Feeling better

I am feeling better, thank you all for your kind wishes.
It always helps to talk to some great friends.

What else helps to make one feel better when they're down?
New yarn and a new project, of course.





Yes, its is fun fur. Bernat Boa to be exact. And yes, it is worked up on fairly big needles. Size 13's, so it should knit up quickly. It better knit up quickly. I'm hoping to be wearing it to a wedding I'm attending this Saturday.
I drew my inspiration from this. I've made a couple of minor changes. I couldn't stand to work with size SEVENTEEN needles, so I went with size 13's and I've doubled up on the yarn so that it will be extra plush. I'm hoping that it will also be a little extra warm since its been a bit chilly in the evenings lately. I'm also hoping that it will look extra cozy and be one of those garments that begs for people to touch it. And by people, I mean men. Single men.
Its a solid black, obviously, but I couldnt decide on what color ribbon I want to put on it. Should I go with solid black, red to coordinate with my dress (the shade is "off" just enough to potentially bug me), or the cream? I'm guessing that the black would be the best bet since my other accessories would be black, but I'd REALLY like to have a red ribbon to tie it with. I suppose I can look at another fabric shop or two in search of the perfect red ribbon.
Originally I was crocheting the "Celebrity Shawl" from the 2006 Crochet Pattern-a-Day Calendar (it was featured on Wednesday, May 10). I tried to find a picture of it, but wasnt able to. However, it is similar to this.
About a third of the way into crocheting the shawl, I'm unsure that the style of the shawl will match my dress properly. So I'm going to make the "Eve" shawl from Knitty. If I have the time, I'll make the "Celebrity Shawl" as well and then let a second party (Hi Erin and Maya!!) decide which one I should wear Saturday.

Melancholy

Fall is generally my favorite time of year.
Theres a crispness in the air that allows me to pull out two of my favorite clothing items - sweaters and hooded sweatshirts.
The heat is no longer so oppressive that it makes me too lazy to do anything.
For the first time in months, it feels "right" to drink caramel apple ciders.
Knitting is more enjoyable - the yarn is no longer heavy and hot.
Night time high school football games.
Falling leaves & their changing colors.
Cuddling up with my puppy to watch a movie.

Usually this is the season in which I'm the most upbeat and sociable. The season and its atmosphere just makes me want to be with the favorite people in my life.

Then something happens. A disagreement with a relative, a close friend, whomever or whatever, and the sadness settles in.
All of a sudden, all of the things that I dislike about my life become harder and harder to look past. Everything that I would like to change is seemingly larger and more complex than before. The lonliness is palpable, the debts seem to be astronomical, and even things that looked like great opportunities as recent as just a week ago now seem to be comletely unattainable pipe dreams - and all I want to do is curl up with a warm blanket and wait for the melancholy to pass.

'Tis almost the season...

If you are a close, personal, friend of mine you can expect something from HERE for Christmas. ESPECIALLY if you have a kid. Your kid will MOST DEFINITELY get one of those adorable little t-shirts.

Turn of events

It looks as though my car WON'T be totaled out after all. The initial repair estimate submitted to my insurance company is $1,500 less than the blue book value so they (insurance) want to repair it. Of course they said that could change if more damage is found underneath as the repairs begin.
In a way, I am genuinely disappointed. I was looking forward to getting rid of my SUV. I've had this car for less than 4 years and hhave been rear ended 4 times. 3 times this year alone. I swear, this car is cursed. Someone has put a hex upon it. I was looking forward to getting something a bit smaller and more fuel economical.... and most importantly, something that is not foredoomed.
Soooo, I'm trying to look at the bright side of this. I'm trying to view it as more of a reprieve from the monthly car payments, that my insurance will remain at a lower rate for a little bit longer, that I'll hopefully be able to save some more money for a down payment and then maybe 6 months or so from now, I can trade in my SUV for something like the Toyota Matrix. In the meantime, I still have that pesky transmission issue to deal with. I have yet to find out if it is the transmission or some sort of sensor or something else.

Update....

I took my car in to the body shop last week. The owner of the shop said that it is most likely going to be totaled.
of ocurse, I haven't heard the final word from my insurance yet. I haven't even been able to talk to my adjustor at this time.
I called the claim in to my insurance last Friday, the day the accident occurred, and my assigned adjustor called me on Monday. We've been playing phone tag ever since.
Hopefully we'll be able to connect on Monday and I'll know whether or not I need to start car shopping more aggressively.
I've been looking at the website of a dealership where a family friend works, and so far I'm thinking of either a Toyota Camry or a Toyota Matrix. Either one would be much much much more economical on fuel. Just from my rough estimates the amount of money I would save on gas would make at least 1/3 of the new car payment.

