tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73099533467044192024-03-18T23:49:02.741-04:00Amy's Adventures in BloglandAmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.comBlogger252125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-51387778125418596892009-08-03T22:00:00.002-04:002009-08-03T22:09:15.267-04:00New GlassesSo, you might remember that I can't wear contacts anymore. I'm still sad about that, but honestly, when my eyes feel the way they do today, I'm glad to not have anything extra in there!<br /><br />I swear the eye doc said my prescription "didn't hardly change" several months ago when I last saw her. But I didn't look at the Rx, so I was surprised when I finally did a few weeks ago -- my right eye is .75 worse. Now I agree that's not a HUGE change, but if I had realized it was that much, I'd probably have gotten new glasses sooner!<br /><br />Anyway. I selected them on Friday, and they should be ready at the end of this week.<br /><br />These will be my regular glasses:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amyjasper/3777611933/" title="glasses by AJB30, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2645/3777611933_5eb480d62b_m.jpg" alt="glasses" width="240" height="73" /></a><br /><br />And these will have tinted lenses for sunglasses:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amyjasper/3777611955/" title="sunglasses by AJB30, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2539/3777611955_204458d2d3_m.jpg" alt="sunglasses" width="240" height="54" /></a><br /><br />I can't hardly believe I picked out regular everyday glasses that are lime green! But the ones I have now are held together in one place with thread, and the bow/earpiece thingy is coming unwelded. They're basically junk, so I'm looking forward to being able to see better AND not having to worry about the lens falling out while walking through the grocery store. (Yes, that actually happened one day...)AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-18670778508892525062009-08-03T15:48:00.002-04:002009-08-03T15:51:44.832-04:00Cute OverloadYou've been warned :)<br /><br />The San Diego Zoo has a <a href="http://www.sandiegozoo.org/pandacam/index.html">Panda Cam</a>. Well, actually, it's a BUNCH of Panda Cams that make up one totally sweet and adorable feed of real live pandas. There were (ice) birthday cakes earlier for the birthday celebrations... but the Panda Cam is a regular thing, so you can go watch anytime you need a little happy in your life. Enjoy!AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-23459290767069198522009-08-02T13:20:00.001-04:002009-08-02T13:20:06.091-04:00Happy birthday to me!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiBux_HIFxr7RuwlkoAccpgFJ5IDAse_WPmsidYOc9sAeHsjdscQRaTY2RExZnuGaatnsag1wqF59h6A1guh4aX3oeDQWMaNCcpNO_Gc1k1jcVNCFnyLazX4hUZAtaX8zWm295dJ7CTw/s1600-h/=%3Futf-8%3FB%3FSU1HMDAwNzEuanBn%3F=-706092"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBiBux_HIFxr7RuwlkoAccpgFJ5IDAse_WPmsidYOc9sAeHsjdscQRaTY2RExZnuGaatnsag1wqF59h6A1guh4aX3oeDQWMaNCcpNO_Gc1k1jcVNCFnyLazX4hUZAtaX8zWm295dJ7CTw/s320/=%3Futf-8%3FB%3FSU1HMDAwNzEuanBn%3F=-706092" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365417483736905842" /></a></p>I drove through a thunderstorm to get here, although you might be guessing that from the rain :) There's quite a line -- it's a new enough Sonic that there are still cops directing traffic! But mmmmmm fresh lemon slush...<br>Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerryAmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-81637522755924356972009-07-10T17:05:00.002-04:002009-07-10T17:16:04.587-04:00A veritable bounty of goodies!OK. I'm not going to lie... it's been a long week. I am soooo happy it's Friday!<br /><br />First, I got my long-awaited special order of Malabrigo Sock yarn... 2200 yards of this deliciousness is now mine, all mine.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amyjasper/3707461323/" title="Malabrigo Sock - Terracotta by AJB30, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3199/3707461323_8d1351213a_m.jpg" alt="Malabrigo Sock - Terracotta" width="240" height="200" /></a><br /><br />Second, you'll remember that I totally lucked into winning the amazing blogaversary giveaway at <a href="http://www.twistyourstitches.blogspot.com/">Twist Your Stitches</a>. The package must have arrived on Wednesday... but I couldn't get it until now. That made me cranky, but believe you me, I was excited to get this box!<br /><br />This picture is pretty much crap, but it'll have to do for the moment:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amyjasper/3708271750/" title="Goodies from Twist Your Stitches Blog Giveaway by AJB30, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2427/3708271750_2d01097023_m.jpg" alt="Goodies from Twist Your Stitches Blog Giveaway" width="240" height="182" /></a><br /><br />Peeps, this is one amazing pile o' goodies! Many, many thanks to Rachel for it (go there and show her some love!)... I don't think I'll stop petting this yarn for a good long time.