And there was much rejoicing!

I just got an email that I've been offered a new short-term contract/consulting job.

That is all.

Another new start

So, I made another new start today. Which looks bad, but it's for a class I'll be teaching Sept. 12th. That means I need to work fast in the hopes it will be finished before class starts. It's a cowl pattern with a drop stitch pattern in it made from Cascade 220. Fairly easy and mindless. That being said, I managed to have to start it twice today because I twisted the join, but once I restarted I was able to get the first repeat finished....just about 13 more to go! No picture yet, there isn't much to see.

Otherwise, not much going on. Still looking for a job. Some things don't seem to change much lately.

So I like people...

Your result for Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test...

Interpersonal

41% Logical, 24% Spatial, 41% Linguistic, 20% Intrapersonal, 49% Interpersonal, 47% Musical, 6% Bodily-Kinesthetic and 12% Naturalistic!

"This area has to do with interaction with others. People in this category are usually extroverts and are characterized by their sensitivity to others' moods, feelings, temperaments and motivations, and their ability to cooperate in order to work as part of a group. They communicate effectively and empathize easily with others, and may be either leaders or followers. They typically learn best by working with others and often enjoy discussion and debate.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include politicians, managers, teachers, social workers and diplomats." (Wikipedia)

Take Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test at HelloQuizzy

Yarn from heaven

So yesterday was a very interesting day. I set out for my LYS and to meet a couple of friends for lunch later then I wanted. As I was leaving I realized I hadn't checked the mail the day before, so I stopped and did that and found a package for me. It's always nice to get a package, especially when it is unexpected. Inside the package was 2 skeins of this...I have no idea who decided I needed a yarn pick-me-up since so far no one has taken credit and there was no note in the package. I have a feeling I know who it might be. So, if you are the one, then THANK YOU!!!! It's beautiful and I love it and it made me smile, still does.

Now, as I told everyone at the yarn shop, when the yarn gods smile and send you yarn from the heavens you are REQUIRED to start a project. I looked through the patterns over on Ravelry, and decided on Nelly. I think it will be just the right look. I'm doing mine on a size 7 needle to get the feel I wanted. Here's how it looks so far.Oh and if you want some of this yarny goodness for yourself I recommend you go visit Twisted Fiber's shop and purchase yourself some. I'm planning on getting more when the elusive job finally comes along.

After all that goodness you know something has to not go well. Tonight I'm trying to print stuff for tomorrow. Of course I ran out of ink, on BOTH my printers and I can't finish. So, I'll do what I can and forget about the other. I'm very upset, but I did put it off until the day before and that's what I get for procrastinating.

Before I forget my friend Melody is having a contest over on her blog. Go see the yarny goodness and get yourself entered.

Blog Eye Candy

I know, it took me long enough, but finally some pictures.

Let's start with the most recently completed piece of stitching.

Halloween Fairy
by Mirabilia

I made a few changes. First, this is stitched on a hand-dyed fabric in my stash and that meant I had to change one of the orange colors in her dress. I found some beautiful fabric and I'll be making a stand-up box out of her. She should be finished in time to be admired during October.

I don't think I mentioned before, but while we were in WV on vacation, my Mom, Aunt and I went out shopping through some of the antique shops. While this is not an antique it was something that I knew would be very handy to store yarn and would look pretty somewhere in the house. Mom thought it would make a great birthday present. We were both right! It's not where it will end up, but it does look pretty in the corner of the dining room. (And before someone asks, no that's not all of my yarn stash, but the 2nd tier holds all the yarn for my Great American Aran Afghan that I'm working on.)

I do know I mentioned going to Atlanta and spending part of my time stitching with a group of friends there. Well, we do more then stitch...
This was lunch on Saturday, or at least part of lunch. That green stuff is mint pesto left over from the previous evenings Harry Potter part at chez Lott made by the very talented Chef Andy. It was beyond YUM.

We also exchanged our ornament kits.That's what it looks like all lined up before "Santa" hands out the goodies.

There are actually some "ornamentfied" pieces on the tree, but they are hard to pick out. Most of us managed to finish stitching our ornaments and that was good enough to decorate the tree with.

Come back tomorrow for pictures of some of my current knitting WIPS.

I'm so excited

Why am I excited? Because I'm going to corrupt teach someone else the joys of sampler stitching. My friend Jackie, who's knitting and quilting can be seen on her blog here wants to join the craziness fun. She's decided on a pattern, a lovely freebie from Blackbird Designs and I'm going to gift her some linen from my stash. We're going to pick out her thread tomorrow and have our first lesson for stitching on linen Monday.

Stitching is my first love and what I always go back to at some point. I don't stitch every day, but I love what you can do with a piece of fabric, some beautiful thread/fiber and a few stitches. Jackie knows how to cross stitch, and wants to learn other decorative or fancy stitches. I can't wait to teach her. I hope she enjoys it as much as I do. So if my stitching buddies would stop by and encourage her a little I'd appreciate it.

Booking Through Thursday

Since I decided to participate in the Summer Reading Challenge over on GoodReads.com I figured I might as well share some of what I've read with you my fellow readers. Beware, I tend to have eclectic tastes in reading so you never know what you're going to find. I also happened across a meme blog entitled Booking Through Thursday, so here's today's entry.




What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

I'm going to go with the one that surprised me the most and was also good.

One of the challenges was to read a Dystopian novel. I ended up choosing this on a whim while browsing through my favorite used bookstore, Chamblin's. I was surprised to find that although the book made me uncomfortable, I also enjoyed it. The idea of a future world where when you reach a certain age you receive surgery that makes you "pretty" just like everyone else is unnerving and just a little scary. Who decided what is "pretty"? Along the way more questions are uncovered by the main character, Tally Youngblood, who is about to become old enough to be a "Pretty" and leave behind her "Uglies" days. Is the surgery just about changing the way people look, or is there more? Of course, since this is a series all the questions haven't been answered, but that just made me want to read the rest.

"Uglies" and the rest of the series, are considered YA, but I think they are certainly a good read for all ages. I do wish I belonged to an actual reading group and that we were reading it with the group. I think it deserves some thought and discussion to be fully understood.

So, what's the best book you've read lately?