Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrr

crankygrrrrrl rocks and gets a cookie for guessing Princess Bride for the “….let me explain. No let me sum up.” Or course it wasn’t an accurate quote on my part and I’m sure the Husband is hanging his head in shame (IN SHAME!) that I didn’t have it correct. And as a side note, I don’t think it’s accurate to say that crankygrrrrrl guessed. She knew the answer. Knew it with the certainty of one who has watched it many, many times and enjoyed each and every one.

My vacation started and today I worked from home to launch an application. Will the fun never, ever end. With working at 6am until noon(ish) and then desperately needing a nap, I did not get much done in the way of sewing. The horror! I commit myself to sewing all day tomorrow.

Wait, who am I kidding. I will end up on my big ol’ butt, in front of my computer, playing the pirate game on Facebook. It’s a sad life I lead…

Holy crap. A post 2 days in a row

So either October 20 or 21 I will be driving to the NYS Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY with my local knitta (and crochet) girls. Who from my blogosphere will I be seeing there? I think we are leaning toward Oct 20 but I’m not 100% sure yet.

The next question is how insane will I get buying yarn. I’ve been really good this year and am even shrinking the yarn mountain! I know! Will wonders never end? BUT so…much…yarn…may…lose….control….urgh. Maybe I should take bets on how much I spend….

Halloweenie

I am on vacation next week. Can I get a Hallelujah? While next week’s heavenly time off from work will be geared towards Halloween costume making, I am really really glad for the break. I’ve been feeling tired and sick the last couple weeks and I just need a brake.

I started late on the Halloween costumes. For those of you who started reading me in the last year let me explain. No let me sum up. (How many of you got my reference? Yes, I am a dork.) Every year we host a Halloween party (last year’s photos). Costumes are mandatory and food is creative. I spend the weeks leading up to it in a mad sewing frenzy to make our super secret costumes. I’m generally finishing up said costumes on the day of the shindig and I still have to clean the house, decorate, and make the food. I go crazy and every year swear I will start sewing earlier next year. And every year I don’t.

Lest you think the Husband does nothing, he does a lot of the cleaning, decorating, and talking me down from throwing the sewing machine out the window.

Despite the stress I genuinely enjoy the work, I just need to get the costumes started earlier so I can clean and cook in the weeks prior and lose the time-related stress.

This year I planned to begin work on the costumes over the summer and have both done by the end of September. That didn’t happen. For one thing, the Husband’s RennFaire shirt took three months and then I started my costume but then I became busy. Yeah, bad Liz. No cookie for me.

This year’s costume is AWESOME and I cannot wait to show you pictures. I’m really, really excited if you couldn’t tell. I’m hoping next week’s vacation will be enough time to get the last couple parts done (it only has 3 or 4 parts total between the two of us) and then the rest of October will be free. Since I’m over-scheduled in October with family weekends, a work conference, and a trip to Rhinebeck’s Wool festival I don’t have a lot of time in October.

Do you hear that sound? It’s me slamming my head against the desk.

RennFaire

At the beginning of August, the Husband and I went to the Sterling Renaissance Festival. We have attended in the past and in fact, we went the first morning after the Husband “officially” proposed to me eleven years ago. We also saw his ex-girlfriend there but that is another story for another day. Oddly enough, this time we went with the Husband’s ex-girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend which is really only interesting to me. Of course, I’m amused that you can take a bath in Bath. I don’t really get out much. And you knew that. Moving on.

For those of you who have never attended a Renn Faire, there are scheduled performances, street performers, food vendors, stores, and a lot of people in costume. Sometimes a lot of weird people in costume. It’s a lot to see and do while simply wandering outside. The street performers are actors who will perform skits on the roads with each other or innocent victims walking by. We watched as a woman dressed as a noble threw a net on people because she thought they stole from her. Later in the day we watched as a beggar tried to get food (and succeeded) from the ladies next to us.

And yes, we are some of those weirdos in costume but I find it’s more fun to be a part of the crazy than just watching it. And no, we don’t get paid for it like the street performers do. My costume is 100% bought. The Husband’s, however, is homemade. I had just finished the shirt before we left. The shirt that took six months to make because I was lazy. The shirt that was holding up my start on the Halloween costumes. The Halloween costumes that I wanted done by the end of the summer. I’m only half way through mine, but it is looking outstanding!

Anyway, we saw a few shows we’ve missed in the past and one or two we’ve caught before. I highly recommend Don Juan and Miguel. They are crazy and they have whips. And while I don’t think their show has changed in 11 years, it’s still hysterical.

Let’s see. I’m not sure what else to mention. I can say his costume didn’t fall apart (which is good as I’m always convinced that my seams won’t hold with actual wear and tear) and I didn’t fall out of mine (bodices are a bit weird and I need to remember to alter that shirt) so all in all a good day!

Go to the Photo Gallery >>

More darn hats…

Pattern: none
Yarn: Cascade Superwash Wool
Needle: US 7

More hats for Made by Hand. I played with these, trying different decreases and patterns. Overall, they came out well. There are some parts I wouldn’t do again, but hats are so quick and so much fun I just keep doing them. The green hat was inspired by Hermione’s hat in the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie.

Like the last hat, these are meant for the homeless shelter. I made them extra long for the ears and a bit larger for a man’s head. Not that women aren’t homeless (Because women can do everything men can do. Except easily write their name in the snow), but I find a lot of donations tend to be more female-friendly with the domestic violence shelter. Or I have a skewed sense of female-friendly because I’m afraid my hats are a bit too feminine.

Is there more I can say about these hats? I just don’t think so. Instead I give you pictures! Easy night I guess…