Get to know your friends at Christmas

I stole this off of Emma Kettleburns blog. Yay. These things can be so fun!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper, I love wrapping up presents and unwrapping them. It's so fun and gift bags are only good for certain things. I think presents should always be wrapped at Christmas.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Real, eventually we might get a fake but we don't have storage space for it now.
3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime after Thanksgiving a couple weeks before Christmas 4. When do you take the tree down? It varies but probably after New Year
5. Do you like eggnog? No
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably the ballerina book from my dad. It fell out of Santa's sleigh into the garage...hmmm....it was funny but its one of the only presents I really remember receiving as a kid.
7. Hardest person to buy for? My mom
8. Easiest person to buy for? J, he just tells me what he wants and this year he's even ordered it for himself, lol.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? No but I like my moms.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, I should start on those soon...
11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? None I'm grateful for any gifts I receive.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer the Burl Ives one
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? No specific time. This year I'm making most of my gifts but some have to be bought in Dec when I get the lists from the gift exchange.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can remember
15.Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Pretty much anything my mom makes. I love the nutrolls though. Those are a holiday tradition of sorts with my family.
16. Lights on the tree? I LOVE decorating the tree. There has to be lights. I just love sitting in a room with the lights off with my tree all sparkly and pretty
17. Favorite Christmas song? the nutcracker soundtrack (and going to the nutcracker) and anything by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
18.Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel back to Ohio to be with our fams
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yep
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? a star for our tree but i love my moms angel
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People not getting into it. Its about family and making time for the ones you love. Plus its beautiful. How can you not love the beauty of the season. Its not about gifts and shopping.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? There are so many I love. Most of which have been left with my mom. I might have to swipe those this year. For now I love the one J's mom gave us.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Anything mom makes.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? To have time for family AND friends
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? I dunno.

Spoiled Rotten!!!!

So I woke up this morning and my husband brought me a package which was delivered yesterday! It was my package from my spoiler! So I started ripping it open. It came nicely wrapped but I didn't take pictures until the end. I couldn't wait to dig in lol.

The first thing I pulled out was this. I wasn't sure what it was at first but after I pulled it all out I found out it was a quillow. Its a quilt that folds up into a pillow. It is the coolest thing ever! I love it!!!!!

Next I got this amazing yarn! The ravenclaw colors are awesome and its sooo soft! My husband was laughing at me as I caressed it. :) The other yarn was handdyed by her!!!! It's called rainbow frosting. I'll think of her when I knit with it because she makes these amazing cupcakes and blogs about them! It is so awesome. I can't wait to start knitting with them!

I love the Favorite Socks book. I wanted a copy too! It's like she could read my mind! :)

I'm excited she sent me two sets of needles!!! Now I can try knitting socks on two circulars. I can't wait!

She sent me hand lotion which smells great and this awesome traveler mug with a knitted picture in it! It's so cute and I do love my coffee! She also sent me some tissues with a J on them and a little recipe book full of gourmet sandwiches. My husband was excited. She also sent a little tin with cute stitch markers and little tags I can attach to my knitting when I give it away (they say made by and who they are for). She also sent some Ghiradelli chocolates which I'm pretty sure will be gone by tonight.

The card she sent was sweet. This is the whole she-bang on my couch. I love it all so much! Thank you so much Ferula! I love it and am SOOOO happy! :)

Here is the aftermath, a picture of my destruction if you will....

THANK YOU, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU AGAIN! It will all be well loved! :)

WE WON!!!

THANKS TO ALL MY FELLOW CLAWS! THIS TERM WAS AMAZINGLY FUN AND I AM SO HAPPY TO HAVE MET YOU ALL. THIS WAS THE BEST FIRST SWAP EVER! I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL IN HSKS7!

Final Quidditch Trivia!

1. Who was Tom Riddle Sr.'s girlfriend before Merope gave him the love potion?
b. Cecilia
2. What does Luna say floated into Harry's ear when he was in the train car that supposedly caused him to lose focus?
c. Wrackspurt
3. How much do the primary Apparition lessons cost?
d. 12 galleon
4. What is Professor Merrythought's first name?
b. Galatea
5. What Hogwarts club was Eileen Prince captain of?
b. Gobstones Club
6. Who is head of the Goblin Liaison office?
b. Dirk Cresswell
7. Mrs. Weasley offers Fleur a goblin-made tiara for the wedding with Bill. What family member is currently in possession of the tiara?
a. Aunt Muriel
8. How many points does Snape take from Gryffindor for Harry's late arrival and muggle attire?
b. 70
9. When Profressory Slughorn first meets Hermione, he asks her whether she is related to Hector Dagworth-Granger. What society did Dgworth-Granger found?
d. The Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers
10. Which of these describes Golpalott's Third Law?
d. The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separtea components

Brain...Melt...

