Late summer 2004 archives from my weblog. July - August - September
April, May, June 04 - January, February, March 04 - November and December 03 - September and October 03
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In other news, I'm going out of town this weekend for the annual Arkansas Bead Cave, a retreat that's pretty much about beads and eating. My family seems worried that I'm going by myself, but there's no reason for it. It isn't that far away, it's in a familiar area, and it's not that far out in the sticks. It's going to be so much fun!
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The Count's Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
It started with a simple affection for counting and
the terror it induced in others, didn't it?
But now it's turned into a full-blown
life-consuming chaotic nightmare of order,
repetition, zealousness, and perfectionism.
You used to be so grand, but now you find
yourself obsessively worrying over the littlest
things--like, maybe if you don't check the
light switch at least once every two minutes,
the electricity will go out (and damnit, you're
a vampire--that shouldn't be a problem!), or
maybe if you don't wash your hands until your
seams are coming out, you'll get some fatal
disease. Get yourself some treatment.
Which Sesame Street Muppet's Dark Secret Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
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I miss being able to bend over, too, but not as much as I thought I would. Valerie's not as wiggly as she was, but makes up for it in intensity. Good thing there haven't been any reports of babies kicking their way out! I swear she could do it. She still likes loud noises and especially music. We play a game now: I drum on my belly for a second, and she kicks close to where I drummed. Cool.
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8/28/04:
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8/25/04:
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8/24/04:
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8/21/04:
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- Interesting fuel cell links:
- How Fuel Cells Work
- Fuel Cell Today news site
- FuelCellStore.com
- The DOE's site on fuel cells
8/20/04:
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8/19/04:
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8/16/04:
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* Campaign commercials suck. Have you checked any of the facts they put forth? Talk about taking things out of context! I guess 'spin doctoring' is still in fashion. Whatta load of freaks. And people are worried about something so trivial as sexual orientation? I'm way more worried about the goons who want to run our country. Take a good look at your Congressional candidates; these are the people that will really screw things up if they want to.
8/14/04:
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I am so hungry.
8/12/04:
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Most of them are crafty stuff in progress or recently finished, like these bracelets for the freeform round robin that are ready to send off. 
I think seven people will have added to each bracelet by the time it's finished, like the one on the right. There are many more crafty item pics in my Handcraft Diaries, with some descriptions and such. The full-size versions of these pictures are in the Yahoo album, if you'd care to look.
* I've been up since 5:30 this morning. This is a horrible and disgusting development, made worse by the fact that I'm not sleepy at all. I guess this is part of nesting? But maybe it's part of my normal mental illness cycle, too. Hard to tell at this point, since nothing seems to work the same way in pregnancy. At least I'm not still morning sick!
8/11/04:
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Here are some more of those Portrait maker pictures, of me and my glasses (except they're smaller ovals and the frames are teal) and the husband. He's more stubbly in person, and (to me, at least) more handsome.
8/10/04:
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* In an effort to occupy my wayward mind, I went through my blogroll and came up with these links. Both are silly fun.
Ike Turner's Guide to Restoring America's Honor at Reecie's
Freud Inventory Test at J.A.S.O.N.'s
Did anyone watch Bill Clinton on the Daily Show last night? He's still pretty funny, that Clinton. Personally, I'd rather have a leader that lied about sleeping around (you think he's the only one? Naif!) than one that lied about having a reason to bomb another country. Oh, I think we've inadvertently done the right thing so far in Iraq, but it could have easily made things a lot worse, too. Luckily most of our armed forces personnel are way smarter than their CIC!
8/8/04:
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8/3/04:
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8/2/04:
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Isn't she adorable? There was an insane amount of decoration to choose from. I particularly like the little dangly star earrings - I used to have a pair like that!
* I promised to discuss my views on the general screwed-upness of the two major plolitical parties; does anyone actually want to read this? I can post it later today (since it's, ewww, 6:30am here, why am I up?) if anyone would like to see it.
7/29/04:
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* Right, the political stuff. First, though, I have to say that when you have so much to say to someone's blog posts, the best thing to do is make a post on our own blog and put the link to your post as a comment on that person's blog. There are plenty of free blog hosting sites, so why not get your voice out there? Or, you can e-mail them if they provide an e-mail address. Mine is kwicz@kwicz.com, easy to remember. Bandwidth and blog storage space is often precious, so it's more polite to use your own whenever you can - lots of us are paying for ours, me included. Of course, I have a lot more than this blog on my site, too; free hosting would never cover it all! But I also have plenty of both space and bandwidth for now.
