Finally! Got some pictures to post to you all! First up, a photo of what kept me up for 38 hours with only a couple small naps to keep me going:

So, long story short… the dog, Kilo, a boxer that belongs to my brother, was bred to a couple other boxers in hopes of getting a wad of puppies, because every freaking patron at our bar wanted one of Kilo’s puppies. Kilo a bit of a ‘rescue’, as her former owner was mistreating her terribly, and she ended up with my family. However, she’s suffered some anxiety issues from constantly being locked up, and thus, couldn’t be trusted to be left alone without massive damage being done to wherever she was at. So, since my parents own a bar, and that’s where they were most of the time, and since in the last year or so, my brother has also /worked/ at the bar, Kilo baby spends a lot of time up there. And the patrons LOVE her. I mean, she’s smart, and friendly, and lovey, and… well, she’s got personality. The customers will put a dollar in her collar, and she runs around to the till to buy herself a piece of jerky. Spoiled puppy. ;-)

Anyway, she’s about six years old, and my brother’s been wanting to breed her for some time. Yes, he’s an irresponsible back yard breeder, yadda yadda yadda about poor puppies dying in shelters, yadda yadda yadda… This isn’t my dog, I didn’t do it, and my brother’s irresponsible about lots of things. The dog’s only one of them. And this is the boonies - “backyard breeder” is not a term used here. Ever. We don’t even HAVE a shelter here, okay? So, while I’m against his “let’s breed the dog to get money and because everyone loves her!” attitude… well, I’m in the TINY minory here, and if he’s gonna breed the dog, I’m gonna be excited about the puppies, dammit.

Political discussion aside, Kilo, who’s been a mama once before, before we ever got her, had a litter of 11 that time. Well… this time, there were complications. It turns out she only had ONE puppy. One. And thus, the puppy “got all the groceries”, so to speak, and was a wee bit too big (twice as big as typical, says the vet) to deliver naturally. So after a 19 hour labor process that produced nothing but stress and distress, Mom and I hauled the dog to the vet - 60 MILES AWAY - at 4:30 in the morning for an emergency bloody c-section.

That’s a $551 dollar puppy there, not counting gas.

*shakes head* Anyway, the pup’s a girl, and after a bit of trouble learning to latch onto mama’s nipple, and after destressing Kilo, who’d gone all anxiety attack after being left alone at the vet for 9 hours, they’re both doing well. The pup doesn’t yet have a name, but I hear that the bar patrons are putting together a list. They don’t get puppies like they wanted, but it seems they will try to play a part in her life. ;-)

Package!

So I mentioned that SP9 package, right? *grin* Here’s a photo! I didn’t get one while it was in the box… too impatient to run to Mom’s to find the camera, so I just tore into things like a kid on Christmas morn.

That’s one lovely book off my Amazon wishlist, two gorgeous skeins of Rowanspun DK wool (color is somewhat lavender - not sure how the color will turn out on your monitor - but trust me, it’s yummy!) and some size 4 bamboo dpns! Muahaha! I envision super yummy socks to warm my toes this winter! Oh, and not shown was an Assam teabag from Two Leaves and a Bud, but I drank it already. Very yummy. Must order tea from there!

Thanks so much Secret! I loved it all, as I told you in my email. ;-)

Anyway, expect ongoing puppy updates in the next few weeks, because yes - I lurves puppies, and it’s really not often at all (try never) that I get to see pups from birth on!

I got a package from my SP9 Secret Pal! But I have no pictures yet, and I’m incredibly tired - dog in labor, gonna have puppies! - since I haven’t slept in 24 hours except for an hour long nap.

Bigger update later!

I got mail from my SP9 secret pal! Just a teaser postcard - from Chicago, it looks like! I’m excited! She also says there’s a package on its way to me! Hurrah!

Speaking of packages, I have one nearly ready to send to my pal. :) Just need to package it up nicely and smoosh it into this box. *lol* It’s got some large (fat) skeins of yarn she requested in there, and they take up nearly the whole flat rate box alone! *lol* Ah well. I think she’ll enjoy it!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Ooh. Hard to say, actually. I’m very unpicky. My main criteria is that whatever I’m knitting with be /soft/ - whether that be alpaca to acrylic. If it isn’t soft, it isn’t for me. :) I am really fond of anything with a hint of silk in it. I can’t think of a single fiber that really makes me upset, unless it’s rough and unfriendly to my fingers.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

An strange pottery jar, currently. And a drawer for everything that doesn’t get put into the jar. Keep meaning to make myself a needle roll, but I just haven’t gotten around to it. Grr.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

Started knitting in October 2004. :) So two whole years ago! Wow. I’d consider myself an intermediate knitter. I don’t have a lot of problems, but there is sooo much I haven’t done - virtually any colorwork, aside from stripes, for example. Any sweaters or anything large like that… I taught myself from books and the internet, and I have virtually no resource for instruction aside from that, so anything outside of my comfort zone is definitely uncharted territory. I’m doing my first ‘big’ project now, which is a lace stole, and it’s turning out beautifully.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Yep. And the link is in the sidebar.

