Christmas Knitting

As I am unable to post knit items for family and friends until they have received said items, I shall instead post a commission that I received wind of the other day.

I present to you . . . A knitted Dickey


Serious Business, this Dickey. I was given very little notice during my bout of Christmas knitting, and managed to pull it off in about 3 hours. It's made from Paton's Classic Wool, 100 per cent sheep's wool, in a very pretty/manly denim blue (I wasn't sure the gender of the recipient so . . . . everybody loves blue! right?) as you can see from the tag. Here Nigel models it. Nigel thinks it's dashing.
Here's something I can show you - A sneak peek at my new mittens! This is a reward for myself for being on schedule with all my Christmas knitting. I needed a treat. The colours are fairly true in the photo, a very pretty teal and a kelly green. I'm following Elizabeth Zimmermann's Mitered Mittens Pattern with great success. I've used this pattern before but shhhhh. . . what I made is top secret!

And here's Sarj with someone else's gift:
Knit Catnip Mice!

She was pretty pissy when I took them away. I guess she thought they were for her - I'll have to make her and Pique some for their stockings. I made these guys extra big because they are going to such a big guy!

Deck the Halls

This is how we decorate the tree at my house - with flair and gusto.
That tree is fake - can you tell?
Still struggling with school, though keeping up. Only three more weeks until this semester is over. I'm scared. Next semester will be much better, and *gasp* I may actually be creating art instead of colour scale exercises. I'm so on it!
My computer is almost up and running as usual. Installing Norton really helped, as I am getting something trying to "attack" my PC every five minutes I'm on the internet. Even after hours of picking through every file on my computer I was unable to locate the infected ones, but switching to Firefox as my browser was a good move. I guess only Internet Explorer is really messed up.
Yesterday, while riding the bus, I happened to sit behind a very large man with a sticky-out moustache and a child's mind. He was picking his nose with bandaged fingers and smearing whatever he found up there on the rails and windows. Further proof that men smear (10 points if anyone can tell when what movie that is referenced from). I was pretty disgusted and may never take public transit again. One of those situations where it's totally inappropriate to say anything, but god damn do you want to.

M's DS Cozy

That's right - it's hairy. . . just like everything else in the house.

This was a gift for his tenth birthday - he was also receiving a DS, so I knew it would immediately be put to good use!

I used a light courdoroy as the outer fabric and a pumpkin-coloured fleece for the guts. I sewed in two deep (by DS game standards) pockets in after the fact, and made a wrist strap for it as well. I was especially proud of the strap, as it showed more foresight and planning that I usually exhibit in my sewing. I may actually be getting good at this thing!

I made up the pattern, using my own DS as a template. I didn't want to use too much velcro, as the stuff that I bought out of a bargain bin has incredibly hold-power, and I have to wrestle with my wallet that I made a little too often. I did do a test run with my own DS though, inserting it into the cosy then flailing it about wildly by the wrist strap. I can safely say that this baby is solid.

Jake Rocks Out

Some sketches of Jake playing Guitar Hero III - The first took about ten minutes and the second of him standing about 5. I hadn't been drawing much lately, and wasn't feeling very inspired, but the the past week or so I seem to have the hankering to draw everything I see. Which is welcome, believe me.
I've also got to find a job. Some money would be welcome, too.

Being Proactive and Loving It . . .

So life has been hard to keep up with lately, but I think I've survived the storm. Not that it will be smooth sailing, but I don't run the risk of capsizing so much.
I'm working hard to get all caught up on my Craftster Swaps, homework, housework and Christmas crafting. A huge bout of family birthdays in a very short period of time has left me out of breath; my midterms marks left me breathless. Let's just say I could be doing better. Way better. Let's just say I'm ashamed and dismayed. Let's just say I'm pulling up my socks.
Let's just say I'll never do this poorly again. Let's.
The Zombie package was very well recieved, and candy was consumed. Hurrah!
Hallowe'en was ok - my brother and I had a mini shindig with the signifigant others. I'll have to post pictures later. If you have ever wanted to see a Drug Dealer, Shifty-Eyed Drunken Vagrant, Witch and Hooded Skeleton rock out on Guitar Hero whilst imbibing fancy drinks. . .boy are you in luck!

