Moss made me famous!

Hey guys! Just a quick note to let you guys know I was featured at athoughtfullife on her Friday Feature. She is spotlighting all different kinds of moss items from etsy, so my handspun moss yarn was picked. All the items are wonderful, you should take a look. It is quite an ego boost to be picked for something like this by someone who doesn't know me at all.

P.S. I want a terrarium! With a little mushroom or gnome!

Yes, sir, Cap'n Tight-Pants.

Shindig roving, I took my inspiration from the TV show Firefly. Based on Kaylee's fluffy layer cake dress. 2 braids, 5 oz total, Superwash wool, Sheep Shed Studios, Brown Sheep mill ends, Jaquard dyes, hand dyed by me. Here is the dress. Picture from http://www.costumersguide.com/

Second sock made on the trip to Branson, Feb. 2010. Yarn from the Two Windows Dye Co. from Yarns in Hutchinson, KS.

Haven't felt to good this last week. Monday was downright horrible, Tues. I at least felt good enough to make it up to Salina for lunch with a couple of the knit girls then to Stitch N Bitch. Wednesday was much better and I managed to finally get a few things done I've been meaning too. Today I'm feeling fairly crapy again. Ah, well, this too shall pass.

Here are some interesting links I've come across.

Just how big is a billion? Awesome picture of Earth at the end and a great quote from Carl Sagan.

39% Of Bagged Salad Is Gross, Some Has Poop - The Consumerist

For my knit buddies out there. Use variegated yarn for lace!

Yarn for Sale!

Hey, everyone, I have two skeins of yarn listed and I'll be adding to them. The first one took forever, but now that I have a basic template for the descriptions it is going much quicker. I would appreciate your advice. Did I leave anything out, do I need to change something? I would love to have your opinions!

www.annellsannex.etsy.com

Craft Video

Thought you guys might get a kick out of this.

S is for Sorry

No, I'm not doing the ABC along, it just fits.   I'm sorry I haven't blogged for 2 months, I haven't even told you all I'm back from New Jersey safe and sound!  That doesn't bug me too much since you should all know by now I am a bad blogger and don't update nearly as often as I should.  

What makes me feel guilty is not thanking Criquette   for sending me a Pay it Forward (scroll down) package.  It felt just like Christmas!  

Clockwise from top: Calorimetry(see pic below) wonderful yarn, torquise(sp?) and pink and dark blue, very lovely and then such a cute cat button to top it off!  Three packets of water flavorings that I keep forgetting to try, even though I've been wondering if I would like them for awhile now.  A pretty bookmark about adopting cats and dogs.  A very cute keyring with two different sizes of paw prints in my favorite color, purple!  Already in use, just like the bookmark.  And a tin of mints with a girl knitting on the top with yarn balls all over, this will be perfect for holding stitch markers after the mints are all gone.  Where did you find them, Criquette?  I haven't seen them before.   

I received the package last Monday(I know it was a Monday, please don't tell me it was 2 weeks ago!) and figured I would make a thank you post real quick.  Yeah, I need to remember that I'm a bad blogger and that just isn't realistic for me.  After a few days I thought I should at least write a short email to Criquette to let her know it got here and that I loved it.   Then we decided to take a last minute trip out of state this weekend and I totally forgot about it.  I plan  (cross your fingers!) to tell you about our trip in another post.   Forgetting to thank Criquette isn't just bad blogging, it is bad  manners.  I'm so sorry Criquette! Thank you for all your time and effort, your choices are all perfect for me!

Only one person took me up on my offer to pay it forward, Ms. Knitingale.  She doesn't blog anymore, and I miss her!  I probably should apologize to her too, since it has been almost a year and I haven't even thought about what to make her.  I will try to get on that.  

Wish me luck,  knowing me, I'll need it!

Cheers!

I've had pictures uploaded for about a week for a big long post, but I just haven't managed anything more. I keep coming up with other stuff I want to talk about though, so I finally gave up on getting that other post done first. Here is a bunch of random junk.


