Wishcasting Wednesday

Today Jamie asks us What do we wish to share?

I wish to share my knitting and crocheting with the world. I think I have a gift of being able to make warm fuzzy scarves, hats, mittens and maybe a blanket or two. With the cold months fast approaching I keep thinking about those in need of warmth. I wish to share warmth to those in need. To use my gift of being able to make beautiful and warm winter pieces out of string that I have inherited over the years. I am sure that the ladies that I have gotten the yarn from would want nothing more then to know that all the money that they had spent on getting their yarn was being used to warm the homeless and those who cannot afford to buy from a store a simple hat or mittens to stay warm during the winter. I have a big old bag of yarn that is just sitting around my room, it needs to be put to good use.

I WILL make winter apparel to be given away to those who need it. I just need to find an origination that gives items away and doesn't charge people for them that I can send them to when I have a good supply completed.

If anyone has any suggestions that would be very helpful in this endeavor. I hope that this wishcasting will reach someone who feels the same and might even do the same or has done the same.

What I've learned

Being out of school has taught me a few things.

1) Weekends/days off are a luxury.

These days are not to be taken for granted. In the real world your boss doesn't care that you aren't feeling well, or that you don't feel like working. They are there to run a business and if you aren't feeling up to working then you can be replaced.

2) Just because I don't have anything to do for the day doesn't mean I want to work.

See number 1. These are the days that I recharge and get done things that I wasn't able to do on days when I work.

• Laundry
• clean my room
• finish my projects

3) Cooking for people is very rewarding.

I enjoy cooking for people to eat a meal with me. Living on my own was fun but I wasn't able to cook for anyone but myself.

4)People drive safely around school zones, no where else.

There could be gusts of wind knocking down traffic lights and the guy next to you will still drive 70+ while eating and talking on the phone. But make the same weather conditions and this guy will stop what he is doing and look for children.

5)Bills are not fun. Maybe Bill the man is fun but not paying them.

They come out from no where and don't really make that much sense.

It's almost finished

My Milkweed project piece is almost

finally finished. I finished my two rows of "shells" and I've started to add buttons to it. I am planning on adding a few more then what I have just so that way it is more evenly covered with buttons then it is now. I think that the

buttons add some more originality to it, making the piece appear to be harder to make then it actually was. Pretty much I was and still am nervous that my piece won't be able to hold it's own against some of the other pieces that have already been sent in.

It was a lot of fun making this piece. I hope to come across more of these type of art projects that call for different knitters/crocheters/ fiber workers to contribute some of their work to the overall goal of the artist.

Cat story #2

Today I shall post about my cat, Kara.

Kara was found in Young Auditorium during the early summer season of dance recitals. twice she was able to make it into the building, the first juts in the front lobby and the second time it was onto the stage. She is one smart cookie. My boss at the auditorium then took her home with him and then gave her to one of his friends. Kara then peed on two different couches and needed to find a new home.

The following year I told my boss that I wanted to get a kitten. He had then convinced me that I needed to get a cat and he knew just who to get it from too. He then called his friend and she was more then happy to give her to me. Since she had to replace two couches. I had became the new owner of Kara.

Kara has started living with my parents. The first summer that she stayed with them, they got her a hair cut. She now gets hair cuts at least once a year. She just got one today and it is going to start getting cold. So my mother and I got her two Halloween outfits. She is not to happy with me at this moment. Eventually she will forget what I have done and love me again.

I got that Yucky feeling...

Today started out like any day when I have to be at work by 8:30am. It was me moving slow and eventually getting to work. The only difference between today and any other morning shift was that I woke up sick and ready to go back into bed. I made it through the day of work. With sticky hands from all of the hand sanitizer I used and a chapped nose. I am now in bed and it is 7:13 and I'm ready for bed. My joints in my body as all tired and my head feels disconnected.

Today while I was at work I sent my boyfriend a message saying that I felt like hell and was very tired. He then sent me some flowers. To Work! It was very nice of him and everyone who saw them were jealous of them. One of my co-workers said that I have the sweetest boyfriend ever.

