Buster N Me

New Blog

2007-08-22T16:40:00.001-07:00

Okay, I admit it.... this blog is DONE!!!
New Blog... with MONKEY.... over HERE.

Hahahahahahahaha!!!

2007-06-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

Sooooooo Funny!
It worked for Charlie too!!!!
(goes to show the accuracy of this thing, hey?)

Although I always thought he looked a little bit like Kevin Bacon, hehehe.

My Celebrity Look-Alikes (yeah, right)

2007-06-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

I wish I looked like Scarlett Johansson!

Too Cute

2007-06-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

Aw, too cute not to share.

Knitting Goals Contest

2007-05-17T16:19:00.003-07:00

I was reading on Mom's (Wovenflame's) blog about a contest at the "Skeins Her Way" blog.... go check it out to enter! (awesome prizes!!!)
Basically, you have to list your summer knitting goals.
Oh yeah, and make sure if you enter the contest, let her know I sent you (I get an extra entry that way, hehe)
With Kaylen taking up most of my time, my knitting time has been reduced to a minimum, but I'm still determined to finish a few things this summer!

Tofutsies Socks
I have about 3" done on one sock so far... they feel sooo nice and airy that I would like to have them finished near the BEGINNING of the summer so I can wear them in the warmer weather.

Sundress for Kaylen from "Adorable Knits for Tots" by Zoe Mellor
Another project to have done at the beginning of summer... although I'm not sure it's going to fit her... it will probably be too big?

Ribbed Sweater for Kaylen
Now this one can be finished near the end of the summer because (hopefully) it will fit Kaylen when the cool fall weather hits.

Buy the Wool and get STARTED on a fair-isle sweater for Kaylen
I'm thinking of the Jenna Louise sweater from Philosophers Wool.
I've been really wanting to try fair-isle for a while now and I think a baby sweater is probably the best idea (less intimidating than a full-sized sweater!)

Hopefully I can get at least a couple of these goals completed this summer! :-)

50 Things

2007-05-17T16:19:00.002-07:00

I was inspired by Robyn's post of "Throw 50 Things Away to Declutter Your Mind & Think Clearly".
I must say that it was hard for the first few items and then I was on a roll! By the last 3 items I was really searching hard for junk lurking in my cupboards! Goodbye Clutter!!!

1. Ring Holder that I never use
2. Prenatal Vitamins (will be expired before next pregnancy)
3. Cool Keychain Puzzle (that I never use)
4. Bracelets that were cool about 10 years ago
5. Nechlace Charms from about 10 years ago
6. Beaded necklaces that I never wear
7. Mini-Elastics (I can't even remember why I have them)
8. Old Glasses Case
9. Ring Box (empty)
10. Deodorant that I don't like
11. Perfume box that I thought was pretty
12. Body Lotion that smells way too flowery
13. Old Tanning Lotion
14. Expired Natural Hand Cream
15. Moisturizing Face Mist (that gives me pimples!!!)
16. Old Makeup
17. Shoelaces (Gold coloured, ew!)
18. Tiny cross-stitch picture (from a kit from the dollar store)
19. Broken prism thingy (that makes rainbows on the wall when hung in a window)
20. Iron-on flowers
21. HUGE bag of clothes (this should count as 50 items itself!!!)
22. Brush that rips hair out! ouch!!!
23. Old Toothbrush
24. Perfume Samples
25. Razor Refills for a Razor I no longer have
26. Bubble bath that has little glitter flecks in it that mess up the tub
27. Hair Spiking Glue that I bought for Halloween years ago
28. Expired Medications
29. Toilet Brushes that were here when we bought the house (um, gross)
30. Photography video that came free with my camera
31. Little Boxes that I thought would be good for wrapping gifts
32. Old Calendars (why did I even still have these!?!?)
33. BC Baby Care Book (I had 2 copies)
34. Broken Sunglasses (these were actually Jeramey's and he never wears them so he probably won't even notice that they're gone)
35. Toy from the dollar store that didn't fit into the charity package I bought it for
36. Can of Snails. (bought at the dollar store as a joke for a party)
37. Box of Tea that I don't like (Lemon Ginger)
38. Take-out Menus from Restaraunts we don't order from
39. Corkscrew that NEVER works properly
40. Plastic Forks and Knives from KFC
41. Broken Coaster
42. Ratty Old Discloths (I made new ones)
43. Freezerburnt Ice Cream
44. Lush Catalogue (Natural Bath Products store that Jeramey gets me gifts from... don't need the catalogue because I don't buy stuff for myself - I like the gifts. ;-D )
45. Dog Cookies that Charlie won't eat
46. Garden Gloves (one got shrunk in the wash and doesn't fit)
47. Rent Receipts (no longer renting out the basement suite)
48. Pens that don't work
49. Paint Samples for a room that we already chose a colour for
50. Christmas decoration that I forgot to put away with the Christmas stuff which is now at the back of a closet... and I don't like that decoration anyway.

TaDa! 50 items!
Go on, Take the Challenge!!! ;-)

Check-List

2007-05-17T16:19:00.001-07:00

I saw this on DragonKnitters blog and thought it was cool.

Bold for stuff you've done, Italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and Normal for stuff you're not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter Stitch
Knitting with Metal Wire
Shawl
Stockinette Stitch
Socks: top-down (does a mini-keychain-sock count?)
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with Camel Yarn
Mittens: cuff-up
Mittens: tip-down
Hat (crazy hat)
Knitting with Silk
Moebius Band Knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop Stitch Patterns
Knitting with Recycled / Second Hand Yarn
Slip Stitch Patterns
Knitting with Bamboo Yarn
Two End Knitting
Charity Knitting
Knitting with Soy Yarn
Cardigan (blue cardigan)
Toy/Doll Clothing (monkey clothes)
Knitting with Circular Needles
Baby Items (of course!)
Knitting with Your Own Handspun Yarn
Slippers
Graffitti Knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Designing Knitted Garments (monkey clothes)
Cable Stitch Patterns (incl. Aran) (Jer's Sweater - finished but no photo yet)
Lace Patterns
Publishing a Knitting Book
Scarf (monkey potter - other ones too but i only have this picture)
Teaching a Child to Knit
American/English Knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to Make Money
Button Holes
Knitting with Alpaca
Fair Isle Knitting
Norwegian Knitting
Dying with Plant Colours
Knitting Items for a Wedding
Household Items (Dishcloths, Washcloths, Tea Cosies...)
Knitting Socks (or other small tubular items) on Two Circulars
Olympic Knitting
Knitting with Someone Else's Handspun Yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday Related Knitting (christmas tree hat)
Teaching a Male How To Knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a Living
Knitting with Cotton
Knitting Smocking
Dying Yarn
Steeks
Knitting Art
Knitting Two Socks (or other small tubular items) on Two Circulars Simultaneously
Fulling/Felting
Knitting With Wool
Textured Knitting (does seed stitch count?)
Kitchener BO
Purses/Bags (skully bag)
Knitting with Beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac Knitting
Maching Knitting
Knitting with SelfPatterning/SelfStriping/Variegating Yarn
Stuffed Toys (MONKEY)
Knitting with Cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with Synthetic Yarn
Writing a Pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with Linen
Knitting for Preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform Knitting
Short Rows
Cuffs/Fingerless Mitts/ArmWarmers
Pillows
Knitting a Pattern from an On-Line Knitting Magazine
Rug
Knitting on a Loom
Thrummed Knitting
Knitting a Gift
Knitting for Pets
Shrug/Bolero/Poncho (blue poncho)
Knitting with Dog/Cat Hair
Hair Accessories
Knitting in Public

I've only been knitting for a couple years and I don't even know what some of these techniques are!

FibreFest

2007-05-17T16:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Mom and I went to FibreFest.
It was really fun and I'm definately going back next year!

I bought a bunch of stuff. (I couldn't help it!!!)
I pretty much stuck with my plan though... I wanted to buy some sock yarn and something to spin.

Here's my loot.

I got a 100g. ball of Linie 3 Supersocke 100 Highland Color sock yarn.
I wound it into two 50g balls and cast on immediately. ;-)
I've never actually knit a PAIR of socks... but this time I'm determined!
I've finished the first sock and see, I've already cast on for the second sock! Things are looking promising!

