I finished the Dalek for my nephew. He's so evil and cuddly. He can't go under the tree because Jezebel thinks he is a dog toy.
My in laws will be in town tonight. They are staying until the 31st. It's a good thing I like them and we get along.
I'm joining Kelly in this book challenge. It is read your own books between January - December 2009. Most of the books are from Ruth, but I have quite a few around the house that I have not picked up. I'm going to try for 20 books. It's more modest then Kelly's 50.
Check it out if you want to sign up. 
I got this great swap package from my SP13 partner. Daren was very excited about the candies and had already broke into the soda gummies (his favorite) before I could take the picture. How cute are my new gingerbread men salt and pepper shakers.
Speaking of salt and pepper shakers, I got these from Peter and Theresa. They got them for me in Amsterdam. The little windmills spin.
Daren and I took snowboarding lessons on Friday. He's been skiing before and I have never really done any snow related activities. Everyone who told me that it would be easy because I've surfed are big, fat liars. My ass is very bruised. I had a great time though. We're taking Lesson #2 on Saturday.
Ruth lent me her snow boarding gear and I made the hat in the picture to wear during our lesson. It's a 2x2 rib I made on Thanksgiving. I ended up letting Ruth have the hat because it fits her head and matches her coat.
LaDonna had mentioned she would like to see the Sumo salt and pepper shakers I mentioned in yesterday's post. So here they are in all their beauty.
This is actually my entire collection. I thought I had more, I've lost some in my various moves. Bummer.
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I am a yarn snob. I prefer natural fibers (especially alpaca). I love local yarns. I knit a lot of socks, but don't why you would make socks that are not machine washable.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have a basket for my straights, a vase for the longer straights. I use a mini wicker chest to hold my circulars and dp's. I'm in desperate need of better options
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting for over 6 years. I learned in early 2002 and taught myself off the internet. I consider myself intermediate/advanced. I can do most techniques, but I could still learn a lot.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Esty favorites
5. What's your favorite scent?
I love fresh citrus scents. My favorite perfumes are Fresh Lemon Sugar and Elizabeth Arden Green Tea. I also like lavender and mint scents.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I have a major sweet tooth. I love toffee chocolate and mint chocolate. No raisins or licorice, but other than that I'll take anything. My husband loves gummies. Anything European would be great, especially English.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I sew and have done beading. I don't quilt or spin.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
I like a lot of different music. I don't like country, except Johnny Cash. I love surf guitar. I mostly listen to alternative rock. I have an Ipod.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
My favorite color is royal blue. I also love sea colors and jewel tones.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I am married with no kids (yet). We have a 7 year old Labrador.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
I wear scarves, hats and mittens. I can't stand ponchos.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I like to knit lots of things. I always have socks on needles as well as a larger project.
13. What are you knitting right now?
I am working on a pair of gloves, a pair of socks, a hat for my husband, an Odessa hat for my mil and felted clogs.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
I love to received handmade gifts.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I like bamboo circulars, but I've just discovered how nice Addi's are. I have a lot of needles and probably don't need more.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
I own both.
17. How old is your oldest UFO?
I think my oldest UFO is 3 years old, but I'm pretty good at not letting old projects sit around unfinished.
18. What is your favorite holiday? What winter holiday do you observe?
Halloween is my favorite holiday. I celebrate winter solstice/yule and my husband and I celebrate Christmas. We are not christians, so please don't send religious items.
19. Is there anything that you collect?
I collect funky salt and pepper shakers. My favorite are my sumo wrestlers that attach at the stomachs with magnets. The only winter ones I have are snowmen. I also love Christmas ornaments, but prefer non-religious ones.
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I have some books in my Amazon wish list. I love patterns by Ysolda Teague. I only have her Snow White pattern and would love Little Birds. I would also love Rogue. I have a subscription to Interweave Knits and just recently got rid of my Vogue Knitting subscription.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I think I can do most techniques. I would like to try steaking.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
I am a sock knitter. My foot circumference is 8 inches and length is 8.5.
23. When is your birthday?
Nov. 12 (tomorrow!)
24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID?
I am on ravelry. My id is surfdonna.
Last night Daren and I watched Blade Runner. It was on the SciFi channel, so a bit edited, but still fantastic. I made the comment that Blade Runner is the best Sci-Fi film ever made. It's 26 years old and still doesn't look dated. He disagreed and said 2001 or Alien were the best. I still think it's Blade Runner. Alien is probably the best horror film ever made and 2001 as iconic as it is, looks dated. My question to all my couple of blog readers is, what is the best science fiction film ever made?
