splityarn

see you next year

I've been busy behind the scenes chez splityarn. A quick trip to California (check out my new suitcase!*), a quick trip to the LYS (I bought yarn!), some very successful knitting surgery (I made a crochet hook out of a paperclip!) and heaps of sewing getting ready for a big shop update (I have nothing to exclaim parenthetically with this one!)

We've scheduled the kitchen tear out for January 9th, so I'm trying to get some good crafting time in before it all evaporates in a cloud of drywall dust and mayhem. I'm also doing a little reconstruction around the site. I'm going to fix up the categories, maybe put together a new banner and do some general blog housekeeping. So if you see things up and down around here, that's what's going on.

Happy New Year!

*The suitcase is Hideo Wakamatsu. I still can't believe the Husband found it. I didn't want to give it to the airport screener to check on the plane. I know there's gorillas jumping on the suitcases back there. Thankfully it all came through just fine. A few black rubber scuff marks, but she'll polish up nicely.

happy holidays gang!

remind me of this next year

I did it.
I went to the mall.
Today.
3 days before Christmas.
Foolish? Yes, but necessary.

My wee green ipod batteries gave up the ghost yesterday and then I put a hole in the knee of my only long pants so I needed new jeans. In the event I may have to go to the mall at christmas again next year, I put together some helpful rules to review before I head out the door.*

1. Avoid the mall at all costs
2. If your ipod mini breaks and you have to visit the Apple Store, schedule an appointment online in advance so you don't have to wait 2 hours before someone at the Genius Bar can even look at you. (They were helpful, but I still think it's a very ironic name)
3. Hunt down the clever fellow who thought that it would be better to give children a bell instead of candy canes after visiting Santa. He needs to be thanked with an injury of some sort.
4. When the sticky, snotty toddler in the Bébé Tshirt and besequined pants waddles over and tries to grab your handknit scarf, use the line, "I'm sorry sweetie, I'm not a very friendly stranger." Soccer Mommy will yank that child back faster than you can say peanutbuttersandwiches.
5. Don't go into Victoria's Secret just to "peek at the new things" while you're killing time waiting for the Apple Store appointment. The salespeople ALWAYS irritate you. Why should now be an exception?
6. When you go to your car, if someone in a Cayenne impatiently honks for you to leave your parking spot, start digging intently in the glovebox and pretend you need to read the owner's manual. They obviously have more money than they know what to do with and maybe the encouragement will get them to use the valet service. Someone should earn a tip if it's not going to be me.

*All of this angst could have been prevented if I'd only brought knitting instead of a piece of paper and my camera.

me, me, meme

I've been tagged by Cathi for the current music meme that's going around and by Li for the knitting space meme. Even with all the typepad and bloglines issues the last few days, there's no time like the present!

Musique
The rules: List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now.

Now, I'm *supposed* to post the instructions and then tag seven other people to see what they’re listening to, but much like I can't follow a pattern, I'm not following the rules. Rather than tag folks, the meme will end here ('cause I'm a spoilsport like that). Now...the list. And don't judge me, after much internal debate I'm being honest and I'm admitting to the JT. All the links lead to the closest itunes music store version.

1. Whiteout, Killing Joke. Must be played VERY LOUD.
2. Home for a Rest, Spirit of the West. This is a Whistler anthem. I was at a SOTW show at Dusty's once when they played it 3 times in a row. Whistler loves it that much.
3. Strict Machine, Goldfrapp.
4. Bring Your Love to Me, Chris Murray. It's no secret around here, I've had a crush on Chris Murray for years and years.
5. Christmas Wrapping, the Waitresses.
6. White Lines, Duran Duran featuring Melle Mel & Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.
7. Like I love you, Justin Timberlake. Sigh. I can't help it.

