Sunday Funday Hamster

I saw this video and thought it would be perfect for the "Sunday Funday Video of the Week"!

I love watching the dog agility stuff on TV, but this is the first time I've seen a hamster do it...I don't even know if my dog could do it.

Enjoy:



In other news

I have a magic gig tonight, and then I'm working a convention all next week. I have to be there at 7 IN THE MORNING! Now I have no trouble waking up at 7, but being there at 7 is a whole different matter. So if I miss a blog post this week, I hope you'll understand.

The mortgage company understands, though, I think they're getting all the money I'm making this week...lol.

Saturday Night Sale!

I'm having a sale tonight, for those of you who like scarves.

Sale starts at 5:00pm eastern time and goes until tomorrow morning.


Buy one scarf, and get the second one of equal or lesser value half off.

Simply type "SNS BLOG" in note to seller and receive your refund via paypal.

Many colors to choose from...enjoy!

Friday's Flowery Favorites!

Since the rain has gone and the sun has come back, I thought flowers would be a great way to celebrate. There is definitely something for everyone here, from paintings to lotion, from scarves to purses...hopefully you'll see something you like.

Last week we had one sale! Lets see how many we can get this week.



In treasury news:

I'm in two treasuries right now!! (Actually, it was three, but one expired before I could post it.)

Please take a look and give a click or two...it will be much appreciated.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=84752

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=84794

Sunny Submissions!

Well, the sun has finally come back to Las Vegas. I didn't miss it much, though, since we have so much of it throughout the year, but there really isn't anything like it coming out right after days and days of rain.

My doggie is sure happy...potty breaks aren't nearly as fun on wet, yucky ground.

For those that don't know, every Friday, I put together an etsy mini of some of my favorite items made by other sellers, usually in a theme. Last week we had one sale! Congratulations TheSilverMoon!

In honor of the sun, this week's theme will be flowers. Here's my flower item...a set of Colorful Flower Coasters! Feel free to click on the picture for a better description.

If you have any items with flowers in your shop, post the link in the comments, then tune in tomorrow for the "Friday's Favorites"!

Book Review --A Thousand Splendid Suns--

After reading "The Kite Runner", I knew I was going to have to read more books by Khaled Hosseini. I just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns, and it definitely lived up to the hype. I can't say that it was better than "The Kite Runner" because both were so good and so different. The only similarity is that they took place in the same place and time frame.

The characters were wonderful, and though, of course, I didn't love them all, each made me feel something different. Some you hated, some you wanted to be your friend, some you wanted to be your father, and as in life, some let you down in your expectations of them.

There were tears throughout, as it was a heart wrenching story. If you liked/loved "The Kite Runner", you definitely must pick up "A Thousand Splendid Suns".

Synopsis

Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.

Scrapping Things

I decided to scrap the idea I had for the scarf I was making for the custom order. I could already see that it was going to be to thin, and wouldn't quite have the look I was going for. I then started a basic cable knit scarf.

Part of me hates scrapping things because I feel like I'm leaving something unfinished. It makes me feel like a lazy slug for not seeing things all the way through. In this case, though, I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. I can stop stressing about it now, and just knit something that I know will work...so I guess I made the right decision.

I didn't even bother unraveling it...I just snipped off the yarn, and cast on something new...good riddance to it.

In Treasury News:

The treasury I made yesterday is now on page 8. I'm really hoping to get it higher before it expires.

Give this treasury a click or two and let it soar!

Sunday Funday Video

Some of you might remember when I posted the video of everyone freezing in Grand Central Station. Well, this one is kind of like it, but Michael Jackson style!

I was actually supposed to participate in one of these events at Freemont Street here in Las Vegas, but I had to work, so I couldn't go.

Enjoy "Beat It" in Stockholm!



Also, this morning I was able to snag a treasury!...finally!

Click here to take a look and show some love :)

Custom Creations

I'm almost finished with my current custom order. It's a scarf, mitten, hat set. I'm working on the scarf right now, since when I make sets I always save the scarf for last. I think it's because with hats and mittens I have to use more brain power, and when I get to the scarf, I can kind of relax.

I'm trying something different with this scarf though. The buyer kind of gave me free reign on the design, she just had a color in mind. I'm making long skinny strips and then braiding them together. I thought it might look good with the cables in the hat without having to do cables for an entire scarf.