<br /><br />What's in there? The cutest book (Sheep in a Shop), a pattern for a polka-dotted hat and mittens (mmm... polka spots!), chocolate, soap, lip blam! (not a typo -- reminds me of my childhood friend Linda who always said that, too), hand cream, an awesome button that looks like a stone, a BSA notebook with graph paper (love), a pocket full of posies (<a href="http://www.spudandchloe.com/blog/2009/06/blooms/">go here</a> for the pattern), a pretty cheap project bag... and, um, YARNY GOODNESS.<br /><br />Yes, I'm shouting. Yes, this yarn is amazing. I want to snuggle it. <a href="http://www.blueskyalpacas.com/yarn_detail.php?yarns_ID=15">BSA Suri Merino</a> in Dusk and Fog. Oh yeah... it's delightful. And maybe someday I'll be brave enough to knit with it!AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-18565056820291529572009-06-26T10:05:00.002-04:002009-06-26T10:10:00.726-04:00I know, I've been neglecting you...Maybe I'll be better about posting... things have been more than a little nuts in the last while! I just enjoyed a mini-vacation with my mom and sister, and am looking forward to these half-day Fridays at work :) Now, if it weren't 90* today... and raining AGAIN.<br /><br />In important news: I followed someone's Twitter link to <a href="http://www.twistyourstitches.blogspot.com/">Twist Your Stitches</a>, and totally won an awesome blogaversary prize including Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino yarn and other goodies. Go visit -- you'll like it there! Rachel got added to my blogroll right away :)<br /><br />And now, since it's 10 a.m. and I'm supposed to be working, I guess I'd better... I was already late to work this morning and the CEO opened the door for me, so my slacker ways are no longer a secret!AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-14111822634483009642009-03-25T19:59:00.005-04:002009-03-25T21:11:36.843-04:00Giving people the finger...My middle finger on my left hand triggered again yesterday. <insert> It continually surprises me -- when that finger doesn't work right, it really makes life more complicated!<br /><br />I found out on Monday that I'm most likely not going to be able to wear contact lenses anymore. Prior to that, I last saw the eye doc three weeks ago, when we decided to order sample lenses of the daily disposables, since my eyes are hard to fit. (I have a difficult prescription due to the weird amount of astigmatism that needs to be corrected, and apparently an uncommonly shaped eye surface. Yeah, I knew you wanted to know that -- you're welcome!) So I scheduled a fit appointment, which was Monday at (gasp) 7:30a. The right lens is lovely, the left one hurts.<br /><br />Turns out the bumps either haven't gone away or have come back. (Oh -- it's called giant papilloma conjunctivitis... I won't show you the pictures; if you're crazy enough to google it, you can live with the results. But don't say you weren't forewarned!) Since the primary cause of the bumps is wearing lenses, well, lenses are probably out. Minimum time before another attempt is 6 months, which probably means more than a year for me.<br /><br />So, I'll have a full exam in three weeks (when she'll check the bumps again for progress!), and get new glasses... sigh.AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-75200192625622629942009-03-22T09:59:00.002-04:002009-03-22T10:07:04.989-04:00Finished Neck Warmer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlZUZMCUSAgF3L21GOEMUQT8sjQ6sbGn9Gk0Dour6mhFsrtWgPm0ouYPZiLmdEQZ23y0Wf-3cuptei8Y2G0lkwzsVadd-Fa2QUu14c9RzE8JsX5gTH3WHSxp4RZGxUh2D_dgc4lLL8BE/s1600-h/DSCF0996.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBlZUZMCUSAgF3L21GOEMUQT8sjQ6sbGn9Gk0Dour6mhFsrtWgPm0ouYPZiLmdEQZ23y0Wf-3cuptei8Y2G0lkwzsVadd-Fa2QUu14c9RzE8JsX5gTH3WHSxp4RZGxUh2D_dgc4lLL8BE/s320/DSCF0996.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316011710544810690" border="0" /></a> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyksuRcMLQJcgRSA2IJhXyv-g4f6AyH7YfssmZP_Zg9JE55T6LrIdaCXijBFzAUw0QgdHSyS_0tvhCDNbciDw-2byimKddiSmF40bRlIHd1BqWgDAuRIpuHNwZTt0esD-z03KP5AzyU4/s1600-h/DSCF0994.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyksuRcMLQJcgRSA2IJhXyv-g4f6AyH7YfssmZP_Zg9JE55T6LrIdaCXijBFzAUw0QgdHSyS_0tvhCDNbciDw-2byimKddiSmF40bRlIHd1BqWgDAuRIpuHNwZTt0esD-z03KP5AzyU4/s320/DSCF0994.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316011699469173458" border="0" /></a><br />Here's my Faberge Neck Warmer thingy, modeled by my Eddie Bauer bear. (Funny, he might be the only stuffed animal I've ever had that doesn't really have a name!) Anyway, made of Malabrigo worsted in cinnabar, with beads and vintage buttons. This is basically a short scarf that buttons around the neck...<br /><br />And yes, that's my as-yet-unfinished quilt from Carol Taylor's class in the background...AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-46665419370587098662009-03-15T11:04:00.002-04:002009-03-15T11:15:05.547-04:00Ruffles and Flourishes - Finished!<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amyjasper/3356694092/" title="Ruffles and Flourishes by AJB30, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3356694092_6cf7f3be64.jpg" alt="Ruffles and Flourishes" width="470" height="500" /></a><br /></div><br />Just Enough Ruffles, pattern by Laura Chau, modified with 230 stitches cast on<br />Malabrigo Worsted Merino, in color Burgundy<br />Button Basket from Longeberger (thanks, mom!)