Christmas is coming.

It won't be long and it'll be here. And I'm excited this year. I put my tree up on the 29th of October. I was going to wait till the first day of November. But I bought a set of lights this year and just couldn't wait.

Which is a pleasent change from last year when the tree never came out of it's storage place and I did my best to hide form Christmas. I can't say I particulary like Christmas, no it's not my fave time of year. But this year is different.

I have been planning Christmas lunch since last year. But there will be only two of us for lunch this year, and my sister says that means we need to "streamline" it. She also thinks four desserts is too much for two people, I was afraid she'd say that.

But all this talk of Christmas has got me to thinking about tradition. How do you define what you do at Christmas as a tradition or something you merely do out of habit?
Always being a rebel without a cause. Well, I kind of had a cause, okay more of a vague idea. I just wanted to do everything different to everyone else. No, I'm not difficult. I just have certain ideas of how I want things done.

The original menu I had planned has kind of gone out the window, but I am keeping the Frozen Margarita Shots and my sister thinks we should keep the Spicy Mexican Bean Dip (I don't know what's actully Mexican about it, but that's what it's called. I made this the very first Christmas in my own place when I had the family to Christmas. It went down so well I made it everytime I had people coming around and quite frankly got sick of the site of it. It's been long enough.) What will follow for main course is still debatable, I'm not a uge fan of ham or turkey, but I have decided to make the effort and try one of them this year.
Seeing as their is only two of us, and one of dosen't eat prawns (it's the one who does eat ham and turkey) I figure I can splurge and treat myself to prawns, with Tequila Mayonnaise.

There will of course be plum pudding to follow if I ever get it made, we use my Great-Grandmother's recipe, it is truly the best pudding ever. And also the only pudding I've ever eaten and had to have seconds of. There where other desserts to go with this. Pavlova, Strawberry Champagne Trifle and a Frozen Ice Cream Cake.

Ah well, back to the drawing board.

My new yarn! Rowan Biggy Print in Giddy. Watch this space for what I will be knitting with it soon! 

Even closer - this will be my first foray into slubby yarn. 

Close up of Rowan Biggy Print - Giddy. 

Front of packet of Rowan Biggy Print - Giddy. 

Back of Packet of Rowan Biggy Print - Giddy. 

Do not adjust your moniter.

Yes, I'm alive. Although I'm begining to doubt it myself.

I am experiancing technical problems. Hence the reason all has gone quiet.

However there is some very exciting news today. As I sat writing this a parcel was delivered. It was my bargain buy off of ebay.

Rowan Biggy Print in Giddy. Not my first colour choice but it worked out a $10.00 a ball. Not bad for yarn that normal retails for $28 a ball here in Australia.

And for those of you wondering what Giddy is like - think candy colours.

I must end for now, I hope to be back again soon. All those blogs I'm missing out on reading. I'm missing out on serious knitting fixes. Ah well, I have new wool now......

Where is the time?

I haven't blogged for a couple of days, first I just couldn't get five seconds too myself to sit and write and then I ran into a technical glitch that prevented me when I had the time to write.

This is only going to be a short one, I haven't really done alot of anything. The hood on the Italian scarf is nearing completion. Yes!

I'm planning on going shopping, I'm looking for Christmas Cookie Cutters. So I can bake Christmas Cookies.

Yesterday I bought the NEW Auatralian Women's Weekly Christmas Cooking book, and unlike the previous one this is all cooking. And do you know what it had in it? Yes, the choc nut tree. I keep looking for that recipe every year and can never find it. Then once Christmas is over and I'm looking for something else I'll find it. Do you think I can remember where I saw it? The book seems to vanish certain times of the year.

This weekend is of course Halloween! How excited am I? Very. I'm really looking forward to it. Also this is traditionally the weekend we make the Christmas pudding. Unfortunatly nobody seems to have prepared for this. I'll have to see what I can do.

It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to.

Today is the day, it's my 26^th birthday. And what a boring day it is too. The highlights of the day so far was joining the Hallowig Knit Along (my first knit along!) and getting a gift voucher for Spotlight from my sister.

I don't know what I'll spend it on, my sister's like I'm sure you can find something. That's not the problem, deciding which of all the things I find to actually get is going to be the hard part.

As you've probably noticed I have been fiddling with my blog outlay again. I can't help it, now I've figured out how this HTML stuff works, about getting buttons that don't already have code pre-written onto my blog and just finding more stuff I can't resist.

Yes, I am a button-a-holic. If you have a button I will most likely make off with it and put it on my blog.

And for those who don't have buttons I have mastered the art of clickable names. Like some people have a list of blogs they read and you can click the name and go there. I'm not sure what the technical term for that would be. But I refer to it as clickable names because I know what I'm on about, even if my sister the computer geek doesn't know what I mean.

