Grad School!

I got into Grad School! Imma be a librarian! So excited I can't see straight!

I Want Wednesday!

My I want Wednesday is three-fold this week. One is completely unattainable until September, the second is unattainable until November, but the third is completely giftable!

1. I want Alabama football to start now. I need college football to entertain me. I'm hoping against all hope for a repeat national championship, but I think it will be a tougher road than last year. Not because we are going to have a down team (because our defense is going to be JUST as impressive as last year) but we have a huge target on our back.

2. I want Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One to come out now. I know that when Part Two comes out I will once again sink into a post-potter depression. I'm on pins and needles waiting for my childhood/early adult life to come to a close. I'm ready to cry my eyes out, laugh, and stare in awe at it. I want Harry Potter, and I want it now. I guess I'll just have to wane away the days and hours (127 days, 9hrs, 20 mins) with the trailer.

3. I want Elizabeth Zimmerman's The Opinionated Knitter. It seems absolutely awesome. Elizabeth Zimmerman changed the face of knitting, and inspire millions of knitters worldwide. I can't wait to get my hands onto this book. "Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence. Of course, superior intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage."- Elizabeth Zimmerman

That sums up my I Want Wednesday. I hope yours is filled with desires you can't seem to get your hands on either.

Knit on with confidence and hope, through all crises.- Elizabeth Zimmerman

Liz

July!

July! has been a whirlwind of a month already and it's only the 13th. Dan and I went to Guntersville for the 4th and we had an absolute blast out on the lake. We went to restaurants by boat, drank at the boathouse, and watched the fireworks on the lake. Neither one of us wanted to leave when it was all said and done. Of course, Dax stayed hidden under a bed the entire 4 days we were there but that's his loss.

In the reading world, I'm about to pick up A Clash of Kings by George RR Martin again. It's the second book in the A Song of Fire and Ice series. A Song of Fire and Ice is one of the best fantasy series out there, and it's worth a read by everyone. It is a perfect crossover series for readers that aren't huge fans of fantasy. Also HBO is going to make a TV Series out of the first novel A Game of Thrones. Check it out. It'll change your life. Damn close to Tolkien in my book. Do it. I'll share if you don't want to check it out of the library or buy it. But you will after you read it... just a warning.

In the paper writing world, I've got a huge paper coming up in a week. About the fall of certain empires during WWI and the lack of complete collaspe for the French. Which I really want to chalk up to their hilarious war uniforms during the first modern war of our age. I mean check this out...

That is John Joffre, lead officer of the French army during the first years of the war. Now if I was a German and I saw that running into the field I think I'd die with laughter ergo ending me as a threat. The infantry ran in with bright blue jacket and bright red pants with huge brass buttons that could be seen from a mile away. I'm pretty sure that would be why France didn't collapse. Too bad that wont work for 6-8 page paper.

Now on to my knitting life! I'm 3/4 the way done with Wyatt's blanket and I can't wait to be done. I'm so tired of this pattern that I could scream! But the making-christmas-presents nightmare doesn't end there. This is the year of the blanket for me. Almost everyone I know wants blanket for Christmas. So once I finish Wyatt's blanket I will be starting the (not so affectionately renamed) Cabled Monster from the Deeps blanket for my grandmother. I'll post sympathy pictures as I battle through the process. But at least it is something different. Also next month I really want to do Serendipity Needleworks Knit Along for that month. Here is a link to check it out. Scroll down until Lila's Cardigan. Too cute. Do want. and it's not a blanket.

Woah. Long post, and I'm spent.

Just keep breathing,

Liz

Been a slacker...

I have been such a slacker on this blog! I'm thoroughly embarrassed! I've been reading everyone else's but ignoring my own. OK so to catch you up...

I've recently finished the baby bib and burp cloth for Mirela's new baby. I need to add buttons for the bib so I'm going to wait to post pictures. But here is the burp cloth.

Nothing special, but it's the thought that counts. I was going to use a specific pattern, but I ended up taking elements from alot of different patterns.

I've also been working away on Wyatt's baby blanket, and that is finally shaping up. I'm about 70% done with the knitting. I'll just need to block it once finished and wrap it up nicely. Also on the knitting front this year is the year of the blanket for me. Everyone I know wants a blanket for Christmas, and none want a blanket I really want to knit. Ce la vie! But once I get everyone else's blanket knit I'll work on one for me over the year. I also found a new yarn store in Birmingham that I just love. Not as much as Mrs. Ellen at Serendipity but it's a nice substitute when I'm in a bind.

On the reading front, I recently reread of all of Cassandra Clare's YA urban fantasy series "The Mortal Instruments." It was fabulous and if you havent picked up City of Bones you need too. It's worth a read, and most likely a reread. Clary is intriguing and completely developed, and she ushers the story along at a breakneck pace. Check it out. Also if you are a big Holly Black fan: her new YA novel, White Cat, it is wonderful. Black does an excellent job creating a believable alternate reality without the reader realizing it. I found myself saying, "Duh, of course everyone wears gloves to avoid being cursed. You didn't know that?" Also, if you have never read any Holly Black pick up Tithe, it will change your world. Check 'em out.

Epic post. Hope i didnt bore you to tears.