Super Secret Answer Time:

1. Astrid Cloverleaf
2. Cassandra Grubbly-Plank
3. Enna Kirts
4. Selena Starfire
5. Henry Longstaff
6. Cecily Fortescue
7. Mona Ravenscroft
8. Argentia Pascal
9. Prendolyn Wilcox
10. Lizzie Wychwood
11. Ursula Longbottom
12. Rowena Weasley
13. Aurora Curlyfurl
14. Lily May Clearwater
15. Megaera Black

1. Hermione Bagnold-Smileynetta
2. 37 not even half

Now to do some mindless knitting....

Knitting Update!

Well a little more than just a knitting update but we can start there. So I finished my sister's Tyrolean Stockings. YAY! I hope she will like them. I figure if anything they have OSU's scarlet in them. Yay team spirit! I think I'm going to make another pair in grey for my other sister. More OSU team spirit.

This weekend was a lot of fun. J, Dan and I went to the Admirals game, our local hockey team. It was fun but we lost 4-0. That was pretty lame. Oh well. Then Saturday we went camping with Dan and Jimmy and the dogs. Our evil dog decided to roll in horse shit. Yeah it was pretty gross. Thankfully there was a spicot right on our site so with water and paper towels we were able to get him cleaned up and not smelly. Then Jimmy's dog Daisy decided to wander around camp all night while we were sleeping. She tried to take our tent out. So not much sleep was had but it was still fun. I managed to wrap up and shove everything into my spoilee's box. I just need to make a card and send it out by the 7th. I hope to have it out by tomorrow but we shall see.

1 Year Anniversary!

Well its official, we made it one whole year. It was a lot of fun too. J is so sweet. He planned an awesome day for us. We took a ride on the Alliance, its a sailing ship at Yorktown beach. We had a lot of fun and the crew let us help bring up the sails. I think it was more for them though because it's such hard work, lol.

It was a two hour tour as not to be confused with the Gilligans Island 3 hour tour. teehee. Anyway I'm glad it didn't last much longer than 2 hours because it was really cold and windy but still fun. Laura, one of the crew members, made everyone hot chocolate and hot apple cider. We had the cider and it was delicious and much appreciated. On a funny side note, everyone taking the tour was from Ohio, lol. It was crazy. Well one of the ppl graduated from OSU but he was from California. He was still linked to Ohio though. One of those crazy things you would never think of. The other couple was from Columbus too LOL. Anyway after the boat ride we were suppose to walk the beach until dinner at this nice seafood place but it started raining so we left to find some hot tea. We went to Aroma's, our local hang out and then decided to have dinner at UNO's. It was good and now we have left overs for dinner. We rented the Amittyville Horror and watched that. It was creepy. All in all it was an amazing anniversary. I even get to get a massage when I make the appt. I didn't have time to go for one yesterday.

In knitting news my Halloween swap item was sent out yesterday...so look out lucky Ravenclaw buddy. lol. I finished my first Tyrolean sock for my sister and have started the second. I have also gotten my package all together. Now I just need to wrap everything and prepare to send it out. :) Lots of accomplishment. I'm getting it out by the early send date so I can give us some more points. Lets go Claws!

Ravenclaw quiz! Go Claws!

What security question does Mr. Weasley ask Mrs. Weasley before he enters the Burrow? What is the answer?

What do you like me to call you when we are alone together? Mollywobbles
What two names does Mrs. Cole call Dumbledore when she takes him to see Tom Riddle at the orphanage?

Mr. Dumberton and Dunderbore
What is the name of Ginny's Pygmy Puff?

Arnold
What three D's are needed for apparating?

Destination, Determination, Deliberation
What spell did Harry perform when he was attacked by Dementors?

Expecto Patronum (Patronus Charm)
Who did an arrow salute at Dumbledore's funeral?

the Centaurs
What did Dumbledore set on fire to prove to Tom Riddle that he was a wizard?

Tom's wardrobe
What Christmas present did Kreacher give Harry?

a large number of maggots
What is on top of the Weasleys' Christmas tree?

a stupified garden gnome painted gold stuffed into a miniature tutu with small wings glued to its back
What was the most popular item at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?

Nosebleed Nouget

Why did Harry threaten to kick Ron off the Griffindor Quidditch team?

