Happy Father's Day Michael!

To the best dad in the world:

Destashing on Rav

I have some yarn up on Rav, destashing because I have way too much yarn and haven't been buying any, yet I think it's multiplying on it's own. I hit 1/4 of my stash, not including the cedar chest or the totes in the bedroom. I am still not spinning, yet have pounds upon pounds of roving, so I either have to crap or get off the pot with it all. I listed 16 destash yarns, some KPPPM, Berroco, Crystal Palace, CTH. I am sure I will be listing more in the next few weeks, it's just a PIA to take all the pics, upload them and then list all the prices and I admit, I'm lazy lately. So if you are interested, go take a peek, make me an offer if you don't like the price.

Take me out to the ballgame!

Sunday was a gorgeous day and Mike's beloved Bosox were playing the Phillies. Tickets were sold out, but thank goodness for Stubhub cause we got 'em. Nosebleed seats-see the fence behind us-yup last row, top tier and the fencing had to be behind us cause we were so high up-a mere $160 for the nosebleeders (as I think about the old Veteran's Stadium where you could just spontaneously drive to Philly and pick a ticket up for $9.00). Citizens Bank Park is nice, really nice and even way up, we had a decent view. Boston had won the first two games and, as would happen, the last game of the series we went to. We did get to see Josh Beckett pitch AND hit a homer. Big Papi was called in to pinch hit (he ended up walking, but we got to see Big Papi). The collage was easier to set up and the scoreboard showed when things were going good for us. Trust me, Red Sox Nation was out at the game and we had a blast.



Philly fans are known for being a little radical, this is a polite term and yes I can use it, since I grew up here and went to many games in Philly and yes, saw tears from my baby bro for the first time in forever when the Eagles didn't win the Superbowl a few years back, but the this pic shows that you can class up the park, but you can't change the fans. Here we are, sitting in the parking lot because we decided to stay til the bitter end, waiting about 45 minutes to just get out of the lot. Now the lot we were in was right across from the stadium, which had tons of bathrooms mind you. Also, because of all the tailgaters, the lots have tons of Port-a-Potties, however these two, who were hanging out by a car that had chairs, next to a Port-A-Potty and were steps from the stadium, chose to use the shrubs by the fence to relieve themselves as we all waited to get out of the parking lot (note: pic taken from front seat of the car as we waited to leave the lot since we were stuck sitting in the same place for 5 minutes, which is about how long they both took). What is it with men, the bathroom they passed 5 minutes before a little too clean and private? Port-A-Potty a little too closed in? No, I don't know who they were and know they were Phillies fans and I snapped the pic because I was honestly startled they would even do this in public. Odds are they will never see this picture, however if they did, what are they gonna do-complain they were urinating out in the open in a parking lot full of cars and people when someone snapped a pic?

Double Acceptions?

Okay, call me flaky-I received notification from Susan Ripley about the CPAD Calendar 2010 and honestly I am embarrassed to say, I cannot remember what pattern(s) I submitted to the calendar (it was last year) and I don't know if any were accepted-sigh. I am totally baffled because I got an email saying the pattern was accepted some time ago, had to send a different picture and I can't find a copy of the email sent or anything. Confusion sets in. The calendar will be in Amazon.com, in Barnes and Noble, Borders and other large bookstores sometime in October.

On the flip side, the Crochet Liberation Front has a third book coming out, Single Skein Surprises or 400 or Less! (I don't know the title yet of the book) and a pattern of mine was accepted. I didn't submit to the second book (I think it was Naughty Crochet or something like that and I didn't have anything naughty to submit). The first book received a ton of press, including this month's Crochet Today! magazine. I am clueless to when this will be published and available for purchase, but will let you know when I find out.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to April and Mark. Zoey Isabella made her way into the world, without induction needed, on 6/11 weighing in at 6 lbs 11 oz (ooh, born on 6/11 weighing 6 lbs 11 oz, I just noticed that) and a full 19" long. She's gorgeous guys! (I'm gonna leave all the picture posting to her mom).

NADA

That's what I got for ya, NADA.

Okay, thanks for the help with the cushing dye (snark). I know most use Procion MX, however I received the W.Cushing color cards and I am going to give a try, but not anytime in the next week.

I haven't posted because I have nothing to post. I haven't made anything, written a pattern, dyed, spun or anything. I plan to, but again, slump city and I won't dye til I get the Cushing dye, which won't be for a few weeks, so...

I did buy some cotton/bamboo from StickChick on etsy, some DROPS Eskimo Print destash on Rav for the bulky wool rug I have been sandbagging bulky wool for now for about a year, some fiber from Handoverthewool on etsy (only because I bought two bumps from her previously and she found another bump of the same colorway and PM'd me on Rav about it and made an offer I couldn't refuse), so apparently I am buying, although it doesn't seem like I am. Oh, the Grafton Fiber club comes monthly, which I always forget about til it arrives. Perhaps I should start using some of this now that it's all in black and white in front of me and apparently my "not spending or buying any fiber/yarn at all until I use some of what I have" is pure bullshit, but a steal is a steal.

In any event, no time this week, too much other stuff going on.

I do owe emails (Tina, the "statement" was great-four months is a long time, you'll get the grant, you'll see) and yes, I promise I will email ya. Bron, I owe you one too. I haven't been online much at all and when I am, it's reading email, deleting the crap email, and trying to keep up with blog reading, period.

Gotta run, the sun finally showed her face and Elena is bugging me about going outside.

CUSHING DYE

Any feedback on their acid dye or their direct dye (the direct is for cotton). Their method seems so much easier than Procion MX for cotton dyeing-no need for synthrapol, soda ash, urea, etc. Just 4 oz of salt and vinegar to set the color. I've bought yarn from those who used the acid dyes and some just sprinkle it on-I am looking for feedback on Direct Dye and colorfastness, etc. Anyone out there???????