Winnings and New Beginnings

First I want to thank everyone who wished me happy birthday! I'll never grow up, don't worry about that. =)

Also, I wanted to mention that, I won the International Tote Exchange III Knitters Award!!! My resolution to put my all into all my artwork from now on is paying off. Not just in that way, but across the board. I have pictures to come of all sorts of works in progress. Stay tuned. As for what I won, well, I took the pictures and then forgot to post them. I then deleted them! I need to retake the pictures though it wont look exactly like how I received everything. I already wound up the two skeins of Patons Kroy Sock yarn!

For my birthday I decided to treat that day as my official New Year since technically, it is! I promised myself that by this time next year, even if I don't completely make the break from the computer industry into the creative arts (I'm still flipping back and forth on where exactly I want to go with this), I want to have made serious progress in moving into a "career" I really want.

Have a great day everyone!

Pink and Yellow and Green Make...

Pretty pictures, that's what!!!

I've never been into scrapbooking. Most of what I'd seen was, well, too cute for my tastes. Then all the art scrapbooking projects started showing up and I thought "Hey, this could be kinda cool after all." But where to start? The ideas flitted in and out but with all the other things I was into, did I really want to add one more hobby?

Enter the evil that is Recollections. A store that's almost around the corner. A store with loads of ideas to get a girl like me excited. And then they had the nerve to not only show samples of some really neat ideas, they had to offer classes in them! The nerve I tell you. So what could I do? I took a class...

AND LOOK WHAT I MADE!

Using pictures from the cruise mom and I took back in 2005, I had a blast creating this "exploding box". Though it's a bit Easter-y and cute, the technique lends itself to all sorts of possibilities. Bigger boxes. Taller boxes. Boxes with more levels. *rubs hands together in anticipation*.

And now my mother tells me there is another store called The Queen's Ink that I must visit. Privately run, exactly our style of art so it's even better than Recollections, and (can you believe it) also not far from me. Project Spectrum strikes again because I think I'm going to need a bigger studio!

Happy, Happy Birthday Baby!

Yes, that's right. Today is my *dances on tippy toes* birthday! I'm a joyous 7 years old. That 3 in the front doesn't count, thank you very much.

It's been a silly weekend. The hubby and I went to Rehoboth Beach yesterday and a great time. Eating ice cream in the middle of the night, in the rain, is just fun. We got up this morning and high tailed it home though because that Nor'easter was coming through and we didn't want to get stuck should the Bay Bridge close due to high wind. Now we're relaxing before heading off again to meet up with friends for an impromptu dinner.

The real celebration will be at the end of the month when we head down to Hilton Head for a long weekend and to do more relaxing and some exploring. Yay, road trip!

Hugs and kisses to you all!

Did I Happen To Mention That My Mom ROCKS!!!

This is just a quick post to show off some goodies my mom made me. The first being MY BIRTHDAY PRESENT (I'm a tax baby) she spun for me! She came over yesterday to have a birthday lunch with me and suprised me with this:

422 yards of the prettiest handspun yarn you ever did see! And here I was drooling over this yarn on her blog, never knowing it was MINE! ALL MINE! BWAHAHAHAHA!

Now of course I'm agonizing over what to use it for. It's 422 yards of sportweight yarn. 100% (not superwash) wool. Socks? A shawl? Something felted? Hmmm....

Also, Janice had posted on her blog about the denim blanket her daughter Kristin made. It's so beautiful. I had promised to show her the one my mom made for me after my wedding, soon to be 5 years ago.

It's big and I was trying to take the picture by myself but I think you get the idea. It's made of old jeans, some pretty fabric she had in her stash and the leftover fabric from the wedding clothes she made everyone.

Quick explanation: I was married at Disney in a small ceremony on Sunset Pointe, behind the Polynesian Resort, overlook the Magic Kingdom. We had the whole wedding themed to fit the location. Since the wedding party was so small, just 8 people including Bryan and I, mom made all the clothes for the women and men in the party while Bryan and I went sort of traditional. I'll post pictures, promise!

This is one of the pockets used in the blanket with one of her cute little labels.

At The Movies

'cause I'm a lemming and Jennifer did it.

1) Name a movie you've seen more than 10 times. WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY!

2) Name a movie you've seen multiple times in the theater. I don't remember how many times but I know I saw "Fright Night" numerous times as a teenager. I thought Christopher Sarandon was cute.

3) Name an actor who would make you more inclined to see a movie. There are a few but off the top of my head, Johnny Depp.

4) Name an actor who would make you less likely to see a movie. Adam Sandler will make me running screaming.

5) Name a movie you can and do quote from. The Fifth Element. Mostly the quick lines that Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) did. "Badaboom. Big badaboom." "Cheekan!" Don't ask; it will only hurt your head.

6) Name a movie musical to which you know all the lyrics. My Fair Lady. One of my most favorite Audrey Hepburn movies.

7) Name a movie you've been known to sing along with. Mary Poppins. I'm a big Disney nut. My brother and I learned the entire soundtrack as kids. We'd sing "The Perfect Nanny" song all day long.

8) Name a movie you would recommend everyone see. French Kiss. It's not Academy Award wining but it's a fun, check brains at door and just enjoy it kinda movie.

9) Name a movie you own. I own a bunch, mostly Disney so I'm going to randomly pick Lady and the Tramp. =)

10) Name an actor who launched his/her career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops. Will Smith. Who knew the skinny little rapper could act his butt off!