I have a love/hate relationship with trying out new things. It's awesome if it turns out the way you envisioned it, but the whole time I'm stressing about if it's going to work or not.

Friday's Favorites --All about the grey--

It's still grey and rainy in "sunny" Las Vegas, and boy am I loving it. Well, today I actually have to venture out in it to get to work, so maybe my thoughts will change by the end of the day.

In honor of this gorgeous greyness, the "Friday's Favorites" are all about the grey. I hope these items give you a warm cozy feeling like they did for me.



Are you chilly where you live? There's plenty of knits here to keep you warm.

Grey day, Grey Submissions

It's raining here, which is really such a thrill because I live in the middle of the desert. When it rains, there's lots of flooding all over the city, so it's the perfect time to stay home and curl up on the couch.

In honor of all this rain, this week, I'm looking for your grey items to feature in the "Friday's Favorites" tomorrow.

My grey are these Red and grey house socks. Feel free to click on the picture for more info.

If you have any grey items in your shop, post the link in the comments and then check in tomorrow for the Friday's Favorites!

Book Review --Seeing--

I read the book, "Blindness" quite a while ago and LOVED it so much (better than the movie I hear), that I could not wait to read Seeing by Jose Saramago. It's sort of the sequel, to the first...but as we know, sequels are rarely as good as the original.

This book was OK. There was a lot that might not make sense had you not read the first one, but all in all it was lacking.

I still love his writing style, which is very different from any that I've read, but the story itself, while it started off very promising, kind of fell flat towards the middle and then the ending seemed like a cheep way out.

I highly recommend "Blindness", but as far as "Seeing" you could probably let it pass you by and your life wouldn't be the worse for it.

Synopsis

In "Seeing," some 70 percent of the residents of the capital of an unnamed country turn in blank ballots in an election, refusing to vote for the Party of the Right, the Party of the Center, or the Party of the Left. The government, dominated by unsavory and unprincipled authoritarians, is horrified that the rituals of democracy have generated a challenge to the government's legitimacy and orders the election to be reheld. But the percentage of blank votes is higher than before.

The government's reaction, though often fumbling, is vicious and lethal. It uses various Orwellian techniques and, as it deems necessary, violence to punish the capital's residents and try to get them to appear to respect the available choices, regardless of their true feelings about the three parties.

Most Hearted...Now on Sale!

Yes, it's been a while since I've had a sale, so I felt that it was overdue. I picked this Rainbow Entrelac Scarf because it was my most hearted item...55 hearts! As of right now, it's the only item in my shop made from this gorgeous silk and cotton blend yarn...it feels yummy against the skin.

Anyway, if you buy this piece today, you will receive a 5 DOLLAR REBATE via paypal! All you have to do is type "5 DOLLAR REBATE" in the message to seller and you will receive it sometime this evening (pacific time).

Feel free to click on the picture for a more detailed description, measurements and etc.


Click here to see everything including the scarf and remember everything in my shop has FREE SHIPPING EVERYWHERE IN THE US AND CANADA!

Sunday Funday Video --Awww Kitty--

Now I must say that I've seen many a cute kitty in my time, and I would almost consider myself a connoisseur of the cuteness of kitties...well, let's face it, there really aren't any kittens that aren't cute...are there?

Well, this surprised kitty takes the cake! If you haven't seen this, grab a Kleenex because it's so cute you're going to want to cry.

Pain in the Foot

All day long, while I'm doing shows, my feet are pounding on cobblestone. I think I'm developing a bunion.

It's partially due to the fact that the shoes I was wearing I bought in 1997, and were meant to be worn with socks, not stockings which means a total lack of support.

I bit the bullet Thursday and invested in a new pair of shoes. They are full of support and comfort and I really didn't realize what a difference they would make.

Yesterday was the first day I wore them, and though there's still some pain, it's not nearly as bad as before. Plus, as an added bonus, they look pretty snazzy too...of course most of them is hidden under the giant pom-pom that sits on top that I have to wear to go with the costume.

Now if only I could get my joints to stop hurting...I'm only 33, my joints aren't supposed to start hurting yet.

Thank goodness my hands don't hurt, so there's always more knitting!

Friday's Favorites --Green with Envy--

First off, I finished my custom sweater! Now I have one more custom order to do before I can start replenishing my shop from the Christmas rush.

Now onto the Favorites!

