Beauty School Dropout

Main

May 26, 2009

Blast from the Past

Not-So-Big Wheels
Originally uploaded by kerner

Big Wheels & little kids - definitely make a boring job a lot more fun.

We spent part of our long holiday weekend visiting my husband's family in the Kansas City area. His grandma is moving in with his mom in about 2 weeks, so both houses are buzzing with activity to get ready for the move. Our mission for the day: clean out a shed that will be demolished to make way for Grandma's new bedroom that's being added onto the house.

That shed has been accumulating cast-off toys and other random junk since my husband was a little kid.

Stilts, Anyone?
Originally uploaded by kerner

Apparently some people's parents made them stilts to play with (this is my SIL & BIL testing them out). No way would my dad have gone for that - TOOOOO dangerous! (I never got a big trampoline, either.)

Pogoball!
Originally uploaded by kerner

Remember the Pogoball?

IMG_3696
Originally uploaded by kerner

The youngest and oldest of our shed-cleanin', 80's-toy-testin' team stayed cool in the garage while we worked. (That's my 5 week old niece! I promise they don't actually drive around with her in the back of the SUV. It was just the only place to lay her that was remotely clean.)

Every family has its ups and downs, but I was glad we were able to make this trip when we did.  A new baby, selling an old house, remodeling a new one... lots of changes going on and we aren't always there to see them since we live about a 3 hour drive away. Everytime I visit family, I always resolve to stay in touch better (which never really seems to happen) so my new resolution is just to make good memories during the time that we do have to spend together. 

 

 

Posted by zarah at 7:36 PM | Comments (2)

May 20, 2009

Unaccustomed Strawberries

Strawberries
Originally uploaded by kerner

I'm taking a quick break from the gift knitting sweatshop to post some pictures - strawberries from my farm share last week, and teeny tiny wild strawberries growing in my yard. (Toes for scale.) I guess they're probably edible, but it hardly seems worth the trouble for a strawberry that's the size of a pea.

Life always seems especially hectic when I don't have time to myself to catch up on chores around the house and relax with crafts, reading, and some brainless TV watching. Last week I spent most of the week in San Francisco for a conference, then the weekend was busy with family activities - a baby shower for my sister and a graduation party for my cousin.

Being gone for 4 days immediately followed by all those activities made for a busy weekend, but a series of unfortunate travel delays (which ended up with me in a different airport than expected at 11pm last Friday night) created a rare opportunity for me to read an entire book in a single day. (I used to be an epic reader, but law school broke me of that habit. Too many casebooks, I guess. I'm slowly but surely getting back into the reading habit.)

Unaccustomed Earth is a book of short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri, the author of The Namesake. (Thanks to Kelli for the great book recommendations as always!)  I recently watched the movie of The Namesake, and the first few stories I enjoyed comparing and contrasting the different paths that Lahiri's characters' lives took, as compared to those in the movie. The first half of the book contains unrelated stories, but they are all meditations on the themes of relationships, love, duty, and expectations. The second half of the book is several short stories that feature the same characters in various stages of their lives. I am totally a sucker for this kind of story (see Duets, Sliding Doors, etc.) so that really made the book for me.

I am happy to report that I cleared my schedule for the evening, and have made progress on several projects that I've had rattling around in my head for days: clean the craft room, catch up on laundry, take some pictures of my current knitting project, etc.  I'm feeling much more relaxed just knowing that those things are done.

Posted by zarah at 7:46 PM | Comments (1)

May 6, 2009

New Airport Terminal - Opening Day

This construction project has been a huge part of my job since I started at the airport about a year and a half ago.  Please forgive me, I have to brag a little bit.

SGF Terminal - front
Originally uploaded by kerner

Welcome to the new terminal for the Springfield-Branson National Airport!

SGF Terminal - ticket counters
Originally uploaded by kerner

The terminal is designed around the nature of the Ozarks:  Water, Trees, and Geology.  The water theme is fairly obvious when you walk into the Main Hall, which houses the ticket counters and baggage claim.   I like the wavy stainless steel mesh along the ceiling that is meant to mimic the waves in the Ozarks lakes.

SGF Terminal - Wright Flyer
Originally uploaded by kerner

A local experimental aircraft club built this replica of the Wright Flyer in 2003 and donated it to the airport.  It actually flew!  We had the plane in the old terminal, too, but it looks a lot better with the higher ceilings of the new terminal.

SGF Terminal - Route 66 Store
Originally uploaded by kerner

We have couple of really nice new gift shops - a big upgrade from the old terminal.  Also - do you see the different colored bands of tile on the walls?  That's supposed to represent the geologic layers that you can see where the highway cuts through the rock of the Ozark Mountains.

SGF Terminal - Concourse looking south
Originally uploaded by kerner

Once you get through security, you're in another water zone - I really like how the "stream" in the carpet is mirrored by the wavy walls above.

SGF Terminal - Jetbridge
Originally uploaded by kerner

Last thing on your way out the terminal... down the jet bridge and away you go!

 

 

 

Posted by zarah at 8:32 PM | Comments (5)

April 23, 2009

Oh how I love summer evenings...

Oh how I love summer evenings...
Originally uploaded by kerner

Until it gets disgustingly hot and humid, this is pretty much where I'll be right after work all summer... checking email, enjoying a tasty beverage, and trying not to get barbeque sauce on my pretty white computer.

Tonight I'm headed to the first of many Springfield Cardinals games this summer (we bought quarter-season tickets). Matt has a meeting to go to, so I'm going by myself, but we have tickets near some friends, so I'm just going to pack a bit of knitting and head for the ballpark. The weather is absolutely perfect tonight, so how bad could it really be?

Posted by zarah at 5:41 PM | Comments (1)

April 19, 2009

No Words

Life can change so quickly.  I had a huge reminder of that this weekend as I went back to my hometown to attend the funeral of the father one of my best high school friends.  Branden's dad was killed last Wednesday when he accidentally fell beneath the wheels of a construction trailer, working on a highway construction project north of Springfield.

Lance was such a good guy.  He was so patient with his kids (and their friends!) when they were growing up.  Even though he looked the part of a gruff construction worker, he was sweetest Grandpa that anyone could ever want to his 5 grandkids. 

When I heard that he had passed away, I was completely shocked.  I can't think of anyone else I knew that well who had died in such a sudden, tragic way.  Of course it's always terrible when loved ones die, but to have it be so completely unexpected really struck me. 

I simply can not fathom what it is like to lose a parent, and I have been breaking into tears every time I think about what Branden and his sister are going through right now.  I can't even begin to comprehend how Branden's mom is holding up.  Luckily her kids are with her (Branden flew home from his military service in Afghanistan) and her sister and brother live nearby.  

There really is no way for me to express the sadness that was in that room during the funeral on Saturday, but I do know that Branden's family has the comfort of knowing that Lance was a strong Christan man.  I loved the pastor's description of Lance as Jesus' crane operator, helping Him build a place for the rest of the family in heaven. 

Regardless of your beliefs, or whether you know this family, this is a reminder that life can change in an instant. Hug your kids. Call your dad and tell him you love him.  Spend time with your closest friends.  This is what life is really about. 

 

Posted by zarah at 7:29 PM | Comments (1)

April 16, 2009

Tiger Dog

Tiger Dog
Originally uploaded by kerner

Hi all. Just checking in - I've been busy with work... the new airport terminal is opening on May 6, so we're in the midst of all the grand opening ceremonies and parties and such. In total contrast to my boring work-talk, I'll leave you with a cute picture of my dachshund, burrowed in her favorite blankie (Go Tigers!), scratching her head with her back feet. Silly puppy. But I will say that the continuous shooting mode on my new camera is great for taking pictures of my dog (who generally runs away any time I try to take a picture of her).

Posted by zarah at 9:14 PM | Comments (1)

April 14, 2009

The Pantry Challenge - CRAFT:along April

Here we go... I am being brave and showing you the "before" version of my pantry, complete with overloaded shelves, 2 brooms (and a swiffer?!) and a half-full trash can.

My Pantry - Before
Originally uploaded by kerner

And ... AFTER! 

My Pantry - After
Originally uploaded by kerner

Improvements include:

-Getting rid of some old stuff that was never going to be eaten (canned chicken from 2003, anyone?)

-New trash can that the dog cannot get into (hooray!)

-Moving all but one broom to the garage

-Two sets of sliding wire drawers on the top shelf, for dry goods like rice, bean, and pasta.  (I recently discovered that I can take these containers to the health food store, have them weighed, and refill them out of the bulk bins.  Nifty, eh?)

-Found a bunch of weird ingredients that I am determined to either use up, donate, or toss.  

Random stuff I found in the pantry
Originally uploaded by kerner

Tomorrow night, I'm thinking stir fry with the rice noodles and maybe some veggie sushi.  (See the wasabi paste and the seaweed sheets?) 

Any ideas about the truffle? 

 

 

Posted by zarah at 6:27 AM | Comments (3)

April 13, 2009

Indoor Egg Hunt

IMG_0303
Originally uploaded by kerner

It seems like it's fairly common to have cool weather for Easter in the Ozarks, but yesterday was downright nasty. Heavy rain, strong winds, and about 40 degrees - not exactly outdoor egg-hunting weather! For the first time that anyone could remember (including back to my dad's childhood, when dinosaurs roamed the earth), we had to improvise with an indoor egg hunt at Grandma's house.

IMG_0296
Originally uploaded by kerner

Luckily, we only have 2 in the family that are young enough to be egg-hunters at the moment, otherwise the tight corners of Grandma's house could have gotten pretty chaotic.

IMG_0320
Originally uploaded by kerner

The Easter-egg girls also got presents from Grandma.  (Something about stuffed animals that you can play with on the internet? That was a new one to me. I am so out of the loop on this kids' stuff.)  They also got a little something from cousin Zarah!

Bunny brothers
Originally uploaded by kerner

Bunnies!
(My April CRAFT-Along 2009 project -- Best Bunny pattern from the Purl Bee.)

 

Posted by zarah at 6:58 AM | Comments (1)

April 6, 2009

My Girls

Mary & Leslie
Originally uploaded by kerner

There's nothing like some quality time with girls that have known you forever to ground you when you haven't been feeling like yourself.  My sister drove in after work on Wednesday afternoon, which was quite a treat to have her for such a long weekend.  After a truly epic travel journey, my friend Leslie (and her mom/chauffeur, after she was diverted to an airport 3 hours away) showed up on Thursday afternoon.  I took that afternoon and Friday off work to enjoy the company and the beautiful spring weather.

Hi Baby!
Originally uploaded by kerner

Oh course... you have to teach the baby a few words: "Preposterous!"

Relaxation
Originally uploaded by kerner

Read/relax in the warm sun...

We luves the baby!
Originally uploaded by kerner

Give the baby hugs...

IMG_0262
Originally uploaded by kerner

Make some cutie patootie dish towels with my sister's awesome sewing machine that sews squiggles...

Flying Dachshund Attack!
Originally uploaded by kerner

And of course, what weekend would be complete without a Flying Dachshund Attack?

 

 

 

Posted by zarah at 7:07 PM | Comments (2)

March 20, 2009

Happy Birthday to Me!

Daffodils
Originally uploaded by kerner

Aren't the daffodils in my yard pretty? I cut some for table decorations for the little birthday party I'm throwing myself tonight. After all, you only turn 30 once!

(This is one of my first pictures with my new camera. I love it! But I have TONS to learn...)

Posted by zarah at 5:41 PM | Comments (5)

March 15, 2009

Go Tigers!!!

Mizzou wins Big 12 Tourney
Originally uploaded by kerner

Thank you Tigers, for making it through, all the way to the end of the tournament!  Those 2-2 1/2 hour games are the only time I can get my dad to sit down and relax while he is visiting me.  Go Tigers!

Fight, Tiger, fight for old Mizzou,
Right behind you, everyone is with you.
Break the line and follow down the field,
And, you'll be, on the top, upon the top.
Fight, Tiger, you will always win,
Proudly keep the colors flying skyward.
In the end, we'll win the victory,
So Tiger, fight for Old Mizzou!

Posted by zarah at 5:37 PM | Comments (0)

March 11, 2009

Recipe Adventures

I love to cook, but baking... not so much.  I have a terrible tendency to leave out ingredients, and that doesn't really work.  (You can't stir in some baking soda at the last minute and expect the recipe to work.)  When I cook, I am infamous for substituting ingredients.  Even in my favorite recipes, I rarely make then the same way twice.  So it's really no surprise that when a friend emailed me a recipe for Barley Soup with Mushrooms and Kale (subscription required), I ended up making Brown Rice Soup with Mushrooms and Spinach.  (It was quite good, even though I realized as I was writing this post that I made more changes than I even planned!)

 

Here's my recipe mods:

No dried mushrooms - didn't have any at the grocery store

No boiling water, since I didn't have any dried mushrooms to revive

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, as needed

1 large onion, chopped

Substituted 8 oz. baby portabella mushrooms (1 pkg.) for the fancy ones called for in the recipe

2 large garlic cloves, minced

Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste

Substituted 3/4c. brown rice - apparently my grocery store doesn't carry barley?

Oops - put in less water than called for, 3 1/2 cups instead of 2 cups + 1 1/2 quarts (plus some veggie bouillon base)

Substituted 2 bay leaves and some sprinkles of dried parsley and thyme for a "bouquet garni"

Substituted all the spinach from this week's farm share for 8 to 10 oz. kale 

No pepper - I must no have seen that in the recipe.

