Oozing Crazy Creativity on a Manic Monday

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!

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!

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!!

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

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!

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

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