I found this topic, and I thought of one of the women I worked with when I worked at the aquarium. We were at the Minnesota Boat Show finishing up our day running the booth, and someone stepped on a strip of upturned tape and said in a completely serious and somewhat surprised voice, "This tape is sticky!" So, I couldn't resist. - What kind of magnets do you have on your fridge?
It depends on the magnet! I generally prefer the clip ones: the magnet itself is stronger, and I'm not huge on having a cluttered refrigeration space. I have a really fun magnet of an angry looking dog (it makes me laugh every time I see it). I also have a stack of notepad, just in case.
- What is your preferred type of glue?
It depends on what I'm doing. I have several different types: Krazy Glue, Gorilla Glue, upholstery Glue, wood glue, a couple glue sticks... For the simple things that just need a quick dab and won't melt, I use Krazy glue. For just about anything involving fabric I use upholstery glue. For things involving connecting multiple types of media in a compressed environment, I use Gorilla Glue (if it's not compressed properly, it expands too much). For wood projects, duh, I use wood glue. If I'm in a pinch... I use tiling caulk. It's weird, but it's come in handy for scrapbooking.
- When is it good to feel sticky?
Not sure how to handle this one... I'm married? Just kidding, that's way too obvious. Actually I don't mind it if I'm baking or cooking.
- What was the last thing you wrote on a Post-It?
Customer information. Name, phone number, and stock number. I have a very strange way of remembering the information without forgetting it - and it's completely out of sequence - so if I dictate, it doesn't make sense.
- How much syrup do you use on your pancakes?
Not that much. I don't like to drown my pancakes. For people who have lived in snow, I'd call it a "light dusting." It's basically just a few stripes so there is barely any syrup left by the time I've finished my pancakes.
I am thrilled to announce that I have been requested for another yarnwork commission! A friend of mine is getting a new niece or nephew! Since we don't know the gender, we've already decided on a moss green for the commission, and I'm going to get to do another baby sweater and hat!  Here is the first of the mittens I'm making on the first commission project. It is two layers, so the grey thumb will soon be enveloped in red.
I also haven't tucked in the ends.
Since I am using a new technique, I wasn't sure that I'd include an image of my first attempt, but after seeing how cute it's turning out, I couldn't resist!
The whole thing is done with a rib stitch around the wrist and a moss stitch along the rest. The stockinette stitch on the thumb is the same grey that the interior of all of the mittens will be. It almost completely disappears through the rest of mitten.
As I finish them, I will plan to show some scale with my very first set of mittens. I made them for myself in high school. For anyone else with ridiculously tiny hands, I tend to make prototypes in my size so I can figure out exactly what I'm doing.
I'll also be sure to include some images of what these mittens look like as I'm doing them. Since the layers are completely integrated, I had eight needles in this tiny thing at once.
Fun fact for the week: It's time to celebrate our pooches! So, here is my pooch, and a little bit about him!  His name is Cody, and he just turned 3 years old on September 6th (or so we say). I got him when he was about eight or nine months old on June 6, 2009 for my graduation from college. Having a dog has always been a huge part of my life, and I am so happy I found him!
He is technically a mongrel: a mix of two breeds. He is half Springer Spaniel and half Greater Swiss Mountain dog. He is the perfect companion dog, and since the day we met him has done perfectly in car rides. He picked up his leash manners very quickly too.
It is very important when thinking about what dog is best to do a little research. So, a little on the selection process:
1) Know a bit about breed traits, and narrow down what you want. I knew I wanted a high-energy dog, and that a Springer would fit my desire to have that energy level. I also knew I needed something easy to train, since it was my first dog who wasn't a family pet. But I also wanted something big, and at about 25 lbs, a purebred Springer just wouldn't cut it for me. I knew right away I was looking at a mix.
2) Don't rule out mixes. Mixed breed dogs tend to have fewer genetic problems since their traits come from two distinct lines. If you decide to go with a mix, research both breeds. The Spaniel in Cody comes with TONS of energy, and the Mountian Dog comes with an ability to pull loads and jump. That might be a bad thing for some, but since I love to hike and rollerblade, it's perfect.  3) Look into a couple different age groups. Puppies are cute, but they take a lot of work. I was looking in the 6 month to 2 year range. There would be a lot less growth, housetraining, and stress with finding a dog that was slightly older. And please look into adopting from a shelter! Shelter dogs are awesome. Granted, they have some history, but they are some of the most loving dogs imaginable.
4) Nail it down to a couple dogs. I was torn between Cody and a Husky/Pointer mix. She had blue eyes and tons of freckles, but Huskies and Pointers can be challenging to train. My choice was narrowed to Cody when the Husky/Pointer was adopted.
5) Contact a shelter/adoption agency/rescue organization. The sooner, the better. Make sure to communicate all of the policies with the agency and talk directly with whomever currently has the dog. They'll be best able to talk about personality and make sure the dog is a perfect fit.