<br />Fabric is Moda, I think, from my stash :)<br /><br />Ruffles and Flourishes... I've always loved that phrase. It's actually a military bugle call, played immediately prior to Hail to the Chief. Chances are good you've heard it without knowing that's what it was called!<br /><br />- - - - -<br />I decided to give the pink ruffly scarf a soak and block, too, since it's scratchy and the tub is clean. Fingers crossed... it's lounging on the ironing board now.AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-19113988396694787432009-03-14T12:23:00.005-04:002009-03-14T12:36:38.347-04:00Trying something newI'm going to stop apologizing for the lack of posts... 'cause you don't really care if I cleaned my bathtub or got stuck in traffic or whatever. I'd rather talk when there's something to talk about, even if it's sometimes only interesting to me ;)<br /><br />I've been working on another ruffly scarf, this time in pretty Burgundy Malabrigo Merino Worsted wool... MMMmmmmmmmmmmmm.... yummy! I finally finished binding it off last night; I made it a little longer than the first, so there were almost 700 stitches on the needles. I tried a stretchier bind off, too, which works beautifully but I did not like doing it at all. K2, slip both back on left needle, then K2togTBL. K1, slip both back on left needle, then K2togTBL. Repeat until you're ready for the padded room, then do some more. I learned I don't generally like knitting through the back loop. Good to know, I guess.<br /><br />So, the problem most people, including me, have with this beautiful scarf is that the garter edge (which you couldn't see when George modeled it the other day) really folds over to the right side. The only sure-fire way to stop it seems to be a full wet block. EEP! Since the folding drives me nuts on the first ruffled scarf, though, it seemed necessary.<br /><br />I started by cleaning the tub. In theory, I might have been able to do this in the sink, but the tub needed cleaning anyway ;) I ran a tepid little bath, and doused the scarf, making sure to soak it thoroughly. Malabrigo felts if you look at it crosseyed, so I had to remember NOT to swish it around or anything in my desire to have it be fully soaked. "They" say it takes 20 minutes, but George was rather intrigued by this, so I'm pretty sure I didn't get past 15 at the most.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstQd95SQZ2dJoTTgltaTH-6CmXBQEuISLt0_vqtkOvd_qZJHGxaAs8dE7jXuDSI6sztyd4U8jDtv8SWJMCySWyQxPG_o7Z9bj_zFcm6BzHXoX_Q6s9idtiL5QcTkueQwV3-5j5sNtUmM/s1600-h/DSCF0942.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 217px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstQd95SQZ2dJoTTgltaTH-6CmXBQEuISLt0_vqtkOvd_qZJHGxaAs8dE7jXuDSI6sztyd4U8jDtv8SWJMCySWyQxPG_o7Z9bj_zFcm6BzHXoX_Q6s9idtiL5QcTkueQwV3-5j5sNtUmM/s320/DSCF0942.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313082343059012290" border="0" /></a>Carefully squeeze out the water, roll in a bath towel a couple of times to soak out as much excess as possible, and now it's on a sheet on the ironing board to dry. The idea is to make sure the garter edge (the non-ruffled one) is nice and flat. I also wanted to stretch it a little width wise -- it seems slightly too skinny this time around. My guage was definitely tighter, so that's part of the problem, I think. We'll see... this could take a while to dry. On the plus side, the tub is nice and clean ;)AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-36087929736405393352009-03-04T22:01:00.000-05:002009-03-04T22:01:08.385-05:00Ruffles and Flourishes<div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxGhaOLbcwrY0zrVEw-K2ZSrDoHrZMdm_foA4lHqb7OPo4zifQ-VjOX7r6S-2qyUNSgmic4P9PXrPokwH5MBxDzjuX5Qkz9aW2hH3imWMOqRPzXvgy0S56L9wS_JKX1uv9n4hr1GiddM/s1600-h/DSCF0941.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxGhaOLbcwrY0zrVEw-K2ZSrDoHrZMdm_foA4lHqb7OPo4zifQ-VjOX7r6S-2qyUNSgmic4P9PXrPokwH5MBxDzjuX5Qkz9aW2hH3imWMOqRPzXvgy0S56L9wS_JKX1uv9n4hr1GiddM/s320/DSCF0941.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div>I have absolutely no idea why George-the-cat allowed me to do this :) Since I was sure he'd bite me instead of just sit nicely with the scarf around his neck, I didn't bother to turn it around so the right side was out...<br /><br />Pattern is "Just Enough Ruffles" by Laura Chau, knit in Burgundy Malabrigo Worsted Merino. Yummy! (This is the same pattern as the pink scarf from a few days ago, by the way, but in much nicer-to-knit yarn.)<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-36554891773633478292009-03-01T21:23:00.003-05:002009-03-01T21:31:21.044-05:00I gotta post more often!My sister has started sending me "bump" messages to blog :) [As an aside, dear one, you *could* start your own blog...]<br /><br />Nevertheless, I'm here, and watching Iron Chef. Cat Cora is making something with deep fried frozen ketchup canelles. I'm intrigued...<br /><br />Here's what I've been working on:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/amyjasper/3321407276/" title="Faberge Neckwarmer by AJB30, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/3321407276_f554db2c0e_m.jpg" alt="Faberge Neckwarmer" width="188" height="240" /></a><br /></div><br />It's Faberge Neck Warmer (pattern by Nina Machlin Dayon, published on Ravelry), which uses a beaded trellis stitch. Yarn is Malabrigo worsted merino, in color Cinnabar (yum!).