I'm Only Slightly Obsessed

I'm Getting Married!!

2011-10-18T09:50:00.001-06:00

Me and my fiancee

Yup, I'm ENGAGED! My lovely boyfriend Jared asked me to marry him last week. We kept it a secret for a few days and then told our families and now I'm telling YOU! We are so excited. We are planning a wedding for the end of December 2012.

The actual proposal was very simple. We were sitting on the couch talking about something completely different and he looks at me and just says, "Will you marry me?" Of course I said yes. We kissed and the rest is history.

Since I am a crafter, I am seriously debating doing some knitting for this wedding, maybe a lace shawl? Hmm....the possibilities....

Lots of love,
Luci

A Use for Postcards

2011-09-14T22:01:00.000-06:00

I've been collecting postcards for over a decade now and I have an entire shoebox of postcards from all over the world. Sometimes I use them in my scrapbooking but generally they just sit in the box on the shelf. Looking through them brings back lots of good memories from various trips I've taken or the people who have given them to me.

A couple weeks ago, I was looking through my box of postcards and thought, some of these would look really cool on my wall and started exploring options to use them in decorating. My boyfriend, who used to be a framer at Hobby Lobby, was helpful in what would be really expensive and what wouldn't be.

Then I found a collage frame from Hobby Lobby, normally priced at $24.99 which I purchased for half price. It took me a while to find the right collection of postcards that looked enough alike but still cohsive.

From left to right, top to bottom: New York City; Crested Butte, CO; Long's Peak, CO; Mt Hood, OR; Den Haag (Holland); Grand Canyon; Navy Pier, Chicago; Paris.

Got it hung up the other day in the dining room and I like the touch of color it adds to the space!

love and coffee,
Lulu

Start of a New Adventure

2011-09-06T16:51:00.000-06:00

Most of you readers know that I don't stick to just one or two crafts but fancy several. Quilting has yet to be one of them, but it has always fascinated me. My great aunt Nancy is an amazing quilter who made me a gorgeous quilt for my high school graduation. She has been super supportive via Facebook. Hi Aunt Nancy!

Last week, I took a plunge and bought a quilting book from the local quilt shop Stitcher's Garden.

I've really enjoyed flipping through the book and looking at all the projects and reading the how-to sections. I think I will start taking a beginning quilter's class at the shop.

Then yesterday, I decided to take the plunge and purchase some fabric! JoAnn's was having a Labor Day sale.

Today I washed it and pressed it. I will try my hand at cutting with scraps leftover from other sewing projects. I will keep you readers posted!

love and coffee,

Lulu

Laundry Quandry

2011-08-19T10:21:00.001-06:00

This is my laundry room. It is small but functional. I love my tankless hot water heater and my snazzy energy-efficient washer and dryer. However, I want my little laundry room to look pretty...

Painting is out of the question for a while and I think it would be way too troublesome to paint anyway. I really do want to hang up my ironing board somehow, and I've been looking around at things to hang it it up with. I think I found something I want at Target.

Maybe some colored bins on the shelf above the washer and dryer would be nice... Not to mention keeping it clean would probably do wonders!

Hmm, so many ideas.... What are yours?

love and coffe,
Lulu

The Beauty of Onions

2011-08-11T11:10:00.000-06:00

Onions are so versatile. You can use them in tons of cooking dishes. They can be savory or sweet. The other night I decided to caramelize some onions to top some beef I made for dinner. I started with a frying pan with melted butter heated over medium-heat. I thinly sliced a white onion.

Mmmm... Some kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper... Stir them around to get them nice and covered in the melted butter. Oooh my kitchen smelled so good! I tossed in a spoonful of brown sugar, a trick I learned from America's Test Kitchen.

After a while, the onions start to get nice and brown but a little translucent. Soft with the most subtle crunch... A few minutes later I added a couple tablespoons of red wine.

Yummy! And they were so good too. I ate several spoonfuls of these onions just plain.

Aren't onions amazing?

New Acquisitions Thanks to Mom

2011-08-08T10:36:00.006-06:00

My mom is a bargain-hunting queen. She was the one who found my china cabinet and buffet table at a garage sale for dirt cheap. After unpacking my grandmother's good china, I realized I didn't have a teapot. Or a gravy boat for that matter... My mom texted me Saturday that she found me a teapot at a garage sale. It doesn't match my china set, which is blue and gold, but it's pretty!

The other nifty thing she found for me were two groovy picture frames on clearance at Target. Winning price? Only $1.98 each!

I love the color green. I have a black bookshelf a friend gave me that sits in my living room. I plan to put these on the top shelf once I find pictures to put in them.

Too bad these pictures don't really do them justice! Hopefully once I get that shelf more settled, I will take more pictures.

What great finds have you taken home lately?

Trying Something New

2011-08-07T13:22:00.001-06:00

I have always enjoyed reading blogs that have cool graphics. One of my friends made my banner for me, which I love, but now I'm itching to be able to do it myself. So I downloaded a trial of Corel's Paint Shop Pro. After messing around with it a little bit, I made this...

Yeah, I know it isn't fancy at all. I need some help to learn how to use this program before I commit to buying it. Is there another program out there that would suit my needs better? I want to be able to edit digital photographs for the blog, my etsy shop, and eventually to use in my scrapbooking.

Also, what about Flikr? I know a lot of bloggers use it to store photos. Is it worth getting the pro membership?

What I'm Into Right Now

2011-08-04T09:16:00.000-06:00

I have ADD. Seriously, I do. I go through phases where I am really into something and then it will just kind of fade away from my life. There are certain things I will always love, but the intensity of my devotion will ebb and flow.

That being said, here is what I am really into right now!

The Young House Love blog and making my own house a home
I found it while Googling how to repaint furniture and fell in love. It is written by this couple who are slowly fixing up their old house. All their projects are so inspiring and makes me want to really get into decorating mode around my own house. I've been going through boxes of stuff in the garage, reorganizing and purging my stuff. My boyfriend and I have started talking about him moving in with me sometime next year and I want there to be room for his massive comic book collection.

Watching Mad Men on Netflix
Both my roommate and my boyfriend have watched the first season already, so I need to catch up! I've watched the first five episodes so far and am enjoying a new series. I have mixed feelings, but I think I will stick with it for a while. It is an interesting look at the social climate of the early 1960's.

Sewing
Specifically sewing curtains for my roommate's bedroom and our kitchen window. I'm also currently working on a baby blanket for a coworker which is super simple, just two pieces of flannel with a satin binding. I think I want to get back into sewing clothes again. The Boyfriend is kind of hinting that he would like a robe to wear around my house, and I do have a pattern... It's just a matter of finding the right fabric for the job and then finding the time to sew something so big.

Of course there are a million other things I'm into right now, but those are probably the top three. What are you into right now?

Love and coffee,
Lulu

A New Idea...

2011-06-22T12:19:00.000-06:00

Photo from Indy Total Construction

I think I want to start showcasing Etsy sellers and their shops once a week or so. Maybe interview the seller themselves... What do you think?

Hopefully it will give me some more inspiration to make more stuff to sell in my Etsy shop.

love and coffee,
Lulu

The Housework is Never Done

2011-06-13T14:29:00.000-06:00

Today I realized I haven't completely explained my housing situation. In March, on St. Patty's day to be exact, I moved into my very own house. I have a roommate too, my friend Josh from high school.

This picture I took with my cell phone before I moved in, which is why there is still a touch of snow on the ground. Not much of the exterior of the house has changed yet. We are trying to plan the landscaping now, but it is taking a long time

Meanwhile, I've been in the house for almost three months and am still not completely unpacked. It has been a slow and steady process to make this house a home. Today is my first day off in seven days of working full time, and I am not relaxing. Since this morning, I have been cleaning and trying to put stuff away, catch up on laundry, and enjoying some really yummy iced coffee.

There is still a lot to do but I'm slowly chipping away at that To-Do list!

love and coffee,

Lulu

New Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug

2011-06-11T10:41:00.000-06:00

In March, my LYS had all their green yarn on sale for 33% off. This included solids varigated yarns like the two skeins of Colinette Jitterbug sock yarn I bought.

Colinette Jitterbug in "Lagoon"

Colinette Jitterbug in "Popsicle"

Any idea what I should make with these two beauties? I'm thinking socks, since it is sock yarn after all... But I think baby booties and maybe a hat would be just darling from the Popsicle skein.

Love and coffee,

Lulu

Do You Know the Way to Santa Fe?

2011-06-08T11:58:00.000-06:00

Last month my boyfriend and I went to Santa Fe for a much-needed weekend away.

One of the first things we did was go to a comic book shop. I don't know if I've written about what a huge nerd my boyfriend is, but he is. So I made him pose for a picture in front of the store.

After lunch, we went to a yarn store! Now I had previously been to a yarn store called Oodles in 2007, which was lots of fun. This time we checked out a yarn store called Looking Glass Yarn & Gifts. It was wonderful, full of tons of fibery treasures. Jared helped me pick out some lovely roving, half yak, half merino.

My dad had a great suggestion to look up that show on the Food Network, Diners Drive-ins and Dives... Where we read about the Tune-Up Cafe. It was so yummy! The food had a distinctive flair and was unique. Plus, we had a great conversation with a local family about what to do and see in Santa Fe.

The only draw back to the trip was the Georgia O'Keefe museum was closed. But other than that, it was such a marvelous trip. I just hope it was the first of many with my honey!

What I Did for Easter

2011-06-08T10:18:00.002-06:00

I realize that Easter was in April and it is now June... but my computer crashed and I am just now getting it back into working order. It's amazing what you miss out on when your computer is dead for a month.

For Easter, my dad took my family to this wonderful French restaurant in Canon City.

Where we ate escargot... SNAILS! And they were delicious.

I also ate some pork chops that were seasoned with dijon. So juicy and flavorful.

And for dessert... chocolate-covered strawberries.

The whole experience was incredible and very enjoyable. One of these days I want to go back!

Finished Bookcase!

2011-05-03T20:54:00.002-06:00

On Sunday, Jared finished super amazing bookcase. I helped a little, but he did most of the work. I really love how it turned out and am slowly but surely filling the shelves with my beloved books. I am really excited to show them off at my house warming party on Saturday!

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My Life as of Lately

2011-04-30T13:33:00.000-06:00

I just really suck at blogging. I'm sorry. I miss blogging and now that school is done, I hopefully should be writing here more even though I think my computer hates me. So some stuff I am really into right now...

Photo Credit

Planning road trips. Mainly, planning a weekend get-away with my amazing boyfriend. We're going to Santa Fe next month. I just booked the hotel this morning, and I'm really excited that we're taking a trip together. We are planning to take a chocolate walking tour, go to the Georgia O'Keefe museum, and hit up a yarn store or two. I'll be sure to try to post pictures of our adventures.

Photo Credit

Gardening and landscaping! We had a new patio poured at my house. Then Jared & I planted some pansies and roses on Earth Day. Once we figure out a possible water drainage problem, I'm going to put in some planter boxes and have a small vegetable and herb garden. I'm thinking tomatoes, bell peppers, basil, chives, and then in the fall I will plant shallot and garlic bulbs.

Decorating. Well, kind of. I'm trying to still get my house in order and make it really feel like home. I'd like to paint some accent walls, but that is low on the list... I should probably get everything unpacked first!!

I'm looking into buying a spinning wheel. I have a couple leads so we'll see where that leads...

Graduation is Thursday!

Bookshelves

2011-04-19T19:35:00.001-06:00

I'm exploring a new side of my creativity. Since I have the most wonderful boyfriend who is building me custom bookshelves, I am helping out by staining some of the wood. And yes, that is stain--a colored stain! How cool is that? We found the colored stain at Lowes, a brand called Minwax. I'm really excited to see how these shelves turn out!

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It's Been Too Long

2011-01-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I last posted. Why does it feel like I am always trying to play catch up for this poor blog? I am sorry my dear readers, if there are any left of you... I guess that just leaves the question: what has been going on in my life lately?

Me and my awesome boyfriend

Well, first of all I am still with Jared, who is officially the most incredible boyfriend in the entire world. I have never been so happy with anybody else. Jared, if you read this, I love you. =)

I've also been working at the mental hospital here and so far I absolutely love my job. School just started this week, and I am excited about the classes I am taking.