I also got a 100g ball of Tofutsies sock yarn.
This stuff feels really nice... I can't wait to knit it up.... I've already separated it into two 50g balls but I have to finish the Linie socks first.... MUST FINISH LINIE SOCKS FIRST!!!

I also found this super-cute little keychain kit. A mini sock blocker with a mini sock pattern and a teeny tiny ball of sock yarn. It was too cute and I HAD to get it. I started knitting this sock while we were waiting for demos to start at Fibrefest.

And for spinning stuff I got a 50g braid of Fleece Artist Wenslydale/teeswater roving.
I really enjoy spinning with colourful stuff so this should be fun.

And finally I got two 250g bags of Aurelia N.Z. Corriedale combed wool in Iceberg colour. I've been wanting to get some of this stuff ever since I saw their display at the Chilliwack Spin-In last year. At the time I was just learning to spin (it was actually my first day learning to spin) and I was intimidated by the whole thing... Now I can't wait to get started on it!

WIP's

2007-05-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

Wow! I'm actually posting on my own blog... not just on Kaylen's!!!

As I was taking the photos for this post, I realized just how many WIP's (works in progress) I really have! (and these don't include the ones I have completely forgotten about and have stashed in the back of closets somewhere)

I think I will start from oldest to most recent...

Here's the Monk's Bag that I've been working on for FOREVER!!!! I actually have all the pieces knit up and I just need to put it together... but honestly, I HATE piecing things together so it will probably just sit in this box for another 6 months.

Next, there is the Sprinkles Sweater for Kaylen. All I need to do is sew on the buttons. Sounds easy... which is why its not done yet... I keep saying "Oh, I'll just sew those on later". It won't fit her until next winter anyway. :-)

Then we have a little sundress... also for Kaylen (this kid is spoiled!) I'm at a stage now where I need to pay attention and keep track of decreases, so I don't get to knit on it a whole lot.... as in, Kaylen won't let me pay much attention to anything other than her right now.

Up next is my latest spinning efforts. Mom bought me a whole bunch of fluff (rovings) for Christmas and I've started spinning some of it. I have to admit, I'm impressing myself with the progress I've made with my spinning skills.

And here's my THIRD Kaylen project.... A little sweater that I couldn't help starting even though I have other projects on the go. The yarn was so soft and fluffy to knit and it felt so nice on the needles... and it has a nice FAST guage of 16 st = 4".... I mean, come on, this one will whip up in no time.

And last, but not least, (okay, maybe least) is a mountain of dishclothes. (and the mountain keeps growing!!!) These are being knit because the ones I have are starting to wear out.... but mostly because I can knit them while holding Kaylen, watching TV, or taking a nap... Okay maybe not while taking a nap, but almost!

Kaylen's Blog

2007-03-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Kaylen has her very own blog now!
I will try to keep it updated for all her friends and family.
Go take a look... and don't forget to comment. :-)

www.kaylen-marie.blogspot.com/

Welcome Home!

2007-03-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome Home Kaylen Marie!
Born Monday, March 12 @ 3:45 am
8lbs 14oz!

Horror Stories

2007-02-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

What is it about seeing a pregnant woman that makes people have the urge to tell the worst labour/delivery story they can think of? It seems that everywhere I go I get the classic "Ooooh! When is your baby due?" followed closely by "Is this your first?" Then, when I answer "Yes" they proceed to tell me about their 72 hour labour followed by an emergency c-section, with horrific complications, etc. etc. etc. Do they really think that I want to hear that? Do they not realize that I'm probably pretty scared already!?!?
I wonder if they even realize what they're saying? For example....
My husband took me out for dinner the other night. When we went to pay the bill, they waitress asked the first two questions (when's baby due? first baby?) She then said "Oh, I bet you hear a lot of horror stories" I said "Yes, I do, and I hate hearing them, I don't know why people have to tell me those kinds of things" She seemed to agree that it was inappropriate and a mean thing to do..... then she said "Yeah, when I was pregnant with my first my Mom told me this story about how she... blah blah blah" She actually started telling me the horror story!!!! Luckily for me, my husband is aware that I have been having this problem with people, and, the hero that he is, he stepped between the waitress and me and started asking her about the bill! He totally interrupted her, while blocking me from her view entirely! It was so rude but sooo funny! Thanks Jer! ;-)

Excuses, Excuses

2007-02-22T10:09:00.000-08:00

As you may have noticed, it's been a little while since I've posted here. Okay, okay, it's been a LONG while. I am guilty of being a bad blogger. But, I do have excuses! :-)
First, my husband has started his own business and he needs to take the camera on site with him every day. Now, I don't know about you, but I have a hard time posting without pictures. I'm just not that "wordy"... I need the visuals. So, no camera, no pictures, no posts. It's that simple.
Second, I've been working a full time job while growing larger and larger and becoming more and more exhausted by the end of the day. Too tired to post. Good news though.... I started my maternity leave last week! YAY!!! :-D
And last, I've developed a horrible tingly-numbness in my hands over the past few weeks. The doctor said its carpel-tunnel syndrome caused by the extra fluids in my arms and hands and that the only cure is to "have the baby"... um, thanks for the advice doc. I've been super-lucky during this entire pregnancy with nothing to complain about.... I've been happy (no terrible mood swings) and healthy this whole time.... But this carpel-tunnel syndrome thing is the pits!!! I can't knit at all and its starting to make me a little grumpy. I was hoping to get so much accomplished during these last few weeks while I'm off work. I had great plans of booties and baby socks, but no, it's just not going to happen. I hope little baby will forgive me.

Snow Day

2007-01-11T10:36:00.000-08:00

I got snowed in yesterday and got to stay home from work.... but I did accomplish something.

I finished up this "striped stocking cap" from "Knit Baby Head & Toe".... it turned out a little too big I think, but oh well, she can wear it a bit later than I hoped.

I also whipped up this super-soft little beanie from the same book.
The pattern called for chenille, but I found this irresistible yarn by Patons called "Be Mine"... It is soooooo soft!
I took a hint from the last hat and decided to knit this one with WAY smaller needles than the pattern called for and I think it came out a better size for a newborn.

I almost want one for myself! :-)

Under Construction

2007-01-11T10:30:00.000-08:00

The baby's room is coming along nicely.... thanks to my Dad (baby's Grandpa).
The ceiling has a fresh coat of paint, the walls are painted, the window and door have brand new trim... its really going to look great!

My Grandma (baby's Great-Grandma) made this beautiful blanket... doesn't it just go PERFECTLY with the paint colour!?!?!?

She also sent this super-cute little mint-coloured sweater.

This baby is getting spoiled and she's not even here yet! ;-)

This is Cool

2006-12-21T14:17:00.000-08:00

Get Your Own! | More Flash Toys

Tiny Cables

2006-12-08T16:16:00.000-08:00

This tiny little sweater has been finished for quite some time now... I just hadn't found the right buttons. Mom and I searched everywhere for buttons that would compliment the sweater but not distract from the cables. No luck in any of the sewing or department stores... Mom eventually found some perfect buttons in a little sewing kit from the dollar store! Yay Mom! :-D
So, here it is!

This first pictures gives a pretty good idea of the soft lilac colour....

while these photos (with the camera's flash turned off) show the cables better.

This was actually really fun to knit. All those tiny little cables.
The pattern came from one of those little booklets you find hanging on a rack near the baby yarns. But now I can't find it anywhere! It is lost amongst the chaos of my craft supplies right now. I will let you know where the pattern came from as soon as I can find it!

Gifts from GREAT Grandma!

2006-11-28T13:25:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I received a wonderful gift in the mail from my Grandma in Alberta. (Baby's GREAT Grandma!!!)
She sent this beautiful lacy pink set, as well as a minty green sweater and blanket.

This picture shows the colour pretty well but hides the amazing detail work....

so I'm also posting This picture which is a little dark, but shows how much work went into making it!!!

THANK YOU GRANDMA!!! :-D

A Little Snow?

2006-11-26T15:48:00.000-08:00

Our first snowfall of the season began last night.
At 3 o'clock this afternoon our neighbourhood was unrecognizable beneath all the white stuff.
Here's a shot of our backyard.....

and out our front window.....

We've accumulated at LEAST a foot of snow so far....And it's STILL snowing.... a LOT.
Charlie seems to be enjoying all the snow... from INSIDE anyway.