And Thus Ends a Haunting Chapter of My Life.

So I finally sent off my Zombie Swap Package. I would feel like the worst swap partner ever, except for the fact that everything I made was gold. Here is the completed package, plus black cat for extra spooky goodness:

I made these magnets out of those glass drops sold in mesh bags and little water-colour paintings I did especially for the project. I actually did six, thought I had taken a picture of all six, and then realised that I was missing a set of two after I had packed them up and sent them off. Bummer. They were all different. I drew the faces on with pigment liner and highlighted the white bits with acrylic paint. I totally plan on making lots more for myself! Magnets are glued in behind.

Sorry for the wicked glare. . .

I made these earrings as well. Hoo-Rah for Shrinky Dinks! They are based off of a guitar pick that you can buy from Hotpicks, but who wants to do that when they can make them at home? Earrings, I mean. Not guitar picks. I realise that shrinky dinks are far too brittle to be used as guitar picks. Simmer down.

I really liked the packaged for this. Ziploc Bag, and index card and a sharpie. Oh. . . and staples. Can't forget the staples.

She should receive it Hallowe'en, which I thought was terribly appropriate, however late it may be. I really think that she'll love it. I was so sad to see Gary, my zombie, go. I will miss thee, Gary.

I also sent some Bulk Barn candy (hopefully she is willing to eat bulk candy she received in the mail from a stranger. I just bought it. It's fresh. It's also brain gummies and sour bones. Awesome!

Just in case she dutifully adheres to the lessons of concerned parents/school teachers/scout leaders and is leery of eating unpackaged candy from strangers (though they never mention it arriving by mail, which in my opinion cancels the whole thing out) I also sent her some body parts. . . packaged. . .at a factory. Definitely no poison or razor blades there!

My PC is still indisposed.

And it's pissing me off.

hope to have it fixed in the next week. We are coming up on reading week, and I must say I'm looking forward to it. I need some time to catch up on some work that I've been struggling with. I've decided to really pull up my socks and start taking my courses more seriously. I am considering applying to Fine Art in the fall. It scares the crap out of me: I'm so homesick. We'll see how it pans out. I think it'd be good for me though. Wherever I may go, more schooling seems like the answer for me.

It was Pique's birthday this week (and Cristin's!). Same day. We had balloons and a cake and everythin'!

The Birthday Girls! (We have a newfound tradition in my family to wear this awesome hat I found at the dollar store on your birthday. Pique is not a big fan of hats:

And. . .
PIQUE DEMANDS CAKE!!!
Never piss off a cat with a fork. It's death.

BEST. . . SHIRT. . ..EVAR!

Please don't mind the smushy chin - it's hard to take a picture of choself. . . I found this shirt on Threadless and completely fell in love with it. I think my favourite aspect is that is totally looks like a little kid's shirt until you realise exactly what the cuddly unicorns are up to. My rainbow is a bit wonky - my scalpels were dull (I have since replaced them). Enjoy!

