Mondog #3 PUPPY!!!

Our Mondog today is brought to you by Grep.

Here he is at 8.5 weeks old. He is a German (emphasis on the GERMAN) Shepard. And soooo cute. He is the new puppy of my MOHS ravlery friend Kate.  Now he is closer to 10/ 10.5 weeks But I am sure that he is just as cute. Just look at the HUGE puppy paws!

More pictures of Grep can be found here. There are a lot of cute ones but I just love the ear pop.

Have a great Mondog everyone! if you have a dog that you'd love to see on mondog please email me at Chen.AD@gmail.com

Embers and Envelopes

This post actually has nothing to do with embers, just a song I like. I am feeling uncreative.

But this post has to do with an envelope. Specifically a 6x9 envelopes I receive in the mail.

Over at the My Other Hobby Swap group on Ravelry we are doing envelope swaps in rounds. First round I received a delightful package from Susan that I love and have been putting the pins to good use. And the pez are very nearly gone. And look at how cute my new pin cushion is!

This round I swapped with Kay who you may remember as the nice former owner of my new sewing machine.

And I LOVE it!

I got:

• A crab Beanie baby (I used to collect these!)
• A recipe for chocolate crack that sounds delicious
• Mints in a cute tin
• Clover tapestry needles (I am always loosing mine)
• A squished penny from stitch and pitch that we both attended
• Some yarny spiny buttons
• a row counter I've never had one like this before!
• a Pillsbury dough-boy key chain because I like to bake
• And the cutest ruffly fun wrist warmers. They are so soft and squish-y it makes me glad that I live in a cold weather state

My mom saw me wearing them the other day, even though it is around 75 degrees out at night. She called me silly and then in the same breath said that I should make four for Esme.

But she can't have mine. They're too big on her.

Besides. I like wearing them too much.

Two awesome envelopes. I can't wait for the third one!

Big Plans and Earrings

At the Moda Bake shop they're doing a Christmas in July theme. Nothing that interests me too much but a quilt by Angela really caught my eye, especially when she went and posted it in this version.

It's RAINBOW! and the perfect way to use not-exactly-coordinating-but-not-mismatching fat quarters. Today I dragged my entire fat quarter stash went through it. And came up with this.

I think I like the color pallet I maybe have to switch it around some more still and figure it out. I think though the real make it or break it of this quilt will be the background color I pick. Anyone have any suggestions? Based on the pic in my back stairwell I don't think white is the right neutral to do it with. My first inclination is to use grey. But that is because I really like the color grey so I am biased.

The more I think about quilting the more I'm getting excited for it. I finally sent the check to my sewing machine repair guy so I can replace the part that broke!
Right now though it is too hot to think about ironing. (an important part of quilting) The heat index has consistently been over 100 degrees lately. Usually averaging about 105. My roommates new favorite website is The Fucking Weather which is kind of all sorts of awesome. The point is it is way too hot to play with a hot machine, especially one that spurts out steam.

My favorite part of quilting is the large amounts of fabric and color that can go in one quilt. If I put that much different yarn in a sock it would look a little silly. But for fabric I think this is the perfect amount.

Have you noticed my problem yet? Look closely... How about this side?
I only have two purples. I need three... Does someone have a purplely-lavender fat quarter they'd be so kind to pass along? I'll trade you? I'm also looking for another yellow and green because a few of them I would like to switch out.

Which brings us to the second part of this post. Over the winter I decided (or rather was just too lazy to keep studs in) to let the piercings in my ears close. I didn't get them pierced until I was 18 and found them to be a hassle more than anything else. So I've decided that I should pass my earrings on to someone that would actually use them. Or repurpose them. I'm not picky just so
long as they are put to good use. Here is the lot.

(Promised to someone)

(Promised to someone)

(promised to someone)

(promised to someone)

If you're interested leave a comment, contact me on ravelry or twitter, email. There are a lot of ways to get in contact with me!

These aren't all of them. I am a collector of stuff. So I will post more later. But if something catches your eye let me know! Surprised by the lack of rainbow earrings?

I so espoiled!

(That is what my mom says to my dog all the time she is so espoiled)

(puppy photo ganked from my sister's photoblog)

A few weeks ago I sent out a queen package to friend Contessa it included sock blockers, kit-kats, and some handspun (handcarded!) yarn that was fun to spin up even though I was allergic to it. And she so happy and in a good mood that she decided to return the favor as a little bit of a surprise. And what an awesome AWESOME package it was.

