GirlReaction

RIP Bella Schmella Schmoo.

My friend Carrie's dog Bella died yesterday and I'm oh so so so very sad about this, I couldn't even express to you how much. I loved her very dearly.

She was super camera shy as you may have been able to tell but I'm so glad I took her picture anyway.

I'll miss you sweet sweet girl.

posted by Duff on January 26, 2012 | Comments (7)

Mug Rug Madness!

Finally got the first three projects of the year finished, and there's a mini quilt and a baby quilt following close behind that I'm hoping will also be done in January! At least one or the other!!

One was for my mom and two were me finally doing my end of swaps from the Fall, so they're currently in the mail to friends. Still have a couple more swaps to work on (blocks for Kristy and kindle cover for Phoe) so at least I've got something to focus on while I mope miserably around my house.

Still no luck on the job front. Not even on the interview front. :(

posted by Duff on January 25, 2012 | Comments (3)

Censorship is bogus. And once it starts, it steamrolls through your life.

Go here to read more. Among many other places.

posted by Duff on January 18, 2012 | Comments (0)

Stop Start Stop Start GO

I'm finishing things... Five items to blindstitch!

Bee blocks for Sarah!

And starting new things!

I think the crafty bug has finally returned to my house!! At least until I find a job. If that ever happens.

posted by Duff on January 15, 2012 | Comments (1)

There's nothing like a walk in falling snow to lift my spirits.

And Graceland cemetery looked especially lovely under its fresh bed of white.

posted by Duff on January 12, 2012 | Comments (5)

Hey I'm back!

I went to visit my old stomping grounds in NYC and saw this awesome zip-tie installation

Do you think you can buy rainbow-colored zip ties somewhere? Or did they have to paint white ones? Is there some Earth Wind & Fire-stylin' police department somewhere that uses the rainbow ones?

I have so many questions. :) Heh.

posted by Duff on January 11, 2012 | Comments (1)

The year in crafts.

Quite a paltry number of finished objects for 2011.

Of course I was a busy student, taking 4 classes in the spring, 2 classes in the summer (incl. a completely intense chemistry class!), and one class in the fall PLUS full-time student teaching (which counts as two classes but is really the equivalent of about 12 classes hours-wise). And got all As, by the way. [And, you know, finished my degree and all. Bygones.]

I mean I guess it's not that dissimilar to last year but it feels like a LOT less especially since most of those knitting projects were one-day things.

Yeah i mean it's an excuse but still... I could have gotten more done.

5 hats
4 mug rugs
3 quilts
3 skirts
2 cowls
2 placemats
1 pair slippers
1 kitchen matt
1 shawl
...and a MILLION friendship bracelets (most not pictured). Heh.

1. Kinda big and floppy, 2. Hat for a Baby Girl, 3. Bloodpool (Tidepool) Cowl, 4. Two Scrappy Placemats (2), 5. Hat for Jen., 6. Slippahs - On., 7. Just another hat., 8. Hat for Matt 2, 9. Biggie Stars is done done done done DONE!!!, 10. Flapper Hat - right., 11. Mug rug for Ravelry swap, 12. Mug rug 2 for Cathipink, 13. Mug rug 3 for KC, 14. Another mug rug., 15. Magical Mystery Quilt is done da-done-done-done!, 16. Nesty Nine Patch complete! :), 17. Hey look I made a maternity skirt! (NO I AM NOT PREGNANT), 18. Hey, look, I made another one, 19. Third time's the charm?, 20. Aw yeah, there it is., 21. Kitchen Rug / Matt! (summer 30-37), 22. Newest addition: taking a simple thing and making it more complex., 23. Yes, I saved up my last scraps of pink to bindoff with. OORAH.

Leavin' on a plane tomorrow though so even though there are a number of ALMOST DONE items lying around this house, we are extremely unlikely to see any finishes before the middle of January. Ah well.

posted by Duff on December 27, 2011 | Comments (3)

A brown and gray Christmas, wasn't that what you wanted?

Make your next wish quick, before it blows away.

If you could only ask for one thing, what would it be?

posted by Duff on December 26, 2011 | Comments (3)

Wow.

School being OVER over has really zapped out my motivational abilities to get anything done whatsoever. I'm losing entire days to makeup videos and moping around in my PJs. Hopefully I'll snap out of it soon.

In the meantime, Skars wishes all you crazy cat ladies a merry christmas.

skarsxmascard,jpg

I myself am allergic to cats, but I will just make him throw that sweater out before he climbs in my bed. Oh did I say that out loud? WHOOPS.

posted by Duff on December 20, 2011 | Comments (5)

And Again.

So the problem with having friends in so many places and via so many different electronic media is you have to keep repeating yourself.

So in case you didn't see it elsewhere, I finished graduate school yesterday...FOR THE SECOND TIME. I better draw my cardboard sign now: "Two Masters degrees, will smile for food" ? :)

Hlariously, my Masters degrees are SEVENTEEN YEARS apart. That's right, my other friends grew children into adults during that time. :)

[This is me as photographed by one of my students.]

It's nice to be done in some ways and completely sucks in others. As these things go. ;)

Carry on.

posted by Duff on December 14, 2011 | Comments (6)

Today was my last day of student teaching.

There were three of us student teachers from my cohort at the same school and our respective grade levels (7th-me, 4th-Zach, 3rd-Cynthia) got together and planned a secret assembly going-away party for us. It was in the auditorium, there were speeches from our cooperating teachers and the principal. My students gave a speech; their students did performances (a band played, some boys danced to Michael Jackson songs and I mean DANCED, some kids sang songs they had composed for the occasion).

My students created an emblem for me and drew it all over--a banner, on a notebook they all wrote me goodbye notes in. Some drew it on their arms!