<br /><br />I also started another ruffle-y scarf in a non-pink color, but it's only eight rows in, so it's not really anything to show off yet.<br /><br />Enjoy...AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-30660363506576848282009-02-16T14:39:00.002-05:002009-02-16T14:48:52.135-05:00A scarf and a quilt block<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9k3ALyn3DDsngnE70DSL_S1rQ7UjS-Hi_wmoKt56PZuiBbVPdQR0U0o5g8dL3iHs_HnEgdl6-TWiWAHDkbog9LIAF37y2F1XdUpyDyOrds8iCtex8sDDQFSxlrpsxU0nFpKTsRPV2nPg/s1600-h/DSCF0907.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9k3ALyn3DDsngnE70DSL_S1rQ7UjS-Hi_wmoKt56PZuiBbVPdQR0U0o5g8dL3iHs_HnEgdl6-TWiWAHDkbog9LIAF37y2F1XdUpyDyOrds8iCtex8sDDQFSxlrpsxU0nFpKTsRPV2nPg/s320/DSCF0907.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303482596663039250" border="0" /></a><br />This is my Just Enough Ruffles scarf, which I made in the last week or so. It's Sheep Shop 1 yarn, in a watermelon shade. It's knit sideways, with 200 stitches cast on, then a triple increase (!) giving one 600 stitches to bind off at the end. That said, it *is* just enough ruffles... it needs blocking, then who knows what will happen after that :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIouLFwUiWMMpJAZCMGrcMkg00IwqQ6VXJNpI1Ba-J_vwkYKhgyQprgdptDfXaCTC3M_KzYf3sL9BFHshyphenhyphenjuQIePJbf15H0Epa3OXUwaONpwBXAQIMnFYkvlpOwNbTpZY8_h6Arkoebs/s1600-h/DSCF0903.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGIouLFwUiWMMpJAZCMGrcMkg00IwqQ6VXJNpI1Ba-J_vwkYKhgyQprgdptDfXaCTC3M_KzYf3sL9BFHshyphenhyphenjuQIePJbf15H0Epa3OXUwaONpwBXAQIMnFYkvlpOwNbTpZY8_h6Arkoebs/s320/DSCF0903.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303482590729560178" border="0" /></a><br />And here's my late block for Helen, Miss January. She asked for real African fabrics and applique. Luckily, we met a lovely vendor of African fabrics (and baskets) at the Harrisburg show, so I had these two to play with, as well as another that I ended up not using. This is an African drum; it's not as fancy as the work some of the other girls have done, but I think it looks OK. The beading took forever -- I had to use a small needle, as it was the only one without a bulgy eye, and my hands do not like those little needles at all!<br /><br />Anyway: I'm caught up on my deadlines again. Whew. (Yes, I know I'm late with January, but I promised Helen I'd mail this block today -- not realizing it was a holiday at the time -- so I *do* feel good about finishing it yesterday.<br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><br /></a>AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-39098793266961485502009-02-16T10:06:00.002-05:002009-02-16T10:11:08.942-05:00Maybe, just maybe...I think I might have fixed my internet connection. Of course, I hope I did, but boy, those were fairly obvious mistakes if that's the case :) Ah well... I got a LOT of knitting done and a little sewing while without, so that's not all bad. Now, I need to do a few things, including photographing said knitting and sewing; I'll be back later to share.AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-5642327382846536642009-02-05T19:55:00.000-05:002009-02-05T19:54:43.911-05:00Technology... Has got me down! In trying to fix my wireless, I broke it completely. I'm sure it'll be better after I uninstall and reinstall the router -- as a password-protected connection now that I have lots of neighbors -- but that's a drag. And a long process! Have just spent some time reading blogs on my 'berry... Functional, but tedious, I'm afraid. Guess I'll just knit more tonight; the router will have to wait for the weekend :)<br>Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerryAmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-80106245767868273762009-01-26T18:15:00.002-05:002009-01-26T18:27:44.002-05:00Weird things that have happened as of 6:27 p.m. today<ul><li>The bumps on my eyelids are still there... not getting worse, but not significantly better. That's not really weird, but it's important to the next point.<br /></li><li>I went to the pharmacy to pick up two Rx for my eyes, the steroid drops I've been using (as a sample) and an antihistamine drop to try to calm them down some more. They're out of the antihistamine, but I can get it tomorrow. OK -- a hassle, but not a huge deal. I literally drive past the pharmacy every day on the way home from work. More importantly, after waiting and waiting and waiting for the steroid (which comes pre-packaged!), they tell me it's going to be $105. WHAT? I have insurance for these things. The (dippy) clerk says "Well, they paid $75..." Yeah, forget it. I'll call the doc tomorrow and find out if there are other options for that price!</li><li>So I come home, to find out they painted the concrete floor in the laundry room today, so I can't do a load of wash as I had hoped.<br /></li><li>Even more odd, George-the-cat DOESN'T meet me at the door. Um, what? I come in, put dowm my stuff, and start talking to him, thinking he must have been sleeping pretty hard, and still no cat. Finally he wanders out the bedroom, takes one look at me and runs back in there, under the desk chair. Now, George loves to be under this chair (it's slipcovered, so it's a nice hideaway), but he usually loves me more. I figure I'll give him a few minutes to get his act together before I panic too much...