As far as knitting goes, I am still working on the Spiderman blanket and really nothing else. That blanket is just so addicting.

I'm sorry I don't really have much else to report. So far 2011 is amazing but kinda uneventful.

love and coffee,
Lulu

Spiderman!

2010-12-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Spiderman blanket!

Spiderman to the rescue! To rescue me from the knitting rut I've been in! I will admit that it's not great yarn--just Vanna's Choice acrylic but this pattern is soooo addictive. I've been having a blast knitting it and am having fun watching it grow and grow. I will need to buy a bigger circular needle soon; right now I am knitting it on a 29 inch US 8 circular needle but I put it on two needles to photograph it. I think this blanket will go to my amazing boyfriend once it is finished, but why he deserves hours and hours to work is another post.

Love and coffee,
Lulu

Enjoying My Winter Break

2010-12-20T19:53:00.001-07:00

I feel rather lame because I've just been doing a whole lot of nothing. I'm pretty much all moved into my new apartment and now I am just enjoying the time with my boyfriend. Last night we tried this weird purple haze beer. It wasn't bad actually, just a little different.

As far as crafting goes, I am so behind on Christmas gifts. I don't even want to think about it...

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8 More Days!

2010-12-01T20:32:00.001-07:00

I have 8 more days of this semester left, provided I don't die from all the stress first. I know I haven't been posting here since Halloween, and really my only excuse is that I'm busting my butt in school. I'm planning to celebrate the end of the semester next weekend with a movie night with beer & pizza. Until then, don't expect much from me.

But in other news, I am writing this post from my brand new smart phone. How cool is that?!

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Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T12:21:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween!

Spooky cupcakes I made a couple weeks ago!

I hope everybody has a wonderful Halloween. Today my plans include eating tons of candy, watch scary movies with my boyfriend, and check out a haunted house or two.

Have an awesome Halloween and stay safe.

love and lots of candy,

Lulu

Silly Little Sister

2010-10-29T03:42:00.001-06:00

My sister Rachel

The other night my little sister Rachel, who being three inches taller than I am and sixteen is really not so little, was cleaning her room and tried on our mom's wedding dress. Mom got married at the age of 29 in 1986, and this dress is very obviously from the 80s! I'm amazed it fit Rachel too and how she could make it look so cute. Seriously, this girl can rock almost any look.

How cute is she?

Let's just hope she doesn't get married in this dress. I'm pretty sure she won't, but ya never know...

Shout out to my baby sis!

Zombies oh my!

2010-10-28T20:04:00.000-06:00

Union Station in Denver

This past weekend did not go according to plan at all. My friend Colton and I had planned to see Say Anything at the Summit Music Hall in Denver but tickets had sold out by the time we got there. =(

Thankfully we were only a few blocks away from the Sixteenth Street Mall so we walked over there. While we were driving and walking around downtown, we started seeing a few people dressed like zombies. Then we saw some more people dressed like zombies. Okay we thought, there must be something going on... Then we saw a Zombie Refueling Station.

Colton was shocked that zombies could refuel!

We continued walking around, taking in the sights and zombie-watching. We stopped some nice looking zombies and Colton took my picture.

They thought I looked tasty.

We came to a main gathering place for the zombies. There were all sorts of zombies of all ages. There were zombie families even. Everybody was taking pictures. We even got our picture taken with the Ghostbusters! All the money was donated to Children's Hospital in Denver.

Colton & I with the Ghostbusters Car!

My favorite zombie that I saw was the Spiderman zombie. He even had Mary-Jane's head! He was nice enough to pose when I went to take this picture.

Spiderman Zombie!

We walked around even more, saw a movie (HereAfter) and ate Pinkberry! It was an amazing weekend and we were lucky to pick the perfect day for nothing to go according to plan.

Love and coffee,

Lulu

Playing with Clay

2010-10-21T10:37:00.000-06:00

This is a picture of what I did in class last night.

In addition to my fundamentals of nursing lab and lecture, clinical rotations, and intro to psychiatric care class, I am also taking anatomy & physiology. This is my second time taking this class, and it's hard for me but thankfully with a good teacher and a lot of work, I'll do well.

In the lab portion, we got to adopt a mannequin and use clay to build muscles, tendons, and a brain! Yes, at twenty years old, I am going to school and playing with clay. I have never done something quite like this before in school so I had to take a picture. It's even kind of crafty because it takes a certain artistic talent to make everything look so realistic.

Have you ever done anything off the wall in school before?

Wishing to Write

2010-10-13T18:26:00.000-06:00

When I was in Las Vegas, I saw Julia Robert's latest movie "Eat Pray Love" with my cousin. The movie was amazing and very inspiring. Normally I have a rule about seeing movies based on books: I have the read the book first. Since I started dating Jared however, this rule has been broken many times.

Recently I started reading the phenomenal Elizabeth Gilbert book that inspired the movie. I am just over a third of the way through and have been so... I can't even think of a word to accurately describe how much I love this book. I want to take off and travel for weeks and months at a time now. And one of these days, I will.

A friend I went to high school with has started a blog of her own. I suggest you go check it out for some fun reads every Tuesday. Ruth's blog is called Tuesday Tedium and can be found here.

In other news, I am almost finished with my purple NOT boyfriend scarf, and I can't wait to be done. Today so far has been the coldest day of the season and a cozy merino scarf would have been nice. Sadly it's supposed to warm up the rest of the week but maybe I will be able to finally wear my gorgeous creation next week! I am halfway done with the blue Man scarf as well, and other than those two scarves, I haven't been really actively knitting on much else.

Now off to look up drugs for my nursing class. The studying really never does end, does it?

love and coffee,
Lulu

WIP: The NOT Boyfriend Scarf

2010-09-30T20:51:00.001-06:00

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful maiden named Lulu. She had many loves in life, the two biggest loves being knitting and her friends, and when she could combine these two loves was the best feeling in the world.

The NOT Boyfriend Scarf

While Lulu was in college, one of her friends became more than just a friend, he became her boyfriend, and she decided to knit him a gorgeous and lovely scarf for Christmas. She lovingly selected the nicest merino wool in her stash: two skeins of semi-solid purple Malabrigo. Next, she scoured the Internet for the perfect pattern and decided upon the Seeded Rib Scarf for it would show off the yarn's beautiful color and softness while still being a unisex design. Then she began knitting the scarf, tenderly knitting each knit stitch and purling each purl.

The scarf grew as she continued to knit, but troubled brewed. The boyfriend she thought was so special wasn't as truly wonderful as she once believed. It came time for Lulu to leave college and she left her not-so wonderful boyfriend behind, but she was stuck with an almost finished scarf that felt like silky butter in her hands whenever she would touch it. What to do with the scarf bothered Lulu periodically. Should she continue to knit the scarf to give to another, more deserving person? Should she frog it and use the yarn for something else? Or should she just continue to ignore the almost finished scarf as she had for many months?

Then the day came when Lulu made a decision about the "Boyfriend Scarf". Instead of frogging the almost-finished scarf, she decided to keep knitting it until she finished it, but she would keep it for herself. She works very hard with school and everything else in her life and thought she completely deserves what could quite possibly be the nicest scarf ever knit. Thus, the boyfriend scarf became the NOT boyfriend scarf.

NOT the end.

love and coffee,
Lulu

A Day at the Park

2010-09-29T10:10:00.000-06:00

We are very lucky in my town to not only have a nice city park completely with a zoo, little kid rides, a playground, a lake with ducks and geese, and just lots of nice places to hang out and enjoy nature, but there is also now a dog park! I've gone once before with Zoey and we had such a good time.

On Sunday, my boyfriend and I took my two dogs to the dog park. The little black poodle is Daisy, who we've had for 11 years now. The big brown and white dog is my pitbull Zoey, who had belonged to Tony before he died. She's part of our family now and fits in with the weirdness just fine. Sadly, this pictures basically sums up our whole visit to the park: instead of running around like crazy, playing with other puppies, my dogs just sat in the shade with us. Lame!

The other cute picture I took was this one of me and my wonderful boyfriend. I know it's probably really chesey of me to be writing about him in my blog, but I think he's just that awesome. :-D

And just to tie everything into knitting, the hat I'm wearing is from the Estes Park Wool Market!

Love and coffee,

Lulu

WIP: Blue Edition

2010-09-18T17:09:00.000-06:00

I'm knitting quite a lot of stuff right now, but I realized the other day at knit nite that everything I'm working on right now is BLUE!

Blue Man Scarf

Of course, I'm pretty much knitting stuff to give as Christmas presents, with the exception of the Hudson River Triangle I've been working on since April (which you can kind of see in the background of this shot!).

This scarf is knit on US 10 needles with Chunky Encore yarn. For being an acrylic blend, I really love this yarn. It doesn't feel fake or make those annoying squeaky sounds that something like Red Heart does.

I can't say anything about who is getting what yet, since I think some of my friends actually read my blog and I don't want to ruin the surprise!

This is my second attempt at knitting "Dashing" from Knitty. I love the yarn-Cascade 220 of course. I'm knitting with bamboo US 7 double-points.

These are also going to be a Christmas present for a dear friend, and that's all I can say!

Tonight, I'm going to a college football game and maybe I will get some more blue knitting done there!

love and coffee,
Lulu

Getting a Jump Start on Christmas

2010-09-16T09:39:00.000-06:00

Yes, it's only September, but there are only 100 days until Christmas! I've already started on my Christmas knitting. My goal this year is to only give handmade gifts, either ones I made myself or homemade by somebody else. I'm knitting fingerless gloves for a few people, and at least a couple scarves. I'm also thinking about making some mittens, which I've never done before but there's a first time for everything.

Tonight I am taking my friend Jennifer to the open knit night at my LYS. I taught her how to knit earlier this summer, and she got pretty hooked but will probably need a refresher course tonight. We might even try to conquer purling.

In other news, things are going wonderfully with the new boyfriend. He puts up with my knitting while we watch movies together. It's perfect. =)

Are you planning to knit anything for Christmas?

love & coffee,
Lulu

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2010-09-14T17:55:00.000-06:00

My dad's birthday was on Sunday. He is now 68 years old, which, let's face it, is kind of getting up there. For being an older dad, he's still super awesome. We spent the day in Denver together, just the two of us (since mom was home making apple pie with the twins). While in Denver, we went to the Italian festival in Lakewood with an old family friend, and I think we both had lots of fun! It took a couple tries to finally get a decent picture of us together, and it was funny trying to explain to him that I was going to turn the camera around and take the picture myself. I'm so happy with the results I think I'm going to frame it! I also think I look a lot like my dad in this picture.

So Daddy, if you're reading this, happy birthday! I'm so lucky to have you as my father, and even though we butt heads a lot, you are my hero. I love you bunches and can't wait to have more daddy-daughter dates.

On the crafty side of things, my dad did ask me to knit him a bib now that he is so old... Hmmm....

love and coffee,
Lulu

I Love My Crazy Life

2010-09-05T17:25:00.019-06:00

This post is really not craft related in the slightest, but I'm just happy and thought I should share the happiness.

I have successfully completed my second week of nursing school, and I'm ecstatic. Even though I have my first class at 7:30 in the morning, I look forward to going to school every day. I'm incredibly intrigued by what I'm learning. It's crazy how much knowledge I've gained in just two weeks too. My clinical rotations start at the end of the month, and I'm honestly kind of nervous about it all. I guess we'll just have to see how I feel then.

I've also been seeing somebody for a little over a month now. We were set up by a couple of mutual friends he works with, and he makes me laugh! His family loves me, and hopefully he'll have dinner with my folks soon. I like him so much I might actually knit for him...

Have a great Labor Day weekend everybody!

Where Can I Get One?

2010-08-26T10:34:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I was at Starbucks catching up with an old friend over caramel frappiccinos when I started saying "You know you're in nursing school when...". She laughed at everything I had to say about how crazy my life has become in the last three days just because I started the nursing program. When I got home, I googled "you know you're in nursing school when" and found this picture of a Starbucks coffee IV! This is exactly what I need right now since I have TWELVE hours of classes on Monday that start at 7:30 in the morning. I'm not looking forward to that turning into fourteen or fifteen hour days once my clinical rotations start and I have to report to the hospital at 5:30 in the morning!

You Know You're in Nursing School When...

