Woot!

I got the best news today. After working 12 hours on Saturday and Sunday, I found out (through my exhaustion) that I passed my exit exam. OMG- Seriously, I don't know how I pulled it out. A bunch of my friends did too!

So... only 1 big test to go... The Board Exam. Luckily, this exit exam has a positive correlation with board passage. Things are looking good.

I know I still have a ton to learn. And I'll never know everything. But it is nice to feel like I know SOMETHING.

A proper post tomorrow... right now, it's beer thirty!

Get Growing

Remember I told you that everything in my garden dies a quick death? Well, not this year. Check it out. Here's the whole "garden"



The clear winners are Oregano (in the middle of the rectangular planter) and the spearmint (pot on the ground on the left). The basil (pot on the stand on the left) is just starting to grow. I'm thinking in the heat of summer, we'll be lousy with pesto!



Basil- It's greener than in this picture.



Oregano



Spearmint- funny that the peppermint isn't growing as quickly. Supposedly all mint is quick growing.

My sage is a little anemic. It doesn't help that the cat likes to chew on it. And the rosemary seems to be happy not to get bigger. Then again, it's only April.

I read this article from Jennifer of CraftSanity today. So I went to check out DayDream Glass. It's so pretty! I love that she makes glass rings in her basement. Of course, I had to snag one.



It's hand blown glass. Pretty neat, huh?



The added bonus is that I grew up about 40 minutes from her. Supporting Michigan crafters!

Finally today, I keep forgetting to post the latest installment of the Yarn Pirate Booty Club. Here it is! New yarn base using bamboo, merino, and nylon. Very nice!

I'm Gonna Knock You Out

Am I dating myself by using LL Cool J? Anyway, I found a new exercise that I LOVE... Can you guess???? Here's a hint...



Kickboxing! (Yes, I picked out lime green boxing gloves.) Seriously, I've never worked so hard and had so much fun in an aerobics class. My friend from school found a martial arts studio that offers "extreme cardio kickboxing." She talked me into going on Saturday at 8:30. Ouch. But I had a blast! I was sweating like crazy and I could barely lift my arms to dry my hair later. But so fun!!! Usually when I'm hurting post exercise, I have no desire to go back. Not this. I went on Monday and tonight. I'm totally hooked. May the fat melt away.

On a side note, Brian asked if they had other classes. I asked him what class he wanted. His reply, "I don't know.... Nunchucks?" Brian + Nunchucks = Brian with lump on head

I'm also going to knock you out with the package I won from Yarn4Socks in the stash contest. It's AMAZING!



Can you see all the amazingness? A sock pattern, Zero stitchmarkers, a sheep charm bracelet, Della Q project bag, and yarn. Oh yes... there is yarn...



Noro...



and yes... Yarntini. I literally squealed when I opened the box. Thanks Donna and Val!

Last but certainly not least, SplatGirl made me a custom messenger bag. After all, a girl cannot live on backpack alone.



She dealt with me changing my mind and sent picture after picture to confirm my choices.



Don't you love the lining? The bag is all demure on the outside and super fun on the inside.



She even added a key fob at my request so I can clip my badge to it. The interior is the perfect size for wallet, small (non-disposable) water bottle, and knitting project. There's a cell phone pocket on the side for easy access.



The sewing is impeccable and there are lots of cute details. She has a red one up in her shop right now. Go quick!

Apologies for the excessive use of exclamation points in this post. But you guys should be used to it by now!!!

Green Day

Happy Earth Day, Everyone!

I just wanted to share with you the 5 things I've done this year to "be green." I know it's not a ton. But little changes are more likely to become permanent.

1. We didn't use the heat all winter. While we live in Northern California, it still gets cold at night. Not snowing but chilly. A down comforter and wool socks later, no heat for us. I can't promise to be so good with the AC when it hits 115. But we'll try.

2. I switched to green cleaning supplies. Between Shaklee and learning to make my own, we're nearly chemical free in the cleaning department.

3. We joined two CSA's- one for produce, one for grain. I have to point out again that we live in an area where this is pretty easy to do. I also plan on hitting the farmer's market more this summer. There's really nothing like farm fresh eggs.