Needless to say it has inspired thoughts of Christmas. :-)
I couldn't resist......up went the tree!

Quick Post

2006-11-21T08:27:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to let everyone know that everything is fine. :-)
Haven't posted in a while, I know.
The baby's room is coming along nicely. My Dad has been over at my house every week patching, sanding, priming, and now painting. (second coat goes on this weekend) The colour is Beautiful! It's a really nice minty green. I think it's going to look awesome.
Anyway, here's a super-annoying glittery picture that i got the link to from Ej's blog. Enjoy! :-)

It's a GIRL!!!

2006-11-07T10:19:00.000-08:00

Had my doctor's appointment yesterday. He said that everything is progressing normally, that baby seems healthy and that she will probably be a GIRL!!! :-D
I asked him what "probably" meant and he said that if they are more than 80% sure then they say "probably", otherwise they say "unsure". He said it was safe for me to start buying pink things. :-)
I'm so excited!!! I've always imagined having a little girl. Yay! :-D

And the Verdict Is......

2006-10-31T18:13:00.000-08:00

I wish I knew!!! I had my ultrasound today but the technician wouldn't tell me the sex of the baby... she said she knows and she will tell my doctor. ACK!!! The anticipation is driving me nuts!!!
The ultrasound itself was soooo cool! I had no idea we would be able to see the baby in such detail. It was so neat watching the little heart beat and seeing the little guy or girl (argh! why couldn't she just tell me!?!?) moving around in there. My husband and my Mom both got to come in and see it. It was super-cool for all of us.
Here's the first picture of our little one.... what a cutie already! :-)

And I didn't want the little one to feel left out of his/her first halloween..... so here he/she is all dressed up in a costume! haha. :-D

Big, BIG, Belly!!!

2006-10-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

Woah!!! Holy expanding waistband Batman!!!
It's been less than a month since my first "belly" photo and let's just say I've grown. I don't really think I'm supposed to be this big this soon, but oh well. It's not soft or anything.... It's a big, firm belly. The doctor assures me that I'm a perfectly normal size for 19.5 weeks. Yeah, okay, sure. :-)

I've been feeling the baby moving quite a bit this week! It's a really weird / cool feeling! It makes it all suddenly seem that much more "real". It's an odd concept to grasp... there's a little person LIVING INSIDE ME!!!! WEIRD!!! :-)
Jeramey has gotten over his belly touching phobia. Now he's the opposite. He's constantly harassing me to "see the belly" and he always wants to touch it. He thinks it's cute. We'll see if he still thinks it's "cute" in 4 months when I'm enormous and taking up the entire bed! :-)

My ultrasound is booked for October 31st.... yes, Halloween.... I hope they don't tell me I'm having a pumpkin!!! (although, it's starting to feel that way!)
We are VERY excited about seeing the little guy or girl for the first time. We are planning on finding out the sex if we can. I just can't stand the anticipation. I know I will be happy with a girl or a boy but I'm really, really curious to find out. Anybody care to take a guess??? 2 weeks before we know (hopefully) the answer!

yet another hobby

2006-09-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I went to a "spin-in" with my Mom.
I didn't really know what to expect. To be honest, I didn't really think I would like spinning that much. I was wrong. I had a really good time. Everybody there was super nice.... and to my surprise, the spinning was fun too.
I'm not good at it..... but I'm making progress. I was doing "okay" at the spin-in with Mom watching and teaching me, but when I got home and tried spinning a couple days later.... not so good. In fact, I would go so far as to say I was pathetic.
I have been practicing with a huge bag of "fluff" (new to the spinning terminology - sorry to all you spinners) to practice on. I am getting better.
Here is my first bobbin (which I totally swore at and gave up) next to my second bobbin... Yes, there is progress.

I still have a bunch of the white fluff left to keep practicing.....

which is a good thing because Mom bought me 100g (?) of this cool blue-faced something-or-other. I wrote the name down somewhere but can't find it right this minute. Anyway... I want to get a little better before I attempt spinning the better stuff so I don't just ruin it.

One of the vendors had a Huge ball of that stuff on top of their display. Mom and I were admiring all the different "fluffs" people had for sale and I mentioned that I wanted THAT ball of fluff. While i was spinning away, she snuck over and bought a wad of it for me. :-) Thanks Mom!

I also won a door prize!!! YAY!!! I won some pink fluff. (Merino)
Mom said Merino is harder to spin so I will save it for a while until I'm "ready".

Stroller

2006-09-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

We have a stroller!
Jeramey grandparents wanted to buy us a stroller for the baby's gift. They weren't sure what kind to get and they don't like shopping all that much so they sent me off on my own to choose what I wanted. Mom and Dad came across a great sale at Sears and pointed me in the right direction. (actually, Mom ended up coming with me and we compared a bunch of strollers together)
I came home with the Graco Euro Quattro. It was $90.00 off and it seemed like one of the best strollers there. It "goes" really smoothly and it comes with the car seat that clicks into the stroller and has a base for the car. I can also collapse it with one hand, which is really nice. It has lockable wheels, etc. I think we made a good choice.
Plus, it's not too "foofy" so Jer will take baby for a walk in it and not feel like a big sissy. :-)

(monkey likes it too)

i know, i know, i promised belly photos.... soon.

Baby Bump

2006-09-20T18:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, here it is.... My new baby bump.

It took forever for me to get this picture. (camera + timer = hassle)
The "bump" often looks a little bigger but I found myself sucking in while taking the picture.... Why? I have no idea!!!
It's not like it gushy fat or anything... It's firm to the touch. (a very odd feeling for this first-time mom-to-be!)
My husband is getting pretty tired of me asking him to "feel my tummy!" about 50 times a day. I keep trying to get him to push on it a little to feel how firm it is but he freaks out... "Don't push on it!!!" I just want him to feel how weird it is. :-)

In other news (still baby news) I heard the baby's heart beat at my doctor's appointment last week! It was soooo cool! I didn't really know what to expect.... In fact, I was pretty relieved to have real confirmation that yes, I am in fact pregnant, not just crazy! :-)
The heart beat sounded like a beating/swishing sound.... I guess like a heartbeat under water, which is what it would be. It was really neat. My next appointment is Oct. 10. My doctor said we will book the ultrasound at that time. (It usually takes about 2 weeks to get in) I can't wait!!! :-D

(anybody else notice how shocked Donkey looks about the baby bump?)

Monkey Baby?

2006-09-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

Monkey has been asking a lot of questions lately about all the new baby clothes and furniture we've been bringing into the house. We keep explaining to him that it's for "the baby" and that this is the "baby's room" etc. He's been taking it extremely well... and now I know why. I went into the "baby's room" today and discovered this... I think there may have been a slight misunderstanding.

Time for new pants?

2006-09-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

as i'm sitting here at my desk i realize that this may indeed be the last week for these jeans.... OOOOF!!!
i wonder what the office policy is on wearing sweat pants to work? :-)
i've been changing into either sweat pants or pajama pants after work every day for the last 2 weeks.
i wore a long shirt today and my area of the office is particularly cold this morning and i'm still wearing a jacket so i've unbuttoned the pants.... normally i would worry about forgetting and standing up and having my pants fall off... but i seem to have also grown a substantial bottom and i feel confident that it will hold my pants up long enough for me to remember. ah yes, i am beginning to understand the subtle joys of pregnancy. (rolling my eyes)

i also seem to have developed an irrational love of oranges and orange juice. i NEED something "orangie" every day. i ate my last orange this morning and i know i will need to stop at the store and get more on my way home. so far no cankers so i guess i'm not eating too many. not a bad choice for a pregnancy craving.... its a lot healthier than ice cream or chocolate. (which, by the way, i have no desire for whatsoever - yuck)

I'm going to be a MOM!!!