It's Growing

This is what my Milkweed project piece has turned into. It has grown a lot compared to the last time that I have posted on it. It is almost as long as I am tall (five nine/ten). Once I am done with the row that I am currently on I am going to attach different buttons that are different shades of white. There are some white, clear, light brown/off white. I think I am going to attach them in long loops of different lengths. That way I am add more depth to it.

I am worried that I will not get it done in time to be added to the milkweed pod. I have been

looking at the different completed projects on the artist's blog and there are some very impressive entries. I hope that mine is not too simple looking. There is one entry that was completed by a knitter in New York that does pieces for Broadway productions. And that piece is awesome looking. It is very intimidating reading the bios of all these great knitters and crocheters.

I just hope that my work will measure up to their works.

Cat story #1

This was the cat that I wrangled last winter.

I was able to catch her with lunch meat and cat food. It was a fun time. I found her the first time when I opened the door and saw her run. I then got whatever I could grab quickly enough that a cat would like to eat, lunchmeat. I threw it out for her and she grabbed it and ran away to

eat her "kill". I then ran inside and got a scoop of Kara's cat food for the stray. Once I got her into the house with food she was very angry about being trapped. She then hid under the couch for a day and gained the name Kitty.

Things that I've found

I have found out...

that by wishing that time would stretch, yesterday, that it did in fact do that. Too bad it was while I was at work trying to close my section of the store. I ended up getting out of there at 9:45 when the store closes at 9:00.

that one can find a pattern for just about everything, except a chicken toaster cozy. I really hope that by creating this it won't become the bane of my existence. How could something that cool not already be created somewhere in the world?

While I was looking for the chicken I came across a website that offers free patterns for just about everything that one would want to crochet. I am now working on a little owl that is titled The Cutes Little Owl.

I am using this owl as a practice piece for when I make a cat for my older sister. She made a remark the last time that she at at home that I make everything for my boyfriend and his family and nothing for my own. Something to that effect. I just need to go and buy some eyeballs and a hook for the piece for my sister then I think I'll be all set to get to work.

I have found that sleeping with the dogs really isn't as bad as I thought it would be. They don't lick me like Kara, my cat, does. They just don't let me have all the covers or all of the bed.

It is much harder to saw no to someone on the phone at work then at home. Especially if it is about working for someone. I got rid of my hours on Friday so that way I can actually get some stuff done around the house and tell my father something that I have waited all week to do. This week I have been at work when he is at home and awake. By picking up these hours I will now have 37 and some min. hours this week. Gross. Next week will be a little less with maybe 30 hours. Good thing this week is going by pretty fast.

Wishcasting Wednesday

Today is another Wishcasting Wednesday, and Jamie asks us to think about

what we wish to stretch.

Often I have found myself thinking it would be great to have just another day to spend with that certain someone that I've been visiting. Or another few hours to spend just sitting around the house crafting or cooking before work.

I guess what I am saying is that I wish to be able to stretch time.

I would like to be able to make time with loved ones last longer and time doing unenjoyable things go faster. I have always enjoyed being able to leave the hustle and bustle of work and run off for mini weekend vacations, either actually leaving or taking mental breaks. If I were able to actually make this time last longer then it actually is would be pretty much the best thing that I could stretch.

Milkweed Project

I have just become a participant in the Stitches and Sticks Milkweed Project. I just started my entry for the project. I am going to do a piece that looks like fish scales or fans. With what I am doing it isn't going to be a flat piece. It is curling around itself as of now.

This is what my piece looks like now.

I only have three rows done or it and the piece, from what I've read on another blog that needs to be at least three feet long but on the homesite it can be as long as I want it to be. I think I'm going to try to use up my ball of yarn that I am using. I am going to be collaborating with artist Shan Bryan-Hanson.

I hope to have it done in time so that way it can be added into the Milkweed before it is too late. Except to see more pictures as my project grows.

Wishcasting Wednesday

Today Jamie asks us

What do you wish to learn?

I've thought about this question all day today and all that I can think of that I want to learn is to...

