That's kinda cold...

Ok, so LA had too much of a summer and too little fall, but this is a bit much^* (relax, that's Centigrade. That's about 50 Fahrenheit. Yes, I'm stuck in the metric system). Could we have real snow here this season? Maybe?


(I somehow doubt that... We're talking about LA, right? Not much here is real, and that's part of the beauty of it)

Have a good (freezing) day!

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* This, by the way, is where Dorothy will start making fun of me, and rightfully so. But hey, I grew up in the country were you have two seasons - spring and summer, what do you want?
Hang on, wasn't there this winter when we had so much "soft hail" they actually closed school? Was it like, 1993? Tamar? Meirav?

OK, my brain is officially frozen, I need to go find a cat...

Presents!

Well, one of those presents is already late (and the other might be too, as my cousin's wife is due any second now), but better late than never - welcome Raphael! Isn't he cute? (big sister Camille must be excited... Do you remember when your little sister/brother was/were born? I sure do and I sure am glad).



More photos here.
This is what they're getting - each a bunny and a pair of socks. The blue striped bunny and stripy socks for Stef's boy (yeah, I know... it's all blue) and the colorful bunny with the yellow-picot-edge-and-lace-diamond are for my cousin's girl. You may recognize the bunnies' pattern from BT3 that Super nice Nicole sent me even though I wasn't a part of BT. Thanks Nicole!!!
(I'm told the pattern is from some Aussi magazine. Don't trouble Nicole if you want it too! I have it, just drop me a line)

More things finished (three week ago...)

Today I'm a bit under the weather, so I'm too lazy to take pictures of, and for that matter - probably shouldn't even go near, the baby gifts I knitted and sewed all of last week (you hear mom? I did it!). Instead, I'll show you the bag I sewed about three weeks ago (eek...):


It's the cover bag from this book - and I love it! It's made out of this thick denim (outside) and red 100% cotton (inside). Modifications? Dah... I think it's already a joke around here how I see a pattern (knitting/crochet/sewing/whatever) that I declare "I love it but I'm going to change x, y and z". Why? I'm picky. I'll stick to that excuse.
The most obvious modification I made is eliminating the (leather?) magnetic snap bands that close the bag. Instead, the snap is inside the bag. It looks prettier, and doesn't force me to go look for what these two squares of extra material are and where to get it in the US.

The other modification is making the pocket a more fancy, zippered one. It's more practical for always freaked out me regarding expansive stuff like cellphones. Plus - it's just plain neater.


And now I've got to go make another cup of Airborne... Poo...

Yo, yo!

Guess who's finished? Yes - somewhat cowl is oficcially an FO. Presenting:


Specs:
Pattern: The something cowl by Wendy Bernard of Knit and Tonic
Knit at size XS (32")
Yarn: Debbie Bliss, Baby Cashmerino in Teal
Needles: US sizes 4 and 5 Inox circulars
Modifications: Yes.

Ah... Where do I start? First of all, I must sy that the whole "making your own clothes" is a serious high. After taking this picture, we went out with me wearing this, under it a cami I modified, my jeans were patched and I was sporting my new Japanese bag (which I didn't get to share with you yet, eep!). Got to love the DIY feeling. On the other hand - gosh, am I glad this is over!
My main beef with the pattern is that I felt it'd be much easier if it specified some of the measurements in number of stitches rather than inches - mainly the raglan seams. I think this is one of the reasons why many people had a problem with the sleeves. I resorted to doing the calculations Ysolda mentions here (I think the link doesn't work) and pretty much sorted it out. Did I mention I frogged the thing four times? That's the reason for one of the times. As you can see, I didn't knit the cowl that deep, used the waist shaping and knit the sweater as long a the yarn allowed (I even frogged the swatches).
All in all, I like it and will definitely wear it. I wish I knit it even smaller because it's a bit floppy around the armpits. And I must learn the proper way to do a tubular bind off on a k2p2 rib. That did not come out pretty.
What's next? This. Yummy.

The post Turkey Day post

Sorry for vanishing for a bit. It's not that I haven't been doing anything worth craft-knit-sew blogging, I actually did so much that it'll take a lot of time to write the update post. And I'm in a lazy mood today. It's not the tryptophan (my version of turkey was made of tempeh, thank you Ann Gentry!), but the extra long spinning class this morning, to kick that extra slice of pumpkin pie's ass. With whipped cream.
So I'll just do a random meme, inspired by Di. Ready?

