Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Did you see that?!?

OK, so I wasn't at all tired tonight and stayed up (obviously, it is 12:20am) to watch the end of the Ice Dancing competition.

First off, congrats to the Canadians for winning the Gold. Oh...Canadaaa...eh!

Finally saw my first medal ceremony. Did you see the sweater coats that the medal bearers were wearing?

W.A.N.T.

That is all...

Edited to add: After trolling just a few seconds in Ravelry, I found this...which led to this...I REALLY W.A.N.T. now that I got a better view of the sweater coats... Look at the size of those custom made needles. I bet you could make that sweater with a few yarns held together and a giant Tunisian Crochet hook.

Now to learn how to shape Tunisian Crochet...maybe for next winter. I've got other things to concentrate on right now - Kublacon anyone?

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Can't Blog now, watching Olympics

My days are filled with doing not much - I just don't feel like it. I am managing to get some stuff done from little bursts of energy or the urge to clean or organize something. Alas, nothing big enough to tackle the start of my Spring Cleaning jag that I mentioned a while back. There is supposedly rain starting tomorrow, so we'll see if that gets me in the mood I need to dive into the kitchen deep cleaning scenario. I'm getting close...I can feel it!

In the meantime, it's time for dinner and then...oh crap...it's either Bones or Olympics. We'll have to see what the Olympics offers tonight. I'm not into the ice skating anymore, so if that is on tonight, it's Bones until 9pm then we'll see what the Olympics has to offer.

Last night was exciting with the downhill and the half pipe and the speed skating.

Oh yeah, and I'm supposed to be knitting on Spencer's beanie while I'm watching. Pah. Have not even touched it in weeks. I don't even remember where I put it. Very hard to knit on it when he comes home from school in a sweat (he rides his bikebikebike to BART). Like he'll be wearing it!

Thursday, February 11, 2010

More Cunning Plans...

OK, so I end up taking a 4 hour nap today. 4 hours! Totally did not see that coming, but I went to rest for a few moments and....4 hours later... Anyway, my body obviously needed it cos I was OUT!

While running here and there in the car, I loaded up on mega size containers of laundry detergent, rice, and some other staples. Stopped in at shops I wouldn't normally go to on the bus and picked up several other small crafting items necessary for the Kublacon Master Plan. Decided I should make the bus effort every so often cos that store has some things the other usual craft store doesn't.

On the way from one store to another, I stopped over at an old favorite charity shop. Mainly to see if they were still open. They are...and even better yet, they have free pick up! All is not lost with the two chairs after all. Best part is...if you have a big item for them to pick up, they will take smaller boxed items as well. Booyah!

Bottom line, I've got some work to do. I think I'm going to blitz the rest of the boxes in the living room over the next week and then see what I've got for donation. Give them a call and go from there. Might need to wait a bit to call and finish going thru everything. I'll have to see how much I get after this first pass and if I'm will to live with all the donations sitting in my living room for a few weeks.

Dude...you've been living with the damn boxes in there for a very long time, but at least the donation boxes will GO AWAY with minimal effort once you call. ALL AT ONCE!!

Oh. Right. D'oh!

:)

Best laid plans, blah blah blah

Well, the conference didn't go as well as we planned and there has been a business setback. My friend is carrying on though and pushing forward, etc. He's not one for giving in and this is his dream, so onward!

Ms Cow was a fantastic navigator by the way...even thru fog!!!

It has been nice having the car, altho it is very tiring to drive (and drive so much too) after not driving in a long time. I am worn out from yesterday. Drove Spence into SF today all the way to school and picked up his bike while I was there...more lots of driving...this time in traffic.

So on to the best laid plans. I don't seem to be the superwoman I used to be. My big plans to take the two chairs off to the charity shop just fell thru. I can't lift the damn things, so there is no way I'm going to be able to get them down the stairs and into a car. I'll have to have some help with that. I'll just have to borrow the car over the weekend when Spencer can help me. In the mean time, I've given up on even taking anything. I don't have enuf for a car load without the chairs. To be honest, it doesn't even fill up the cart. Sigh. Can't lift the heavy boxes either, so taking anything to the charity shop for donation is out for today.

I'll have a bit of a rest and then go do some running about...I have several things that need to be done that would take forever if done by bus, so having the car is not going to go to waste. I was going to try and fit in the errands and the donation run, so now I can just relax and take my time. I'll pick up Spencer from BART and we'll most likely take a run down to In 'n Out for some yummy burgers. We only go to In n Out during Kublacon cos I've got a rental car and there is one by the hotel where it's held, so this will be a bit of a treat for us. Altho I must confess that when I first picked up the car on Tuesday night, Antonella and I stopped in for dinner. :)

Oh yeah, almost forgot, the dice beads came the other day. The silver and gold medal ones are awesome, the skulls are a bit bigger than I thought they would be, and the "white" dice beads are actually "grey". They'll be some emails to the seller about that. I have a feeling I'll be sending them back. I need WHITE. These just look the color of dingy socks. Yuk!

