Category: Blog

For 4 years I had the pleasure of  teaching at a knitting shop that a dear friend opened in 2006.

Knit & Pearl Boutique, owned by Julie Rainak, was my home yarn shop for a long time but it’s time has come to an end. So sad that life gets in the way sometimes. Julie has had to close the shop due to family obligations. She will keep the facebook page & blog going, hoping to arrange some meetups and knit-a-longs.
I was lucky enough to teach some of the greatest knit students in all of Santa Barbara! I have missed my classes, students & especially the shop since leaving 2+ years ago.

Julie surprised me with a package that I found on my porch this morning! Wanna see it? Okay!

Oh my goodness! Look at all the vintage buttons!! And the cashmere lace yarn! And the sticker & the Spud & Chloe project bag! Wow. I feel like a very spoiled girl right now.

Julie, thank you so much for being such a great friend for years.
I wish you & your family all the best in life, love & health!
Santa Barbara is really losing a treasure. Your store was an inspiration for local business, women business owners & yarn shops.

Congratulations on the successes you have had the last 6 years!!

 

I am really loving the texture of lace lately. Tattoos, clothes, household items. Not just knit or crochet, although this apron in the picture is one that is crocheted & wouldn’t be difficult to mimic with half of a doily chart.

I am thinking it may be time to save a few pennies & hit thrift stores & garage sales for some good lace to play with. Tablecloths, doilies, curtains (so much yardage in curtains to play with!)

Just a thought ;o)

Google Image Result for http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j_fYCjeXEfw/T4tYVdwrCvI/AAAAAAAAFsI/hvzt4ELaAPs/s640/via%2Bnight%2Btattoo38.jpg.

For many, many years my friends have warned me I CANNOT watch any of the hoarding shows on TV. Every once in a great while I stop on one as I click past. Tonight I actually watched an entire episode of Hoarding: Buried Alive. 

And wow. 

WOW.

The sadness that comes with living, if you can call it living, in an environment like that. 
It is amazing how obvious it is to me that it’s a way to keep people away from you, the hoarder.
I feel their pain, their anxiety, that comes with the control issues that are being physically manifested in their homes. 
I don’t judge them, I deal with my own very real control issues. It makes me want to clean out & get rid of every little thing that I can. And since we lost every thing we owned 2 years ago there isn’t much for me to go through. 
Josh brought a lot of belongings to the marriage but he was willing to give up his control and at least let me organize it in a way that pleased both of us. That was a huge worry for me, marrying someone that leans towards collecting things (mostly electronic/ computer bits & pieces). But we’ve done very well compromising. I pat us on the back for that!

I just want to go in & help but having worked as an organizer/ cleaner/ hauler I know how difficult it is for hoarders to see their problem & hand over the control.

I disappeared there for about an hour…reorganized and downsized the bathroom shelves & small cupboard. And scrubbed the toilet. And deep cleaned the kitchen sink, it’s got a paste on soaking for a bit before I go to bed. 

And that’s what happens when I watch hoarders. And I feel guilty for not vacuuming, sweeping & mopping today.
I will lay in bed thinking of all the things that could be done…I WILL NOT be watching hoarding shows any longer.

Lesson learned. 

 

Roller Derby.

I posted on Facebook earlier today that I am considering trying it out.

It’s a huge financial & time commitment. From what I see it would cost close to $400 to get started & at least $50 a month.

Time commitment would be 3 practices a week, 2 of which are on Josh’s days off so that kinda blows, plus bouts & committee, fundraising, etc.

I am enjoying my summer time off of work, with the kids, getting a lot of knitting/crochet time. Christmas gifts are about 75% done. Not too shabby & not a penny spent so far.

But…emotionally & physically I honestly am not doing so hot. Hormones are wreaking havoc on me.
4 months post-partum & changes are a-happenin’. Hair loss, jiggly weight gain (not much just enough for me to panic) & other feminine issues that don’t necessarily need to be discussed here, let’s just say I am having issues with the #1 pain in the ass side effect of the hormonal implant. I do know my body though & if I start exercising I won’t have that issue at all. Okay, fine, spotting/bleeding, all the time! There, you made me say it.

So, back to the issue at hand. Skating.

I WANT to do it. I know for a fact I can do it & kick ass.

Couple of drawbacks; I am 37, kinda old. I am skinny & not willing to change. I have no issue building muscle, I kinda love doing it too much, to the detriment of my body actually. That’s another issue. I worry I will end up undereating/overexercising…oh yah, that’s me, being bulimic. I’m good at it. I have been doing everything I can not to do that. Sit on my ass & knitting seems to be working lol

TIME. That is a lot of time. MONEY. That is a lot of money for me to spend on myself while also spending that time away from the family. I spent half that much on my last gym membership but spent an average of 2 hours a day at the gym, at least 6 days a week. But, I wasn’t married.  The gym was right by my work so I scheduled in to my “work day”. Now I feel it’s something that would take time from my marriage. 2 nights & middle of the day Sunday. Josh will not like that at all. Period. I am selfish so I would justify it.

Hmmm…maybe I can email the coordinator and see if I can sit in on a couple practices before actually starting the 90 day newbie classes.

Then again, I know for a fact that will make me want to do it even more.

I joined a Ravelry group, Hard Hitting Knitters, and I think I will glean info from them as well. Love my knitting community, it’s got a little bit of everything.

 

1 gallon jar of water with 1 large lemon, 1 lime, 6 strawberries, sweetened with stevia.

Filmage.

 

BBC News – London 2012: Crocheted lions unveiled as part of Cultural Olympiad.

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