I decided to go with green this week, because it's one of my favorite colors...ok, lets face it, all colors are probably my favorite, but being a red head, green goes best with my hair.

I tried to put a variety of items in: painting, photos, knits, and more. I hope you enjoy them! And if you do, go ahead and give them a heart...or even a sale!

Submissions --GREEN--

Every Friday I put together an etsy mini of some of my favorite items made by other sellers...it's a lot easier than snagging a treasury, which I've been trying to do, but am never online when one is coming up. So every Thursday, I look for submission for a particular theme...

This week's theme is green. The color, not recycled, although green colored recycled is certainly welcome.

My green, is this Soft Ribbed Fitted Sweater made in a super soft yarn. You can click on the picture for a better view.

If you have green in your shop, post the link to your item in the comments, and check back tomorrow for the Friday's Favorites.

Blog Break

Tune in tomorrow for the Friday's Favorite Submissions!

Going to the post office tomorrow...click here if you want to make my load a little heavier...I don't mind.

Book Review --I, Robot--

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov was certainly a fascinating read. I haven't seen the movie, but I'm very interested in what they took from the book and what was original to the film.

The boyfriend and I compared notes, him having seen it, me having read it, and they seem like two totally different stories with only the theme of robots being the common thread. What I hear from most people is that if you've seen the movie, the book won't be anything like you'd expect it to be.

I found it a brilliant story (more like a collection of stories) that fuse philosophy and logic to solving problems that a robot could encounter while trying to follow the laws that were programed into it, and reading this, one can see how robots could run the world some day. Though, normally that's a scary thought, in the book, the way it's written, it seems almost comforting...I'm thinking in real life, not so much.

If you are a sci-fi fan, this is a must read...if you are on the fence about sci-fi, or have never read any, then this might be a good one to try out.

Synopsis

The three laws of Robotics:
1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
2) A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future--a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete.

Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world--all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asmiov's trademark.

In other news

Bess (the doggie) made it into another treasury! Give a click or two, please, if you have the time.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=105609

Hello?...Blackberry?...Are you there?

Yesterday after work, the boyfriend went out to the boat to take a mold of the front of it so his friend could make a figure head for the front. It's going to be awesome! He sketched out this clown reaching out over the bow and it's going to be holding the lights that are at the front (I'm sure there's a name for them, but if I ever learned it, I've now forgotten).

He sent me a picture of the mold being made, but it was dark, and I had no idea what he was even making a mold of. When I got home and he wasn't there, I texted him...never heard back.

He came home later holding the mold, but kind of down trodden...when asked what was wrong, he responded, "Let's just say, the carp under the boat are now making long distance calls to China."

...Thank goodness for computer back up.

In other news:

The saga of the clown pants will continue today...Though they'll be small, I'm hoping they'll be finished. I'm also going to go online and look at Zoot Suit pants patterns, and maybe next week make another attempt.

Sunday Funday Video --Navy Drill Team--

I know I usually post funny videos every week, but this time I decided to post one that was just cool.

Apparently the US Navy Drill Team competed in Norway and won first place. The precision here is just amazing!

I hope you guys like it.

Venetian Madness

Well, as we say in Vegas "tis the season for CES"...actually we don't say that, but I do. The Consumer Electronics Show is in town, which is one of the largest computer conventions in the country, and the Venetian is one of it's venues...also in town (as it always coincides with CES) is the AVN convention (which is Adult Video something-or-other).

It's quite a combination: Computer geeks and porn stars. This year, they've at least implemented a dress code, thank goodness, for many years there was a whole lot of skin walking around the mall, and for the record, just because someone is a porn star, they are not always people that one wants to see naked...or even scantily clad.

Believe it or not, though, the porn people are a lot nicer to deal with than the computer people. The computer people take up space in the show, just so they have a place to sit down...at least the porn people care whats going on outside of their iphones and such.

Well, off to work in the madhouse now...soon they will all be gone and will have a whole new set of characters.

Friday's Favorites --PLAID--

Well, the clown pants are going...but not great. I forgot to listen to my mother's golden rule on sewing from a pattern..."No matter what it says, or what size it says, always make it bigger...they always run small."

Well, needless to say, the pants fit me (quite nicely, but the back pocket is a little ugly). The boyfriend says to finish them in case I need to wear them for a gig with him, so hopefully these will still turn out ok, and then I can start the process all over again...*sigh*...

