DeviantART and Me

I decided to check my deviantART account yesterday after quite a very long time.

I used to do a lot fractals over there, and after I couldn't keep up with what everyone else was doing and how over-saturated the community was over there, I lost interest.

I went over, cleaned up my account, subscribed for a month, just to see how it goes, and did some adjustments.  I think I'll use it to feature some photographs and throw up a knitting project or two there just to see what happens.

In the meantime, take a look over there, and laugh at my bad fractals and really early photography.  It's ok, I did so myself.

Love me a good swap!

Swaps are quite popular over at Ravelry.  What is a swap?  Join a group in the forums that has a theme you enjoy, sign up for a partner, and follow the rules.  Usually, swaps have a dollar limit, and requirements, such as an edible treat, a crafted project, and yarn.

For example, I recently participated in a Boardgame Swap with the Nerdy Swaps group.  I listed my likes and dislikes, what boardgames, card games, etc that I enjoy, and was assigned a partner.  Above is what my awesome swap partner sent me.

• Tea as my edible treat.
• A duct tape notions bag in the style of a Carcassonne tile (I'm a beast at Carcassonne.)
• A dice bag feature the Forest mana symbol from Magic:  The Gathering.
• Yummy alpaca yarn.  Alpaca is my favorite fiber of all time.
• Dice erasers
• Blank cards for the game Fluxx
• Playing cards with a Lego motif
• A note from my partner, which is on an Ed Hardy card, and I am a fan of Ed Hardy's work, but I don't think my partner knew that, so it was a happy surprise!

This was a very pleasant swap experience.  My swap advice?  Be a pleasant partner.  Communicate.  If you cannot meet deadlines, let the person and your partner who you are coordinating with know.  Get tracking numbers when you ship.  Basically, follow the rules and you will be fine.

Three Projects

I am behind on updating my FO's, and here are three that I have completed and want to share with you guys. 

1.  Murky Waters Scarf

 I've knit this scarf a few times, and I felt like doing it again for a Ravelry project.  I also spun the yarn a while ago.  I think it turned out quite nice!  I'll probably put it in the pile to sell at a craft show.

2.  Raven Collar

I love it when I can knit something out of Vogue Knitting, or at least adapt one from there.  In the Spring/Summer 2013 issue, there was a series of collar that looked fun and fashionable to knit.  I gave on a shot, and here it is!

Below is a closeup of the actual lace pattern.  This one is modeled after "Tango."

3.  Lovegood Square 3  I always thought owl cables looked difficult, but they really aren't and I gave on a shot for one of my Hogwart's squares.  I had some lovely yellow Plymouth Encore Worsted that made for nice knitting and made a lovely background for my owl here.

Well, those are my three projects that I wanted to share with your this evening?  What have you finished recently?  Tell me!

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OT: Dear Dad

Dear Dad,

It's me, Jenn!  Today would have been your 60th birthday. 

Life has been good down here and we miss you a lot.  You've been gone almost eight years after a battle with cancer.  There have been so many sci-fi movies we didn't get to see in the theater, so many hockey games we didn't get to watch, and many family gatherings that you have been missed at. 

As we remember you on your birthday, we know you are no longer suffering.  Still, there's a Dad-sized hole in my heart that no one else will ever be able to replace.

Here's to you, Dad.  I love you.

Jenn

Another baby on the way!

My cousin Carl and his girlfriend Katie are expecting!  That's two new baby girls for the family.

I finished a small gift of a hat and booties set for the baby last night.  I used a soft and silky Red Heart yarn and the set knit up pretty fast.  I finished both booties in one evening.  Both the hat and booties are sized for a three month old.

I wish I could share some of my surprises for Allie here, but I want them to be actual surprises in case my sister catches a glimpse of the blog. 

OT: The flu that isn't the flu.

Sorry about another "off topic" post.  I have been sick with a virus that imitates influenza, or a paravirus, as my doctor described it.  And I feel crummy.

Yesterday was filled with knitting, Gordon Ramsey on BBC, and naps.  I was home and quite under the weather.  I'm back on my feet today, but I still am a bit out of it. 

Well, back to pushing fluids and painkillers.  I ache all over.  Not fun. 

OT: Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

Yeah, but not so well.

It's pathetic, because I have a degree in German, but I haven't spoken it seriously for about eleven years.  And that's bad.  My language skills have atrophied.

I went to a German-speaking meetup yesterday, complete with German expats and locals who just want to practice their language skills.  We met at a local brewery.

If you ever meet me in person, I'm quite awkward.  Quiet. Weird.  I don't know why I put myself in social situations with strangers AND speaking another language.  It's beyond me, but I want to be more outgoing, make new friends, and practice a skill that I let go.

When I did speak, my spoken language skills were atrocious, mostly because I was nervous.  But, on the positive side, I did understand a lot of the conversations around me.

I'm taking steps to get better.  Not only will I go back to this meetup, but I also bought a Conversational German book on my Kindle and am practicing.  I'm determined.  Weird thing, this morning on the elevator, I thought it was funny that people were speaking English.  Wait a second!  I guess some of my German skills are buried in my brain after all if I'm think in German again.

In an effort to tie this in with knitting, I suppose that's why I keep chugging along with knitting.  I want to keep learning.  I want to keep my skills sharp. And I'm going to do that with my German now.