As you get out of your car to go to class, you realize you still have a couple curlers in your hair.
Your idea of a relaxing Wednesday night consists of curling up with your fundamentals textbook.
The idea of having only two hours of class tomorrow is absolutely thrilling when a few months before that would have been so depressing.
You start watching everybody else wash their hands and arrogantly think to yourself you can do it better.
You can tell somebody else is also a nursing student because you will both sing the ABC's out loud while you wash your hands.
Watching a mannequin lose his penis is the funniest thing you've seen since school started.
You ask the mannequin to pass you the pen you just dropped.
You start yelling "You're doing it wrong!" at the TV while watching the overdose scene in Pulp Fiction and then explain in great detail (maybe with props) to the guy you've been seeing exactly how you fill a syringe.

What Happened in Vegas

2010-08-23T12:12:00.000-06:00

What happened in Vegas clearly isn't staying in Vegas because I'm going to blog about it today!! The entire trip was rather incredible and I'm glad I was able to go! I stayed with my cousin Angela and was able to spend time with the rest of her family, something that only seems to happen every 8 years or so.

We saw the Hoover Dam, the Gold & Silver Pawn shop that is featured in Pawn Stars on the History channel, the Liberace museum, a couple different malls, and of course the Las Vegas strip! We also got to see the Beatles "Love" show by Cirque du Soleil which was probably one of the most amazing things I've ever experienced. I also got to see a local yarn store and bought some Hiya Hiya metal DPNs in size ZERO that will probably get used to make socks at some point.

My cousin Angela & I at the Hoover Dam

One of Liberace's pianos. HOW SHINY!

Me & Angela with some showgirls on Freemont Street

In other news, I started classes today. Keep your fingers crossed that I survive my first day of nursing school.

Love & lots of coffee,

Lulu

Waking Up in Vegas

2010-08-12T09:36:00.000-06:00

I'm in Vegas baby! I got here Tuesday evening and I'll be here until next Tuesday. So far I haven't really seen the Strip yet, just driven down it a couple times. Yesterday we went to the Hoover Dam and took a tour, got lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, and went to the Fashion Show Mall. Today is probably going to be more shopping. I'm writing this blog post from my cousin's laptop since mine won't communicate properly with her network, so don't expect awesome pictures until I get back.

Meanwhile, why don't you "Like" my blog and etsy shop on Facebook? Once I get to 50 fans, I'm going to give something away!!!

This is my 100th Post!

2010-08-05T11:42:00.000-06:00

Today I have the overwhelming urge to blog. I have no idea what I'm going to blog about it today, but all I know is that I want to sit here at my computer and type into the abyss.

Yesterday I spent all day in an auditorium at my college listening to the head of the nursing department talk about proper attendance, what scrubs to buy, and telling us how incredibly difficult but rewarding going into the nursing field is. It was time consuming and a little tedious to sit there all day, and as scared as I am to finally be starting school soon for my career. I'll even be caring for patients in a couple months during my clinical rotations. I have a lot of supplies to buy, books and white nurse's shoes and other various school supplies. I also need to find a white scrub top that actually fits correctly.

I am still scrapbooking like a mad woman. My two big scrapbooking-related goals are to finish the trip I took to Europe in 2006 when I was sixteen and to completely scrapbook one year of high school. I have been working on my senior year, and I am happy to say that I have gotten so much done. There are lots of odds and ends to scrapbook too, but the big sub-projects are the road trip my mom & I took to Arizona and New Mexico after Christmas and the trip we took to Chicago for spring break. I am also done with the road trip but have yet to start on our vacation to the Windy City. I love scrapbooking because I am recording history for future generations. Well, that, and paper is pretty!

I leave for Las Vegas on Tuesday! I will be staying with my cousin, and I am very excited to see everything!!

Love and coffee,
Lulu

Still Scrapping

2010-07-30T11:08:00.000-06:00

I'm still in a huge scrapbooking kick, but it's taken a bit of a new turn. I'm making a 8.5" x 11" scrapbook for a close family friend, and had to dive into my dad's stash of old pictures. This has been an interesting and challenging experience for me.

Most of the pictures in this box are of Doug and Tony. I scanned this one of them riding their motorcycles together; it is one of my favorites from the whole box. There are lots of funny pictures of them together; they were really close.

Yesterday, my dad and I sorted through reprints of ALL the negatives. It took a while and it was hard for both of us. I still can't believe both my brothers are gone, but at least they are together now, riding motorcycles in Heaven.

love and coffee,
Lulu

Scrap Happy

2010-07-22T11:02:00.000-06:00

I have been scrapbooking like a mad woman lately. Forget knitting. Forget beading. Forget sewing. Right now, it's all about scrapbooking! This is my most recent layout:

I went to Archivers last week with a couple of friends, and while we were there we talked about everything we had to scrapbook to catch up and what we had already scrapbooked. I've noticed we all have different approaches to what we scrapbook and when. On that particular day, I worked on my school trip to the Grand Canyon from 2004 while Marissa worked with pictures from college and Erin did some very recent shots from a party. Normally my mother works on things chronologically since that is how her albums go, but lately she has jumped around a little more, working on a couple different trips that were put in their own albums. Personally, I usually jump around and do whatever I feel like; however, I have been pushing to finish my 2006 trip to Europe and at least one year of high school (which looks like it will be my senior year since I have so much of that done already). My next project though, once I clean up my craft room, is to put together a 8.5" by 11" album for a close family friend who just finished grad school.

Need more proof that I am so addicted to scrapbooking right now? As I sit here at my computer, my fingers are itching for paper, pictures, and adhesives. When I'm not scrpabooking, I'm usually online looking at other people's scrapbooks, which has inspired me to start photographing my layouts to show off online too.

How do you like to scrapbook? Alone or with friends? What size book do you use? What kind of album? Tell me!

You Spin Me Right 'Round

2010-06-05T12:20:00.000-06:00

Like a drop spindle, baby! Yes, completely cheesy I know, but I just couldn't resist.

Yesterday, a group of women gathered at the Riverwalk to spin. I was one of those women. Of course, nobody thought to take pictures during the actual spinning get-together, but that was when I realized that my roving matched my shorts!! My friend Erin came back to my house later to watch movies so I snapped some pictures then. How funny they match, and I didn't even plan it!

I've actually been spinning this roving since I learned how to spin in 2008. I think I made a lot of progress now and should have the rest of the 2 ounces spun in the next week or so if I keep spinning on a regular basis.

Speaking of spinning, I think I am totally going to do the 2010 Tour de Fleece! I'm not sure what my goal will be other than to spin every day. I have 4 ounces each of two other colorways in this same gorgeous merino roving I've been spinning, and I think I might spin all of one of those...

Thoughts? Anybody else want to spin the Tour de Fleece?

Things are Taking Off!

2010-05-21T16:15:00.000-06:00

I recently launched my Etsy Shop and officially have listed a whopping FIVE items, everything from stitch markers to earrings to handmade greeting cards. I don't have a particular direction for the shop right now other than I want to share my handmade goodies with the world! I even made a fanpage on Facebook so look me up there and "like" my website! Right now I have 23 fans and honestly, I don't even know all of them! Some are friends of friends, but the majority of these fans, I don't even know and that excites me so much!

I have big plans for my little craft empire. I want to buy a domain name one of these days. I've thought about podcasting too because I just love to talk. I want to be famous!

Somebody who has been very inspiring to me has been Dani of the Craft Culture podcast. Her podcasts are fun to listen to and informative. A lot of people know that I was studying cultural anthropology at UNC, so anything dealing with sociology or anthropology fascinates me. Right now she is trying to raise money to travel the United States on a tour. She needs money to do this, so GO DONATE TO HER! Seriously, help a sista out and donate to her. Even a couple bucks will help. I want to meet her this summer so donate money so I can do so!

In other news, I'm knitting a lace shawl and am about a third of the way through with it. I'm loving knitting simple lace and have completely memorized the pattern. Yay me.

Go donate to Dani.

Love,
Lulu

Just Bead It!

2010-05-14T14:59:00.000-06:00

I spent Wednesday night at my bestie's house and got some fun beading done. Melanie made me some gorgeous stitch markers for me to list in my Etsy Shop. She gave me some extra charms to make some of my own too. I also made a couple sets of my own stitch markers. Pictured at right are a couple sets that Melanie made that will be getting listed on Etsy soon.

On Thursday, we checked out Hobby Lobby, where Melanie works, and I got some really gorgeous turquoise beads and elastic to make a couple bracelets. Next was one of the local bead shops downtown which recently moved to a bigger location. I love this shop, and managed to find some really cute dragonfly charms to make a set of stitch markers. There are two beads on each stitch marker, the bigger of which is also from We've Got Beads and the smaller ones were "stolen" from Mel.

I'm excited about making stitch markers and hope to make lots of other pretty beaded goodies to sell on Etsy and give as gifts. What do you think?

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Avon Lady Calling!

2010-03-06T11:45:00.000-07:00

That's right readers, I've started selling one of Amercia's oldest beauty brands: Avon. If you want to check out my Avon website and order from me, enter "FSANY" for free shipping on any order. If you have any interest in becoming an Avon representative, I can also get you the hook-up on that; all it takes is $10 to start.

Okay, I'm sure I sound like a sales pitch, but I wanted to share how exciting it has been for me to sell Avon. I've always loved the company; after all, who didn't grow up with a Skin So Soft product or an Avon lipstick in the house? Since starting this endeavor, I've rediscovered some of my favorite products, like Glimmersticks eyeliner or Slick Tints lip balm, and found some new ones, like their new line called Moisture Therapy. I hope you take a chance to check out the website, and if you have any questions to hit me up.

http://www.youravon.com/lrossi

Coffee & cashmere (& lipstick!),

Lulu

A Cross-Stitching First

2010-02-25T01:50:00.000-07:00

I've dabbled with embroidery and cross-stitch for many years, but I've never really finished anything entirely...Until now! Pictured here is the finished cross-stitched bib. I don't really remember the whole story behind this project, which just shows how long it's been since I started it. I think one of my classmates in eighth grade gave it to me so she wouldn't feel like a dork working on her own bib at lunch. What exactly I'm going to do with it, I'm not sure either. I honestly think I might start a hope chest to be filled with other baby-related items and nice things for the house I hope to own someday. I've been so inspired by finishing this cross-stitch bib that I've started another one. I can't knit all of the time...

coffee & cashmere,
Lulu

Bring It On, Universe!

2010-01-10T06:04:00.000-07:00

Right now I am taking a break from packing up all of my stuff. This sounds weird considering classes are supposed to be starting tomorrow, but I won't be staying at UNC this semester. I've had a lot of trouble performing well academically since I started there in 2008, and it's been decided that I am moving back home to Pueblo and living with my parents.

This is a blow because I'm going to miss my friends so much. I've made my little family up here and it sucks beyond all belief to leave them behind. The people I have met through my journey at this university have been so amazing. I am grateful to them for the impact they have had on me.

My now ex-boyfriend and I did a tarot reading Friday night that proved to be very interesting. I received the Seven of Cups, a very special card. Through my struggles with this new adventure I will find my life's purpose. As scared as I am about everything new that could start soon, I'm excited to see where life will take me.

And yes, you read that right... Cameron and I have ended our eight month relationship. People have been making a big deal about it even though I'm all right. It was a mutual decision made with love and respect, and I'm happy that we had the relationship that we did for so long. He has changed my life in ways neither of us may ever know.

I better get back to this whole moving thing. And making coffee because I'm emotionally exhausted!

A Couple Cups

2010-01-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

Hello my lovelies! I am back in my own apartment awaiting the start of the spring semester. My trip was amazing, and I hope that I will eventually write posts about each amazing day. However, here's some prose about what I've been up to the past few days...

I still owe Melanie her Christmas present. I had a friend from out of town stay with me before I left for California and was unable to finish sewing her gift. I'm making a ton of progress, but I won't tell you exactly what this is in case she reads this. (HI MEL!) So I've been working on her belated present while watching TV reruns on my laptop and drinking coffee out of my new mug. I think it is officially one of the coolest mugs I've ever owned! It says "MAKE COFFEE NOT WAR" and I found it in a little gift shop in Long Beach while we were in California and paid a mere $4 for it!