4. I met my carpool buddy the first week of school and we've been joined at the hip ever since. That's 1/2 the 25 mile trips to school and clinical sites this year. So what if people are starting to call her my wife!

5. Reusable grocery bags. I know, that's a really obvious one. I keep them in my car so they are always available. And I've even had the cashier wait while I run out to my car to grab one when I forget. There are lots of cute options out there now. Or you could make your own. I don't want to have to go all Joan Crawford (oops! Thanks, Ruth!) on you... "NO PLASTIC BAGS.... EVER!!!"

OK- 5 plus 1... No more plastic water bottles. That's HUGE. There's just no need, you know? I can easily carry a Nalgene. (OK- I have to get a new one without that new bad chemical.) I actually drink more water when I have a bottle with me at all times. Good for me. Good for the planet.

So that's about it. Little things. That I hope will make a big difference.

Lots of Random

You know you're getting older when you've been out until 3am and STILL wake up at 8:30. This is so not fair. I used to be able to sleep like a champ. Now, I got up and scrubbed the stove. What's happening?!?!?! It was my friend Colleen's birthday last night and she partied like no other. I people watched and drove everyone home in the wee hours. This is a really rare occurrence for me. I'm usually in pj's by 9!

We're enjoying a quiet Sunday at home. Bread is baking. The cats got brushed and then promptly rolled around on the concrete balcony to get dirty again. I'm watching baseball and trying to make a dent in a couple of WIP's. But that's about it. I need to pay bills and watch 3 movies so I can send them back to Netflix tomorrow. Sounds pretty tough, huh?
ETA: 2 movies down- Michael Clayton and Things We Lost in the Fire. Both very good but in very different ways.

I did get an email from my preceptor confirming where and when she works. Phew! I was having a tough time getting a hold of her. And that does not appeal to my organized (anal) nature. It turns out that she is also a clinical instructor. So she's in a teaching mindset which makes me very happy. Starting next weekend I'll be working 12 hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday for 4 weeks. Then 1 extra 12 someday and that's it!

And just so there is at least 1 pic in this post...



Rosemary Mint Soap with new Moo card tags. I'm loving the moo cards! I put a line that says Scent: on the back so I can personalize them for any kind of soap I make. Ruth asked me to make 100 bars of soap for her PTA. They give gift bags to teachers at the end of the year. Isn't that nice? I'll have a few extra bars going up in the shop in a couple of days. It's my basic soap recipe with a green clay swirl.

That's it! Hope you're having a good weekend!

Almost Famous

Check me out! I did my first blog interview for Yarn4Socks. You can read it here! That was really fun. Did you see the one from the first place winner? She has enough sock yarn for 1200 pair!!! You feel better about your stash now, don't you? I sure do!

I had my interview today. And it went really well!!!! I have second round panel interviews on May 1. I got tons of information about the new grad program and the hospital. It just made me want it more. Thanks for all the good thoughts! I'll need it again in a couple of weeks.

This week, although stressful with school, was a great one for mail!

I've been looking for a little pouch to keep all my stitch markers handy. They tend to float around in my project bags and I don't want any of them to go missing. So I headed over to etsy to take a peek. Here's what I found.



Little pouch from Population One. This is really well made. And I LOVE that it has the little clip on the side so I can keep it clipped to my knitting bag.

The Loopy Ewe was offering a little mystery gift to Loopy Groupies if you ordered before April 15. Well, you know I love a gift with purchase!



ShiBui- Peacock



ShiBui- Mulberry. I definitely have a thing for ShiBui and solid colors lately.



Mountain Colors Bearfoot- Chocolate. Can you believe I've never had a skein of this yarn!?!? The mohair adds a fluffy touch to this really soft yarn.

Ready for the goodies???



Well, I was so close to the free shipping limit so I added the mini sock blocker keychain, the kacha kacha row counter, and the jasmine soap. If you look closely in the background you'll see the secret gift. It's a great pattern and custom stitch marker. (Thank goodness I got my pouch!)

Just Popping In

To say thanks for all the good vibes. I'm not sure if I passed the exit exam. Our class decided to take it the first time without studying to see what happens. We're allowed to repeat. So now I know what to study if I need to take it again.

