Diary of a Mad Fabri-Holic

Mother Nature Thought I Needed a Break...

Yesterday I came dangerously close to falling apart, and I'm not even sure why.  I'm still struggling at work.  I feel so far behind, it's laughable. Only yesterday, I kept leaking at the eyes instead of laughing.  The worst part?  It was our staff holiday party, and it was quite fun.  Singing caterers!  Much better than it sounds. In fact, I'm thinking of hiring them for my own belated birthday party, if I can afford them.  But I was so mopey that the mental health worker on our staff skillfully pulled me aside, the way he does with a client who seems to be in trouble, to see if I was okay.  Way to bring down everyone's mood, Sam!  Anyway....  Aside from the party, much of yesterday was spent debating whether or not we would actually get the blizzard we kept hearing about.

(This photo from approx noon today.)  What do you think?  Count as a blizzard?  It's INSANE!  the snow just keeps coming, the winds are whipping around from every direction.  And yet, to me, it feels like a blessing.  I have a sanctioned catch-my-breath break.  Train Boy's daycare was closed all day, and Princess Girl's school break program was closing early.  Darn, we had to stay home in our jammies today.  Awful.  Time to have some hot cocoa, watch movies, and put our feet up.  (Though I did put in about 2 or 3 hours of work this morning when I first got up.)

Of course, there is a price to pay for this. Look at the basement/playroom, also taken at noon today:

And, it seems we're not to go into to work until after Xmas.  Or so I hear from my boss, now that I have nifty remote access to my office computer, and can do some work from home, incl. checking my email.  The one downside: tomorrow was supposed to be our team party, and I had just under the wire gotten everyone's gifts made.  Wanna see?

Bowls all around (hee hee, round, it's a pun!), if you please. NOT HATS. Although, I've given away two so far, not pictured, and both recipients have thought they were hats. Helen: thanks for the hat.  Me: It's a bowl.  Helen:  It's a great hat and it really fits.  Me: NO, really,  it's a bowl.  I guess you could use it as a hat.  Helen: So, this hat can also be a bowl?  Me: sigh.  Hmmm. Here are the individual bowls:

They're all from One Skein, the easy bowl pattern. This time I experimented and added in some novelty yarn, whatever cheap stuff from JoAnns was lurking in my stash. I tried to make them all individual. My favorite is the turquoise bowl. It felted the best, and has a really nice shape. I'd also not be sad if I had to keep the black one. But eventually, when the blizzard lifts, these will all be going to their nice new homes. Hopefully not on anyone's head.

Betty Crocker, eat your heart out!

Here at Casa Fabri-Holic, the celebrations continue. One graduation under our belts, another approaching rapidly (and to celebrate that, my awesome co-workers threw me a little tea yesterday during our weekly department meeting, complete with a yarn gift certificate!), and, yesterday was The Hubby's birthday! 

In fact, it was birthday #39.  Wow- now we're 10 years apart again, at least, until December!  I can no longer whine and moan about his folks forgetting our kids' birthdays, as they even forgot to notice his birthday- their own son!  Poor guy :-(  Still, he had some lovely gifts and attention from other folks.  The kids helped me bake him a Dark Chocolate Orange Cake with Orange Cocoa Cream Cheese frosting.  YUM!

Not only did I make a mean birthday cake, I also worked on some fat-free pleasures! I have made 2 knitted cupcakes from the One Skein book.  I had some issues with the pattern- my gauge was right, but my frosting tops came out too small.  So, I adjusted the size of the base, and tried again.  Both bases are made from Sugar and Cream.  The purple cupcake is topped with Paton's Allure for frosting, the brown with Lambie Pie Baby Bee.

I want to try again- I'm not thrilled with the shapes on these, though I do like using "strawberry" frosting!  Princess Girl adores the Lambie Pie yarn- it is perfectly soft and fluffy!

 

 

It's just another manic Monday, I wish it was Sunday, Cause that's my funday, my I don't have to runday....

Ah, Monday.  I hate you.  I really do.  I know, the weekend is supposed to leave me refreshed and ready to face the world, but I greet most Mondays with extreme reluctance.  Weekends of a working (outside of the home) mom are FULL to the brim with all the stuff you don't get to do during the week, like errands and laundry, and birthday parties and trips to the zoo.  Add on a Hubby who works weekends, and nights, and the weekend suddenly is NOT much of a refreshing respite.  Instead, it's a catch up time, a time of being single-mommy (my hats are in fact now off to ALL single mommies, who are in fact goddesses to bravely go it alone...), and a time to try and squeeze in my own needs, too.  Every Monday morning I wake up feeling beaten down, and wanting to crawl back under the covers...