Ron became an aggressive jerk and took his anger out on Ginny and the rest of the team which made Demelza cry
What happens if you break an Unbreakable Vow?

you die
Who did Hermoine go to Slughorn's party with?

Cormac McLaggen
Who is Mrs. Weasley's favorite singer?

Celestina Warbeck
Who are the only two people who know the full contents of the prophecy made about Harry and Lord Voldemort?

Harry and Dumbledore

SOAR RAVENCLAW!!!

WE WON!!!

GOOD WORK TEAM!

LETS KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND WIN

ROUND THREE AS WELL!

SOAR RAVENCLAW!!!

Defeated in Battle....

But I got an amazing consolation prize....socks and some pretty ones too! Excuse the pictures I have no talent when it comes to using my camera....

I think I sent her some nice ones too. I hope she likes them!

In addition to my quidditch

One of my favorite characters Minerva McGonagall.

She has so much personality.

One of my favorite magical creatures.

Quidditch Round 2

1. What animal does the portrait in the Muggle Prime Minster’s office resemble?
b. Frog
2. What drink does Romilda Vane try to give Harry?
a. Gillywater
3. What is the name of the person who heads the Holyhead Harpies?
b. Gwenog Jones
4. How many ‘Exceeds Expectation’ grades does Harry receive in his O.W.L’s?
c. 5
5. What is Professor Sughorn’s favorite candy?
d. Crystallized Pineapple
6. What tattoo is Harry reported to have on his chest?
c. Hippogriff
7. What color robes do the staff at the Weasley’s shop wear?
b. Magenta
8. What is the man outside Flourish and Blotts selling?a. Amulets
9. How much is the skull, which Hermione enquires about at Borgin and Burkes, worth?
c. 16 Galleons
10. What are Professor Slughorn’s initials?
b. H.E.F.

My team rules!

Third Place with 160 points

Knit 1, Percolate 2

Andromache Tonks

Fiera Firenze

Minverva Wood

This team showed exceptional creativity like true Ravenclaws!

Good work team!

And I even got honorable mention! :)

Honorable Mentions

Most Creative: Minerva Wood

Most Ravenclaw Pride: Emma Wigworthy

Most Lyrical: Eugene Nigeno

So much fun! Thanks Olive, lets do this again sometime! :)

Knit1, Percolate 2's picture list

Sorry Fiera and Andromache, I got all but three. I tried though! I used my yellow tape measure for my marker. I hope everyone did well!

On the top we have the locket horcrux and on the bottom we have the house socks being worn.

On the top we have the mystical beast, the dreaded blanket dog and on the bottom we have a fanged frisbee (a frisbee that has been fanged by dogpark dogs)

On the top we have the butterbeer (butter and beer in a glass) and on the bottom we have the muggle artifact (a lighter or so I have heard it called)

On the top we have a government employee (my husband works for nasa) and a tree changing colors and on the bottom we have a used textbook.

On the top is an engagement ring and on the bottom is a shady shop (and by shady I mean sketchy, its a gun and cigarette store I mean really)

On the top I have my precious lucky potion which I refer to as coffee and on the bottom we have a broom ( a muggle one obviously)

Hufflepuff quiz...What, my spoilee is a puff?

The Quiz...
1 Which is your favorite book in the series (and why)? Order of the Phoenix because thats when things start to become more serious. I love that Harry gets to spend time with his godfather before his passing. I also like that more of the story is revealed.

2 If you were taking Owls, which class would you get an E in? Would you get any Ts? I would probably be an E in Transfiguration because it seems so fun and really useful so I would be trying to use it all the time. I don't know if I would get any T's but if I did the only possibility would be Potions. It makes me think of science and I have never had an aptitude for it.

3 Who is your favorite character (or characters) in the Harry Potter series? Hmmm I like Dumbledore, McGonagall, Neville Longbottom and his grandmother. I am a fan of characters with strong personalities and those whose actions go beyond words.

4 If you had to pick 1 character for a roomate, who would you pick and why? Who'd be your least-favorite to have as a roomate? Probably Ginny because she is fun and is willing to get into a little trouble. She is also intelligent, which is a quality I enjoy in my friends. I wouldn't want to room with Lavender because she is gossipy and annoying.

5 Hufflepuffs are a hardworking bunch, but also a bit mischevious. Which Hogwarts professor would you most like to prank, and how would you do it? I would probably try to prank either Dumbledore or McGonagall. I think they would actually get a little pleasure out of walking into a classroom or their office to see someone has been cleverly messing with them. I don't know how I would prank them but I would definitely choose one of them.