 My adoption experience:
Getting Cody entailed a little bit of work on my end. I knew the breed, characteristics of what to expect, and a lot of general information about him. After talking to his foster mom, I knew he was the perfect fit. There was one obstacle to getting him: he was four hours away from where I live in Minneapolis down in Waverly, Iowa. Since I couldn't meet him before committing to adopt him, I sent several emails, saw tons of pictures, and spoke with his foster mom on the phone.
So, at 7am, my then boyfriend - now husband - and I got into the car and drove four hours down to Waverly to get him. I met his foster mom in person, got to watch him run around with one of his playmates, and we proceeded back to Minneapolis. It was the greatest eight hours in the car I've ever had. He was calm, and learned very quickly the importance of staying in the backseat.
Now, he's absolutely great! He pulls me on rollerblades, is great on walks, hikes through the woods, and even goes fishing. Fishing does get hims a little excited! I couldn't be happier with such a sweet disposition and laid back personality. He's always content and eager to please.
I can't thank Waverly Pet Rescue enough for the care they gave him, and the opportunity to have the perfect dog!
So, here is a link to their website via Petfinder: http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/IA143.htmlThe last picture was the main photo on his online profile. To see a bit on his life before he came to me, here is a link to his adoption profile:
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/13695950
 So, I finally have the sizing for the mittens! I got started just a little bit yesterday and this morning. Their hands are TINY and I already know it's going to be a bit of a challenge to get the whole thing done, but I am thrilled get the process rolling!
So, here is the first (of hopefully many) pictures for this project: the size of their hands. One is only 3 1/2 inches from wrist to fingertip! Since they are so small, I already had a little snag with sizing. I'm using new yarn and small needles, so getting the ribbing around the wrist an appropriate size took some extra care and patience. I'm sure I'll hit another bump or two (especially on the first mitten) but I'm really happy to get to experiment.
In other news; I finished yet another project. This one is a crochet octopus! He turned out so cute, and the specialty design includes feet on the arms and a beak in the middle.
 He is made completely in single crochet and three different colors. The body (of coarse) is blue. Though I prefer to do variegated yarn when I do octopus: seems appropriate for an animal that changes colors.
I did use a variegated yarn for the feet. The underside of all of the feet have the stripe of variegated stitches.
Last, his eyes and his beak (in the middle of all of the arms on the bottom) I made purple. I prefer to do purple features, since it's my favorite color. It also shows up on almost any animal I make very well. I might consider the purple facial features on my animals a signature. It works very well with animals that have black faces, and gives them just a bit of extra personality.
More pictures of the octopus in yarnwork, and my first furniture piece in my furniture section! Enjoy!
Since the Chrysler New Yorker ran as a model from 1938 to 1996, it just didn't seem right to include every model into one blog post, so I'm concentrating on the very first model of the Chrysler New Yorker that was produced from 1939-1945.  The 40's era New Yorker was the introduction of Fluid Drive: a fluid coupling between the engine and the clutch. It offered easier shifting and was the precursor to automatic transmission technology.
In 1941, Chrysler New Yorker's Town Sedan was introduced with hinges at the front of the rear doors. This was one of the first sedans offered without the suicide doors for the rear cabin.
In 1942, after entering WWII, auto production heavily decreased to support the military efforts. Because of this, the Chrysler New Yorker produced only half of the initial projection for production on the 1942 New Yorker. The total produced was only 7,045 vehicles.
 With an Inline 8-cylinder (I-8) engine, the first generation New Yorker hauled out a maximum of 140 hp: enough for its 3500 lbs. curb weight. With its limited production during WWII, the later I-8 engine became the predecessor to the Hemi engine.
The New Yorker came in several styles including a 4-door, coupe, and convertible models. Trim levels varied year to year including two exclusive models for the 1942 model year. The Highlander edition sported Scottish plaid interior, and the Navajo edition sported upholstery designed to look like Native American blankets including the classic thunderbird pattern.
One of the minor "claims to fame" for the Chrysler New Yorker is its appearances as a background vehicle in the iconic 1946 film It's A Wonderful Life.
I have recently finished two of my yarnwork projects, and I am SO happy to finally be able to share them! The first is from my last yarnwork post: the shawl/wrap, and the second is a sweater vest that I custom fit for myself. Since I have some pretty weird measurements, it's always been hard for me to find sweaters that actually fit properly, let alone a sweater vest. So, I am very happy to share how they turned out as displayed on my sister's valet stand and one of her forms (named Estelle). You can check her blog out at http://www.bymaggie.com/
 The first completed project that I'll show is my sweater vest. It looks a little strange on the valet stand, but on the whole it turned out great! I couldn't be happier, and I wore it to work on Friday!
I did a custom weave pattern for the type of knit. I wanted something unique that didn't show stretch like a Stockinette (regular) knit or a ribbed knit. The weave pattern turned out so well, too!
This is one of the only items I have knit that had absolutely no moss stitch: I put moss stitch in almost all of my works as my signature. It has been my favorite type since I was in high school.
For the fitting, there are removed stitches and added stitches around the waist and bust to accommodate the customized fit for my curves. It fits like a glove, and although it is made to stretch when I move around, there is very little stretch when it is on, so the contours aren't as noticeable as with a standard type of knitting. For the trim, I did add rib stitch around the bottom, arms, and neck. This made it a bit snug around the edges.