Saute onions 5 min.  Ad mushrooms, cook 3 min.  Add garlic and some salt, cook 5 min.  Add water & rice. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer 45 min. Add kale, cook 15-20 min.  Pick out bay leaves and serve!  Quite delicious with a side of farm share fromage on toast.

Posted by zarah at 8:17 PM | Comments (0)

February 20, 2009

Friday Night Concert

crowder1
Originally uploaded by SEOULMAN66

One good thing about living in Springfield is the extremely high-quality Christian bands that stop on tour here. My husband got us tickets to see the David Crowder Band tonight. I haven't been to a concert in ages, so I'm doing my best to overcome my homebody tendencies and get excited about it. I'm sure I'll enjoy myself once I get there and locate my husband. (He's been "hanging out with the band" this afternoon - I can't wait to hear about that!)

I hope you all have fun weekend plans!

ETA 2/21/09 - the concert was fantastic!  

Posted by zarah at 5:29 PM | Comments (1)

February 6, 2009

Stocking Update

IMG_3544
Originally uploaded by kerner

I finally, finally conquered the fair isle section, and am on to the very easy part of the stocking. Hooray! It's really cute, but I'm not looking forward to knitting another one. Luckily I've got plenty of time. =)

In weekend news, I have way overscheduled myself, so it will either be awesome or exhausting (or quite possibly both). Highlights include:
MSU vs. MU hockey game
Winter Clearance Sale at my LYS
Breakfast with friends
Gardening class
Decorate the altar for church (the sermon is on the basics of United Methodism... any ideas for the altar? I'm kinda drawing a blank as far as visuals are concerned.)
Pick up farm share veggies
Church
Teach knitting lesson
Hopefully exercise in there somewhere
Hopefully do some sewing somewhere in there

Well, it will be busy, but it's all things I love to do, so it should be great.

(Usually around Thursday or Friday I make a list of "my perfect weekend" and list all the things I'd like to do that weekend. It is amazing how often I can actually make it happen just with a little planning. It helps that my perfect weekend includes things like finding time to sew and read, and not jetting off to the Bahamas, so it tends to be a bit more achievable.)

Posted by zarah at 6:14 AM | Comments (2)

February 3, 2009

I give!

25things_001
Originally uploaded by Dave & Bry

Okay, after about a million people tagged me with this meme on facebook, I am finally giving in. Here goes!

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. I am terrible at making mixed drinks. It's one of those things I'm really glad my husband can do well.
2. I've had 3 pets in my life: Lucy, Hermie, and Superman. Can you guess which one was not a hermit crab?
3. I wish I had taken some business classes in college. A bit more physics/science/engineering wouldn't have hurt, either. Despite my decidedly anti-math college courseload, my co-workers seem to think I am a "quick study" when it comes to these things. I'm really just a good faker.
4. I wish I was taller - about 6 feet would do the trick.
5. American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance are my guilty pleasures.
6. I never expected to be a pastor's wife.
7. I almost never knit the same thing twice.
8. Sometimes I fantasize about being a stay at home mom - of course, that would require kids and I'm sure I'm overly romanticizing it in my mind. What - no bon-bon break at 3pm? (just kidding... put your mom-claws away please.)
9. I love to cook and make things the old-fashioned way. It makes me feel very connected to my grandmothers.
10. My favorite TV show is 30 Rock.
11. My favorite podcast is RadioLab.
12. I love being a part of a CSA (community supported agriculture), but I am a bit challenged by all the turnips.
13. I am making a quilt for a king-sized bed. Sometimes I am a little bit crazy.
14. I have competed in 2 sprint triathlons, 5 half-marathons, and countless 5Ks and high school track and cross-country meets.
15. At one point I held 3 track records at my high school. They posted the record-holders names on the wall in the gym - it was pretty cool.
16. I think my favorite food in the whole world is tortilla chips. I think it may be genetic.
17. I get absurdly excited about meeting "blog friends" in real life. I am going to visit Kelli next month and it's going to be so much fun!
18. I've been blogging off and on since 2003. Back then it was a law student blog that no one read. Most of it is pointless crap but it's the only journal I've ever kept and I really like going back and reading what I was doing back then.
19. If I could live anywhere in the US, it would probably be Colorado. If I could live anywhere in the world, I would live in Barcelona.
20. I am a terrible housekeeper - but I think I'm still better than my sister.
21. I once worked in an anthropology museum warehouse that contained a genuine shrunken head. (At least half the department faculty thought so, at least. I just wrote numbers on plastic bags of arrowheads.)
22. I still don't really know why I became a lawyer. It really doesn't fit with my personality at all.
23. I don't have any tattoos. Whenever people try to tell me I would like to have one, I tell them that I don't even put bumper stickers on my car.
24. I kinda wish I still played the clarinet. I was pretty good.
25. I love polka dots.

Posted by zarah at 7:49 PM | Comments (4)

January 27, 2009

Hooray for new knitters!

IMG_3533
Originally uploaded by kerner

My friend Alexandra finished her very first hat this week! Doesn't she look happy? It is a Christmas (2008, but who's counting?) present for her dad.

We got together last Friday night and I helped her finish up the decreases. She ended up making the "ribs" run horizontal instead of vertical, which was what I was thinking when I was giving her instructions via text message several weeks ago. It was quite funny, because while we were finishing it, she was telling me that she would NEVER be able to design a knitting pattern on her own. But... she picked the yarn and needles, she picked the number of stitches, she picked the design... sounds like a designer to me!

Posted by zarah at 8:35 PM | Comments (3)

January 14, 2009

More than just BBQ

IMG_0732.JPG
Originally uploaded by kerner

I was twittering back and forth with Kelli this afternoon, and she asked me about Rotaract, which I had mentioned because we had a meeting today, and well, twitter is pretty much all about writing about whatever you happen to be doing at the moment.

So - Rotaract. The quickest way to describe it is Junior Rotary, or Rotary for people 30 and under (and I am very close to hitting that under boundary). But, if you don't really know what Rotary is, then that's not a very good description.

Basically, it's an organization of young professionals that meets twice a month for lunch and professional development (a speaker from the community on various topics - I think our speakers from the past couple of months have included the Exec Director of an improv theater company, the director of our local airport, a professor who studies gang violence... you get the picture. We like to have a wide variety.)

We also do social events, play in rec league sports, and do community service projects (our club mostly focuses on the needs of a residential care facility for school-age kids whose parents have lost custody of them). We do some fundraisers, but since we're all young we mostly have more time than money so we do things with the kids like throw them a Halloween party, do a Sports Day, decorate their cottages for Christmas, host an etiquette dinner, etc.

Another cool thing about Rotaract is that it is an offshoot of Rotary International which is involved in some really amazing projects worldwide, like eradicating polio. They also provide a lot of opportunities for Rotary clubs in developed parts of the world to partner with clubs in less developed regions to put in wells and other projects that are completely overseen by the Rotarians in the country where the project is taking place.

Right now I'm the president of the local Rotaract club.  Sometimes I wonder how I ended up as President because I don't generally feel very leader-ishy, but I think it seems ot just happen to me because I get excited about things that I'm involved in, want to get more involved, and somehow end up in charge.  I won't miss being president, but I've really enjoyed Rotaract to get to know a lot of people and it forces me to get involved in really good projects, even if sometimes I don't "feel like it," I'm always glad I did.

PS - this picture is not totally random. It's from the annual Rock'n Ribs BBQ festival fundraiser that all the Rotary clubs (and Rotaract) sponsor each year - we've given away over $50,000 to Ozarks area childrens' charities each of the past 2 years from the money we raised from this event.

Posted by zarah at 8:35 PM | Comments (2)

January 7, 2009

Winter CSA

It all comes back to a book for me. Last summer I read "Animal Vegetable Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver, and started trying to find ways to eat more locally. (It should be easy in the summer, but we had rain, rain, and more rain last year, so my little backyard garden didn't work too well.) I discovered that a couple was starting a CSA (community supported agriculture) in Springfield. I was too late to sign up for the summer share, but I did get in for the winter share. My husband and I are splitting it with another couple so it doesn't cost as much and we're more likely to eat everything.

I love winter squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc., so I thought it would be a good way to ease into the eating local thing. I must admit... I wasn't expecting so many turnips! I'm still trying to find ways to cook them. So far, roasting a big batch of vegetables (including turnips) is my favorite.

On Monday night I attended the first CSA Core Group meeting. We're all sharers that want to take a more active role in the CSA - basically we will do more of the administrative tasks and let the farmers focus on farming. My friend Kim and I are taking on the task of starting a CSA blog! We're going to publish recipes for some of the more unusual vegetables in the share (sunchokes, anyone? more turnips?) as well as hopefully some pictures of the farm, the Millsaps and their adorable kids, and the friendliest farm dog on the planet.

Posted by zarah at 9:43 PM | Comments (3)

January 5, 2009

Crockpot Mondays

Not Crackpot Mondays, which is what my co-worker thought I said when I cheerfully announced I was reinstituting Crockpot Mondays at my house.  I love my crockpot - especially when I put together the ingredients on a lazt SUnday afternoon then reap the rewards of a hot, homemade, and healthy meal on Monday evening after a long day of work. 

By request of my new twitter friend, EatPlayLove, here's my recipe from tonight:

Crockpot Chili Verde

Serves 6

Ingredients:  

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 T. olive oil

4 oz green chiles, canned diced (or if you're lucky and have New Mexico green chile sauce in your freezer like I do, that makes a great substitute)

1 jalapeno, diced

7 tomatillos, coarsely chopped

2 lb. lean pork, trimmed and cubed

2 t. oregano

2 t. sage

1 t. cumin

1 t. red pepper flakes

1/2 c. beer (oh darn... I guess you'll have to finish off the rest of the bottle!)

Directions:  First, saute onion, green pepper, and garlic in olive oil.  Throw into the crockpot.  Next, throw in the diced green chiles, jalapeno, and tomatillos.  Throw into the crockpot.  Brown the meat and add to the crockpot.  Grind the spices in a mortar, add salt and pepper to taste, and add to the crockpot.  Finally, add the beer.  Cook in the crockpot on low heat all day.

Traditionally this is served in bowls with hot flour tortillas, salsa, and cilantro.  You can also serve with sour cram, grated cheese, olives, and pickled carrots and jalapenos.  I like to make Spanish rice (brown rice and Rotel) and refried beans for side dishes.  For leftovers, mix pork with rice for yummy burritos!

Posted by zarah at 7:48 PM | Comments (4)

Oh hai

Well, I know there's no way to top what I wrote yesterday, so here's something just a *bit* lighter. 

more animals

The look on the squirrel's face is just priceless.

Posted by zarah at 5:42 PM | Comments (0)

January 2, 2009

Further Afield - House Projects 2008

 

Befores on the left - Afters on the right

I am so proud of my husband and I for finally tackling some of the house projects that we've been talking about since we moved into this house in 2005.  

The kitchen project (top) really opened up the room, letting light from the sliding glass doors into the entire room, and removing that pesky Have-to-stoop-to-talk-to-my-guests-who-inevitably-end-up-in-the-kitchen problem.  We were worried about losing the cabinet space, so we took everything out and didn't use them for several months before we finally took the plunge and took them down for good.

The dining room project (bottom) is my favorite, since I did almost all of it myself.  I forgot to take a true "before" picture, but it had vinyl wallpaper, a chair rail, and a funky light fixture that I could swear would occasionally whisper "Feed me, Seymour!"  We still need some different chairs, but this is a lot closer to the Arts and Crafts style that we're going for in our home.

There's definitely more to do... I'd say the next big project will be replacing the peel-n-stick tiles in the kitchen that were left for us by the former homeowners.  

Posted by zarah at 10:58 AM | Comments (3)

December 22, 2008

memememe

Posted by zarah at 7:14 PM | Comments (4)

December 6, 2008

Little Drummer Boy

Over Thanksgiving, my husband decided that our 18-month-old nephew needs to become a drummer. First step? Learning to play on the Rock Band drums, of course! Now I'm trying to find a toy drum set for a Christmas gift that won't drive his parents crazy.

Posted by zarah at 2:02 PM | Comments (2)

December 4, 2008

Gradual Re-Entry

My popular demand, I am back. (Hi Lucy in Chilli!)

But, most of my knitting lately has been for Christmas presents, so I can't reveal them just yet.

What I can reveal is my ridiculously clean hall closet. I cannot tell you how happy I am not to have those Rock Band guitars and drums laying on my living room floor in front of the TV.

My husband and I used to each get a basket on the shelf for scarves, gloves, and hats. One of the hazards of being a knitter/living with a knitter is an overabundance of knitty goodness. Now I've got gloves in the hanging baskets, a scarf bin and a hat bin for my husband, and my stuff stacked over there to the side. I guess I need to add a couple new bins to my weekend shopping list, eh?

Posted by zarah at 10:06 PM | Comments (5)

November 4, 2008

Watching the election results...

Really great Missouri election map here.  (ooohhhh... interactive!)

Posted by zarah at 8:33 PM | Comments (0)

September 25, 2008

Blarg....

Ugh, I've been out of town, work is crazy, somehow I've managed to schedule meeting every night of the week... I am overwhelmed and its obviously showing by my lack of posts.  Well, I can't make any promises it's going to turn around any time soon, but I am making progress on Matt's sweater (thank you plane ride to Chicago and back!) and I started a Monteagle Bag, so that should be fun. 

Oh - and I think I'm going to stick with my original name for my bike.  I did love reading all your suggestions, especially "Charlotte" since I managed to run through a ton of spider webs on my ride yesterday, but I decided it doesn't sound sporty enough for a bike. Plus, I like how this name combines two of my hobbies, sounds sporty, etc - "Mrs. Dash" it is!