This weekend was triply exhausting because Saturday was my office's annual fundraising gala. It's a great party, but I worked my bum off, and had to pay a babysitter $60 for the privilege of doing it... (and got NO comp-time OR overtime.  Ask me if I'm bitter.)  Sunday, The Hubby and I took the kids to the zoo,

and it was a blast.  But, a lot of walking on my still lousy foot. Then he went back to work and I went back to single-mommy-hood.  I shouldn't whine. I have a great partner who really helps out. But, I also have little or no time to myself, either.  When I choose to sew or knit,

(here's the bag I made on Sat/Sun from leftover yarn- it's another One Skein clutch, read all about it here.)
...it's either really late at night, OR when I should be playing with the kids.  I always feel pulled in two million directions.  Oh, and school and this stupid thesis?  Yeah, that  helps...

Ah, but it's my choice to work, right?  Well, financially, it's a very good choice. And emotionally?  I stayed home for 4 years, and nearly went insane, I was so unhappy, hated losing touch with the working world, hated being alone with the kids.  Really hated seeing my friends/colleagues keep moving forward while my resume got more and more irrelevant...  But now, I'm 1 year back into the workforce, and I'm unhappy again.  I love my job.  I like the challenges, I like working for a non-profit, I like helping homeless women.  I like wearing pretty clothes.  I like earning MY OWN MONEY.  I really need that part of my identity.  Plus, honestly, I'm not a great mom.  I get tired, and crabby, and I can only read the same story 3 nights in a row before I snap and make them choose a new one, and I let them watch too much TV and we've eaten wayyyyyy too many take out dinners from you-know-where...  So, if I'm staying home full time, shouldn't I get better at the mom thing?  That's a terrifying prospect.  And let's not even talk about housework.  Not going to happen, past the basics. I have many friends who stayed home, some through burning desire even though it cost them dearly, and some just because.  I admire them.  But it wasn't for me, at least, not full time.  And, have you ever tried to find an interesting part time job?  It's tricky in my field, and I left the workforce to stay home with Princess Girl before I had the experience necessary to freelance or consult...

So what's a Sam to do?  I've been feeling stressed and torn for a few months now, but I'm sure the feelings have been crystallized during my reading of a newly published book.  I'm starting to realize that something has to give.  We've talked about The Hubby staying home, and he'd love a turn, but even though our salaries are nicely balanced, his benefits are a million times better, and we can't afford to go on mine, which, frankly, suck.  So for now, he will keep working his miserable hours, and I will keep trudging along.  I have been talking with a colleague lately about a jobshare idea.  I have a meeting with my boss this week to pitch that idea, or maybe, simply see if I could work 32 hours/week.  Staying home Fridays while the kids go to daycare might give me enough recovery time to finally feel a little less insane.  But, I have NO idea how my ideas will be received.  So, cross fingers for me, and I'll keep you posted.  If you care?  Not sure... I've really digressed from the purpose of this blog, huh?

Well, go to the One Skein blog to see my new bag, and I pieced 3 rows of hexagons yesterday (no NEW photo yet).  And, tonight I'll be making one or two super secret gifts...  I don't think the recipients read this, but just to be safe.  Oh, and, I heard from MY secret pal, and was assigned mine to spoil, so, Secret Pal 8 is off and running...

Secret Pal 8, New Yarn, and a teeny FO!

Here's a teeny little felted bowl I made with legwarmer leftovers!  This is from a pattern in One Skein Knits, and I blogged the bowl much more thoroughly at the One Skein Knit Along Blog...  Go see what nifty things everyone is up to!  It's pretty damn cool how much fun you can have with just one skein...

Some quick yarn p*rn.

A lovely wonderful friend gave me a belated birthday gift- a yarnmarket.com gift certificate!  I promptly ordered 2 skeins, to make 2 projects I've been eyeing.  #1 is Rowan Kidsilk Haze in 579/splendour.  I'm a little sad as the color of the ball I rec'd seems much more magenta than it did on my screen when ordering. It's a lovely color, but I'm not certain it's what I wanted for my silk sleeves (also from One Skein Knits...)  Hank #2 is Himalaya recycled silk, to make awesome wristwarmers (I'll be making the ones on the bottom left of the photo- the pattern was in my knitting-a-day calendar).  I truly need them at my desk, as my office is in a 100 year old Vistorian house, with crappy single pain windows and lousy central heat.  Whine.  Wish I had them today...  I am in fact wearing my legwarmers again today, as it is rainy and cold and grey and generally blah outside.  (And yes, both of these photos use my new Kaffe Fassett fabric as an inspiring backdrop...)

On to Secret Pal 8.  I signed up for this fun-looking knitting secret pal exchange.  I love to get mysterious things in the mail, although, I have yet to receive my Color-iffic Swap-Orama April package :-(  I'm also looking forward to making new knit blog buddies!  Secret Pal 8 seems to be a super well oiled machine...  And step one is answering these questions for your secret pal, so they can get to know you a little better.  If you're not my secret pal, this may be dull...  You choose how much to read.

