One obnoxious scarf done!

I used the the Kid Merino Lace Scarf pattern with some really crappy acrylic/wool blend yarn. Things to remember: Just because the yarn is on sale does not mean you have to buy it! It will do. It will be mine or a gift or who knows.

On to pictures! Keep in mind that I live in a basement. With really really bad lighting. Every picture I take looks terrible. I can't help it. That and I used my phone camera. :)

Things that drive me crazy

Things that drive me crazy, part 1.

1. A messy house. I get overwhelmed by clutter, by food crumbs on the kitchen counter, by junk mail piled on the table. It's like there is no way out, though, and I hate to clean, so nothing gets better. We just don't have enough *space* for all the things we have. Space...I just want space. Space to organize bills and stack magazines. Space to knit and space to learn new things. There is not enough space. Which isn't helped by the fact that I married a pack rat. *sigh* I feel our things are controlling us and not the other way around. I feel a massive purge in the near future...

2. Going to the bathroom a bazillion times a day. I drink a lot of caffeinated sodas, and either caffeine or carbonated water or both is a diuretic. Hence, I pee a lot. A lot a lot. Especially in the morning. I hate having to walk to the office bathroom feeling like the people who sit over there are keeping a tally of how often I walk by. I realize no one else cares how much I pee, and the guys that sit by the ladies room don't even know who I am, but it bugs me. I split my bathroom going between the two restrooms on my floor, just so no one thinks I'm going as much as I am. Yeah, I'm weird.

3. Mysterious dog stains on the carpet. Where did it come from? What is it? I probably don't want to know the answer to either question. Luckily I have a husband who will clean it up for me. :)

4. This cut on my finger that won't heal. Grrr.

5. The soda machine is out of Diet Coke (see #2 above).

I think that's all for now.

Knitting has slowed recently. I've gotten bogged down with these two projects that just aren't inspiring. One is for me, but I'm using sub-par yarn and it just isn't fun. The other is for my mom, or Jon's mom, or whichever woman ends up getting it. It's a scarf, the yarn is very pretty (varigated blues) and the pattern is fun. But...eh. It's just not doing it for me. I think I need to branch out into sweaters or socks or something else. Square things are not working for me right now. I think I have the most fun when I am trying something new or leaning a new technique. I want to buy a bunch of knitting books and yarns and just go to town.

I also want to buy awesome fabrics from www.sewmamasew.com and make...everything! Pillows, coin purses, aprons. Anything easy, since I haven't sewed since a merry miss project in high school.

Back to Basics

Jon and I are trying to have a baby. Or, rather, trying to get me pregnant so I can have the baby. It would be very akward if he were to give birth. But nonethless, I am uber clucky and think about baby things alllll the time.

Favorite baby names (that Jon and I have agreed to): Eleanor, Eloise, Conrad, Cooper. Two E girl names, two C boys names....strange how that worked out.

Favorite baby website: Baby Name Wizard. So much fun.

Favorite baby clothing site: Baby Style

It makes it hard to get anything done. I want to be pregnant NOW. But I also don't want to be pregnant before going to Japan. (I want to eat lots of raw fish and now worry about it.) I think the chances of me getting knocked up the first month of trying are pretty slim, so I'm not too worried about it.

I want to knit baby things, I want to re-learn how to sew, and then sew baby things. I want to get all retro mommy and use cloth diapers, make matching jumpers for my cute asian babies, and meet my man at the door with a martini and rump roast. Ok....maybe not that last bit.

Current knitting projects:

For my mom

For me

Sumimasem, eigoga wakarimas ka?

I'm learning a bit of conversational Japanese in anticipation of the big trip to Japan in just over two weeks. It's getting so close! So far I can say, "excuse me, do you speak English?" and "I don't understand Japanese." Also yes, no, good morning, good afternoon. I think the first phase is the most important. Now I just need to know how to say, "where is the bathroom" and I'll be set.

We'll be in Japan for two weeks, December 15 - 31. Couple days in Tokyo, day in Atami, two in Miyagima Island, a few days in Kyoto, then Osaka and Kobe, then back to Tokyo. Long trip, and I'm glad we are using a travel agent. We didn't have to book anything ourselves, except a tour of the Imperial Palace.

I've emailed a few Tokyo-based knitters off Ravelry to find a yarn store in Tokyo or Kyoto. One of them directed me to KnitMap.com and it is awesome. I'm hoping to get a few skeins of yarn while I'm there, just so I can knit something special from my "Japan stash."

Also, since a certain friend of mine is preggers, I now have an excuse to knit baby stuff! I am so excited. Seriously. I'm debating between a basic baby blanket, or trying to branch out into a little sweater or something. Maybe both!

My sexy husband.

First Post

Ah, my first post. Just to get whet your appetite, I'll tell you what you can expect:

• Knitting projects
• Funny things about my dogs
• Funny things about my husband
• Frustrations with the aforementioned subjects
• And more!

Now that I've got you hooked, there isn't much more to say. I'm transitioning from the more private dcrachel.livejournal.com to the more public blogspot. Plus a few of my friends have awesome blogs, and I've noticed most knitters are using blogspot to post their patterns. I'm on the bandwagon!