Check it out

I was going through some baby pictures with my parents today, and look what we found!
My dad used to work on a farm when he was younger, and this was towards the end of one of those summers.
This is me and my cousin being carried around by my dad at the cottage when we were about 2 years old!

It's Almost Christmas!!

...which means that I've smuggled in my illegal Christmas tree!
Because I've mentioned that I have a purple theme going on with my decorations, I thought I'd take a photo and prove it. :)
While I love that we've finally gotten a decent amount of show (although I'd love to see more), I could definitely use a break from this cold snap. Here's hoping that the temperature warms up a little soon!
(It's been -3o (ish) for the past 4 days, with windchills between -35 and -45!!! Right now it's -22, sunny, with very little windchill...things might be looking up!)

SYTYCD Canada - Last Dance-off tonight!

I can't wait! It's going to be awesome!!
I really hope they use the same format as the US show, and have each of the top 4 dance with the other 3 - I think it will be amazing to see Miles and Nico dance with each other, and likewise Natali and Allie.
I might even break out the phone and vote tonight!!!
:)

(image courtesy Winnipeg Sun)

100 things

I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd borrow this meme making it's rounds through the blogosphere these days...

Things I've Done (In Bold)

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars - in a tent, yes
3. Played in a band - does concert band in high school count?
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world - Yes, EuroDisney in France
8. Climbed a mountain - a small mountain not requiring any special gear...
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightening at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch - does 2-handed knitting count?
15. Adopted a child - through Foster Parent's Plan...
16. Had food poisoning - probably, haven't we all?
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables - (herbs, yes. veggies, no.)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - come on, we've all done this, right?
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon - a small marathon, the SuperRun
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (I've been to Venice, but couldn't afford €100 for a gondola ride)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (ice climbing? yes. Rock, no.)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (I never did make it to the one here before it closed down...)
55. Been in a movie (nope, but I did watch them filming one. Or, 2, actually.)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - sort of...I'm starting slow.
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason (Does buying them for yourself count? lol)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - althoughI can't anymore, because of having been in Europe for too long during the mad cow thing
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job - but it was a waitressing job that I'd had for only one month, and wasn't planning on keeping for very long anyway, and there was a pretty big personality clash
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - I met Keifer Sutherland when he was in town for Canada Day a while back...we talked about how ride the table next to us at the restaurant was being (they were heckling him...)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone - yup, and it's my only phone!
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

42 out of 100 - not bad!

My Weenie came!!!

Yes, the package from my weenie came today! (it's a knitty thing)

Check it out!!!



There's 3 different kinds of yarn, some mango tea, a few individual packets of hot chocolate and coffee, 2 project bags (handmade by my weenie!) and a Great Pumpkin notebook and post-it notes!
It's all awesome, and I can't wait for my next SnB to show off all my loot!
:)

I'm a Bette

Considering the quiz only has 2 questions, it's surprisingly accurate!

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Bette!

You are a Bette -- "I must be strong"

Bettes are direct, self-reliant, self-confident, and protective.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Stand up for yourself... and me.


• * Be confident, strong, and direct.


• * Don't gossip about me or betray my trust.


• * Be vulnerable and share your feelings. See and acknowledge my tender, vulnerable side.


• * Give me space to be alone.


• * Acknowledge the contributions I make, but don't flatter me.


• * I often speak in an assertive way. Don't automatically assume it's a personal attack.


• * When I scream, curse, and stomp around, try to remember that's just the way I am.

What I Like About Being a Bette

• * being independent and self-reliant


• * being able to take charge and meet challenges head on


• * being courageous, straightforward, and honest


• * getting all the enjoyment I can out of life


• * supporting, empowering, and protecting those close to me


• * upholding just causes

What's Hard About Being a Bette

• * overwhelming people with my bluntness; scaring them away when I don't intend to


• * being restless and impatient with others' incompetence


• * sticking my neck out for people and receiving no appreciation for it


• * never forgetting injuries or injustices


• * putting too much pressure on myself


• * getting high blood pressure when people don't obey the rules or when things don't go right

Bettes as Children Often

• * are independent; have an inner strength and a fighting spirit


• * are sometimes loners


• * seize control so they won't be controlled


• * figure out others' weaknesses


• * attack verbally or physically when provoked


• * take charge in the family because they perceive themselves as the strongest, or grow up in difficult or abusive surroundings

Bettes as Parents

• * are often loyal, caring, involved, and devoted


• * are sometimes overprotective


• * can be demanding, controlling, and rigid

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Halloween knitting!

I know it's been a long time, and I'm not planning on updating this too often, but I thought I'd share some photos of halloweenie things I made for my knitty weenie!

First, a wee ghostie finger puppet!



And a skull dishcloth!




Also, a photo of my brother with his horse, Decker. Just because I really like this photo I took of him - he's such a cowboy! :)

New Stitch Marker Design!

I've been experimenting with wire stitch markers, and this is what I've come up with!
They're selling for $3 (on average, although sometimes it could be more, depending on the bead I use), and I hope to have some up in my Etsy store soon!!!

My first SP package finally came!

Man, the post office took it's sweet time in delivering this package! (And is taking even longer with another package I'm expecting, but that's another story.)

I got the first of 2 packages from my Summer Lovin' SP from the knitty boards!
I didn't even wait to get home before I opened it up, so I don't have any photos of the unopened package.
Here is what I got:

The backside of the note she (he?) wrote me (are the seashells a hint as to where she's from?):


Some super soft fibre samples:







Some handspun! What shall I make with this...something for me, for sure!!




And some samples of hand lotions, shampoo, conditioner and perfume!


I haven't used any of the lotion samples yet, but I think I'll save them for when I'm travelling. They're nice and small, and won't leak (unless, I guess, they get really squished...).
I have no idea if I'll ever do anything with the fibre samples - I just like having them to touch and rub in my fingers! (It's rather fitting that I grew up to be a knitter. My "thing" when I was a kid was lace: I'd use it as my "blankie", and rub it between my fingers. I really liked the texture, and I had a pretty big collection of lace bits!) I'm going to take the fibre samples to my Stitch n Bitch tonight and show them off to all the other girls. Mmmmmm...alpaca.

Thanks SP!

Moratorium on Blogging

So, I think I've lost the oomph to blog.
I've liked sharing this with you, but I just don't have the time or energy to put into it right now.
I'll still keep the address active for things like knitty swaps and the occasional post, but Facebook and Ravelry have taken the place that blogging once did.

Ta for now!