* I believe that we all have the right (and freedom, while it lasts), to have our own opinions. I welcome debate, but I think it is possible to state your views without being rude. We're so used to rudeness in the political arena that we have started to behave that way ourselves! One way to be less inflammatory is to stop using buzzwords like "baby-killers". The term "pro-abortion" is downright politcally correct in comparison, but both are inaccurate descriptions of what most pro-choice people actually want. I won't call you a facist if you won't call me a bleeding-heart liberal, sort of thing. ;) Tomorrow, we'll tackle my reasons for feeling that the Republicans, as well as most of the Democrats, are the worst thing since Stalin. Eventually, if you like, I can explain why I'd never have an abortion but am still pro-choice. But that's later; I'd like to cover less irrationally controversial issues first. This could be pretty fun!
* Pregnancy update: next month is the regular ultrasound, where we get to see what the kidlet is. I'm excited! Physically, I feel almost normal except the odd little cramps, tickly kicks from the kid, and, well, more breast weirdness. If regional growth is any indication, there will be no trouble nursing this kid! There will be trouble finding bras, though. The weirdest thing is that I'm not gaining weight fast enough, so where is all this coming from? I'm going to have to try eating more red meat, or something. I've got 27 more pounds to gain here, in the next five months!
7/27/04:
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* Anyway, we went to the husband's 10-year high school reunion over the weekend and had a nice visit with his parents. The drive is so much better since they fixed I-40, though there are a couple of sections they seem to be still working on. It's still too far to drive very often, though; I guess I'm a weenie, but the trip wears me out! It was worth it to see the nice green rice fields, though. They're a beautiful color, one that I've loved since I was a little girl. That and the color of the sky on a clear, cool day in October; too bad the two can't be seen together! I managed not to point out any livestock except for the goats, too. And I've resolved never to travel without a pillow again! My poor back.
7/20/04:
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* I can feel the baby moving around! You can't really see it from the outside, but I swear the kid is jumping up and down sometimes. It's so exciting! And extremely bizarre-feeling, as well. I really do feel like I'm inhabited by an alien sometimes.
7/16/04:
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7/9/04:
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* We had a nice Independence Day, except for the husband, who had to work. At least he got to come to lunch! I went with the rest of my family to watch fireworks in Bentonville. Looks like they've improved some of the colors, and there were even a few shaped ones, which used to be very expensive, but maybe not anymore. It's nice to watch fireworks without having to drown yourself in DEET first.
7/2/04:
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* I found this funny quiz while surfing today: 20 Questions to a Better Personality. My result? "You are an SEDF--Sober Emotional Destructive Follower. This makes you an evil genius. You are extremely focused and difficult to distract from your tasks. With luck, you have learned to channel your energies into improving your intellect, rather than destroying the weak and unsuspecting. Your friends may find you remote and a hard nut to crack. Few of your peers know you very well--even those you have known a long time--because you have expert control of the face you put forth to the world. You prefer to observe, calculate, discern and decide. Your decisions are final, and your desire to be right is impenetrable. You are not to be messed with. You may explode." Hee hee!
WIP Log Archive:
July - AugustApril, May, June 04 - January, February, March 04 - November and December 03 - September and October 03 - July and August 03
* No progress on projects, but preparation for beady fun. Lists and packing (and frantic hunting for stuff I know I have somewhere). Gotta get ready for the bead cave, after all!
Husband Scarf
* Here's the hip scarf.
Hip Scarf
The pictures in the previous post just won't go where I want them, so I'm trying to only put one picture per post from now on. It's just easier. Hopefully, I'll find out how to fix that! One of these CSS/XML references has to say... *Update: do you like my fix?*
* Pictures!
* I charted a heart cable and twist-stitch design. The instructions for closed-ring cables in Charted Knitting Designs helped considerably. Now I can design a horribly girly baby sweater. After all, I finished off the rose quartz daisy-chain necklace and even made matching earrings, started the second husband sock, worked on the husband scarf, and got the patterns and fabric together for some maternity sewing. The aqua spiral herringbone bracelet was actually almost done when I realized it would be an inch too short, so I just undid it back to the center focal bead. Wish I had some ideas for earrings to go with that set. I just dunno, maybe a section of the herringbone with the faceted beads covering a hoop? Might be too big, but I guess I won't know till I try it.