2006-09-06T17:47:00.000-07:00

Jer and I are expecting our first child in March. Excited? Why, YES!!! :-D
I've known for 3 months but I wasn't able to blog about it as I hadn't yet informed my boss at work. And we all know how the gossip rumors fly in an office so I had to keep it pretty quiet. Now that the news is out, I'm free to blog about it. :-)
It's funny though, now that I can talk about it, I don't really know what to say.
At least I've added a "baby ticker" to the top of this page.
I'm sure I will be able to write more once this "first baby post" pressure is gone.
Until then, here is a picture of the cutest little baby booties I have ever seen and just HAD to buy. (they are actually rattle slippers, so cool)

Camp Dog

2006-08-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we took Charlie on what we thought was going to be his first camping trip. I think we were wrong, he must've been camping before. He was so well behaved at the campsite that we didn't even need to keep him on a leash! (and there were even other dogs at a nearby site!) He seemed super happy to be exploring the "wild forest" around our campsite and he just loved hanging out by the fire.
We had no room in the cab of the truck (we gave one of jer's friends a ride out there) so Charlie had to sit in the back with all the gear.... I was really worried about him at first but then it became obvious that he had done that before too. He just settled himself into a comfy spot and sat there sniffing all the "new smells" the whole way.
What really tops it all off though, is when we got out the canoe. We were wondering if we could even get him IN the canoe, let alone keep him from tipping us over.... but, once again, Charlie showed us a thing or two. He just hopped in and sat down! He was so good! At one point we thought he was going to jump in but he was actually just leaning over to have a drink of water before he sat back down. Charlie is AWESOME!!!

Anonymous Blog Hijack

2006-06-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

SOME people seem to have a hard time updating their blog. Maybe if I provide a picture she can come up with some witty words to go with it?

Guests? Please drop the blog owner a line to encourage her to post hmmmm?

Ummm.....Kris? Feel free to edit this post when you find it. :-D

HEY!!! My blog has been infiltrated!!! :-) Okay, okay, I know I don't post enough....
The picture of Monkey and Donkey (the real donkey - from Shrek) was taken on Father's Day when Jer and I were over for dinner. Jeramey had won that Donkey the night before at a local pub.... you know the Toy Crane machines that are designed to take all your money without giving you a prize? Well, he beat it!!!
It was a total fluke.... They jam the toys in there so tight that you have no chance of pulling them loose with the flimsy claw.... unless you accidentally* snag the claw on the toy's tag!!! :-D it was awesome... we all let out this big cheer (which, of course, made everybody look over!!! embarrassing)
*Jer claims he hooked the tag on purpose (yeah right, totally fluke)

Death By Seed Stitch

2006-06-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

Despite the warning by a previous comment by Todaylour, I started the Monk's Travel Satchel..... with the miles and miles of seed stitch!!! It killed me. I will post again when I am resuscitated. Wish me luck. Please do not send flowers.

Bear # 2

2006-05-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

Meet bear #2! This one is for a friend's little girl. Monkey hasn't met this bear... I'm sure he wouldn't let me give her away if he did.

Monkey's New Friend

2006-05-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

I was at the yarn shop with my Mom the other day.... We only went in there to show off the dinosaur... By the way, I have chosen the name Thor (thanks angharad)
The owner of the shop happened to be making a teddy bear out of this cool new yarn called "sprinkles" by King Cole Ltd. I couldn't resist.
Monkey LOVES his new cuddly little buddy.

The pattern called for 2 balls but I managed to make the bear with only one, so I exchanged the second ball for another colour and will be making another one for a friend. (if Monkey will let me give it away!)

Finished Dinosaur (Finally!)

2006-04-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

I did it!!! I finally finished making the "easy" dinosaur. FYI this was NOT easy!!! As you will have noticed from my previous post, the pieces were ridiculous! Putting it all together was even worse! But I did it! I have to admit that I feel kinda proud of myself for this one. :-)

The pattern directions say to glue his spots on (they're just made of felt) but I decided to sew them on instead. I remember having toys with felt pieces glued on and they felt hard and crunchy... not to mention the fact that the pieces were always falling off. (okay, okay, I probably picked them off) I also made his eyes out of felt. You're supposed to make them with yarn but I wasn't having much luck with that, so I cheated.

Next project.... the Monk's Travel Satchel.... or a super-cute little teddy.... I got the yarn for both today :-) I know I should really be finishing the sweater I've been making for my husband but I can do 2 projects at once (or 3) right?

Oh yeah, one more thing.... I think this dinosaur needs a name. You all know that if I named him myself it would be..... Dinosaur. But, after all that work I think he deserves a better name.... and that's where you come in. :-) I am accepting all suggestions and then maybe I will put my favorites up for a vote. So please, post your suggestions in the comments.... "Dinosaur" needs your help!!!

"Easy" Knitted Toys

2006-03-26T16:57:00.000-08:00

This post shall serve as a warning to all knitters who enjoy "easy" side projects as a break from their more complicated endeavors.
For the past year (yes, a full year) I've been working on a complicated aran sweater for my husband (he wasn't my husband yet when I started the project!) It's a difficult all over cabled pattern (difficult for me - I've only been knitting about a year and a half) and I often take "fun-knitting" breaks... you know, the occasional hat, scarf, toy (like hedgehog for example)
Well... I have this book... I've made one toy from this book so far (hedgehog) and it was fun and easy (like the title of the book would suggest). This book is Called "easy toys" from family circle. See noted book below....

Notice the key word in the books title... as indicated in red....

Now, I don't think it was wrong of me to assume that this book would contain what it advertised... easy knitted toy patterns. In fact, I think that the majority of knitters out there would see the cover and come to the same conclusion about its contents as I did. "oh, look, a fun book of easy and fun knitting projects!"

DOES THIS LOOK EASY TO YOU!?!?!?

Just in case you were wondering.... I'm TRYING to make this...

Cute hey? (yeah, I used to think so too!)

Oh yeah, and one more thing.... the pattern called for Astra yarn... which, I have since been informed, changed owners or something and the yardage is different in their 50g balls now....
I found this out AFTER i ran out of yarn.... twice.
Thank you Mom, for picking up "refill" yarn for me. :-)

Hello

2006-03-24T20:19:00.000-08:00

too funny not to post.

St. Patrick's Day

2006-03-23T19:14:00.000-08:00

A bunch of friends came over to celebrate St. Patrick's Day this weekend (I know it was on Friday, but we all got together on Saturday) Everybody brought "green" things. Tara made this great green caterpillar cake (which she named Danny - FYI - you should never name something you are going to eat) Monkey really enjoyed having company over, he even got some cake! (yes, that is an "Irish" shot glass in his hand!)

Charlie really got in on the action too!

We had all sorts of green goodies... too much actually. I have a fridge full of green leftovers.
Dying your food green is great, in theory, but when you leave it in your fridge for a few days, it's kinda scary... Why scary? Well, its hard to tell if its just regular green or moldy green... ew.

We even had some green prizes... new green Juicy Fruit Gum, A green "computer brush/pen" bird-type-thingy?, a green Jumbo Push Pop, and a green freezer mug. (Artfully displayed in the "showcase")

Prizes were awarded for winning video games... and Paul won a prize for discovering that if you throw green napkins in the fire (we have a fire-pit in our backyard) it makes super-cool green flames! (we wasted a LOT of napkins!!!)

Monkey Meets Charlie

2006-03-09T19:30:00.000-08:00

Charlie has been a part of our family for almost 2 weeks now.... so I thought it was time for him to meet his brother, Monkey.
Monkey was a little nervous about meeting Charlie.... he is a huge DOG after all, and dogs generally like eating knit monkeys (as you will remember from when Monkey met Shelby).
Soooooo, he decided to offer up a gift - a new tennis ball (FYI - Charlie LOVES tennis balls).
It seems to have worked. They got along great!

They hung out for a bit, chatting.... Monkey seemed to be whispering to Charlie a lot.....

I don't know what kind of secrets he was telling him.... but whatever it was, Charlie seemed rather shocked!

I hope it wasn't anything about ME!!!!

Welcome Home Charlie!!!

2006-02-25T17:59:00.000-08:00

I would like to introduce everybody to our new buddy, Charlie!
We adopted Charlie from the SPCA today. He has been a very good boy so far.
He is a 7 year old German Shepard/Something Else. :-)
He is the sweetest guy you will ever meet.
He's super smart! He already knows "sit", "stay", "lay down", "shake-a-paw" and "get your ball".... i haven't tried anything else so i'm not sure what else he knows yet.
I haven't introduced him to Monkey yet... he may or may not want to eat him... we'll have to wait and see. :-)

This is Charlie on his blanket. We gave it to him and he knew right away that it was his... and that he is supposed to sit on it. :-)
We love you Charlie!!!

