</i>. Eek. I was so nervous that I couldn't eat! Luckily, the group I was with was amazing, the dorm I was in was amazing, and I made a lot of incredible friends.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Cambria;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Moving in with The Boy was definitely brave. We've known each other for 6ish years now, so we knew we would get along. But it's stressful to not have a job! And I spent the first week in our apartment by myself, because The Boy had to travel. It was actually good for me, because I spent a lot of time walking around my new neighborhood and discovering things. I'm pretty sure I know our area a little better than The Boy!</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0