* I've been a busy girl! I made a new belly dance costume with harem pants and a top that's basically the shelf bra and sleeves from the City Tees pattern. I need to take pictures since so much has gotten done this past few weeks! One husband sock is done, one-third of the hip scarf is done, the rose quartz and faceted pearl necklace is basically done and I'm experimenting with a matching earring, and of course there's the costume. I checked out another Barbara Walker book from the library, Charted Knitting Designs - A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns, and it's giving me lots of ideas, especially paired with the methods of her top-down knitting book. I love charts to work from, I often convert written instructions to charts, but it's a lot easier if the pattern is already charted. Lace hearts and cables! And I finally understand how to do the twist-stitch patterns, too. I wish her books weren't so expensive and hard to get. I guess I should be glad they're back in print at all.
* Baby pants are done! Baby things are so quick to make. I like the recipe I used for the pants, so I may make some for me! The husband projects are moving along, one sock is all but done and the scarf is ten inches long now. I got s few useful items at Lowe's today for jewelry making and other crafting: a scribe, heavy-duty cutoff wheels for my Dremel, and a light-duty staple gun. And earplugs and new safety glasses; if I'm going to be carving into aluminum and plastic, it's better to have my eyes and hearing protected. All this may have to be done outside, unfortunately, because there really isn't anywhere I can set up a dust-containment box or anything. Maybe I'll stick to knitting and more conventional beading for a while longer.
* The baby sweater is done. My stitch gauge was off, so it's kinda big for the 3-6 month size I was aiming for, but it works for 9-12 months, so it's useable, anyway. The pattern is on my crafts page. I'm unsure whether to add the pants to that, because they are basically Barbara Walker's top-down seamless pants without darts, so it may be a copyright infringement. Or not; there are an amazing number of articles and patterns on the web that reference her books. I love that book! I checked it out from the library and took notes. The baby sweater was designed prior to my reading of it, so I know it doesn't infringe. I'm working on a pattern for one-piece skirt and bloomers that uses double knitting techniques to separate the pieces at the waistband. It'll be soooo cute!
Poor Sonnet is stalled until I can order the Cotton-Ease, but I found a great site to order it from: DiscountYarnSale.com. Actually, we'll see how good it is when I order. It may take too long, or something.
8/25/04:
* I started a new baby sweater. It's a rather plain thing in lilac and yellow Baby eri on US 8 needles, basically a stockinette stitch T-shape. I ran out of Cotton-Ease for Sonnet about two-thirds of the way through the second sleeve, and none of my Hobby Lobbies have that color, or much Cotton-Ease at all! I feel silly ordering one ball of the stuff, but maybe I'll get some of that nifty new Imagine ribbon or something, too. Today is Hancock's one-day sale, and I'm hoping to find some nice fabrics to make outfits with some of the stuff I already have. And some for harem pants and nursery things. Whee!
8/25/04:
* We're having a girl! So the baby sweater I'm about to make can be pink and have little heart-shaped cables on it. ;) Actually, at least one baby sweater will be plain and neutrally colored. Then will come the girly stuff. The second Disco sock is past the toe now, thanks to the wait to have the ultrasound done, so maybe they'll actually get finished before it gets really cold.
8/24/04:
* The spiral herringbone necklace is done! 
I may put a different clasp on it, if I find something more suitable. I'm almost three inches into the bracelet, and thinking about earrings for the set. No idea what they will be like, except sparkly and aqua. The husband scarf has a couple more inches on it, and so does the second sleeve of Sonnet, which was started a couple of days ago. I decided that the lacy wrap from IK was never going to work in the Sugar 'n Cream, so it's probably getting unraveled or just cast off at its current length. And the beaded hip scarf is undergoing yet another incarnation after I found a better openwork pattern to try. I kind of want to make a poncho (darn that peer pressure!), but I also want to make a baby sweater, so we'll see which wins out.
8/21/04:
* The husband sweater is off the needles. It just needs blocking, sewing together, and a neckband. 
The husband sock is about an inch into the cuff, and the scarf is six inches long. However, I'm finishing the first sleeve of Sonnet today if it kills me, and hopefully starting the second one. I'm to the cap shaping, so it will be sad if I don't finish it!
