the little one crafts

Plucky Goodness

I'm a lucky girl. I'm one of the very few that was able to snag a spot in the Plucky Classics yarn club. The Plucky Classics club bases color choices on classic movies, books or authors in three month periods. The first three months is based on Jane Austen. When I read about this on Plucky's blog, Here's the first offering from the Plucky Classics yarn club. It's based on a character from Persuasion, Captain Wenthworth. Isn't it lovely? It arrived today. I have to admit that I cheated and looked at all the spoilers that other club members posted on Ravelry.It's a deep blue colorway and the base yarn is scrumptious. It's a sport-weight 80/10/10 superwash merino/cashmere/nylon blend. It's so soft that I want to pet it all day and night. I heard that Plucky is coming out with a cowl pattern that she's going to share with us. This might have to be that cowl. Can you imagine snuggling up to this Plucky goodness?

I immediately wanted to sign up for the club. Not only are Plucky's yarns beautiful colorways and bases, but I also love the Regency period in England. I've visited Jane Austen's home in Bath and watch as many period movies as I can. This summer I hope to read a few of Miss Austen's books. Maybe Persuasion will have to be the first read?

Interweave Knits Summer 2008 Preview

The Interweave Knits Summer preview is up! Here's the link. Which ones are your favorites?

I think I spy a blogger as one of the models. Am I right? Is it Parikha from {sixoneseven}? I think it is, but I'm not 100% sure.

"normal life"

It's been years since I had a 9 to 5 job. Last Friday I got to experience how the other half lives by going to work at 9 AM. I didn't have to work on the unit since I had a meeting to go to instead. I woke up at 7 AM which is not normal because I'm usually at work by that time. I rode public transporation to work. Usually I can't take public transportation because I have to get to work so early. Then I was home during daylight hours. AND I've been outside in daylight before work and afterwards too. This experience is really rare for me. So not only did I have all these novel things happen yesterday, but I bump into a college friend who I've been playing phone tag with the past few weeks and Candice. She was on her way to work and I was just arriving at my meeting. I was just reading her blog a few days ago and I bumped into her last Friday. Funny, huh?

Anyway...Candice did tag me for this meme a few days ago.

Twelve Movies (not in any order)

1. Love Actually
2. Emma
3. Sense & Sensibility
4. Pride & Prejudice
5. Sabrina (the Audrey Hepburn/Humphrey Bogart version)
6. Sliding Doors
7. The Holiday
8. Shakespeare in Love
9. Memoirs of a Geisha
10. Notting Hill
11. The Princess Bride
12. When Harry Met Sally

Eleven Good Bands/Artist (not in any order)

1. Tracy Chapman
2. Sting
3. Indigo Girls
4. Norah Jones
5. Annie Lennox
6. Ebba Forsberg
7. Corinne Bailey Rae
8. Yo-Yo Ma
9. Jonathan (one of my best friends)
10. Miles Davis
11. James Taylor

Ten Things About You (delete after the ... part and fill in with your answer)

1. I'm ... always freezing. My hands and feet are almost always icicles.
2. My favorite color ... lavender.
3. When I was little I wanted to be ... independent. Maybe that's why I've not moved back to Chicago.
4. I miss ... spending time with friends and family on weekends. I've been working a lot of weekends lately.
5. I am a ... nurse. Love my job!
6. I'm definitely ... in need of more hours in the day and a housekeeper.
7. I like to ... hoard yarn and card making supplies. No peeking at my stash!
8. I'm ... not a morning person. If I could get up at noon each day that would be wonderful!
9. I eat ... more than you think for a person of my size. I blame it on my Chinese genes.
10. I love ... living without roommates. Peace and quiet!

Nine Good Friends (not in any order)

1. John
2. Amy P.
3. Kathy
4. Jonathan
5. Dawn
6. Angie
7. Maria
8. Candice
9. Liz

Eight Favorite Foods/Drinks

1. Mom's ham fried rice
2. Pan-fried noodles with beef and Chinese broccoli
3. Chocolate crema from Rialto in Cambridge, MA. It's so delicious that I'm drooling right now.
4. Caramel rice pudding with graham cracker topping from Rice to Riches in NYC
5. Mushroom risotto
6. Korean BBQ
7. Deep-dish spinach & mushroom pizza done properly. I am from Chicago, so no imitations allowed!
8. Chicken katsu

Seven Things You Wear Daily

1. underwear
2. scrubs when I'm working
3. jeans when I'm not
4. tank tops - because I hate bras
5. a fleece in cold weather. I'm always freezing!
6. flip flops in warm weather
7. my house slippers