On a side note, I wish I'd thought of it before Halloween, but how bad ass would a Pris costume be!
I got the urge to blog about all of my current and future projects. So here it goes.
I've finished Bellini out of Noro Silk Garden Light. This pattern was from the Noro trunk show at Elegant Stitches in Miami. The sample of this sweater in particular was the one used in the photo shoot for the pattern book. We measured the sample and it was smaller then the extra small. How are we suppose to determine how a sweater is going to look on real people when the models are that small?
Despite that. I love the way it turned out. I ended up making the small because of the finished measurements. She still needs some buttons. I've ordered some vintage faux wood buttons off of Etsy. I wore it yesterday anyway.
I’ve seen these bangles everywhere. I saw them at Old Navy recently and had to make one. Then Vogue Knitting had some on the cover. I didn't use any of the patterns from Vogue Knitting I just used a simple 9 stitch braid pattern. This is such a quick project, it only took about 2 hours to make. I got the bangle base from Hobby Lobby for $3.50. It’s made from unfinished wood to decorate however you want. I used some left-over Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino from a hat project. It a great way to use up small bits of left-over yarn.
I started these mock cable sock on my flight to England in Sept. I'm almost done with the toe on the first sock, but I've realized they 'll be too big. I'm going to finish them the way they are and give them to my mom for Christmas. It's Lorna's Laces sock yarn in Lucky Stripe.
I am poorly prepared for the winter in Colorado. I spent the last 2 winters in Miami and before that about 10 years in the Bay Area. I haven't owned real winter clothes since I was a kid. I bought this beautiful Red Rocks Aspen sock yarn from A Knitted Peace, to make some gloves. I'm using the Progressive Gloves pattern from Interweave Knits Winter 2003. You can download the pattern for free on their site. It's a formula rather then a set pattern.
I'm very close to being finished with this hat. The yarn is hand spun wool and mohair that Daren bought from the Renaissance Fair over the summer. He actually picked yarn out all by himself! This is a basic 2x2 ribbed hat for him.
Once the Renaissance hat is finished I'm casting on Odessa for Daren's mom. It out for Wool Bam Boo and pretty emerald green seed beads from Ruth (Thanks Ruth!). Wendy asked me to make her a hat last time I saw her. She asked for black or another color. Since I can't remember what the other color she asked for, it going to be black.
I'm making felted clogs for everyone for Christmas. My great aunt Clara use to make the entire family knit slippers every Christmas. She's been gone for a while now and I thought it would be a nice to start her little tradition again, but with my own twist.
I've got the bug to sew again, and have a lot of patterns and fabric. I'm going to start with this dress pattern and silk fabric. Hopefully I'm not too rusty.
I also bought some Christmas fabrics to make aprons to sell on Etsy.
I loved the original Life On Mars from BBC. It was one of my favorite series of all time, with the second best series ending (Six Feet Under had the best). It's about Sam Tyler, who was hit by a car while searching for a serial killer in 2006, he wakes up from the accident in 1973. Life On Mars is referencing the David Bowie song Sam is listening to when he's hit. Gene Hunt is a brutal cop, who absolutely stole the show. The mystery of what is actually happening to Sam Tyler was original and facinating. Is he dead, hallucinating in his coma or did he really time travel?
When I heard they were going to do an American version of the show I was appalled, I thought there was no way I would watch it. They announced that Harvey Keitel would play Gene Hunt, so I decided to watch. The basic story is the same, except it's 2008 instead of 2006. I have been pleasantly surprised by the show. The original is way better and they are still recreating episodes. But the recreations are very American, just like the original was very British. If you never saw the original I would think this would be the most original show and concept you will see. The cast is good, Harvey Keitel is a bit old for Gene Hunt, but he's Harvey Keitel and brilliant. Michael Imperioli even better than the British guy who played the same part, of a politically incorrect ruthless yet loyal cop. I highly recommend checking out this show (and renting the British version if you can).
I am absolutely thrilled about last night's election. This country stood together and said we need things to change. It seems that the last 8 years of insanity are finally coming to an end. I thought the John McCain that spoke last night was the one we all originally liked. He became someone else through this campaign.