11) Have you ever seen a movie at a drive-in? If so what? Yes. Lots of movies, mostly Disney. I can't remember the last movie I saw at the drive-in but it was a double feature. I hope to go to Bengie's Drive-In in Baltimore once the nights are a little warmer. It's a hold out theatre that has found a way to capitalize on the kitsch.

12) Ever made out at a movie? Smooched, yes. Made out? NO!

13) Name a movie you've been meaning to see but just haven't gotten around to yet. Casablanca. It's on my Netflix list!

14) Ever walked out of a movie? Yes, on 3 occasions that I remember. Had to leave to pick up friends from airport (movie ran longer than I expected), got too scared, and got grossed out and waited in the lobby playing video games.

15) Name a movie that made you cry in the theater. I've never all out cried (I had something in my eye) in a theater but I've definitely choked up. Forrest Gump was one of those.

16) Popcorn? Of course!

17) How often do you go to the movie theater? Once a month maybe. Depends on what's playing.

18) What's the last movie you saw in the theater? 300

19) What's your favorite/preferred genre? I like them all except for romance and corny comedies.

20) What's the first movie you remember seeing in the theater? It was a Disney animated film and it was at the drive-in. Cinderella I think.

21) What movie do you wish you had never seen? Though most movies have some redeeming value, I wish I'd never wasted money on "Bowfinger". I should have known better since I typically don't like Steve Martin's work.

22) What is the weirdest movie you enjoyed? Nothing. Seriously, that's the name of the movie, "Nothing".

23) What's the scariest movie you've ever seen? One that I watched through slightly spread fingers, Alien. I have yet to see the scene where the face hugger grabs the guy in the very beginning of the movie. Never! And I've seen the movie multiple times.

24) What's the funniest movie you've ever seen? That I laughed so hard I cried and still do when I see it now, The Incredibles. Bob Parr being an insurance agent (MOM!), there's a scene were Mr. Incredible bonks a bad guy with a rock from long distance (something about the way his head rings like a bell), and of course Edna 'E' Mode! I laugh myself silly every time!

Me Thinks I Have A Little Problem

OK, so as part of my yarn diet ala the YFC '07, I thought I'd start to organize my little stash so that:

1. I'd know what I had.
2. By winding everything into balls, I could just grab and go as I needed for any project.

Well I started to wind, and wind, and wind and then I wondered what exactly I had in all those bins, bags, and totes. I began dumping them on the floor just now to see. Now I know I don't have as much yarn in my stash as most of you do (my bead stash is where I'm truly in trouble - picture next time) but I honestly didn't think that I had this much yarn!

Oh. There's a small piece of a clear bin at the top right that is full of spinning fiber for my little drop spindle. That technically doesn't count... does it?

The Colors for April/May of Project Spectrum Are...

Green, Yellow, and Pink

Those colors just scream Spring don't they? Now I wish the weather would figure it out as well. LOL!

Though I'm still finishing my project for the previous 2 month stint of Project Spectrum (finally got the beads I want to use with the Kyanite), I'm nearly done with one of the projects for this round. It's my first scrapbook project and yes folks, it's looking like an Easter egg with all those colors. As for what I plan to have as my beading project for this new round, I'll be using 15/0's which for as much as I like using the little beads, I've never gone smaller than 11/0's. This should be interesting.

So off we go. Spring is calling. Let's get go outside and play!

I'm Nominated!

Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!

I just popped over to the International Tote Exchange III blog to vote for bag I think deserves the "Knitters Choice Award" and... I'm one of the nominees! *SQUEAL*

The all green "Plentiful Pockets Tote" I made for Leslie made the grade! OK, I know this sounds cheesy but win or lose, I'm just tickled I'm nominated. =)

*does the Snoopy Happy Dance*

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

Talk about getting in just under the wire!

My delightful ITE3 swap partner Britta has been keeping me guessing and in stitches about what she wanted to make for me for the tote swap. We knew it was going to take a little bit of time to get here from overseas (she's in Denmark) so there were no panics. Yesterday was the official last day bags were suppose to have arrived to their partners but I figured mine would get here after. What a surprise it was to stumble in late last night (too much yakking into the wee hours of the night with friends) to see a pretty box sitting in front of my door. You know I was exhausted because I recognized who it was from but was too pooped to open it!

Well this morning I bounced out of bed and ripped that box open to find this wonderful color coordinated haul:

• A gorgeous tote bag with the cutest button closure. She knew I liked color but didn't like odd color combinations and wanted to know if this was ok. YES!!! You can't see it in this picture but there is just a hint of sparkle where the pink stripes are.
• A skein of the same hand dyed wool yarn made by a friend of hers (Kathe Lewis) that was used in the top and bottom of my tote. 630 yards of the stuff!
• A 460 yard skein of soft hand dyed pink sock yarn (wool and nylon) that I wonder if will be just enough for the "Retro Rib Socks" from the Favorite Socks book. Hmm...
• A cute little notebook that will fit perfectly inside the tote for jotting down inspirations in.
• 3 cute little stitch markers.
• A package of coffee that I suspect my husband or mom will fight over.
• A BOX OF CHOCOLATE FROGS! These will never last until the next Harry Potter movie. *munch munch munch*
  

Up close of the bag.

Better shot of the fiber goodies.

Thank you Britta! You have just been a load of fun for this exchange. =) *BIG HUGS*