Vegas....and Yarn....and Stuff

I got back from Vegas on the 28th of August and let me just say.....it.....was....AWESOME!!!! It was so great, Robert Gerard and me had a great time! I mean we fought a little but we have been together for 7 years, did you think it would be all roses?

Waiting at the Airport...

The first day was a little exhausting, we had a connecting flight and our total travel amounted to about 10 hours....ickk....so when we got there we looked around a little bit, went out to dinner with his friends that were there too and promptly fell asleep at around 8:30....yeah I know...pretty pathetic! First Night =)

The next day was great, were explored our hotel, checked out the stores, ate a champayne and momosa breakfast (doubt that is spelled right) and proceeded to get a little more tipsy on the 30 oz frozen drink with an extra shot of 151 we bought while shopping in the mall haha. After all that excitement we went back to the room, hung out in the hot tub, took showers and got ready for dinner with the guys again (mostly buffets are what went to....so good!). That night I believe we went to Treasure Island to Christian Audigier and it was fun, they had a pirate show you could watch from the deck of the club which was pretty cool.

From that day on it was sleeping, eating, shopping, drinking, hot tubbing, going to the pool, showers, dinner, partying! Pretty straight forward Vegas trip. We did some gambling and lost but it was ok, I wasn't expecting to win! lol

When we got home I was totally exhausted! Our plane landed in Boston at 1am, we had to drive Robert Gerard home too so I didn't get home til around 2 in the morning, then I had to go into work at 12 because it was month end unfortunately and we had to close the books. Horrible timing because I was a zombie! Then my best friend's birthday was on friday so we went out partyiny, but I had to be at work at 8am the next morning so I didn't drink....prolly would have passed out anyways haha...Saturday I was running on about 3 hours of sleep and this close was the worst we have had so far!

Saturday night Rob's car got towed for the registration so it was the perfect opportunity to drive him to the gym and go myself.....I AM IN PAIN!!! Sunday and Monday were brutal on my lazy ass and I am trying to get into a routine....I am ridiculously overweight..at least in my eyes....

All in all the weekend was really good, but I have some sad news...my favorite yarn store near Robert Gerard's house is closing =(....but the good news is everything in the store is on sale! yay!! So I will be stocking up on yarn and fabric because I think I am getting a sewing machine for my birthday on Sunday...Shhhhhh.....

Bad, Bad Amanda!

I've been a bad bad girl......I've been careless with a delicate man.....or should I say checkbook? My LYS is have a 30% off sale all month and I just can't resist! I am going to Las Vegas in less then two days and I cannot kick my yarn addiction! I have tried support groups, accupuncture (doubt that is spelled right) and even a swift knock in the head from my boyfriend (not really just saying that for dramatic effect) but I still have an uncontrollable craving for fiber goodness (in the sheep sense, to much fiber in food gives me a stomach ache). Fortunately I live far enough away from the roving shop in my area that I am to lazy to go often or I would be buying tons of that!

But back to the yarn, I bought 5 skeins of Plymouth Sockotta sock yarn!! I know it isn't exactly luxury yarn, but I love the fun patterns it makes, not to mention I am on a 'I am going to knit everyone a pair of socks for Christmas!' kick and I need my fix. The green yarn I am knitting my toe up sock on is one of the skeins I bought on last wednesday (?) along with a pretty grey one, but yesturday I bought 3 more skeins......5 skeins and two circular needles later I spent $60 I prolly should not have spent since I am going to be spending obsene amounts of money next week....but oh well!! I love my yarn and it is in the best colors don't you think?!

::Sigh:: Oh so loverly.....I cannot wait to start knitting these socks.....but I suppose I should finish the pair I am working on....or maybe I can make one of each to keep it interesting and then start the cycle over again! MWHAHAHA the plot thickens! Oh! I also bought a book for the long trip to Vegas in case I get tired of knitting for a while.....and of course it is a book about knitting! Or at least someone who knits. I don't think it needs any introduction, I sure any committed knitter knows who she.....no not the Yarn Harlot, though her books are next on my list! Its Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair by Crazy Aunt Purl!!!! AKA Laurie Perry =)

Sorry for the bad picture ::sigh::.....I absolutely LOVE her blog, it is incredibly funny and unique. She is so witty you just don't want to stop reading ( even if you are at work and would get into an incredible amount of trouble ^_^;) so I am excited about the book, I am sure it will be great =)

There is so much to do before the trip it is making my head spin! Packing and shopping and laundry and pampering (haircut, nails, eyebrows) I just want to go to sleep....but no time for that! I am a girl on the go and it is time to stop whining and start doing what I have to do! To bad I am beyond lazy ::sigh again::

Count Down Begins.....

The count down for Vegas begins ladies and gentlemen!!! On Saturday it will be a week away and there is so much to do! I need to go shopping for some decent clothing ( I tend to wear mine to death), I need to get my hair cut, buy toiletries, find a suitcase....all that good stuff. Me and Rob are super excited and it couldn't come at a better time. Work has been the dumps, 10 hours of mandatroy overtime has really taken a toll on me and I could use the relaxation of a vacation. Me and my girlfriends are going up to Maine this weekend to Old Orchard Beach, so that is even more relaxation! Christinas mother owns a house on the strip and I love waking up early and looking for sand dollars at low tide, it is like a treasure hunt! And the smell of the beach, omg it is incredible. I don't know what it is but it just puts me completely at ease and after all the stress this week I could use it.