6 Favorite DADA professor? (from the books, Lucius does NOT count :) Probably Lupin because he was passionate and he made DADA fun and interesting in the book. I also give Snape some credit because even though he was crazy and probably liked the dark arts a little more than he should he knew his stuff. He would have made a great DADA if he weren't so clearly interested in the truly dark arts.

7 Favorite magical creatures? (Also, if for example you like a certain creature in general, but not how they are represented in the HP canon, feel free to elaborate :) I think the thestrals were pretty cool actually. I also liked buckbeak.

8 What is your favorite food in the HP universe? Which food or foods would you like to try in real life? Do you have any recipes to share with us ;)? Anything with pumpkin in it would be amazing. I looooove pumpkin. I would also like to try butterbeer. It sounded like they ate fall foods all the time at hogwarts lol.

9 Broom, floo powder, portkey, or magic carpet? broom sounds like the least frightening/painful of all the options. I dunno about the magic carpet... I would have liked to join the quidditch team so probably broom.

10 Since we're Hufflepuffs... Yellow or Black? I'm not a puff but I think clothing wise I like black more but I would like a yellow bike. :)

Hogsmeade

Hogsmeade was amazing. I heard all of the great stories but it's so much more fun in real life! So I went out with my fellow Claws. We hit up Honeydukes first. Who doesn't want to get hopped up on candy? So after some wise purchases of sugar quills we wandered to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. It's much better than Zonkos plus those Weasley boys are so yummy! I made some...ummm...purchases....teeheehee. After spending some time flirting erhm I mean talking with Fred and George we decided it was time to get our knit on. So it was off to the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeers and pumpkin juice. I was surprised so many people showed up for the Hogsmeade stitch and bitch. Rosmerta loved the company so much she gave me a butterbeer on the house. She is so sweet. I promised to make her a warm, comfy pair of socks to wear while she is working. Maybe we can get her to knit with us next time... Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time. I made a quick stop by the Shrieking Shack at the end of the evening, just to test my bravery. No one was really around and the house was quiet enough but it's still creepy. Give me the Ravenclaw common room over that place any day! I should go to the library to read up on the Shrieking Shack's history. It seems interesting. Anyway I have tons of Transfiguration, Potions and Charms homework to do! I hope I impress Prof. McGonagall tomorrow, I've been practicing!

Ravenclaw quiz!!!

House Quiz

What potion has the strange side effects of excessive singing and nose-tweaking? Elixer to induce euphoria

What ingredient can be used to counteract the effect of the above side effects? peppermint

How much can you get for Acromantula venom? 100 galleons/pint

What is the most powerful love potion in the world? Amortentia

What antidote does Harry use to help Ron when he is poisoned by Madam Rosmerta's finest mead? bezoar

How does Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' Owl Order Service get their potions past the security at Hogwarts to their customers? they put them in bottles labeled cough syrup or perfume

What did Draco Malfoy make in Potions class when Professor Slughorn assigned them to make something amusing? hiccuping solution

What spells will not work in an area affected by Instant Darkness Powder? fire magic and lumos

What are the ingredients for the Draught of Living Death? asphodel in an infusion of wormwood, valerian roots, sopophorous bean,

How much will unicorn tail hair fetch? 10 galleons/hair




Extra Credit
Answering the following questions are extra credit and will earn you an additional ticket in the drawing for the prize.


Do you prefer to knit or crochet? knit, I don't know how to crochet, I wish I knew how to crochet

What is your favorite weight yarn to knit/crochet with? probably sock yarn, finger weight, dk...I've been making socks more than anything lately

What fiber contents do you most like to knit/crochet with? What fiber contents do you dislike knitting/crocheting with? I like alpaca and mohair, I don't really like 100% wool because its really itchy and my skin is sensitive.

How many complete pair of socks have you knit/crochet? good question I think 6 or 7. I have 2 or 3 socks on the needles.

What is your favorite item to knit/crochet? Probably socks but I do like to make/learn new techniques all the time. Sweaters can be fun to make too.

What is your favorite treat? Currently I am loving pumpkin muffins with a cup of coffee and goldfish.

Do you drink coffee, tea, or both? I drink both but I probably drink way more coffee than tea. My hubby J and I used to drink tea every night but it was too hot in the summer to have hot tea so we stopped.

Do you have an online wish list? If so, where? No, I keep meaning to make one but I haven't gotten around to it. I really just start projects when I find something I want to make. :)

How many Ravelry groups are you in? Currently I'm in 17.

Is there any special item you have been really wanting, but can't find in your local area? Ummm, probably the yarn I need to make the space invader socks on knitty.