I'll find out next week sometime.

Sorry for the boring, pictureless post. After tomorrow's interview, I'll have a few days off to get everything back on track!

Lest You Think

I'm a one trick pony... I can actually cook (or assemble) when called upon...



Beet and Toasted Goat Cheese Salad. Delish! I threw in some grapefruit sections for fun. The beets are prevalent in the CSA box lately. So I'm looking for more creative ways to use them. This salad has golden and red beets- Yum! But let's be honest, you can put toasted goat cheese on a bumper (as Emeril would say) and I'd love it.

OK- Here's where I need your help... I'm taking my exit exam tomorrow. Please send lots of nursing knowledge vibes my way between 9am and noon PT. Even if you don't have nursing knowledge, hugs and any knowledge at all will help. I tend to get nervous during these things! I'm pretty sure I'm going to fail. (I can take it again.) But it would be great to pass. Then I could cruise in to graduation. So good thoughts everyone... I hope the power of the knitters will carry me through!

I also have a job interview at one of my top hospitals on Friday. YIKES! I feel kind of bad about it because my friends who applied for the same job haven't gotten the call yet. But I'm nervous and freaked at the same time... OK- 1 thing at a time... exit exam. Then we'll worry about interviews.

What a week! I took two finals today. (all went well) Exit exam tomorrow. Interview on Friday... I can see this being a barely sober weekend! (just kidding... mostly)

More Baby Knits

I finished a baby sweater to ship off with Elijah. This is a great way to use up some sock yarn on something besides socks.



Pattern: Country Kiddie by Pixie Purls
Yarn: Crystal Palace Panda Cotton in Strawberries and Lime- received from Valerie of Shoeless after a blog contest. ETA: Sorry! I cited the wrong Val!
Needles: Addi turbos size 3, 12" circular
Date Started: 4/11/08
Date Finished: 4/14/08
Mods: None- except my gauge is a little tighter than the pattern. (shocker!) So my sweater knit in the 6 months size will probably fit her this summer when it's plenty warm in Texas!

I also heard today that I got 2nd in the sock stash contest over on Yarn4Socks!!! (At least my stash isn't the biggest!)

The Numbers

I know I missed official "Flash Your Stash" Day. But here's my late entry. (I was finally home alone!)

Total Stash Yardage- 71,084 yds.



Ignore the clean laundry in the background!

Total Sock Yardage- 58,368 yds.
Percentage of Total Stash that is Sock Yarn- 82%
Pairs of Socks- 144
And this is post destash! Holy Cow, I'm drowning in yarn!



I think I can get you better pictures than just this! BTW, I store my yarn in ziploc bags with a little slice of Irish Spring soap. I heard that keeps the m word away and my stash smells very fresh!

Let's get a little closer...



Dream in Color, Noro, Fearless Fibers, Fleece Artist, and Lisa Souza



Koigu



Zen String, Perchance to Knit, Teddy's Tigers, Cherry Tree Hill, More Zen String, Posh, and J.Knits



Tofutsies, Regia, Sirdar, St. Ives, and Austermann Step



Louet and Lorna's Laces- Sage, Pewter, Champagne, Aslan, and Bittersweet



Scout's Swag, Sunshine Yarn, and Tempted



ShiBui, Sweet Georgia, and Ruby Sapphire



Sock Pixie, Schaeffer, Yarn Lust, and Phoenix Fiberworks



Sundara, Whorled Peace, Savvy Minx, and Cider Moon



The Knittery, Nature's Palette, Sheepaints, and Three Irish Girls



Wollmeise, Vesper, and Colinette



STR- Light, Medium, and one ball of heavyweight



Yarn Pirate



Yarntini- L to R: Appletini, Gimlet, Vintage, Fig & Plum, Pure Breeze, The Lost #'s, and Pure Knits

I'll add more descriptions later. I'm running late and usual! If you're on Ravelry, you can always check out my stash here.

I meant what I said

And I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100%. -Dr. Seuss

He has blue eyes to match the quilt.