In knitting news I have started my first "toe up" sock on two circular needles and it is coming out pretty good so far, but I think I messed up when I was changing rows and now the needles feel funny in my hands.....hope that wont matter later when I am doing the heel....

It is a figure 8 cast which is easy to do, but it feel a little uncomfortable when you first start because it is loose so you have to be careful of you tension. But once you get past the first couple rows and start your increases it isnt that bad, as long as you know how your needle goes ( I started over like 3 times!) This is what I have so far.....

I hope the pattern comes out nice.....like I said I already messed up =(..I will be working on it on the way to Maine so I will have more pics on monday =)

Goings on

Not to much to post about, but I wanted to write something since I am incredibly bored at work. I have not been spinning at all which I am a little depressed about, but I have made awesome progress on my Clement Dragon Gauntlet glove that I have been working on. Just need to finish the thumb once I figure out how to attach the yarn ( I am dense sometimes) . I have also started a scarf in double moss stitch with the yarn I got in the treasure swap ( the pink and brown one in the picture, very thick, pretty and knitting up quick). I will probably go home tonight, finish the thumb to my glove and then work on the scarf. I think I am going to have enough to make a hat to match, that would be sooooo cute, but we will see.

Clement Dragon Gauntlets

I started the fingerless gloves that BakerX of Ravelry gave me the pattern for. It started out a little rocky, I couldn't figure it out! It is my first time doing a lace pattern and I was freaking out, I started it like 5 times! But once I PMed BakerX on Ravelry and asked her she helped me straighten it all out. Thanks BakerX! So now I am on a roll! I am on the 37th row, and though I have had to frog alot (because I keep losing count of what I am doing) it is going pretty well. The thumb gusset doesn't seem that bad and that is what I was afraid of.

This is probably the best picture I have ever taken on something I have made. I finally got the lighting right! There are a few mistakes, but I am too lazy to frog and besides, that gives it personality right? This is the Paton Grace yarn that she gave me in the swap, isn't it gorgeous??? I love how it shines a little and how smooth it is. A very good cotton yarn if you ask me. I actually went out a bought a few more colors so I could knit some more ( i am obsessive as always!) I will post my progress as go, I should get a bunch done tonight since I am not working to late. Didn't get out til 8:30 last night so couldn't work on it to much....ickkkk

Swap on a Budget

I know I have already posted today but I just had to show off what I got in my other swap on Ravelry!!! I can't believe how creative some people are and my secret swap partner is no exception I mean look at this stuff!!

She sent me- fingerless gloves she made with her own pattern (the color is to die for!!! and they fit perfectly), the pattern she wrote for them called Clement Dragon Gauntlets, little dragon finger puppets (eeeeeee!!!), a pattern for a pretty hat, a pattern for a dragon scale shawl (so pretty), 2 skeins of Paton Grace yarn in a light purple (same kind of yarn to make the gloves, I am totally gonna try the pattern this week!), 1 skein of Frog Tree alpaca wool yarn in great faun color, paper cranes, a knitters journal that I totally needed, a mini zen garden (I could use that at my stressful job!) , stickers and bag from the yarn store where she is from, and last but not least my favorite item----a hand made row counter in gorgeous purple amethyst beads and the instructions on how to make my own!! I can't believe how spoiled I was, what a great spoiler!! Thank you so much BakerX!!!! Everything is incredible! There just isn't anything like handmade items that someone puts alot of thought into. I leave you all now with the picture she drew for me on the note that came with the package ( so talented!)

X-Files and Treasure Swap

My favorite show of all time is The X-Files, I couldn't deny it if I tried. The mystery, the adventure, the constant frustration that Mulder is so close to the truth but cannot touch it when we the audience can see behind the scenes! Who could ask for a better plot or story line? Poking fun at common cliches about aliens, but adding little bits for probable truths is addicting to watch! I can't help but be enthralled by it all. I own the first 6 seasons and will hopefull be getting the rest for my birthday, but this blog entry is not about the series it is about the new movie.

I could not have been more disappointed if they had killed off one of the main characters. I walked out of that theater in utter shock and dismay! My poor boyfriend held my hand all the way to the parking lot and all I did was spout out obscenities! Of all the ways they could have ended one of the best cult classic series of all time, they had to choose what best could be described as a half way decent episode that was about an hour too long. I mean Chris Carter must have been out of his mind when he wrote the script for this!!! He is going to get some hate mail, I kid you not. I mean, ok maybe there is some underlying meaning to what was going on in terms of the characters feelings and getting on with their lives and such, but come on!!! Give me some aliens! Give me some conspiracy that Mulder is fighting tooth and nail to get to the bottom of!!! Utter disappointment, the producers should be ashamed of themselves.

In happier news I got my Treasure Swap package on friday! I was very spoiled indeed! I can't wait to start knitting with all the pretty yarn, I just wish it wasn't so hot and sticky out! I haven't been spinning much the last few days because the hot weather has made me not want to do anything.....ickkkk