if you blinked you'd miss it

Ok, so I just happened to glance at the calender today... and it's over a month since i posted. I suppose the upshot of being completely hopeless is that nobody relies on you too much. But that is a pretty sad upshot really.

Anyway, I turned 24 without incident. i can't see any proper wrinkles yet, but it could be denial on my part.

I was fitted for and ordered my wedding dress, and we found the bridesmaid's frocks.

I had a bad bout of laryngitis which knocked me out for over a week. Much better now though.

I've also been on a healthy-eating and exercise bent and have managed to lose about 3 kg. I know it's cliched, but I'm trying to trim down for the wedding. I feel like I've been trying to lose weight for ages, but now that i actually am trying I realise that before I was only whining about my weight gain but not making any real effort. My health has only really improved enough for a concerted effort recently. I know I'm not huge, but my body doesnt feel like my body anymore and i figure the longer I leave this spare tire the harder it will be to budge.
I feel better for it. I don't know if it's obvious to anyone else, but to me i appear more toned. and my clothes are just that teensiest bit looser. not baggy, but more comfortable. So i intend to keep it up; at least with the Celiac's I can't eat much in the way of cakes, doughnuts, biscuits etc. it's easier to be good when the consequences of eating naughty food is three days on the loo!

I have been knitting.
Chunky Cabled Tam from Knit.1 Fall 2009
Bella's Mittens by Marielle Henault
Front pieces of Soap Bubble Wrap from Connie Chang Chinchio Silly Apple Cozy by Casey Newman (my fruit always gets squished when i run for the bus in the morning - this is remarkably effective!)

And yet another BSJ, for a friend of a friend who just had a little red-headed boy.

I have been weaving.
Using Bendigo Rustic 12ply in Pacifica, a birthday gift for my future Mother-in-Law.
And I have been teaching. this is the 6th week of term and all is well. I have some lovely classes and delightful kids.

And as a result of all of the above I am completely exhausted. And it's nearly 10pm which is well and truly my bedtime!

I'll try to be better from now on!

Peace out,
Ms Spider xo

feeling hot, hot, hot....

Sorry guys, more weaving! Scroll down for knitting...

Wide stole using leftover sock yarn (10dpi). Was aiming for a sort of rainbow effect - the warp ran from green through blue, purple then pink and I tried a similar thing with the weft. Unfortunately a certain primate bumped the loom while i was warping and somehow it's much tighter on the pink selvedge. It's a nice width though, i think it may live in the loungeroom for guests who need an extra layer in cooler weather (if anyone can imagine such a thing).


A sort of narrow scarf or belt using my self-striping sock yarn in Gothic Princess. (10dpi)
My first attempt at houndstooth (10dpi). I used Bendigo classic 8ply in Blueberry and Spotlight basic 8ply in a sort of deep plum. I'm very pleased with the results!
And the warm weather made me cast on something that's been on my queue for a whild - Shetland Shortie from Knitty.com. At school we are theoretically not supposed to wear sleeveless tops but in this heat common sense prevailed. However, I thought this would be a good way to make some of my tank tops a little more wearable for work by the suggestion of sleeves.
It was quite a fun knit - the lace pattern is really clever and stretchy!
I used Cleckheaton Merino Bambino in cream and used just under 6 x 25g balls. I doesnt make me look quite as... well-endowed as in this picture, it's just to do with the proximity of the only good mirror ;)

School is going well, I have some really lovely kids in my classes. As always there is plenty of drama, but very little is to do with the kids and more to do with admin mix-ups. hopefully most craziness with have calmed down by next week.

Hope everyone is coping with the weather! We had to drag the mattress into the office and sleep with the air-con on last night. I actually slept right through til 7 am for the first time in months! I can't wait for the cool change though! Bring it on!

My birthday went well :) it sucked having to work but my lovely colleagues bought a gluten-free chocolate mudcake so it took the edge off a little :) and now I'm 24! time to invest in anti-wrinkle cream?

Peace out
Ms Spider xo

my Knitter's Loom arrived today!

and i found another use for leftover sock yarn ^_^

happy dance!

Vanessa is finished! Is bloody well finished!
I couldn't be happier, this really was a trial. I tried it on and it fits well, the colour suits me... all good. Of course i didnt think to snap a quick self-photo in the bathroom mirror so this is as good as it gets until it dries (it did need a block to smooth the fabric out a bit). One blurry pic that shows the colour nicely.And a flash one so you don't think i can't take any decent pics. It's not as stumpy as it appears, the ribbed band is pinned down the front of the couch so it's an optical illusion. Fun.


tra la la la la la la la laaaaa!

Apart from a quick drop-in from quiltingmick (had some yarn for her) I have had the day blissfully and totally to myself. The housemonsters are in the process of moving out and I haven't seen them since about 9 this morning. Monkey has been at work since 10 ish. Today has really made me appreciate how much saner I will be once it's just the two of us.
I'm tired of tripping over other people's stuff.
Of cleaning up other peoples messes.
Of dealing with other people's bed-times and shreaking laughter at 12.45am.
The weird way they always hang up ALL their clothes inside, in the communal living areas.
The way one meal for them manages to use every piece of cook-ware in the house and smell bizarre.
Using my hair-straightener and leaving product on it.
Using our salt, pepper, spices (not to mention the fact that they actually packed and took away our pepper grinder... luckily useless).
The incense during the day when the house is locked up and I'm nauseaus.
The cups used to trap spiders and left around the house (with spider) for days.
The loud music as soon as they wake up.
The way they take our parking space (Monkey says this is an irrational annoyance) and block the gate and when they discover they can't open it THEY TAKE THEIR BIKES AND THE BINS OUT THROUGH THE HOUSE OVER THE CARPET!!!
The way our tea gets drunk and they replace it with an inferior brand (which none of us end up drinking).
The fact that twice have a injured myself of pieces of OUR crockery/glasswear that THEY have broken (not told us about) and then faild to clean up properly.

I could go on. In the interests of not boring all you fine ladies to tears, I shall stop.

Winston thought it was a little warm today.
No, he is not suffering from mange, he is in fact part-way through a mercy clip. He is already much friskier than before: can you imagine wearing a fur coat at this time of year? He's a bit too young to pluck so a rough clip it is. I doubt i will be able to spin this fleece, it's very short and choppy. But as I'm about to go back to work and the buns will no longer be inside with me in the cool all day i thought I'd better do what i can to reduce his stress.

Peace out
Ms Spider

PS. Aussies, enjoy the long weekend.
PPS. Housemonsters, should you read this: I'm sure you have a list this long about us. Let's stop pretending everyone isnt relieved you're moving and be adult. This way we'll actually stay friends!