Jamberry are they for me

You might be wondering what are these things, are they really for me. Well are you a fun and flirty kind of girl; or maybe you like things a little more elegant and understated; or are you all about being bright and beautiful? Well with over 300 designs to choose from you are sure to find something that matches your signature style. Using everyday tools like a blow dryer and nail file, you can apply, shape, and bond the nail wraps directly to your nails in just minutes, all from the comfort of your home. Nail wraps not your thing, then how about some professional nail lacquer. Of course it isn't all about your nails why not pamper your hands as well with a variety of nail and hand care options.

Starting a brand new adventure

I can't get over how long ago I last posted on this blog.  Well it is time to bring it back to life, and what better way then with the new adventure I have just recently undertaken.

What is this new adventure you might be asking yourself?  Well I am now an Independent Consultant for Jamberry Nails,

I fell in love with these after the first time I used them.  It was late February, and I was invited to a party on Facebook, where I was given a chance to try a sample.  Would you like a sample?

Well after that one little sample I was hooked.  The following month I threw a Facebook party and then kept thinking is this something I should do?  Well Fast Forward to July and I decided YES, why not give it ago.

So here I am setting course for a new adventure, and would love to share my journey with you.  I am hopeful that by putting this up here, I will be able to reach out to more of you; since a bulk of my announcements have been on Facebook.  That will even be the location of my launch party.  But, I decided that what is posted there will be posted here as well.  

Of course if you already are aware of this wonderful product you can just go to my website and place your order at any time.  Oh, and if you are on Facebook; give my page a like and you will always get the information straight away.

Maui

Wow, I haven't bogged in a long while. I think I'll share my trip, of course pictures will come later. This being my first trip to Maui, I want to remember everything. The flight over the Pacific in first class was wonderful. That quote from the "Seinfeld" episode of "I've flown first class, I can't go back, I won't" makes even more sense. Let me just say very attentive service, a real meal, real glasses, and silverware. Plus a warm cookie. When we landed the sun was getting ready to set. Boy, it gets dark fast. Couldn't see much on the way to the hotel but I will see it soon. Walked just around the hotel grounds a little last night; they look beautiful. Tons of Fiji Torches, two nice looking pools, and right on Kaanapalli Beach, can it get any better. Looking forward to seeing what today will bring.

A recent FO and some WIPs

I recently finished a set of sweater ornaments that my Aunt asked for and decided to use that to get back into posting about my knitting. I followed two patterns to make them up. I used the Minutia and Minutia '08 patterns from berroco. I love any project that allows you to use bits of yarn left over from other projects. All that is left for these is for me to make the hangers that go with them.

On too the WIPs I recently purchased the Tidings of Joy Kit

from knitpicks.com for the sole purpose to really make the Popcorn and cranberry garland. It is slow tedious work... anything that is knit in the round on Size 2 needles and starts with 4 stitches I guess would be.... slow going but I'm loving how it looks. Another knitpicks kit I recently purchased was the Design your first sweater I went with the red and white, I really like this pattern kit because it allows you the option to choose the bottom, the cuffs, the sleeve style and collar style. Plus it is knitted in the round and that means no Seaming!!! I am making pretty good progress on this one and hope to have it finished in the next couple of weeks.

A knitting contest

I once again can't imagine how long it has been since I last blogged. But to get back into the whole blogging thing... I decided I need to share with all of you about this great contest I recently read about. It is for a chance to win a set of KnitPicks new Zephyr needles. You can get all the details at: http://thingsmomslike.com/2009/07/30/knitpicks-zephyr-knitting-needle-set-giveaway-821/comment-page-9/#comment-8552. So go ahead and why not give it a try.

My First Drop Spindle Experience

I have taken the next step. I have now spun some yarn. I have always been amazed at people that make their own yarn and I am even more amazed now that I have tried the whole drop spindle thing. I recently purchased a drop spindle and some roving and figured I would be able to figure out how to do this craft.

So here are photos of the experience:

Here is the roving all laid out. I wonderered how much yarn I would get. I guess it depends on how thick you make the yarn.

Well I removed a part of the roving attached it to the spindle and started spinning.... and spinning..... and spinning.

After some trial and error I actually started to see progress. Yeah I was making yarn! Well as time passed the spindle began to get fuller and fuller. So I knew it was time to set the twist and hang to dry.

And after this I got a finished product.... a small ball of yarn. The thickness varies throughout the ball. But I've purchased yarn like that so I know it is okay.

Now onto what is left of the roving. This time the

process went much easier. Yes it still has its variations; but, I'm happy with what I've made. On this go around I put the yarn I made into a hank!

I guess know I'll have to think of something to make to work this into.

Knit Knack Blanket Squares!

Yeah! They are officially done. After much procrastination on my part; the squares are finished.

When I first signed up for this in May 2008. I thought no problem I'll be able to get 24 squares done in plenty of time for the deadline. But as the deadline approached I knew I wasn't going to make it. Luckily, it was extended till the end of January. Well here we are in February and I haven't mailed them out. But they will be all on their way to their new homes by the end of the week.