One of the most awesome presents I got this Christmas was from Melanie and her mom: a mix to make a cupcake in a cup! Of course I'm totally into cupcakes and all things yummy and chocolate so today I made my cupcake in a cup. It doesn't exactly look like the most appetizing thing in the world but after five minutes in the microwave, I had a literal cup cake! It was strawberry-flavored chocolate, odd but still yummy. The cup is really more like a small bowl with a handle so I'm sure it will be useful.

Now on to more sewing and even more coffee!!

Christmas in California: Day One

2009-12-20T23:19:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this post from my hotel room in Garden Grove, California, just outside Anaheim which is home to the beloved Disneyland. Instead of staying home and making a big deal about Christmas, my family has decided to spend the week in and around the happiest place on earth. Yes, I see the irony in spending the holidays at some place that will be over-decorated as an effort to avoid Christmas.

Anyway, we flew into Orange County yesterday morning and spent the day exploring the J. Paul Getty Museum, a beach in Malibu, and part of West Hollywood.

Thanks to the new Canon Powershot digital camera that I received as an early Christmas present from my folks, I have well over one hundred pictures to prove it! It's amazing how much of a shutterbug I've become now that I have a 4gig memory card in the pretty new camera. I'm still learning all the settings, but one of the best ones I think has been the "Sunset" setting, which I utilized while in Malibu just before sunset.

This picture is my younger sister Gina, taking a picture with her own camera of our other sister Rachel. The lighting is amazing and I'm very impressed with the camera. I don't expect that every picture I shoot with this new camera will be amazingly artistic like this one, but I'm having a blast with it regardless.

Okay, I realize this is a craft blog and I haven't talked about any crafting yet! I did bring three different knitting projects on this trip: the malabrigo scarf, a vanilla sock, and the lace shawl I started this summer. I'm making decent progress on the scarf and it should be done on this trip I hope or shortly soon after. It's hard to get much knitting in though with all the running around. Sadly I get carsick fairly easily so I have to be careful with what I chose to work on. But this was only the first day of a week-long trip so who knows what this week will bring. Stay posted for another post soon!

Coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Old Picture, New Project

2009-12-01T13:25:00.002-07:00

100_1170, originally uploaded by craftylulu.

When I was in Nashville with my dad in 2008, I purchased two gorgeous skeins of worsted weight malabrigo, seen here, in the colorway "velvet grapes". This was my first Malabrigo purchase after hearing so much stuff about the yarn online, making these two skeins very special. They wouldn't be knit into just anything--the selected project had to be special.

Over a year later, I finally figured out what this lovely yarn would become: a scarf. That may not sound very special or unique especially for an avid scarf-knitter such as myself, but this scarf will be gifted to a very special person eventually. I wanted something more unisex even though it is purple yarn. (Who says men can't wear purple just as well as women can anyway?) Reversible is good, and a mindless knit this time of year is always good in my book. And thus the journey of the seeded rib scarf came to be.

I do not have a current picture of the scarf yet for a couple different reasons I won't bore you with today. The pattern is easy and fairly enjoyable for being so mindless and repetitive. I'm using size US 8 needles. For being just under the two month mark, I've completely used the first skein and am well into knitting from the second one. I'm thinking some fringe will be necessary.

Details as to the lucky recipient of this scarf to come after the holidays. I have to keep some things a secret after all...

Knitting Graffiti

2009-11-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, my friend Jenna and I went to Denver for free admission to the Denver Art Museum. We walked up and down the 16th Street Mall and then headed to the Denver Contemporary Art Museum where I found this...

Yup! Knitting graffiti on the bike rack!! I was so excited to find it that I decided to take half a dozen pictures. Some people who were also waiting for the bus with us started to slowly walk away from me because I probably looked so crazy.

Next was the Molly Brown House, which was amazing. We stopped at a great little coffee shop before driving home. It was a great outing and I feel very cultured.

coffee and cashmere,

Lulu

WIP: Hudson River Triangle

2009-10-29T16:55:00.000-06:00

The night before my flight to California in August, I took some Lorna's Laces Sheppard Sock in Jungle Stripe and cast on the Hudson River Triangle. I had attempted this lace shawl once before about a year and a half ago with a different colorway of the same yarn, but I just wasn't feeling it then. As you can see by the progress I made in just a matter of days, I'm really feeling it this time!

The picture on the left was taken on an scenic overlook outside Stinson Beach, which was beautiful despite all the fog. The right photograph was taken while walking along Stinson Beach. I was using the stitch markers that a Ravelry friend gave me in a swap and even those are San Francisco themed!

If you are looking for an easier lace project, I think this is it. I have never really done lace before, but I'm really loving this. It is complex enough to keep my attention, a little challenging, but not mind-numbing difficult. The pattern is very well-written, offering both written directions and charts

With Christmas just under two months away, I've been trying to work more on my gift knitting so this shawl has been taking a bit of a snooze. What are you working on right now?

If You're Going to San Francisco...

2009-10-28T12:51:00.001-06:00

...be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...

First of all, thank you to everybody out there who has offered their love and support through the loss of my brother. It's been a very interesting four months since Tony left us, and I have been so fortunate to have some freaking amazing people in my life. Many thanks to my readers who have been so patient and understanding with my long absence.

In August, my family took a trip to San Francisco. This was the first time I have been out to the Bay Area since I was nine years old. We toured the City all day on a Saturday, starting in Chinatown and making our way down to the Castro District where I was able to check out the one and only ImagiKnit. I bought a skien of green Malabrigo Chunky and one skein of gorgeous blue Malabrigo lace. The chunky yarn has already been knit into a really fun and easy hat.

If you are ever anywhere near San Francisco, you must go check out ImagiKnit. Their store is huge and beautifully organized. The shop is split into two big rooms. The first room, right when you walk in, is all the animal fibers (merino, wool, alpaca, etc). It is organized by weight. The second room is plant fibers, set up the same way. The staff was incredibly helpful and they offered a huge variety of yarn, buttons, notions, books, and everything else under the sun for knitting and crocheting.

I still have plenty of pictures to show off for the rest of my trip, including the lace shawl I started the night before my flight and pictures of the shawl and the beach.

Coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Life Without a Camera

2009-08-07T15:52:00.004-06:00

To any and everybody who left comments or thought good thoughts for me or my family, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Losing my brother has been the hardest obstacle I've encountered in my life but I've been so fortunate to be surrounded by people who truly care for me.

From left to right: Rachel (holding Daisy), Me, Tony (with Zoey), and Gina

On June 26th, we (my folks, my sisters, and I) started the drive to Anderson, California, where Tony had been living. The 2.5 day trip was difficult and long. I knit some of the sock I had been working on since May but really couldn't do much without getting too carsick. We stayed at Tony's house for a few days, sorting through his belongings and calling friends to alert them of his death. We're planning to to make a couple of quilts out of his t-shirts. My dad stayed behind in Cali for another week after my mom, my sisters, and I got back to Colorado on July 4th.

A big chunk of July was spent at my family's house in Pueblo. We celebrated my mom's fifty-second birthday with a lovely homecooked meal. Tony's funeral was on July 22nd; I gave the eulogy. Before I came back to Greeley last week, I got together with some of the old knitting group which was just a blast.

Oh and why are there no pictures of any of these escapades? Well, for some reason my camera has started taking horrible pictures! They are streaky, miscolored, and blurry. I haven't been doing loads of crafty stuff lately though, so you're not missing out on much.

Classes start on August 24th and I'm kind of excited for the new school year. I'll be taking 15 credit hours (five classes), so who knows how much I'll be able to update this blog but I'm hoping to keep up with it.

Lots of love to all,
Lulu

R.I.P. Dear Brother

2009-06-26T00:00:00.003-06:00

Well, so much for a short hiatus...

On Tuesday, my brother Tony died from his heart condition. He collapsed on his kitchen floor and died instantly from what I've been told. I didn't find out until Thursday afternoon. My family and I will be driving out to California to take care of his belongings, make sure his dogs have good homes, etc, etc.

I miss my brother so much already. May he always rest in peace.

R.I.P. Anthony Paul Gratton
May 5, 1976 - June 23, 2009

Please Enjoy This Brief Intermission

2009-04-30T18:27:00.003-06:00

I'm taking another pseudo-hiatus from blogging even though I REALLY don't want to this time. Elphie, my poor laptop, is currently in the hands of the computer wizards at Bear Logic (the computer store/repair shop on campus) and I am stuck with either using desktops at the library or the super slow and frustrating loaner laptop until mine is fixed. And that won't be until probably Monday... So I guess what I'm saying friends is don't expect any posts from me over the next week, give or take a couple days. Between my crappy computer situation and finals, I doubt anything I write would make much sense, especially with no pictures.

But just as a teaser, I cast on Tuesday night for a new sock, my first time using Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock yarn. Ooh the possibilities...

Cashmere and lots of coffee,
Lulu the Sock Knitter

Lulu Tries Some Technology

2009-04-29T12:24:00.000-06:00

Normally I consider myself a rather tech-savvy person. I know a decent amount of HTML and CSS, and I even know what they stand for (hyper text markup language and cascading style sheets, respectively). Clearly I've been able to maintain this blog for the last two years on various different computers. I've helped both my parents with various computer problems over the years but still know when I'm over my head and need to call a professional. I can even type nearly 120 words a minute when I get on a roll.

But can Lulu figure out Windows Live Writer or Windows Live Photo Gallery? No.

After hearing good things about Windows Live Writer on a blogging group on Ravelry, I downloaded the program, even opting for the Photo Gallery program at the same time. For a long time I've wanted to get more creative with this blog, change my photos and my layouts some, actually be able to edit my pictures so they look really good. Once the programs were downloaded, I excitedly started composing a post with pictures even. Over the next couple days, I attempted to publish that post to this blog.

FAIL.

After some Googling, I think it might just be a program glitch that I constantly get the same error message every time I try to publish a post with pictures. I'm hoping that is what the problem really is, because otherwise I might feel just a tad dumb.

And as for the Windows Live Photo Gallery... I have no idea where to begin really! I want to be able to crop my photos, even add words or captions onto the image, make collages for the blog when I have a photo-heavy post planned. I was able to crop a picture earlier but when I tried to save it as a new file, it wouldn't let me; I got yet another error message of doom. The funniest thing about all of this is that it saved the original picture under the new file name. Oh what did I do?

If anybody has any suggestions or feedback for me on all of this, send it my way. Are there better programs out there to edit pictures? I've heard amazing things about Paint Shop Pro, but even that is not only expensive but intimidating. How do I get my feet wet in this vast world of graphic design?

And the cherry on top of this craptastic sundae: my laptop is wigging out! Sometime after Thursday, probably over the weekend, the battery stopped charging. While I still have 25% battery life left, I have to keep sweet Elphie plugged in so I don't risk losing any of my work (and at this point in the semester, that would kill me). I'm pretty sure the battery is A-OK and the problem is with the AC adapter power cord thingie. Then last night I tried to import some CDs into iTunes and my computer didn't even recognize that there was a disc in the drive! I tried multiple CDs, cleaned both the discs and the drive, but no luck. So this afternoon I have to hike up to the UC (University Center, which is like our student union) to the computer store and make them fix this.

On a more positive note, I finally caved and joined Twitter. You can read my tweets at Twitter.com/craftylulu. Until today, I didn't realize that Melanie or my sister Twittered, so now I have a new way to keep in touch with them. I have a feeling this Twitter thing is going to become a new addiction, at least for the moment.

Wish me luck.

Coffee and Cashmere,
Lulu

Where Did April Go?

2009-04-28T13:04:00.006-06:00

Wow! I can't believe tomorrow is the next to last day of April. I can't believe the last two weeks went by so incredibly fast, but I suppose that being busy pretty much every single day with something didn't hurt. Funny how looking back on the last few weeks, everything seemed to have happened so quickly but while it's actually happen, it doesn't feel that fast. Some days even seem to drag on forever.

I haven't really been doing much knitting since I finished my socks. There's some stuff I'd like to do, but (to borrow a phrase from Cameron) I just don't have the bandwith for it right now. I'm supposed to be working on a sample for my hometown LYS, but that's just not happening. More about that in the next post probably.