Pattern: Elijah Elephant by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in Silver Beige
Needles: KP Options Size 7 US
Filling: Bamboo Stuffing- Earth friendly!
Date Started: 4/1/08
Date Finished: 4/9/08

This was a very fun and quick knit. His eyes are a little uneven but I think it adds to his charm.

Yarn4Socks has a really neat offer going this year. The first 50 orders they have every month get a knitting charm free. And we all know I LOVE a gift with purchase. At the end of the year you'll have a bracelet full of knitting charms. Really cute idea! Plus, they had a yarn I've been stalking for awhile.



ShiBui Wasabi Sock Yarn. So pretty. It's literally the perfect green.

Here's April's Charm



My little sheep came on a silver bracelet. The only bad thing about this is that I'm afraid it'll be a gateway drug toward other knitting related apparel. I'm already stalking this etsy shop for a squeep tee.

The Super Mega Awesome Destash!

I know I've been teasing you for a couple of weeks but here it is... The (new alternator, axle boots, no tax refund because Brian is silly) detash!

Hold onto your computer's dial up folks! This is going to take awhile!

Yarn all prices plus $2 per skein shipping



Berroco Duo- Retail $7.50- 1 skein- Asking $5



BMFA Silkmo Stormy Weather- Retail $30.50 each- Asking $50 for both- Sold



Louet Gems Sportweight in Pewter- Retail $13.50- 1 skein- Asking $9



Louet Gems Sportweight in Sage- Retail $13.50- 1 skein- Asking $9



Tahki Soho Bulky Tweed- Retail $6.99- 1 skein- Asking $4



Tilli Tomas Rockstar in Moroccan Blue with clear beads- Retail $40- 1 skein- Asking $30



Trendsetter Blossom in Aqua- Reatil $12.50 per skein- 3 skeins- Asking $20



Panda Cotton Carib Blue- Retail $6.75- 2 skeins- Asking $11- Sold



Panda Cotton Sprite Green- Retail $6.75- 2 skeins- Asking $11- Sold



J.Knits Light Sock Vermont- Retail $22- 1 skein- Asking $20



Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed in Ivy- Retail $8.95- 1 skein- Asking $7



Vesper Sock Yarn in Into the Wildwood- Retail $24- 1 skein- Asking $22- Sold



Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Devon- Retail $10.75- 1 skein- Asking $5- Sold



Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Vera- Retail $10.75- 1 skein- Asking $5- Sold



Regia Nation Color in Green, White, and Black- Retail $6.75- 2 skeins- Asking $10- Sold



Sundara Petals Collection Sock Yarn in Magnolia- Retail $23- 1 skein- Asking $20- Sold



Sunshine Yarn Sock Club in Deep- Retail $23- 1 skein- Asking $20- Sold



Sunshine Yarn Sock Club in Sweet- Retail $23- 1 skein- Asking $20- Sold



Wollmeise 100% Superwash in Dani- Retail $23 or so- 1 skein- $20- Sold



Yarn Pirate Merino/Tencel in Icicle- Booty Club Color- Retail $25- 1 skein- Asking $23- Sold



Yarn Pirate Merino in Patience- Retail $26- 1 skein- Asking $23- Sold



Yarn Pirate Merino in Emerald Isle- Booty Club Color- Retail $26- 1 skein- Asking $23- Sold

Fiber



Blue Moon Fiber Arts Sheep to Shoe Kit in Korppi- Retail $30.50- Asking $28

Not Yarn

Laptop bag- Crumpler Dreadful Embarrassment Bag. Specs are here. Mine is black with bright orange interior. This bag holds a 17 inch laptop and TONS of extra stuff. Pictures upon request. It could be a very cool knitting bag. I just never used it. And now I have too many bags. Retail $90. Asking $70 plus shipping.

PDA- Palm TX PDA. Specs are here. I transfered all my stuff over to a palm phone. PDA was gently used for 6 months of nursing school. It works great. I'm including a hard silver case and a 2 gig expansion card. Of course sync cable, software, and charger are included. Retail for PDA alone $260. Asking $275 for the package.

These are up on Ravelry too. (although, not advertised) Let the chumfest begin! OMG- You guys are seriously quick!