The Giveaway Winner, and My Week In Instagrams

I've been away from the computer quite a bit this past week, what with our drives, and movie watching and what not. I nearly forgot about the giveaway with Pymatuning Crafts! But, I just picked a winner!
Congratulations Sierra J!

I contacted the winner, and I will be sending her information to Pymatuning Crafts. Thank you everyone who entered. I wish I could give you all a pack of these buttons! They're awesome!
In other news, this week has been a fun one. Here is a little bit of what I've been up to.
Next weekend, The Beer Store is having Returns for Leukemia. What this is, is a fundraiser for blood cancer research, where the money raised is collected from the money a customer would normally receive from bottle returns. I have never participated in this event, I didn't get hired until June last year, and this event is held at the end of May, but from what I've heard, it can be a lot of fun. I have my red teeshirt at the ready, and sunblock, too, as we spend the majority of the day in the parking lot. I'm really looking forward to it.
Rick, Winston and I went for a nice drive a couple days ago. Normally, we stay to the south of the 401, but decided to head north of it this time around. We saw quite a few new places. And some old ones too: we stumbled across a bake shop we had been to in 2010, and picked up some goodies. We made a couple other stops, which I wrote about in my last post, and had a fantastic time. Winston is getting better about being in the back of the Smart Car. There isn't much room for him in the back, but he manages to make the most of it. Since it's been warm out, we put a dish with water back there for him. He's never been one to eat or drink in the car, but on this trip he did drink some water. We were really happy with this. When we took him out to do his business, he wasn't as scared as he usually is, which made us even happier.

There is one downside to having a convertible. That is being out in the sun all day. I was really good and put sun screen on my face, neck and arms. I was wearing shorts and patterned tights. I didn't even think about putting anything on my legs. That was a big mistake. I felt my legs burning after about 2 or 3 hours in the sun. I knew they'd be red. I didn't expect the pattern of the tights to show up so clearly on my legs. This is my leg thigh. Rick says it looks like a piece of salmon. Don't feel bad for laughing at my misfortune, I laugh every time I look at my legs. Just take my advice and put sun screen on everywhere. Even if you think you won't need it.
Overall, this week was a fun one. I wasn't at the computer as much as I normally am, which was a nice change.
How was your week?

Sawing Logs

Where we live now (with Rick's parents,) our living/working area and bedroom are all rolled into one. Because of this, and Rick's sleeping schedule being different from mine, I often find myself listening to him snore away in the morning. The other day, Winston was trying his hardest to get Rick to wake up. He hopped up onto the bed, and started his incredibly quiet whimpering. Unless Winston is protecting us/the house (where he will growl and occasionally bark) he is the quietest dog I have ever met. I have to get a video of him "speaking" so you can see how quiet he actually is.

Sunday Funday with Rick!

This week, I somehow managed to have three consecutive days off: Sunday through till tomorrow. I don't know how it happened, but I'll take it! I'm taking a chance on a different type of blog post, so I hope you like it. I'm planning on branching out from just knitting and including more of my day to day life on here. This post is a little longer than I expected it to be, I promise this won't be a theme in the future.

Yesterday, Rick wasn't feeling well, so we were expecting to have a quiet day at home. Early in the afternoon, he started feeling better, and wanted to go for sushi. The local place charges an insane amount on the weekend for all you can eat, unfortunately. The lunch price is eliminated, and we'd have to pay the dinner price, and only be able to choose from the limited lunch menu. Not cool, as we'd be missing out on some of our favourite things. We didn't want to make a trip into Windsor for just sushi, as good as it is. Rick then suggested Vietnamese. I called them up, and found out the local Pho place is still closed for renovations, so that was also a no. They are reopening Thursday, so we will definitely be giving them a visit soon. I thought tacos would be a good idea, but being Sunday afternoon, many of the migrant workers are at the authentic Mexican restaurant, and Rick wasn't feeling the loudness that comes with that. We thought about it a little while, and I suggested a pretty sweet place called The Main Grill and Ale House. They have some pretty phenomenal dishes, and are well priced for the high quality food you end up with.

Deep Fried Pickles

We ended up choosing two appetizers and two entrées. The first was deep fried pickles. They're breaded with pretzels, and have a beer/mustard dipping sauce. They were alright, but I've never had fried pickles before (How? I love pickles, and fried things, no idea how I haven't combined those two loves before this) so I don't have anything to compare them to. Not sure if we'll get these again, but I am glad I tried them.

The second app was pulled pork poutine. Now, if you don't know what poutine is, you are seriously missing out. A traditional Québecois poutine is french fries, fresh cheese curds and gravy.

Pulled Pork Poutine

Recently, poutines have become somewhat trendy especially locally (there is a poutine restaurant in Windsor), and pulled pork is a common variation. This one was made with seasoned waffle fries, pulled pork in a yummy sauce, and shredded cheese. I can forgive the shredded cheese because it was fully melted, and the whole dish was absolutely delicious. From the first bite, we were both super happy we ordered this version, instead of the plain one. The only downside to this is that it's not a huge portion, and it left us both wanting more.
For the entrées, we both chose perch, done in different ways. Rick chose perch and chips, and I picked a perch po'boy. I know Rick enjoyed his, as he gobbled it up fairly quickly, and left just a few chips that I brought home.

