Lucas's Big Birthday Surprise

But first, I had to finish the baby blanket for a Japanese cousin. It turned out nice, and I went to mail it at UPS, unaware of the prices I was facing. Did you know that it costs $138 to mail a package to Japan with a tracking number? Luckily, the US Postal Service option tracks it till it leaves the US and only costs $38. I think DHL or some other shipping company would've been a little cheaper, but good to know for future shipments! And yes, the blanket made it without getting lost, and I got some precious pictures of Haru with it.


So this came through an email from Lion Brand, I think, and they actually offered the pattern for free! Now this is precious because Lucas has a YouTube channel called Broughnut Doughnut (shameless plug, but don't click on that unless you're a fan of violent zombie films!), and his original "channel art" was that very doughnut from The Simpsons (of course, now it's an RPG launcher, I think - can't make one of those).


The only problem with this is that it's crocheted, and I haven't crocheted since I was about 15 years old. Of course, I hadn't knitted in years either, and I picked that back up! Pulled out my grandmother's McCall's Needlework Treasury, and that was all I needed to get started.


Okay, by the time I got THIS far and had to join colors, I had jumped to YouTube. Pencil drawings can only get one so far in life.


Now I was working on this while Lucas was at summer camp at University of Houston for two weeks, but I had to take a little break for the Blue Angels show at Pensacola Beach (they're tiny in the center)!


Dean took a nice pic of Drew and me at The Gulf afterwards.


And this was after a huge rainstorm at sunrise.


Speaking of storms, THIS was during a really crazy thunderstorm the next day, and Jake nearly jumped in my lap.


Okay, here's the completed donut flat. I ran out of mustard yarn, so had to use tan yarn at the end, but that makes sense anyway, since it's the inside.


So you put the ends together and whipstitch, stuffing as you go...


Halfway stuffed with fiberfill...


And the final donut - yay! This actually felt like really frosting a donut, because I had one arm inside smoothing out stuffing while stretching the outside to get the lines even.


Here's the bottom view.


We now take another break for a new Mexican restaurant which serves a Coronarita, which I've never seen before. Anybody ever have one of these? The tiny beer bottle slowly drains into the margarita - sort of an odd taste, and honestly more trouble than it was worth.


And finally, with SPRINKLES!!!!


I knitted most of these on the plane going to pick up Lucas in Houston; even sat in the airport for 3 hours knitting before it was time to get him, and no, I didn't get any funny looks....why do you ask?


This is a mighty big donut, and honestly weighs about 10 pounds, I think.


So tasty!


So now I'm all fired up on crocheting, and have a bath mat in mind for Drew's new apartment - shhh! Oh wait, I've got to finish that second sock first...

Too Many Projects!

Happy Fourth of July weekend! Lots of stuff to cover...first was an experiment in eyebrow enhancement. I'm not sure why eyebrows have taken off, but apparently they're big business now, so my MA talked me into giving it a whirl (she has her's waxed and dyed). This is a little kit she recommended from the drugstore, and goodness at the tiny tools that stand up over a tiny mirror! I didn't have a Seventeen magazine handy to talk me through it, but the back of the package had step by step instructions.


Here's a one-side-done pic to compare...um....I don't really get it. It just looks bushier and darker, like I rubbed some powder in it...which is basically what I did. Not worth my time! Do any of you "do" your eyebrows?


Next up, Drew got an idea to cook dinner for us, and wanted to do gyro wraps. He looked up recipes, shopped by himself, and got the gyro meat from FoodPak, since he didn't have time to set up a rotisserie on the grill.


Made the yogurt sauce with red wine vinegar, yogurt, and chopped cucumbers...


and roasted the vegetables you see in the background to go with the wraps - yum!


Now, behold the SOCK!


Bask in its loveliness!


Gaze in awe at the wondrous Kitchener's stitch!


Wonder at the oddness of this pairing!


Cringe at the pale leg that rises forth!


Seriously, it is a HEAVENLY thing, that will be perfect in the winter - soft and snuggly...but just a touch large, so I'll try casting on a few less stitches next pair. And there WILL be a next pair, as I'm halfway through the second sock cuff, and will be looking for more sock yarn soon...WITH my Mobile Yarn gift certificates!

Did I mention I had a birthday? This was probably the second best birthday ever, (definitely not the best one ever) because not only did my Mom give me a knitting certificate, but my office gave me one too - yay for perceptive office staff! PLUS, Dean gave me a Fluevog gift certificate to buy even MORE Fluevogs! He also sent some delicious Shari's Berries cake pops to work since I started the call week on my birthday. (Love that man.)


Now the only drawback to being on call this week is that I have to stay in town while they get to go to the beach - boo! However, one must make do, so I hot-footed it upstairs to make a skirt that would go with my newest Fluevogs, and wouldn't you know I had the perfect AC fabric (purchased 2 years ago with a birthday gift certificate from my Mom - my family is the BEST) that matches the shoelaces exactly! Another AC Swing Skirt is born.


The Swing Skirt flares just a touch more than the Fitted Skirt, and I can't decide if I like it with seams at center front/back/sides...


or with panels centered, like I saw another blogger do.


Hey wait, this AC T-shirt may coordinate as well...with a different pair of Fluevogs!


Okay, okay, I have to stop playing matchmaker with my Fluevogs and AC fabric, because I still have FOUR knitting projects on needles. Waves of Lace has been all but forgotten, the black mesh sweater is waiting for the second sleeve to be re-knitted, the second sock is in progress, but I need to get this baby blanket for a Japanese cousin done. Just need to watch that Youtube video about joining yarn by tying a magic knot again, and hope it works for 2 strands.


Luckily, the family will be back to enjoy the 4th with me, so I've got to get my crafting on today. What are YOU all doing this weekend? Might I suggest renting Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot with Tina Fey? Please be aware there is pervasive language (she's a reporter in Afghanistan, after all), but I LOVED this movie for a bunch of reasons. Have to go buy it...now you have a great weekend!