I've gotten several other "new" things to help me make stuff and give me instructions/ideas for Kublacon items, so I need to get going on it!

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

See ya later...

I've got the use of a car for the next 2 days.

Tomorrow I go to Sacramento to a conference - standing in for my friend who is starting his own business.

The next day, I will be loading the car up with a few heavy boxes and some chairs to take for donation. I asked, he said sure no prob, so I'm going to be getting rid of some major stuff. As much big and heavy stuff as I can! Might as well. No way I'm gonna take any heavy boxes the usual way via bus!

Spencer will be getting rides to and from BART as well. I think on Thursday I'll actually be driving in to SF to pick him and his bike up after school so he can have it here for the weekend.

Time for bed, I've got to be at the Sac Convention Center at 8am, so it's a VERY early start for me and Ms Cow. She insists on coming. Anyway, she's my navigator, so if we get lost, it's HER fault. hahahahaha!

Thursday, February 04, 2010

The rain finally came...

Lots of updates...

Spencer is enjoying the new school. He's actually getting homework! And he loves the fact that he has a locker. It's the little things that make us happy. :)

Had my last surgery follow-up with the wrist doc. I am FREEEE...to do whatever I damn well please. He says everything looks great, my range of motion is excellent, my strength is pretty much "that" close to being 100% and he doesn't want to see me again. :o) I still haven't done any heavy lifting, but thankfully, no heavy lifting has been required. It still gets worn out if I overdo things though, so I do still need to be careful.

My friend who was waiting for licenses and stuff for his business is now "this" close to getting them. There has been much movement there in the last few days and some political intervention even. :o)

I have found a new supplier for dice beads! I am so excited I can't even tell you! At our first Kublacon 4 years ago, I bought a wee box full of mini dice beads (200 in the box). I've been making things off and on for the last few years and now I am running out. This year, I decided to go ahead and get a Kublacon Flea Market spot for the Friday night of the convention when I signed us up this past week. I am very excited. I have been drawing things out, making lists, collecting up supplies for several months now and now it's time to start cranking some stuff out. Most all of these designs and ideas have included dice beads...and PANIC! I needed more.

After trying to get some from various game shops (where I got them in the first place), I was very discouraged as they are not sold anymore. Last night I got a revelation and checked on Etsy and Artfire. Both sites have shops that sell not only hand crafted things, but supplies for hand crafters as well. SHAZAAAM! Next thing I know I'm ordering metal dice in silver and gold colors, and regular white dice beads, small red skulls and some little bells. I got a little bit of all of it and if they work in my designs and stuff, then I can order bigger batches. The gold and silver will really make my jewelry designs look awesome!

I have one rosary to make this week (jade and silver - it is going to be purty!), and then it is time to get crankin' on Kublacon stuff. Spence and I have made a huge list of things that would possibly be good sellers at a gamer convention so now it's time to make patterns and get the assembly line going! Yayyyyyy!!!!

Oh, and I'm back to sorting thru stuff here in the Chaos and took 2 cart loads of stuff to the charity shop this week!

My future is filled with sorting, spring cleaning (I'm starting in the kitchen), and making stuff.

Oh, and Spencer's beanie is finally on it's final start. I think this is the one. No more frogging!

Monday, February 01, 2010

Got any cheese with that whine?

As a matter of fact, no, I don't.

And that's why I'm a whiny cranky pants today.

This whole weekend was just one shopping fail after another.

Saturday we biked over to the farmer's market for some of our favorite chipotle cheddar cheese. The vendor wasn't there, so...no cheese for us...one week. We head off to Safeway for some stuff and Spencer pops into McCallou's looking for a beanie - he comes out with 2. Grr.

Yesterday, I talked Antonella into running off with me to the Ashby BART flea market. We were on the hunt for interesting beads and bead findings. Neither one of the two vendors who sell things like that and are usually at the flea market were there. Not many vendors were, but that's beside the point.

Antonella consoled herself with two cool rings and a pair of very pretty earrings.

I got nuttin'. Grrr.

We went off to downtown Berkeley for lunch and a stab at getting some more dice beads. At least the pizza was most excellent.

Like I was telling her on the way home. Once I get it in my mind that I am going out for a specific item, I get very disappointed when I don't get it and no matter what I look at, nothing seems appealing. And when I have an entire weekend of not getting, well...crankiness ensues.

I am in a rainy mood. The weather dudes say that more is on the way.

Bring it.