Six Things You Hate

1. getting up in the morning for work. I'm a night person.
2. cleaning!
3. hot, humid weather. It drains all my energy.
4. the fact that Boston is such an expensive city to live in.
5. being late. I almost always just make it in time.
6. ignorant people

Five Things You Do Daily

1. think about what I need to do each day and then scratch everything non-critical off the list.
2. check email
3. read blogs
4. watch TV
5. surf Ravelry and A Muse Addicts

Four Shows You Watch

1. Grey's Anatomy
2. CSI
3. Law & Order
4. Everyday Italian

Three Places You've Lived Before

1. South Holland, Illinois
2. Cambridge, MA
3. Somerville, MA

Two Things You Want

1. An end to cancer. I'd be out of a job, but it would be worth the sacrifice.
2. More time with friends and family. Life is too short and precious.

One Person You Want To See Right Now

1. My late grandmother. She was always such a comfort even though I didn't always understand her.

I guess I'm supposed to tag three people, but none of my friends that Candice didn't already tag have blogs. Oh well.

Shouldn't leave a post pictureless. So here are some of my recent aquisitions. Stash enhancements...

Lorna's Laces Shephard Sock in Grumperina, Louet MerLin Sport Weight in Pewter, J. Knits Lace-A-Licious in New Jersey

on the road again...

I've been away from home a lot lately. A couple of the trips that I have been on lately were unexpected. When I'm not home, I've been working. Unfortunately there has been very little time for stamping. I just finished my cards for the March swap or a bumper card for the A Muse Addicts group. Sorry ladies! I'll get them out tonight through the 24 hour post office.

The good thing about traveling so much is that it's given me some time to start knitting one of the new Knitty patterns. It's Honeycomb by Sarah Castor. I love the all-over texture. I'm about halfway through the back of the shell. I should really learn how to cable without an extra needle. Instructions on how to do so can be found here. My goal is to get the back finished by the end of next week. I am using Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, the recommended yarn, in Lava. Fingers crossed that it will actually fit the intended recipient.

I just came back from Chicago and while I was there I dropped by Loopy Yarn in the south Loop area. I restrained myself from purchasing a skein that was over $40 and bought three skeins of Koigu instead. It's a beautiful bluish colorway. I'm thinking socks. Yum!

I took a class at Mind's Eye Yarns with Lucy during the 36 hours that have been home. I learned how to acid dye yarns and rovings. So much fun. Now all I have to do is learn to spin all the roving that I dyed.

I'm off to Houston in the morning. Yeehaw! Any tips on how what to see or do in Houston? There may be quite a few trips to Houston in the next few months. So any tips would be much appreciated.

spring knitting and plans...

Have you seen the new spring Knitty? I'm in love with one of the patterns.

I bought some Habu A-1-6 when I was in NYC last month with thoughts of making a Tangled Yoke Cardigan, but I'm not sure if I bought enough. I did buy the rest of what they had on the bulk cone, but it's a pretty thin yarn and may not be enough to make an entire cardigan. So maybe it'll have to turn into Honeycomb (photo of said pattern is by Matthew Castor)instead. Will I have enough? Fingers crossed. Otherwise, there could be a quick trip down to NYC in the near future. Although Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool isn't too terribly expensive.

Tomorrow will be a crafty day. I'll possibly enhance the stash. It's not like I need to do so, but I just might just because I love Honeycomb as is. I also have to finish a sweater that will be a store sample at Spark. It will be my last act there since I've decided to stop being an instructor there. It was fun while it lasted, but there are better reasons to leave. While there I'll try to make some cards for the A Muse Addicts March swap and a bumper card too. Ambitious, huh?

I think it's now safe to share my A Muse Addicts February card since it's well into March. The theme was friendship.

Images: Girl in Car (Elzybells G0073) & Road to Friend (A Muse Artstamps 9-8230C)

Paper: Tiny Dots notecard in Popsicle Pink (A Muse N203-TD), Bazzill cardstock in Wisteria, white cardstock

Ink: Brilliance Ink in Graphite Black, Copic markers in Salad (YG05), Canary Yellow (Y02), Pinkish White (R00), Warm Gray No. 4 (W4), Sugar Almond Pink (RV02) and Clear Spica glitter pen

Accessories: American Crafts Boutique Blush ribbon, Marvy Uchida Mega Oval and Giga Scallop Oval punches

I'll be out of touch for a little while. I have to make a couple quick trips. The rest of the time I'll be working like a dog. Any good tips on LYS or LSS in the Houston area? I'll have access to a car and may have a bit of time on my hands.