Time flies

Well I feel like I'm falling behind in everything. I was in Richmond for my yoga teacher training this past weekend. It was sooo much fun. Exhausting, mostly mentally, but fun. I met some really nice people and learned a lot. I am going to sign up for the december training, which will be nice. Unfortunately I missed snitch hunting because I was in a yoga studio all day lol.

Anyway, I won my duel against Molly Crookshanks. The duel was fun and it would have worked out for our house either way, we are both Ravenclaws. I'm glad I get to keep competing though. I love the whole dueling thing!

On my needles now I have a pair of the dueling socks for my friend Hermione. She liked the yarn I used so much I offered to make her a pair. So I have the first sock at the foot now. I am a little scared about how much its going to cost to send these socks all the way to Italy.... I am also changing my mind about my cousins socks and I believe I am going to make her some Baudelaire socks instead of the Twisted Flower Socks. I like to try new patterns and as I have already made the Twisted Flowers for myself it seems like more fun to try something new.

I think I am going to try to put my cruiser bike back together so Adrienne and I can bike the battle fields. They rent cruiser bikes but I think she would like mine more because it's not a P.O.S. I want her to see where J and I like to bike on the weekends. We are going to the post office today because she needs to ship all of the chocolate and wine she bought during her trip to Kosovo. Too many suitcases that weigh like 90lbs. lol.

My friend is still staying with me. She watched my furry children while I was gone this weekend, which was nice of her. I can't wait for my husband to get home though. I miss him soooo much. :)

Quidditch Round One!

Trivia and pictures must be posted to your blog before the Snitch is release in order to receive House points. The Snitch will be released on Saturday. Time is still to be determined.

1. At the beginning of the book, Cornelius Fudge is talking to the Muggle Prime Minister. Which member of the Order of the Phoenix has recently been found dead?

c. Emmeline Vance

2. What animal does Bellatrix Lestrange kill when she and her sister, Narcissa, are going to see Professor Snape?

b. Fox

3. What time does Professor Dumbledore collect Harry from Privet Drive?

b. 11 p.m.

4. What did Professor Sluhorn transform into when he was trying to hide from Harry and Professor Dumbledore?

a. An armchair


5. What grade did Harry get for Herbology?

a. E – Exceeds Expectation

6. Herbert Chorley, the Prime Minister’s Junior Minster, has been entertaining the public by impersonating which animal?

b. A duck


7. What is Professor Sprout’s first name?

d. Pomona

8. What is Dumbledore’s idea of ‘a few words’?

d. nitwit, oddment, blubber and tweak

9. Who is Marcus Belby’s famous uncle?

b. Damocles

10. What is Snape’s mother’s name?

b. Eileen Prince




Pictures
Post pictures to your blogs or link to the pictures from your blog post.

Narcissa: http://www.allmoviephoto.com/photo/2008_harry_potter_and_the_half_blood_prince_023.html

Snape: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.harry-potter-movie-buzz.com/uploads/uploadForumPhotos/medium_Snape%2520Treaching%2520Occlumency-7skeyb77.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.harry-potter-movie-buzz.com/photos/316/alan-rickman-as-severus-snape.php&h=300&w=400&sz=15&hl=en&start=7&usg=__a9wjRNbSF7yqjpkSbLCgIp72KlU=&tbnid=rHrmtzQKbBsT3M:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dseverus%2Bsnape%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

Bellatrix: http://www.helena-world.com/blog/wp-content/20070610_bellatrix.jpg

Professor Sprout: http://www.hogwartscharacters.co.uk/images/professor_sprout_trans.gif

Professor Dumbledore: http://www.theculturebeat.com/wp-content/photos/Albus_Dumbledore.jpg

Dueling Socks!

I present my crushing blow to my competition. LOL. That is if my socks make it to her before hers make it to me. I tried to find the fastest owl in the owlery. I do have a confirmation number though! I sent out 3 parcels. So we shall see what happens. My RAOK should be receiving her gift soon...lucky girl. My hat attack partner is just getting the yarn from my failed hat attack project. Oh well. I think she will enjoy it more than I did. :)

In other news my friend Adrienne, from Beaubaxton School, is coming to visit. I believe she and Fleur are cousins. Anyway. She has decided to spend a week and a half studying abroad at Hogwarts. So we shall have great fun in the Ravenclaw tower getting into trouble. I'll be meeting her at the castle gates at 11pm tonight! I can't wait. I think I'm going to help our house elf straighten up the common room for her arrival. :)

I look so good!