 

Posted by zarah at 8:01 PM | Comments (4)

September 7, 2008

Weekend Funtivities

It took a little planning, but Matt and I came up with a really great Friday night full of funtivities!

First, we watched Grease at the Gillioz, an old restored movie theater in downtown Springfield.

Next, we walked around downtown and took in some of the gallery shows during First Friday Art Walk. This month's theme seemed to be quilts, which was really awesome for me since I am a fledgling quilter myself. Inside the Gillioz was a show by Susan Leslie Lumsden aka the Rebel Quilter. She makes art quilts, but they definitely had some traditional quilting elements in many of her works.



Next, we stopped at Grandpappy's BBQ for dinner, which was nice since Matt loves to try new BBQ places. They do a really good job of matching their meat to their sauce, and Matt really enjoyed his homemade coleslaw.

After dinner, we went to another art gallery that had been recommended to us by the artist at the first quilt showing. The Missouri State art gallery, which normally houses student & faculty work, was hosting an international juried art quilt show. The quilts were quite amazing - I also had fun trying to photograph people looking at the quilts, a la Lolly's recent post.



We still had about an hour before the Mystery Hour, which is a live improv talk show hosted by Jeff Houghton at the Skinny Improv Theater. We stopped into Trolley's (of The Bachelor fame - anyone remember Aaron Buerge from The Bachelor about 5 years ago? Yep, he's from my town) and ran into some acquintances, who invited us to sit at their table. We were regaled with wild tales form one of their drunk friends. It was... entertaining. =)

It was finally the Mystery Hour, so we scurried a few doors down Park Central East and joined the mad dash into the theater. I think it was the biggest crowd the Mystery Hour had ever seen!



Here's Mystery Jeff interviewing new Missouri State head basketball coach Cuonzo Martin:



I stayed up way past my bedtime, but it was a really fun night! I love that we were able to do all this for a great price (the movie was $5 - art galleries were free - the show was $3) and all within walking distance of each other (actually, all within about 3 square blocks.) Yay for Springfield!

Posted by zarah at 6:31 PM | Comments (1)

August 17, 2008

Baby Shower!

Emily's shower was this afternoon, so I can finally post about her gifts that I made!

First up, we have the baby quilt - I wasn't sure what to do since she's having a boy. I ended up going with basic squares and pretty much a palette of primary colors. The back is a really cute green polka dotted flannel.

(By the way - Emily still has 5 weeks before her due date, and her baby's head is measuring in the 95th percentile - pray for her!)

I also made a Baby Surprise Jacket out of Socks that Rocks lightweight. (Emily - I don't think I mentioned this - machine wash cold, air dry, okay?) I turned out really cute, and I have yarn for a couple more BSJs already planned. I think I might make it slightly bigger next time (this one is on Size 5s and it think it's just going to be newborn size.)

 

Posted by zarah at 4:01 PM | Comments (5)

August 13, 2008

Simple Changes

Me and my crazy ideas. Yes, they usually start with a book or article I've read. This time it was "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. It documents a year-long experiment of her family to live on foods that they grow themselves or that were grown within a close radius to their farm in Virginia. It also gives a lot of interesting and thought-provoking information about the food industry, marketing, etc. At times it got a little Fast-Food-Nation-y for me, but I really like the idea behind it. (Barbara - you had me at homegrown tomatoes! No need for the endless discussion of the fossil fuels needed to plant, fertilize, harvest, and transport bananas to the US for year round consumption!)

Anyway, I live "in town" (not on a farm) and both my husband and I work full time, so I'm being reasonable about all of this, but I am trying to incorporate some ideas from the book into my everyday life. For example - for a long time we have been on a quest to eat less high fructose corn syrup. It's in EVERYTHING!! Even stuff that's not really sweet, like bread. For a while, we'd found certain varieties of Baker's Inn bread at the grocery store that didn't have it, but then they stopped carrying those varieties. Grrrr.

So, I'm going to see just how hard it is to bake bread instead of buying it. Here's my first effort, using this recipe. I mixed it up in about 30 minutes, went out to dinner with some out-of-town friends, then punched it down and baked it after I got home. I let it cool overnight and voila!

Posted by zarah at 5:44 PM | Comments (10)

August 12, 2008

Blargity Blarg

Well, I had a completely different post planned for today, but I had an awful day and I didn't want to ignore it.  I'm going to try to blog more often, but it might mean that I don't have pretty pictures of knitting to look at in every post.  Anyway - back to my bad day. 

I started out not feeling very well - I had to rush to get to work on time and was just really flustered.  But then my stomach started twisting into knots due to a series of unpleasant things I had to deal with at work.  Some were completely out of my control but at least one was made worse due to my screw-up, which I really, really hate.  I know that nobody's perfect but apparently I cannot explain that to the pain in my stomach.  Blech.  

I'm starting to unwind a bit now, but I'm really dreading I'm going to start reanalyzing everything once I try to go to sleep tonight.  For now - a bit of knitting and some Olympics.  Ah, that's better.

Posted by zarah at 8:44 PM | Comments (5)

July 26, 2008

Concreteman Triathlon

Swim...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bike...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Run...

Clearly - I was moving too fast to be photographed!

Good times.... I think I will probably do another tri in about a month. My favorite thing about racing is how it inspires me to train even harder.

Anyone want to join me?  Here's the link to the Republic Tiger Tri. 

 

Posted by zarah at 3:13 PM | Comments (7)

July 20, 2008

FO: Monkey Hate Purl, and "I'm still alive"

By my count, this is my third - and certainly not last - pair of Monkey socks. Lene of Danceswithwool said last week that the Monkeys were her go-to, standard sock pattern at this point. I have to agree with her. They fit so well - especially now that I've realized that I have to go down to a size 1 needle to make them perfect.

Project Details:

Pattern: Monkey, by Cookie A.

Yarn: Three Waters Farm Handpainted Yarns, Superwash Merino Fingering Weight in the Mediterreanean colorway

Needle Size: Size 1 KnitPicks 32" circular

Pattern Modifications: magic loop; no purls; toe up; toe-up heel flap a la Wendy's Celebration Socks (free download)

Time to knit: Approx. 1 month

Final impressions: This might be my favorite pair of socks I've ever made. The toe-up heel flap is friggin awesome. (I learned how to do it from Wendy herself in the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling.)  This beautiful yarn was a gift from LauraB in the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling swap.

 

So...it's been a while since I posted.  I guess I'm just not really feeling inspired to write these days.  Probably has something to do with being out of the habit, right?  No promises on improving in that area, but I have been keeping pretty busy.  In no particular order, since I posted last, I've:

Traveled to Lake of the Ozarks for a Missouri Municipal Attorneys conference;

Traveled to Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia for a family reunion;

Been biking, running, and swimming to get ready for the Concreteman sprint triathlon next weekend;

Knitting (of course);

Working on a new household budget since my husband's promotion and raise have resulted in less income thanks to those fabulous self-employment taxes that now apply;

Buying baby gifts galore for all my fertile friends;

Cutting squares for a new baby quilt, which will have to get done in short order since apparently the baby is due a lot sooner than I thought;

Reading and working on my Style Statement for my book club;

Reading just the first chapter of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and wishing I lived on a farm and thinking that I should learn to can/freeze produce before my grandma gets too old to do it; 

Wrangling contracts and contractors at work 5 days a week;

and.... I guess that's about it.  =)   

Posted by zarah at 5:20 PM | Comments (4)

June 27, 2008

Hooray!

Remember this?

Although quite functional, these cabinets were the bane of every dinner party, where people inevitably ended up in the kitchen, crouching down to talk to someone on the other side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm soooo happy to say, the cabinet project is finally complete! And just in time for the paella party, too.

Maybe it's just my family that has a tendency to start huge projects mere days before company is coming over, but at least I know I come by that trait honestly. (I seem to remember my parents deciding to completely re-landscape their yard about a week before my wedding.)

Thanks to out good friends Joe & Adrianna (and their son Soren, who supervised!) we were able to do this project fairly inexpensively. I love how it turned out!

 

Posted by zarah at 5:24 AM | Comments (6)

June 15, 2008

Before and Partway Through

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 No "after" shot yet, as this little project is still in process.

 

 

Posted by zarah at 5:59 PM | Comments (3)

June 6, 2008

Flickr Meme

 

This is so fun!

The rules:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name?  
2. What is your favorite food?  
3. What high school did you go to? 
4. What is your favorite color?   
5. Who is your celebrity crush?  
6. Favorite drink? 
7. Dream vacation?  
8. Favorite dessert?  
9. What you want to be when you grow up? 
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

I'm tagging Tammy (darthknitter), Kate (anxiousdog), Tammy (Pretty Pretty Bang Bang), and Anne (Shifting Gears - happy retirement, by the way!)

Posted by zarah at 8:11 PM | Comments (3)

May 26, 2008

Thank you

Sometimes you don't know how to express thanks when you see a member of the military cross your path. 

Here's how:  The Gratitude Campaign

Posted by zarah at 7:21 AM | Comments (2)

April 12, 2008

More randomness

I thought of a few more random things to update since my mini-blog hiatus. 

- Rock Band!  This is the only video game I have ever enjoyed playing.  We already had the guitars from Guitar Hero, so we were able to get the game without spending any money on all the "instruments."  A few days ago, my husband sent me a twitter:  "I have a present for you."  Intriguing, right?  When I got home, there was a huge box in the middle of the entryway - I opened it up, and what do you know?  The drums for Rock Band!  I'm terrible at them, but it will still be really fun to have people over and be able to have 4 people play instead of 3.  Plus, I really appreciate having the drums going to drown me out if I'm singing!! 

- Twitter.  Bad-influence-friend Kate managed to talk Tammy and I into using Twitter.  It's pretty fun to get little updates from people throughout the day.  I'm zarah on there if you want to follow me.  

Posted by zarah at 6:14 AM | Comments (3)

April 10, 2008

I'm here!

Wow, it's been a while since I posted.....  Let's see, what have I been up to?

- Trying to stay really focused at work so I don't leave any loose ends when I jet off to Florida next week for a aviation legal issues conference.  (And a bit of knitting with the Sweet Stitchin' Betties!)

- Knitting bits and pieces of various projects.  I'm not really feeling super-focused on any one project, although I am happy to report that I blocked the H-E-double hockey sticks out of it, and it looks MUCH better now.  I finished sewing the hooks and eyes on just a few minutes ago at Knit Together, so I should have finished photos pretty soon.  

- Running!  (Well, when we aren't getting torrential rains, that is!)  I think I've picked out my next triathlon, so I'm pretty excited to get back to swimming and biking, too.  I swam last night for the first time, and I felt pretty good.  I know it's a stupid thing, but I've finally figured out how to get my googles to quit leaking.  Hooray!

Posted by zarah at 7:55 PM | Comments (1)

April 3, 2008

Camp Chihuahua Graduate

 Good sit, Lucy!  You show those anxious Hua dogs how it's done!

Thanks for the pictures, Kate! 

Posted by zarah at 9:05 PM | Comments (8)

March 20, 2008

Happy Birthday to Me!

Spring has officially sprung (on the calendar at least!) and that means it's my birthday!  Ever since I was a little kid, my mom made a huge ordeal out of my and my sister's birthdays.  Now that I'm supposedly a grown-up, I can't quite get over the fact that no one is going quite as overboard as my mom did.  So, I do it myself!  My parents came to visit me last weekend, and I've got birthday festivities planned for today, tomorrow, and Saturday!  I'll report back on Sunday or Monday on the festivities. 

Yay!  It's my birthday!  Happy birthday to you, too! 

(No - It's not my dog, Lucy, but it sure looks a lot like her!  You can tell it's not her because there is NO WAY she would evee put up with that hat.  Trust me, I've tried.)

Photo credit to zurbrick via flickr.

Posted by zarah at 6:24 AM | Comments (15)

February 28, 2008

Won't you be my neighbor?

In honor of what would have been Mister Rogers' 80th birthday on March 20, Mr. McFeely -- aka David Newell, the public relations director for Family Communications, Inc. (the nonprofit company founded in 1971 by Fred Rogers) -- has a special request.

"We're asking everyone (including members of the media) everywhere (from Pittsburgh to Paris) to wear their favorite sweater on that day," he asks. "It doesn't have to have a zipper down the front like the one Mister Rogers wore on the program, it just has to be special to you."

 

Posted by zarah at 6:45 PM | Comments (2)

February 21, 2008

Thundersleet

Thundersleet sounds like it would be pretty cool, until you have to use a sledgehammer to break the ice so you can open your car door.  

Posted by zarah at 11:59 AM | Comments (1)

February 12, 2008

Ice Storm Pictures

Posted by zarah at 8:44 PM | Comments (4)

Ice Sucks

I think I have post-ice-storm-stress-disorder.  Yesterday we received another think coat of ice (almost an inch!) and lost power for a total of about 8 hours.   Last night we went to bed with the sound of limbs snapping and transformers exploding all around our neighborhood.  Way too much like the first night of the ice storm last year, where we lost power for 10 days.  I really don't think I could handle that again. 

Thankfully (!) this morning our power was restored, and they're predicting temps to rise into the 50s by Wednesday.   The bad news is that somehow we managed to get way worse damage to our trees last night than last year, when the trees were coated with ice for over two weeks!   I'm hoping the winds that we're supposed to get today don't make it any worse. 

ETA - Tuesday afternoon - my husband just texted me - the power's out again and a large branch from my pecan tree is breaking my beloved dogwood tree.  Dang, dang, dang!!!