What we have know down the right side of my blog is – Ezekial the DoK's resident feline who counts how many people are coming through my blog, if it slows down I'll know I'm boring you all and try to write something exciting. Isabella the Weather Goth with a weather report from my capital city, unfortunately I can't get a closer report yet. Beneath Isabella is the guide to the moon's phases from my part of the world, probably only really important to me.

Then we have all the knitting links, since my blog is about my knitting and what happens around it. It has some very cool knitting sites, knit alongs (if I'm currently doing any), blogs I like to read, blog rings I've joined so I can read more knitting blogs and links to local knitting groups in my area.

The knitting links and blogs I like to read will probably expand.

What's next? That's right all my pro-wrestling links and all things related to it. Which is followed simply by stuff I've seen somewhere and couldn't resist. Assorted odds and ends, though amongst all the weird stuff there will be some sensible links.

I always check out links on other people's blogs, but then I could just be nosy. I love my buttons and links, I'm kinda disappointed when I go to someone's blog and they have none. I think even though some ones taken the time to write a post for their blog you can learn a lot more about them and their interests from stuff they link to. And you can also learn a lot in general checking out some of the links. You just never know what you'll find.

Home Sweet Home

It's good to be home, not that I didn't enjoy craft camp. I did some very cool stuff and learnt something very new and exciting.

Monday afternoon I spent doing as much work as possible on my Italian Scarf, I am pleased to report that by the time I left yesterday I was halfway through the hood.

Tuesday morning I learned the finer points of propagating plants, maybe I'm a bit closer to being able to grow them as opposed to killing them.

This was followed up by silk painting where I made a scarf. I was planning on blue and purple, but then nearly everybody used blue and there were at least two other blue and purples. Instead I made a purple and green one, or it was meant to be. It came out a bit more green with a hint of purple. But it is so incredibly cool! And I made it, which just makes it so much more excellent.

Then in the afternoon, I went to the Fun with Felt class. I presumed it would be cutting felt out in shapes and gluing them together. About my level of craft ability.
But what it turned out to be was felting wool. I was very excited because I've been dying to try a felted bag pattern.

This was felting of a different kind than what I expected, it's based on a Japenese style of felting, begins with N. Not expecting it to be this I hadn't taken anything to make notes on.

Start with a piece of cotton voile, layer it with fleece that has been carded but not spun (it's kinda fluffy and is called "tops" and there are also coloured ones). Put your design on to it out of more "tops" or other bits of yarn - I made a Starfish design out of some very pretty coloured stuff that had silk in it. Then place a piece of tulle over it, spray with warm soapy water and using a plastic bag you smooth it all over. Sort of flatten it and causes it to start to felt. Then take the tulle off, roll it up in the bamboo blind it's on, and then roll the rolled up blind back and forth to cause the firction that makes it felt.
Mine took a bit longer to felt because I hadn't put as much fleece stuff on my voile. Once it was felted enough it was then fulled, which consisted of folding it up and droping it down hard on the table a couple of times. Followed by "shocking it", you tell it lewd jokes.

No, not really. Into hot water and then into cold, wring it out. Quick press with the iron and off to leave it to dry. I am very impressed with myself.

Wednesday morning I made handcream which turned out to be really simple and very quick. Virtually idiot-proof, another craft at my level. I made a lemon-grass scented cream. Smells really, really nice.
That was my time away at craft camp.

And today since I feel like it and I need cheering up, the perve of the day!
 

Closer, closer, it's here!

It's hard to believe just a week from now my birthday will have been and will all be over.

I'm about to embark on a three day stint at craft camp. I'm making hand cream and will also be doing some silk painting. I'm hoping inbetween times being away from home will leave me reasonably distraction free and I can get some serious knitting done. I'll let you all know when I get back and hopefully have pictures to go with.

No I really can't leave these quiz's alone. I saw this one over at ttbookjunkie knits I suspect I may not be the only quiz junkie.

What kind of knitter are you?

You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting
and do it all the time. While finishing a piece
is the plan, you still love the process, and
can't imagine a day going by without giving
some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation
involves leaving ample space for the stash and
supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn
ends and you begin.
http://marniemaclean.com


What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

And this is one I also originally saw on ttbookjunkie knits and have been meaning to go back and do.

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Novelty Eyelash.
You are very of the moment, hip, and happening. You
are often seen wrapped around someone's neck.
Some see you as too flashy and ultimately
shallow, but you are having too much fun to
notice.


What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

What I've done today.

While cruising other people's knitting blogs and cruising knitting blogs they had links to I discovered this site - Domiknitrix. She has designed a very cool devil hat pattern. I absolutley love it. I may have to buy a copy.

Yes as you've proably noticed I'm less of a cranky old bag today. Miracles do happen.

My sister and I rummaged through the Dr Who Scarf bag where all the wool and the ball bands are kept for this project. Do you think we could find the band for the mid-brown which we need to buy more of? No. So we are going to have to take the remaining wool and try and match it.