I'm the really attractive one on the left LOL. My DH, J is on the right. He's so pretty! :)

I stole the Puff quiz!

Mwahahahaha I am taking a Puff quiz and you can't stop me!

1. Do you knit and/or crochet? Knit. I'd like to learn to crochet someday
2. How long have you been at your craft? About 5yrs...
3. Do you spin? If yes do you use drop spindle or wheel. No but again its another aspect of fiber I would like to learn and indulge in!
4. What is your favorite color? Probably green and blue. I seem to be partial to earth tones
5. Do you have any other hobbies? I camp, hike, bike, swim, do yoga, hang out with my dog and cat, drink coffee, read and basically try to get out and do as much as possible.
6. What are your favorite yarns/fibers? No favorites really. I enjoy sock yarns a lot. I do have this yummy alpaca yarn in my stash which I am very partial to. I just have to find a good pattern to work it up in.
7. What are your LEAST favorite yarns/fibers? mmm depends on what they are being used for. Im not a huge fan of itchy yarn. My skin is sensitive so it just makes me slightly crazy. Other than that I tend to stick to natural fibers.
8. Are there any yarns that you’ve been eyeing and wanting to try? I'm pretty open to anything at this point. I love to try new things and I think my fiber experience is pretty limited for what you can find at the lys.
9. What are you currently working on? I am a project whore. I have a hard time sticking to one thing unless I am completely consumed by it. I am about to cast on for a pair of socks for my cousin, I have a guitar bag to sew together, I'm making adjustments on my koolhaas hat, i'm making a shawl, prepping for my dueling socks, i'll be starting my spoilees gift, and oh man i'm sure there are more buried away...yikes thats a lot
10. What is your favorite Finished Object? (Pictures are welcome.) ummm good question. I don't know if I have a favorite. I guess one of the last things I finished (yeah i know i'm shocked too) the twisted yoke cardigan or was it the tangled yoke cardigan...well either way my mom stole it so its gone lol.
11. Are their any knitting/crochet techniques that you would like to learn? maybe making two socks on circulars or something like that. i do enjoy learning new things!
12. What is you favorite type of book or movie? Comedy and light romance. Anything fun. I have a hard time watching really violent movies and horror/scary movies. So other than that I'm good. I can only watch intense drama if I'm in the mood for it.
13. Who is your favorite person at Hogwarts? If you are asking about book people I couldn't tell you. I love the witty one liners of the books and a lot of characters have a quirky appeal. As far as Hogwarts swap I would have to say that I love all my Ravenclaws and everyone in the other houses seem really nice. I love my spoilee too!
14. Favorite class and/or subject at Hogwarts? Lol good question. From what I've read in the books I think I would really enjoy DADA, transfiguration, herbology and charms. I would like potions but i'm afraid it would be like all of my experiences with science...tragic lol.
15. How many family members do you have? including me its 4. My husband J, my dog bob and my cat ziggy. and no we didn't name them after the marleys. they both came with names which they both knew so we kept them lol.
16. What is your favorite Fall activity? camping, knitting, hanging out at the coffeeshop or anywhere with J.
17. How many projects do you have on your needles/hook? See question 9
18. What is your favorite type of footwear? flipflops, sneakers, my earth shoes are nice and many others. I like my shoes!
19. What is your favorite beverage of choice? Coffee! and water.
20. What is your favorite park of Half-blood Prince? good question. i have a lot of favorite parts mostly the one liners and i liked ginny and harry getting together and dumbledore talking about knitting!

RAOK

OMG I went to the mailbox today hoping to get the stuff for my RAOK in the mail but I got a different package. Esme the sweetest person ever gave me a RAOK! I got this yummy fall colored yarn, candy and a cute drawstring bag! It was such a good feeling to find that in my mailbox. So thank you Esme, you made my day!

You know its bad when

You know its bad when you are suppose to be swatching and doing other things in a day but can't because you are trapped relentlessly in front of your computer reading Harry Potter and checking for updates on forums. With that being said I really have to go and be productive now...wait for it...wait for it. Ok and go! LOL

So much going on!

So many exciting things happening. Tomorrow is the beginning of hat attack. I have yet to knit a swatch for it...ooops. LOL. Oh well what can you do. Thats the plan for tonight at least.

I got my roommate assignment today! Yay for my fellow Ravenclaws Andromache and Fiera. I think we are going to have a lot of fun getting into trouble together. Other than that I am trying to work out what to make my spoilee. I have ideas but im not sure what she would like more.