The Whole (Hedge) Hog

2006-01-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

Monkey has a new friend!!! His name in Hedgehog (yes, yes, I know, I'm very creative with my names... Monkey, Duck, Hedgehog)

He was made from the Book "Easy Toys - 25 Delightful Creations to Knit and Crochet" by Family Circle. (pg. 92 - The Whole (Hedge) Hog)

He was SUPER easy to make. I think my next project might have to be the adorable little piggy on the front cover!!!

Thank You!!!

2006-01-07T14:03:00.000-08:00

We (Jeramey, Monkey, and I) would like to say "thank-you" to the Randalls for this great Welcome wreath for our new home....

and to the Flanagans for this wonderful hand-made wall shelf! We know it was a LOT of work and want to let you know how much it is appreciated.

Sewing Project

2006-01-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

I got two sewing machines for Christmas! Why two? My Mom & Dad bought me one, and so did my husband. They were both great but I ended up keeping the one from my parents (it had a few extra features, and it was easier to change the settings than the other one) Jeramey returned the one from him (without a receipt - bravo!) we will probably use the money from the machine to buy fabric for sewing some curtains. :-)
I figured it would probably be a good idea to make a "practice project" with my new sewing machine before attempting something as large (and expensive!) as curtains. Sooooo.............

Ta Da!!! A pair of very wild pajama pants for Jeramey!!! (he claims to like them - although he didn't want his face in the picture - hmmmm)

Merry Christmas!!!

2005-12-24T16:06:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everybody!!!
Monkey just found out that Santa comes tonight and he's really excited!!!

Thank You Great Grandma!!!

2005-12-17T14:18:00.000-08:00

Monkey would like to say "Thank You" to his Great Grandma in Alberta! She made him this great sweater and hat! It's a good thing too, because the weather has been getting a little chilly and Monkey needs to keep warm.

Monkey would also like to apologize on behalf of his Mom for not posting for so long! They've all (Mom, Dad & Monkey himself) been so busy with the big move, and unpacking (yep, bought a house!!!) But we're back in action now... so expect more pictures!!!

Happy Halloween!

2005-10-30T09:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween Everybody!!!

Monkey wants to wish everybody a safe and fun halloween!

Can you guess what Monkey is???

He's a happy little ghost!!!

"Monkey Needs"

2005-10-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

I got this "task" from my Mom's blog.

Basically, you type in "Your Name + needs" in Google (the + sign is important to get good results) and then list the first 10 results.

Here's "Monkey's needs"

1. Monkey needs No ID.

2. Monkey needs A Refill by Michael T. Scott (Audio) in Music & Audio.

3. Monkey needs Job.

4. Monkey needs your help!

5. Monkey needs a more appropriate name.

6. Monkey needs human milk.

7. Monkey needs help to survive.

8. Monkey needs to eat leaves to survive.

9. Monkey needs to go on the disabled list.

10. Monkey needs other monkeys to get more games.

Hmmmm, Monkey sounds like he's in rough shape!!! Honestly, I take very good care of Monkey!

Monkey's Wedding Photos!!!

2005-10-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! It's me, Monkey! My Mom has been so bizzy since her wedding that she haznt put any pictures on her blog yet......so I thot I wood be a good monkey and put some on heer for her! I haf to tell you that i'm kinda mad at my mom rite now and this is why. SHE LEFT ME IN A SUITCASE ON HER HONEYMOON!!! Can you beleev it??? She said it wuz cuz i wuz being naughty at the wedding. I dont think i wuz though. Heer is some pictures of me at the wedding..... what do you think? Wuz i being naughty?

This is me being good....

and this is me having some cake.... (still being good, rite?)

and this is me having a little glass of wine

and this is me having a little bottle of wine

.... and another bottle.....

Then i felt kinda sick.... but that's not being bad!!! That's just learning!!!

Sooooo, Mom told me i wuznt allowed to have any more wine...... so i didn't.....

I had some beer instead.....

..... and some coolers.....

And then I "passed out" (or so they all tell me)

Okay, okay, maybe i was a LITTLE bit naughty.

Just for the record, my mom DID let me out of the suitcase when we got to Grandma's house.
I have some pictures from my visit there that I will put on here soon.
(Grandma made me a super-cool sweater that I can't wait to show you all!!!)

23 POST

2005-10-07T10:04:00.000-07:00

MOM has tagged me with this meme.

1. Go into your archives.
2. Find your 23rd post.
3. Post the fifth sentence (or closest to it).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
5. Tag five other people to do the same thing.

My 23rd post was written on Thursday, October 28, 2004. The fifth sentence read: "I went outside and sure enough, they were both GONE! "

Well, I was able to finish # 1- 4 no problem except I don't know who else to "tag".
I'm at work right now but maybe I will find a few people ( I don't know if I can find 5 ) to "tag" when I get home.

And yes, I will posting wedding pictures soon. I just have to sort through them all, shrink down a few, and get my butt in gear and post them.

I'm Getting Married!!!

2005-09-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

I'm getting married on Saturday!!!! Only 3 more sleeps!!!! I'm sooooo excited (and nervous)!!!! I'm just heading out the door now (my wedding is at a fishing resort about 6 hours away) so this is just a quick "teaser post". Photos will be posted when I get back from our trip (2 weeks). (Monkey is coming too so be sure to check back!!!!)

Monkey Potter

2005-09-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

Last month, Monkey read the new Harry Potter book (Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince)
He thought it was great and now he wants to be just like Harry. So..... I made him his very own Gryffindor scarf! He loved it! He wore it around constantly (even though it was the middle of summer!!!)

Just a quick warning to parents of small children - this new Harry Potter book is really scary in a few spots. Although he won't admit it, Monkey was pretty freaked out, I had a hard time getting him to sleep.

Monkey's First Haircut

2005-08-12T14:04:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if any of you have noticed lately, but Monkey has been getting a little ratty. Yes, it's true.... the poor little guy is getting all fuzzy and pilly.
The solution??? MONKEY'S FIRST HAIRCUT!
That's right, I came to the rescue with my handy little scissors and cleaned him up.... I think we were both pretty surprised how much fluff came off such a small Monkey.

Monkey feels MUCH better now.... In fact, I think he feels like he's really hot stuff now. Have I created a monster???

Celebrity!

2005-08-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

Monkey met his very first celebrity last weekend. Monkey, Mom, and I (and Dad - he drove us down there but didn't come in) went to Stephanie Pearl-McFee's
(Yarn Harlot) book signing for her new book "At Knit's End - Meditations for women who knit too much" (awesome book!!! Monkey and I highly recommend it!!!) I took a few pictures of our quick day-trip into Vancouver for the "big event". For more (and I admit, better) pictures, check out my Mom's blog!

Monkey enjoying his lunch while we wait in the car outside the library

"Monkey and Stephanie!" She's in the very background of the picture (yes, it counts!)

Monkey hanging on the giant book

Ah, Summer

2005-07-25T18:01:00.000-07:00

Monkey and I have been out enjoying the wonderful stretch of sunshine we've been having..... Looks like summer is here at last!!!

LionBrand Velvet Spun

2005-07-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am somewhat ashamed to admit it, but I recently got sucked in to a cute little "ball-band" pattern. You know what I'm talking about.... that somewhat pricey ball of yarn with the adorable pattern on the band that promises great results with only one ball of this wonderful new yarn!!! The culprit - LionBrand Velvet Spun Yarn with their cute little "Knit Baby Hat". Now, I have to admit that the hat turned out just fine... as you can see.

The only problem I had was that this yarn is freakin' impossible to work with!!!! Maybe its just me but I found myself having to really yank on it quite often to make a simple knit stitch.... I think I'm just not used to working with this type of yarn.... I don't think there is anything actually wrong with it. I have to admit that it is really soft though.... but does leave little "fluffs" everywhere.
Don't worry, I will not leave you without your "Monkey - fix" :-) Here he is trying on the baby hat (he insists on trying on EVERYTHING)

Baby Rugby Romper

2005-06-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

I did it!!! I finished knitting the gift for my friend's baby shower!!! A gift that took this much work deserved some pretty wrapping....

I know, I know, you all want to see what's INSIDE.....
Well..... here it is!!!!!! The adorable RUGBY ROMPER from Lionbrand.

Of course, Monkey had to try it on..... but I think it was a little bit too big (don't tell him though-he looks so happy)

new posts coming soon!