Gainfully Unemployed

I finally quit my stupid awful job.
Rather, the new manager (my old manager was transferred to another store within the company with no notice. . .there's a big long story there that I'd rather not get in to, but let's jsut say that it's not a good scene, and I no longer felt good about the ethics and politics within the higher-ups) called after I didn't show up for a shift. I had already called her and told her that I was sick and unable to come in to work (more on that later) and she demanded a doctor's note. I thought this ridiculous, especially because I have never needed one in the past, it is not company policy and I don't want to go all the way to Angus to get a note for a headcold. So I told her that I wasn't coming in anymore. She got mad - told me that she didn't need this crap and that she doesn't have time for this. . . she's got a business to run. I stayed chipper and friendly and told her to have a good day. And that's that.
I've got to say it's pretty nice to know that you're not selling bedding anymore. I would really like to stay out of that type of retail in the future. The idea of selling people things that they most definately do not need really bothers me. Also the up-selling. I hate how good I am at it.
Aaaaand. . .I'm sick. It's just a headcold but I've very nearly lost my voice. I could only whisper when I awoke this morning, and now I sound like a goose. It should be cleared up in the next few days though, and I get a few days in my pjs playing vids as a result. Not too shabby overall. . .
My computer is also sick, and will be out of commission for a while. There's a trojan virus on there and its hacked my system or some jazz. I can't use the internet or any of my programs. That really stinks. Especially when I'm sick. . . .

What did the Yeti make when he walked through the vegetable garden?

SQUASH!
AHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I drew these for class & thought I would share. I'm eating these suckers for dinner tonight (I mean my reference, not the paper). It's Mayfair paper with some pigment liners ( 0.01 and 0.5 in case anyone cares to note it). Took me about an hour over breakfast.

Also - a page by the name of www.last.fm has very recently come to my attention, and . . . well . . . I just think it's fantastic! Check it out if you haven't already - I was ever so sad when Pandora went American-only (as if I needed more reasons to glare at our neighbors to the south - though this is probably the first time it has been a jealousy-fueled glare) so I was super-duper happy to stumble across this gem! I'm on there and . . . appropriately. . . "sydmore". If you'd like to add me as a friend, then by all means do so. Because if you read this blog, then baby, you're not just my friend but my hero.

Sketches and Stitch Markers

I drew these for Fundamentals of Drawing - charcoal on big paper and all that jazz. The berries were done in like 15 minutes because I was tired and wanted a beer - but everyone seems to like it so. . .here it is. . .

The tree took about an hour - it was windy. That squirrel there? Scared the crap out of me when it ran down the tree I was leaning against. Then it ran into view. So I drew it. I have others, but I'm not confident enough in them to show them proudly. So I shan't show them at all.

I also made John some stitch markers. . . .

Glass beads and earring backs. I thought they were pretty. I hope he likes them. I also plan on making up a little pouch for them to go in, but I haven't had a chance yet.

Re: Your Brains

So apparently blogger doesn't want me to put these in any apparent order.
I made this zombie!
He's cotton with a poly fill. I gessoed over top of the crummy lookin' doll I made, and painted him with acrylics and turned him inta THIS:

It's quite possible the coolest thing I have ever made. I plan on making OOAK dolls like this and selling them on etsy. Seriously. Pretty awesome, don'cha think?

He's for a swap, so I really hope that my swap partner isn't reading this a spoiling the surprise. It's in the mail.

*long relaxed sigh*

Today was my very first day off in 18 days.
I did. . . nutthin'. . . .
Oh sure - I slept in, I had a big pancake breakfast, a lesiurely shower. I talked to John and cleaned up my room (which has been even more neglected than usual) to make way for my brand spankin' new drafting table. I then bought the drafting table (which, during assembly, I found out is missing a rather important piece - I'll have to go by Curry's tomorrow and grab 'er up), had a big, deliciously starchy dinner with a big, deliciously fatty desert. And that's right. . .I made whipped cream. It was awesome. After dinner I worked on G's birthday scarf and watched Brisco County Jr. (which, for any of you whom are not familiar with this fine fine show - seriously check it out. It's a western/comedy/sci-fi starring Bruce Campbell. . . almost too good to be true, no?). All in all, a relaxing day.
Nevermind the fact that in 12 hours I will be at work. Nevermind that I have projects due on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. . . Nevermind that I still have to finish up a project for my Zombie Swap (due out on Monday). I drank tea and sat in my pyjamas and couldn't have been happier to do so.
That having been said - I have been thinking more and more about quitting my job. For good. For ever. So long bedding! Adios crappy retail! It has long been in the works for me to sell a line of crafts on Etsy, and I think I may get to it! Work has been giving me more hours lately than I can handle (even after many discussions with my boss as to why I cannot handle more than 10 hours per week and her agreeing that this is acceptable. I would very much like to not go any more. Ten hours a week at minimum wage isn't going to pay out much more than selling crafts online anyways, and I bet the latter would be a lot more fulfilling.
It's been nice to have a day to chill out and not have anything stressful on my mind. I'm bummed that I wasn't able to go and visit Cory and Robyn, but I needed a day at home to get some stuff organised (not to mention I don't want Robyn getting sick with this head cold after all of her health issues lately - that would suck!).

