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It's Halloween, all day long! And even though it's Monday, which is, in general, not a very good day, I'm happy because I'm in costume. Yes, at 10:28 a.m., sitting at my desk at work, I am wearing a black glittery witches dress, a demure black see-through bed jacket (to disguise cleavage that may be considered inappropriate for work) and a very tall witch hat. Here's a photo that Ellen took at Thursday's Stitch n Witch:
Tonight, Rich & I have tickets to go see Gorey Stories at Sacred Fools Theater. Here's what Variety had to say about the play:
"Gorey Tales," [sic] a deliciously macabre assortment of tales, songs and limericks from the gothic outpourings of writer-illustrator Edward Gorey, cleverly compiled by scripter Stephen Currens, is given a sumptuous staging by helmer Pat Towne and Sacred Fools' nine-thesp ensemble. Gorey's jaundiced, neo-Victorian vision of sinister adults, persecuted waifs and malevolent creatures is abetted by the thematically perfect production design (Michael Franco), sets (Joel Daavid), costumes/masks (Ann Closs-Farley) and lights (Cricket Sloat), all in his trademark B&W and shades of gray.
A couple years back, we went to see their production of Dracula: A Musical Nightmare, and it was fantatsic, so I have high hopes for tonight.
On Saturday, Julia and a couple of her friends and I went to the Dia de los Muertos celebration at Hollywood Forever Cemetary. People make beautiful altars on some of the graves. Some of the altars are very personal, some are political. Some are traditional, while others incorporate very modern elements, such as the Jayne Mansfield altar, complete with movie screen, or the Johnny Ramone altar, which blasted "Blitzkrieg Bop" in the background. Highly recommended. More photos when mine come back from Snapfish (digital camera died, so I'm down to the old fashioned disposable ones).
Is it wrong to take my prenatal vitamins with a glass of red wine?
We're not actually trying yet; I'm just getting my body ready. But I don't plan on cutting out my wine intake until the last possible moment. So, is it wrong, or just weird?
So, while I was up in the Bay this weekend, I stopped by my mom's house to drop off some stuff and pick up my birthday present. Of course, I also brought in my knitting bag, because I had table runners for the shower that never happened in there and I wanted to give them to my mom for safe keeping. And when I left, with arms full of gifts, I promptly forgot my bag. And because I was driving if I wasn't sleeping on the ride home, I didn't notice. In fact, I didn't notice until Monday night, when Faith was coming to pick me up and take me out to a birthday dinner and then to the Culver City Stitch n Bitch. And I had nothing to knit or crochet.
I managed to find a scarf that I had started on bamboo straights, which I never use, so it wasn't in my bag, so I wasn't completely unarmed. But I felt almost naked without the familiar canvas bag, and my leopard print crochet hook/scissors/assorted knitted accessories, and without any crochet hooks at all! I'm like a boat without a rudder.
My mom may not bring the bag down until she visits in a week & a half, so I needed to fix this situation. So I headed over to the Knit cafe after work yesterday, picked up some Addi Turbos - size 6, 32", and started work on Richard's sweater, I can't put it off any longer. I have now less than two months till Christmas (ALERT TO ALL CRAFTERS -- LESS THAN 2 MONTHS TILL CHRISTMAS! EXACTLY 2 MONTHS TILL HANUKKAH! PROXIMITY WARNING!) and the sweater has cabled sleeves (which I've never done -- never done cables at all, so I don't want to be stressed for time while trying a new technique) and a special intarsia front design, which I'm designing myself, so I need time to figure that out.
Ooh, and tomorrow is our West Hollywood Stitch n Witch Halloween Celebration! I'm about half-way done with my costume, and I think it's looking really good. We'll see if I actually have anywhere to go on Halloween, but that's another story. At least I'll have a great costume, one that may someday make it to a National Monument of some kind.