2005-06-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

I'm on my break at work right now but I promise I will have new pictures posted this weekend!!!
(I finished the baby "rugby romper" and it turned out really good - the mommy-to-be loved it)

Mouse Booties

2005-06-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

Once again I must appologize for my long absence from blogging. I've been incredibly busy with work - and when I haven't been working, I 've been off hiking / camping. But enough with the excuses......
I just finished making some really cute mouse booties for my friend's baby shower. I found the pattern here: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/7526/mouseboots.html

I'm also making a cool little "rugby jumper" from the LionBrand site. We'll see if I actually get it finished on time or not (the baby shower is only a couple weeks away) If not, I can always give it to her after. (her baby isn't actually due until August)

I can crochet!!! :-)

2005-05-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

I was over at Mom's house yesterday for Mother's Day and she taught me how to crochet! I made 2 granny squares while I was there and she sent me off with a bag full of yarn and a crochet hook. I've made a few more since then. Monkey thinks they're pretty cool.

I found it a little confusing at first but Mom is great teacher and I'm getting the hang of it now. The yarn isn't the colour you see here.... the picture didn't quite turn out right.... but it is a very bright red.... should make for a really nice, ugly, pillow or afghan. I haven't decided yet if I'll stop when I run out of the yarn Mom gave me, and just make a pillow, or if I will buy more bright yarn (different colours) and make a huge, hideous afghan. (I think maybe the ugly afghan, I think it would be fun)
One thing I've noticed though..... my squares are getting smaller and smaller. Hopefully they will even out soon. (wow, this is really going to be the world's ugliest afghan! I think I'm going to love it! HaHaHa!)

Buckley's

2005-04-12T18:30:00.000-07:00

A picture says a thousand words.......

Enough said.

"Magic" Face

2005-04-07T18:08:00.000-07:00

Monkey, Duck (I'm sooooo creative with my names) and I, went to visit my Mom (their Grandma) on Monday and the strangest thing happened. I was on the phone in the other room, and when I came back, Duck had eyebrows and a mouth!!! I have no idea how it happened! I have my suspicions that maybe my Mom had something to do with it, but I have no proof.

That other bird in the picture was a birthday gift for my friend/co-worker.

Finished Poncho

2005-04-05T18:12:00.000-07:00

I recently finished knitting my first (and most likely my last) poncho. I will probably never wear it..... not that there is anything really wrong with it..... I'm just not a poncho-kinda-girl. Why did I make one then? Hmmmm, good question. It was partly because my fiance liked the ponchos in the store and asked me if they were too hard to make myself.... aha, the challenge! Then, when I was out visiting my Mom we went to her LYS and I found a pattern that I actually liked and some really soft yarn..... the trap was set.... I HAD to make it. I think it turned out pretty good. (maybe I will wear it around the house every once in a while)

Oh yeah, and here's a picture of Monkey. (I know that's what you all REALLY want)

Why "Busternme"?

2005-04-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know why my blog is named "Busternme" (because it's really not clear anymore)...... Buster is my hamster. When I started this blog, I posted some pictures of him but somehow, over time, he has faded from the spotlight. Monkey has taken over. But just to show everybody that Buster holds no hard feelings, here is a picture of my two boys together. They really are great pals. Besides, Buster is starting to get old and is enjoying his retirement.

Big Dumb Duck

2005-03-29T20:58:00.000-08:00

I just finished making the duck from the same book I made monkey from. (Knitted Toys by Fiona McTague) My duck didn't really turn out the same as the one in the book. Mine seems to look kinda fat and retarded.

I was making it as a baby gift but I'm not sure if I should stick with that plan..... i think it looks too stupid. What do you think? Would a baby even care that the duck is, um, less than perfect? Monkey seems to like him anyway.

Mmmmmm, chocolate

2005-03-28T18:40:00.000-08:00

What's Monkey's favorite treat?...... Giant Chocolate Bunnies! Mmmmmmm!

(monkey says "thank you" to his grandma)

Gift for Baby

2005-02-26T15:57:00.000-08:00

I finished knitting a baby blanket for a certain little new baby (can't say who as i haven't mailed it out yet - its a surprise) I had to wrestle it out of Monkey's hands though....he thought it was really comfy and wanted to keep it for himself. Greedy little Monkey.

Where's Monkey?

2005-02-17T14:13:00.000-08:00

Can YOU find Monkey???

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

2005-02-14T16:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day everybody! Monkey got his "special valentine sweater" today!

Craft Room "Playground"

2005-02-13T12:32:00.000-08:00

As I promised, here are the pictures of Monkey in Grandma's Craft Room "Playground".
It's understandable why Monkey loves going to Grandma's so much...... just look at how much fun he had!
First, he climbed around on the "Jungle Gym" (storage racks)

After "hanging around" on there for a while....

he started exploring all the boxes and bins....

But his favorite part of this fun new playground had to be the "swift-go-round"

"weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!"

Monkey can't wait to go visit Grandma again!

Trip to Grandma's House

2005-02-06T19:18:00.000-08:00

I recently took Monkey on a little trip to his Grandma's house. Boy was he excited! I got him his own little day pack which he packed all by himself.

This was Monkey's first car ride where he got to sit in the front seat all by himself! I could tell he felt like a very important monkey.

It didn't take long for Monkey to get into mischief when we got to Grandma's. He decided it would be funny to sneak Shelby's food.

But he got caught.

Shelby didn't think it was funny.

Not one bit!

After I saved Monkey from the mighty jaws of Shelby, I showed him Mom's (Grandma to him) craft room.....well to him it was just a giant playground.... I have pictures but I will post them next time. :-)

WooHoo! More Yarn!

2005-02-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

I finally found a yarn shop close to where I live (well, pretty close anyway) It's a great shop called "Kept-In-Stitches" in Fort Langley, BC. Now I don't have to go visit Mom every time I need to buy more knitting stuff (but I will anyway) So, what did I buy?..... I'll show you.... well, actually, MONKEY will show you.....

"Hey, Mom brought home something!"

"Hmmmm.... What's in here?"

"Oooooh! This looks fancy!"

"COOL! It's a skein of Noro Kureyon!.....the exact amount to make a funky toque!!!"

It's really nice stuff, but it can sure burn a hole in your wallet though! $12 for ONE skein! Holy Crapoli!!!! At least I only needed one skein.

My weekend of stash-enhancing didn't end there. I know about a million women having babies (okay, okay, maybe not a million) and I've been sucked into the world of baby-knitting.... (not that I mind or anything...baby stuff is sooooo cute) So.... I went to Michael's Crafts (a little more affordable yarn there) and bought some cool white yarn for a baby blanket. It's got a shiny thread in it too so it looks sparkly but you can't really tell from the picture. It's turning out really good! It's my first attempt at "holes" in my knitting (not sure what it's called but I'm pretty sure it's not really lace) I will post some pictures soon.

Hi!

2005-01-19T17:48:00.000-08:00

Hi! It's me....MONKEY!!! My mom haz bin rilly bizzy lately and haznt been able to post on her blog cuz she got a new job that she started last munday. So... I'm making a post all by myself! Its pritty hard for me to tipe cuz i dont hav fingers.... but im trying enyway.

its rilly fun wen my mom is a work cuz i can do watever i want (like post on her blog) and she dusnt even know so i dont get in truble.
i gave up on my sweter (i dont know if my mom alredy told yoo) but she is making another one for me but she said i cant hav it until valentines day. i dont know why i cant hav it yet but i saw the yarn and its red and wite so maybee its a speshal valentine sweter. well, i should go now cuz my mom will be home from work soon. BYE! From MONKEY.

Lazy Monkey

2005-01-06T15:19:00.000-08:00

Monkey has given up on his sweater..... aparently he wants me to knit it for him. What a lazy little monkey. So, while I was busy working on his sweater today, he spent the day watching tv and playing video games. He's lucky he's cute or he wouldn't be getting away with this.

Monkey's New Hat

2005-01-05T13:11:00.000-08:00

We've been having a bit of a cold snap here lately. It's been quite frosty in the mornings and Monkey has been cold. He's been trying to knit himself a sweater.

Unfortunately he hasn't had much success so far. (poor little Monkey)
I decided to help lift his spirits by knitting him a toque. He absolutely loves it. (I'm quite proud of it myself - no pattern or anything)

I think I will give him a hand with that sweater and see if we can figure it out together.