• budget my time better
• budget my money so it will last longer then two weeks
• purl, once I can do that knitting patterns will be easy for me to do.
• build an amazing resume that way I will land that dream job that everyone is trying to get.

By learning to do these things I feel that I will become a better person that will have time to spare and money to do fun things with. I will have some amazing knitted projects to do. All while working at a great job that is fun, exciting, challenging, helpful to society, and not too stressful.

The Battle is on!

Bridget

vs

Lemon Meringue Pie

Yesterday I was asked jokingly? by my father to make a lemon meringue pie sine I have the day off. It has been a few years since I tried to make that beast. What happened the last time I made it the filling didn't become a solid. So we had Lemon Meringue soup pie.

I decided to take on the challenge. I was armed with a foodnetwork recipe by Alton Brown, any recipe by him is easy to follow and tasty.I read it over and found it to be fairly simple. I just needed to buy a pie crust. I wasn't going to go all Suzy Homemaker today.

I first separated the eggs then moved onto the water and corn starch. That was when the pie struck its first attack back. The pot holding the water and corn starch fell to the floor.

Was that the end of the battle?

No I fought back by dumping out what didn't end up on the floor and re-measured the water and cornstarch then added the needed amount of sugar to the pot. Then started the long mixing process. Stirring for what seemed like hours until the mixture became a semi solid. Once that happened I added around half of it to my egg yokes.

When I got to this step I realized that my crust wasn't ready for the filling. I needed to quickly bake the crust and have it ready by the time the filling was set. This was the pie's retaliation against my determination to win the fight.

Would I give up now?

I quickly unrolled the crust and formed it to the pie pan and poked holes in it with my fork. While it cooked I read on with the recipe and found out that I also forgot to make the meringue for the topping! That's two blows against me! Since I was done with the filling I needed to think fast. I placed the filling onto of the burner that has the over vent that way it would stay warm while the meringue was being made. I was very pleased to find that it only took a few minutes to complete.

I decided that the crust didn't need to bake all the way through since it was going to bake with the rest of the pie latter on. I took it out 4 minutes early and poured in the filling and scooped on the meringue. I was winning!

Once I got the meringue on and looking how I wanted it to, I popped it into the oven and started clean up. After 11 minutes in the over it came out looking perfect.

All that is left now it to let it cool and serve it up for dessert tonight! I won't know it have actually won the battle until then. As of right now I have won.

New Projects!

Today I was a busy little crocheter. I completed a scarf that I started last night around this time. I started and completed a hat and I made a few flowers.

Here is the scarf that I made using my own pattern. I did ten triple stitches across. I made it long enough to wrap around my neck and be tied in the front.

When I got it to the length that I wanted it I chained six and single stitched into the triple. I

repeated this until I got to the end. Then I did six double stitches in each of the loops with a single stitch where each loop connected with the body of the scarf. It was a fun way to use up some yarn.

This is the hat that I made today. The author of the pattern stated at the bottom of it that she has copyrights to it and that since I am publishing this picture on the internet as my "own

creation" I need to have a link to her pattern.

I think that I did something wrong with it because I don't know of anyone who would fit into

this hat. So I am giving it to my little ebay expert to sell. Hopefully so

meone will purchase it and wear it.

These are the two of the three flowers that I made. The third one I added to the hat. I am going to make a few more of these for the scarf I think, or I could put them on my hat that I made for myself?

Either way I need to now finish the projects that I have been doing for a while now. The red and white glittens and my other hat.

It has been a few days since I have worked on this project. I think tomorrow will be the day that I finish this glitten and start working on the other hand. Hopefully I can make the same errors in the second one so that way it is the same size. I have no idea what I did to make it so big in

the hand .

This is what I have done with my hat. I am at the point where I am slowly taking away stitches to curve out the top of it. But when I count the number of stitches I have the same number as before I took anyway. I put the hat on and it looks like it is going in. I hope that I am just counting wrong with it.

Once I am done with my glitten in progress I will get back to this hat. Until then this hat is going to be the "bane of my existence."

What the?