Posted by zarah at 7:05 AM | Comments (10)

February 4, 2008

Pretty but boring

Good ole Clapotis.... she's sort of like a model. Very pretty, but not so much with the conversation. But the final photo shoot will be worth it!

In other (random) news....

I'll be starting a new pair of socks soon - another pair of Child's First Socks from Vintage Knits. It's our February Knit-a-long for Knit Together.

Exciting news from my friends Matt and Meredith - they're starting the process of adopting a child from Vietnam, and documenting the process here.

A slightly sketchy looking place in my living room ceiling finally reached a critical mass this weekend. We peeled back the drooping popcorn ceiling texture, and saw a corroded and water-stained drywall above it. That's not good at all..... time to call a plumber, then a remodeling crew to close the hole that the plumber's going to have to make! I don't even want to think about how much it's going to cost.

I taught three people to knit in the last two days!

(See, I told you it was going to be random!) I'm off to bed now, I've got to get up early and VOTE! (Go vote on Tuesday if you're in a Super Tuesday state!)

Posted by zarah at 9:59 PM | Comments (5)

January 7, 2008

That can't be good...

So.... we had some heavy rain this afternoon, no biggie...

Then after work I was innocently sitting in my hairdresser's hair, with the hairdryer blaring in my ears, when the owner of the salon comes out and tells all the stylists to stop working because there is a tornado coming.  They kind of laugh, but shut off the blow dryers, and what do you know?  Tornado sirens.  I'm guessing that was about 5:45pm.  Now it's 8:45 and they haven't stopped for more than ten minutes.  There were at least 4 big red swirls headed my direction (they're going right up I-44 - aka Tornado Alley) and I think three have passed so far.  Luckily nothing too crazy has happened.  After hunkering down with another customer and 4 hairdressers, I drove home after the first storm passed.  No sooner than I started to open the garage door did the next round of sirens start sounding.  Now I'm hanging out in the lower level of my house, which is not a basement, but it's the best thing we've got.  Matt is watching an episode of Prison Break on his laptop, and I'm doing a little knitting, podcast listening, and reading.  I can't listen to KTTS (the radio station with the - let's call it "most thorough" - weather coverage for too long without getting freaked out, so I turned it off.  I figure I can rely on the sirens and stuff hitting the house to alert me to anything really important.  

And just in case you were wondering, you should locate your workbench in case of a tornado. 

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

Maybe I should go burrow into the yarn stash? 

 

Posted by zarah at 8:40 PM | Comments (11)

Odds & Ends

A random assortment of stuff to start the week:

1.  (No, it's not a knitted thong!)  I started a new Clapotis last Thursday at Knit Together.  Tammy, Kate, and I are doing a knitalong of this pattern.  I wasn't sure at first - I kept worrying about the curling, but I think it will be fine once I drop the stitches.  

2.  I found a new podcast - Sticks & String.  The bad news is that he's taking a break.  The good news is he has 50 episodes to keep me in podcasts until Nicole & Jenny come back! 

3.  New Year's stuff - January 1 is an arbitrary date, but I can also use a bit a self-improvement.  I'm using Joe's Goals to track how much I'm: eating my veggies, working out, reading, and not drinking Diet Coke (my carbonated beverage of choice).

  

4.  The Firestarter sock is coming right along.  I think it's going to be the project that travels around in the car with me.  No, I don't knit while driving, but sometimes I get stuck waiting when I'm out adn about, and I am always glad if I happen to have a knitting project in my car. 

5.  Exercise.  I know I've said it before, but I really am going to try to start posting regularly about my running and triathlon training.  I'm planning to compete in another sprint triathlon this May, so I've got to get back in shape. 

 6.  Sewing!  My mom got me Joelle Hoverson's "Last Minute Patchwork & Quilting" book for Christmas.  Lookee!  I made a pincushion!  It really was a quick little project.  I think I'm going to try a tied quilt next.  

Posted by zarah at 6:51 AM | Comments (3)

December 6, 2007

Saturday Sky

Enjoy! (Red night in morning, sailor take warning!) This was taken on Wednesday - by Thursday at noon we had icy roads and more on the way.

Posted by zarah at 9:03 PM | Comments (0)

October 23, 2007

Long overdue update

Yet again I've had a ridiculously long absence from the blog.  [Insert excuse here.]  I'm seriously considering just giving up the blog and going all-Ravelry, but I think I just need to blog on a more regular basis about stuff other than knitting, and I'll enjoy it more.  

Anyway, I'm making fabulous progess on my "Jordan Valley Park" Hoodie (that's Central Park Hoodie, Springfield MO style!).  I've finished the back, fronts, and hood, and I started the sleeves.  I am trying to finish it in time for my vacation - I leave on Sunday! 

In non-knitting news, I have a big announcement!  (No, I'm not pregnant, like half the knit-blogging world.)  I got a new job!  (This explains the airplane picture, I promise.)  I am going to be an assistant city attorney, specifically, the "airport attorney."  My office will be out at the airport and I will be the attorney on site to handle all the leases, contracts, FAA compliance, construction and everyday problems related to the airport.  This is a big change from my previous job, so luckily I am going to get a lot of training.  I'm looking forward to a change in pace from private practice, and I think this will be a good move for me.  

Posted by zarah at 6:29 AM | Comments (15)

July 22, 2007

Waiting...

One book - two Harry Potter fans....  I read to about page 500 last night, before my husband insisted that I give the book back to him.  Now I'm supposedly not getting it back until he catches up with me.  (!)

In the meantime, how about some old HP fun - the Sorting Hat!  

Which Hogwarts house will you be sorted into?

Interesting result, because I used to always get sorted into Gryffindor (like most other people, it seems), but I think this is probably more accurate.

And some new HP fun as well - Minty is closing in on her reverse-engineered design of Hermione's sweater from Movie 5!

 

Posted by zarah at 7:40 AM | Comments (4)

July 21, 2007

Good Advice

May I suggest, if you don't have some already, that you immediately cultivate some knitting friends? Friends who want to go to yarn stores? Friends who want to sit and knit and see your patterns? Friends who just move the yarn in the freezer to put in the spanakopita like it's perfectly reasonable? It's simply, fantastically, the best.

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”  -C.S. Lewis.

Thanks to the Harlot for putting it so perfectly.   

Posted by zarah at 6:32 AM | Comments (3)

July 20, 2007

Wizarding Fun Tonight!

I'm sure I'm not the only nerd with Harry Potter-related plans tonight!  Our local indie movie theater, The Moxie, is showing the Prisoner of Azkaban and teaming up with an independent bookstore and other local businesses to recreate Diagon Alley in downtown Springfield - here's a blurb from the Moxie's newsletter:

On Friday, July 20, our little block of Walnut and Campbell will be magically transformed into Diagon Alley, the premiere wizard shopping district in the Harry Potter series. Festivities will begin around 6:00 pm, and here's what you can expect:

* Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes (WELL FED HEAD), an official distributor of the new book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, cordially invites you to #93 Diagon Alley on Friday, July 20th, 2007, for more magic than contained in a Skiving Snackbox. There will be ten ton-tongue toffees to the first ten guests as well as various awards, activities and diversions all over the Alley. Harry Potter books will be released promptly at 12:01 AM. Quantities are limited and we would strongly suggest you reserve your copy today.

* Terrortours (Shires for Hire), #59 Diagon Alley, will be offering carriage rides (weather permitting) throughout our little corner of the magical world. If you ask them nicely they might even take you on quick ride down Knockturn Alley. They will begin tours after 6:00 PM that evening and you will be able to catch them near Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

* Ollivander's - Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 BC (Springfield Hot Glass Studio), will have an extensive collection of custom magical wands and goblets on display. Open till 8:30 PM.

* Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions (Czar Graphics), will have a fine selection of ready made and custom magical clothing just for you.

* And last but not least, Moxie Cinema will transform into The Leaky Cauldron, where we'll be serving up some butter beer and showing HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN.  Did we mention we're making pitchers of Butter Beer? Don't worry, it doesn't really have butter in it, and it's kid friendly. The show starts at 9pm.

Fun times.... I'll try to get some photos before it gets too dark out! 

Posted by zarah at 6:08 AM | Comments (6)

July 11, 2007

Now it's SUMMER

I spy, with my little eye, TWO ripe tomatoes in my very own little garden!!! Yumma yumma!

Posted by zarah at 6:45 AM | Comments (5)

July 4, 2007

Happy 4th of July!

Be safe and have fun!

Posted by zarah at 2:20 PM | Comments (0)

June 30, 2007

Christmas in June

Guess who got a new toy yesterday?

Ridiculous, I say, but he's certainly happy about it!

Posted by zarah at 11:54 AM | Comments (4)

June 28, 2007

Babies, babies everywhere

<--- Remember this?  (This is my husband's sister about 8 weeks ago.)

Well, look who decided to show up, right on time!

 

Welcome to the world, little guy.

(I think his expression is quite appropriate.  "What the hey?")

So now I'm auntie Zarah...

I also have a new cousin: 

 

 

 

My aunt and uncle's new daughter from China.  Isn't she a cutie?  This is one of her quieter moments, she's actually a total maniac.  Very talkative and quite a runner!

Let the baby knitting ensue! 

Posted by zarah at 6:58 PM | Comments (6)

June 8, 2007

Eye Candy Friday

These are native Missouri flowers that my husband planted in a more "traditional" landscape planting in front of our house. It's been raining so much - they're taking over! But they're beautiful, so it's okay.

The light purple flowers are Rose Verbena, and the hot pink flowers are Purple Poppy Mallow.  They're growing in an area that gets full sun and tends to get really dry in the summer.  I will be interested to see how they do as the summer gets hotter and it stops raining! 

Posted by zarah at 6:37 AM | Comments (7)

May 29, 2007

Summertime and summer knits

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! I went floating yesterday with three other couples, all of whom brought their kids along. There were more kids than parental units so my husband and I got a kid (Sam) in our canoe. The river was really high and running pretty fast from all the rain we've been getting. Early in the float, our canoe flipped and got pinned under a log with Sam trapped inside. I was sitting in front of him so I had no clue what was even happening (somehow I got out of the canoe no problem), but thankfully my husband kept his wits about him, dove over the canoe, and untangled him from the cross bars and pulled him out from under the water. That was REALLY scary, but thank goodness it turned out fine. Sam was a really good sport about the whole thing (although I'm not sure he'll ever go floating again!)

Okay, so that makes it sound like we had a terrible day, but it really wasn't.

Well... this post ended up being about something totally different than I intended (summer knitting projects), but here's a little glimpse of what I've been working on. 

My Hempathy sweater is coming right along... that turquoise string in there is not part of the pattern, it's just marking where I started the armhole decreases so I can match up the front and the back. I thought when I got the armholes it would really start going fast, but the neckline is pretty high, so I'm really only about 2/3rds done with the front. Grrr.... this project feels like a black hole sometimes.

Posted by zarah at 6:29 AM | Comments (4)

May 7, 2007

Baby birdies

About 3-4 weeks ago, I discovered there was a bird living in my garage. It actually had pretty posh digs - a nest of leaves and twigs nestled in an old blanket that was stuck inside a cabinet in my garage. I pulled it out and a nest with five eggs came falling out.

Oops - but I couldn't very well have a family of birds living in my garage, could I?

A couple days later, I found this nest in a flowerbox on my front porch. It's just the bare minimum of a nest, pretty well hidden behind some dead flowers from last year. I think it must be the second round of eggs from the same bird... maybe not, but it makes me feel a little less guilty for the five-egg omelette on my driveway.

Long story short, I've been trying to leave mama bird alone so she could at least raise a couple of little ones without me killing them. And look what I found on Sunday when I got back from being out of town!

Hi babies! It's been raining like crazy here, so there should be some nice juicy worms out there to fatten you up. I can't make any promises about the neighborhood cat that's been skulking around the side of my house, though.

 

Oh yeah, speaking of babies....

Check out my sister-in-law! Is that about the craziest thing you've ever seen? Matt and I went to KC last weekend for my sister's gradation and I went to his sister's baby shower. I haven't seen her since Christmas, so it was especially surprising. (I couldn't stop staring - did she stick a basketball under there?)

Posted by zarah at 8:13 PM | Comments (9)

April 26, 2007

Monkey hate clean

I'm getting my carpet cleaned tomorrow - yay!  But do you know how hard it is to have your entire house picked up at once?  (Okay, maybe I'm just a slob....)

Posted by zarah at 6:12 PM | Comments (2)

March 20, 2007

You say it's your birthday...

Big Bird

Spike Lee

Holly Hunter

Mr. Rogers 

Well it's my birthday, too! 

I did get myself a little yarny present.....

(No, not the whole basket - but that's Tess superwash sock/baby, people!  For sale within a 20 mile radius of my house!)  I found a lovely turquoise skein that I just had to have.  (Actually, there was a burgandy one that I liked pretty well too, but someone got it first!)

But the very best gift of all was getting to spend Saturday with my knitty friends Tammy and Brianne! 

On Saturday morning we met at my house and drove out to Rogersville, Mo to look for a new yarn shop that opened recently.  It's called One City Market and it's in an old house that has been converted to yarn shop, knitting and weaving studio, and - coming soon - dye studio!  The selection is really good, and there is lots of room to pull up a chair, knit a while, and chat.  I loved the shop owner Lisa's stories about knitting socks for her teenage nephews, who insist on socks made from the yarn that has jojoba oil in it, because they like how it makes their feet soft!  I just kept cracking up picturing a pack of teenage boys surrounding the sock yarn section, picking out their next pair.  =) 

Posted by zarah at 6:06 AM | Comments (12)

January 22, 2007

I GOT POWER!!!!