<br /></li><li>In the meantime, I'm wondering if the steroid drops need pre-authorization (my allergy pills do)... I look online, and nope, they're a standard tier 3 drug, for which I should be charged $35. I call the pharmacy back, and speak to a pharmacist, who says the insurance company gave them the price, so I have to call Oxford to resolve this. They, of course, closed at 6 p.m. </li><li>George is now sitting by the door, staring at the cedar chest. Dork.<br /></li></ul><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/381/2F4358BD42F119CE612C576F39CA5C29.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a>AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-59036482280196813662009-01-25T16:50:00.005-05:002009-01-25T17:16:00.101-05:00Knitting... a sweater?!I don't know why, but knitting has really enchanted me this fall and winter. One reason is probably that there's a wonderful LYS nearby, and the LQS I like is 45 minutes away! I've been knitting pieces to make kids sweaters for charity, and I made a few Christmas gifts... so I thought I ought to make myself something nice. I'll tell you, making a nice quilt would take far less prep work.<br /><br />I picked a pattern, and went off to the store. I knew I'd have to swatch -- knit a 6" square to check knitting gauge -- but I didn't anticipate that would lead to three trips to the LYS in five days! It's good -- the LYSO still smiles at me when I come in the door -- but sheesh. We pick a yarn to try, and I get needles in the recommended size. Cast on 30 stitches, and knit for a while. Gauge is close, but not quite right; let's try the lace pattern from the sweater. Good, I can knit that without going crazy. Hmmm... let's try another needle size to nail the gauge. Oops... went the wrong way -- now I have too many stitches per inch. SIGH. Back to the LYS, where she says I have to block my swatch. Huh? She explains what to do, and I go home to try. This is the result:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIklYZgc5yZ3zajt4OIAyzrY7DF8NZQS2GW7YlcRyFQRs7VVNVSGF_hVZ6ANaUDhisk602y_rfZEnb8EQB4b64mvG1PCednTtCe_AY_srMY1MmS2sErQHjWs9q-4-fKSFjY4-R8I1r1g/s1600-h/DSCF0896.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDIklYZgc5yZ3zajt4OIAyzrY7DF8NZQS2GW7YlcRyFQRs7VVNVSGF_hVZ6ANaUDhisk602y_rfZEnb8EQB4b64mvG1PCednTtCe_AY_srMY1MmS2sErQHjWs9q-4-fKSFjY4-R8I1r1g/s320/DSCF0896.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295356174526830114" border="0" /></a>Cool. It's like a completely different object -- the character of the fabric is so different from the fabric right off the needles. But now the gauge is different, and I really don't know what to do -- other than go to the LYS again! We pick the correct needle size, talk about fitting, and I (ahem) changed my mind about the color. It's beautiful, but it's really blue, and kind of stripey in all the finished pieces I could find on Ravelry. Not a fan of the stripey... so I got this instead:<br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7eOhh9iPrd7CP_Qqmp3szvBkMvNmXYuLtwmSuM_A-8V7FpRvyvh8AZXwA961j82qCWR6cQ7ja7buvE0YfhlhrwGd2jOii8GOhpEAkX9zVO7cyP24-ppvc4quBmZg58MFKYrK_MKmJFI/s1600-h/DSCF0893.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV7eOhh9iPrd7CP_Qqmp3szvBkMvNmXYuLtwmSuM_A-8V7FpRvyvh8AZXwA961j82qCWR6cQ7ja7buvE0YfhlhrwGd2jOii8GOhpEAkX9zVO7cyP24-ppvc4quBmZg58MFKYrK_MKmJFI/s320/DSCF0893.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295356178407026018" border="0" /></a> It's Dream in Color Classy (what a dumb name for a lovely yarn!) in Chinatown Apple. I think it looks kind of like dried apples, as I'm starting to knit it up. Slow going on this one... it's a cardigan knit with no side seams, so there are a LOT of stitches in every row! I'd show you the pattern, but I can't find it off Ravelry. If you're a knitter and on Rav, it's called Summer's End.<br /><br />So, wish me luck. This could be a good or a bad adventure!AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-27447873842362427522009-01-24T18:25:00.001-05:002009-01-24T18:27:19.088-05:00And the sun shone down<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfSeLf0Tugfkk8fTlbO98TN1SQSKR5Goy0nHLhrOxunRWGG-pJmfJfeBqXXpj3bYOxyJPzNVwJTXVuugN70_FI1o4oGfIfwPiSqrIQQfcaidvlnplyVqgHTsJ4a93GFSpbaaoRNmxMwQ/s1600-h/DSCF0899.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfSeLf0Tugfkk8fTlbO98TN1SQSKR5Goy0nHLhrOxunRWGG-pJmfJfeBqXXpj3bYOxyJPzNVwJTXVuugN70_FI1o4oGfIfwPiSqrIQQfcaidvlnplyVqgHTsJ4a93GFSpbaaoRNmxMwQ/s160/DSCF0899.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br />Yes, the sun shone today, but more importantly, I finished this block for Terri! (Miss December in the birthday block swap.) It's late, to be sure, but it doesn't look half bad, if I do say so myself.<br /><br />Terri supplied the yellow fabric to all the swappers, and asked us to use only blue and yellow in her blocks. All of hers so far are gorgeous... I hope mine plays well with them. I got the blue batik in a bundle at a quilt show, and the print at home in Michigan over Christmas. It's so pretty... but so directional, which made things more complicated that I really wanted! I'll give it a good pressing, then mail it Monday. That's a very good thing.