Stitch Markers and Evil Villian

I made these for a swap:

I did 18 in total, they are not all shown here. I used an earring kit, some colourful glass beads, and some cool charms I have been holding on to for a while. I will have to make some more for the knitters in my life.

Also, further proof that my sister is awesome:

I recently attended a moustache party (it is what it sounds like, people). G decided to try out my trial moustaches. Immediately after this picture was taken, she robbed a bank safe using dynamite before tying a young girl to to some train tracks. . . .

Yarn Pron

I bought enough of this candy in Bancroft during my camping trip to choke a horse. It's a wool/nylon blend from New Brunswick. I got 1300 yards of the brown, and 200 of the blue/violet. . . . enough for a pullover or cardigan. . . perhaps even a hoodie?!. I haven't decided what exactly I'm going to do with it yet, but boy do I like looking at it!

I think, due tot he fact that I worked up my gauge swatch in a tent, and lovingly wound the balls near a campfire (with my little brother's patient help), it should only be made into an Elizabeth Zimmermann inspired garment. It seems only fitting. I think I may try and buy yarn as a souvenir more often - it truly is a wonderful thing to remember an adventure by!

Meat Sydney. . .

So this was my first assignment for Ideas and Imagery, a class where we discuss . . . ideas . . . and imagery. I was to create a self-portrait in the odd style of Arcimboldo, using a collage-type styling, and the objects I used were to be symbolic of my person.
Of course I chose meat.
Why, you ask? Because: we are all made of meat. Also, we were supposed to shy away from any imagery that was too obvious or that the symbolism of would be too literal. I thought it symbolic of my incessant need to define things too literally for comedic and ironic effect.
I find it a little disturbing, but I'm happy with the end result. The photograph isn't great - I still haven't erased the graphite lines of my original sketch away, and I have a few more edges to glue down. But I think this is an excellent representation of what 4 hours, a couple of beers, and a fat stack of grocer's flyers can bring out.
I used fried meats foods for my hair, and roasted meats for my top. My face is made from raw meats and white meats. Also. . .I used sole for my eye. Because. . . the eyes are windows to the . . . sole?!?! AHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Also, my eyelids are sausages. Hurrah!
Aside from being kind of lumpy - and . . .y'know. . . meaty. . .I think it looks like me for the most part. I'm nervous about the mark I will receive on it, but I'm more afraid of someone else having used meat! (We were given complete freedom to use whatever we wanted...)
The whole thing measures 14" by 17". I like it more every time I look at it.

Tardy

I have this "thing" where I will not get ready for something because I have "too much" time. I have to work at 1:30. I can't get showered at 12:30 - that's 15 minutes too early! Showering early would lead to early teeth-brushing and hair-styling, which in turn would lead to early dressing and perhaps even shoe-donning. Why would I want to do these things over surfing the internet and drawing in my pyjamas? I don't think it's logical and neither should you.
However I am always running late for things and often have to sacrifice the hair-styling as I grab a granola bar and run out the door, shoe-laces flapping in the wind. Perhaps my "thing" is flawed.
Also - I have to make a portrait of myself out of meat-pictures by this coming Wednesday. Who knew college would kick so much ass?

What's that?