Please stay tuned for your regularly scheduled knit-blogging. 

It came on sometime very early this morning.  Yippee!  And just in time for Heroes, too.  =)

Posted by zarah at 7:48 AM | Comments (4)

January 20, 2007

Storm Stories

Still no power this morning.  I finally broke down and faced facts.  All the food in the fridge and freezer are, to put it nicely, not good eats.  I've actually known this for a while, since we've had an unidentified purple liquid oozing out of our freezer for the past couple of days.  I was just too scared to open the door and find out what it was, especially after work, in the dark, trying to find my way through the house with a flashlight and shivering all the while. 

Anyway, fast forward to this morning.  It's daylight, and I need to clean out the fridge.  Sum total of what could be saved?  A bag of walnuts and a box of wine.  (Yes, I'm that classy.  But it was one of the FANCY box wines!)   Cleaning up the purple puddle (defrosted frozen berries, I think) turned out to be pretty difficult, but I managed to only splash the stuff all over myself a couple times while sopping it up with paper towels.  (As if not having power wasn't annoying enough.)

City Utilities is now saying it will be next Friday or Saturday before everyone's power is restored.  I really hope the temperatures stay warm enough that my pipes don't freeze. 

I realized this morning that while this whole thing has been incredibly annoying, I do feel like someone's been looking out for me.  On Thursday afternoon, the relative that my husband and I had been staying with called me to say "This isn't working out."  Basically, my dog was bothering his wife so we were getting kicked out. 

I called my uncle Randy, who as far as I knew still didn't have power or water (everyone on wells lost their water when the power went out).  Amazingly, his power had just been restored about an hour before I called.  His family had been staying at his in-law's house in Nixa, where there was power but no actual in-laws, because they left for Texas just before the storm hit.  Since Randy was moving back into his own house, he offered to let us stay at the empty house in Nixa.  This is the best possible situation when you are displaced from your house, because you always feel like you're imposing on the person you're staying with and sometimes you just need your own space.  As I mentioned before, our utility company is predicting it could be sometime next weekend when all the power is restored.  Miracle of miracles, the residents of the house where we are staying are not scheduled to return until then, either.  I think that calls for an Amen.

My friend Greg wrote a great narrative about his experience with the ice storm here. 

Posted by zarah at 9:34 AM | Comments (2)

January 19, 2007

Still no power and a raglan sweater.

Thanks for all the encouragement you guys!  The whole "no electricity for a week" thing really sucks, especially with super-cold temps, but I really appreciate all the nice comments you've been leaving, even though I haven't responded to any of them since I don't have power for my home computer. 

This IS supposed to be a knitting blog though, not a whining blog, so.... My custom-fit raglan sweater is coming along nicely, although I've already got a list of things I would tweak when it comes to sizing the pattern.  Also, I had almost finished knitting the body, but I decided to rip out the waist increases because I wasn't doing them right and was getting a little hole above every decrease. 

Turns out that when you're doing an increase by picking up the running yarn in between two stiches, you have to knit into the back of that stitch to avoid a hole.  Actually, yesterday I saw on some blog a description of how to make a right- and left-leaning increase depending on how you pick up the running yarn (front-to-back or back-to-front) and whether you knit into the front or back.  I can't remember the details, but essentially you're twisting the picked up stitch to avoid the hole, so if you twist it in the opposite direction it looks like it's "leaning" in the other direction.  Pretty nifty! 

So, I took a few steps backward on finishing the sweater, but I learned something new!  That's fine by me.  Hopefully by this weekend I'll have power, and I'll be able to curl up on MY OWN couch and knit to my heart's content.  I'll always remember this as the Ice Storm sweater, for better or worse!

Posted by zarah at 6:05 PM | Comments (2)

January 18, 2007

Day 6 without power...

and it is really starting to annoy me.  Luckily we've got a warm place to stay, but I'm worried about the pipes freezing, and it's really inconvenient not to be in your own house, and now they're saying on the news that thieves are breaking into the darkened homes, so I'm worried about that too. 

AND to add insult to injury, the forecasters are saying we're goint o get 3-6 inches of snow this weekend.  

Sorry for the gripe-fest, but I need to vent and everyone around here is sick of hearing it. 

Posted by zarah at 6:15 PM | Comments (3)

January 15, 2007

Brrrr

Still no power at my house - but I have found a place to stay that has power (for now).  The power crews are supposed to start working today, but the 15 mph winds they're predicting for today can't bode well for all those icy limbs, even if the freezing rain has stopped.  Please send warm thoughts!

Tammy's got some great pictures of the ice posted on her blog here and here.

There are a few positive things going on around here - it's not all doom and gloom:

1.  The Sisterhood of the Traveling Stash box showed up at my house on Friday - yay! 

2.   I've been working on a new sweater for myself out of the remains of Cutaway.  Great yarn, great pattern, but poor finishing techniques doomed that sweater to never be worn.  So, I ripped it during a New Year's cleaning frenzy (with help from ym new ball winder!) and started a top-down raglan.  I'm well past the armholes at this point.  If I'm stuck out of my house for the rest of the week (with nothing to do and nothing else to knit) I'll probably finish the body of the sweater in no time at all!

Posted by zarah at 6:01 AM | Comments (2)

January 14, 2007

Hunker down

We lost power this Friday night about 8:30pm.  We tried to go stay in my husband's office at the church, since it still had power & couches to sleep on, but we had to leave because the church was running a shelter and they brought people from the Family Violence Center over, so they had to clear & lock down the building.  Last night we went over to a friend's house that still had power, but trees were breaking left and right in their backyard.  One fell really close to the power line, so he was trying to cut it with a chainsaw and accidentally hit the powerline.  Somehow he didn't get electrocuted, but the power was cut to their house.  We went home adn slept with lots of blankets, and the dog snuggled with us.  This morning we tried to go buy some batteries and/or candles, but Wal-Mart was all sold out.  Now we're up at my office, which amazingly has both power & internet (but nowhere to sleep). 

There's supposed to be  "third wave" of storms coming through this afternoon, but we decided we'd rather brave icy roads later today than be stuck with no power in the house all day.  So far we haven't had too much damage to our trees and none to our house, but LOTS of tree limps are down all over town and they're saying 90% of Springfield and the surrounding areas are without power.  It probably won't be restored until sometime next week (Tuesday at the earliest).

Posted by zarah at 11:23 AM | Comments (2)

December 11, 2006

Crapadoodle

Exhibit 1.  My hard drive decided to "fry" itself over the weekend.  It was working fine on Saturday - Sunday morning, blank screen.  I didn't drop it, move it, or anything.  It just imploded.  (luckily, it's stll under warranty!  But everything on it is gone.)

Exhibit 2.  The really awesome sock I was working on for Matt is WAY too small.  It doesn't even fit over my heel, so I'm pretty sure it's not going to fit him.  Rip.  Rip.  Rip!

I guess the weekend wasn't a total loss, though.  I had a really nice time at the Knit-In on Friday at Simply Fibers, and I finally got to meet Tammy!  (and eat some kick-ass peanut brittle her dad made - yumma.)  I scored some Aurora Bulky from the sale table, and almost bought a Lantern moon rice basket, before I realized that Christmas is right around the corner and someone might want to buy one for me!  (Talk to Carol or Maddie at Simply Fibers for details...!)  Of course, Tammy won one of the baskets in one of the many generous giveaways that night.  (I of course won nothing.  Don't forget this weekend was jinxed!)

On Saturday Matt and I went over to Steve and Tammy Kirks' house (different Tammy) for their annual Wine Tasting/Competition.  Luckily for me there were relatively few entrants and I got to pay more attention to the delicious food rather than the wine, which just wasn't doing much for me that night.  My buddy Greg has an excellent account of the evening here.  Steve and Tammy managed to pull off a great party with relatively little cooking - it appears that the key is finding gourmet chefs as friends, who will each contribute a dish.  =)

So, all in all I guess it was a decent weekend, but I'm still mad about my computer.  Grrr...

Posted by zarah at 5:28 PM | Comments (4)

December 1, 2006

Digging out

I survived my "snow day" - which actually turned out to be just a light dusting of snow on top of a massively thick layer of ice. (lovely) Right now it's cold and clear, and I think I should probably go into work, but our shovel won't go through the ice coating our driveway and our street hasn't been plowed yet.

We had another couple stay with us last night because they lost power at 7am yesterday and it still wasn't restored by the time it started to get dark. Needless to say, it was getting a little chilly over there. Apparently lots of power lines were down because there was so much ice on them that they broke - luckily that didn't happen at my house. But I know the power near the college campuses was out, so hopefully all the students found a warm place to sleep.

In the meantime, I guess I should show you my progrees on Lizard Ridge. Last month truly was Norovember for me... six squares blocked and another one finished. I really enjoy knitting this pattern, and the squares are small enough to knit up fairly quickly. I don't think I'll have any problem finishing this project as I get new balls of Noro here and there. (PS - I got 7 squares out of 5 skeins, plus about a third of a skein leftover.)

I am trying to remember which ones are the Frankensquares... I'm sure the bottom right is, and maybe the bottom center one too. I tried to match up the colors when I was joining leftover bits so it wouldn't be too noticeable.

Happy Friday everyone! Hopefully I'll be able to leave my house today!

Posted by zarah at 7:55 AM | Comments (11)

November 29, 2006

Brr.... time for wooly handknits!

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

...MAJOR WINTER STORM TO IMPACT EXTREME SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND THE MISSOURI OZARKS...

AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE PRESSING ACROSS THE MISSOURI OZARKS TODAY AND TONIGHT BRINGING MUCH COLDER TEMPERATURES...ALONG
WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. EVENTUALLY THE TEMPERATURE STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BECOME CONDUCIVE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF FREEZING RAIN...SLEET...AND EVENTUALLY HEAVY SNOW.

FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS EVENING INTO THURSDAY MORNING ACROSS SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND WESTERN MISSOURI.
GROUND TEMPERATURES REMAIN WARM...SO ICE ACCUMULATIONS ON THE
GROUND WILL BE SLOWER TO OCCUR. HOWEVER ELEVATED SURFACES...SUCH
AS POWER LINES...TREE BRANCHES AND BRIDGES WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO
SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATIONS...AND EVENTUALLY THE ICE
ACCUMULATIONS WILL OCCUR ON THE GROUND. TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS
BETWEEN ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF INCH ARE EXPECTED. THIS WILL
LIKELY RESULT IN DOWNED POWER LINES AND POWER OUTAGES.

THE FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WILL TURN COMPLETELY TO SNOW BY
THURSDAY MORNING...WITH TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES
THOUGH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED NORTHWEST OF INTERSTATE
44. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 35 MPH WILL COMBINE WITH THE
FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW TO MAKE DRIVING HAZARDOUS.

SHARPLY COLDER TEMPERATURES WILL ACCOMPANY THIS STORM WITH WIND
CHILL VALUES IN THE SINGLE DIGITS THURSDAY.

RESIDENTS OF EXTREME SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND THE MISSOURI
OZARKS...INCLUDING THE SPRINGFIELD AREA...ARE URGED TO TAKE THIS
WEATHER SITUATION SERIOUSLY. BEGIN PREPARING FOR THIS WINTER STORM
NOW. AGAIN...BEGINNING TONIGHT...ROAD CONDITIONS WILL QUICKLY
DETERIORATE AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS ARE LIKELY BY THE MORNING COMMUTE.
ADDITIONALLY...SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE ON TOP OF THE ICE THROUGH
TOMORROW.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW...
SLEET...AND ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL HAZARDOUS.

Ummm... that doesn't sound good.  It was 70 degrees when I went to work this morning! 

Posted by zarah at 5:23 PM | Comments (7)

November 25, 2006

My life. My blog.

Posted by zarah at 5:19 PM | Comments (7)

November 10, 2006

I love YouTube

Does anyone remember Ugoff?  I think this was the funniest commercial ever.  Oh wait - I forgot the sponge monkeys!  ('Cause "they got a pepper bar!")

Posted by zarah at 6:36 AM | Comments (2)

November 1, 2006

Check my pulse

Yes, I'm alive, although you wouldn't know it from checking this blog lately.  It feels like I've been busy, but I can't figure what I've been doing.  Lots of random stuff, I think. 

I also forgot that once Daylight Saving Time ends, I have to start taking pictures in the morning before work instead of when I get home.  The good news is, I took some this morning so I will be able to show you some really (not so) exciting stuff - part of the second green sock, a sleeve of the Silk Shrug, and a botched Lizard Ridge square.  I keep thinking of other things I'd reather be knitting but I need to finish this sock (it's a Xmas present) and I really want to wear the shrug.  So.... the same old projects continue.  Check in tomorrow for an extremely similar update, but with pictures!  (Can you tell I'm bored?)

Posted by zarah at 6:34 AM | Comments (1)

October 19, 2006

Someone is in my knitting spot!

(Actually, if you count Lucy that would be two someones!)
A few weeks ago, Crazy Aunt Purl asked all the other knitbloggers to snap a picture of their knitting spot. I'm a little late, but here it is! As you can tell, I'm not in it, but that's okay because my sister is... AND she's knitting!
My sister is living with me during October and November while she does her pharmacy rotations here in southwest MO. She has actually been knitting longer than me, but I think it's fair to say that's I've been a *bit* more obsessive about it, and have more advanced skills.
Well, you would think so, anyway. She's currently working on some baby socks for a friend's new baby. I showed her some completed socks and she declared that she hates picking up stitches, so she wanted to try short rows. O-kay. We can try that. Never mind that I've only just learned. And what do you know, she picks it up just like that. She ended up ripping out the first baby sock because the foot was too short, but the heel pretty much looked perfect. This is only slightly ANNOYING when it took me about two years to figure it out. I guess she just had a WONDERFUL teacher, right?
So anyway, we've been having lots of fun squeezing in a little knitting time in the evenings after work. It's great to have a knitting buddy right at home.
(I also love this picture because it shows my dog's favorite activity - sitting very near or (preferably) right on top of yarn. She just likes to be in the middle of things!)

