I have a looooooong history of having a dislike for VD day. When I was a kid I loved the big books of die-cut Valentines you could get with the vintage designs and the fold-your-own envelopes. Then Valentines came pre-cut in boxes with Barbie, cartoon characters, and became marketing tools for Mattel, Hasbro, and the other toy companies. Transformer and G.I. Joe? They're not about romance! I guess I was disappointed with the commercialization of VD day at an early age.
It didn't get much better after I started dating, mostly because I was a late bloomer and didn't date until I was near my twenties, and rarely had a boyfriend when THE DAY would come around. A few times, but not often.
My last long-term, serious boyfriend, on our last Valentine's Day together, decided he wasn't feeling well, so instead of making dinner for me on his day off while I was at work all day, we went to the pub across the street. Yay.
So this year, my VD weekend will be about taking care of **me.** Stripping the bed tomorrow to air the pillows and feather bed, and putting away the winter blanket. Folding all the clothes on my bed and my chair and putting them all away, or at least in neat piles on the floor until the other blankets find space downstairs. Then heading to Starbucks at the bookstore to read the paper and knit either in a comfy chair or outside with a latte. Then the afternoon is shopping with my friend and her little girl and dinner out with them. I may even buy myself some yarn. Then I'll come home for a hot bath, maybe a facial, and sink into the aired-out feather bed & clean sheets.
Sunday is laundry day (I know, but I love doing the laundry), tidying up in my basement so I can find space for my Wii Fit board so I can start my yoga program and get some of my overflowing yarn & crafts under control. If it's sunny, the sheets and all my handknit socks are getting hung out on the line, and I will start looking at my herb planters to see what they need for the coming spring, maybe start some new herb seedlings in the workshops. In the evening I plan to re-do my red haircolour and my blonde chunks in front, and maybe get my mom to cut some layers in the back to take some of the bulk out of my hair, it's looking bigger than my ass these days.
Then I'll weave the ends in on the Bonsai Tunic I've been knitting and block it so that I can start wearing it before the weather warms up too much.
So basically, as long as I do what I want to do, I'll have a good VD day.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Thursday, February 05, 2009
A Knitting Meme - Just for fun
Here's the deal... mark in bold the items that you have knit, italics for the ones you plan to knit, and leave the ones you haven't done in plain font. Sound good? Cool...
Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Two end knitting (I have no idea what this is)
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns
Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money (not recommended involves lots of knitting very little money)
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dyeing with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars
Olympic knitting (I was a total failure at that…. not enough time)
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with DPNs
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public
Wow, I knit a LOT!!!
Friday, January 02, 2009
Happy New Year! Welcome 2009!
I don't like making resolutions, it sounds so lofty and makes it seem that there are things I have failed at in the past year, which only serves to make me feel negative about my past year. Instead I think about things I want to change and then set achieveable goals for myself. Having Crohn's disease for over 20 years my health is directly affected by stress and diet, and I have made some very significant changes in the past year. Unfortunately my Crohn's has returned recently, which means a few more changes need to be made, but again those are achieveable goals.
In 2008 I made the goal to drink more water as I dehydrate easily, and I achieved that. I quit eating popcorn because of the risks to my health and I have followed that even though I desperately love popcorn at the movies. I have largely given up potato chips in favour of brown rice and multigrain chips. I switched from 1% milk to skim milk, and have added low-calorie soy milk to my cereal, coffee, and chai teas. Soft-cooked oatmeal with my own spices, brown sugar or cane sugar and frozen or fresh fruit instead of instant oatmeal packets. Brown rice instead of white rice. Raw, organic, unbleached sugar instead of refined white sugar. Whole grain breads instead of white bread. More salad and vegetables to keep my vitamin intake up and keep that "full" feeling, and taking my damn vitamins in the first place.
But I've also become more adventurous in my recipes, and have embraced Indian and Thai flavours instead of the usual "Western Chinese" recipes loaded with salt and sugar. A few hot pepper flakes and spices to stimulate metabolism and make portion control easier. Lentils and beans, couscous, and falafel instead of potatoes. Whole wheat pasta and vegetables in my pasta sauce. And the days when I know vegetables could be difficult on my digestion there is always tomato juice and V-8 juices. Sparkling water with lemon and lime instead of sodas. Fruit and yogurt instead of pie and ice cream. And of course I want to cook more, bake more, learn to bake my own bread, and make my own frozen yogurt and gelato using my ice cream maker. And put my crock pot to good use.
I wanted a Wii Fit to encourage me to practice my yoga at home instead of a once-a-week class, and next week I am returning to my local Curves to rebuild my muscle tone and stamina. And when the weather gets better I want to spend more days at the driving range even if I'm not up to a whole round of golf. Also because I just love hitting with my driver and watching that ball sail up to 300 yards and think to myself, "Wow, did I hit that ball that far?" and impress my boss who has been my golf coach since I said I wouldn't mind to try playing.
But the new year isn't just about food and exercise, it's also about creativity and completing things that have been started or are merely ideas in my head. That means cleaning up my workspace/knitting space/yoga space. Getting rid of the things I haven't needed/wanted/looked for in three months or more. That's the biggest job, but it can be done, even just a little at a time. But that's the way everything can change, just a little at a time, and build on the steps that have been achieved towards the larger goal. And that's the key to tackling any big goal. First step: purge. Clothes, papers, knick-knacks, books we won't read again, get rid of the "beauty" products I no longer use that are taking up too much space. I may even purge shoes.