• What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?  Well, I’ve been addicted to felting so, from lack of other experience, Lamb’s Pride and Cascade 220.  I want to branch out more.  Dying to try Noro of various sorts.  I haven’t tried anything I hate, yet.  Although, I did make a little purse out of fun fur, and it made my hands very sweaty.  TMI?
• What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?  Um, a tote bag.  Lame, I know. I’m planning to make a needle case from the stitch n bitch book.  Someday soon.  Really.
• 3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?  I am a slightly past beginner.  I can make more than a garter stitch scarf.  But the idea of a sweater gives me chills… (Both of excitement and fear…)
• 4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list  Yup, there's a link up in the left sidebar of ths blog, but I just realized, it is SORELY out of date!
• 5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)  Hmmm, honey.  Love honey.  Also, fresh clean smells.
• 6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy  Hell, yeah.  Love me some Take 5s (with pretzels in the candy bar- anything sweet and salty all at once makes my day) but my all time favorite is a British creation called a flake…
• 7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?  I quilt- my first passion.  I embroider a little- who doesn’t love sublime stitching?  I am learning to crochet.  I DO NOT spin or dye. Yet.  And, when I don't have sewing or kntting in my hands, I've probably got my camera.  I am hoping to take some photo shop and digital photo classes over the summer, but it's an old passion of mine...
• 8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)  I can play MP3s, and have a happy new iPod (thanks, lovely husband!).  My music taste is pretty wild.  Stupid rule of thumb: if it sounds like it came from the Garden State soundtrack, I probably like it.  I also have a slightly embarrassing love of broadway musicals- Rent, Wicked, Phantom, etc.  Johnny Cash is my god.  And, don’t forget Elvis!  And old school Goth.  See, all over the place.
• 9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?  As you can probably guess from the layout of this blog, purples.  I love purples.  And colors that go with purples.  Blues, greens, pinks, reds.  Preferably bright vibrant ones.  If you look at my quilt photos on flickr, you can see where I usually go, colorwise.  Less favored would be yellows and oranges, and at the bottom of the list, earthy shades- fall colors.  Brown is bad in my book, unless mixed with pink or trendy turquoise…
• 10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?  Married for nearly 7 years- oh my god.  2 kiddos, 5 year old daughter Princess Girl and just past 2.5 year old son, Train Boy.  Also, 3 cats, 2 goldfish, and a dog.
• 11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?  I wear scarves, the occasional hat, prefer fingerless gloves/wristwarmers, and love ponchos.
• 12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?  I’m so new, I’ve been really addicted to felted bags.  I would be happy with a bag for ever day of the year, I think.  I’m branching out a bit, and want to try other things.  Wristwarmers are next on the list!
• 13. What are you knitting right now?  Cupcake and bowl from One Skein, about to start wristwarmers and arm warmers (one skein as well).
• 14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?  Does anyone not????
• 15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?  I prefer circs- aluminum mostly but if the yarn is super slippery, I like bamboo.
• 16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?  I own a winder I have yet to use. Mostly because I am semi-broke, and try to only buy yarn on a project by project basis.  I have a fabric stash big enough to last a lifetime, and am trying to keep yarn under control, in a good way.  The Himalaya pictured above will be the first yarn to go on my winder...
• 17. How did you learn to knit?  Lovely wonderful friend got me started, others have helped, books are good, and I love online videos!
• 18. How old is your oldest UFO?  Quilting- 8 years.  Knitting- 2 weeks.  Before you hate me- remember- I’ve been making easy projects, I’ve only been really knitting for 6 months, and, I like instant gratification, so I’ve been picking simple projects.
• 19. What is your favorite holiday?  HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• 20. Is there anything that you collect?  Not exactly, though I love kitsch.  I trawl thrift stores seeking out things others have junked, and these things bring me joy.  And, anything with a garden gnomes, or sushi themes…
• 21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?  I have no knitting magazine subscriptions yet.  Want some, just don’t know which one would be best for me…  I am dying to read Knitting Without Tears and Ann and Kay’s book. And more.  I tend to test drive knitting books from my local library, and if I love them, I then go buy them.
• 22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?  Socks.  I want to try intarsia when I get brave enough.  Also, cables.  Not so very interested in lace.
• 23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Ah, see above.  I’d like to try- am working past the fear.  I’m a size 7.5/8 shoe, US.
• 24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)   12/23. Crappy Xmas birthday that was always forgotten when I was a kid.  Me bitter?  Nah…

So, that's me in a nutshell (Help, I'm trapped in a nutshell!!)  Secret Pal, whoever you are, I hope we both have a blast!!!