This post is going to go all over the place. just to warn you.

I just don't understand some people's buying habits. I've been at Younkers working a lot more then what I would like to admit. Last week when we had our earn and burn sale going on we had butt loads of people shopping and buying. But this weekend when we are having our Labor Day sale we are no where near as busy with just a few costumers buying off the yellow dot racks. 80% off the markdown price. With the current sale that is going on where all denim is on sale an associate would think that more jeans would be selling then anything else. From what I saw yesterday I was selling just a lot of our heavily discounted items.

I've decided to start giving the postal service some business. I'm starting to write letters/postcards to different people.

I have finished my hat and my mittens/glittens. I still have to finish them off but the hat is fully completed. I have moved on to another hat and the glittens for my boyfriend's mother. I have

about half of one of the glittens completed and somehow it has become the size I would need for my hands. So they are too big for her. I don't think that she would mind. She was very happy to find out that I was making glittens instead of mittens.

If I get them done by the end of the month I think I'll mail both the hat and the glittens down to them. That way they can have them before it starts getting too cold outside. All that I have left to do with this one that is pictured is the remaining three fingers and the mitten flap. I think that I am going to attach buttons to the cuff that way the wearer and secure the flap down and have full use of their fingers. I'm going to need to go button shopping!

I've realized that on my days off I've become the stereotypical 1950's housewife. too bad I live at my parents. All that I do when I am not working is either knit or crochet and cook. I also clean the house a little bit. All that I am missing is wearing a dress and heels while I do this. Maybe I just found my halloween costume?

Wishcasting Wednesday

It's been a few months since I've done this.

Today Jamie asks us What do you wish to begin?

I wish to begin projects that I will finish, not just with my knitting and crocheting but with raising money to get myself out of debt enough that I can move out of my parents house and live on my own again. That is a major project that I have been working on for the past few years. I have realized that driving across the state of Wisconsin is not that much fun or that safe just to see the people that I miss.

see yesterdays post for more on that.

Driving story of DOOM #1

Earlier this week I was down in Watertown. On my way down there I started having what I thought was a minor car issue. My mud flap was rubbing against my back driver side tire of my car. Once I got to where I was going I put the flap back in place. It then didn't give me any troubles until I started my trip back to Chippewa Falls. My mud flap was up and to the side again and rubbing against something. It was causing my car to shake at 50 mph and be very noisy compared to usual. Normally when I go 70 it starts to shake somewhat. I really didn't think anything about it. I called my boyfriend and asked him what he thought it might be. I called home and told my mother about it. My older sister called me and I told her about it and she said that it might be that the car is too old. I drive a '96 Oldsmobile. It wasn't until I got a little North of Black River Falls that I pulled over to check it out. To my surprise, I was losing chunks of my tire. My Tire was slowly going to explode. Pieces of my tire was breaking off and spread the length of the interstate from Madison to Black River Falls. I knew that I needed to get home fast or stay where I was and change the tire. I tried to go to the next turn off at the very least, but only went a few feet before my car started shaking. So I was stuck on the interstate a few feet away from mile marker 113. I called my mother again to have her call my father but she didn't pick up the phone. I then called my father's cell phone to see if he would pick up. I told him that I needed help and I was stuck on the interstate. He then started leaving work. I called my work to let them know that I was going to be late and was stuck on the interstate. work was at 4pm I would have had 30 minutes of leeway. I then started clearing out my trunk to get my spare out. I then noticed that there was a piece of my tire in my trunk along with pieces of my car that the tire was taking off. Once I got back into my car I saw that a state trooper showed up to see what was wrong. He was very nice and offered to change my tire. I then called my parents to tell them that a trooper was going to change my tire and to turn back. Turns out they didn't even leave yet. He changed my tire and offered to put air in it. I then followed him to Hixton and got a little less air then what it recommended. He said that it would get me to Eau Claire and then to Chippewa just fine. With that I was then back on the road going 50 mph. Good thing my car is an old person's car that way people don't expect it to go the speed limit anyways. I made it to work and punched in 15 minutes late.