Posted by zarah at 6:01 AM | Comments (7)

October 13, 2006

Hee hee hee.

Posted by zarah at 7:50 PM | Comments (2)

October 5, 2006

Found It!

Well, Amanda Cathleen definitely called this one!  As soon as I got my new battery charger ordered, I found the old one!  It was in the back seat of my car, along with other random detritus of my life:  running gear, empty expandable files, old church bulletins, etc.  The new charger already shipped, but it probably won't hurt to have a spare one hanging around just in case this happens again!  No camera really puts a cramp in my blogging!

Did you guys watch Project Runway last night?  I liked it much better than most reality reunion shows - but I couldn't believe that Keith was trying to say that he was "set up" to get kicked off the show.  I don't believe that for a second. 

I'll return to my regularly scheduled bloggin tomorrow - the camera battery is charging as we speak! 

Posted by zarah at 6:53 AM | Comments (4)

September 28, 2006

Knitter's Meme

Ten knitterly things you may not know about me:

1.  I've never knit anything with mohair.

2.  I don't like big needles - but size 0's still seem way too small.  (Size 1s - no problem!)  

3.  I became a yarn snob astonishingly fast after learning to knit.  The internet can be a dangerous thing!  (But you already knew that.)

4.   I really like to seam up sweaters.  (I think because it means I'm almost done, but I also jsut really like mattress stitch!)

5.  I have a lot of finished projects that I never wear. But I'm getting better at picking out patterns that will look good on me. 

6.  I rarely knit more than three projects at time, but I absolutely MUST have more than one.  I get way too bored!

7.  I love teaching people to knit, but none of my students have become obssessive knitters.  (Much to my dismay!) 

8.  Sometimes I wish I had to commute to work, so I could have an excuse to knit on the train or in a carpool.  

9.   I have no desire to learn to knit intarsia or entrelac.

10.  I am really good at fixing knitting mistakes. 

It was really hard to come up with these - you should try it! 

Posted by zarah at 6:55 AM | Comments (4)

September 6, 2006

Working hard...

Busy busy busy these days. I’m finding no time to knit between work and various meetings after work. Then when I do turn back to my knitting, every single project seems to be a long green rectangle. I really need to start those knee socks… but the only yarn I have enough of for such long socks is currently undyed. So that means I have to soak it, dye it, dry it, and get to the yarn shop to wind it. (Won’t they love to see me coming to use their winder for 200 grams of sock-weight yarn that I didn’t buy there?!) Hmmm… it might just be easier to buy something new – I noticed the LYS got some solid Lorna’s Laces in for fall.

The weather is starting to turn a little cooler here, although it’s certainly not “fall” yet. It’s been in the mid-80’s during the day and the 50’s at night. Fall is my favorite time of year – I just love the cooler weather, the trees turning beautiful colors, and the crunchy leaves swirling around the lawn.

I’m feeling the need for a quick, “instant gratification” fall project. (knee socks are probably not too good for that!) I know once a reach some kind of “landmark” on the Cambridge Jacket I’ll get a little more excited about knitting it again… I guess I just need to buckle down and work on it. My husband’s birthday is closer every day – gotta meet my deadline!

Posted by zarah at 6:23 AM | Comments (5)

August 2, 2006

Wheee!!!

It's time for the fair!

I went to the fair Tuesday night with my husband and a couple of friends. It was nice to go on a weeknight because it wasn't too crowded but still all the same fun stuff. We watched a little bit of the "Pork Chop Revue" - that's singing pigs, people! Then we stopped for ice cream (mmmm.... blackberry!) and went inside the E-plex to check out all the crafts, veggies, photography, etc. that people had entered in the fair.

 

 

Here's some of the prize-winning produce I saw! There weren't too many of the huge vegetables that I expected to see, and unfortunately most of the veggies were started to wilt from the heat. But I still love a good looking tomato, I tell you what! (Props to Hank Hill.)

I was trying to conserve my camera batteries for the ferris wheel ride, so I didn't get any pictures of the knitting entries, but I have to say... I think I could definitely win a blue ribbon! I need to remember so I can enter next year!

 

And I'll leave you with a lovely view from the top of the ferris wheel!

And a teaser: I finished the back of the Cambridge Jacket AND I turned the heel on my second Trekking sock! Yippee! I'm that much closer to the end of the all-ribbing-all-the-time death march. Thank goodness!

Posted by zarah at 10:10 PM | Comments (9)

July 31, 2006

Non-knitting Weekend

Do you ever feel like you get in a rut, just doing the same things over and over? This weekend I broke out of my rut - I went camping and canoeing with friends I hadn't seen in almost a year!

Given the choice, I will always take air conditioning and a bed over a sleeping bag and a tent... but you know, sometimes you just need to change things up a little.

My husband and I drove about an hour to the campground after work on Friday, and just hung out and toasted some marshmallows while we caught up on all the news from our friends. We camped out Friday night, then we awoke bright and early when the trout fishing siren went off, letting the fishermen know it was all clear to start fishing.

We whipped up some yummy breakfast burritos (camp food is not haute cuisine but it always tastes so good!) and drove a couple of miles another campground to rent our canoes, since all the canoes at the state park were already reserved.

I guess that should have been the sign that it would be a busy day on the river! Floating on most rivers in Missouri is essentially like attending a frat party in boats. I'm not a big partier, but it did make for some interesting people watching. Despite the crowds and partiers, the river is really beautiful and we enjoyed a relaxing float with plenty of stops to play in the water.

It's really rejuvenating for me to get out and enjoy nature, but I always think I have to plan a trip to Colorado or New Mexico for it to be worth it. The best part about the trip was that we got to spend time with old friends and have a lot of fun without spending much money or even going very far from home! (And, I got to take a shower and sleep in my own bed the next night, a very good thing indeed.)

Photo credit to j o s h via flickr

Posted by zarah at 7:02 AM | Comments (6)

July 25, 2006

Summertime

Okay, okay... I know the blistering heat that's been roasting the entire country probably tipped you off.  But guess what?  It's SUMMER! 

Do you know how I know?  

My tomatoes are ripe!  I LOVE fresh tomatoes from the garden.  Last night I ate sliced tomatoes with cherry tomatoes on top.  I love good tomatoes so much that I refuse to eat tomatoes from the grocery store when they're not in season.  Sometimes (and I would never tell her this) I plan my trips to visit my grandma based on when I think her tomatoes will be ripe. 

So yes, I'm a bit obsessive about my tomatoes.  Plus, I really liked how this picture came out.  

 

I guess I can't write a post completely about tomatoes, huh?  (Well, I probably could but I will spare you.)  This blog is supposedly about knitting and all...

 

 

 

I started another Mason-Dixon dishcloth, since I still have some Peaches & Cream yarn hanging around the house.  My friend Laura was at my house last week, and one of our other friends decided she wanted to learn to knit.  Laura knits continental, so I decided it would be the perfect time for me to learn a different knitting style.  This dishcloth was my practice piece, but I gave up and switched back to "regular" English knitting style after a few practice rows.  I just can't keep the tension while knitting with the yarn in my left yarn.  Either it's way too loose or I finally get a grip on it and I never let out any slack.  Any suggestions? 

Posted by zarah at 6:09 AM | Comments (5)

July 3, 2006

Happy Independence Day!

I hope everyone gets to enjoy a day off, family, fireworks, and good food sometime over this holiday weekend! We have thunderstorms in the forecast for tomorrow , but I have some crafting plans in case the weather is bad.

Posted by zarah at 1:30 PM | Comments (3)

June 9, 2006

Happy Friday!

Just a short post today - I'm running late for work, but I wanted to show you a picture of my garden in progress - just tomatoes, peppers, and herbs so far. There is nothing better than a home grown tomato in the summer, so I'm really glad I have a yard where I was able to put in a little garden.

Also, thanks for the all advice on lace knitting and how to wear shawls, err... let's call it a "wrap," shall we? I started over on slightly larger needles and basically caught up to the point where I was before. I think the wrap will be much lighter on the larger needles, anad also go faster knitting-wise.

Have a good weekend, everyone! Don't forget to Knit In Public tomorrow! If you're in the Springfield, MO area, we're meeting at 2pm, June 10th, at Sequiota Park (rain location: Library Station on South Campbell). Bring a lawn chair or blanket and I'll see you there!

Posted by zarah at 8:00 AM | Comments (9)

June 5, 2006

I'm back!

We had a little server outage over the weekend, but I'm back now! 

Lots of things to update...

- Started a pair of socks for June Project Spectrum

- Started a tank in Rowan Cotton Tape 

- Snatched up some Diakeito yarn on sale at Simply Fibers this weekend... why do I want to knit with wool when it's sooo hot outside?  Cause it's pretty....

- Still need to seam the baby kimono - Lu put up a tutorial! 

Posted by zarah at 6:11 PM | Comments (2)

May 31, 2006

Picture Time!

Whew! I never realized how important pictures are to my blogging! I am pretty much lost without them. Anyway, as you can probably guess, I finally have a new computer (with LOTS of memory!) so I'm back in action! (So many posts to catch up on.....)

First things first - my sister's wedding! I don't have too many pictures yet, since I was in the wedding, but here goes. The lovely bride...

 

My great new brother-in-law (yes, he realy is as tall as he looks!)

 

 

And what wedding is complete without a cute flowergirl?

Of course, every wedding has its moments (the wedding coordinator got violently ill the night before the wedding - luckily she recovered quickly - and I have to admit there were some pretty cheesy wedding songs performed) but overall it was a fun weekend.  My parents had BBQ brought in from Kansas City for the reception - yum!  Weddings are always so much more enjoyable to me when it seems like the people getting married know what they're getting into.  This happy couple is really well suited for each other and they are really committed to making their vows come true. 

Posted by zarah at 6:55 AM | Comments (9)

May 29, 2006

My Sister's Wedding

My sister got married yesterday, May 28th, in a beautiful ceremony in my hometown. I was the matron of honor. It was a very hectic weekend, but lots of fun. My whole family just adores her new husband - he is going to fit right in. That's good, since they're going to be living in the same small town as my parents - hopefully they will still get along after living near each other for a while.

I also got to see a ton of my extended family members, which was really fun. I found out that my cousin Laura, who lives in Chicago, has a knitting blog! I haven't gotten the address yet, but hopefully I will be able to get that from my aunt very soon.

I started working on a blue Trekking sock on the drive to the wedding, but I didn't get past the heel flap since I left the instructions at home.

(Still no photo capacity on my computer yet, so you'll have to live with this pretty picture I borrowed off of Flickr. I promise to post wedding pics as soon as I get my new computer!)

Posted by zarah at 4:21 PM | Comments (7)

May 24, 2006

So you can't grow a boyfriend...

Hee hee! (Hi Elaine!)

So... what's happening at Zarah's place? Well, I've got good news and bad news:

Good news: I'm getting a new computer!
Bad news: My old computer 's memory is so completely overloaded with pictures, files, music, etc. that I can't even download the pics off my camera. Errrr....only one week to new computer, I hope. In the meantime, I'll have to entertain you with random pictures I already have uploaded to flickr.

Good news: I've almost finished the Baby Kimono!
Bad news: I'm running out of yarn. I know, it's cheap kitchen cotton. But I have some other colors - I think the MDK girls might just call it a design element.

Good news: I'm claiming a spare bedroom as a craft room!
Bad news: There's a lot of junk in that room. It's kinda dreary brown. It definitely needs a pretty curtain, if not a new coat of paint.

Good news: I got a sewing machine (cheap!) from a friend who is moving.
Bad news: I don't really remember how to sew. I used to know... back in my 4-H days (elementary school) but I need some guidance. Any suggestions?

Posted by zarah at 6:20 AM | Comments (7)

May 8, 2006

Back from DC

Whew! I got back from DC around 11pm last night. I'll do a full update as soon as I make a dent in my laundry. I will say this, though - it's a great place to visit and I *did* get to go Maryland Sheep & Wool! Hi to everyone I met at the blogger's meet-up!

Posted by zarah at 11:40 AM | Comments (8)

May 3, 2006

Quick post from DC

Hi everyone - I don't have must time to blog (White House tour this morning) but I just thought I'd say hi from Washington DC! It's been quite a whirlwind tour so far, since my husband has to go to a conference on Thursday & Friday. We are trying to jam everything into 3 days. Then on Thursday & Friday I will get to slow down a bit and go off the beaten path, maybe even do some yarn shopping!

PS - Lolly, call me and let's have lunch! (I emailed you my phone number.)

Posted by zarah at 7:28 AM | Comments (18)

April 24, 2006

Rock'n Ribs Wrap-Up

Warning - no knitting content ahead.

A few days ago I mentioned that I wouldn't be blogging much since I was getting ready for a barbeque competition. I figured I would reward you with a mini-photo essay about how I spent my weekend.

First, you're probably wondering: how did she get involved in this in the first place? I am in Rotaract (which is basically Junior Rotary) and they compete every year in Rock'n Ribs, which is a barbeque competition and festival hosted by all the Rotary clubs of Springfield as a benefit for children's charities in the Ozarks. Last year we raised something like $70,000, so it's a pretty big deal.