I've been working on some items to place for sale on etsy. I'm hoping to have photos uploaded and the items available by the end of the week. I'll let you all know once everything is up and running.

An eventful weekend

As I said in my previous post, I was rear ended again on Friday while on my lunch break. To make it even better, it appears as though the driver who hit me is uninsured, at the very least he didn't have proof of insurance on me at the time of the accident.
I left work a little early Friday afternoon so that I could go to my doctors because I think I hit my arm against the armrest because my right hand and forearm were numb and tingly all the way up to my elbow for most of the day Friday. I'll know more about my doctors diagnosis Monday afternoon when I go in for my follow up appointment. Also, ever since the accident I have been EXHAUSTED despite getting more than enough sleep.
Monday I also have to take my car in to the auto body shop and pick up my rental car. I'm thinking my car will be totaled out this time. After I got back to lunch Friday, a coworker went outside and looked at the underneath of my car. He said that it appears as though part of the frame is dented and with where stuff is crunched up theres a possibility that there could be a leak in my gas tank.
Heres some pics. I don't have a photoshop application to blur out my license plate. Please don't stalk me.


























Aside from my bad karma (haha!) I did have a great weekend.
My friends Shauna and Jesse were in town from Salt Lake City for the weekend. Shaunas birthday was last month, and I can now finally reveal the Top Secret Project. Because Shauna lives in a cold climate, and loves scarves, I made her the Short Row Rib scarf. I think she likes it:












Since Shauna and Jesse were in town only for the weekend we didn't get to spend a lot of time together. We had dinner Friday and on Saturday we went up to Placerville for lunch and walked around the downtown area for a while.
Saturday night I joined my mom and dad at my brothers football game.













and now, I'm just being lazy. Considering I have to take my car in to the body shop tomorrow afternoon, I SHOULD be cleaning it out. Especially since theres a very high probability that it will be totaled out and I won't be getting it back.

MOTHER EFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!

I was just rearended AGAIN!
The damage to my car is considerably worse this time.
I'm trying to get an appointment with my doctor for this afternoon and will need to figure out a time to get my car in to the shop to find out exactly how bad the damage is.

The Best Marketing Possible.

I've always been a "crafty" person.
In high school I would skip my science and gym classes to hang out in my ceramics classroom where I could sculpt a wall-hanging or throw a pot on the wheel. My ceramics teacher, bless her soul, didn't mind. Her theory was that if I was going to cut class I was going to do it regardless of where I went and she would rather see me making a pot than smoking it.
Since high school I haven't had access to a potters wheel or kiln, so my hobbies have changed.
Now, I occaisionally enjoy photography, once every few years I'll take a brush to canvas and attempt to paint something thats not hideous, I knit and crochet practically daily, and I do still make beaded jewelry from time to time.
Before I learned to knit last year, I would make beaded items regularyl. Most often, gifts for my cousin Erin. Being that she has extreme metal allergies and turns into a walking hive if anything is less than 24k gold, it would be of great cost to her to try to have any kind of jewelry collection. But, she still loves to wear necklaces. For several years now, its been standard for me to make her at least 2 or 3 beaded necklaces for her birthday gifts.
It pleases me to see that she wears these necklaces practically daily.
What pleases me even more is when she tells me that people compliment her on them frequently as well. Even when she was attending UC Hastings, which is primarily populated by trust fund kids who go to Greece on shopping trips. I wish I were kidding on that last bit. That statement is based upon an actual conversation I overheard in the elevator of the building she lived in in San Francisco.
Friday night Erin and her husband, Jeremy, joined me at the pub. She was wearing a necklace I had made her for her birthday this year - copper colored freshwater pearls with amber swarovski crystals. Once there, she received a compliment or two on the necklace, and in response she told everyone that I had made it for her.
Turns out that one of the other regular patrons has a daughter who will be going to Europe on an exchange program in January and it is customary for exchange students to trade gifts with their host friends and families. He commisioned me to make at least 10 necklaces for him to give to his daughter to take with her as exchange gifts.
Hearing that I was taking commisions, a couple of other patrons requested necklaces.
I believe that I will be busy with beads and wire for the next couple of weeks, thanks to Erin wearing my necklace. The best marketing possible.
All of this ties in with my recent decision to open a shop on Etsy.com .
i don't have any items listed yet, but as soon as I do I will be posting a link in the sidebar.