I had a fabulous weekend. Rich & I headed up to San Jose on Friday, running late as usual because I forgot my cell phone at work, so after going home and packing, I had to return to the office. We got in to SJ around 11:30 p.m., but I stayed up talking to my dad until about 3:30 a.m. (enjoyable, but the whole 3 hours till dawn is not good for someone almost 30).
On Saturday, we joined Christa, Jeff, Carrie & Elizabeth and visited Allison & Iggy at the hospital. Allison looked great; tired and in her jammies, but happy. Iggy looked wiped out. Maybe it's just because I'm more used to seeing Allison tired, having had more than 20 years of slumber parties, bachelorette parties and New Year's parties, but I'm just not used to seeing Iggy so exhausted. They both seemed like they were still in shock over the whole thing. We didn't get to see little Margaret, as she is still in the NICU. The doctors say she'll be there for 1-2 weeks, so that her lungs can fully develop and she can gain some weight. Of course, Allison say's she'll be home in a week, and Iggy has to be contrary and a pessimist and say she won't be home for 2 weeks. We left as extended family members started arriving, as the room was getting really crowded.
For some reason, I started to get tense as we entered the hospital. My gut was just a big ball of lead weight. I can watch all the "Birth Day" episodes I want, and even the 4-part "Pregnancy for Dummies," but pregnancy didn't become real until I got into the elevator at Good Samaritan Hospital.
After we left the hospital, my late night was starting to catch up with me. I was getting tired and cranky, so we went back to my dad's and I laid down for a few minutes. We were due at Christa's at 7:00, but I knew we weren't going to make it. I got up at 7, and Rich gave me my birthday present: 1st season of the Muppet Show on DVD!
We headed to Christa's and then to dinner, a really nice Japanese restaurant in San Jose's Japantown. We walked in, and that's when I realized that this was more than just dinner. There were 10 people: my dad, my sister, Mel & Grant, Brian (who even drove up from LA), Christa & Jeff, Carrie, Elizabeth & Kathy, there to celebrate my birthday. It was awesome. I had multiple drinks called Liquid Wasabi, bacon-wrapped scallops, lots of yummy sushi and a chocolate & strawberry cake. I received lots of fun presents (including pretty Rowan yarn, a cute knit capelet & a gorgeous crochet hook holder from Mel, and the Loop-d-Loop book and 4 pairs of Addi Turbos from Jenny!), but the best part was that all these people that I care about came together just for me.
After dinner, my dad left and the rest of us headed to 7 Bamboo, a karakoe bar that does a live feed on the internet!
We enjoyed ourseleves immensely. We even got compliments from the Internets! Someone from Ohio commented that "those girls have the best stage presence of anyone up there!" Woo hoo for making the most of a performance opportunity!
Overall, it was a fabulous night. Everyone enjoyed themselves (I think). We even ran into an old dance friend, Alyssa, whom none of us had seen since like junior year of high school. We all exchanged email addresses, and hope to get together for coffee over Christmas. But you'll know if was a good night just by looking at this photo:
So Rich & I drove back to LA last night. And now it's Monday morning, and I'm officially 30. I'm ok with it. In fact, I think I'm enjoying it. 30 sounds like an adult (even if I was so excited that my mom bought me the new video game based on one of my favorite movies ever: The Warriors!). So, bring it on, 30! I'm ready for you.
I feel like I've been on a constant roller coaster of activity ever since Camp, back at the end of August. I was in Dallas for work for 3 days, then on the CA coast for 9 days working on our bike tour, then on vacation for a week, and now, finally back in the office and I'm swamped with work that had been put off for so long because I was traveling.
I forgot my dad's birthday (he had to remind me a couple of days later -- that's always nice), I forgot to call my mom on her birthday (although luckily, after the mess with my dad, I ordered a present & card online which got to her on her birthday, so it's not like I really forgot). I even forgot a friend's birthday back in August, and still haven't mailed her a gift (I'll see her this weekend, and can give it to her then, but still...).
I haven't started making my Halloween costume. I bought the fabric, but no wig, and I haven't even started sewing.