The UNC Feminist Alliance held our Pro-Choice rally on the 16th and despite rather cold, windy, and generally dreary weather, I think it was quite a success! We organized everything in just under a week. Everybody decorated solid white t-shirts with pro-choice slogans in black lettering. Several girls got together to make some amazing posters! The one I have pictured here is just one of nearly a dozen beautifully crafted signs. We handed out condoms (which came in lots of different colors and kinds!) and pamphlets with lots of good information. Then last week, three of us spoke to our Student Senate about various concerns we have for our campus. Looks like I'm turning out to be quite the activist now! Right now I'm planning to start a scrapbook for the group so future members can look back at how our group was started, what we did, etc. (See how I manage to tie everything to a craft somehow?)

In my last post, I alluded to a date with a special somebody. No, I did not wear my hand-knit socks; in fact, I don't think he's even seen them. The date went fantastically and I look forward to future outings with this man. His mother crochets, so he's quite accustomed to the obsessive fiber habit. It's always nice when the significant other/love interest/whatever he is at least humors my insane craftiness. Doubt I'll be knitting for him any time soon, but he at least has the potential to someday deserve a dishcloth or something small.

As much as I would love to stay and ramble on some more, I must depart to laundry and studying. Finals are next week so there is a great deal to be done.

Coffee and Cashmere,
Lulu

FO: Daffodil Campfire Socks

2009-04-15T00:09:00.002-06:00

Pattern: Campfire Socks from Cider Moon
Size: Men's
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Sheppard Sport in Daffodil, less than one skein
Needles: US 3 Clover Bamboo DPN's
Mods: I knit a shorter cuff because I don't like really tall socks!
Started: I cast these on during my Thanksgiving break in November, but didn't start really working on them until this month.
Finished: This morning!
Thoughts: This is my first completed pair of socks and I am soooo proud. I think this pattern is excellent as an introduction to the wide world of sock knitting. The pattern is extremely well written and was easy to follow. I had such a hard time putting these down!

So now the big question is: are handknit socks too much for a first date?

A Million Different Things

2009-04-10T01:03:00.003-06:00

This week has been a busy one. Monday I ran around campus going to class, to the health care center, to Academic Advising, to career services, and then finally that night I went to work. Tuesday, I met with my adviser to discuss classes for next year, went to work, went to class, and then bummed around with Kate my RA. Wednesday was class, a nap, dinner with friends, Cold Stone with Courtney, and my first meeting of the UNC's GLBTA club In & Out. Afterwards, I went to Village Inn with the group and stayed up late eating onion rings and talking about a million different things. Thursday I ran around campus hanging with friends and going to meetings, squeezing my macroeconomics class in between.

The meeting I went to Thursday night was for the UNC Feminist Alliance. We talked about different issues affecting women on campus like getting better health care and insurance coverage for female university students, having a pro-choice rally next week, and why is a man considered a stud but a woman is a slut. After the discussion, we joined the College Democrats and made t-shirts with pro-choice slogans. Pictured here is the shirt I made and I'm very excited to wear it!

Now finally, I have photographic evidence of The Finished Sock. In fact, I've even already turned the heel and shaped the gusset of the second sock and now just working on the foot. A lot of people have been very interested in my knitting since I've been taking the socks everywhere. There has even been talk about starting a Stitch'n'Bitch to be sponsored by the UNC Feminist Alliance. The finished sock is pictured here with a Barnes & Noble bag, which holds Easter presents for my little sisters. Oh, that and a couple things for me.

To my Catholic readers, I hope you have a happy Good Friday and a very happy and blessed Easter. Sunday I will hopefully spend with my parents in the Denver area if they can ever tell me what the plan is!

FO: Showers in Spring Dishcloth

2009-04-07T11:16:00.000-06:00

Pattern: Showers in Spring Dishcloth

Size: One Size

Yarn: Cascade Pima Tencel

Needles: US 7 Knit Picks Options Harmony

Mods: None.

Started: Sometime in early March.

Finished: Sometime while I was home for spring break.

Thoughts: I really like this yarn even though it sheds ever so slightly on really dark clothing; I will probably knit with it more in the future. The pattern was well-written and the image is cute! I think this will be my washing my face cloth since it is sooooo nice and soft.

Playing Catch Up

2009-04-04T11:00:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I was home for a week in March for Spring Break. I love going home, where the rest of my yarn and craft supplies live. Even better is all of my mom's craft supplies, scrapbooking stuff in particular, is at my house. A couple years ago, I just got completely hooked on scrapbooking. With all addictions, I have to pass it along to my friends. So last year, I gave my best friend Melanie a scrapbook of her very own, 8.5" by 11", with the promise that I would make some pages for the book at a later date.

During my time home, I finally was able to to! The first page pictured here is the "cover page" of the album, with a lovely quote by Maya Angelou: "Precious jewel, you glow, you shine, reflecting all the good things in the world." The background paper for that page was from the Rockstar Stack, which is filled with some very awesome paper. The second page pictured is from our high school graudation last year. Oh how we hated those stupid yellow robes! The actual graudation ceremony wasn't too bad though since Mel and I sat next to each other, so we were laughing way more than we were crying.

Speaking of Melanie! Last night we made official plans for the No Doubt/Paramore concert in May, including her coming to stay at my new apartment with me for a little while. I can't wait to see what kinds of things we'll create then!

Coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Currently Addicted To...

2009-04-03T12:16:00.000-06:00

So much for being back, right? It's been over a month and this time, I HOPE, I am back for good! My spring break was a couple weeks ago, during which I caught my little sister's cold that rendered me pretty much useless for well over a week.

Now that I'm feeling better, better being a relative term, I've been actually doing stuff. Lately, I've been totally hooked on Cherry Lime cokes from Sonic, the Knitmore Girls podcast, used book sales, and knitting my first sock.

Yes dear readers, you read that correctly. Lulu is knitting a sock! The first picture is from Wednesday the 1st: behold the sock and the books I purchased from the Friends of the UNC Library used book sale.

Speaking of this used book sale, I'm so glad I finally got to check one out. The university library hosts one every first Wednesday of the month. I picked up four books, including a basically brand new copy of The Choice by Nicholas Sparks (one of my favorite authors) for a mere seven dollars.

I did not want to put that sock down all day Wednesday. That night I started turning the heel. Yesterday I finish turning the heel and shaped the gusset. During last night's meeting of the UNC Feminist Alliance, I worked on the foot. Couple more inches and I'll shape the toe and be finished with my first sock! This picture was snapped this morning, proof of how addicted I've been to this little sock! Even if I never knit the second sock, I will be very happy with myself.

For the record: the pattern is the Campfire socks from Cider Moon, knit with Lorna's Laces Sheppard Sport in Daffodil. I'm knitting them on size 3's.

So what's been going on in your lives?

Lots of Love,
Lulu

I'm Back!!!

2009-02-21T08:56:00.005-07:00

Oh man, it's been weird not blogging, but I think the break did me some good.

First of all, my brother is doing much better. He is back home in California with his dogs. I miss him but we still talk a couple times a week.

Secondly, I'm freaking broke. I got a speeding ticket and then a week later was in a minor car accident. I'm fine, but I'm paying for half of my deductible to get my car fixed. No more yarn money for me for a while...

I participated in two different swaps recently. The Ravelry Group Caffeine Addicts did a Valentine's Day themed swap, and I got my package the day before V-Day from Greymuse from San Francisco! Two different coffees, two mugs, two sets of stitch markers, a rubber "love rat" and a stuffed devil bear, and five skeins of yarn!! Plus, I think I've made a good friend in Greymuse. The second swap was a $5 card and candy swap for my Teen Knitting group on Ravlery. I got several small circular needles so now I have needles to make the Argyle Beret!

I have been knitting too! I don't have any recent photos to show all the yarn off because I can't find my camera charger cord thingie. (God-forbid I left it at home and won't get it until March...) I'm currently working on the Uncle Argyle scarf from the latest Stitch n Bitch book, which will become a sample for my local shop back home. Other than that, dishcloths, a baby sweater, and a toy for my friend's new baby.

Hopefully I can get my hands on a camera soon so I can show everybody some pictures!

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Taking a Break

2009-01-26T01:14:00.003-07:00

As of right now, I am taking a break from blogging. Until when, I'm not sure. I just need some time to get my life together I think.

Last week, my brother was admitted to the hospital in my hometown for congestive heart failure. Thank God my father brought him to the ER when he did, or else I probably would have been brotherless right now. I was able to go home for a few nights to spend hours at a time at Tony's hospital bedside. Monday night, he was alert enough to know I was there, which I think was a comfort to us both.

Over the past week, it's been a series of ups and downs for both my dear brother and the rest of our family. Tuesday night, I finally had to return to Greeley for school and for work. It's been very difficult for me not to be there and to furthermore, be alone and isolated up here.

So my dear friends, I am on hiatus until further notice.

All my love,
Lulu

Howdy, Hi, Hello!

2009-01-09T00:44:00.004-07:00

And a happy belated new year! 2009 has been fairly good so far. I'm tomorrow morning to start heading back to school for the spring semester even though sometimes it still feels like I just finished last's semester finals although that was a month ago.

So what have I been up to? Besides lots of knitting of course...

I got my hair cut, and I think it's the best haircut I've gotten in ages
Then, I've been hanging out with my best friend Melanie as much as possible. On New Years Eve, we drove north to old Colorado City and then to Manitou springs. We even stopped at the new yarn outlet in Colorado Springs, where I bought yarn for Melly to learn how to knit! [Look forward to reviews on some yarn stores soon!] Some of the boutiques we visited were just amazing.
I made stuff to eventually sell in my etsy shop, when I get around to pricing and photographing everything.
I cast on for a sweater.
I bought more yarn.
Then got yarn to make a sample scarf for my hometown shop.
And last but not least, I think I finally came up with some new year's knitting resolutions!

2009's knitting resolutions are...

Knit a sweater.
Actually knit a whole sock. I don't even care if I do a pair. I just want ONE handknit sock at this point.
Do my best to finish all my Christmas knitting before finals week come December.
Learn more techniques and get more adventurous with my knitting.
Teach Melanie to knit, which I've already been working on.

What are your knitting resolutions?

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Oozing Crazy Creativity on a Manic Monday

2008-12-08T13:55:00.005-07:00

I feel like I've actually been cranking out the creativity since I started college; I just forget to photograph it! Since moving at the end of August, I have knit my first hat, almost finished my pair of Modified Fetchings (before one of my DPNs broke!), and several new dishcloth patterns, most of which will end up being gifts if they haven't already been given away. A good dent has been made in my Christmas knitting list: hats for my sisters, a scarf for my mom, dishcloths for some friends, and possibly even more. My R.A. (resident assistant) even started what will hopefully become a weekly Stitch & Bitch over the course of the next semester.

In addition to the knitting, I've been gettin' my craft on in some other ways. Melanie and I started a friendship journal to send back and forth, the crazier the better, in addition to the letters we've been writing. I have been having so much fun with this Journal of Random Thoughts! Seriously, go make one with a friend right now. Our goal is to cover every page with drawings, musings, stickers, and whatever strikes our fancy, almost like a scrapbook. The only question is who will keep it in the end...

Speaking of scrapbooking, I miss it! I can't wait to go cropping crazy over my month-long winter break from school, which starts Friday! I'm also hoping to get my feet wet with some other crafts like some more jewelry making or beading, soap making, more stationary/letter writing related crafts, and so much more. My mom has loads of beads and plenty of beading supplies; maybe I'll make some shiny stitch markers? I also really miss my sewing machine, but I'm not sure how much access I will have to Brother (my sewing machine) because my real brother is staying at the house, in the exact room where all my craft stuff lives.

I'm counting down the days until the end of the semester, when I will be completely done worrying about academics until January. Today was my history final, the first of the week, and I think I did all right despite it being held at 8 a.m. on a Monday morning! Two more finals this week and then back to Pueblo on Friday. I think I left my camera at home over Thanksgiving break, so no pictures of all the exciting projects I've been working on just yet.

coffee & cashmere and more coffee,
Lulu

A Crafty Cha-Ching!

2008-11-11T17:40:00.006-07:00

Finally, I have evidence of a finished object to share.

Pattern: Cha~Ching by Rachel van Schie

Size: One Size. Mine measures just less than one foot wide and about 10 inches tall.