I'm sorry, I couldn't quite make out that last bit . . . . I should eat, you say? Some meat? Ah. . I see. . . oh . . . and then proceed to accelerate in my vehicle at an alarming rate? Uh huh . . . . to the metal indeed!

(I spent pretty well all of today playing Dead or Alive 4 with Cory. . . . just in case you couldn't quite place that reference . . . you know. . . about the meat. . . ?)

And I've got to say it's pretty killer.

I likes.

I'm reasonably new to the Dead or Alive family of games, today being the first time to ever actually sit down and play instead of picking up a round at a party. My thumbs hurt, my eyes are dry, I'm feeling a little ill from that bag of marshmallows we ate . . . but I'm pretty happy about it. I'm really sad that Robyn and Cory are moving this Friday. I know I'll really miss them. Luckily I will still be seeing them, as they will only be 40 minutes or so away. Yay!

I start school tomorrow, which is crazy. It really crept up. Also, somewhat amusingly, I will be totalling 20 hours of work this week (which contains a stat. holiday) and an alarming final count of 31 the following week. Scratch my average of 14 hours per week that I've been schedualled this past summer (that my boss firmly insisted was the maximum she could allow) and double it! I'm a student now! Goodbye social life! I don't need you . . . I have money now . . . .

I'm sure I will have to request that my hours be cut back. With classes everyday, I forsee this being too great a workload. Plus . . .you know. . . I like sleeping and stuff . . . *shrugs* I'm just sayin'. . .

Rojo!

I got home from camping last night - tired, scruffy and happy - and guess who was waiting for me?!

Rojo, from the sunny land of Florida!

He's sweet and I love him. . . I have coveted Day of the Dead Bears for a long time and now I have one! I think I will have to try my hand at making one as well - they look like a lot of fun!

This guy has been all over the country and the U.S. - FedEx kinda sucks, as it turns out. . . But he's finally here, chill-axin' right next to my Attack Monkey. They seem leery of one another, but I'm sure they will become fast friends.

So Murder and camping are not as similar as you might think

A bit of an overlap here between blog and comic, but It's 3:30 in the morning and I have yet to pack.

Anyways, I'm heading into Northern Ontario for a few days, I'll be back at the end of the week. So, basically all I had to say was:

We Own Other Team!

These are some wallets. I made them. That is all.

G's Gryffindor Scarf. Still working on it. It's due the end of September, so it's a nice leisurely knit. I'm using Bernat Satin, but not because I like it.

A Striped Toque. Worsted weight wool. It's not quite that bright in real life. My own design, I quite like it and would like more in different colours.

Cable>Satellite

It's been pretty stormy here the past few days and my satellite is wonky because of it. Luckily the power isn't off and I can still sew.
As it turns out I am reasonably handy and managed to get my machine working again, and been pumping out some wallets and fooling around with old t shirts. Only the wallets could ultimately be described as worth my time. Unfourtunately the camera has gone on vacation and won't be back for another week or so. Plan B is an older digital camera that I have but seem to be missing the USB cable for. I shall go hunting!
Why do I always managed to get more done when I don't have a way to display it?
My party is not on. I had a few friends over last night, had a bbq and watched Evil Dead II. I'm expecting similar tonight, which is fantastic in it's own right. . . I've just never had a party before . . . ever.
Oh well.
Oh and Eryn? I got your letter! *grin*

Dear Diary...

Things to Do Today

• Register for Classes (check)
• Freak out about how much my books will cost (check)
• Get my hair cut so I look less like a demented Farrah Fawcett (urgent)
• Try and remove the dog-smell from my couch (impossible?)
• Untangle the pile of yarn that is my bedroom (5 day job)
• Do Laundry so that I have clean clothes, not just underwear (check)
• Log in more hours on my overly ambitious Christmas knitting pile (check)
• Get my hands on some beer (ASAP)