I did finish the blanket for Miss Margaret Allison, which is a good thing, because as I type this, SHE IS BEING BORN RIGHT NOW! 4 weeks early. Allison's shower was supposed to be tomorrow, but, obviously, that's not going to happen. Rich & I are still going to drive up tonight to see friends and family, and maybe, if everything goes well, get to see Allison, Iggy & baby for a bit on Sunday.On the craftiness front, I've started a new sweater: Silk cardigan from Knitscene.
Of course, I'm not using silk, because I can never be bothered to actually use the yarn the pattern is written for. I'm using some Suss Twinkle (I think that was the name) that I picked up on sale for $3 a skein. Also, I'm procrastinating on starting Richard's Christmas sweater. I need to start that so I have a remote chance of actually finishing it by the end of the year. Ooh, also, I want to make socks. I picked up two skeins of Koigu at the summer yard sale I participated in with Faith & Laurie, so I really want to make these socks from the fall issue of Knitty. But they'll have to wait until after the holidays. That's frightening. It isn't even Halloween yet, and I'm already saying, "after the holidays."
I feel like I've been neglecting crochet a bit. The whole discovery of combination knitting, and the completion of the cowl-neck sweater just got me pumped about knitting. While we were on vacaction, I did work on a crocheted shrug made from Berroco Foliage. It's coming out nicely, but I ran out of yarn, so I need to get some more from SuperCrafty. Will post photos when it's done.I know some of the WIPs on the right have been there for a while, so I'm going to admit defeat and move some off that are just not actually in progress anymore.
And just to add some more color to this page, here are some vacation pics, in case you're interested:
Me & Richard at Bandolier National Monument.
My sister Jenny & I at Bandolier. Yes, we actually brought costumes in with us.
What can I say? At least we have interesting vacation photos...
Ok, one last post before I head out for vacation to New Mexico (and the Fiesta Yarn Outlet Store). I thought it was about time I posted a photo of the fabulous Interweave Cowlneck sweater.
drumroll, please.
Excuse the pajama bottoms.
Ok, off to the Land of Enchantment! See you all in about a week.
http://www.crochetme.com/2005_Oct_Nov/features_old_is_new.htmlHopefully, some photos will be up to accompany the article soon, but I'm just so excited. This is the first step in fulfilling my New Year's Resolution to do something more with crochet to advance the craft. Horray!
While you're perusing my article, be sure to take a gander at the other articles and great patterns available in this issue (the ballet wrap is my personal fave!). Hooray for crochet!
For those of you wondering where I've been (all three of you), I've been out of town for a work event. A very long, exhausting, yet rewarding work event without email access. But now I'm back, for a while, at least.
While working, I was able to knit, a little. Most nights, I fell asleep with needles in hand, listening to the dulcet tones of John Stewart. I did finish a ribbed hat for a co-worker and started a purse to be felted. Also, I'm working on a felted purse (oversize clutch) pattern to submit to CrochetMe, but since my building's elevator is currently out of service, and I have no desire to lug laundry (and purse to be felted) down & up 4 flights of stairs to and from the laundry room in our basement, it waits patiently.
Yesterday, during my comp day from work, I decided to start the baby blanket/quilt for Miss Margaret Allison (due Nov. 20), since her mom-to-be's (my friend Allison) shower is coming up on Oct. 22. Her room is going to be lavender, I think, so I chose a yellow gingham and lavender flowered fabrics. I created a patchwork quilt (Mel would be so proud), and backed it in off-white flannel. For a finishing touch, I'm sewing crocheted rounds in a pattern over the squares. The rounds were actually crocheted by Allison's grandmother (Miss Margaret Allison's great-grandmother), who passed away about a year ago. Allison had given me her grandmother's thread crochet hooks, thread and some partially completed doilies last year. I think it's only fitting that Miss Margaret Allison receive a blanket that includes pieces her great-grandmother made, especially since she is named after her. I promise pictures as soon as I'm finished.
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