I know, I drank the Koolaid...

Just set up my iPhone so I can mobile blog. Ha! Just what I need. Let's see how successful this is...

Book #14

Dead as a Doornail - Charlaine Harris

Yes, yes, Sookie Stackhouse again. (Book #5 in the series)

These books are like crack to me, dammit!!

We can now add Fairies to the list of creatures. Plus snipers and arsonists. Never a dull moment in Bon Temps, Louisiana.

I am now watching the first season of True Blood on DVD. Hubby is home!! I couldn't wait for it to be delivered via Netflix or to borrow it from my co-worker. Went out and bought the first season this past weekend. Can you say instant gratification!! Now, same above mentioned co-worker has the 2nd season coming from Amazon and has also graciously offered to lend it to me when he is finished with it. I'll probably buy that one, too before he gets to bring it to me.

So, about the TV series. It is different and yet the same as the books. It actually lends an additional dimension to the books, I think. They compliment each other. I don't know the story behind Charlaine Harris's input in making the HBO series. I expect she is pretty heavily involved. This merits some further research. As always, kudos to HBO. I heard some blurbage on the radio stating that True Blood is the new Sopranos from a popularity and ratings standpoint.

I gotta shake this vampire thing, but not until I've re-read Interview with the Vampire and completed a couple more Twilight Vampire knitting projects. Hmmm, that's really kinda nuts...I am not normally trapped in the brain of a 16 year old girl. (Although, I hope that there are not too many 16 year olds watching True Blood...yikes, a lot of VERY adult content!!)

Twilight Mitten Prototype

I finished a sample mitten. It initially was not supposed to be a sample, but I messed up the gauge, so will go back to the drawing board.

I started it out on a round needle, but when I started the decreases it got too small, so I switched over to 4 double points. I should have known better, but the double points were a 1/2 size larger than the rounds. That really messed up the gauge. I wound up with a Twilight oven mitt.

Oh well, live and learn. The pattern is quite nice. I love the horseshoe cable. I took the pictures with some shadowing to show off the cables.

I have already started again, this time on 4 double points from the beginning and messing with the gauge again. Silly me!! I chose needles a 1/2 size smaller than recommended, so I have a much tighter knit and hopefully fit. I am hoping that they are not so much like gauntlets when the are finished this go around.

You can see right before the thumb gusset where the gauge changes. Ack!! It is definitely a work in progress. Will post a picture of the new mitten with the tighter gauge tomorrow.

Book # 13

Dead to the World - Charlaine Harris

More True Blood. Yuppers, book number 4. I am so hooked! I have at least book 5 and 6 on my book shelf already.

So, enter Wiccans, Witches, a Fairy and more Shifters and Weres of all shapes and sizes.

A lot of mayhem and amnesia.

Spells and fangs.

One of my co-workers has promised to bring me the first season on DVD!! I may have to walk all the way to the 14th floor to check up on him today.

I love my new coffee cup...

I love it! It's pretty and fun and practical and environmentally friendly and BPA free...ceramic with a silicon lid and dishwasher friendly and $7.99 plus tax and it looks reeeeaaal cool on my desk!

Book #12

Deja Dead - Kathy Reichs

This is Kathy Reichs, creator of the Bones TV series. For the record, the books have been around a lot longer than the TV show. Also, the show pretty much sucks compared to the books. I watched one or two episodes when it first came on and hated it!! I've since given it a second try and it is okay for what it is. If I completely file away the books in my brain and focus on the show as if the books don't exist, it's pretty good in fact.

This is a re-read for me, but some times a great re-read is like comfort food for me.

This is another forensic anthropology book. Kathy Reichs is a board certified forensic anthropologist, so her books, like Jefferson Bass are realistic and well researched. I have read all of her books, actually own all of her books in hard back. I don't collect a lot of novels, but I do like her so much that I have them all. I have pretty much re-read most of them, so it is a worthy investment. I won't keep a hard back novel unless I intend to re-read at some point.

Now, other books, especially crafts, sewing, knitting, quilting, or cookbooks, I am a lost cause, I love them and will hoard them to excess.

All her books are split between Charlotte, North Caroline and Montreal, Quebec. This alone appeals to me as a Canadian Ex-pat living in the southern US. I like to see her perspective as an American in the cross over of culture. In her real life she really does split her time between Canada and the States, so what she describes is very true to life in my world, just from the other side of that Ex-pat coin.

This book focuses on the hunt to track down a serial killer in Montreal. Quite graphic and gory, so not for the faint at heart. If you spook easily reading these types of books, it's gonna creep you out. In hind sight, even having read it before, this was not the best of choice for me to read right at the moment given my current circumstances. But, I still read it didn't I. I actually read it while in the midst of reading another non-fiction book as well. I can't gobble non-fiction at the same rate as fiction for some reason.

High praise and recommendations for Kathy Reichs. note: Read her books in the order they were published or you will be missing out on some key subtleties.

Twilight Mittens

Ah Ha!! I finally found the pattern again. Saw it once and could never seem to find it again.

Bella's mittens as seen in the first Twilight movie, which by the way is almost worth watching if only for the knit wear. Mental note...must check for additional patterns. I bet I could find some on Ravelry.

Here is the link... http://www.subliminalrabbit.com/

Got the pattern, may have to brave The Woolly Ewe on a Saturday in search of the yarn. Pure insanity.

When the Cat's away, the Mouse will Ebay...

I was naughty!!! I was shopping on Ebay, looking at ridiculous things I do not need that clutter my house, but I love what I got!!!!!!

It is an antique Wedgwood Tea Pot, well technically I think it is actually a coffee pot based on it's shape, but whatever, it's soooo pretty.

The pattern in called Green Leaf and it was discontinued in 1949, if i did my research accurately.

Now I have a Brown Betty and a Wedgwood.

Let's have tea!!

A little bit of sewing...

I finally have gotten around to doing a bit of sewing again. I just gave in to the temptation the other night and pulled my stuff out. I usually don't get around to it, because it is the last thing on my list. A frivolous indulgence. Yah, like reading all the time isn't, too. Reading is less work and a lot less set-up/clean-up. You see, I don't have a dedicated sewing room, or a spare bedroom for that matter, to leave things set-up and ready at a moments notice. This set-up also requires toddler nap time/bedtime, or have have little fingers "helping" me.

Anyway... I have had the idea in the back of my head for a while now. I want to make a scrap quilt. I have been saving some old clothes just for the project. I sacrificed some of the Big Boy's old flannel pj's. Nice grey plaid and blue plaid. Very soft and well loved. I assured him that they will now be immortalized in a family heirloom. Or at least a snuggle blanket for the couch. Also, a couple tops that were given to be as hand-me downs that never actually fit me, some old worn out scrubs and some cotton shorts. There is no colour scheme, the theme is recycling. I'll post my progress as I go. It will keep me motivated to work on the project.


Ok, so the quilt. I was trying to work it out in my head exactly how I would do the blocks. Plain squares, triple strips, half triangles. I didn't want to be too complicated. End the end I ditched not complicated and went with log cabin. A little more work, since I can't really stack and whack with the fabric being chunks selvaged from old clothes. So I am doing one block at a time. No mass production. Oh well. It looks pretty cool. I finished 5 squares in one sitting. The plan is to have a throw for the couch before the youngest graduates from university.









Before....and after....

The first 3 squares.