I hope everyone will enjoy the square I made. As you can see in the picture they are various patterns. I just couldn't decide on just one, and I didn't really want to get bored by doing just one design.

Now the next step will be waiting for all the squares to arrive. I have already received some... which makes me feel even worse that I haven't mailed any out. Once they arrive it will be interesting to see how long it takes me to put it all together.

A Glass Head and other knitting news

Well it is another year and I just past my 3rd year anniversary of knitting. I can't believe I've been knitting for 3 years. I am definitely happy with the progress I have made during this time. It is always enjoyable to look back on what you made in the beginning and seeing how you have improved. An example would have to be the teddy bears I've made, both were from the pattern used for The Mother Bear Project. The first one was made in about Sept. of 2006 and the

second was done in August of 2008.

In other knitting news I am working away on the blanket squares for a blanket exchange I am taking part of in the greatest ravelry group known as Knit Knack. I have procrastinated on making these squares and now with the deadline looming I have been knitting nothing but squares. I have until the end of the month and 12.5 more squares to go. Then the process of sending them all out. After that will come the process of me sewing the squares I receive together. I guess I should take some pictures of my squares...

Oh and now about the rest of the post title. A Glass Head. I just had to share that I am now the proud owner of a Pier 1 glass head. I have been looking for one of these for at least a year now and now I have one. I can't wait to make a cool hat to use this as a model. I guess I'll have to wait till those squares are done.

A post Christmas Post

I hope all had a happy holiday season.

This Christmas I made all of my gifts and was so happy that everything seemed to be well received.

Do we really not read?

Okay I saw this on a blog I read and I to have decided to post this. I'm just curious to see if it is really true.

************************************************************************
This one is originally from The Big Read. Apparently they reckon that most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.

Instructions:
1. Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2. Underline those you intend to read. (In blogger you can use Ctrl. U to do this)
3. Italicize the books you LOVE.
4. Reprint this list so we can try and track down these people who've only read 6 and force books upon them.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkein
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. 1984 - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Lousia M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbevilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulkes
18. Catcher in the Rye - J D Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisted - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold comfort Farm - Stellla Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curios Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stroker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Slyvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

I guess I'm doing pretty good 26 out of 100 that isn't too bad.

The Last Big Christmas Knit

I am so happy that I am officially finished with the "big christmas knit projects". I still have a few things to finish up, but those won't take that long.
This one project the Lace 1-2-3 Scarf from Knit Picks took me some time. I have to say it wasn't a difficult project... a 4 row repeat isn't asking much. Though when you use lace weight yarn and size 3 needles no matter how easy the pattern it is going to take awhile. The yarn was Knit Picks Shadow in Midnight Heather .










After what has felt like months of knitting it was time to block this extremely long scarf. Luckily the yarn was thin enough that it didn't take too long to dry. I will definitly have to go about and purchase some lace knitting blocking tools before I venture into lace knitting again.


But yeah it is finished!!! I know that the person it is going too will truly appreciate it.

Just some holiday Fun

You Are a Cranberry and Popcorn Strung Tree

Christmas is all about showcasing your creative talents. From cookies to nicely wrapped presents, your unique creations impress everyone.

What Christmas Tree Are You?

You Are a Snowman

Friendly and fun, you enjoy bringing holiday cheer to everyone you know!

Whatchristmasornamentareyou?

You Should Have a Pink Christmas Tree

For you, the holidays represent a time of friendship and sharing. You're happy as long as you're spending time with the people you care about. You are passionate about the holidays, and that start of the holiday season makes you very excited. You sometimes go a bit overboard in your celebrations. You just can't help it! Passionate, easily excited, sweet, giving, love, friendship, sensitive, caring. Your pink tree would look great with: More pink! You should spend Christmas Eve watching: The Muppet Christmas Carol What you should bake for Santa: Rice krispie treats with red and green food coloring

What Color Christmas Tree Should You Have?

Your Christmas Song Is "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer Had a very shiny nose. And if you ever saw him, You would even say it glows. For you, Christmas is a mix of tradition and fun. You're not above strapping on a red blinking nose for a laugh

What Christmas Carol Are You?

You Are Rudolph

Sweet and shy, you tend to be happiest when you're making someone else happy. Why You're Naughty: You sometimes stick that nose where it doesn't belong Why You're Nice: Christmas would be a sad affair without you!

Which of Santa's Reindeer Are You?

Christmas Knits

Christmas Knits
Originally uploaded by KrisCe

Here is just a little look at some of the Christmas knitting.

It has once again been so long

I can't believe it has been so long since I last posted. I just noticed I never shared the prize I won during the Ravelympics.

Here are 3 of the 5 stitch markers I got from "Shamekaknits".