Explain what ended your last relationship?
He was under the impression that dating two girls at the same time is ok. I believe he called it "checking out all the options". But maybe I'm the weirdo. They had such a storyline on Grey's Anatomy...
When was the last time you shaved?
Half an hour ago.
What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.?
Kicking some pie's ass. And a couple of Sam Adams' finest.
What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
Eating breakfast.
Are you any good at math?
I used to be. I actually did math at a very high level and did very well, despite my teacher's best efforts.
Your prom night, what do you remember about it?
I think they now have them in some schools in Israel. Since I went to an art school, I think ours would have been very innteresting, had we had one (I went to Thelma Yellin, Tamar. Yep)
Do you have any famous ancestors?
Vlad the impaler? Seriously, my Romanian side is from Transylvania.
Have you had to take a loan out for school?
Yes. Let's not talk about that, shall we?
Last thing received in the mail?
The bills and Penny Saver. Sad but true.
How many different beverages (aka drinks) have you had today?
Close to three liters of water (during class) and a cup of green tea being sipped as we speak.
Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine?
Depending who it is. I suck at leaving messages.
Who did you lose your CONCERT virginity to?
R.E.M., on my last year in junior high. It was awesome.
Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
No, that's cheesy!
What’s the most painful dental procedure you’ve had?
Living with braces+ for close to three years. Turnes out I'm one of the few people who are sensitive to the metal they're made of. I still have the scars on the inside of my cheeks.
What is out your back door?
Our mini porch.
Any plans for Friday night?
Maybe The Fountain and dinner.
Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?
Does anyone?
Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?
I bought one in freshman year, and some of it is still sitting on my rear.
Have you ever been to a planetarium?
I used to love it as a kid.
Do you re-use towels after you shower?
I change them once a week.
Some things you are excited about?
The future, travelling abroad, learning new things, my relationship.
What is your favorite flavor of JELL-O?
Veggies don't eat jello, but if I did - it'd have to be green (wink, dad).
Describe your keychain(s)
A chococat little cutie. I used to have this rubber goldfish keychain that I got at a Borders in London on the way here four years ago. It was so realistic it scared a number of roommates and RAs.
Where do you keep your change?
In my wallet.
When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?
Two years ago, teaching art to teens in LA. It was fun, if exhausting.
What kind of winter coat do you own?
A long black woll coat. I doubt I'll get to wear it much this winter... (can we get some rain here finally, LA dearest?)
What was the weather like on your graduation day?
Warm?
Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed?
Open, unless Suki starts bouncing around to much.

Wow, that was not so lazy in the end... Have a good (long) weekend!

P.S.
Since I'm still getting some smashing blond jokes from you guys, so I'm leaving the contest open until Tuesday. Post on!

Et tu Blogger?!

I don't know how, why or how come, but it looks like blogger doesn't pick up all of the comments some of you made. Eh?! I'm confused. If any of you posted a Gimme comment (I did get yours, Ann-Margaret!) or a blond joke and I didn't replay - grab some primitive weapon and let's go storm the blogger's castle. Or try again, whichever you like best.

Revenge of the blonds

So... I was getting some funny notes from some of you people who are forgiven regarding my pure love to my new hair color. You know, I've never been intentionally blond (the Sun In accident doesn't count), and I thought the (much blond-er than me) owner of the salon was being cute telling me how she wards off the jokes - but I didn't think it would come at me so quickly, or what effect that would have on me. Hmm... So what is this blond going to do about it? Have a blog contest, of course.

Give me your best blond joke. That's right, I'm ready to take it like a woman. Leave me a comment with your joke (and some way of getting in touch) until midnight Sunday, and we'll see who's got the upper hand. Tell me as many as you want, because the best one takes the jackpot. The only rule - no sex/porn/fart jokes please. That's just gross.
Now give me your worst, come on!

And since Somewhat is still an inch and a half from finishing, here's some Suki cuteness for you.

Blonds try to do more fun things *

Did you come across Gimme Your Stuff yet? I did, a couple of weeks ago, and I've been trying to give myself an excuse not to join in (I'm broke/I'm poor/I have no money). No more! In the spirit of my new do, I'm determined to do more things that are fun. So here I am, ready?

In case you are new to this blog, I live in Southern California, USA. I'm ready to swap many a fun goodie including:
- Art/craft supplies
- Magazines and certain books
- Snacks, candy and other food things
- Stuff for your pet
- Handmade goods
- Certain clothing items
- Certain cosmetics and makeup
- Stationary
- Cute things
- Other things you might be interested in: we'll talk about it
I also have easy access to a Trader Joe's, a Borders and a Petco.