Today's picture is a piece I made sometime in 2003 from two of Bevvie's patterns, Russian Spiral and her Rope
Enhancer. I fully intend to make another set like it, but with less, um...contrast. Possibly all lime green. ;) I never said it wouldn't be a bright color! But two different finishes on the beads, like matte 8/0s and silver-lined 11/0s. Tone-on-tone, sort of. They're great patterns, anyway, fun to make. The enhancer is particularly good for odds and ends of 4-8mm "special" beads, like tiny flowers and pearls.
8/20/04:
* My attention span is shot. But I did work on the husband's scarf last night.
The cables are turning out even better than I expected, loose edge stitches notwithstanding. It'll be a very cool scarf. I have an idea for a relatively quick to make product line for possible craft fair sales, so maybe that'll get worked on soon. I should really just finish off the spiral herringbone necklace so I'll have a new piece to wear!
8/19/04:
* I started the requested husband scarf. So far, it's rope and a modified staghorn cable in a muted blue Wool-Ease on US 8 needles. We'll see if the man likes it. Oh yes, the aquamarine spiral herringbone necklace is in the home stretch, just a few more inches before a clasp solution becomes the only obstacle to a wearable piece. Then it's on to the bracelet and earrings! 
Today's picture is the sadly neglected Shapely Tank by Joan McGowan. I love her patterns, and the shaping on this one is great. It just wasn't as fun to work on when I found out I probably wouldn't be able to wear it until next summer; the yarn I chose is not at all stretchy or otherwise accommodating. If the front hadn't been almost done, I probably would have started over with more stitches at the bottom and possibly made it ribbed instead of stockinette. I may adapt the pattern for a larger gauge for the next one, though, just for quicker gratification. Well, that and the pattern is simple enough for some of those really nifty novelty yarns that just came out. I love those things, even though I rarely make anything with them.
8/16/04:
* Learning photo-editing software is time consuming. I think I may have finally figured out how to get a good picture of the aqua and green Swarovski component pieces, at least. 
Today's picture is a sock picture! Sportweight Wool-Ease in 'Wood' on US 5 dpns, toe-up. The texture is a modified rib, k4p2 for four rows, k2p4 for two rows. They will be for my husband, who has yet to get any knitted items. He's been waiting three years for a sweater! He actually asked for a scarf, but that won't take long. I've also made a very homely crocheted water bottle cover, and I see no reason to take pictures of it.
8/12/04:
* Got some pictures posted! They are in my Yahoo Photo Album, under beading and knitting. Feel free to look at the other pictures, too. Here are the mini versions (full size ones are in the album to save server space):
Three of the bracelets I've worked on for the freeform round robin. The one at the right is finished, and the other two are still in progress. Seven people will have added to each one by the time it's finished! They are turning out beautifully, too. Plus, it's quite fun.
Beady works. First is the aquamarine spiral herringbone stitch and lampwork bead necklace. It's over halfway finished, and if I hadn't been so fumble-fingered last night, it would be two-thirds of the way done.
Next is the herringbone stitch and shell necklace, awaiting some amethyst 8/0 seed beads to start the "halo" around the shell pendant. The halo will not only highlight the shell, but also allow the strappy pieces to be attached at an angle so the necklace will lay comfortably on the neck.
Then there's an orange freeform I started last year, when I was learning to make a base going lengthways instead of across the width. It's just now receiving embellishment, so it's pretty boring other than the fact that it's very, very orange. Also a bracelet, like the round robin pieces; maybe someday I'll tackle a necklace like my friend Marcie (top pictures).
Can't leave out the ABC 2004 Challenge piece. It's pink and green and Russian spiraly, with the challenge buttons as double clasps. The netted bits in between the buttons will have loops on both ends, so it's interchangeable with something simpler, or longer, or whatever I come up with. Not a bad design, if I do say so myself.
Last but not least, my second *finished* bead crochet piece. Clear matte 8/0 seed and 4mm fire-polish beads on yellow-to-blue variegated size 8 perle cotton, joined into a continuous loop. The join is not my best work, but it's sturdy and the bracelet is very comfortable - just roll it over the hand and wear like crazy. It would last longer if I'd used polyester thread, but it'll still last for years made with cotton.