It's funny how important this election was to people outside the US. Daren's dad in England stayed up until 3 am to watch the results. One of Daren's friends in England congratulated me on "my man winning".
I'm am seriously annoyed with Swap Bot. I am getting flaked on a lot of the swaps, even the one I created myself. I must be masochistic though, I'm thinking of starting another swap.
Ruth is such an enabler. She convinced me to join Secret Pal 13. Hopefully the bloggers are better then the Swap bot users.
Vlad was a hard core communist and just had all of our guests in stitches. He's a short pudgy guy, and was wearing a short workout type sweatshirt that said Superfit. His big gut would hang out a bit when he moved his arms. He kept making snarky comments about America and how we had ruined Russia with capitalism.
Part way through the night there was a big commotion and Daren had to break up a fight between Vlad and our friend Leny. Leny was getting married the following week and Vlad told Leny a real man would have better control over their wife. Leny's wife kept her maiden name and Vlad didn't approve. Vlad didn't help himself earlier in the night when he was bad mouthing the Polish, which he knew Leny's dad was.
I really wish I had pictures of Vlad from that night. It was surreal. Daren and I still occasionally call Jezebel Putin's dog.
Sam tagged me with the '6 Random Things About Me' Meme. Sorry Sam, but I just noticed a month later that people were actually commenting on the blog. I'm a bit slow.
Here are the rules:
Wensleydale Yarn
Originally uploaded by surfdonna
While in London I had to visit I Knit London. It wasn't quite what I expected. They "pub" part of the store is a cold case with bottles of beer. I guess I expected beer on tap and more of a pub feel. It was nice enough. I would hang out there if i lived in London. What they did have is a great selection of local English wool. I bought 2 skeins of Wensleydale (Like the cheese) Longwool. It's really pretty and a lot softer than some of the other British wools they had. There is a lot of yardage in 1 skein, 257 yards. On ravelry the only people working with it are in England, so I don't think it's available in the US. If I still like once I've worked with it I may have my mother-in-law pick up some more.
Our trip to England this year wasn't as eventful as last year. We spent more time with Daren's family then traveling. I did see more of London this time since we spent 3 nights there. The first night in London we went to see Daren's soccer team Fulham play. It was fun, but he said I couldn't bring my knitting because of security and I think he was right. I have never seen so much security at a sporting event. I only took a couple of pictures, because they will kick you out for taking pictures. We didn't take many pictures. I check out the few pictures I have on Flickr.
I did make an amazing yarn related discovery while in England. There is a department store called John Lewis, that has a large selection of yarn. It's like going to Macy's and finding a yarn store inside. They carry nice yarn as well, Rowan and Sublime. The british based companies were about 20-25% cheaper then in the US. Noro and Mirasol were double the price. I ended up buying a Rowan pattern book that I couldn't find around here and some Organic Merino from Sublime. I may get my mother-in-law to bring me more Sublime when she visits in December.
I started a swap on Swap Bot. It's not craft related. I want new running music, so it's for a running mix cd. Hopefully there are other runners on Swap Bot.
Here's the link: http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/21285
I'm a bit of a political and news junkie. I don't want this to be a political blog. However, I have to say, I am happy with McCain's choice for a running mate. I'm hoping this is a major screw up for McCain. He has been questioning Obama's experience, but he places this women just steps from the presidency. At his age, there's a really good chance she could end up having to lead the country. August 29 was John McCain's 72nd birthday. If elected, he'd be the oldest president ever inaugurated. And after months of slamming Barack Obama for "inexperience," here's who John McCain has chosen to be one heartbeat away from the presidency: a right-wing religious conservative with no foreign policy experience, who until recently was mayor of a town of 9,000 people. Huh? Who is Sarah Palin? Here's some basic background:
I received the following email from MoveOn.org.
I'm getting concerned about an afghan square swap on swapbot I'm participating in. I was told by my first partner that my squares are the best ones she has received. I want the square I get to be like the ones I've sent! If I'm sending the best ones, what does that say about what I'll be getting back?
I actually finished a sweater for the ravelympics. I started Snow White at 6:15 am on Aug 8 and finished her Aug 24 at 8:45 am. It was just in time as the cutoff time was 9:59 am. This is the quickest I have knitted a sweater.
There was a tornado here in Parker near the Pinery. Daren took pictures from our back deck. It was about 5 miles from the house. I never wanted to see a tornado that close.
