love is all you need

When I was eight years old, there was this advertising campaign for milk that showed a little girl that looked just like me standing in front of a full-length mirror with a glass of milk. As she drank the milk she saw herself as she gradually aged, and her aged self would tell her about how great it was to grow up. (And make sure to drink your milk!)

I used to stand in front of my mirror with a glass of milk and try really hard to see what I would look like as I got older. I would consider my big brown eyes that I wished were blue, scraggly permed hair, and multitude of freckles that I wished weren’t there and just really couldn’t see how I would ever look like an adult.

Nineteen years later I look in the mirror and I still see those same big brown eyes and multitude of freckles. (I stopped getting perms a long time ago, thankfully.) I’m pretty surprised to find that I still look so much like that little eight-year-old me did and I really can’t pinpoint what it is that makes me look older now, though I hope it is wisdom.

If I could look back through the mirror and talk to my eight-year-old self, I’d tell her not to worry about feeling awkward and embarrassed. I’d tell her that the feeling never goes away; you just get better at ignoring it. I would tell her to find something she loves doing (which I know will eventually be knitting) and do it a lot. I’d tell her to take more risks, because she’ll learn so much about herself every time she does. I’d tell her to drink her milk and stop worrying about those freckles, cause they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. I would tell her that she is beautiful and smart and worth the hard work it takes to become an adult.

Today is my 27^{th birthday and I’m glad to be where I am.}

Rebecca tagged me with the 7 Random Things meme.  It took me forever to come up with 7 things, and then my blog ate the post.  I am hoping I can remember them all again.

 

 

1. I never cry at sad movies, unless an animal dies.  The only time I’ve ever proved this theory wrong was that time I watched the episode of Mad About You when Jamie and Paul almost broke up.

 

 

2. I have a scar on my right eyebrow that I fill in with eyebrow pencil everyday.  I got it when I was five and tried to fly.

 

 

3. Speaking of flying, when I was twelve, I used to jump out of our tree in our backyard with an open umbrella, thinking I could pull off a Mary Poppins.

 

 

4. When I was 21 I won a radio contest that was a free trip to Miami to meet Lenny Kravitz.

 

 

5. If someone asks me what I would do if I didn’t have to work for a living, I usually come up with something that involves knitting and playing with dogs all the time.

 

 

6. I spent 5 years in college; first I studied advertising, and then nursing.  I most surely have enough credits to have a bachelor’s degree, but I don’t have all the right classes to fulfill any certain degree plan.  If I were to do it all over again, I would probably study veterinary medicine or English.

 

 

7. When I asked Joey to help me come up with something random about me he said, “You’re a cautious driver; you don’t make risky lane-changes.”

 

I'm still swatching away for my Master Knitter Level 1 and I've found a new favorite basic yarn: Berocco Pure Merino.  After working my first few swatches with Cascade 220 Superwash, I was looking for something with a little more bounce to it.  The Pure Merino is really nice to work with and it looks really good knit up.  Here are my two favorite swatches, Swatch 4 and 5.

Okay yall, I have a secret to tell. I'm moving to New York in June! I'm doing what any crazy-twentysomething-married-to-a-musician-and-can't-help-it-girl would do: the band is going to New York and so am I. I'm actually REALLY excited cause like most everybody else, I heart NY and have always dreamed about living there. Plus, they have some of the awesomest yarn stores... But I digress. The whole point is that I am going to be broke. Broke as a joke. You know, moving's not cheap, and New York's really not cheap. So I'm doing what any not-crazy-wanting-to-stay-afloat-girl would do and am selling anything that I can part with. Plus, it will keep the moving expenses down if I have to lug less stuff across the country. So, please feel free to peruse the following knitting books that I'm selling. Some of them aren't exactly dirt cheap cause hey, I don't want to get rid of them; I need the cash! Some of them are even gifts that were given to me. If you gave me one of these books please don't be sad that I'm selling it, just know that I have loved and enjoyed these books for a long time now but they didn't want to go to New York with me- they said so. Anyway, the first person to comment on a particular book saying they want it gets it. I will send you a paypal invoice for the sale amount plus a flat $4 shipping fee and if the invoice is not paid in 48 hours, I'll relist the book.