I haven't even read all the cards they gave me yet as it was already overwhelming enough. I'm so blown away.

And now I have to get back to work on the all the final projects that are due in my portfolio on Tuesday morning! EEK!!! :)

posted by Duff on December 09, 2011 | Comments (2)

NaBloPoMo 30

It was already an emotional rollercoaster of a day and then I went and read this post and wow she just hits it home right here doesn't she: I can’t conceive of what a million dollars, or several million, would feel like to own. I can’t understand how in those millions there can often be no room for justice or the needs of others.

That's all from me for today. The CD swap offer in my last post still stands. You know how to find me if you're interested. :)

Happy end of November. I hope you've enjoyed hearing from me every day except two. :)

posted by Duff on November 30, 2011 | Comments (0)

NaBloPoMo 28

If you read my Snip blog, then you have already heard about Tyler Lyle and Empty Orchestra--two beloved albums of this Fall that can both be obtained for very, very cheap.

Today I am here very quickly before I take my tired self to bed to tell you two things:

1) Check out this Zaac Pick album. Also cheap. Also GOOD! Or so it sounds to me. (Found via Music vs. Misery)

2) I have made this offer in the past and found it quickly embraced. So I'll try it again. I have made two recent mixes that I think are pretty dang awesome. I will send you one -- or both -- in exchange for... what would you like to send me? Do ya wanna buy me an album on my wishlist? Send me a mix of your own? Whatcha wanna trade? I am open for suggestions. :)

Have a good night, y'all. :)

posted by Duff on November 28, 2011 | Comments (1)

NaBloPoMo 27

Geeeeez, it is so lame to commit to blogging for a full month and then to be so crazy stressed out and busy that you have nothing to say, isn't it?!?! My apologies, dear reader. :)

Perhaps I can make it up to you in December. Post-December 9th that is.

In the meantime, look what happens when you decide to make it up to yourself for having not had Thanksgiving and then you don't realize that a can of pumpkin is still in your cabinet 5 years after its expiration date!

Whoopsydaisy. NO, DAD, I DID NOT EAT THAT ONE. ;)

posted by Duff on November 27, 2011 | Comments (4)

NaBloPoMo 26

Too tired to blog. Why must life be so exhausting? (Rhetorical.)

posted by Duff on November 26, 2011 | Comments (1)

NaBloPoMo 25

Not a lot to say. Worked really hard all day on schoolwork. Took a couple knittin' breaks (progress below!) but today was horribly bereft of even halfway-decent TV programming so not as many as I might've had there been, say, an NCIS marathon on. Finally tried my 'hood's new(ish) bahn mi sandwich place for dinner--kinda good, kinda weird.

Unfortunately I really feel too mentally exhausted right now to either get started on my next school item on the to-do list OR to knit or quilt or anything. In fact, I might just go to bed.

posted by Duff on November 25, 2011 | Comments (0)

NaBloPoMo 24

I only left the house once today. And I continue to be TOTALLY PISSED that it still looks like Spring out there and, say, for example, nothing like this:

Hellooooooo, winter? WHERE ARE YOU?

I mean, sure, it's 46 degrees (what a GREAT temperature. perfect for sweatshirt + fall coat!) but other than that, it might as well be April. CRIMINY.

In other super exciting news, I am almost done with my author/illustrator study/presentation for Monday that I've spent most of the day researching/reading. If you don't know Kadir Nelson, and you are a fan of picture books, ya might want to check him out. Great illustrator, has now been writing his own stuff as well. I've written a couple units using his books (this one and this one) and his new one is really fantastic.

As soon as I finish this bad boy, then I can work on my paper for Monday. Then tomorrow I can haul ass on my 15-lesson plan unit. And my portfolio.

Yeah it's a ROCKING GOOD TIME 'round here, lemme tell you.

posted by Duff on November 24, 2011 | Comments (4)

NaBloPoMo 23: Dearest Funchal Moebius, you complete me.

Woops, missed a day! I know you were COMPLETELY BEREFT without me, don't lie!

As for the title, is this not the most glorious pattern you've ever seen?

Yeah, yeah, I KNOW, I started it, I COULD NOT BE CONTAINED.

I am using some of my long (LONG) hoarded Rowan 4-ply botany, otherwise known as THE BEST YARN THERE EVER WAS AND EVER WILL BE.

I think, based on these pictures and without walking to the other room to look at the pattern, that I might be holding the yarns the opposite way that I should be for the dominance of the pattern? (I AM switching which yarn is dominant for each side, but what I mean is, I think I am holding the one dominant that is actually meant to be 'background' on each side / I think I picked the wrong one as dominant).

But since I'm doing it consistently across the board and I have no issues with the way it looks, I AIN'T GONNA WORRY ABOUT IT, YO. In case you thought I was. FYI. Not.

OK I GOTTA GO KNIT. And sleep. Laters!

posted by Duff on November 23, 2011 | Comments (2)

NaBloPoMo 21

Mondays are such a long day for me right now. I needed to be in bed about 2 hours ago...right when I got home. But I may have been unable to sleep until I got a couple rows of fair isle on the needles. WAIT, WHAT? Ssshhhhhhhh, more tomorrow. :)

posted by Duff on November 21, 2011 | Comments (3)

NaBloPoMo 20

Oh MAN I really really really want to knit Kate's new design the Funchal Moebius. Is it not just magnificent???? I think I will use some of my hoarded 4-ply Botany for it. One color will definitely be purple. For the other I am contemplating a turqoise. Or a yellow. Not sure yet.

But first I must finish at least one of the two things I have on the needles.

Likely this hitchhiker scarf (from this pattern/ravelry link)