Pattern Book

2005-01-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

In response to a question about Monkey..... He was made from a pattern in a book called "Knitted Toys" by Fiona McTague. It's an excellent book with all sorts of cute toys for all skill levels. (Monkey was a Level 2)

Introducting MONKEY

2005-01-03T09:39:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I said I would be updating my blog more often now that I have the digital camera. I'm sorry, but I've been really busy with Christmas, family, etc. Speaking of Christmas, I got a bunch of awesome stuff this year! Knitting related items included a pack of sock yarn from my big sis (enough to make 3 pairs of socks) I've never knit socks before but I've been wanting to learn for a while now. I've started the first sock and it was going great until I got to the heel.....*^&$^&*&$&#*#%$#%&$*#!!!!!!! (perhaps I will post some pictures on my next entry and get some advice - something is definately wrong) I also received a pattern book for knitting toys. My mom, knowing me as well as she does, knew I would want to make the monkey first so she included the neccessary yarn for the project. (mom is so awesome) Yes, I am 23 years old and still love stuffed toys.....there's nothing wrong with that, is there? Once I started knitting "Monkey" (a better name for him in the future perhaps?) I couldn't stop until he was finished. I think he turned out pretty cute for my first attempt at knitting a monkey. What do you think?

I know you all think he is very cute but he's already been up to some monkey-trouble. First of all, he ate all the christmas chocolates I left on the coffee table. I bet you think I'm just blaming him - that it was actually me who ate them all but I have evidence.....

Then, he got into the cupboards and ate the cookies. (also wasn't me)

I couldn't get mad at him though.... I mean, look at that innocent little face...

I think Monkey is going to be a regular on my blog now..... he's pretty photogenic.

Digital Camera!!!

2004-12-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

We bought a digital camera! (finally) Jeramey and I decided that instead of getting each other gifts this year we would buy a digital camera together. I know we should've saved it and put it under the tree until Christmas but we couldn't wait! We've been playing with it non-stop since we bought it (about 2 weeks ago). It's so much fun. Buster has been the victim of many "photo shoots" as I try to figure out all the settings and features of the camera. Here's the latest picture of our "baby".

Hopefully, now that I have this awesome new camera, I will be updating my blog more often.

Aran Sweater Progress

2004-12-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

I haven't had much time to work on the Aran sweater for Jeramey lately. I've been too busy knitting all that baby stuff. I plan on getting back to it soon as he seems to be a bit sulky when he sees me knitting away at something else. He really likes that sweater a LOT. At first I thought he just liked the fact that I'm knitting for him, but he seems to really like the sweater a lot too. He're my progress so far. I think it's starting to look really cool.

anticipated photos

2004-11-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

I've finally got some pictures of some more of my knitting projects. My friend's baby shower was a big success last Sunday. She received a lot of great gifts but mine was the only hand-knit item. I had to go out and buy a little outfit for her for the baby shower as I didn't get the "devan" sweater finished in time. I still have some time before the baby is born yet so I will give it to her then. But, in the meantime, I DID finish the Christmas tree hat and she absolutely loved it. I can't wait to see it on her little guy or girl. It was really hard shopping for the baby when nobody knows if he's going to be a boy or if she's going to be a girl. My stuff tends to lean towards boy because that's what I think she's going to have. She thinks so too but everybody else is saying "girl". We'll have to just wait and see. Anyway, here's a picture of the tiny festive toque and the partially completed "devan" sweater.

So Many Babies, So Little Time

2004-11-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

It seems that everybody I know is having a baby! (except for me) I love knitting cute little baby things so I'm madly knitting as much as I can for the new arrivals. (3 on the way so far) I've made the "baby stripes" sweater (previously posted) and an adorable christmas tree hat. I've started on the "devan" baby cardigan and hope to have it completed by next weekend for a baby shower on Sunday. So far I've finished both front pieces and have started the first sleeve. It's a slow process though as I've been really busy with work (my regular full-time job AND housework) but I think I can get it done in time. (okay , I HOPE I can get it done in time!) If not, well, there's always the option to buy something. Hopefully I can get a picture of the christmas tree hat before I give it away....it really is cute.

Ugly Sweater

2004-11-14T14:52:00.000-08:00

After leaving my Blue Cable Cardigan lying "almost finished" for months, I've finally completed it...... and it's really ugly. I'm wearing it right now and I can't help but giggle to myself about how horrid it looks. Its too small for one thing...and I think I should've made the collar bigger, the sleeves are a tad too short, the button band doesn't stay very flat, and basically its a big piece of crap.... Odly though, I kinda like it. It's my sweater. It's fairly comfortable and it's really nice and warm. I think I will wear it all the time (at home, when nobody else is home) I may even post a picture of it some day. (well, maybe not, it's pretty bad)

Wish Me Luck

2004-11-11T19:35:00.000-08:00

I've just started on the biggest, most complicated knitting project I have ever attempted. (I've been knitting for less than a year) I'm making an Aran Pullover from the Philosopher's Wool Company for my fiance. I've knit a simple cable before but nothing like this!!! It's going good now, but I had some problems on my first few attempts. Every time I got to the 3rd row of the cable pannel for the sleeve I would end up with an extra stitch! Now, when I say EVERY time, I mean the 8 times I ripped it back....yes, EIGHT times!!!! I was so extremely frustrated I wanted to cry. Finally, I decided (and by I, I really mean my MOM and I) decided to first weave a "lifeline" of a piece of bright (in my case, red) yarn just after the ribbing so that if I messed up again (and again, and again) I wouldn't lose EVERYTHING. Also, I am using the "magic loop" technique for knitting in the round with a long circular needle (instead of double pointed needles) and I put the entire pattern section on one side so I could pay special attention to what i was doing. It seems to have worked...no more problems, no more ferocious ripping out. I am now two full pattern repeats up the first sleeve (almost to my guy's elbow) and all is well. :-) Pictures will be posted as soon as I get some....hint, hint, Mom (she has a digital camera, I don't)

Cheesewhiz "Nachos"

2004-11-02T18:13:00.000-08:00

I just finished eating a bunch of cheezewhiz "nachos"...... does anybody else do this? You know, melt some cheesewhiz and pour it over tortilla chips..... anyway, it's usually really tasty (to me anyway) but this time I went overboard on the cheese (okay, okay, FAKE cheese) and now I feel nasty. yuck. I know this is a really lame topic but if I don't write about SOMETHING, my loyal readers will lose interest. I'll try to come up with something a little more interesting next time. :-)

&#@% Theif!!!!

2004-10-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

About 2 minutes after my fiance left for work yesterday morning (and about 5 minutes before I had to leave) he came back into our apartment and told me that BOTH our vehicles had been stolen!!! Now, of course, I thought he was kidding. That just doesn't happen, right? Both vehicles? I went outside and sure enough, they were both GONE! The parking stall where my little CRX is usually nestled so cosy was EMPTY! Now here is a good time to let everyone know that I LOVE MY CAR! It's the cutest little car....its MY car. I was absolutely devastated. I would NEVER take anybody else's belongings.... why did somebody take my car? (AND my fiance's car!)... because they're little punks, that's why. If I ever caught them...grrrrrrrr. Anyway, we called the cops, and our insurance place, etc. Luckily we both got rental cars for free with our insurance so we were able to go to work (although very late) They've found both vehicles now... both of them have the locks and ignitions damaged. argh! We can't get them back until the police fingerprint them, etc. Then we need to get them repaired. I still won't ever like the fact that some little creep was driving my car. Here's a picture of my baby.....

I miss my car. :-(

Sketchy

2004-10-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

I'm almost finished the baby sweater..... just have to finish off the collar.....unfortunately, I don't have a digital camera so there will be no pictures until I can get my mom to take some. (which might be this weekend)
In the meantime, I DO have a scanner, so here's the latest addition to my sketchbook. Nothing much, but it makes me laugh.

Buster

2004-10-19T17:26:00.000-07:00

I have no more knitting pictures.....for now..... so here's a picture of Buster!

Baby Sweater

2004-10-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here is the last of my "distraction" project. (yeah, right! I'm sure there will be more! haha)
It's a baby sweater set for my friend. Her baby is due in December so I have loads of time to finish it. I used pale blue and yellow so it would suit a boy or a girl. It's so soft and cuddly....can't wait to see it on her baby!