I knit obsessively and need to practice using my spinning wheel to create my own yarns. I buy more Canadian-made yarns and indie-dyer yarns to support creative women whom I respect and who have great talent for mixing colours. I want to knit more for other people and encourage more people to explore their own creativity and their crafty sides. I want to embroider more, given that there are very cool embroidery stencils to bridge the old-fashioned practice of embroidering home linens with modern and exciting patterns. I want to learn needle felting.I want to sew more, I can't justify spending the money on clothes that I can save by sewing them myself. I want to sew the ultimate knitting bag and a knitting needle roll to keep all my good and favourite needles in one place. I want to paint more; I know there is a painting in me that needs to come out, and practice will set that painting free. With the money I save on not taking my local yoga class I plan to take an oil painting class to explore my abstract side. I want to try freeform crochet and see where it can take me. I want to dye my own yarns because painting on canvas can be translated to painting on yarn. I want to open an Etsy shop for my jewelry and creative items. I want to attend craft fairs and create incredible knitwear that people will ooh and aah over. Socks, fingerless gloves, finger gloves, jewelry, and stitch markers.
And I will finish my thesis and graduate in September. I want to teach full-time for a year or two and then start my PhD studies.
It's going to be a full year, and it helps to have a positive view.
So what's going to be new for you in 2009?
In 2008 I made the goal to drink more water as I dehydrate easily, and I achieved that. I quit eating popcorn because of the risks to my health and I have followed that even though I desperately love popcorn at the movies. I have largely given up potato chips in favour of brown rice and multigrain chips. I switched from 1% milk to skim milk, and have added low-calorie soy milk to my cereal, coffee, and chai teas. Soft-cooked oatmeal with my own spices, brown sugar or cane sugar and frozen or fresh fruit instead of instant oatmeal packets. Brown rice instead of white rice. Raw, organic, unbleached sugar instead of refined white sugar. Whole grain breads instead of white bread. More salad and vegetables to keep my vitamin intake up and keep that "full" feeling, and taking my damn vitamins in the first place.
But I've also become more adventurous in my recipes, and have embraced Indian and Thai flavours instead of the usual "Western Chinese" recipes loaded with salt and sugar. A few hot pepper flakes and spices to stimulate metabolism and make portion control easier. Lentils and beans, couscous, and falafel instead of potatoes. Whole wheat pasta and vegetables in my pasta sauce. And the days when I know vegetables could be difficult on my digestion there is always tomato juice and V-8 juices. Sparkling water with lemon and lime instead of sodas. Fruit and yogurt instead of pie and ice cream. And of course I want to cook more, bake more, learn to bake my own bread, and make my own frozen yogurt and gelato using my ice cream maker. And put my crock pot to good use.
I wanted a Wii Fit to encourage me to practice my yoga at home instead of a once-a-week class, and next week I am returning to my local Curves to rebuild my muscle tone and stamina. And when the weather gets better I want to spend more days at the driving range even if I'm not up to a whole round of golf. Also because I just love hitting with my driver and watching that ball sail up to 300 yards and think to myself, "Wow, did I hit that ball that far?" and impress my boss who has been my golf coach since I said I wouldn't mind to try playing.
But the new year isn't just about food and exercise, it's also about creativity and completing things that have been started or are merely ideas in my head. That means cleaning up my workspace/knitting space/yoga space. Getting rid of the things I haven't needed/wanted/looked for in three months or more. That's the biggest job, but it can be done, even just a little at a time. But that's the way everything can change, just a little at a time, and build on the steps that have been achieved towards the larger goal. And that's the key to tackling any big goal. First step: purge. Clothes, papers, knick-knacks, books we won't read again, get rid of the "beauty" products I no longer use that are taking up too much space. I may even purge shoes.
I knit obsessively and need to practice using my spinning wheel to create my own yarns. I buy more Canadian-made yarns and indie-dyer yarns to support creative women whom I respect and who have great talent for mixing colours. I want to knit more for other people and encourage more people to explore their own creativity and their crafty sides. I want to embroider more, given that there are very cool embroidery stencils to bridge the old-fashioned practice of embroidering home linens with modern and exciting patterns. I want to learn needle felting.I want to sew more, I can't justify spending the money on clothes that I can save by sewing them myself. I want to sew the ultimate knitting bag and a knitting needle roll to keep all my good and favourite needles in one place. I want to paint more; I know there is a painting in me that needs to come out, and practice will set that painting free. With the money I save on not taking my local yoga class I plan to take an oil painting class to explore my abstract side. I want to try freeform crochet and see where it can take me. I want to dye my own yarns because painting on canvas can be translated to painting on yarn. I want to open an Etsy shop for my jewelry and creative items. I want to attend craft fairs and create incredible knitwear that people will ooh and aah over. Socks, fingerless gloves, finger gloves, jewelry, and stitch markers.
And I will finish my thesis and graduate in September. I want to teach full-time for a year or two and then start my PhD studies.
It's going to be a full year, and it helps to have a positive view.
So what's going to be new for you in 2009?
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