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0px none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/381/2F4358BD42F119CE612C576F39CA5C29.png" /></a><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-66168562028301605342009-01-23T13:04:00.002-05:002009-01-23T13:16:37.956-05:00It's a mysteryI had to go on Tuesday for my routine bloodletting. (I say that to be dramatic -- it's just a tube of blood every three months or so to check my thyroid function.) Since I have an awesome vein in my left arm, and I'm not afraid of needles, it's not really a big deal. The only pain or discomfort comes from ripping off the bandage later :)<br /><br />Anyway, I talked with the doctor today about the results, which are unusual. She's been increasing my dose of Synthroid fairly consistently, trying to get me to a "good" TSH number. Three months ago, my TSH was 4. She upped my meds a little, and this week, my TSH is 8. Lower is better. More drugs should lead to a LOWER number. What the heck is going on?! (Two years ago, when I was diagnosed, my TSH was 11. The lowest dose of meds brought me down to 7 or 8, and I've been working my way down ever since. This is annoying!)<br /><br />The doctor can't really answer the "why" question right now, although it does explain why I've been so exhaused. For now, I'll be increasing my dosage again and having more blood drawn in 10-12 weeks. And I want to do some more independent reading on managing TSH and hypothyroid. I have a great book, but there's definitely more to learn. <sigh><br /><br />OK. Whining over. In the grand scheme of things, this is not that important. It just, well, IS.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/381/2F4358BD42F119CE612C576F39CA5C29.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a>AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-25786960655197219782009-01-22T18:46:00.003-05:002009-01-22T19:06:01.956-05:00Hmmm....I think my life is boring. I don't have much of anything to say :) <a href="http://www.patchworktimes.com/2009/01/22/nothing-blogworthy-2/">Judy</a> asked today how that could be possible -- and I don't really have an answer.<br /><ol><li>I'm working on my (very late) birthday block for Miss December... but there's a lot of precision rotary cutting at this point, and I need to do that during daylight hours. (*See #3 for why.) Pictures when it's done, I promise!<br /></li><li>I'm swatching for a new knitting project. Not very interesting at this point -- a +/- 6" square of navy blue stockinette... now I have to figure out how to count/measure what I've knit!<br /></li><li>I'm anxious to go back to the eye doctor on Monday. Oh, maybe I didn't tell you this...I have some kind of irritation or inflammation or something on the insides of my eyelids. (I had this once before, about 15 months ago.) It makes wearing contacts utterly impossible -- there's a reason contact lenses are so thin! With lumps and bumps in there, too, well, it hurts. Luckily, I recognized it quickly this time, and made an ophthalmology appointment right away. Treatment is basically steroid eyedrops until it goes away. (And yes, once you get this condition, whatever it's called, you get it with some regularity, so it's going to be part of my life now. Yuk.) Anyway: my glasses are scratched and I have a real problem with glare from lights and my glasses and stuff... careful rotary cutting in less-than-ideal lighting would surely lead to unfortunate consequences!<br /></li></ol>And now, I'm sure you'll want to run over and thank Judy for prompting me to share these fascinating tidbits with you. ::snarfle::<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/55/1150232D2CF3C1B2EAF1AE3469DC9076.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a>AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-34897967243786467132009-01-14T17:54:00.002-05:002009-01-14T18:01:46.232-05:00ObsessionOK, my brain is going to explode. I've been looking a images (stock photography and illustrations) for about a week now, for a work-related project. Yes, it's fun, but it's also strangely exhausting. Choosing the perfect keywords to capture an idea can be a challenge, and sometimes I can almost see what I want to find, but it's just not out there in a way I can find it.<br /><br />So, I need help. One of the concepts is "OBSESSION." Without being a Calvin Klein ad, what kinds of images say "obsession" to you? I'm not necessarily looking for the answer to "what are you obsessed with" (I love fiber, for example, but my target audience is probably reasonably less obsessed with that than I am!). It's more the abstract concept of being or becoming obsessed with something or someone, especially if it's unattainable. Am I making *any* sense at all? Photos, illustrations, art -- just has to be in the public domain or stock imagery (unless you own the copyright and are willing to license it for literally peanuts!) -- give me some ideas and/or some links!