1. NAIS
National Animal Identification System Plenty of bloggers(at least on my bloglines) have already talked about this and if I try I know I'll never get this post finished either. So, short and sweet, the government is trying to pass a law that will require every farm animal(down to pet rabbits) to have a id tag(which is cost prohibitive). The cost of tags and other equipment will probably put most small farms out of business. If the neighbors animals get sick they can not only seize your neighbors animals, but yours too. That is the basics, if you are interested here are some sites. Hopefully it is enough to get you started.
Small Meadow Farm
Homesteading Neophyte In her sidebar she has a list of NAIS sites.
NONAIS A very big site
Prairie Dreams

2. Oliver's Fund
Oliver is a handicapped child that needs a new wheelchair. They are asking for afghan squares(yes, I plan on knitting some) then they will raffle off the afghan. I have read Emma's(his mom) blog for a while now and really enjoy. I can't link directly to the post so here is her blog and it is the Nov 1 post. This just in, Kay from Mason-Dixon Knitting is going to be a clearing house for all of the squares in the USA. Nov 7 post

3. Fuller Family Farms
I don't think I've mentioned the Fullers yet. They are a single mom with 6 kids providing wonderful milk, butter, eggs, bread, soap, lip balm and all kinds of great stuff. All farm fresh and free range! I love all of their products I've tried. We have eaten much better since I met Chris.
Here is her online store and blog.

4. You Make Me Smile Award
Holly gave me this award, wasn't that nice of her?

The designer of this award gave it out to 10 people with this in mind: “I wanted to create something special for the top ten people who have inspired me through their blogging; the stories they tell, and the lives that they lead with grace and dignity. I visit their blogs for inspiration and encouragement.”

Ok, now I'm supposed to pick ten people huh?

• Florence Knitingale
• Marianne's Knotminding
• Celtic Memory Yarns I love her stories and her pictures of Ireland
• Sugar Bunny Boulevard
• Prairie Gumbo
• Prairie Dreams
• Blue Ridge Knittery
• Knitting in the North
• Stumbling Over Chaos
  
• Sheepish Annie
  

Sorry no descriptions, it just isn't gonna happen.


5. Any Firefly fans out there? Check out this wonderful fan video!
Alright just go check out this guy's whole site, if you like sci fi stuff. Great song about Heroes and Dr. Who and Star Wars and, and all kinds of great stuff! Here is his list of videos.

6. While Techpriest's Dad and nephew from New Jersey were here the whole family went down to Wichita and ate at Kobe's a Japanese steakhouse, you know, where they cook the food right at the table and make a show out of it? Great food. Most of us stayed outside during the wait and found a place the kids could play ball. Techpriest finally comes outside and we all get excited 'cause it is time to eat, right? Nope, he came outside to tell us Kirstie Alley is in the waiting area!
Yeah, that Kirstie Alley! He had seen her come in and thought it looked like her but couldn't be sure. Then he heard her talking and thought it really sounded like her. Finally, someone brought their kids up to meet her and he knew it actually was her. She did grow up in Wichita, so it isn't totally unbelievable. We didn't disturb her in anyway, well, 'cept for staring at her out of the corner of our eyes. Though it was really close with DH's mom. She hauled the kids over to look at the fishes which was real close to Kirstie Alley. "No, really, you want to see the fishes!" I did think about hauling out the camera to prove to you all that I did actually see her, but we all figured she wanted a quite night out with family.

I think that is it, since Techpriest can't remember where he put the camera. When he does, I have something to show you!

What a week

• The Harmony needles showed up, they are pretty. But one of the #5's must have a crack at the tip, wool keeps getting caught in it.
  

• Prairie Gumbo is playing Pay it Forward and I thought it was a great idea too! This is the "Pay It Forward" exchange, based on the concept of the movie where acts of kindness are done without expecting anything in return...just passing it on, with the hope that the recipients of your kind acts will pass it along to someone else. Here's how it works: I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what the gift will be yet, and it won't be sent this month and maybe not next month either, but it will be sent within 6 months and that's a promise! What you have to do in return then is "pay it forward" by making the same promise on your blog. Sound like fun? I might knit something or sew or I might even break out the polymer clay!
  