Yarn: About half a large skein of Sugar & Cream in Hot Green

Needles: Knit on size 7 US Knit Picks Harmony options

Mods: None.

Started: Sometime in late-ish October 2008

Finished: November 7, 2008

I liked the pattern a lot and look forward to knitting more of her patterns. It was clearly written and easy to follow. I enjoyed how the seed stitch border made it a bit different. Plus this dishcloth feels a bit larger than other ones I've made. This will be a Christmas present to one of my best friends Cassy, who is known for being incredibly frugal!

Also, I'd like to wish everybody: Happy Veteran's Day! I'm so grateful to the thousands of men and women who give so much as members of our military, both past and present. To all of those selfless people, a heart felt thanks.

Blogging is Hard Work!

2008-10-21T11:51:00.001-06:00

Someday I would love to be a famous blogger, or at the very least, more well-known than I am now. I'm very thankful to all my readers, but sooner or later, I want more! I've been playing around with the idea of getting my own domain name and website, slowly expanding my empire. Maybe I'll even dabble in podcasting, designing, or selling hand-dyed or handspun yarn. As Ms Violet from Lime n Violet calls herself a "knitting rockstar", and that is what I want to be someday.

I recently wrote a letter to one of my best friends from high school who is hoping to start up her own Etsy shop soon selling her own jewelry and other trinkets. I told her that we should join forces and start our own website based on all our crafting, linking to our own Etsy shop as well as the shops of others. We could each blog about our creations, give tips and tutorials for others, or maybe even put out our own online crafting zine. I personally want to take off with this idea and run with it, but maybe I should focus on my own blog first, especially since I don't even have a name for my company-to-be.

From what I've seen, pretty much all of my readers are bloggers themselves, so I know you will all understand when I say that blogging is hard work. I love having yet another creative outlet and a way to show off my craft-related things; however, it sometimes I feel bad if I don't post at least once a week or more or if my posts are short or my pictures are bad or nonexistent. As rewarding as having my blog is, once in a while, I feel more stress than pleasure; I'm sure that is all because of college and work. I know that this will pass with time though.

So dear readers, from one blogger to another, what are your blogging goals? How do you deal with that little voice in the back of your head telling you to update more? How did you come up with your clever blog names or even chose a host? Please share all your silly stories with me for I am always eager to know more about other people's blogging experiences.

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Happy Birthday Sisters!!

2008-10-14T11:49:00.006-06:00

Okay, I haven't really fallen off the face of the earth just yet. College is just kicking my butt, but there has been knitting! However, today I am busy with wishing my two baby sisters a happy fourteenth birthday!! (Well, that and midterms of course, but we're not going to talk about that.)

HAPPY FOURTEENTH BIRTHDAY
RACHEL AND GINA!!

I am so proud of my sisters and very sorry that I can't be home with them to celebrate their first birthday of high school! I love and miss you girls!!

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

When I Really Should Be Studying

2008-09-10T19:03:00.004-06:00

I'm trying to write a blog entry about the amazing insanity called college life, but words can describe the roller coaster ride I've been experiencing since the end of August.

My dad came to visit me this past Sunday, which was the first time he has been to the university since he attended in the mid-sixties! The only thing on West Campus then(my side of campus) was the residence hall I live in now, and even Central Campus has changed so much since then. It was such an amazing experience to share with my father, alumnus of the same institute of higher education that I chose. I just can't wait to go to a football game with him in a few weeks!

Sadly, not a lot of knitting has been going on. I couple dishcloths from Knitty's Back to School pattern before I came to college, and I had fully planned on finishing them for myself but that hasn't happened. There are a couple girls in my history of sex and sexuality class who knit or crochet, so at least I don't feel completely bizarre when I pull out my needles in class.

There are only 104 days until Christmas so I really need to get started on my holiday knitting! I see lots of hats and dishcloths in my future, possibly with some fingerless gloves thrown in for good measure. If nothing else, "I.O.U. one knitted gift" coupons should suffice?

Off to psych class. Maybe I'll get on the ball and take more pictures of my cubby hole called a dorm room.

coffee and cashmere (ha, on my budget? No way!),
Lulu

I Made It!

2008-08-23T07:29:00.005-06:00

That's right readers, I'm officially away at college! I'm in single room this year and I like the privacy I'll have, despite having like no space for myself. I will have to learn how to cope with having no towel rack and no ceiling fan. The silver lining is that I have a whole fridge and coffee pot to myself.

The last couple days have just been an amazing and very unique experience. I bought my first college text book yesterday, which almost completely wiped out the contents of my checking account. I've already made some friends that I hope to keep with me for many years. Plus I've learned that it's important to actually read those pesky manuals that come with every new appliance.

My last day in Pueblo was pretty fun. Because it was a Wednesday, a group of "the girls" met at a local coffee shop downtown for some knitting and spinning. I'm actually starting to become quite the drop spindler I think! There is even photographic evidence to prove it. The drop spindle I'm using in said photographic evidence is the one I purchased at the Estes Park Wool Market in June for just under $30, and it's handmade with hearts carved out on the top. Really quite gorgeous in my opinion!

As far as knitting is going...well, it really isn't, sadly! I brought plenty of "dischcloth" cotton with me as well as some other yarns to start knitting Christmas presents. I'm incredibly broke right now, so I am officially on a yarn diet!

Once my dorm room is tidier and I finally throw out the leftover boxes from my microwave and lamp, I'll take some pictures to show off my new space!

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

The Case of the Stolen Laptop

2008-08-12T11:23:00.004-06:00

After babysitting and hanging out with a friend Friday night, I came home, hoping to check my e-mail and Ravelry, but when I went downstairs to get my computer, my laptop was gone! In her place was a ransom note.

THIS IS LUCI'S LAPTOP SPEAKING:Dear Luci,
I have been taken for ransom. I want to be back with you but first you have to clean up the playroom so the family can watch the Olympics. Please do it soon so that I can be back with you.

Love, your laptop.

Okay, I admit that the playroom (our downstairs "rec room" if you will) was pretty messy, and most of it was my fault. But taking my dear laptop ransom? That seemed like a pretty extreme measure. These are my last few weeks at home and I've been hanging out downstairs because that's where the air conditioning is. The room was a mess because I'm trying to pack for college while still knitting and doing all my other crafts. But was it really necessary to kidnap my sweet Elphie? Okay, I'll let you figure this one out for yourselves.

All right, maybe it was kind of bad, but still! I do have to give my mother credit for finally getting a sense of humor when it came to something that I'm sure is very frustrating for her. Such drastic measures did get me to start cleaning that room though, and I think I've made some decent progress! It's not as good as it could look of course, especially with all the packing I'm doing for college, but I'm proud of the work I've done thus far. When the room looks even better, maybe I'll take more pictures.

Now there's even more room for spinning, which I've become quite addicted to lately.

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Coming Soon to a Craftylulu Near You

2008-08-10T13:44:00.002-06:00

I would be blogging tons right now if it weren't for...

A) I haven't taken enough pictures to write a decent post with.

B) My right shoulder, and therefore my right arm, is killing me, making knitting very difficult.

C) My mother has taken my laptop hostage, ransom note and all.

My Wallet Doth Protest Much

2008-08-04T23:24:00.006-06:00

At least I think that's another way to say I'm totally broke!

One of my best friends Melanie and I went to the Denver area this weekend to do some much needed shopping, bonding, and relaxing. After hitting three malls, one shopping center, five restaurants, one Baskin Robin's, and several other various stores later, I am to be very prepared for college life in addition to being well dressed!

What did all my money fund?

Okay, my cousin Meredith actually bought most of this stuff for my dorm room because she's just plain sneaky and too nice.

I also purchased three tops and one tank from Old Navy, a super cute hoodie from Torrid, and some great clearance stuff from Lane Bryant including two adorable dresses for only $10 each! Our first stop on the trip was Ulta where Melanie finally bought herself that great Daisy perfume from Marc Jacobs and I was able to find a great black lace train case to take to school.

Not everything I purchased was just for me. I found birthday presents for both my sisters and my friend James.

Something I noticed while we were shopping is how lacy sweaters are becoming popular for fall. Seeing knitting-related anything in fashion always makes me excited. Eventually I'd love to be able to actually knit something quickly enough to wear it in the season it was designed for.

Speaking of knitting, I think I found the perfect pattern for all the gray Cotton Fleece that I decided is NOT going to be knit into Tahoe. The latest Knitty Surprise, Hey, Teach! looks just too cute and like a fun knit. I must cast on as soon as possible! Gibsongirl on Ravelry knit a beautiful one from teal Cotton Fleece, and after talking with her a bit, I'm convinced that this is the short-sleeved cardigan for me.

Well dear readers, I am off to one of my local coffee shops to spin and knit with some of "the girls". Maybe you'll get lucky and get a second post tonight with pictures of some spinning progress.

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Cordless!

2008-07-29T11:50:00.003-06:00

My lovely digital camera has a dead battery and I can't find my cord to charge it. Sadly I won't be able to get any pictures of the gorgeous yarn I bought in Nashville until I charge the camera and actually take pictures.

However, I will leave you with this teaser...

Yes dear readers, I visited a yarn store called the Haus of Yarn. And it was simply marvelous.

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

I've Left on a Jet Plane...

2008-07-17T08:52:00.006-06:00

Hurray! I'm in Nashvhille! My dad and I left our house yesterday just before seven in the morning to drive to the next city to catch our first plane. It wasn't actually even a jet plane; it was a small turbo power propeller plane!

We then had a three hour layover in Denver, ironically only a two hourish drive from our house. We found a good place to eat one of the other concourses so that killed a lot of time, especially since the Rock Bottom Brewery was slow that day!

The actual flight from Denver to Nashville wasn't too bad except for all the crying kids. My ears also popped a lot, and I was really tired. Sadly, it wasn't one of the better flights I've taken. I could totally tell how humid it was here from the moment we disembarked from the plane. Where I live in Colorado has a fairly dry climate so I think I am rather sensitive to humidity. Everything here is so green and there are so many trees! It's really quite beautiful.

For dinner, Dad and I went to the one and only Waffle House, a tradition on trips that take us south. I have a feeling that we'll end up eating there quite a bit more. Best grits to be found anywhere!

I haven't hit any yarn stores yet, but I did my research and hopefully I'll be able to visit at least one or two. The Compassionate Friends conference starts tonight, which is the whole reason why we came. I'm actually excited about that; the people you meet there are just amazing.

More updates about the country music capital of the world when I have more to talk about!!

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Working in Mysterious Ways

2008-07-12T10:59:00.007-06:00

Warning: There really isn't much knitting related stuff in this post.

Pretty much everybody who has ever been around a church has heard how God works in mysterious ways, and as much of a cliche as it is, it is so true. The past week, I have been busy every night and some days with my church's summer day/night camp thing called Totus Tuus. The four teachers, college students from all over the place, were just phenomenal and inspiring. My Catholic faith has always meant so much to me, but programs like this really make it come alive. My week wasn't all just church stuff though; we also had a blast playing and I have pictures to prove it.

Me, my sister Rachel, one of the teachers and our "big bro" Blake, and my sister Gina

On the last day, all the little kids got to pick two of the four teachers and CUPCAKE THEM! It was so much fun and I took a million pictures. The kids chose Blake, our "adopted" big brother, and Carrie. After we cupcaked the teachers, the kids had a huge water fight! I stayed in the dry zone because I wore jeans and did not want to get them wet. These kids really get into everything they do from the games they play to their faith. One can tell this by the amount of cupcakes on our teachers' heads. Great picture, no?

We took one last picture, even if it is a little blurry. The redhead in the middle is Rachel, the other girl teacher and one of my new best friends. We had several heart-to-heart talks over the week and I got so much off my chest. The really tall guy on the left is Josh, the final Totus Tuus teacher, what a sweetheart, a gentle giant. Other people in the picture include Sarah and her sister, my sister Rachel, and two of the other teen volunteers.

Okay, now on to the knitting... Dishcloths are my new obsession as of late. I've cranked out two since we left for Arizona and I'm two thirds done with my third one. I figure that nobody can steal my washcloths at college if they're all very unique! I'm still working on wool scarf for my mom and the sample scarf for the shop. Thursday, I cast on a new pair of Fetchings in a gorgeous yellow for my cousin, but I messed up on the second one so I'll have to rip it all out and start over again! Patience is a virtue..