 

 

A few months ago, we started looking for someone who wanted to be the head cook for the Rotaract team. My husband loves BBQ so he volunteered, even though he's not in the club. I helped organize all the other volunteers and everything was falling nicely into place. Then my husband discovered a minor problem - he had a conflict and wouldn't be able to cook. I am apparently the only person in the club with even passing knowledge of making barbeque, so I got the job.

 

 

 

 

 

For those of you who stick to knitting and are not familiar with the barbeque arts, here's the basic gist: Barbequeing is not grilling. Grilling is where you put meat directly over hot coals and it cooks pretty fast. In barbequeing, the meat is cooked slowly, at about 200-225 degrees, using indirect heat. Usually the coals/wood is in a separate compartment and it funnels through the cooking chamber then out a chimney pipe on the other end of the cooker. The result of this is extremely tender, flavorful meat. But the downside is that large cuts of meat can take 12-18 hours to cook.

 

 

 

 

That's why I was sleeping in the parking lot of Bass Pro Shops on Friday night. We started the pork shoulders around midnight and staggered putting the rest of the meat on to cook between 2-8am. Some people in the competition are really serious - they travel all around the country entering BBQ contests. These people are also smart enough to bring a trailer or some sort of semi-comfortable place to sleep. I was fairly ill-prepared for my first competition. I did have a tent, but just a blanket to sleep on and a blanket to cover me. Luckily I conned a couple of people to come out and help me cook during the night, so I wasn't all alone. They monitored the smokers (you have to keep the temperature constant by opening/closing air vents and adding wood/charcoal) so I could get a few hours sleep.

 

 

The next morning, another crew of Rotaract club members came in to help me get the meat ready for the competition. (As you can see, we had a cowboy theme. There were many Brokeback jokes.)

We entered all four categories: chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket. In addition, we cooked more meat for serving to the public after the competition. I thought our meat turned out pretty well, but I'm sure it wasn't anything compared to some of the serious competitors in the competition.  (I went home to sleep before they passed out the awards.)

 

 

 

 

Here is my little smoker and our BBQ meat. Doesn't that chicken look tasty? The rest is wrapped up to keep warm so it doesn't burn.

All in all I had a fun weekend, even though I was exhausted from so little sleep. I made some great BBQ (if I do say so myself) and got to know some people that I wouldn't normally hang out with. As you can probably guess, BBQ competitions are generally a male-dominated arena, so I was proud to represent the ladies in some small way.

In case ANYONE had made it this far - no, I didn't bring my knitting, even though I had tons of downtime at this event. One word: smoke. There were about 50 teams all creating woodsmoke for a solid 12 hours. My hair still smells like BBQ, and I just couldn't do that to my knitting.

THE END.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by zarah at 7:12 AM | Comments (4)

April 20, 2006

Rock'n Ribs 2006

I will not be posting again until next week - I am the head cook for my Rotaract (Jr. Rotary) team in a local BBQ cook-off this weekend. I'll be camping in a Bass Pro Shops parking lot Friday night and running two large BBQ smokers all night to produce smoked ribs, beef brisket, pork, and chicken for the competition on Saturday, not to mention a bunch more pork & brisket for the public sampling Saturday afternoon.

So, if you're in the Springfield area, stop by Bass Pro Friday or Saturday - have some BBQ and support the children's charities of the Ozarks!

Posted by zarah at 7:05 AM | Comments (4)

April 16, 2006

peepmobile

Happy Easter everyone!
My husband has had a really long week at work (he works at our church. Easter week = 7 services = tired) so we decided to forgo out-of-town Easter celebrations with family this year. We ended up deciding to celebrat with some friends in Springfield. It will be interesting - it is a totally potluck meal. I talked to the hostess yesterday, and she said her contribution was cleaning her house. =) I'm working on a blackberry cobbler while I wrote this post. I hope it turns out well!

Posted by zarah at 7:30 AM | Comments (2)

April 10, 2006

Half-Marathon Recovery

Well, I'm back in Springfield after a weekend in St. Louis.  I ran the Spirit of St. Louis Half-Marathon yesterday.  I didn't get a record-breaking time (2:35 if anyone cares) but I had a great time running with my friend and first time half-marathoner Emily.

On the trip to St. Louis, I had some time to knit on Orangina, our current KAL over at the Sexy Knitter's Club.  I thought I had finally figured out the pattern, but then I discovered a dropped stitch and had to rip it out AGAIN.  Now that I am several inches into the pattern, I think it needs to be the next bigger size.... So I think I will be completely starting over.  Third time's a charm, right?  I'll post some pictures tomorrow and you can all make fun of my pathetic lace-knitting skillz.

Posted by zarah at 6:30 AM | Comments (4)

March 31, 2006

Family Weekend

On the long path to a wedding, there are many bridal showers you must endure...

My sister is getting married this May! (She's the one with the blue sweater in the picture.) This weekend we're having a shower for her with all our female family members. I think it will be really fun - I don't get to see my extended family members too often.

In knitting news, I have turned the heel of my March/April project spectrum socks! I always think that socks go soooo fast after the half-way point. (Probably because I get to knit straight stockinette for half the sock). The really good news is, the self-striping matches perfectly! I have never quite been able to make "identical twin" socks before.

There's a big spring clearance sale at Simply Fibers starting this Saturday night... and hopefully I'll get to dye my Project Spectrum Yarn Swap yarn this weekend.

 And last but not least... Who is my Secret Pal?

Posted by zarah at 6:59 AM | Comments (3)

February 28, 2006

Olympic Recuperation

I'll be taking a little break from posting - the Olympics really wore me out!  I'm sewing together the pieces of Cutaway -- when you hear from me next, she should be ready to reveal!

Posted by zarah at 9:08 AM | Comments (2)

February 24, 2006

View from my front door

I've seen this meme floating around several blogs I read, and I really like it. The neat thing is, everyone's view is different. Maybe that seems obvious, but here's where I'm going with it. The first one I saw, I thought: "Well, sure. She lives in the mountains. She has a beautiful view. But my view is boring. No one wants to see my view, it's the same as everyone else's."

But that's not really true, is it? Every single one I've seen is different -- some people have a hallway as their view out the front door, others look like they live on a postcard. But the whole point is to get that glimpse into someone else's "everyday" and realize that yours isn't so boring after all.

As you can see, I live in a residential neighborhood at the end of a cul-de-sac in a small midwestern city. (Where I grew up, we called them "circle drives," but my husband informs me that no one else know what that means.) Like I said before, this view seems really boring to me, but maybe it will seem exotic to someone who lives in a big city or a foreign country. Who knows?

Anyone else who hasn't done this meme, consider yourself tagged!

Posted by zarah at 9:15 AM | Comments (1)

Somebody needs their own blog!

I got home from work last night and sat down to check my email, when I discovered one from my sister. Subject line: More photos for your blog. No note, nothing, just more pictures of stuff she's been making for her wedding. (I think this is their unity candle, but I could be wrong.)

Now I know that planning a wedding brings out the crafty in a lot of people, but my sister (we'll call her "Muffy," 'cause she hates that nickname!) is a legitimate craftista, even without the impending nuptials. She once crocheted an entire blanket on a long bus trip -- because she was cold! (And who besides a true craft queen would just "happen" to have that much yarn packed for the journey?)

We should probably give her a break until after the wedding and her last semester of classes (this May), but then I say the "Get Muffy a Blog" campaign should start in earnest. (Although maybe I'm just a little biased. She is my baby sister, after all!)

Posted by zarah at 7:53 AM | Comments (1)

February 23, 2006

Crafty runs in the family!

Aren't these just the cutest vases ever? My sister's been making them for her wedding reception. She lives in Kansas City, so I haven't been able to join in the crafty fun, but she gave me directions over the phone last night.
She bought some inexpensive glass vases at a craft store, then picked out several colors, widths, and textures of ribbon. She used a glue called "Zip Dry" to glue the ribbons to the glass -- and voila! beautiful vases custom-designed to match any occasion. My husband and I usually like to host a party around Christmas or New Year's, and I was thinking that these would be really neat with different types of metallic ribbon, too.

In Olympic Knitting news, well... there's not much to report. The long march to the end of the sleeves continues. I have to admit, I'm starting to get a little nervous about whether I'm going to be able to finish on Sunday. There are still a whole lot of stitches to be picked up between then and now. I had coffee with some friends last night after dinner, so I didn't have much time to knit. (I know, the Yarn Harlot would be disappointed. I don't think she's even sleeping or eating anymore. Just coffee and knitting.) But I have to have some balance in my life, and Wednesday is my night to hang out with the girls. I'm sure Cutaway will understand.

Posted by zarah at 11:08 AM | Comments (3)

February 22, 2006

Slow but steady wins the race

Well, there's not much new to report on the Olympic knitting front. The sleeves are a few inches longer than they were yesterday, Sasha Cohen looks like sh'e sone track to win gold in ice skating. Personally, I like the other American skaters better -- they don't seem so "perfect," but that's just me.

For your vieweing pleasure, I decided to post a picture from my Santa Fe vacation last fall. This is the Sanctuario de Guadalupe in central Santa Fe. It is a neat old church, but it's not in very good repair. And there are usually some bums hanging around outside. But hey, that's real life. I like going on trips where everything isn't "sanitized for your protection."

Okay, okay, back to knitting. Here's my plan for getting the gold: Finish the sleeves by Thursday, Work on the ribbing Friday & Saturday, then I have Sunday to block & seam. The directions start getting trying once I finish the sleeves (I haven't done much seaming before) so... watch this blog for questions. I'm gonna need your help!

Posted by zarah at 1:07 PM | Comments (0)

February 15, 2006

She's back in action!

Hi everybody! I'm soooo glad to be well again! And I got some exciting news on my first day back on the land of the living... Simply Fibers is having another Knit-In! It's March 10 from 6-midnight. This time we're also going to have a fashion show of knitted items. I will probably enter my Conwy socks and maybe my Picovoli.

Hmm... what's new on the knitting front. It seems like I've finished a lot of projects lately. On the needles, I only have the Clapotis scarf (mostly done), a One Skein Wonder for Jeannine (mostly done), and Cutaway (long abandoned). I kept messing up the shoulder shaping on the front of Cutaway, where it gives you the direction in two different places then tells you to do them at the same time. At the last knit-it I knit it and ripped it out twice. Ergh. I think it is a knit that requires more concentration.

I've been wanting to start another pair of socks, but I'm planning to start a pair in March for Project Spectrum -- my Secret Pal sent the perfect yarn! It's self-striping, so I think I'm going to do a plain stockinette sock. Does anyone have any suggestions for a pattern? I just need something easy but I'm not quite to the point of making it up myself.

Anyway... I need something to knit! I guess I could work on Cutaway. What do you think? Finish up an old project or start a new one? I don't really have anything in mind.

Posted by zarah at 10:00 AM | Comments (2)

February 14, 2006

Flu B Gone!

I'm not sick anymore!!!!
Knitting news to follow.

Posted by zarah at 12:43 PM | Comments (2)

Flu

Sorry I've been so quiet lately. I've been suffering a nasty bout of the flu. I've missed three days of work and spent the whole weekend in bed. It's in my sinuses and is messing with my balance. I feel dizzyu and can't even think straight (much less knit). I think I'm finally getting better, though.

Has everyone been watching the Olympics? I think it's so inspiring, even when I don't understand what's going on. That goes for the luge and the Knitting Olympics -- you people are amazing! My Olympic project is a One-Skein Wonder exachange with Jeannine in Denmark. We've each taken measurements, and now we're knitting OSW's for each other - to be completed by the end of the Games. Considering my illness, maybe its good that I didn't pick something too challenging. =)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Posted by zarah at 10:29 AM | Comments (1)

February 9, 2006

Home sick

That is, I'm sick at home today, instead of at work. I think I might have bird flu. Or maybe its just a nasty case of regular flu. Anyway, I have made some progrss on Conwy the Second! This picture shows how much of the second sock I was able to knit with the leftovers from the first skein. (Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock)

Okay, I'm going to go back to sleep now! I hope everyone else is doing well.

Posted by zarah at 9:33 AM | Comments (3)

February 1, 2006

Wedding pics (not mine)

Here's the happy couple! These pictures were actually taken by the groom's 5 year old nephew, who was playing with my camera while we (the bridal party) were riding around in the limo before the reception. They are some of the best pictures I got all night!
Here's me and half my husband!

Posted by zarah at 9:02 PM | Comments (1)

January 31, 2006

Only 1 more day...

Until photos! (It's really hard to have a knitting blog without pictures... trust me.)

Of course I couldn't wait to cast on for my Clapotis-inspired scarf. The yarn I bought at the Knit-In is actually blue, silver, and green. I had to steal the picture off the Mango Moon website for my last post and it wasn't the right color. The scarf is looking very nice, I think it will be great for spring. I just hope it will be long enough!

Apparently a gift from my Secret Pal is on its way... I can't wait to see what it is!

Guess what I'm going to do this spring?

(Actually I'm only running the Half-Marathon. But I still think that's a good challenge. My friends Emily and Meredith are going to run it with me. Fun fun! In case you were wondering, I've run 4 half-marathons... no full ones. My knees thank me!)

Posted by zarah at 10:00 AM | Comments (2)

January 17, 2006

You know you love a challenge!

Is anyone competing in the 2006 Knitting Olympics? It's a challenge cooked up by none other than The Yarn Harlot herself. Basically, the idea is to pick a challenging project and complete it -- start to finish -- while the Olympic torch is burning in Torino.