Perch and Chips

As for me, I'd eaten not long before we went out. Our day hadn't initially included going out to eat, so I made myself a bowl of soup. I regretted that as soon as I got my plate. The sandwich was on the softest baguette I'd ever had. It was toasted just enough to add some crusty crispness to the cut side of it. There was also some of the house coleslaw on it, which really made the dish fantastic. I ate half of it, and brought the rest home. I got a house salad with it, just to mix it up from my usual fries, and I was super impressed with how it looked. I didn't eat a bite of it, as I was completely full by this time. The salad came with some raspberry vinaigrette, which I think I will really enjoy.

Perch Po'boy

Overall, The Main was definitely a fantastic choice. Our server did a fantastic job, stopping by the table often enough to refill my drink, but not so often that we were annoyed.  I can't wait to go back.
After lunch, we went on a nice county drive. We stopped at a beach, and Winston and I dipped our toes in the water. He's never been to a beach in his whole 2 years, and he did fairly well, considering he's scared of practically everything. Terrified at first, after a couple minutes, he only tried to run when there was a wave breaking. His tail was wagging by the end of it.
We continued up the road past some really interesting houses, farms, and more beaches. Living in Essex County is awesome, so many cool things to see, places to go, and food to eat, and. Rick pointed out our favourite apple orchard, Delhaven. We've stopped there a couple times, and I was a little bummed they were closed. I think we'll be making a special trip there soon. Our final stop of the day was Manitree Fruit Farms. We picked up a container of peaches there. I have already eaten two of them.
Overall, Sunday was a great day spent with Rick and Winston. I can't wait till the next day we can spend exploring our beautiful area.
If you've stuck through till the end of this verbose post, please let me know what you thought of it!

What a Knitting Podcast Sounds Like To A Non-Knitter

Lately, I've been listening to a lot of knitting podcasts. Rick comments on them occasionally, asking if I'd already listened to that episode, as he remembers such and such a podcaster having already mentioned such and such a project or yarn. He then explained to me exactly what knitting podcasts sound like to him, a non-knitter.

Week one: Hey guys welcome to the podcast, this week I worked on a knitting project. It's fuzzy, it's furry and it's soft.
Week two: Hey guys welcome to the podcast, this week I worked on a knitting project. It's red. It's fuzzy, it's furry and it's soft.
Week three: Hey guys welcome to the podcast, this week I worked on a knitting project. It's red. It's fuzzy, it's furry and it's soft. And it's almost done.
Week four: Hey guys welcome to the podcast, this week I worked on a knitting project. It's red. It's fuzzy, it's furry and it's soft. It was delayed, because I started on a new project. It's yellow and it's a sock.
Week five: Hey guys welcome to the podcast, this week I worked on a knitting project. It's red. It's fuzzy, it's furry and it's soft. It's almost done. The yellow sock is almost done.
Week six: .............
Week twenty seven: Hey guys welcome to the podcast, this week I worked on a knitting project. Well, a bunch of knitting projects. One is red, fuzzy, furry and soft. One is the second yellow sock. One is a green shawl. One is a purple mitten. One is a simple black scarf. Shit, there are a lot of knitting projects here.
Week twenty eight: Hey guys welcome to the podcast, this week I finished a knitting project! It's a purple mitten, I just have to start the second. I still have a red fuzzy, furry, soft something, yellow sock, green shawl and black scarf on the go.

And so on and so forth.
After we laughed about this, I realized how right he really is! The same can be said about some knit-bloggers as well. I'm definitely one of those!
(Please note I do not mean to be offensive to any podcasters or knitters, I just wanted to comment on the truth that is the curse of multiplying UFOs and WIPs)

Some Fantastic News

Recently, I quit my "real" job. I was unhappy with the way I was being treated, and it was ruining my relationship with those close to me. I am currently unemployed for the first time in about 6 years. This doesn't sound like a long time, but when you take into consideration that I am only 22, that's a good chunk of my life.

While I am "unemployed," I plan on officially starting my business. Registering, tax numbers, receipts and all that jazz. This is a huge step for me, and will definitely be an adventure. I'm not super organized, so that will be a hurdle I will have to overcome. I'm lucky that Rick's income can cover many of our household expenses while I get my business off the ground. I am also very lucky that he is helping me get everything started. He is my photographer, critic, and motivator. He also helps me make decisions as far as yarn colours, styles, and patterns. I really wouldn't be able to do this without him.

If any of you have any tips for me while I am starting on this new journey, please feel free to share them! I am always open to advice!

Self Portrait Monday: October 3, 2011

It's almost the end of Monday, and I am just now having a chance to blog. It's been a busy day today, with some errands to run, some cleaning to do around the house, and now I am at work. It's quiet now, so I have a chance to do a quick update.