 The second completed project is the same one shown in progress from last week. I tried a brand new pattern, that turned out very cool with a lot of texture!
Some sections of the pattern are raised, and others recede, letting it fold around itself very easily and hide its own ends effectively. I don't quite have a name yet for this pattern, but it's mostly a series of vertical parallelograms moving throughout the wrap. The wrap itself is about 4 feet long, by one foot wide. The edges are not squared off, but are knit diagonally instead, adding stitches with each row.
For the ruffle, I added my signature moss stitch. I had to have it somewhere! It adds a bit of extra flair to the piece, and definitely makes it a bit more unique.
And this is worn by my sister's lovely Estelle! Thanks, again, Mags!
I have more pictures in the Yarnwork section for more photos on both items and some more projects to show as well.
So, this week, I've decided to do Sleep Deprivation! It's been a long week, and it has been a little on the rocky side. Sleep is always my friend, but I feel like he's a long lost friend who I need to see sometime soon. - When you’re having trouble staying awake, what are some things you do to make sure you don’t drift off to sleep?
Depending on where I am, I'll start knitting or Facebook and Twitter stalk people. Or I'll surf the web for new design inspiration. No matter how tired I am, I'm always up for that. - What’s most likely to cause you a prolonged period of not enough sleep?
Work, and a busy schedule... I would call that my boring answer. Since I've switched jobs, my work schedule is far more stable, so that isn't as much of a problem. Now, it's squeezing in time with my husband or making sure things get done around the house. For some reason, I have a knack for cleaning and building furniture at night. I did make a deal at one point not to use power tools after 2am. - When you’re going through a prolonged period of not enough sleep, what parts of your daily routine are likely to change, and how?
My eating habits get very strange. It's not that I eat more, just that I eat stranger foods. My tastes get spicier. When I'm sleep deprived, I love Chipotle (which I might just get for lunch tomorrow...), curry, and Gatorade.
I drink a lot of coffee, but I do that anyway. - Who in your life seems regularly to have not enough sleep?
My sister. She's a very busy lady, has a long commute to work, and lives with a toddler in a house that echos a lot. Plus, she just moved and hasn't gotten a couch into her family room yet... So she's been missing out on couch naps. - In what ways does your personality change when you go through a prolonged period of not enough sleep?
I mostly just get really cranky. I can get a little short with people, and road rage is more likely to occur.
Alright, so here is a picture of one of the things I've been working on while waiting for my mitten sizing to become available:
 It's a fairly large shawl/wrap, and at this point, it's basically done. I just have one more decision to make on it: Do I want the ruffle to extend on all sides, or on just the top of the wrap?
I'm to the point that it's done across the top, and I could call it quits, but I' haven't decided if that's what I want to do yet....
Here is a picture of it when it was stuffed on my needles. By the end, I was working nearly 600 stitches per row.
And that's my kitty, Apollo, in the background. One of these days I'll have a better place to take the pictures.
Well, I don't have the sizing for the mittens yet, but we did make one little change: Instead of the gloves being orange, and the mittens being purple (for Clara), we're switching the colors. No big deal!
I have been working on another yarnwork project: it's a great shawl/wrap. I've been working on it while waiting to get the sizing for the mitten project. I'm done with the body, and now I'm working on a ruffle trim. I've been thinking it might be time to bring a few things to my sisters for some great pictures on her dress form.
I also re-discovered a project that I'd frogged a while back - sweater vest. It's in my favorite purple, and has not one stitch of moss stitch in it at all (I put moss in at least one place in just about every project). All it needs is the finishing touches: the collar and armholes need to be cinched up with some ribbing. I'm pretty excited to see how it turned out and to actually wear it in the real-world!
I don't normally wear sweaters or things that show stretch: my measurements are a bit weird. But this one turned out so well!
Goal for the week: have some actual photos to show for this stuff!
Alright, so this week's fives are based on my Dad's favorite movie of all time: The Wizard of Oz. If you asked him, "Hey, Dan, what's the greatest movie of all time?" This would proudly be his answer. I also had a pretty sick Wednesday this week, and watched Sci Fi's Tin Man on Netflix. It was fascinating.
So, my answers this week are a little short, but it is what it is! Here she goes: - This past week, what word would you have completed the “If I Only Had a _________” song title with?
BRAIN! Just because that's where my mind goes first. And I have been a bit spacey lately. - What have you recently seen that seemed less likely than flying monkeys?
Me saying "no" when I have no means to help someone. Normally, I'll give my left arm, but lately I've been actually taking care of myself. - If you could have shouted “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!” sometime this past week, when would it have been especially appropriate?
Wednesday. I had a very sick Wednesday, so I definitely was the man behind THAT curtain. - Who has been your Good Witch of the North recently?
My mom. We don't always get along, but she's been doing strangely well, and she's been really helpful lately in general. - This weekend, where does the Yellow Brick Road lead?
Lake Wazee for some scuba diving with my dad and my sister! I'm so excited to get back in the water!
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