Crazy Hat

2004-10-15T17:34:00.000-07:00

What can I say? Hats are fun to knit. Quick and easy.... and cool. I found a "crazy hat" pattern on the internet and HAD to make it! It was my first time knitting with sock yarn and I really liked it! The stitches were so small and cute looking compared to my other projects.

One more "distraction" project to show you..... tomorrow. :-)

Bright Toque

2004-10-14T17:37:00.000-07:00

What was that yarn poking out of the skully bag?..... It was red (not orange like the picture looks) and yellow yarn for my new toque. (which I will probably never wear but I had fun knitting it)

I'm also halfway finished a second toque in the opposite colour pattern (I had yarn left over)

Shelby (my brother's dog) kept getting in the way as we were trying to take the pictures.... here's proof....

Did i say NEVER wear? .... Okay, okay, I wore it once.... for this picture. (I HATE this picture - I look horrible, but Mom says its nice.....yeah, whatever)

(it's a good thing nobody ever reads my blog)

Skully Bag

2004-10-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

This was the first of my distractions.....poor cable cardigan, I will return to you soon. Can you really blame me though? I mean, come on! Its a skully bag! COOL!!! Now I can carry around my knitting and NOT look like an old lady. :-)

Bet you're wondering what that yarn poking out of the bag is for.....I'll show you tomorrow. :-)

Nearing Completion

2004-10-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, I still exist...... I know its been a looooong time since I've posted anything here but I've been EXTREMELY busy..... end of school / new job / moving, etc. I somehow found time to knit through all that and I have a bunch of new pictures to share. I'm only posting a few at a time, so you'll have to keep coming back if you want more. :-)
I'm almost finished my blue cable cardigan!!! All I need to do is finish off the collar and the button-band. Unfortunately, It's been at this "almost finished" stage for quite some time now.... I've had some other projects pop up and distract me.

Curious as to what could possibly distract me from finishing my awesome sweater. (i'm soooo modest!) Stay tuned for my next pictures! :-)

Tiny Bears

2004-09-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

My Mom bought me a needle felting kit for my birthday! She also ordered supplies for herself so we could make these little bears together. They turned out really great! I was totally impressed with myself on my very first bear! Its so easy! I thought it was going to be difficult but the directions were clear and simple and it wasn't hard at all. It was a little time consuming though - it took us about 5-6 hours just to make one tiny bear.... but the time flies because its really fun. Check out my bears! Aren't they cute! Try it! It's easy! Check out my Mom's bears too!

GUILTY

2004-08-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

It's happened.....I've officially become a "knitter". How can I be sure? Well, when I was visiting my Mom yesterday, we went to the yarn shop. Now, before I admit my terrible actions, I would like to say that my Mom taught me to knit in the first place, so I blame my new addiction entirely on her. I have been working diligently on my cabled cardigan and was quite happy to continue exclusively with that large project.....but then we went to the yarn shop. It's not my fault! I couldn't help myself!......I've started , gasp, a STASH!!! See, I found this cool pattern for a felted knitting bag on the knitters review and was intending to go "check prices" on the wool for it. I caved! I bought the wool! I also found a cool pattern for a hilarious little piggy potholder (also on knitters review) and I HAD to make it....it's really funny....could YOU resist? I don't think so! Besides, it only cost me $1.50 for that! Now, two little extra projects isn't so bad, right? But then I saw this neat scarf that the lady at the yarn shop had made (half fisherman's rib - really soft and squishy!)....my fiance is out of town right now, so what better time to knit him a surprise scarf, right? So I bought some yarn for that too. Here's the photographic evidence of my guilt. (notice I've even started knitting the scarf!!!) This isn't so bad, right? I'm still a good person! I can stop knitting any time I want.....really!

New & Improved Elves

2004-08-19T14:29:00.001-07:00

I've been working on the knitting elves. Here's the new and improved versions. (no colour yet)

Knitting Elves

2004-08-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

Wow! I've finally made some progress on my sweater! I guess I got over the whole "ripping out frustration" issue. Here' s a picture of how far I am on my project. Notice the little dog paw in the lower left-hand corner! (fancies herself the next Vana White I think!)

I can't believe how much I've done! No, seriously, I can't believe how much I've done. I'll knit for a while and then put it away.... The next time I take it out to work on it, it seems like WAY more is finished than I thought. At first I just assumed it was me. I mean, it was the only logical explanation considering its just me and my fiance living here.... and he can't/won't knit (guys - always have to be so macho) And then I came up with the theory of knitting elves. That's right, knitting elves. I think I have a knitting elf that comes out at night and works on my sweater for me.... how sweet of him. Below is my "artist's depiction" of what my knitting elf looks like.

Now, I know right about now you're all wishing you had a cool little knitting elf like me..... but be careful what you wish for!!! See, I think my Mom might have a knitting elf too. She works so hard on these really complicated projects. She'll knit for hours and hours (and she is a fast knitter!) and the next time she picks up her project it seems like she has made no progress at all! That's because her knitting elf is nasty. He comes out at night and rips out all her hard work!!! (I can't wait til Mom reads this! haha!) See the nasty little creep below.

So.... do YOU have a knitting elf? If yes, which one???

Weekend Adventure

2004-08-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

Last February, my fiance and I attended the Vancouver Outdoor Show. (basically a bunch of companies crammed in a stadium trying to sell you stuff) We entered EVERY draw they had (and most of the booths had draws) And, surprise! I won something!!! YAY! I won a whitewater rafting trip for 2 including 1 night stay in a riverside cabin at Sunwolf Outdoor Centre in Squamish BC. We went a couple of weeks ago and had a blast! It was sooo much fun! I was totally scared but I had a great time. It was just scary enough to be absolutely thrilling but not too scary. (I didn't crap my pants or anything) They have a cool place there, and they really take care of you. They serve muffins and coffee before you go, and there's a huge barbeque waiting for you when you get back (all included!) The guides were really cool, (we had Henrik, and he rocked!) they really know their stuff and make you feel safe(ish). I recommend to anybody who hasn't tried whitewater rafting to go for it! You'll love it! Here's a picture (no, its not me, or my trip - but its cool anyway)

ARGH!!! The Frustration!!!

2004-07-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I had to do it.... I had to rip out my knitting again! Actually, I made my Mom do it. I couldn't put myself through the pain a fourth time. I'm working on the second half of my cardigan (pictured in a previous post) and the cable just isn't turning out right. It looks like crap compared to the other half. I was trying to make the cable twist in the opposite direction (so the sweater will look balanced) but its just not working out. The cable keeps ending up smaller and not as "puffy". It kinda just blends into the sweater and looks awful. So, after ripping it out 3 times myself, and then having my mom rip out 5", I've decided to just go ahead and twist both cables the same way. Sure, it will look like I'm heading off in one direction whenever I wear my sweater but at least it won't look quite so stupid. I think, however, that I may have to wait a couple days before I pick it up again. (the rage is still just a little too strong) sigh.

Harry Potter Movie

2004-07-11T16:51:00.000-07:00

I just went and saw the new Harry Potter movie with my Mom and sister.... (my fiance refused to go see it with me).... he has yet to come to the realization that kids movies are great! There's absolutely nothing wrong with going to a "kids" show as an adult. I think they're way more fun than all those depressing "dramas" out there. The movie was really good and everybody should go see it (no matter how old you are!)

nobody visits my site :-(

2004-07-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

i'm so very lonely all by myself here in my blog....sigh...my mom's blog has over 200 hits already and i have only 37 (all of which were probably just me) am i that boring?....yes. well, for anybody who cares, here's more pictures of BUSTER! YAY!

What colour do You see?

2004-07-05T17:31:00.002-07:00

Have you ever wondered if red is really red? or if blue is really blue? or if greeen is really green? What if what you see as red, I see as blue, or yellow? How do you know if the colours you see are the same as what everybody else sees? Sure, you ask somebody else what colour the sky is and they will say "blue"... but what do they perceive as blue? What if they are seeing green and just call it blue because to them green is blue? What if we all see colours differently but in kindergarten we are taught that this colour is green and this colour is red but we all see something different? Sure, we all call it the same name but do we all really see the same colour? hmmmmm? wrap your mind around that!