Belligerent and Moody

I'm feeling slightly more psychotic than usual in the past few days, partially due to work - partially due to a potentially failed party that I was to be hosting this coming weekend. Partially because I am to register for classes tomorrow. Partially because my knitting is kicking my ass.
I finished my shift at work early today because I couldn't stand my customers. I was snappy. I ignored people. I lied about having product so that I didn't have to show it to them. I thought it best that I get out of polyester pants and onto my couch and start eating some cheese and watching cartoons. So I did.
My manager wasn't in today, or else I might have stayed through 'til the end. But my feet hurt, my patience was gone, and I was getting awfully sick of greeting incoming customers only to have them pretend not to hear me. When this happens I repeat my greeting, sometimes switching it up between a "Hi there" and a "Hello!", getting progressively louder with each repetition and moving closer and closer. Today I was especially focused in making them uncomfortable. Try and ignore that, you old cow. Don't blame it on the stereo system - I saw you react when I said "Hi" the first time. You get an A for effort though.

Ohthankgod. . .

I recalculated my younger brother's measurements. This is the first time I have ever been happy to have to rip out some of my knitting! His finished chest circumference should not 54 inches - more like 46". This should cut down onmy knitting time considerably, which is fantastic.
Also I have found a really cool celtic lettering generator for knitting and other needlepoint. I will be duplicate stitching our family motto, "Hold Fast", into the hem of the sweater, and perhaps the date (2007). Thankfully I hadn't started that yet on the monster sweater, because I, eternally rushing, had been considering it!
Most of my family left for camping today, and I've got to say I'm a little bummed I couldn't go with them. They will be back next Tuesday for my Mum's citizenship ceremony (she is finally Canadian - after almost 30 years of living here! Yay Mum!) so I may go back with them if I can figure out a way to update my webcomic while I'm gone *wink*
We shall see.

Smaug the Dragon

This is a package for a girl on Craftster. It took me way too long to get off in the post, but I hope the items will make up for my tardiness.

It was for the swap "Fairy Tale Creatures", and the girl I made this for had a partner who flaked out (aka did not send a package), so I signed up as swap angel.

I knit the dragon out of Bernat Satin, and ended up creating my own pattern becuase I couldn't find anything on the internet that suited the subject. The beads on his chest are a reference to the gems that Smaug placed in his scales to strengthen them. I used felt for the teeth/ears/tongue/wings, and painted the wings with fabric paint in both a gold and yellow. The eyes are teddy-bear eyes, I thought they looked cute.

I didn't give him legs because he was more cuddly without them, and though I made legs they didn't suit the look of him and were awkward. I crocheted the spines along his back (which took me close to 2 hours due to my crappy crocheting skills).

The Tshirt was from Michaels, and I just stenciled on a cool Celtic Dragon knot. She also likes Celtic stuff.

The Fairy stone has a tag which explains it.

I will also be including some chocolate dollars in the package, because. . .where would adragon be without treasure to guard?

I really hope that she likes it - I put a lot of work into this guy!

Hark ye Heralds. . .

I officially started my Christmas knitting this year on August 16th. I have started my oldest younger brother's sweater - a whopping 54 inch chest circumference. I'm using a worsted weight yarn - my gauge is a mere 5 sts per inch. Crazy you say? Suicidal, you say? Well. . .
I tend to agree.
I figure that I have given myself ample time though - I also have another large man pullover, an adult's small (other younger brother - who is only nine and almost as tall as I - why are all the men in my family giants?) a child's size 8 for my little sister (who would like a ski-sweater) and a secret surprise for my mum (aha! Caught you mum!). Luckily my mum's super-duper secret surprise is almost finished (I'm like a freakin' ninja over here!) and will most definately be ready by Christmas morning.
All but mummy will be receiving garments designed around Elizabeth Zimmermann's patterns and techniques. I have to admit - I'm in love. Everything she created is so inspirational. It all makes sense to me, unlike any designer or guru I have ever encountered (not that there is a surplus of knitting gurus out there - but you catch my drift!). I love her attitude towards knitting.
I have also been reading some Stephanie Pearl-McPhee as of late and though her anecdotes and observations are cute and all. . . I don't really like her work as an author. I dislike how whimsical she makes the craft out to be. Wait - let me rephrase that before I come off as stodgy and unimaginative: I dislike how she presents knitting as out of our hands. Whatever may be, will be. Yarn is a sentient being with and evil will. Knitters are slightly deranged. Look lady - my Brownsheep Worsted is not the crystaline-freakin'-entity. It's string. I will make it a hat. See? It's magic in it's own way, but I control it. There are no "knitting winds" or "yarn gods" that bless or fuck up my work. If I make a mistake that was my fault. If something turns out exactly perfect it's because I took the time to make it so. I know her attitude works for a lot of people, but it certainly doesn't with me. I'll take the good-humoured yet practical and logical EZ over that any day.
*end tiny knitting rant*
P.S. I don't know if this is updating properly. Blogger and I are not seeing eye to eye as of late.

