Clever Photos are Clever

On the Needles: "Untalkative Bunny" Scarf; Sashay scarf in Salsa

In the Plans: Knit cat from the logo; cabled scarf

Oh yes, I'm quite proud of this picture, actually: 

I was having a very creative moment, and ended up being able to take this picture. 

And this was an experiment to try out the "Changes" yarn by Red Heart.

And this is another chunky knit hand muff! I love how this one turned out. I have done one before, in a faux fur sort of yarn, but I like how this one is curled at each end!

Otherwise, just plugging through school. Super happy that I have less than four months left! Then time for the terrifying job search. 

All right! Just a quick update, and now of to study again! 

Katie =^..^=

And the Super Busy Time Begins Again

On the Needles: Seafoam Stitch Shawl
Waiting: "Untalkative Bunny" scarf; felted rose bag
Planning: Mittens; shrug/bolero (for myself)

That's right! I'm now officially back at school. Which means that the crazy reading and paper writing schedule resumes after a (fairly) leisurely winter break! Well, who am I kidding? The last two weeks of Christmas break were just as crazy as term work, except that the craziness that ensued with my Honours research and writing is now spread over three classes AND Honours. (Oh, Joy.) And, if it sounds like I'm sarcastically excited, I am. This term is going to leave me with hardly any time to pursue anything outside of school or my job at the theatres. And that includes time with my boyfriend.

However, there are some very exciting things about this term! First, I get to go present a portion of my Honours paper at a conference in Edmonton in the first part of February. Second, I get to present a longer portion of my Honours paper to students, friends, family professors, and community members, at the University of Calgary, as part of my Honours work. And then, June 5, I will graduate and be a proud holder of an Honours BA in English. That is going to be the best day that I can foresee this term. haha And my boyfriend and I are going to go on a vacation to Victoria (also in February!), which I am also super excited for.

(It may sound glamorous and exciting right now, but all of it has me swamped. haha)

Once we get back from that vacation, though, it'll be full steam ahead for the rest of term. (Note to self: make sure to pick up cold medication for exam week/week after exams.) And I'll be looking for a job at that point, which is terrifyingly exciting.

At the same time that I'm really glad I'll be graduating, I'm also kind of sad. I've been so immersed in student life for the past five years that it's going to be very strange to hold a full time job . . . year-round! But, I can't wait. I'm ready to start doing other things (i.e. travelling). Although the plan for this summer is to work, buy a hammock, and have my stack of books beside me so that all I do when I get home is eat and then lay on the hammock and read and/or craft. Hopefully the weather is nicer in Calgary than last summer!

Other than that, not much has changed in the last week. haha I got my paper draft into my professor, and we've discussed what I need to edit/change about it. I finally got a thesis statement, so I should be able to get away from the phrases that keep annoying my supervisor. :)

And right now, I'm enjoying the view out of the new library on campus, because from the fifth floor on the west side, you can sit by the windows and look straight out to the Rocky Mountains. Best view I've found on campus.

Now, after all that complaining, I will say something about Etsy. I've made two sales in the past week to people that I don't know! One item is currently making it's way to Michigan, and one item will be in the mail today to Australia! What I think I'm going to start doing is take the map my brother gave me for Christmas and put a pin in the places that I send orders, as I get them. (hint, hint! Order from me, and I can put a pin in a different place! hehe) I have lots of new items that I will post here soon (in fact, some of them are in draft stage as we speak, so I should be able to post a few over the weekend), and I have lost more to make!

I've also joined a really cool Team, called the Handmade Circle! You can find them here: http://www.etsy.com/teams/11451/handmade-circle They are who I got my second sale through! :) Super friendly and awesome team. ^^ You can find them on Facebook, too, if that's more your style.

Anyway, I should head out. It's almost class time, and I kind of want coffee. haha

Take care!

Katie =^..^=

Christmas Time Review!

On the needles: Custom "Untalkative Bunny" double knit scarf

Planning: mitten, hat, and scarf set, plus a kitten stuffy! :)

So, to start out December, my boyfriend and I went out with some of his friends to get a Christmas tree!

Yep, real tree. We were trying to decide between a real and a fake, but I would have missed the smell too much. And, as this article points out on Etsy, it's not as bad for the environment as everyone thinks: http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/noted-fake-fir-real-problems/

After Christmas tree hunting (and school was finished), I made yummy chewy ginger cookies!

Don't they look yummy? This is them in the bowl:








And the finished project! They stayed chewy for quite a few days. I was really happy with them!

My boyfriend was highly amused by this set of twisted yarns. He was very puzzled that that pile could turn out into this scarf: 

Yay, intarsia! How I love that I finally learnt you. I'm really happy with how this turned out, especially considering that it was a special order, and it was my first time working intarsia!

It's been a ridiculously busy Christmas break! Not only have a I been working on custom orders, I've also been doing that baking and working on my honours paper. But that parts almost done.

My boyfriend and I have also been watching InuYasha, which is just as good as the first time that I saw it!
Although I'm kind of disappointed that the final season hasn't been released yet. Oh well. Soon enough. It only ended about two years ago (when I was still in Japan, lucky me)!

I didn't end up getting to my casual reading list, but that's OK. I actually bought myself The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern and 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami when they were on sale at Coles. They're on my bookshelf waiting to be read now.

I did read most of the texts I was planning for my paper, though. There's really only one left that I need to read.

But my plan now is once I've graduated and got a couple pay cheques under my belt, I'm going to go buy a hammock and then start the stack of books waiting for me. This summer will mostly be spent reading and crafting. My "resolution" (if that's what it can be called) is to read and craft and get a good tan. haha

All right. This post has taken a really long time to write, so I'm going to leave it here and I'll write another soon! I promise. haha

Take care and Happy New Year!

Katie =^..^=