<br /><br />Thank you!AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-80384550971681297162009-01-11T00:21:00.003-05:002009-01-11T00:37:18.505-05:00Let it snow...I knew it was a bad sign when I got called into an emergency meeting yesterday about snow plans for the weekend -- and they were predicting 3-6" over 12 hours. Um, that's just your everyday, average kind of January weather where I come from -- 3" of snow does NOT a storm, blizzard, panic or emergency make!<br /><br />It did start to snow around 1p today as predicted, and I had to clean off my car before I could leave for work. I'd guess about 2" by that time, which was a little after 5p. Of the three highway lanes, the left and right were almost snow-free, just wet, but the middle one was pretty snowy still. People were going about 40 mph. Yes, it was snowing, but the road was completely fine. I finally worked my way around the worst of the idiots, including the guy driving with his brights and hazards on ('cause that's not distracting or anything!), and managed to go about 60 most of the way. It took about 15 extra minutes to get there, which was fine -- I left earlier than usual since I had no idea how the travel would be.<br /><br />But it gets better. On my way home, when it was not snowing, I was on a highway entrance ramp behind a small SUV, and the driver wouldn't go more than 20 on the *straight* road. I guess I should have expected him to STOP when he got to the three-lane highway. Not. Who stops to get on the highway at 10:00 at night? Are you kidding me? Especially since there wasn't a car in sight going our way, and all lanes were completely clear. SO glad I managed not to hit the dumb-***.<br /><br />I saw two trucks spreading whatever, and one snowplow during the entire time... interestingly, the plow was down on a road with no snow. Um, it's a better use of time and resources to plow roads that have snow, isn't it? Or not -- it's Jersey, after all ;)AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-29606899999885568162009-01-01T17:30:00.002-05:002009-01-01T17:34:23.947-05:00It's weird -- this almost never happens.The antibiotics are actually working!<br /><br />I felt worse yesterday than I did on Tuesday, but I feel considerably better today. Good thing, since tomorrow is a 14-hour work day, no getting around it. I think taking these two days to rest really helped, too -- I called in sick Wednesday, and my boss called me later in the day to tell me to take today off too. (Yes, it's a holiday, but we had a concert today, and I was scheduled to be in the office this morning and at the concert this afternoon.) Instead, I sat on my bum all day. Didn't get anything productive done, but I can breathe through my nose from time to time, so I'm going to count that as an accomplishment ;)<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/381/2F4358BD42F119CE612C576F39CA5C29.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a>AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-46440806557098361802008-12-30T21:20:00.002-05:002008-12-30T21:35:12.126-05:00Wondering... and sneezing!First, the verdict: Sinus infection, please take these antibiotics and don't wait so long next time before you come in. Lungs are clear -- just chest congestion (whew!).<br /><br />Now, I'm wondering:<br /><ul><li>Why this PA told me I should have come in sooner, when my primary doc told me last time to wait longer? (I think I held out one more day this go-around!)<br /></li><li>Why I've been sick for Christmas/New Year's WAY more times than not? Seriously -- last year, I was in the doc's office last year on Jan. 3 with a sinus infection. I spent more Christmases with ear infections and bronchitis... mom accused me tonight of being sick *every* year for Christmas, but conceded there were a (very) few healthy ones in between figuring out I was allergic to real fir trees and me deciding I could be sick anyway ;)</li><li>Why I even bother with the antibiotics? I can't take anything good (aka fast-acting), so I'll feel somewhat crummy for a few days yet. (I remember in college, the girl across the hall and I had the same thing, and went on antibiotics the same day. She felt way better in 24 hours, and I was still sleeping and dragging.)</li><li>Why pills have to be so darn big anyway? These suckers are monsters.<br /></li><li>Why I always feel bad when medical professionals have to look in my nose? I remember my first or second allergist had an intern look at it, because it was going to be the best one she'd see all week... but with a sinus infection, it's sure to be nasty. (And it was -- the PA was a little surprised!) But it's her job... and it's not like I can control it being swollen and yucky. If I could, I'd fix it myself. <span style="font-style: italic;">I crossed the TMI line here, didn't I? I'm tired, and I think my internal censor went to bed early. Smart chick.<br /></span></li></ul>Hope *you're* healthy -- or easily fixed!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/381/2F4358BD42F119CE612C576F39CA5C29.