Just keep breathing,

Liz

Slackerness

I have been absolutely terrible at updating this blog! But I think I can blame that on classes starting again. This HY 204 class I'm taking is horrible. I feel like I'm in elementary school all over again... We have to take online quizzes after every class and no shit, the question was "____ are farmers that share a portion of their crop as rent." OH jee, IDK, sharecropper? Fucking bullshit class. Please dont insult my intelligence.

On the brightside, I have a bunch of knitting projects going on, and just finished a really awesome hat a few days ago... The prjects I'm working on are going well, but I really need to get working on them. I'm doing a baby bib and burp cloths for my mom's friend Mirela, a huge baby blanket for my friend Rachel, and I'm working on a kitty for Brenda, whose blogspot is here. It's nice to have a bunch of projects to work on. It keeps me from getting burned out on a single one! Happy knitting kids.

Just keep breathing,

liz

New projects, and not so great books

So my kitties are all sewn up and turned in! I should be getting them back on Monday, but i have to do a project for them (a digital story to be vaguely exact). But now I'm going through knitting withdrawals... I just dont know what to start. I dont have the money yet to afford the really nice yarn i want to buy for Rachel's baby blanket. I also dont have the needles... le sigh. it'll be a month before I've saved up enough... so I'm in the process of finding small projects to kill my stash with. annnnd what have I come up with first? A coffee cozy. its a really cute, adjustable strap coffee cozy that should completely kill my stash only thing i need to do is find some buttons, but those are cheap lol. Here's a link.


Also right now I'm reading The Host by Stepehnie Meyer, and it is horrible. I knew she wasnt the best of writers, but I can't seem to get myself through the first 200 pages. Interesting world, poor excecuetion. She needs to stick the Bella/ Edward world. People will buy, and read them regardless of how bad of a writer she is. I dont recommend her book. But here is a link to amazon if you want more about it. But if you are a Twilight Saga fan stay far away cause her writing in this only reminds you to be embarassed of liking twilight. I'm going to try and finish though. No promises.


Just keep breathing,
liz

I want Wednesdays! and A new kitty done!

So this week's i want wednesday i want yarn and needles. Yup that is what i want. I'm looking to do a baby blanket for some good friends of mine, and i really need some needles and yarn for it! In fact, i need

one pair of US 9 (5.5mm) 29 inch circular needles,


and 8 skeins of Koigu Wool Designs Painter's Palette Premium..



Also, I've finished a new kitty today! Here is Confused Kitty



Hope your Wednesday is going well

Just keep breathing,
liz

I want Wednesday! Brothers- The Black Keys

I saw Brenda do this last week, and I thought it was an excellent idea to shamelessly plug awesome gift ideas for me (in case anyone, just because they love me, wants to buy me something). Lol. Just kidding, it's more of a one day when im old and I have a job I wont have to do this anymore.

So my want this Wednesday.. is the brand spanking new album by The Black Keys, it dropped yesterday and it looks like a must have. It is called Brothers.




You gotta check it out. They have a really cute video posted on myspace only right now called "Tighten Up" buuttt being as nice as I am, I'll post link to it here! So click here! I'm really hoping the link works cause trust me it's worth a watch. That is all for now kiddos.

Just keep breathing,
liz

Itty Knitty Bitty Emoticon Kitty Committee

So I've finally decided what I'm doing for my artistic project in HY 300- Knitting: It's not just for Grannies. I'm taking the cat pattern i got from angry t-rex, changing and adapting it to make 5 different kitties all representing an emotion of the knitting process. The stitch will be different from cat to cat, as well as, the yarn used. I'm super excited and I'll post pictures along the way. Here is how im breaking them down!

Dead(tired) Kitty- the gray kitty originally posted. I'll improve his face, as well as, knit a tiny blanket. I know I'll be dead tired when i finish with him! Get it? Witty isn't it?

Confused Kitty- he is an acrylic multi blended kitty. He is going to be staring confusedly (o.O) at a pattern. Also done as a garter-stitch cat.

Frustrated(pissed as fuck) Kitty- he is a wool based striped cat. The colors are red and a lighter orange color. He will be done in a stocking net stitch. he is going to be wrapped up in yarn frustrated as hell with it!

Sad Cat- he is going to be an acrylic blue yarn. Done in the seed stitch. He is going to be sadly taking apart a knitted object...

And finally Happy Cat- She is going to be in an acrylic pink and black multi colored yarn. And I think im going to do her in a St sts as well. She will happily be holding needles in her hands working away.

I hope all goes well! Also a thanks to Carly Addison for helping to inspire these kitties.


Just keep breathing,
liz

The Knitty Kitty

Woot! Done with step one of three in my artistic project! my cute black cat! He stuffed with left over yarn, and cat nip to drive my real kitty, Dax, crazy. The pattern was super easy because it was a knit stitch only pattern. I got the pattern from a ravelry link, but you can also click here to see where I got it from! It was alot of fun, and thanks Angry t-rex!





Have an awesome day!

Just keep breathing,
liz

New blog!

This is for my friends on Blogger instead of Livejournal which is a suprising amount it seems.

Woo! I finished my first knitted project! Without further ado... here is my hat!

It was done in a knit 1, purl 1 ribbed pattern and was extremely easy. I did the the top of the hat with 2 cir needles, and it think i might prefer them since they are easier to keep the stitches from sliding off the needles if you have to put it down for any reason. I'm so excited and i cant wait to upload pictures of the kittens and elephants I'm knitting for my "artistic" project. But I'm done for now.


Just keep breathing (and knitting),
Liz