My Knitting Spot
Surprisingly I didn't have to boot the cat out of my chair for the photo. Usually Bicoe and I have to fight for the big chair. (I win because I'm the one with opposable thumbs.) The husband and I each have a family afghan on the couch crocheted for us by our respective grandmothers. Mine's the pink one, as if you'd have to ask. In total we have 5 of these in our house. You can't beat the acrylic love 'round here, we have plenty. That spot in front of the windows has been cleared out and is the official spot for WIP photos and etsy shop photos. And speaking of WIPs, you can see that mine is another scarf (!) but this time in Manos. Yum!

clapotis avec minou

The show last night was a resounding success. Thanks to everyone that came out to play! I sold heaps of mini wallets, bibs and stitch markers; enough that my inventory is severely depleted. I better get back to work!

Before I put my nose back to the grindstone though, I have a finished object to show. A KNITTED object. Remember when I only ever talked about knitting? Yeah, me neither. How the hell long has it been since I had any finished knitting to show? How the hell long has it been since I finished something other than a scarf? Waaaaaaaay too long. A problem that should be rectified soon ('cause I think Mum is giving me yarn for xmess. yay!)

Without further ado, I present my Pink Scarf Clapotis. The yarn is Fleece Artist Merino sock weight that I bought in Vancouver in August. Blocked out it's 6" wide and 8' long. Light and airy, perfect for double neck wrapping and still nice and long. It's the perfect scarf for Austin weather (which means I'm seriously considering keeping it and thus throwing my christmas gift knitting list off.) Shown with cat for scale, not because the cat is a camera hog or anything.

sew sew sew!

I guess I was a little over eager. I haven't *quite* hit the 1000 mark but we're REALLY close. Really, really. Can't win unless you say something. It could be you! Delurk! (Is that a word? If not, it should be.)

ETA: Yay Lauren! You hit the magic number!

I've been chained to the sewing machine during waking hours the last 5 days. This is my desk as of noon today. Many, many bibs with brand new labels being sewn on. Will I make it? I hope I have enough stuff to sell. Actually, who's kidding who...I hope I sell something! Even if I don't, I'll get to meet some of the local crafty chicas and I'll have baby shower gifts to give away until I'm 40.

shop, speak, win!

I've been sewing and working like crazy to prepare for Get Gifted at the Work*Shop in Austin next week.
I just got in a new batch of Scrabble Tiles so I'm flush with all the letters for my stitch markers, I whipped together a dozen little mini wallets and I put the finishing touches on the first of four button tshirts. If anybody wants first crack at some of the best, I just finished a massive update in my Etsy shop.

So that this post isn't just about pimpin' my goods, I'm going to offer up the little cream argyle zip pouch from last week as a prize. See, I'm not usually one to whore for comments, but I'm rapidly approaching the 1000 comment mark and I'd love to give thanks to everyone who takes time to leave me little notes of encouragement. I always dreamed of having a little place to get feedback, show off and sell my wares and now I do! And I LOVE it! (Too sappy? how about this way: Leave me a comment and if you're the magic number, I'll send you free stuff)

Thanks y'all, you rock!

(Did I just say 'y'all?' I think the South is getting to me)

jingle bells, batman smells

For some reason I'm all fired up about the holiday season. The tree is up, parties are planned, presents are ordered; it's like I'm organized or something. Usually everything holiday related happens at the last minute with me. December 23 rolls around and I freak out because I haven't sent out cards like I planned and I find myself jammed into the mall with the rest of the last minute people cursing and swearing.

This year I've got some of the gifts finished (and some still under the sewing machine) but I'm not panicking for time yet. I'm going to cruise through etsy for some treasures for the gals today and that kind of shopping deserves musical accompaniment. For your pleasure...one of the Husband's Xmess mixes from a year or two back.

Download splityarnxmess.mp3

 

dec 1st...it begins

I've been knitting a little but all my projects are only halfway through and most of them are Xmess gifts so I don't want to show them yet.

What I have done is experiment with what will soon become our holiday cards. I followed the directions from the Denyse Schmidt Quilts book and used up a heap of wee scraps. They're so easy to make and they use up all those little bits of fabric that I can't seem to toss out. I wasn't super keen on how the inside of the card turns out with all the sewing needle punches, so I'm going to glue on a blank bit of card stock to hide it. I'll put together some festive coloured scraps and sew up a whack of these this week to mail out.