On my MOHS Wishlist (rav link) I put that I wanted to learn how to crochet. Every time I see things on Ravelry and go "Why don't I crochet again?" Well, it is because it was actually one of the first yarny crafts I tried to learn I was ten, I tried to learn from my mother and it ended up with a lot of yelling and tears.

But she provided me with a Klutz book (which I love) which teaches all the crocheting basics.

She made me RAINBOW stitch markers! (rainbow! that are super SUPER cute along with an entire gauntlet of other stitch markers at well. I absolutely love them and just love how talented she is!
Seriously do you all see how many pretty stitch markers are on there? Soo PRETTY! You all should be jealous of me. If you don't want to be jealous of me checkout Contessa's stuff.

A wonderful note

And some of the cutest rainbowy heart shaped buttons in the world. I wish I could have taken better pictures of them but I failed. I have to find the perfect PERFECT project for them. I'm thinking some sort of fingerless gloves or something else that I can show off.

Sorry I haven't made my Year of Projects update yet. I went camping on Sat/Sun with some friends (this is Oliver). Followed by Stitch n Pitch with some friends I met on Ravelry. Both were extremely hot but extremely fun!

And told Contessa I would make this post today. I'll try to get it done tomorrow. Better late than never right (although it very well might be never if I don't get on it).

The Sun is shining, it's a beautiful day.

And I am the luckiest girl in the world!

It is wonderful out today. I spent some time in my back yard with Beverly, my spinning wheel. Listening to music and noise and spinning in the back yard.

I said Hi to Sampson who lives next door and is the most energetic dog ever.

Mostly just taking in the sunlight because it finally feels like summer.

Remember how I got my spinning wheel? It was from a kind and wonderful woman named Beverly. And now less than a year later (just shy of a month to be a year apart) I was given a wonderful new present.

Why yes that is a new sewing machine. This time from a kind and wonderful woman named Kay. I just got to sew on it today and it runs really well. And is head and shoulders nicer than my old machine. She was also nice enough to spend me bobbins and a shank separately from bringing the machine over. I met Kay over in the MOHS group on Ravelry along with her mother and her daughter. Three generations of crafters, amazing. And they are all nice and sweet as can be.

I think the name of my new machine is going to be Kay. I hope she doesn't mind.

It also came in what I think is the cutest bag ever.

FO: Friday Rainbow makin

My first FO since the last FO. I really haven't been finishing too many projects. I currently have Second Sock Syndrome and I have it bad. Good thing about shawlettes though. When one is done that is it. No pesky second shawl to knit before it is actually done. Most of them though are knit flat rather than in the round. I am a die hard in-the-round type of girl, but the little shawls (or as I like to call them Hipster Scarves) are just so dang cute.


Take this one for example, miles and miles of garter stitch. Now I am not one of those that find garter stitch comforting. More than anything I find it annoying. But for rainbows the miles of annoying garter stitch are kind of worth it. Because just look. Isn't it pretty?


I am a sucker for rainbow yarn. Especially when it turns out to look like this.

I'm showing it off unblocked because it is Friday and I am impatient. Blocking won't do this piece that much good anyways. It'll even out the stitches but ultimately there is no lace to stretch out. I was planning on finishing casting off last night, but then I got sleepy. And then I got in a twitter argument with a friend. Have you ever tried to argue back and forth in 140 characters? It's actually kind of hard.

But enough of me blabbing. And more to me knitting more rainbows (after I do my dishes, clean my room, and other responsible adult-like things)

WIP Wednesday: Clockwork Rainbow

You can't quite tell yet but this is going to be a rainbow scarf/shawlette/ Hipster Scarf I'm really excited because I'm a little less than half way done and I can already tell that it is going to be a visual stunner (I hope)

It's for the MOHS June KAL- Let's Hear it for the Boy. Which is actually being hosted by yours truly. The Pattern is Clockwork by the immensely talented Stephen West.

I have a big blog project coming up soon that I just decided to do today so I'm making a quick update post and then I'm going to get planning!

The rainbow yarn is Kauni which is famous for its long color changes and for being quite a visual stunner. I don't actually like the yarn that much it's a bit scratchy for my taste. But the colors might just make it worth it.