Knitticisms ...And Other Purls of Wisdom by Voyageur Press $6
This book was given to me by a SecretPal, Kim (www.wovenspun.com) and it is full of cute little tidbits like, "Happiness is a nice skein of a low-fat cashmere-wool blend." Which I can't agree with more.
Not Just Socks by Sandi Rosner $10
I bought this book to give to a SecretPal, but it was gifted to her by someone else before I could give it to her. I'm sure you have some extra sock yarn sitting around that you want to do something a little different with....
The Knitter's Bible Knitted Accessories by Claire Crompton $10
I was generously gifted this by SecretPal Kim (www.wovenspun.com) and I earnestly meant to knit the mittens from the cover. I've still never gotten around to it, and don't think I will in the next three months. Plus, I've convinced myself that mitten patterns are pretty easy to come by and I don't need to tote an entire book across the country in the off chance that I decide to knit them. Dang, I really want to keep this one. Hey, if you buy this book maybe you could knit me the mittens and send them to me in NYC? I'm sure I'll need them this winter!
Mason Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne (Autographed!) $12
What, you don't have this book yet? I would have purchased it for the ball band dishcloth pattern alone, even though it apparently comes free on the inside labels of Sugar 'n Cream cotton! Seriously, this is a really cool book with awesome patterns (as if you didn't know that.) And now you can join the bandwagon and have your own autographed copy! I was given this in a SecretPal swap from the wonderful Abby (http://barefoot-knitter.blogspot.com) and I really wish I could bring it along with me. I want a log cabin blanket but lack the stick-to-it-ness.
Singer Quilting by Machine $10
Okay, I know this is a knitting blog, but a lot of us are dabblers. I dabbled a little too and plan to dabble a little more sometime before those cold NYC winters hit.
Hollywood Knits by Suss Cousins $10
A nice destash-gift from Kim (http://handeyecrafts.wordpress.com). I would really love to have the bright orange ribbed turtleneck on the cover that was designed for the Velma character in the Scooby Doo films, but I don't think I'll ever actually do it. If you ever do... email me a pic... It's just so simply cute!
World of Knitted Toys by Kath Dalmeny $8
Oh, I had such high hopes for this one... I failed miserably at knitting the snakes that my niece and nephew begged me for. I started one and skimped on the length, and he ended up looking rather phallic. Can't give a phallic-shaped knitted snake to your niece or nephew, now can you? Heck, if you buy this one, I'll see if I can dig up the phallus in question and send him your way. Just add eyes and stuffing and you can have your own (trouser) snake!
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Big Book of Needle Arts and Crafts $8
Because sometimes knitting makes you feel like an idiot.
Crazy Aunt Purl's Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair by Laurie Perry $6
I read this cover to cover in a day and a half and laughed my ass off. Laurie knows all about decluttering, so I know she won't mind that I'm not hanging on to something I've already read. You'll definately enjoy this one.
200 Ripple Stitch Patterns by Jan Eaton $12
This book is the holy grail over at the No End In Sight Ripple Along (http://neisripplealong.blogspot.com). It is also the book I used for my Ripple afghan.
Knitting for Dogs by Kristi Porter $5
Daisy and Henry are pretty pissed that I never knit them anything out of this book. They're probably gonna be even more pissed when they find out I sold it. Oops. I think Daisy can read.
Stitch N Bitch The Knitter's Handbook by Debbie Stoller $10
What can I say that hasn't already been said about this book? It was my first knitting book, and now I have to get rid of it! Gosh, now I'm gettin all emotional....(sob)
Stitcn N Bitch Nation by Debbie Stoller $8
Okay, (sniffle) I'm over it. Many more cute patterns abound in this one as well. Oh, and someone may have spilled a beer on the back of it resulting in a few wrinkled pages, but I'm not saying who...
Vintage Knits from Rowan $12
I was sucked in by the cover sweater, Salina. That Kim Hargreaves sure makes some beautiful sweaters! I might hunt you down after a few months and demand you give this book back. But for now, I'm selling it.

And so I can leave you with thoughts of me living a glamorous, yarny life in NYC, I leave you with one of my favorite pictures that Joey took on our trip there in 2005. I think it reflects how I'm feeling about the move: in awe, but also kind of dizzy.

Okay guys, give me the straight truth here. Here's swatch one versions a and b for my Master Knitting project. I know the ribbing tension looks better in swatch b, but is it good enough? Do you want to point out any other glaring errors that I am mentally blocking myself from noticing right now?

Two things that have been on my mind lately; The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs and The Knitting Guild of America's Master Knitter Program.
I started reading The Friday Night Knitting Club when I was in the Burbank, California airport after having arrived early only to find that my flight would be leaving an hour and a half late. This book helped the time "fly" (pun intended) during the long wait. I'm about halfway through- so no spoilers, please.
The Knitting Guild of America's Master Knitter Program is something that has been in the back of my head for over a year now, and I only recently decided that I wanted to do it. If you don't know about it check out tkga.com for what its about, what it involves, etc. I really love knitting and I think this will be a great learning process for me. Just be prepared for lots of advice-seeking and swatch pictures in the near future...