• Last Saturday I met up with Laura at the Newton Beadery to switch my completed afghan for another packet. Very nice store with a very nice lady that talked to us for quite awhile, even told us her name, too. Unfortantly though, I have a mind like a steel sieve instead a steel trap. Laura being the good blogger she is, remembered to bring her camera. Me, I didn't even think to look halfway decent, let alone bring the camera. I should have remembered what the Yarn Harlot said, bloggers are dangerous, they always have their cameras.
  
• I have already finished the second afghan, but no pictures yet. Hopefully soon.
• Tuesday I had an eye app. and had my eyes dilated plus wore contacts for the first time in years. Not good. Besides having an awful time driving the two blocks home my headache jumped way up there to an 8. I didn't even feel up to knitting while I watched tv. The next day got it back down to a 5, but Friday I went and ordered my glasses(that's another story) and wore contacts again to be able to pick out a frame. Went to the monthly knit in that night but had to leave early I was hurting so much. Not long after I got home it went up to a 9. Today it is firmly hovering around a 6. Pretty sucky week.
  

• Techpriest's Dad and nephew are coming for a visit next Thursday, I hope I'm up to it.

That is all I remember that I wanted to tell you, but remember that steel sieve....

Techpriest saves the day!

Hey, I (ok, Techpriest helped, by which I mean he saved my sanity)got the buttons to work! Really! Go mouse over them, I'll wait.

Did you see that cursor change to a hand? Isn't that just the most awesome thing ever?
I feel like a big kid now! :)




Something else Techpriest did for me. Found out I won't be able to scan from my computer anymore, but as the last time I scanned something probably at least 6 months ago I don't really see that as a problem. Isn't the little froggy cute?

Got Money?

I'm done with the Greensburg afghan, hooray! No pictures of course, booo! I don't like being unable to document my FOs! We need to stumble upon some money somewhere! Laura has made a list of where the squares are in the seaming process and packets(squares, seaming yarn) that need to be adopted here. The main post about it is here. You do want to adopt one, right? They are really cute! And it is not really seaming since all you have to do is whip stitch them together, it goes pretty quick. She will be adding more packets as she gets them sorted so check back!

It seems like I can go ages without really wanting anything, then all of a sudden I want everything all at once. The camera is a given, I've already told you about the dpn shortage over here. I ordered the Harmony's on Sat by the way, can't wait to see them! I need a haircut, which I really could go ahead and get, but getting some red highlights sound like fun right now too. And I want a purse, a purse with pockets even! Looking around for a purse I am astounded again by their prices, course I'm cheap about purses, I don't think I've spent more than $30 for a purse in my life. I've looked around on Etsy and really like the style of this shop's purses, but the fabrics are too loud for my tastes, but I could probably ask for one in denim. Her prices aren't too bad either. I also like this style, but would not pay that much for it. I could make that without too much work.

But what will cost the most is a Yarn Hop the shops in central Kansas are putting on. I plan on catching a ride with Ann and Marlene from Yarns knit night. From north to south the shops are:

1. The Yarn Peddler
Minneapolis

2. The Shivering Sheep
Abilene

3. Yarns: Sold and Told
Salina
(my home away from home)

4. Laura May's Cottage
Lindsborg
785.227.3948

5. Yarn
Hutchinson

6. The Newton Beadery
Newton
316.283.9199

7. Heritage Hut
Wichita
316.682.4082

8. Twist
Wichita

More than I realized there was! The yarn hop is November 9, 10, 11. Besides special surprises at each shop, if you go to every shop you will be entered to win a big basket of goodies.
I was going to just scan in the flyer they gave me, but we have changed computers since the last time I scanned anything in and now I don't know how to work it. It will have to wait until Techpriest is unbusy.

Hey, did you realize Kansas has a fiber mill? Me either.

I'm trying to figure how to link to a button, not having much luck. The example over on the right I can get to work, but when I cut and paste my info in to the code it just doesn't work. This will be the first thing I will have Techpriest work on when he gets unbusy. Until him or I get it figured out I'm gonna leave the ugly example button up on the right. Maybe I'll get tried of looking at it and it will force me to have another go.

I think that is all I have to say, seems like I always forget something....

Book meme

I copied and pasted this from someone's knitting blog, if you remember let me know!

