HaNdKrAfT

paralized with indecision

About what to knit next.  By tonight, for the first time in several months, I will have NO project on the needles.  I literally have 6 rows left on my slouchy cardigan, and then it is time to block the pieces and finish them.  This is a scary thought, which would normally induce me to go to the yarn stores and purchase copious amounts of fiber, but looking at my yarn stash I realize that I ALREADY have copious amounts of fiber.  And I am going to knit from my stash for a while.  (Until I can get more sea-silk !)  But the question is WHAT to knit? 

A great deal of this indecision is based upon the fact that I am currently working out with a personal trainer, and as a nod to my own vanity, I don't want to knit any garments for myself at this point because I am hoping (praying really) that I will loose some weight.  (at least 1 inch off of my hips so far!) So the idea is that I don't want to put allot of effort into knitting a garment that will not fit in three months.  And I am kinda over the whole scarf/hat thing, especially as I am in Florida.  So here are my ideas -  the black silk Debbie Bliss Cardigan, and my pink cashmerino cardigan are going to be where I go next. I think.  I may change my mind once I pull them out of the yarn pile.  I am also going to knit a one skein shawl out of the Sea-Silk my One Skein SP sent me. 

Of course I also have 9 origami bags waiting to be sewn, several clutches, and covers for two Bermuda Bags, not to mention the earrings I still have to do for my grandmother.  Hell, If I don't send her a package soon, she is going to be royally ticked at me.

As a side note, I did not fully realize the power of the Purl-McPhee until my Auntie C. was in Seattle and asked about SeaSilk at yarn shop.  They did not know where to find it, but told her to check out YarnHarlot's Blog.  How about that.

not a diet, but an eating plan (*#@%*?!)

So Carolyn, my personal trainer, has started me on an eating plan.  It is functional, but very veggie oriented - which I know I need more of.  But she is big into veggie meats.  I think they are an oxymoron.  But I did buy the portabello mushroom veggie burgers to try.   She told me to eat breakfast, so I would not eat more at the end of the day.  I know she has a background in nutrition, but it is 11 am, and my stomach feels like it is about to start digesting itself, and I have had breakfast AND an apple for a snack so far today.  But this is day one, and I have a long way to go.

Where a lot of this is coming from is clothes shopping.  I need a new suit for work, and hate the fact that I have allowed myself to get so heavy.  I mean for heaven's sake, I am 5'2" and wearing a six 10-12.  I hate going into the stores and wanting the cute outfits, trying them on in my size, and not having them work.  I also want to look good for BJ and S when I see them.  There is no reason that I can't look hot, and my bottom line is that I don't want to hit 30, which is now a little more than a year away, and have a spare tire around my middle.

I have not blogged much about my knitting recently because I have not been doing much of it to begin with.  I sorta "fell off the wagon" for a couple of weeks because of some nastiness at work about it.  But the "man" can't keep me down for long, so I as an update, my current projects are a lace shawl out of the sea-silk that my One Skein pal sent me, the Slouchy Cardigan from Greetings From Knit Cafe, and my One-Skein pal gift.

One of the things that my one-skein pal Ellen mentioned to me was that she made a Grey alpaca lace knit shawl for herself, and gave it to her friend.  I am making her the Swallowtail shawl from the current IK, in a lace weight cashmere.  I bought the stuff from Ebay seller JoJoland, and it was tremendously soft.  I got two skeins in off white, 400 yards each, and I have dyed one charcoal Grey for my One Skein Pal.  I am nearing the end of the shawl, and am hoping to not run out of yarn.  The pattern calls for 437 yards, and I have 400. -I am sure it will be fine though.