On to the knitting. Sonnet's body is done and the shoulders seamed together, though not blocked. I think it shows in the picture, where the fronts are kinda wonky. The sleeve is still coming along; there are five more sets of increases left before I can even think about cap shaping. That's garter stitch with a small diamond lace motif; it's hard to see in the pictures but it looks good in person. I found the lace in my vintage McCall's Needlework Treasury, though I'm sure it's been documented elswhere as well by now.
Somehow, there are no sock pictures, but that can be remedied tomorrow, right?
8/11/04:
* Found the camera. It was shacking up with some DVDs in the living room. This is why I should spend more time cleaning and less crafting - like that will ever happen! Why no pictures today? I still can't figure out how to save them to display the desired dimensions on the internet in my Adobe Photoshop Elements. Stupid program. The newest full Photoshop is just as bad, too. Still plugging away at Sonnet's sleeve, but the violety herringbone and shell necklace hit a snag, so I've been embellishing an orange peyote freeform base I made last year instead of finishing it. The husband actually asked for a scarf, so that's next after I finish Sonnet. Even the Disco socks have a few more rows done! I've also been working on a certain long-dormant project that shouldn't be named right now if I want its completion to be a surprise. All this to avoid dealing with the nursery...
8/8/04:
* You know, I could probably finish something if I'd quit starting new projects! Actually, Sonnet's first sleeve is still coming along, and the freeforms are all ready to send off tomorrow. But I started another bead project - plummy fuschia shading to silvery purple straps with a shell pendant and pearls. The straps are herringbone, because it goes so fast, and the pendant will be hung between them using a brick stitch technique I've been meaning to try anyway. Almost done with the straps already, and if I could find my camera, I'd show them to you. Maybe the ants carried it off...
8/3/04:
* Sonnet's sleeve sails smoothly. I can't decide on edging for the poor thing around the neck, so onto the sleeves. The last freeform is going well. I can't find my camera, or there'd be pictures. Who knows where the poor thing ended up? The nursery project is about to get underway, and it's about time. Only five months to go! Maybe I should start on some baby sweaters?
7/29/04:
* Progress! I'm working on the last round robin freeform, and Sonnet. I really need to finish Sonnet, since it's been so cool here as to need a light sweater! The freeforms have been so much fun to work on that I'll probably make another for myself. Now that I have a better idea how to make a freeform truly free, I hope to make several more. If I can stop knitting long enough, that is...
7/27/04:
* Lots worked on. We went out of town over the weekend, and the first Disco sock is finished, Sonnet's body is almost done, and I finished one round robin bracelet and am almost done with a second. I should take pictures! I love pictures on other blogs, so I'm sure other people do, too. The bracelets are particularly fun to see in progress, since freeform is very prone to drastic changes over the course of its construction. Sonnet and the sock aren't all that unusual, but they are pretty. I'm researching common recycleable plastics (that aren't accepted for recycling here) for craft projects. I think a line of recycled-plastic jewelry and decorative items could fly, even around here. My original idea was to use the detergent bottles that can't be recycled here to make cabs for beadwork; I can carve 'em with my Dremel or paint them or whatever. It's a fascinating field in a lot of ways, and maybe I can even write an article to sell out of the research! I haven't forgotten about the patterns I intend to write, but I'm so easily sidetracked...
7/20/04:
* Wanton neglect of a blog. I always intend to post in this one too, I just keep forgetting, or not doing anything interesting. The remaining round robin bracelets are here, and I've started work on them. I need to post a pic of me wearing mine, as it's very cool. They are all going to be amazing. I'm still playing around with the ribbon yarn, but I'm ready to follow instructions again, so one of the WIPs is probably going to see some action. Beady beady beep!
7/10/04:
* Tiny sweaters, in my wine... No, wait, on my needles. I've been trying to find a design I like for the Valeria di Roma Calella ribbon and failing, so I've been playing with the top-down raglan thing. The first mini model was very messed up! It helps to have both sleeve and body increases if you want to have shoulders. The second one is much better, and I may have to make a doll just for my model sweaters! ;) I got most of the rest of the round robin bracelets, so I need to work on them and get them out. Finishing the net bracelet, the ABC challenge piece, and the spiral herringbone necklace would be good, too. I need more bracelets. And tank tops. Hey, a side-to-side tank in the ribbon, with garter panels to accommodate my growing belly, that would work!