I'm still working on the second baby blanket. I can crank it out pretty quickly, because it's just straight garter stitch. The only problem is that it's starting to get heavy. I have to tuck it under my arm, or knit with my hands close to my lap, otherwise, my wrists get tired really fast.
This Friday is the Fashion show, and I am really excited for that.
Rick comes back from his vacation tomorrow. We are possibly going to pick up a Kobo reader each in the next few days.
Life is great!!
How are all of you doing?

Slow and Steady Wins The Race (or something like that)

There is some progress being made on the stash! I have been working on dishcloths for a while, and I think it's time to show them.
I made the blue ones for Rick's friend, Sarah. She asked for blue, and gave no other specifications, and this is what I came up with. Not sure if she wanted solids, but I can always make more, if she does! She asked for 3, but I made 4 because I still had some of the lighter blue left. This finished off one small skein of cotton.
I still have to weave in the ends, but other than that, they are done, and I am very happy with them.
The pair of neutral coloured cloths is for my Mom. Just one more cloth to go, and all of hers will be finished. This finished off another skein! I've made a whole bunch of cloths for her, and I will be giving them to her this weekend. I hope she likes them.
I have also finished quite a few hats for LeeLee Hats in the past couple days. They use up yarn that I otherwise wouldn't be using. Three made so far, with another on the needles. I still have to sew them up, as I am knitting them flat, but they are looking super cute!
With these knits, I am adding 9 finished objects, and 2 finished skeins. With the next post, I should be adding at least 2 more finished skeins!

The blue and white Shawl

Just popping up to say hello again!
I've been looking through some of the photos Rick took, and I'm realizing that they need to be shared. Some are on Facebook already, and others have yet to see the light of day.
I love this blue and white shawl. These shawls are a lot of fun to make. For some reason, I enjoy knitting longer and longer rows. I know there are some triangle shawl patterns that start at the widest edge and go to the point, but I don't like that idea. What if I run out of yarn? What if the point gets all stretched out because of the weight of the rest of the shawl pulling on it? Silly things, really, but things I still think about.

Now, I have a question for all of you. I want to start listing on Etsy (just going to sell there, for now, perhaps I'll sell on Big Cartel or Goodsie later on) The problem is, most of my stuff is winter stuff. Should I wait until the end of Summer to start listing them? Or should I get a jump start and promote in the southern hemisphere?

A new skill learned

Late last night, I finished a neck warmer, and had no idea what to knit next. Rick has been bugging me for a while to make him a large cowl with cables. I've never cabled before, and had no idea where to start learning.
In comes YouTube. I searched for "cable knitting" and watched a few videos. It's way easier than I thought!
I grabbed my yarn, a circular needle, and  a plastic yarn needle to use as a cable needle until I go get some.
Cast on 20 stitches or so and get to it.
I decided to do cables 4 stitches wide, I figured it would be easier for me to manipulate 2 stitches on my cabling needle than anything more than that.
It went incredibly well! I did two columns of cables, crossed them three times each, and decided to cast off. I'm going to practice a few more times before I start Rick's cowl.
Overall, I'm pretty happy.

Have you learned any new skills lately?

Baby Blanket Progress, among other things

The blanket I posted about on Monday has grown quite large in the past few days. I knit a ton of it while at Rick's house the past few days. We went on vacation together, and I hardly did any knitting on the trip. Totally okay with that, though. This photo is another one from the market by Mark Bradley.
I picked up 6 skeins of Patons Soy Wool Solids in a really amazing burgundy/berry colour to make a shawl with. I haven't decided on the pattern yet, I'm between two right now. They're similar, but still entirely different. I also have the needles ready to go.
Later on in the trip, Rick bought me an amazing handwoven shawl from The Owen Sound Artists Co-Op. A gentleman by the name of Ken Welch made the shawl, and I am so happy with it. I think weaving is quite interesting. I'd love to try it out one day.
I also got a request for a pair of red baby booties. I picked up that yarn while on vacation, as well. Those will be made as soon as I'm done this blanket.

Overall, life is good.

Much More Yarn

It's impossible for me to resist buying yarn at thrift shops, especially small-time independent ones.
Rick and I checked out a couple near his place, and I got a big bag of yarn for a really good price. Two skeins of burgundy, 8 or so of forest green, and one black, all 50g of Patons Beehive Shetland Chunky. I looked online, and it seems like the yarn is no longer called this. I have seen just Shetland Chunky, and for the current price of one skein, I got the whole lot of them.
I've made a burgundy scarf already, and I am starting on a forest green one. I am going to use most of it for scarves, and possibly make some phone cases.
Speaking of, I will be making more of those as soon as I get home. I have a few people in the Facebook group that want some.

An important announcement

I mentioned not long ago that I would have some important news for everyone at some point in the new year. Well, here it is:

!!!I have my own domain!!!

You may have guessed this because of all the changes with the URLs for all my blogs. It was all made by Rick, over the course of the past few weeks.
I was a pain in his rear at some points, I'm know this, but he got it all done, and it was launched shortly after midnight, January 4th, 2010: my 21st birthday, in conjunction with the start of my 101 in 1001 challenge.

Please check it out, and let me know what you think! If you happen to find any glitches, do let me know! There is a contact form on the site.