5. What’s your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)

Fruity scents, and autumn/wintery scents (cider, pumpkin, spices, etc.), and vanilla-y scents, and foody scents. Not so fond of flower scents, or really deep, perfumey ones. I do like most watery scents as well.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Actually, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, thanks to overly sensitive teeth. I love salty stuff, though. Someone sent me a bag of this Archer’s Farms cajun trail mix, that was salty-sweet, and it was really good. That’s the kinda stuff I like. :)

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I don’t spin, though I’d love to learn! I also do a bit of cross stitch and a lot of quilting and generic sewing of random stuff.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I like a huuuge variety of music. Celtic, new age, rock, top 40 hits, alternative… Stuff like Matchbox20 & Nickelback & Alanis are great. But so are people like Loreena McKinnet and Midori and other stuff. Not fond of electronica, hip hop, rap, r&b, jazz, classical… Yes, I can play mp3s.

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can’t stand?

I love earthy colors - browns, greens, tans, etc. And most jewel toned colors - purples, blues, golds, etc. I like virtually any shade of blue or green there is. I like a lot of reds. I am not so fond of most pastels (except blue, green, purple), or most yellows, or most pinks or oranges, except in verigated/hand painted type yarns, where they aren’t the dominant color. I also like verigated springtime colored yarns, or gardeny type colors, if it’s all verigated together pretty.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I live alone, and I have three kitty cats who think they own the place. And a best friend who drops over unannounced to raid my fridge and my closet, but, you know… whatever… ;-)

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Scarves, hats, & mittens are my standard winter wear! I don’t really wear ponchos. Could be because I doni’t have much for them. Or it could be that I’m just not /that/ fond of them.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I’ve really enjoyed knitting the hats I’ve knitted. Scarves are quick. I’m /really/ enjoying my lacework, even though it’s time consuming. I’m looking forward to making my first pair of socks, too!

13. What are you knitting right now?

The Mystery Stole II. It’s huge and taking up all my time. *lol*

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Of course!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I use both straights & circs. I love bamboo, but I also like aluminum ones. Plastic is somewhat less happy.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

*sniffle* No. Sadly, no.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Probably about a year and a half old? It’s a scarf that would take me like, a half hour to finish if I’d just /do/ it….

18. What is your favorite holiday?

The winter solstice/yule/christmas combo, without a doubt. I love everything about it, from the chilly air to the wintery spices and the decor to the gift-giving and merry-making!

19. Is there anything that you collect?

Like, besides everything? *lol* I am a packrat. No, capitalize that. Packrat. Yes. Books are a major collection. Computers are another. Haha. Postcards by the dozen… yarn, of course. And fabric.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I have a subscription to KnitScene. Am dying to get Weekend Knitting, and virtually everything else on my Amazon list. I just bought the latest Interweave Knits, and I’m hoping I can manage to get a copy of their Holiday edition when it comes out. It won’t be around /here/ in stores, though. I rather like the magazine Cast On, but I haven’t seen it lately…

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn?

Would love to learn fair isle & cabling. And how to make socks that fit my small feet. *lol*

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

I’ve made 3/4 of a sock once, then quit when it was way too large. More like house socks. I vow that my next attempt will not be so bad. I have like, 2 pairs worth of yarn and really need to just… get started. My foot measurements… I’m actually not sure how to measure for this. But I wear a US Size 5-6, average width. Slightly narrow heel. Small ladies, anyway, just a smidge larger than most kiddie socks. Grr. Same with my hands. Tiny as heck, but too big for kiddie gloves.

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

March 26.

I have been working soooo much lately. I haven’t had my full 3 days off [My ‘weekends’ are 3 days off every 6 days on. Well, nights, really.] in nearly 3 weeks now. This last ‘weekend’, I didn’t get any days off, so I’ve now been working for 12 days straight, with 3 more to go. I’m starting to feel like I live here at the office. My house is a wreck, I can’t sleep for the heat, and I’m starting to need more than a cuppa tea to keep me going at night.