So in honor of the plaid clown pants, this week's Friday's Favorites is all about the plaid.

There isn't a whole lot of plaid on the market, but these items, I think, are great. Check them out and get in touch with your plaid side.

Submissions ---Plaid---

For last week's "Friday's Favorites" we had one sale! Congratulations Vegancraftastic!!!

The clown pants I'm making are coming along nicely, I think. The front is done with the pockets, and now I'm going to start on the back pockets.

The whole thing is a blue plaid, with red and gold accents. And I think there's enough material to make a vest when I'm done.

Since I'm doing the plaid thing right now, tomorrow's "Friday's Favorites" will be all about the plaid. Let's see what you've got! Post the link to your plaid items in the comments and check back tomorrow for the Friday's Favorites!

Blog Break

Clown pants, and custom orders are in the works.

Tune in tomorrow to find out the submission category for the Friday's Favorites.

Me and my Big Mouth

So as if I don't have enough projects going on...

My boyfriend came home yesterday complaining that his clown costume doesn't fit anymore (yes, I'm dating a clown), and he needs to find someone to make him a new one.

...this is where the big mouth part comes in...

I say, "Well, I can make you one."

He says, "But baby, you don't know how to sew!"

...this of course clinches the deal, and lays down a challenge for me...

I say, "Just because you haven't seen me sew, doesn't mean I can't do it!"

...This is true, I can sew, but I haven't in a reeeally long time. I do have a nice sewing machine though...

So off we went to JoAnn's last night, picked out a pattern and material. He, of course, had alterations he wanted me to make to the pattern (Yikes!), and now I'm all set to go.

Of course I'm have two custom orders to be done, and lots of busy work that needs doing....sigh...me and my big mouth.

Custom Orders Gallore!

I'm so excited! I got two custom orders yesterday.

I was really worried that things would completely die out after the new year...I mean the holidays are over, and I thought that maybe they would be all shopped out...but apparently not.


One is for a custom bolero jacket like the one in the picture only different colors, and one is for a scarf hat mittens set. I think I even have the right colors in stock for the jacket, which is nice because it's always a dangerous endeavor for me to go to the yarn store....so many beautiful things and I want to have them all!

I'm really excited to start on the hat since I just bought some new knitting needles from acacheofjewels for just such a purpose.

I'm going to do my level best to finish my current project today so I can get started on the new stuff...If I don't (which will probably be the case), I'll have to put it aside in order to get the orders done in a timely manner.

Sunday Funday Video --Funny Commercial--

Though usually commercials are a pain, they always come at an exciting moment in the TV show you're watching, though sometimes they're a blessing if you really have to go to the bathroom and you don't have TiVo.

I love it when commercials don't take themselves to seriously, and give you something to chuckle at.

Here's one that I found that made me laugh:

Holiday Hangover

Well, it's January 2nd, and the holidays are officially over.

Pretty soon I'll be taking down the tree, and pretty soon, at the Venetian, I'll get to stop dodging Christmas decorations while I perform.

The tree thing always makes me sad, and I'd love to leave it up for longer.

The Venetian thing makes me happy, though, because the decorations make it really hard to see the stage, block some of the lights, and I'm constantly worried that one of my juggling balls will end up on top of one. It sounds like a silly worry, but it happened once, and though security promised to return it to me, I never saw it again. Then I had to buy another set of three.

Gone are the Christmas Carols in our shows, which makes me sad. I just love all the songs. During December, I'm one of those people that has their car radio turned to the all holiday station.

But as each year passes, the time goes buy quicker and quicker, which means Christmas will be here again before I know it.

Friday's $10 for 2010 Favorites

Happy New Year!

Happy 2010!

I hope this year will be a good one. I had a wonderful New Year's Eve...no crowds, no parking, just lounging on the sofa with my boyfriend, my dog, and a bottle of champagne! Weeeee!

In honor of 2010, I thought I'd feature some items that sell for $10. (I don't know if I can do this next year, since there are many more items that sell for $10 rather than $11, but we'll take that as it comes.)

Maybe your New Year's Resolution is to buy more handmade items? Well, here's a great start for you.



I, myself, don't have any New Year's resolutions, since I can never keep them up for more than a week. For me, it's the random resolutions that occur on odd dates like April 24th that seem to stick.

In other news:

I just woke up to find that I made my 50th sale! A wonderful way to start the new year.