J leaves thursday for cali. He has work out there boo. I'll miss him but I think I'll be able to visit, he'll be gone 3 weeks. My friend Adrienne might be coming to visit me while he is gone though. She's back in Ohio but she is planning to fly out. Hopefully she can make it to keep me company!

In other knitting news, I have made good progress on my shawl. It really is the furthest I have ever made it in this project. So I remain hopefull that there is an end with a very pretty shawl, if I do say so myself, which I do! I hope to add pics soon. Now I am off to get my knit on! :)

Everything you want to know and more....

Potter Name: Minerva Wood

Rav ID: Yogaknot

I am allergic to: nothing i'm aware of

Pets that I have: dog (Bob) cat (Ziggy)

My favorite yarn: sock yarn i don't have a favorite brand per say

If you are a Ravenclaw, do you prefer the film colors or the book colors? film colors

My favorite flavor: pumpkin or dark chocolate

My favorite holiday: Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas probably Halloween

I would like to receive a: (Sock kit, scarf kit or yarn dyeing kit) sock kit please!

List your favorite brand of needles or hooks, including size and length: brittany sock needles! i use size 2's a lot but i dont have any 0's, my 1's broke and anything below 0 i've never owned

Is there a brand that you are dying to try?: not dying to try but ive heard nice things about lantern moon pretty much anything wooden

I've participated in HSKS: (How many times have you participated in HSKS swaps?)this is my first swap! i wish i would have known about it earlier!

Do you have a birthday during this swap? If so which day? nope i wish though lol! May 30th!

::Edit::

Wisteria did it so now being the good Ravenclaw I am I must add the "extra credit"

Favorite colors: blue, green

Favorite seasons: Autumn and Spring

Favorite Disney character: I dunno about character but I always liked Sleeping Beauty growing up

Favorite time of day: early morning

Favorite snack: currently I'm going to have to say goldfish...so salty mmmmm

Ravenclaws Newest Resident

I think we should name her Ness. It kind of mixes fantasy and the simplicity of JK Rowlings elf names. Plus I think its a cute name! :)

Apparently Ness worked for Madam Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks. She started making deliveries to the castle, fulfilling orders from teachers. There she fell in love with a fellow house elf, Norbert. Madam Rosmerta noticed a change in her work and her excitment at returning to the castle. Eventually she learned all the sordid details and allowed Ness to move to the castle. Dumbledore found her a position straightening up Ravenclaw tower. That is how she came to be with us! :)

Preppin for the train ride!

Wood type: apple Length: 11½ inches Core: Phoenix Feather get your own wand!

Not what I was expecting

Your result for The Harry Potter Husband Test...

Mrs. Harry Potter

Your perfect HP man is Harry Potter.

You like a guy who's not afraid to fight evil when evil picks a fight. There's a lot to say for bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, even if it does come with a prejudice against people who don't fit into his conception of "good guy" and a penchant for hurling objects across rooms when he gets angry. But in fairness, for an orphan who's spent the better part of his life being hunted by the most evil wizard in existence, he's turned out pretty well. Just be prepared to name your kids after everyone he's ever lost, because he's got a bit of an obsession about the past.

(Fanart by hito 76 http://hito76.deviantart.com/ Used with permission.)

Take The Harry Potter Husband Test at HelloQuizzy

Click Click Click

Ha Ha that is the sound of my needles working furiously on some projects. I'll try to get them out of the way before I start my Hogwarts work! On the left is my "finished" Koolhaas Hat. Or so I thought before I brought it to my barista buddy. Apparently he has a big head. So while it fit me and my husband (apparently we have small heads, maybe we just made use of all the space and didnt need more?) it wasn't long enough for him. I was afraid that might be the case but oh well. So now I am going to rip it back to before the decreases so I can do another pattern repeat. Oh well its a fast knit so I'm not worried.

After I "finished" the hat I started my triangle shawl from the Gathering of Lace book. It's fun but also my 4th attempt at this project. My wonderfully loving cat (pictured below) chewed through the stitches on my needles on my third attempt. The first and second attempts were lost because the stitches came off the needles. I really need to get those needle point covers to keep the stitches on. Anyway its going really well this time (fingers crossed) so I hoped to make a lot of progress and maybe finish it quickly.

I signed up for Hat Attack before I joined the Hogwarts swap so I need to get prepped for that. I'm not too worried about it interfering with my house projects because I will probably be killed off in the first wave LOL. I didn't read the instructions well enough because I ordered two balls of the same color when I needed two different colors. dur. Go me! Hence the killed off early part lol. Oh well I learn slowly but surely. Thanks to my neighbor I have become hooked to the Firefly series. So that has become my knitting companion. There is only one season because it was cancelled and only had one season and a movie. I find this very unfortunate

because its a really good series and I think it had a lot of potential. Joss Whedon is hilarious and writes the best one liners! Anyway theres my update!