I love the Winter Olympics (all those sports I don't understand, plus figure skating is pretty!) so I think this could be a really fun project. I just need to come up with a project that is "medal-worthy."

If anyone's interested, we could do a swap -- each knit something during the Olympics and send it to the other person? I don't really know how these things are supposed to work, but let me know if it sounds fun.

Posted by zarah at 2:15 PM | Comments (1)

January 16, 2006

Good morning

Not much knitting progress to report this weekend. I ran a lot (9 miles!) and worked quite a bit, so thatcut into my spare time. I'm at that middle stage on all my projects where I start to get bored and want to cast on something new.
My husband also went a little crazy with his new BBQ smoker, making ribs, brisket, AND a pork shoulder. (For only 6 people. We could have fed about 50.) It was very tasty, though, and now I have yummy BBQ sandwiches for lunch all week!

Posted by zarah at 11:30 AM | Comments (1)

January 7, 2006

Back in Action

Look! I finished the back of Cutaway! (get it? Back! I know, I'm a nerd.)

(Flickr is being wierd, you'll have to imagine it right side up). I actually knit the majority of this a few weeks ago, while at my MIL's for Christmas. We stayed the whole weekend -- Friday evening to Monday afternoon -- without a whole lot planned. So knitting was the solution. I'm really glad I brought it, since having something to keep me occupied probably kept me from getting into fights like the rest of the family. (Ahh, the Christmas memories. Yeah, right.) Anyway, that's over now. Whew!

I actually have made some progress on the first side of Cutaway. But some *new projects* have been taking my attention. TBA soon!

Posted by zarah at 6:53 AM | Comments (1)

January 5, 2006

Sorry for the interruption

Zarah will be returning to her regularly scheduled blogging soon! The stomach flu is BAD. I have lots of holiday knitting to share... don't miss it!

Here's a preview:
1. Cutaway... the little sweater that could. You never knew family discord could be so productive.
2. More socks... really good yarn... yum.
3. A sexy little knit with the Sexy Knitters Club... you know you want to see!

Welcome to everyone who stopped by via the link from Pink Monkey Knits.

Posted by zarah at 7:19 PM | Comments (3)

January 1, 2006

Happy New Year!

I love New Year's Day -- that feeling of a fresh beginning is great, even if it doesn't last very long. But, with that optimism that comes with a clean slate, I give you...

Zarah's 2006 Resolutions
- Read more books, watch less TV
- Knit a garment that fits the intended recipient.
- Go to a yoga class once a week (I already belong to a gym that offers them for free, so there's really no excuse)
- Learn to dye
- Take a knitting class/Learn new knitting techniques, especially "finishing" techniques that make the finished project look more finished.
- Get to know (in person) more knitters in my area (I'm looking at you, Bethany!)

Posted by zarah at 8:45 AM | Comments (1)

December 20, 2005

Top 5 for 2005

Hmm... the year is wrapping up, and everyone seems to be thinking about their knitting resolutions. I'm not quite there yet, but I can steal an idea from Sweet Georgia and give you my Top 5 for 2005:

1. New (to Me) Technique: Hmm... this would basically be everything I know except knit and purl. I learned how to cable, pick up stitches, knit with double-pointed needles, new cast-ons, all kinds of good stuff.

2. Favourite FO: This is easy. My Midwest Moonlight scarf. Love love LOVE it! I wear it all the time.

3. Favorite KAL: Well, I never got around to knitting those gloves I planned to make for Nona's Peaceful Palms KAL, so I'm going to have to go with the Sexy Knitter's Club's Picovoli KAL starting in January.
4. Favorite Shop: I do love petting the yarns at my LYS, but for a good value you can't beat KnitPicks and Discountyarnsale.com. It took me a while to discover that there was more to online yarn shopping than Elann (good prices, not so great selection).
5. Favorite Tool: Denise circular needle set. So useful! I have barely had to buy any needles since I got it.

Posted by zarah at 6:28 PM | Comments (5)

December 13, 2005

Greetings, Humans

My name is Lucy. I have come VERY close to the camera to whisper in your ear. Zarah is not paying attention to me. She is busy playing with some purple yarn. I keep bringing her my squeaky ball and standing on her knitting and squeaking my toy in my face, but she just pushes me off her lap and mutters something about "only 11 more days of knitting!" Could you please tell her that throwing my ball is much more important than playing with that stupid purple string? I think she listens to you people.

Posted by zarah at 8:12 PM | Comments (2)

December 9, 2005

Knitting spot

This meme has been going around, so I figured I would share my knitting spot with the world: I have this end of the couch reserved for knitting, with my trusty knitting basket that I normally have somewhat hidden under the end table. The coffee table is normally covered in yarn, but I clean it off (mostly) when company is coming.

Posted by zarah at 3:32 PM | Comments (1)

December 5, 2005

Random Meme

I've been working really hard on this... it's harder than you think!

TEN random things you might not know about me
1. I lost my sense of smell for about 5 years, but it came back about a month ago.
2. I have run 4 half-marathons, but no marathons.
3. I’ve only had a real job for a little over a year… and I’m still adjusting.
4. I think I’m a good singer, but I’m really not.
5. Peppermint is my favorite flavor.
6. I have one sister and no brothers.
7. I have a dachshund named Lucy. I’ve never had a pet before except a hermit crab named Superman.
8. My feet grew a whole size my freshman year of college.
9. I'm a United Methodist.
10. I've been married 4 1/2 years.

NINE places I've visited
1. Mexico
2. Canada
3. England
4. France
5. Switzerland
6. Austria
7. Spain
8. Italy
9. Germany

EIGHT ways to win my heart
1. Surprise me. (Good surprises, please!)
2. Don't bother me until I've had my coffee in the morning. =)
3. Clean the shower.
4. Take me to a play or concert.
5. Buy me yarn.
6. Notice when I get my hair cut.
7. Go running with me. (At 6am... hee hee)
8. Buy me yarn. =)

SEVEN things I want to do before I die
1. Run the Boston Marathon.
2. Be a teacher.
3. Live in a foreign country again.
4. Live on a farm.
5. Drive across the U.S.
6. Go skydiving.
7. Knit a sweater that fits someone. (Okay, someone I know.)

SIX things I'm afraid of
1. Scary movies
2. Bugs bigger than my thumb
3. Strange noises in dark rooms
4. Being in a fire
5. Dead animals
6. Being impaled on one of those hay bale spikes on the back of pick-up trucks

FIVE things I don't like
1. Beets
2. Indecisiveness
3. Crooked teeth
4. Anything to do with eyeballs – putting in contacts, little kids turning their eyelids inside out, etc.
5. Having to act friendly when I am in a bad mood

FOUR ways to turn me off
1. Don’t take responsibility for your actions
2. Complain instead of doing something about your problems
3. Be lazy
4. Be fake

THREE things I do every day
1. Pray
2. Knit
3. Eat chocolate (just a little!)

TWO things that make me happy
1. My husband
2. My doggie.

ONE thing on my mind right now
1. Work... argh.

As requested, I tag Bethany!

Posted by zarah at 10:00 PM | Comments (2)

November 18, 2005

Cutie pie

Just in time for pumpkin pie... This is the small pumpkin from knitty.com -- it's one of the Fall 2005 surprise patterns. I think it's really cute. It is sitting on a stack of saucers (and the salad/dessert plates are below them), if you want to get an idea of size.

I made it using Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes -- very affordable and great for felting. I used less than one skein of each color.
The pattern is very simple to follow, although if I make it again (which I probably will, in the large size) I would make a few changes:

1. Knit another round on the "stem" portion, making it slightly bigger. It worked okay for the small pumpkin, but it will probably be too small for the larger size.

2. Cinch the top together slightly before felting. I just left it hanging wide open while felting and drying, and it was a little hard to close up small enough to get that little green top sewed on there.

3. Figure out a better way to attach the stem -- there are no instructions in the pattern. I just used some green thread and kind of "basted" it onto the orange part. People always want to pick this thing up and squish it, and I have to tell them to be careful with it, which is no fun.

Posted by zarah at 1:05 PM | Comments (1)

MIA

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. But, an urgent knitting project has come up that is taking all my attention. It's a secret project, so I can't say too much about it here. (I don't think the recipient reads this, but one can never be too safe!)

That said, the major knitting rush is coming to a close, so hopefully I'll be back soon. (And don't worry -- I'll tell you all about it when the surprise is revealed!)

Posted by zarah at 10:00 AM | Comments (1)

November 15, 2005

Meme! Meme!

You've all seen it, now it's time for the Zarah edition of the world-famous knitting meme!

(Keep in mind that I am a new-ish knitter, so these answers only reflect my experiences so far.)

All-time favorite yarn to knit with? Hmm... I really haven't used too many that I couldn't live without. I guess my favorite would have to be Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed. I used it to knit Midwest Moonlight and I ordered something similar (another tweedy DK) to knit Cutaway... which I promise I will start soon!

Your favorite needles?

I do love Addi turbos, but I'm too cheap to own very many pairs. As soon as I realized I was going to be knitting on a regular basis, I bought myself the Denise convertible needle set. I really love it -- I can knit anything (almost) without having to buy new needles! I use them to knit flat and circular. The only problem... I'm starting to knit things on smaller needles, and they only go to size 5.

The worst thing you've ever knit?

I bet regular readers think they know what I'm going to say to this one. But no, I am holding out hope that the Men's Zipped Raglan will not be a total loss, despite its many negative characteristics. I would have to say that my worst project was the Honeymoon Cami -- nothing against the pattern, but it just wasn't flattering on me. I redesigned the straps and neckline about 7 times, and it still looks BAD. It was the first non-accessory clothing item I knit, so luckily I did it in some cheap cotton (which was also unpleasant, but that's another story.)

Your most favorite knit pattern?

I love the simplicity of Midwest Moonlight from Scarf Style.

Best knit book(s) or magazine(s)?

Right now, I would have to say Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. I think I will eventually knit almost everything from that book.

Your favorite knitalong?

Umm... I've never done one before. I'm currently signed up for Peaceful Palms over at Nona's, but I'm still looking for the perfect pattern. Any suggestions?

Your favorite knitblogs?

Oh, so many! Actually I try to keep it trimmed down to about 40, which include biggies like Yarn Harlot and Crazy Aunt Purl and others with a more personal connection, that I write to often, like Dances with Yarn, Cake Addict, and Unwind.

My new interest has been knitblogs in Spanish. I figure it's a good way to keep my language skills fresh (I spent a year in Spain during college) and be prepared for yarn shopping if I ever go back. For this, I have been reading Cafe con leche, por favor and Waltzing Knitilda (bi-lingual).

The knit item you wear the most?

I'm still working on that one. Midwest Moonlight is my proudest knitting moment so far, but I still need to weave in the ends before she's ready to leave the house.

I tag: Jeannine, Stephanie, Coffeygirlb, and Whitty.

(Update: Links are done!
I took out some of the questions that I didn't have answers to -- for the complete meme, go see Mason-Dixon Knitting.)

Posted by zarah at 12:09 PM | Comments (2)

November 1, 2005

Zarah is crafty!

Don't tell my yarn stash, but I've been doing other crafts! Last Friday most of the girls I knit with got together for a Fall Craft Night. The original plan was to just do some glass etching. Supposedly it was really easy, although none of us had ever done it before. All you do is cut the designs you want to etch out of contact paper (or slap on some stickers), block off the edges with tape, smear on the etching cream, and wait five minutes. As you can see, I managed to make a fairly passable candle holder with some autumn leaves on it. The hard thing is cutting those little leaves out of contact paper and making them look decent. Also, I washed the etching cream off a little too soon so the etching is not very uniform. But I still like it.
Since we thought the etching was going to go really fast, we also got supplies to make candles. We used scooped-out acorn squashes as the molds for the candles. I must admit that this project idea cane from The Martha. It actually worked quite well, although it was pretty easy to accidentally poke through the bottom of the gourd, which turns into a real mess if you then pour hot wax into it (and subsequently down the kitchen cabinets. Oops.)

Posted by zarah at 10:00 AM | Comments (1)

October 30, 2005

My new tree

We moved into our first house this summer. We really like it, but the front yard was totally bare. So, we did some research on what kind of tree would look nice and be unique, and we decided on an American Elm. Apparently it was the most popular tree in this area before Dutch Elm disease came through. We got one of the new disease-resistant varieties and planted it yesterday afternoon.

Posted by zarah at 6:43 PM

October 27, 2005

YUM

My husband and I have a battle -- tea versus coffee. I love coffee, he loves tea. I like coffee because it's simple. I don't need a lot of frou frou cappucinos or anything, just a cup of black coffee and I'm good to go. you can get it anywhere. Tea is a little too fancy pants for me. People look at you a little strange if you order hot tea in a restaurant.

But. (You knew there would be a but, didn't you?) He ordered the holiday sampler from this online tea company that he's been using -- Adagio Teas -- and it is soooo awesome. Yes, I actually drank tea this morning instead of coffee. I'm not trying to be a salesperson, I'm just putting it out there because I have $5 coupons to give away! So if you want to try some tea, let me know (comment or email is fine) and I'll send you a coupon!

Posted by zarah at 5:36 PM | Comments (2)

October 14, 2005

div align="center">

The sorting hat says that I belong in Ravenclaw!

<

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest."

Ravenclaw students tend to be clever, witty, intelligent, and knowledgeable.
Notable residents include Cho Chang and Padma Patil (objects of Harry and Ron's affections), and Luna Lovegood (daughter of The Quibbler magazine's editor).

Take the most scientific Harry Potter
Quiz ever created.

Get Sorted Now!