I'm a curious gal (with a new determination to be bold and adventurous), and I'm interested in:
- Fabric-fabric-fabric (and other sewing goods)
- Trims, ribbons, buttons and such
- Yarn and knitting goods
- Other craft supplies
- Sewing or knitting magazines
- Snacks and candy (Important: All food must be vegetarian. If it contains egg it's ok, but if the list of ingredients is not English or French - I need you to tell me because my boyfriend is deathly allergic to it. Thanks!)
- Moomins and Totoro goods (no unauthorized merchandise or knock offs please - out of respect to copyright laws and the characters' creators)
- Some clothing
- Handmade goods
- Other cool authentic things you like yourself

I'd love to chat about what we should get each other, and will be happy to show you what you'll get if you want to make sure you'll like it. Or keep it a surprise - up to you! To keep things fair and civil, let's just discuss these:
1. I really am not very wealthy right now, so let's agree in advance - I can't get you very pricey things or heavy things that will cost a fortune to ship. I don't expect otherwise from you. If you want a Costco size box of M&Ms, please check back with me when I have a decent job. Besides, no one said that smaller, lighter packages can't be awesome.
2. Let's make it a "no stress" fun thing, and give ourselves the time: the time to choose the right items, and to possibly ship the slow way, and such. Like I said before, I'd like to make the best out of the little I have to spare and spending half of it on shipping seems like a waste. And I want to make sure we both come out of the deal very happy. And anyway, what's the rush?
3. Let's not get ourselves and each other in trouble: no swapping of items that are legally forbidden and are not approved by customs laws. That can be very unpleasant.
4. I don't get offended easily, but please don't try me. No porn, unsolicited political commentary about the middle east, religious zealotry or holocaust jokes, thank you. If we get to make good friends - we might talk about it later. For now, let's just avoid those toes.
5. I have pets, so if you're allergic to cats or guinea pigs - we will have to figure something out.

So, wadda ya say? Want to go international with me? If you're interested in swapping with me - please leave me a comment (and make sure I have a way of getting in touch with you).

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* Continuing in yesterday's mindset

Blonds Have More Fun

Yeah, the camera is working fine - I just turned blond! If you've seen me recently you may know that I've been trying to figure out what to do with the lump of hair I've been growing for the past (almost) year. Well, until yesterday morning I wasn't sure I'd have the guts to go the distance, but when the hairdresser (to whom I got completely by coincidence, and I'm so lucky I did) heard I was considering it - there was no going back. It took forever and eternity, but it was a real fun-fest. And after the nasty week I just had - it was welcome, and well deserved. I also got a cute cut you can't see in the photo because my flat iron finally passed into a better world so the new do looks like it's months old (grr...). I may post cuteness photos on wednsday, after I play with my new snazzy one.
And if anyone had any doubts about the amount of fun blonds have - a mere hour and a half after I left the salon, we met up with some friends for sushi and beer and I had LOTS!


And this, by the way, is the infamous Somewhat Cowl, post waist shaping, very close to being done (did I just jinx myself again?)... And Jack McCoy...
Have a great week, you guys!

Happy Birthday, Sis!!

Today, my little sister turned 23. 23?! For crying out loud... My little sister... Snif! My parents have all of the embarrassing childhood photos, so I'll share some stories:
1. I was three and a half when she was born and I was so excited.
2. We still look extremely alike, but as small girls - we were identical. So much so that in old photos it's hard to tell if the curly haired infant is me or her. The fact that she inherited most of my clothes probably didn't help.
3. All through our school years, I've been the science and math geek and my sister was the cool creative girl. I ended up with an art degree and she's just began studying biology. Of course, she's still super creative, and me? I'm still a geek.
4. She introduced me for real to British comedy. Thank goodness.
5. She's a real fighter for human rights, women's rights, animal rights and general equality and fairness. And I'm so darn proud of her.
Happy birthday, Sis!



These are, if you didn't recognize, are the most cruel, evil bunnies, with big pointy teeth. They're the bunny slippers from "Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker". I had to add a round to every part of the pattern because it felt a bit too small to our largish feet (sis is 10cm taller than me, so for her 9.5 is ok. grr.....), the eyes are safety eyes from here, and they have felt teeth (big and pointy). Thankfully, she likes them. Score!

Setting up shop

A while ago I painted some silly magnets to sell on Etsy, but the college's network messed with some things magnificantly well. I ended up giving most of them away on swap or as presents. I have this thing when I'm not too fond of selling things I make, which is strange since I've been in the business of drawign for a living for quite a while. Funny, ah?
Anyway, if you'd like the set of magnets below or either of its siblings, my store is paperarmadillo.etsy.com. All profits go to my craft supplies fund, in case you were wondering.

Three years

Today, three years ago, Ant and I became a couple. I have a lot to say about us, about him, but I'm kind of a private person when it comes to these kind of things. I'll just say that it seems so strange we've only been together for three years. It feels like we were together our whole lives. I love you, baby!


(I have other updates, including (gasp) a knitting update, but I pulled my left shoulder bad on friday and anything that involves using both hands gets a bit complicated. Give me a few days, ok?)