Best. . .morning . . .EVER!

Not really.
So today I had a job interview at Goodwill. Hold your applause: I didn't get it.
I wake up an hour late to no alarm. I don't know what the hell happened, but I think I may be getting a little too good at covertly turning the radio off before my conscious mind catches my hand. So I leap out of bed - and my housecoat is in the wash. For anyone who cares to note this, I sleep in the nude. So I wrap myself in a sheet, somewhat resembling a certain jedi, and clumsily stumble upstairs. It was my responsibility to wake the kids today and get them ready, as their father was picking them up at quarter past nine. Like some sort of demented hobbit, I stagger from room to room, shaking their legs and mumbling incoherently. Realising I will have missed bus, I place a few panicked calls. My step-dad agrees to drive me on his way home with M and G and I quickly hop into the shower.
Of course there was no hot water.
Freezing and cursing the gods, I do my best to complete my morning routines. My laundry, sleeping innocently in the dryer, was not dry. I don't know why. It just wasn't.
So by this point I'm cold, damp, panicked and still host to the lines you get on your skin when you sleep on wrinkled sheets.
I try and print of my resume downstairs. My computer, the trustworthy leviathan I have come to love, crashes. I run back upstairs. I try and run a print on my Mum's PC. The printer jams. Like jams. I spend the next five minutes trying to release 3 sheets of 8.5"X11" from the unruly jaws of a silver monster.
By this time my step-dad and siblings are waiting, patiently, by the front door. I throw on shoes and lock the front door on my way out. I forgot my resume.
I don't have house keys.
Apparently my mother married a ninja. He decides he can break into a window in my house (which I stupidly left open - I never do that!) and he retrieves my resume. All is well.
I get dropped at Timmies and have a coffee, trying to calm my frazzled nerves. I have nearly half an hour before I am due at my interview. I psych myself up, and walk across the street, head held high.
Fast forward to five minutes later:
I walk back across the street with my head held low.
They don't have flexible hours in part time and you cannot request a specific schedual. Anna, the pasty thing behind the desk could only seem to say "I'm sorry but we are not able to offer you a position at this time".
Great.
In a funk and having an hour to kill before my shift at my "real" job - I bought myself a new book.
Never under-estimate the power of a good western.

Oh yeah. . .

And my dog? She's insane.

G's Knit Shrug

Yes - she's a ham.

It is from Stephanie Japel's Fitted Knits - a pattern called the two-tone shrug. I used some odds and ends I had laying around. The variegate is Decor Sandcastle and the trim is Bernat Satin in Mocha. It looks quite pretty together, I think. She loves it and seems to wear it regardless of the intense heat we have been having. I managed to whip through it - though I wasn't watching Law and Order while knitting so I couldn't tell you how long it took!
I actually started it in the hospital emergency room - waiting to get called in. M came home from camp with something like scabies. Very unpleasant. I guess it's basically mange in pets, and he spent a lot of time helping out at the Nature Hut, where they house a lot of rabbits and guinea pigs.