Why friends are awesome

This post could also be titled I had to work yesterday and didn't get to take pics in time to make a WIP: Wednesday post.

Last week my Rav friend Jen and I struck a good deal, in which I came away with a pound of unwashed alpaca (I wanted it! even though it is covered in poop!) and her second hand but still in great condition ashford hand carders. And Jen came away with money to buy some more yarn of course!

I've washed a little bit of the alpaca but haven't gotten it too clean, mostly because my dog keeps on trying to eat it. And I'm nervous my mom will discover just how dirty the alpaca is and will get mad that I brought it into her house. Instead I will wait until I am back in my own apartment with the aid of some rubber gloves and then I can get my hands all dusty and dirty all on my own.

In the mean time. Some great news. Steven's Point Wisconsin now has its very own LYS! It is called the Wisconsin Wool Exchange. It is a little store that specializes in local yarn, and it is absolutely adorable and I can't wait to go back when they are fully set up (I went in on their first day open in their new location).

While there because I wanted to play with my new carders, I bought roughly 3 oz of merino wool in cordinating colors that I could blend together.

I'm still playing around with the blending but it looks like it is going to be a very nice light shade of greyish purple. I'm carding them in all sorts of different ways and I think it will turn out to be a very subtle striping that will be very pretty. (I hope).
So my work in progress this week is really me learning how to card (oh and the other 2oz of my merino to bend together)

Mostly I am just incredibly happy that I got some carders to play with. And that Jen was nice enough to sell them to me even though she wasn't planning on selling them. and that I get to play with putting colors together! Everyone knows I'm a total sucker for colors. I am quickly turning into a jack of all trades, but master of none.

And Don't forget there is still one more day to enter in my very first giveaway! (see post below).

This post is brought to you by the world's most uncooperative puppy

This is my 100th Blog Post. Just thought I'd share. I should have a give away or something?



About a month ago, I was MOHS, on Ravelry's Queen for a Day (or three) it is a fun game where you get to be queen and people make offers to you to try and get you to pass on the queenship to them. In the end I passed on my throne to Becca who offered me 40z of custom dyed fiber... How does one turn down custom dyed fiber? They don't!

If you read this blog with any regularity, you will know that I love my dog. So what better way to love your dog then get fiber dyed to look like her?



This is Becca's Fiber dyed in a custom Esme colorway. Isn't it awesome? She sells her stuff on Etsy as well be sure to check it out.

And now my photo shoot with Esme. She doesn't look to happy in it, but that is because it is hot out and I was making her do way to much work for one measly treat


If I had a dog that pooped sheep fiber I'd be set for life.

at least she looks happy! Usually during these photo shoots she plays drama puppy, why are you doing this to me!

Also, I've reached the end of this blog post and decided I wanted to do a giveaway in honor of my 100th post. Comment on this post (with how cute my puppy is... just kidding) and I will put all of you (hopefully there will be more than one) in a RNG and the winner will get a skein of Handspun yarn by yours truly.

Notes: It will not be my Esme fiber, that is mine. Giveaway will close next Friday May 27th. Please only comment once. Please leave some way (be it email or Rav name so I can contact you for address) Please allow me a week or so after the contest closes for me to spin up some fiber.

WIP Wednesday: The never ending scarf

Last week when I posted about my sewing machine being broken? Well it still is. Still waiting for word on it. And as a result I've thrown myself into my knitting specifically a strange determination to make a scarf that is comically long. Currently it is hovering around 6 feet long. Here is my roommate indulging me for a photo op.

I've also spread it out on our couch...


on a nicer day I will try to take more accurate pictures of the colors because they're really quite nice. Unfortunately I live in the midwest and today it has decided to snow. SNOW at the end of april. Sometimes I just don't get it.

FO: Friday sock edition

I love the weather it currently is out right now it's hovering around 50 ish and that means it is perfect weather to wear shorts tights and socks. Not because I like the look especially (although lets me honest I do, its the bright colors that get to me!) But it's because I get to show of my socks! and it's not too warm to wear them yet. perfect sock showing off weather!

Yesterday I walked around with my pants rolled slightly up to show these lovelies off.


They were for the my other hobby swap malabrigo march knit a long and I actually finished them a few weeks ago but didn't take pictures until yesterday when I wore them for the first time. I need more malabrigo in my life.

The pattern is Sam by cookie a. my favorite sock designer.