In other knitting news I have been busy busy busy getting my Christmas knitting done and I am so happy to say I am almost done. Besides Christmas knits... I am currently participating in two exchanges with the wonderful people of the Knit Knack Group over on Ravelry. One is a blankety exchange where in the end we will each put together a blanket made up of fellow member squares. The second is a scarf exchange.... and I am happy to say that the scarf is making some progress.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Ravelympics 2008

The wonderful site of Ravelry decided to do an event to commemorate the Summer Olympics; the Ravelympics. I love the Olympics so I just had to take a part in this event. I figured I could at least get some Christmas knitting finished along the way. I don't know if I'll win any of the fun little badges/medals but how many can say they actually win a medal. So I'm at least happy to say I've finished 1 of my 8 projects. (I can't believe I signed up with 8 projects)

But here is my first finished Ravelympic Hat Dash project. It is the pattern Halfdome. It was knitted in Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes . Hopefully it will be liked by the attended recipient.

Hemlock is Done!

My hemlock blanket has been saved. I unfortunatly, had to take the whole thing apart. But, with that downfall I changed my plan a little bit. Instead of just using the alternate color for Bind off I added it in the very center and then added a stripe of it as well.

I am so happy with the finished result. One more Christmas project taken care of.

A yummy Pizza

I just have to share this yummy pizza I made the other day. It is a take on a Bruschetta I had at my aunt's house.

Ingredients:

• Pillsbury Pizza Crust
• Pesto Sauce
• Sundried Tomatos
• Mozzarella Fresca Ricotta Cheese
• Olive Oil
• Crushed Garlic

I took a pillsbury pizza crust and followed the prebake instructions. After it was done prebaking I took it out of the oven drizzled it with some olive oil and rubbed it with some crushed garlic cloves. Then put it back in the oven to finish baking. Took it out again spread the crust with the pesto sauce and returned it to the oven for about 2 mins. to warm up the pesto. Finally I took it out of the oven for the final time. Spread out the ricotta cheese and then sprinkled the top with the Sundried Tomatoes.

YUMMY!

I got tagged

Well I knew it would happen sooner or later; I got tagged. So here it goes.

The Rules: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answers.

What was I doing ten years ago? Was thinking that I wish I would of gone away to school. I would have been just about finished.

What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today?
1. Clean closet
2. Clean out fridge
3. Take dog to groomer
4. Try and stay cool. (another hot day)
5. Watch some of the Olympic trials.

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Pretzel rods with nutella
2. Crackers
3. Ice cream
4. lime tortilla chips
5. popcorn

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Do something nice to all the people that have been nice to me.
Start up a foundation
I don't know.... all that money is just to unbelievable.

Places I've lived most recent first:
Windsor, CA
Novato, CA
Phillipsburg, NJ

Jobs I've had:
Domestic
Tutor
Baby-sitter

Tag now you're it:

Cris

Sinnomen

visionsjohanna

angie

Jennee

Just something fun to try

Hi, you've got to try this out. While reading Learner's Per-knit's blog post, I saw she did a fun thing called a meme. So of course I had to try it out as well. But first if you would like to make your own meme?

Here are the the steps:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.

b. Using only the first page, pick an image.

c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into Flickr Mosaic Maker.

d. Save your mosaic, and post it on your blog for all the world to see.

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

Here it is "My Meme"

1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/blipthratt/1083548335/">Wash Up, 2. http://www.flickr.com/photos/visbeek/1478572864/">Arriving at the Italian Riviera, 3. http://www.flickr.com/photos/8391697@N02/558667970/">Novato High School Graduation, 4. http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlelioness09/1384323642/">Lightning Storm: Upstate New York, 5. Who's" the hottest male celebrity?, 6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/samsmith/7577479/">French Martini, 7. http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/211239773/">Milan Train Station at Midnight, 8. http://www.flickr.com/photos/naoko123/2083713742/">coffee and chocolate mousse cake, 9. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesec/364420734/">C r y s t a l l i n e *, 10. http://www.flickr.com/photos/algo/92463787/">The Avenue in mist and sun, 11. http://www.flickr.com/photos/grace_flowers/472265382/">Just a Orchid, 12. http://www.flickr.com/photos/8549816@N08/2508453271/">blueberry pie 2

Knitting Tragedy

Hey all, I need to lament about a recent FO. The Hemlock Blanket I've been working on. I started the blocking procedure yesterday. Had new pins to use and everything. Stripped my bed and put down some towels all ready to go. Then I soaked the blanket for the blocking process. Now the worst part; when I lifted it out of the water to roll it up in a towel to get out the extra water; some yarn ends became loose and caused a major hole in the “feather fan section”. I thought I’ld be able to pick up the stitches but as it has been drying I’ve noticed more stitches dropped then I first thought. So my pretty blanket that was an FO, will now have to be Frogged and redone. I’m hoping I’ll be able to only take out enough to the mistake; but I usually don’t have much luck with that procedure.

On a happier note I've done some knitting for an upcoming family reunion. I just love some quick knits. So two lucky people will be getting some handknits at an upcoming reunion. I decided to make:

a Market Bag:

and a Water Bottle Carrier.