Also, my grandfather is doing a bit better now. He's been moved out of I.C.U. and into a new rehab hospital. My mom and I had lots of good talks. We stopped at Village Wools in New Mexico, one of my favorite yarn stores, and I bought some sock yarn to make myself a shawl! My mom even bought some yarn for herself so I'm anxious to see if she'll actually ever use it since she's not that big into fiber crafts anymore.

This post is long enough. I'll try to post more the rest of the summer. I miss blogging.

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

What a Trip

2008-06-23T09:46:00.003-06:00

Saturday morning, my family got news that my grandfather (mom's father) was in the Intensive Care Unit with pneumonia at a hospital in Arizona. So Sunday morning, my mom and I loaded up my car and left our house in Colorado at just past six in the morning and made it to Tucson thirteen hours later. It's been a crazy 24 hours too. I don't know exactly what's been going on with my grandfather, other than they're doing what he can to make him comfortable, even though he is asleep.

I'm going to try to update my blog still while we're in Arizona since I have my laptop and our hotel has wireless internet.

Thank God for caring friends and family who actually want to hear about all this. My mom and I have been on the phone so much. I think I'm praying more for my family than for my actual grandfather, but that's kind of complicated.

Until next time,
Lulu

Holy Sheepskin

2008-06-18T08:41:00.006-06:00

Wow, it has been way, way too long since I last posted. The entire month of may was totally crazy for me, but the best part was I finally graduated high school on May 29th! High school was a wild ride, and man am I glad it's over.

My mom, me, and my dad after the ceremony.

I've been trying to get some knitting in, but with my crazy schedule it's been hard. Erin and I went to Estes Park last week for the Estes Park Wool Market. So many adorable animals! I bought my first drop spindle and some gorgeous roving, in addition to a couple books. It was great. We also got to tour the Stanley Hotel, Stephen King's inspiration for The Shining.

Of course, pictures of these adventures to come!

=(

2008-05-06T14:28:00.001-06:00

Ravelry is down... I don't know what I'm going to do... So bored.

If I have nothing to do online, then that means I need to do more cleaning.

OH NO!!!!

Socks and Scarves from a Sunny Sunday

2008-04-19T20:19:00.006-06:00

One of the things I love about Colorado is how much sunshine the state gets, about 300 or so days a year, and today is no exception. It's been a gorgeous all weekend inside and out, the temperature just perfect and the sky clear. I see some gardening in my future with the weather being as lovely as it is.

Moving on to the crafts...

Despite the lack of recent photographic evidence, there has been some serious knitting going on in my house (and at the local yarn store and the nearby Applebee's and coffeeshops, so on and so forth). The two projects I'm really devoting a lot of time to are my first pair of socks and a scarf for my mom.

While in Boulder a couple weekends ago, my cousin purchased a gorgeous skein of Cascade 220 Heathers for me in a medium shade of purple so I could make something for my mom. After much inquiry, I've cast on twenty stitches for a seed stitch scarf, similiar to the one I made for myself last year from the Cascade 220 Quatro. So far the scarf is coming along nicely and I've knit about three or four inches. I'm hoping to have it done for her by her fifty-first birthday in July.

My first pair of socks, also done from Cascade 220 are coming along nicely. Another inch of boring stockinette in the round and I'll be able to start on the heel. If you want to see a picture of the sock, look at what Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is holding in my picture with her!

Mom and I went to a friend's house Sunday to do some cardmaking. I've enver been much of a cardmaker in the past, but I can see the appeal. I managed to make some pretty nifty cards before my cramps and achy back dictated that we go home. I'm looking forward to making more cards in the future. Hopefully this will give me a chance to use up all my scraps of colored and patterned paper.

Other than some crafting and plenty of lounging over the weekend, on Sunday night I conquered my filing cabinet and started organizing all my past schoolwork and every other piece of paper I've found in my room. There is a huge bin in the middle of my floor just filled with paper to be recycled. After I get my room in shape, I really need to work on the perfect organization system for all my craft stuff. Soon I'll have to figure out what little of my craft stuff I'll be able to take with me to college in August.

Speaking of college!! I have my UNC Orientation on June 11 and 12, and the Estes Park Wool Market starts on the 12th and goes through the 15th. There's a youth hostel in Estes Park I can stay at for $30 a night!! I'm looking forward to taking this trip all by myself and do some fun sightseeing and maybe even throw in some self-discovery? So far my summer is really shaping up to be something exciting.

Happy belated Earth Day!

Coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Blogging Websites

2008-04-15T22:10:00.003-06:00

I've been thinking...

I'm seriously debating if I want to move my blog to typepad or wordpress. I like Blogger quite a bit and it's been nice for now, but I'm getting kind of antsy about wanting to personalize my blog more. Plus I've been reading on Ravelry about how commenting on Blogger can be a huge pain... I like getting comments and I'd really like for my readers to be able to easily comment.

Any feedback? Comments are greatly appreciated...

And a Picture to Prove It!

2008-04-14T14:53:00.003-06:00

YarnHarlot, originally uploaded by craftylulu.

Told you I met her! And sweet Stephanie is even holding MY sock!

I wish I looked better in this picture, but alas... The shirt I'm wearing says "WILL KNIT FOR COFFEE" and I painted it sometime last year. I aslo sewed the "coffee" tote bag I'm carrying.

So cool right?

Did I mention how nice she is in person? and funny!

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

A Yarn about the Harlot

2008-04-06T11:33:00.003-06:00

No pictures on this post because I'm not at home yet--still up in the Denver area at my cousin's house on the laptop.

OMG I MET THE YARN HARLOT! SHE WAS AMAZING!

Okay, I need to stop yelling before I give myself an asthma attack, but seriously, I had such a blast Friday night at the Tattered Cover.

She remembered commenting my blog; how cool is that? I thought I was going to die when I started talking to her. Stephanie is truly an amazing woman with a gift, and I can't wait to see her again. I read her new book cover to cover at 1 a.m. Friday night and loved it.

I also made some new friends while waiting for the book signing. A group of lovely ladies from Colorado Springs took me in as their own and made the night that much better. I also bought my first skein of Koigu yarn at the LYS by the Tattered Cover.

I should be heading home to Pueblo tonight or tomorrow morning so expect pictures in the next few days. I'm still flying high about all that has happened this weekend.

Also, may Dylan Reid rest in peace. Dude, you died too young. All the students and staff at DHPH an CCA will miss you dearly.

There's Fiber in Them Thar Bloodlines

2008-04-03T11:46:00.007-06:00

One of the highlights of my trip to Chicago was getting to visit the Swedish Museum in the neighboorhood called Andersonville. The museum gave a wonderful display of history explaining how and why different Swedes chose to leave the mother country and immigrate to the United States and how Swedish-Americans lived their lives once arriving here. Being of Swedish descent, it was very interesting for me to walk through the museum with my mother, whose own grandfather came to the States from Gothenburg, Sweden in 1911.

About halfway through the second-floor exhibit, we looked upon a display of the average living room from the early 1900s. In the corner sat a spinning wheel, the second one we had seen in the museum that day. "I knew it!" I told my mom excitedly. "Fiber is in my blood. I must learn how to spin now!" Of course, being the shutterbug that she is, my mom insisted I pose for a picture.

The third floor of the museum was just as amazing. It was totally devoted for children ages two-twelve to understand the lives of Swedish-Americans from many, many years ago. I had so much fun running around pretending to be five years old again. I dressed up like a little Swedish girl and pretended to say goodbye to my homeland before departing for the land of oppurtunity called America.

I had just way too much fun with it all, and I'm looking forward to taking my children to the same museum someday. If anybody ever visits the Chicago area, I highly recommend a trip to the Swedish Museum.

In other news, I'm going to see the one and only Yarn Harlot on Friday at the Tattered Cover in Highlands Ranch. I am so terribly excited about this. What should I wear? Something knit of course... Hmmm... Don't expect a post about my Yarn Harlot booksigning until at least Sunday night though because I am also planning on staying in the Denver area for the rest of the weekend to visit some more family. My little cousin Riley is turning 10 on Saturday, plus her grandmother, my cousin Meredith, and I are planning on visiting some yarn stores in possibly Boulder or Ft. Collins that same day. Tons of pictures of those things to come.

I'm hoping I can keep up this reguarly blogging thing. I really do enjoy it, and I hope to expand my reader base someday in the future. I think today will be a good day. =)

Coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

7 Reasons Why Knitting is Better than Magic: The Gathering

2008-04-02T21:45:00.004-06:00

While most of my guy friends are totally into a card game called Magic: The Gathering and the like, I am a knitter. They sit in the cafeteria at the college for hours at a time dueling against one another, playing one-on-one and two-on-two and so on and so forth until they can play no more. I sit and watch for a little while, eventually pulling out some knitting or crocheting or a book about fiber arts because I firmly believe that knitting is better than Magic.

1. To play Magic, one must collect lots of cards and this costs lots of money over the long run. You can find yarn for cheap if you look in the right places, and there is a skein for every budget from Red Heart from Wal-Mart to the gorgeous Lobster Pot cashmere purchased online.

2. With the exception of card houses, you can make plenty of different things from yarn.

3. Yarn doesn't give you papercuts like a Magic card would.

4. Alpaca yarn is way softer than any Magic card.

5. You can knit all by yourself but you need at least one other person to play Magic.

6. Knitting can be as easy or as complex as you want it to be. Magic is pretty much always complicated.

7. You don't have to know how to read to knit (without a pattern) but reading is a required skill for playing Magic.

Chicago Yarny Goodness

2008-04-01T10:48:00.005-06:00

And now, some promised pictures... Okay, not all of them because between me and my mom, we took over 350+ pictures; but I do have some highlights from one of the yarn stores we visited!

Loopy Yarns, located on South State Street, was the better of the two yarn stores we visited in the Windy City. I instantly felt welcomed despite by newbie-ness. A former store manager who is now an independent knitwear designer offered to take a couple pictures of me and my mom. Notice the handknit scarf my mother is wearing--that lovely Cascade 220 creation is mine! Even my mother was impressed by the amazing collection of different varieties of yarn. I almost had trouble deciding what would go home with me back to Colorado when I saw the back wall...

Look at all the beautiful Manos del Uraguay! Dear Loopy Yarns even had the silk blend of this gorgeous kettle-dyed yarn. I bought two skiens of the silk blend, which is the stuff to the left in the picture. The purply-magenta skein was for my friend Erin and the deep teal skein was all for me. I aslo got another wool/silk blend yarn from the sale bin at the store at 60% off in addition to some absolutely gorgeous worsted-weight wool that is dyed right there in Chicago (picture of that to come). I ended up giving up over $40 to the yarn store but I was able to go home with some great treats.

And that is that for now. I must take my poor car into the dealer to see why in the world my check engine light came on. As always, more pictures later. Maybe I'll even update twice in one day!!

And as a teaser for my next entry... I bought my first full sized skien of CASHMERE at the other yarn store we visited. Also, fiber arts are in my blood and I have photographs to prove it. More on that later.

Coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Too Much Oxygen

2008-03-30T22:19:00.002-06:00

I'm back from Chicago as of Friday evening. I've been sleeping and unpacking and cleaning and working all weekend, and I've been crazy tired. The funniest part of being in Chicago is all the oxygen!! It's at a lower altitude than mountanious Colorado so there is so much more oxgyen in the air, and it made me very light-headed and feathery feeling. The trip was truly amazing though. I bought some great yarn (pictures to come) and some scrapbooking stuff, in addition to a massive amount of other stuff including two pairs of pants, a Northwestern University hoodie, two sweaters, a pair of Spanx, and a Tinkerbell t-shirt from the Disney store, in addition to stuff for friends and family.

Thankfully I didn't have a single problem getting my knitting through security! I worked a few rounds of my sock on the plane and I'm slowly making progress.

When I get my personal computer being nice to me again, I'll post some pictures!

I'm going to a booksigning of the Yarn Harlot's new book on Friday. SO EXCITED!

Until next time fellow yarn addicts.

Coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Off Tomorrow to Travel!

2008-03-23T21:34:00.003-06:00

Hello blogging world! Currently I am sitting in my cousin Meredith's kitchen on her daughter's gorgeous black MacBook laptop, wired from coffee and chocolate cream pie. My mom and I are leaving bright and early tomorrow for the Windy City. That's right cyber friends, I am heading to Chicago! Hurray for Spring Break!!