• 1. Hardcover or paperback, and why? either, unless it is a book I know I'll reread a lot, then I prefer hardcover
  
• 2. If I were to own a book shop, I would call it... I have no idea, and if I thought about it, it would take forever, because it would have to be just right!
  
• 3. My favorite quote from a book (mention the title) is... The one I can remember is Glorfindol (sp) saying "Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger." about Gandalf from LotR of course
  
• 4. The author (alive or deceased) I would love to have lunch with would be... Well, Tolkien, Anne McAffery, or right now probably Robert Jordan
  
• 5. If I was going to a deserted island and could only bring one book, except for the SAS survival guide, it would be... an omnibus of Lord of the Rings, or omnibus of all the Hitchhiker books
  
• 6. I would love someone to invent a bookish gadget that...read it aloud for me, while I knit
• 7. The smell of an old book reminds me of... Safety, peace, hours spent in another world...
• 8. If I could be the lead character in a book (mention the title), it would be...Probably Menolly from the Pern series, to bad she doesn't have a dragon..
  
• 9. The most overestimated book of all times is...The Catcher in the Rye, why bother banning it when I couldn't even get through a quarter of it?
  
• 10. I hate it when a book...is boring, doesn't engage me
  

Now for the tagging.... how about anyone who wants to ?

HP

Lets see if this works. Karla sent me this one.

HARRY POTTER IN THE HOOD

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Life is cruel

The day the Yarn Harlot is here I get my Ravelry invite. So very, very cruel.

Filler

I'm busy trying to get ready for tomorrow since I should head out of here about 8:30 to get to
El Dorado at 10 for the seaming party. Hopefully I don't forget anything like the camera, batteries, knitting bag, directions, phone, etc, etc. I might try to post tomorrow evening, if not it will be after the Yarn Harlot!

Karla sent me this, it seemed like pretty easy blog fodder.
Subject: First Reaction Quiz
Body: This is called "First Reactions Quiz". You have to type the 1ST thing that comes to mind whenever you hear these 35 things. You can't think and go back and change your answers. Copy and Paste, then delete answers to make them your own.

Here we go:
1. Beer: yuck
2. Robin: 's egg
3. Relationships: good
4. Purple: pretty
5. Power Rangers: not me
6. Weed: mary jane
7. Steroids: too many muscles
8. Cartoons: online
9. The President: a mess
10. Tupperware: handy
11. Florida: Grandma Lillian and Ken
12. Santa Clause: beard
13. Halloween: fun
14. Alice: in Wonderland
15. Grammar: a pain
16: Myspace: blogs are better
17. Worst fear: headache forever
18. Marriage: good
19. Paris Hilton: spoiled hussy
20. Patty cake: Bakers Man
21. Redheads: Me
22. Blondes: have more fun
23. Pass: skip
24. One night stands: not me
25. Donald Trump: with all that money you think he could get a better hair piece
26. Neverland: Peter Pan
27. Pixie Stix: Playing Gurps with chelle and Dan
28. Vanilla ice creature: ice ice baby
29. Hooters: owls
30. High school:sucked
31. Pajama: PJ's
32. Woody: let's keep this pg
33. Wet Socks: uncomfortable
34. I like: pizza
35. Love: Barry

This has been on several blogs lately. This is perfect for me, it is fate I'm telling ya.

You're The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!

by Douglas Adams

Considered by many to be one of the funniest people around, you are
quite an entertainer. You've also traveled to the far reaches of what you deem possible,
often confused and unsure of yourself. Life continues to jostle you around like a marble,
but it's shown you so much of the world that you don't care. Wacky adventures continue to
lie ahead. Your favorite number is 42.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

.

I'm not an etertainer though, or one of the funniest people around

Things to Squee about

There seem to be a lot of things percolating in my brain that I'm quite excited about, I hope I remember them all!

Tomorrow I'm going to the chiropractor and renting an alpha-stim machine. It uses electrotherapy for pain management. We've been using it in the office and I have had some good results. I'm hoping by using it daily I get some great results! As a side note, my chiropractors (one while I lived in Hutch, and this one in Mac) are really the only ones that have helped me, all the regular doctors ran all sorts of tests, gave me all sorts of pills, that really never did much.