As for my other secret pal, Christine,  I have her final package nearly ready.  Since our reveal was already done, and I know that she reads this blog, the only way I can surprise her is by teasing... And she still has a clue to decipher.  There will be more on this later.

catch-up from ketchup

First,  I owe an apology to my fabulous SP8 for not posting pics of her holiday theme package.  SP, I went back to my last post, and put the pictures in!  SP8 is now ***taunting me*** about needing felting needles.  As I said, I need another fiber hobby like I need another whole in the head.  Somehow I think she may send me more needlefelting stuff- time will tell- But apparantly I have already created several un-neccesary holes in my fingers with the felting needle.  Peanuts the monkey was fun to make,  but died a horrific death at the hands (or mouth) of my mini Cujo.  Fortunatly, I have fiber in approximatly the same colors, so Peanuts II is in progress.   

I also owe my spoliee Christine an apology as well- I have two packages coming up for you soon.  But First a riddle for you:

A key to a message writ and affected.   Soon in your possession yet still undetected.    A "google" search may lead you to see, but only the key reveals the hidden message in the writings of one Stephanie Pearl-McPhee.  Don't look far, but do look close.  The message is in writing you already know.  The key will soon be close at hand.  Good Luck. Find it if you can.

And for some other general observations:

1. When I am stressed out, I notice some pretty wierd things.  Like this week, I finaly started paying attention to the way Jack "does his business."  Normaly I would not go on about this, as mom's who talk about their babies this way drive me nuts,  but here goes.  In two weeks of walks at least four times a day, I have only seen Jack lift his right leg twice - and bot times to get right up on a tree.  Every other time, he lifts his left leg.  Somehow I am off to even contemplate the statistical significance of this.

2. I have switched to decaff diet Coke past 6 pm.  I am waking up with headaches.  I am getting at least 8 hours every night. And the lack of the usual amount of caffeine is KILLING me.  Seriously, the withdrawal, while easing, is still pretty intense.  I remember with abhorance the two days I spent writing in agony (well realy, laying down and not moving) AGONY! when I had not had diet coke for two days.  I will never try cut out diet coke cold turkey again.

3. Seven year olds are fantastic birth control.  I spent last weekend with my now seven year old niece.  She was a great deal of fun but completely exhausting.  We had a birtday party, and went to Build-a-Bear.  It is also the last time I listen to my mom about what kind of cake to get.  I wanted to get her the Hello Kitty cake, mut mom overruled me ad ordered the "Disney Princess" cake instead.  It was pretty, but the mood was ruined when she told us that she had that cake before. 

4. I am obsessed with the new season of Project Runway.  I have to say, there are very few designers whose work that I don't like, but I must say that I don't like to look at Jeffery because of the tatoo across his neck.  I am not one of those tatooed people are bad people person at all.  I know perfectly lovelyy before  just that I know a tatoo there must have been painful

Ketch-up

I Have not posted in a while, so in no particular order, here it goes:

1. I got a fab "Holiday" package from my SP8- Halloween, Easter, Fourth of July and Christmas too! She sent me this great needle felted pumpkin:

A neat halloween candle, halloween candy, and this ghost cross stitch kit:

Easter Eggs, A little needle felting kit: _Oh, thanks pal, I need another fiber project like I need a whole in the head! (But I still love the little guy!) And Jack got more treats and a holoween scarf.

And John Denver and the Muppets Christmas Carols! Five GO-OLD Rings, Ba dum bump!  Thanks ever so much SP, this was a fantastic surprise!

2. Taking off-line the post about work.  I am still a little miffed, but it does not need to be expressed here.

3. Moving is painfull these days, as I have hired a personal trainer.  It is time to loose the extra weight that I have been carying since I graduated law school.  Five years of flab is going to go.  I have this package deal with my trainer's gym to work out at least twice a week for an hour.  I am going tue, thurs and every other saturday.  Right now, I can't lift my arms, because she worked my triceps so hard last week.  But I know that in two weeks I am going to see some result- some weight loss!

4.  I have started to quilt.  I purchased enough fabric for two- queen size quilts. What possibly possesed me, I have NO IDEA.  But Mom will be getting one as a christmas present.