I'm pleased to say that the scarf is past the halfway mark, it'll be so much quicker to finish now. I really must force myself to work on it.

As soon as I figure out how it's done I'm going to put my fave blogs to read down the side here. Other people have it, you know a list of names and you can click and go see the blog or site. Just as soon as I figure it out.....

Fast track to Mad Old Batdom.

Yes, it's happening. I'm on the express to Mad Old Batdom and I'm not sure a return trip is possible.

I'm not sure what has sparked it today. I had a daily ration of chocolate. A large piece of mud cake for breakfast. (I find chocolate cake is excellent for any meal of the day.)

Maybe it's my impending birthday. Maybe I just don't like the thought of other people being so incredibly happy. Maybe I know I won't get Matt Hardy dipped in chocolate for my birthday.

Why can't I have Matt Hardy dipped in chocolate? Well?

I haven't knitted today or yesterday. It must be making me uptight.

Hopefully I'll get some knitting squeezed in between dinner and the end of Johnathan Creek. Which project will I pick? Hmmmm, this could be exciting.

That's my riveting Friday night. What is everybody else doing?

Fluffy Pink Knitting

I am going to watch Miss Marple tonight. The Moving Finger - all about poisen pen letters and a murdered letter victim. So in honour of Miss Marple I am going to work on my fluffy pink scarf.

I hope to have a progres photo very soon for you. I might even get some work done on the Dr Who scarf. It's probably a good thing Tom Baker was th elongest running Dr. Plenty of time to finish it.

Yet another short one today. I will make an effort in my next few blogs. Something exciting might happen.

Matt Hardy might mysteriosly appear at my door gift wrapped and unconcious in a large brown sack.

Truth is weirder than fiction.

I did knit today.

Yes, I knitted today. I did more work on the Girl's fluffy pink scarf. My mother thinks it will make an ideal Christmas present for my cousin who is 6 and an absolute pink fan. That's one present taken care of.

I managed to get the beanie to match the mittens cast on and half the ribbing done on Saturday. Or more to the point a fellow knitter offered to work on something for me since her project had come to a holt. This was the same knitter who told me there was something wrong with the fluffy scarf and didn't think it would work. I suppose I should be nice to her, I might be able to get her to do the rest of my ribbing on the beanie. I'm thinking this beanie along with the mittens will be my mother's present. I suppose I'd better give her something I've made. She's tried to claim at least three of my projects I'm making for myself for herself.

It's not like she can't knit, she just won't try anything bigger than booties.

I'm hoping to figure out how to make stuff clickable on my site. So I too can list my fave blogs to read. It can't be hard to do. Can it?

After reading (at http://ttbookjunkie.blogspot.com/) about this quiz I had to take it, yes I am addicted to quiz's.

The Sheep Quiz, Mark 2!

Which flock do you follow?

this quiz was made by alanna

You are a - Goth Sheep!
Black is the new black, don't you know. All you happy people scare me.

I'm loving it! What sheep are you?

If I was a yarn.....

I did absolutely no knitting last night. It happens.

Amanda who told me my mini-bag came up great - thankyou! I've been across to read Amanda's blog ttbookjunkie knits. Amanda's been traveling around the US the last two years, sounds like fun. Some people have all the luck. What I wouldn't give for even two hours in the US.

While at Amanda's blog I saw this and had to go try it.

What kind of yarn are you? quiz.

Apparently I'm Shetland. Hmmm, maybe I should try again it doesn't really go with the Interchangeable's.

Well, I think that's it for today. Maybe I'll get some knitting done tonight. Maybe.

IT WORKS!!!

I started the Girl's Turquoise Scarf from Creative Knitting Issue 7 - Scarf Special on Saturday. Or to be more precise I started it four times on Saturday. I started it again last night in a last ditch effort.

And it worked, and it looks really good. I'm making it out of a stray ball of fluffy pink stuff and I actually like it. Pink is one of my least favourite colours. Mainly because it's so hard to find a nice one. But I am very pleased with how it's progressed in one nights work.

Once agian today's is another short one. Perhaps I can get some more knitting done. Pretend to be remotely productive.

This, that, and something other.

I've passed the 250 visitor mark, I just wish some of you would let me know what you think of my blog. Either in the comments section at the bottom of the posts or in my doodle board. Some feedback would be really good.

I think I have mentioned the Knitting with Fabric kits here in my blog before(?). I know I've been talking about them else where to people. Somebody (the very helpful Kylie from Melbourne SnB) suggested a link when I was talking about these knitted fabric bags, the Nordic Needle based in the US have them on their site. And they are the ones I'd seen in my local Spotlight. Well my local Spotlight had the Purple Gem and the Southwest Hobo. You can all go and look and see what I'm so excited about. Or wonder what I'm so excited about.

The nearly completed Mini-Bag made from Rowan DK Cotton. All that's left is the strap. 

The finished mittens from Funky Knitting.