So knitting has been slow, and slow has everything else. I have Clue 1 completed in the Mystery Stole, and have half of Clue 2 done. As in, one of the two sections. Since I only have one ball of yarn wound at this point (need to drag in some unhappy helper to aid me in winding another ball), I decided to just move onto half of Clue 3 instead of cutting the yarn and doing Clue 2 on the other side. It’s looking gorgeous, but I don’t feel yet like taking another photo.

I’ve recently gone on a tea ordering fest! I ordered 5 teas from Adagio - which are soooo wonderful! I ordered just 5 little sample tins, which are each $2, and I’m terribly happy with all of them. Tried the Irish Breakfast tea tonight, which is incredibly yummy. Will have to get more.

By the way, if you’re interested in trying some of Adagio’s teas, let me know, and I’ll send you a $5 gift certificate by email! :) I can give out an unlimited number of these to first-time buyers, so feel free to beg even if I don’t know you. I like to be nice. Honest.

Then I ordered 5 teas from The Tea Table, which is a company in Colorado that produces a billion teas. Huge variety here. They also have free samples - you can order up to 5 with every order (as long as you don’t abuse the system by making multiple small orders to get a billion samples at once), and the samples contain enough tea for around 3 cups! Perfect! From here, I also got some paper filters, and a real “tea spoon” - for measuring the amount of loose tea for a perfect cup. Lovely! I’m happy with their teas, too!

I sent off my YA package, and it’s been recieved by Bev! She tells me she loves it all! I hope she really does. I tried to send her an email saying “you’re welcome” about a dozen times, but it kept coming up with errors for some reason. So I tried sending one to myself, and had the same issue. But the email to myself went through othewise, so I fear she’s gotten about a dozen of the exact same message from me. Eeep.

Other than that, I’ve done very little lately, except begin making wonderful food for myself, like tacos based on a taco bell recipe (very good, if a little spicier than I like), and oh! the best mac n cheese ever. It’s the Down Home Mac and Cheese recipe from All Recipes. Wonderful. The Italian seasoned bread crumbs added a lot! Even A, who hates homemade mac and cheese ( is she crazy? ) loved it.

Wow. The postman has been good to me this week!!

You wouldn’t believe (or maybe you would) all the wonderful stuff I got! I recieved one of my 2 DIY kits - the Visual Journaling one, which is quite inspirational! Next up was two small handmade journals, which are uber cute, and then an absolutely gorgeous tote bag for the Summer Bag Swap. *drool* It’s huge and lovely and I am already packing all my stuff in it.

Finally, the most shocking of all, was receiving the Yarn Aboard! box today! *gape* Sir Francis Drake stopped off at my doorstep this morning, and I’m terribly excited! I just hope the yarn I ordered for my pal gets here in the next couple days! *gulp* I have everything else I need, just waiting on that yarn delivery!

But now, let me gush about what was in that cute box! I got two skeins of lorna’s laces, which is soooo soft, and sooo pretty! I can’t stop touching it. *laugh* Also, a nifty fiber trends pattern that I can’t wait to try out! It’s kinda lacey which makes me even more excited! On top of that, some yummy looking trail mix and notecards that are just adorable. And of course, a postcard! I love postcards. Without further commentary, here’s a photo:

Isn’t it lovely?! I really like the box. I’d kinda like to keep it. Did I ever mention that I’m an unfulfilled klepto at heart? ;-) Much as I like it, though, I will send it along as soon as my order arrives!

Next up, some more swap goodness photos, in random order:

It’s here! It’s here! My yarn for the Mystery Stole! Okay, it was here two days ago, but it’s been a long two days, you know? Anyway, without further ado, here’s a pic. Sorry for the crap quality. Gugh, between having a cheap camera and piss poor interior lighting, I’m lucky it turned out as good as it did.

That’s KnitPicks laceweight…. *forgets name of yarn*… in color Vineyard. It’s 100% merino. It’s soft. My god is it soft… Now, to wind it into little balls for knitting. Har. I am so not looking forward to that.

Next up… I got swap goodies! These next three photos are from Sparkle Cookie, who chose me (luvs her) to send gifts to in the 2006 Wishlist Swap! I have recieved the most beautiful necklaces in the world. I sooo wanna learn to bead like that! The first is my favorite, but it’s a real hard decision to make. But there’s just something so special about those little leaves!

I’ve named it the Forest Necklace. The second one, below, I’ve named the Little Blue Flowers necklace. And it’s gorgeous, too. *pats heart*

Then, she sent a little surprise for the kitties!