The LYS hooked me and Theresa up and we've been driving up to knit night together ever since. We, of course, have always talked about starting one up in Mac. A knit night, not a yarn store! She got in touch with the county extension office and they said they would sponsor us! Today I went over and finalized plans with them. It will actually be a fiber arts group, knitters, crocheters, cross stitchers, weavers, who ever. We start on Aug 7th, 7-9, every Tuesday!
They are going to put ads on the radio, newspaper, and some newsletters. We get to keep a key to the building(that's how small the town is), and have access to several different rooms. Hopefully we will grow out of the small one! I'm pretty sure there is a frig and coffee pot too.
Isn't that great?

Oh, and I'm planning on taking another class at Yarns. It is a Christmas stocking to learn color work. Same teacher I had for Nathan's baby sweater. I really enjoyed that class and learned a lot. I have been wanting to try colorwork for awhile now, it opens up so many new possibilities!

The best thing to squee about? Marianne thinks I'm a Rockin' Girl Blogger!


Since I think she's pretty darn cool it works out good! I'm supposed to pass this on to 5 other Rockin' Girl Bloggers, so let's see if I can narrow it down.

• Miranda: SIL extrodinare, she fits in with my family wonderfully, actually her Mom and stepdad are invited to most of the family get togethers! I'm proud to call her a friend as well as my brother's wife and my nephew mom. She has just started her new blog so to get a sense of her humorous writing style also check out her pregnancy blog and the blog before that! Third time's the charm I guess? I'm so glad she started blogging again!
• Karla: Yes, it is on myspace, and no you can't comment unless you have an account, I'm trying to con her into starting a normal blog. We have been friends for about 13 years now, met in the college jewerly class, boy did we have fun. She has a lot of the same interests I do, Harry Potter, any good fantasy book, 80's teen movies(anyone know who Ducky is?). She is a single Mom of a brand new teenager telling tales of her trials and triumphs.
• Laura at Sugar Bunny Boulevard: I haven't met her yet, but I'm planning on it come Sept 15! She is the heart of the Squares for Greensburg project. I love hearing her enthusiasm for this project! She is a sweetheart and her girls are adorable!
• Farm Mom at Children in the Corn: a great homesteading blog. I haven't commented to much, but I always look forward to her posts.
• Prairie Gumbo: I'm fairly new to reading her blog, but she has been very entertaining so far!
  

People I would pick if they hadn't already been rocked! These are some wonderful ladies!

• Ms. K at The Life and Times of Florence Knitingale
• Marianne of Marianne's Knotminding
• Charity of Knitting in the North
• Phelan from A Homesteading Neophyte

And the biggest thing to make me squee with delight?

THE YARN HARLOT IS COMING TO WICHITA!

Do you believe that? I'm not sure I do! See for yourselves, check on her sidebar click on Harlot on Tour. Sept. 16th the day after the seaming party! A whole weekend of being with fellow knitters! I don't think I can stand it! For those of you non-knitters that read my blog, the Yarn Harlot is kinda like the knitting comedian, that is the best way I have to describe her. Her books are very funny, and I hear her shows are amazingly funny.

I really can't wait!

New look

Hey, like the new look? Miranda made me a very sweet header, didn't she? I picked out the pictures, but everything else she choose for me. Does she know me or what? Someday I might search for a good Firefly quote. Specially as now that I think about it, I seem to recall seeing this quote on some other knitting blog. I'm not really going to worry about it though. I will feel like reading Firefly quotes sometime.

Speaking of Firefly quotes, has anyone noticed the quote widget at the bottom of the blog? It is only one a day though, I was looking for one that refreshed, oh well.

Techpriest doesn't seem to think that is a very good picture of Nathan, says he has weird shadows on him because of the angle, what do you guys think? Course, Techpriest also says Nathan looks like MiniMe from Austin Powers, so you have to take what he says with a grain of salt.

I've ripped back past the heel of Miranda's sock, but haven't started knitting the heel again. Haven't knitted at all, I'll get back to it soon. I decided to start reading Harry Potter OotP and HBP so I'm ready when the next book comes out. I'm wondering if I'll get them finished in time.

Well I think that is all I have for now. I'll leave you with this picture of Nathan that hubby really thinks looks like MiniME. It is kinda funny, he looks soo pissed!