Books to Read

Let’s see how many you have read from this list. This is what you do:
1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you LOVE.
4) Reprint this list in your own Blog

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie

Ravenclaw!!

Yay I joined Ravenclaw for the HSKS6 (see logo on right). I actually made it into my first house choice! My name is Minerva Wood. I picked the name based on two characters I like. I think Minerva is amazing. She is probably one of my favorite sassy characters. I really like Oliver Wood. He was so cute in the movie :)

Well the family has left today. It is sad but kind of nice to get the house back in order. Ziggy didn't take too well to another dog in the house. He'll survive though. It was a really quiet weekend even with family out here. The weather sucked Friday evening, when they arrived, and it rained almost all day Saturday. Thankfully they were able to stay late today and enjoy the pool and hang out, outside of the apartment. My MIL enjoys crafting and brought her cross stitch. We started cross stitch projects together last year when they helped us move out here. She and I have yet to finish them but I am making a lot of progress on knitting. :) I need to finish the stocking I started for my step dad last year. Maybe I'll add pics of that. I have made a LOT of progress on the Koolhaas Hat. I will hopefully finish it tonight. Then I can see how well it fits my barista and hopefully I'll have pics. Thats it for now!

Yay for another FO

Pattern: Knotty or Knice Socks Interweave Knits Fall 2008

By: Chrissy Gardiner

Yarn: 2 skeins Universal Yarn Pace

Colorway: 19 (yellow)

I finished my Knotty or Knice socks from interweave fall yesterday! I only made two mods. The first one being the yarn. I used 2 skeins of Pace, which left me with a good chunk of yarn in the end. The second is right after the heel on the back of the ankle of the sock. I didn't put the pattern there. It started as a mistake and after checking it I realized no one was going to see it anyway so I just left it. The socks were really easy to make and after the first pattern you don't have to carry the mag around with you. They are my first toe up sock and I'm going to have to say I enjoyed toe up. Especially the part about trying them on as I made them. The cast on confused

me at first but after I figured it out it was super easy.

I finished these babies at the dog park yesterday. I let my dog out to play with the neighbors dog and I had been working on the socks so I had them in my hand. My neighbors dog jumped up and stole it from me! I freaked out a little b/c of my precious wooden needles and also because I was soooo close to the end and I was afraid the dog would pull it to pieces. Fortunately I got it from him before he could do any damage. He's a puppy so he is really, really fast and I was definitely not expecting that. LOL. No harm, no foul.

Ziggy is helping me prep for my next project, the Koolhaas Hat. I found this yarn but I'm not sure if its going to work or not. I've never used it before. I'll keep everyone posted though! For now I had better start cleaning before my in laws arrive. They are visiting us for the weekend. They are bringing their dog too which I think will be funny. Ziggy may not take too well to the weekend arrangement but I think he'll survive. At least Bob, my dog, will have someone to play with. My hubby comes home tonight! It should be a good weekend. Hopefully the tropical storms don't ruin it! I'll update with pictures probably sunday or monday! :)

Actual Knitting!

My hubby left for California today so I am left to photograph my knits on my own. Did I mention I have no photography skills? Well I tried...

My first FO to share. I made my mom some socks that she has been waiting for forever. My stepdad got a pair first and she has been jealous. She has however received a sweater AND a cardigan but that is beside the point.

The pattern is from Charlene Schurch's book Sensational Knitted Socks. It's a 3x3 cable moss stitch pattern made with Opal Magic 1040. They were fun to make but I'm glad they are done. She will probably get them for christmas...

Blogger is being dumb and won't let me upload any images right now so I guess the rest of my pics will be uploaded later. There aren't many more. I have some pictures of my Knotty or Knice socks from the fall 2008 Interweave. I am finishing up my second sock. I'm excited to be finishing another project (I am forever starting new ones before I finish others) I bought the yarn yesterday to start my Koolhass Hat from IK Holiday 2007. It's for one of the baristas at my coffeeshop. He seems pretty excited about it so I can't wait to start.

I'm a blogger...twice over!

This is my second blog. I started one for the PSPCA and I have been wanting to start one for my knitting and crazy life here. So please stop by and see what I'm working on and read about the fun things I do or try to do lol. I just joined ravelry for all of you ravelers out there. So check it out! :)