How cute!

It’s happened! I’ve finally got myself signed up for one of those oh-so-cool knitting swaps. You know, the ones that aren’t on craftster, the ones where it’s all knitting themed, and everyone sends such wonderful stuff to each other, and I drool and drool and drool. Uh huh. One of those. Anyway. I stumbled upon Yarn Aboard! just about a week ago, by sheer accident, and quickly signed up for the notification list. And sure enough, notification came late last week that signups would begin Monday!

And I miraculously remembered to sign up! *laugh* Actually, I didn’t. I just happened to see the email sitting there in my inbox, already read and everything, as I was logging off the computer, and I rushed back to sign up quickly. Heh. I already sent in my questionaire and everything. I’m excited like you wouldn’t believe. Or maybe you would. I know the vast majority of my non-crafty pals (which is, sadly, the vast majority of my pals in general… like… maybe all…) will just look at me and shake their heads in shame.

Ha! But I care not. Anyway. I’ve been obsessed with sock knitting lately. Yarn Aboard is themed for sock knitting, actually. Well, to be honest, there’s two themes. One for sock knitting, and one for spinning, but I’ve only touched roving like, once, and while spinning is one of my things to learn, I don’t have the financing for even a drop spindle, let alone hunting down fiber and stuff. Not at this time. But soon. I’ll drool for now, I guess!

Moving on…. I’ve had company for the last few days. A has become severely allergic to something. It’s not the cat, as we previously thought. We /think/ it’s the Glade Oil Plugin thingie she had jacked up to HIGH in her apartment. It fits the “I’ve got hives!” timeline just fine, and she’s got sensitive skin. Anyway, she /does/ have hives. They were somewhere near AWFUL on Friday and Saturday, especially. Today, they’re going away, because — big moment of unsurprise — she hasn’t been in her apartment! And oh yeah, she’s doped up on prescription allergy meds and crap. Yay. So she’s been miserable. Poor girl.

Grandma’s out of the nursing home and back at home. Good. I hope she’ll be all right now, and eat right, and drink plenty of water, all that. *crosses fingers*

I’ve finally began knitting my Shimmer Branching Out scarf again. I’d screwed up on the third repeat, and had to put it aside for a couple days to get over the frustration of having to rip it back. Yay for lifelines, though - only ten rows lost. Last night, I managed to knit 8 repeats. Woot! Tonight, I’ve done one so far, but am trekking along. I hope to get at least four done.

Tomorrow, my KnitPicks package should be here! I hope, anyway. Then Tabbycat comes to visit, so we’ll see if any of the mystery stole actually gets done in the next couple weeks.

Meet Sasha.

She’s the Pointy Kitty I’ve been making. I got the pattern at Wee Wonderfuls for free - it’s the most adorable stuffie kitty pattern ever! At least, as far as I’ve seen. Sasha was a bitch to stuff, and she turned out smaller than expected. Nevertheless, she’s a sweetie. I made her from some leftover pattern from a knitting needle roll that I still haven’t finished. (I made a mistake… yes, me!… and now I’m hesitating on finishing it.)

Here’s some other views of Sasha:

And a closeup of her sweet kitty face:

And here she is… climbing a tree, just like a real kitty! But shhh - don’t tell her she’s not real! She doesn’t know it yet!

Sasha’s excited about going visiting. I’ve begun coaching her on safe travel tips - such as, don’t leap out of your postal carrier box, even for special kitty treats, or felt mice, and don’t scratch your host’s furniture, and don’t climb any strange trees. But I don’t think much of my advice is sinking in. I do hope she’ll be all right!

I’m in the process of making a pointy kitty stuffy! She’s adorable. Her head has now been attached, and one eye-area has been sewn on, but I need to rip this off and, uh, yeah, like, attach some buttons for actual eyes first. I was in a rush and didn’t think about things. I’m still debating on adding the stripes to her head, and I’ve decided against the stripes on her back. Perhaps I’ll put a little heart-shaped “tattoo” on her butt, though, MLP style!

Anyway, here’s a pic before head attachment:

Adorable, ne? She’s 7.5 inches tall. She was supposed to be around 9″ tall, but… it didn’t work like that. Maybe next time I’ll add a quarter inch seam allowance /before/ cutting… Well, next next time. Meaning, time after next, because the next kitty is already half cut out!

This one needs a name… because it’s going to be my little traveling stuffy for the Little Visitor swap at Craftster! Off to hunt for names now.