Happy Xmas, New Year, everything!

So, I spent Christmas day on a plane back from Las Vegas. I really enjoyed it! Good eats! Good shopping! Good gaming. I took the $200 that I won and we ate with it that night. I didn't take that many pictures but they're found here. I took a few pictures out the plane window. It's amazing to see a desert and then a city pops up. I admit that I ended up leaving the camera at the hotel for most of the trip. I also finished some socks.


These were made with Colinette Jitterbug on a 40 inch size 2 (magic loop). Pattern was Wendy's generic toe up sock pattern.

Beady Inspiration

My god! Two posts within a week! Things have been hectic and I had been forced to stop and do some beading. I had class this weekend so I was forced to write up the instructions for that, so we'll start there:


Yes, I am quite happy with how this turned out. The tea cup is one of a set of 4 that I had picked up in an antique store in Old Town Alexandria.

Class itself went well, I thought. There were only a couple of students so the pace was slow. Also, I think this may be a better fit for a beginner pattern.

The tiger eye cabochon went to the Bead Obsessions staff party gift exchange. I was trying to decide between that one and this one:

Yeah, inspiration struck and finally, between the beading and the knitting, I was truly inspired. I just hadn't been for a while. And in the mean time, I've been struck with a need to make shawl pins. "Need" I say. I've given one away as a present so far...and the one in the picture may end up on etsy sometime soon. It would, of course, be after I wear it.


That's a purple glass heart that I've had for a while and I've been trying to figure out what to do with.

still beading

8am at Target

It seems that 8am at Target in Parsippany, NJ is very similar to 8am at Target in Alexandria, VA. You have 10-20 cars with people sitting in them waiting for the Target to open. Yes, I have sat at Target here at home waiting for them to open. The one at Potamac Yards, that area gets crazy if you go on a weekend so you might as well go early when everyone else is still asleep! Well, I was successful. I found a $40 dress that fit me perfectly and is a muted purple/grey color with lace and lining. I think I'll wear it to my other friend's reception next summer as well. I also found some jewelry to match as well and what was going through my head was, "These look great but 1. They could be of so much better quality if I made them myself! 2. I must stop and examine this style of necklace so I can recreate it. 3. The quality really would be much better if I just made it myself! 4. Why do I travel and not bring my own jewelry supply???"

I spent last night in Brooklyn with a friend. We went to Hill Country for more BBQ cuz we were both craving it. I had about a pound of meat consisting of prime rib (don't get the end cut), moist brisket, and a pork rib. Oh, and some diet coke. That's right, no vegetables. Our eating adventures were ruined by this couple sitting next to us. The woman was complaining about how the food wasn't done right and how the meat was too fatty and not cooked enough. I was ready to reach across the table and smack her.

The drive time back went remarkably fast, even with the weather. It snowed last night in Brooklyn and it rained all the way back and I still made it in just under 4.5 hours.