On the itinerary for the city of big shoulders includes the Sears Tower, the Art Institute, the Swedish museum, a Sephora fix, and of course lots of yarn and scrapbook stores! (Man could I use any more explanation points in this post? YES!!!!) I've been saving money all month for the trip and plan to do plenty of shopping, for yarn and otherwise. Everybody at work has put in various requests for things they'd like me to bring back.

In other news, school is going well. Graduation is closer and closer, as is prom. (Still need to get a dress, and possibly a date. Ugh.)

I brought several potential projects for the trip, but in the rush to take my sisters to the airport this morning, I left my sock at home!!!!! Oh well, a break might do us good. It's coming along nicely and I even learned a new cast-on method for it. Looking forward to finishing my first wool sock, and ironically it will probably happen in July when I will not need a single wool sock.

That is about all for now. I will try to post from Chicago but I have no idea what type of internet access I will have, if any at all.

And thank you for all the birthday comments!! <3

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

SQUEAL!

2008-03-19T11:38:00.002-06:00

My sisters and I got tickets to the May 8th Superchic[k] concert! EEE!! I'm so jazzed about this. I've loved this band for ages and I'm really looking forward to going to this concert in Colorado Springs. So far it's just going to be me and my sisters and one of their good friends, but I'm hoping to take a girlfriend with me too, maybe Melanie or Erin.

Oh, and I've been knitting too... Working on my first pair of socks!! YAY!

My birthday (March 10th) was pretty good. I can't believe I'm finally 18!

The Adventures of Yarn Martian!

2008-02-27T09:57:00.003-07:00

Erin, my friend from the yarn store, and I went out for coffee and knitting on Monday afternoon. I kept jumping from project to project while she worked on her scarf. After realizing I wasn't going to be able to cast on loosely enough for my first sock, I decided to take a break from the knitting. I stuck two of my DPNs in the cake of green Cascade 220 and Yarn Martian was born...

I'm so proud of my creation!

Until next time...

Coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

I've Been Tagged!

2008-02-20T09:04:00.004-07:00

And I never thought the day would come. I've never been well known on the internet for anything, but finally dear Kaya from Sisterly Knits tagged me for this lovely meme.

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

And now for my seven random facts...

1. Eating sugary or carb-filled stuff, especially peanut butter, right before bed gives me nightmares.

2. I went to Catholic school for almost nine years, and I wore uniforms for two.

3. My room is NEVER clean, and sometimes I hate to admit that this really does bug me once in a while.

4. When I was a baby, I was diagnosed with JA, or Juvenile Arthritis, which is technically an auto-immune disease. It's in remission now though, and hopefully it will never return.

5. I used to have Shirley Temple curls when I was little, but I cut my own hair at the age of four and my curls just never came back.

6. I hate to throw stuff out, so I have way too much random stuff, usually trash or other useless crap, around my room.

7. I've been webdesigning since I was in sixth grade, and as high school went on, I sadly started to move onto other things so I haven't done much with any HTML coding in ages.

I'm going to tag Abby, Sarah, Allie, Genuine, Patrick, Amber and Melanie

Been Feeling Under the Weather

2008-01-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

moar funny pictures

The boyfriend and I broke up, and things are really up in the air right now. I just haven't been in the mood to blog.

I've been knitting a little bit, working on a pair of Andean Silk Fetchings that I'm making longer than the pattern calls for. I'm dying to cast on a scarf...

I'll try to find the time to actually blog about my yarn crawl from earlier this year.

Just thought I'd update real quick.

Coffee & Cashmere,
Lulu

Whoa, What A Trip!

2008-01-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting to update my lovely blog until I had fun pictures to show everybody, but I'm just too damn lazy. I have pictures from the trip I took with my mom, but they're still on my camera, and hers. I think I may do a series of post, reviewing the yarn stores I visited and my purchases.

That money my dad gave me? All gone...

But don't worry, I have tons to show for it. Over ten skeins of yarn to show for it in fact! Lots of wool, some alpaca, a skein of corn yarn (yes, corn), and silk!

In addition to all the yarn purchased, I also picked up some great fabric and even more scrapbooking supplies. Pictures and more stories to come.

I have since become addicted to Knit.1 Magazine. I purchased the current issue and a couple back issues while at Purls in Tucson, AZ and then purchased several more back issues while at Village Wools in Alburquerque.

The Alpaca Fetchings are officially finished, and I've even worn them a few times while on my trip. I love them even though they shed and fit kind of funny. The pattern is totally addictive though, and very fast. I can't wait to make myself a second pair, but I plan on making these much longer on both the top and the bottom.

Anybody got any ideas about what I can do with four skeins of Knit Picks Andean Silk? I was going to make another pair of Fetchings with some of it, but I recently learned that silk doesn't hold a cable or ribbing very well... Decisions, decisions, decisions.

I promise to update more another day, with pictures too hopefully.

coffee & cashmere,
Lulu

A Fetching Christmas!

2007-12-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

Because I am such a rebel, I took my knitting to Mass on Christmas Eve. While sitting listening to the choir and the readings, I finished my second Fetching! I just need to finish weaving the ends in and I'm totally and completely done. Aren't they gorgeous? And they're soooooo soft! I'm still not totally sure how I feel about the yarn, since it's hard to see the cabling with the heathered color of the fuzzy alpaca. Overall, I'm addicted to the pattern, and I plan on making several more pairs of Fetching. I also would love to attempt a pair of Dashing, most likely to be made with some Cascade 220.

My Christmas was pretty average, but it was very good. One of my best friends Melanie made me a gingerbread house, and her mom gave me the 2008 day by day Stitch and Bitch calender! I got a really fuzzy new bathrobe, some great jewelry, a couple giftcards, and *drum roll...*

$100 to spend on YARN!

This is totally going to come in handy with all the new yarn stores I'm planning on visiting in the next week or two. My mom suggested that I use the money to buy the Knit Picks Harmony options set I want, but I'd rather have yarn.

Mom and I are leaving early tomorrow morning for Arizona and should be back the third or fourth of January. I don't know what type of computer access I'll have while I'm out of state, if I will even have any at all. I don't know what I'm going to do without checking Ravelry every single day!

That being said, I have a billion things to do before I have to go to work this afternoon. I need to decide what yarn to bring so I have plenty of knitting for the long car ride there and back.

coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Planning a Yarn Crawl

2007-12-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

I know, I'm a bad blogger.

One of my New Year's resolutions is to update this thing more, because I really do like blogging! I want this to be more than just a knitting blog too; I'd love to write about my crocheting, my scrapbooking, and my sewing. Plus I want to try some new crafts in the next few months, in addition to expand my knitting abilities.

So, now, onto the knitting!

The annual Christmas party at the Mexican restaurant I work at was Saturday the 15th, and of course I brought knitting even though I didn't work on it too much because I was busy eating, drinking, and merry-making. My friend Nichole, who is a junior at my high school, was my hot date. James, my boyfriend, drove us because my car was completely out of gas (how sweet). All the people who work at the restaurant participated in a gift exchange type of thing, and I had picked my boss's name. I gave him a cute gift set with a coffee mug, a shot glass, and a beer mug with the CU Buffs logo. Needless to say, with the excessive amounts of drinking going on, he loved it and even used the shot glass that night. I learned that drinking spiked egg nog with Nichole and trying to knit cables in the round really do not mix well. Overall, the party was fun and I was able to wait until Sunday to knit.

A few days ago, I finished the first glove in my alpaca Fetching's and started on the second. I really hope I have enough yarn to finish the second one because the ball is getting smaller and smaller and my LYS is closed until after the New Year. I don't really care for the pattern in this particular yarn though because with the heathered dark gray, it's hard to see the detailing of the cables. The pattern is really easy, and I think I may even make some modifications to the next pair I make. I'm hoping to get my hands on some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino while out of state so I can knit myself some black or red ones that I think I may actually wear more than the gray ones I'm working on now.

Speaking of going out of state, yes that is a New Mexico travel book in the above picture! Mom and I are planning a raod trip to Arizona and New Mexico for next week. Her parents live in Tucson, AZ so we're going to visit them, and then taking our time driving back home through New Mexico. I can't wait to visit all the new yarn stores! We're even planning to *hopefully* visit the Fiesta Yarns outlet too. Anybody know any yarn stores in Tucson or New Mexico?

To all of those Ravelry members who have left me comments, THANK YOU! If you're interested, I'd love to swap blog links. Just let me know. =)

coffee & cashmere,
Lulu

Coffee Swap Received!

2007-11-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon, I finally got my coffee swap package. I squealed and opened it quickly. I got spoiled with six skeins of yarn. (Excuse the date on the picture...My camera doesn't like me anymore!)

The fun part about swaps is that most of the stuff in my package is things I wouldn't normally purchase for myself, such as the Wildfoote sock yarn from Brown Sheep.

In my packaged, I got...

Four skeins of Knick Picks Andean Sick in Sangria
Two skeins of Brown Sheep Company's Wildfoote sock yarn in Soft Jazz
An espresso cup with saucer, just plain white and rather chic
A purple candle that smells very pretty
Smarties!
Chocolate coins from Disney
Avon hand cream/lotion
A box of organic, fair trade tea, caffiene free that sounds great for night time
A sample of Blueberry herbal tea
And one whole pound of Ethiopian coffee, that is quite yummy.

Thank you Mya from Aurora!

Coffee & Cashmere,
Lulu

Coffee Addict!

2007-11-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

I am 75% Addicted to Coffee

Boston Dating

Boyfriend Scarf!

2007-11-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

Because I love to knit so much, and I'm dearly fond of my boyfriend, I'm going to make him a scarf! And not just any scarf, but Knitty's Danica! It's going to be a lightish cerelean blue and black. I went to buy yarn yesterday at my awesome LYS but Emily was all out of black Cascade 220! She just ordered some more and it should be in after Thanksgiving probably. And since James (The boyfriend) wants it to be more black than blue, I need to wait to cast on!

I can't wait. ^_^

In other news, I spent last week taking about 40 pictures of my yarn stash for Ravelry. O-M-G that website is so addicting!

I finished my moss stitch scarf last night while watching "Fever Pitch" (cute movie btw). I need to weave in the ends and block it now! It's gorgeous too, and I can't wait to wear it.

Still no word from my swap partner... I want my package!! I just hope I get fun goodies. I can't wait to see what yarn he or she got me.

Ravelry Addict

2007-11-12T19:32:00.000-07:00

It's official. I'm addicted to Ravelry. I even donated a dollar so I could feel good about my addiction. =)

I signed up for a billion groups, including House and Gilmore Girls!

I also signed up for the Caffiene Addicts Swap 2, and I've mailed off my package to my spoilee, a high school science teacher in Alaska. She already received everything, and just loved it all! I felt soo good Friday night when I saw her blog post about the package. I can't wait to see what she makes from the yarn.

I still haven't gotten my box.

Yay Raverly!

2007-10-15T16:31:00.000-06:00

I love Raverly. It's so awesome. Just thought everybody should know that!

EEEEEEEEEE!!!!

2007-10-08T15:45:00.000-06:00

I just got home from school and decided to check my email. Little did I suspect I would see my RAVERLY INVITE!!

EEEEEEEEEEE!!!

My username is craftylulu so add me or something if you're also on there!

I can't believe my invite came this soon, seeing how I didn't put my name on the list until about a month or two ago.

YAY!!!

Coffee and cashmere,
Miss Lu

Yay for Books!

2007-09-30T10:09:00.000-06:00

With work really picking up and school getting busier, I haven't had a ton of time to devote to just KNITTING. As always, I take some with me everywhere, either a washcloth or one of my scarves, so my fingers are never idle, but I haven't had much time to do just crafts!

However, I just bought two new knitting books yesterday with part of my first paycheck from work! Best part, they were half off at Barnes & Noble. I love sales.

Okay, this book really isn't a knitting book, but it's crochet! And it's SCARVES! I love scarves. ^_^

And then, I also got Vogue's first stitch dictionary! A book I've been eying for several months. Not only was it half off the retail price of $29.95, I also received an additional 10% off because the back cover was torn, something easily repaired with some tape.