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" /></a>AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-71022706568831174242008-12-28T21:54:00.003-05:002008-12-28T22:15:30.226-05:00Christmas Knitting<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">You know I did some Christmas knitting... I was very bad and didn't do a good job of photographing the results. <sigh> The only thing I have to show is the hat I made for Lisa:</sigh><br /><sigh></sigh></div><sigh><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1vPXOgtUsUk2Nt4J1GuIQL0W7H4kSdAJam_4T6ywuvuvuzcvnO8W3eEnEUoMd9nco4wPjUt35-9s6mZ_SKkCQXpeyK7JGGW6W2ADxRNbFHy0S3eEGseb_xm6iL1IyqGi5Qmy8fqAmlY/s1600-h/DSCF0883.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1vPXOgtUsUk2Nt4J1GuIQL0W7H4kSdAJam_4T6ywuvuvuzcvnO8W3eEnEUoMd9nco4wPjUt35-9s6mZ_SKkCQXpeyK7JGGW6W2ADxRNbFHy0S3eEGseb_xm6iL1IyqGi5Qmy8fqAmlY/s160/DSCF0883.JPG" border="0" /></a> </sigh></div>It's a Button-Tab Hat from a free pattern by Marcie at <a href="http://i-like-lemons.blogspot.com/2008/01/button-tab-hat-pattern.html">I Like Lemons</a>. It's the first hat I've ever knit, and I made it to match the scarf I knitted earlier for Lisa. The scarf is done all in mock-cable stitch, so I used that again for the button tab. I'm showing this button-front, so you can see the tab, but it's obviously not meanth to be worn that way :) I used the absolutely delicious Malabrigo merino worsted weight yarn (yummmmmmmm) that I got at <a href="http://knitknack.biz/">KnitKnack</a>. The color is called Wintergreen, I think -- it's a pale greenish blue. Very delicate.<br /><br />What else... A <a href="http://jan-knitfreepatterns.blogspot.com/2007/03/sisters-hat.html">Sisters</a> Hat in Jo Sharp DK, color cyclamen, for my Aunt. The first chart I've read -- and I didn't like doing that at all. Nonetheless, the hat is cute, and she likes it.<br /><br />And a pair of <a href="http://a-friend-to-knit-with.blogspot.com/2008/09/toasttoasty.html">Toasty</a> fingerless gloves for my mom in Debbie Bliss superwash something or other in a dark green. I shortened the wrist length by an inch, and probably should have shortened it by at least another one. The finger side was really too long (I offered to rip them back and rebind), but mom asked me to leave it. Since they're knit in stockinette in the round, that edge rolls naturally, so she'll roll them back when she needs her fingers, and unroll when she wants them to be warm! Like many others, I thought the thumb was too tight in the first one, so I picked up three more stitches for the second one. Then I decided to have mom try them on before I finished them, so I'd know which one fit (and I'd only have to rip out one!). She liked them that way -- I guess one knuckle swells more than the other, so they actually fit. Go figure ;)<br /><br />Anyway: is that three posts today? That's enough nattering on from me, I think!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0px none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/381/2F4358BD42F119CE612C576F39CA5C29.png" /></a><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309953346704419.post-69658396657627133562008-12-28T20:59:00.001-05:002008-12-28T21:13:38.046-05:00Did you know that I'm a quilter?<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">There's been so little quilt content lately, I thought you might have forgotten! (I almost did...)<br /><br />So, without further ado, here are my (very, very late) New York Beauty blocks for Miss November:<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjx-hPw33ZOOj67Dn-WMC92jEKM1uvnuKPvlzVIHOKpiBgt-x8hrvExWNIJ3scEiT9VbhygYQC0GvZ0wK3AhXfpSzkNpZ-rGVSHRZIox6MtyiFOESWkKbc_HuPBZ0ZKHPfAH52owWKtbU/s1600-h/DSCF0887.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjx-hPw33ZOOj67Dn-WMC92jEKM1uvnuKPvlzVIHOKpiBgt-x8hrvExWNIJ3scEiT9VbhygYQC0GvZ0wK3AhXfpSzkNpZ-rGVSHRZIox6MtyiFOESWkKbc_HuPBZ0ZKHPfAH52owWKtbU/s160/DSCF0887.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div></div><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihncjcF4HPVsX4alQ0wnyCLGyQD4fTYroqAoxQngrCzaeKPQsrCAbW3okrFuJTYhlcyLz85rn7QgolLz_idhEFCsNk_PwFdyPOEiIoWR61sL5pF-jKIsntg0-DEZeaGMffGPtBSFs33tc/s1600-h/DSCF0888.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihncjcF4HPVsX4alQ0wnyCLGyQD4fTYroqAoxQngrCzaeKPQsrCAbW3okrFuJTYhlcyLz85rn7QgolLz_idhEFCsNk_PwFdyPOEiIoWR61sL5pF-jKIsntg0-DEZeaGMffGPtBSFs33tc/s160/DSCF0888.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><a href="http://quiltsoflove.blogspot.com/">Margaret</a> asked for 8" blocks in orange, red and purple. My sister picked out the main fabrics (the purple, the sort of spotted orangey one, and the red/orange print) when she was here in June. I added an orange commercial handdye, a red one, and the reds used in the quarter circles.<br /><br />The top block is Rick Rack Beauty 2 from EQ6, and the bottom block is a modification of New York Compass, again from EQ6. Yeah, the top one has a bit of an issue. You should have seen it before I took it apart!<br /><br />I doubt I'll get Miss December's block done on time, but I shouldn't be so far behind for her, I hope. Especially since Miss January will take a bit of a think! At least it's forward progress :)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="border: 0px none ; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54486/381/2F4358BD42F119CE612C576F39CA5C29.png" /></a><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>AmyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01430764659779669419noreply@blogger.com2