Because i prolly am kinda crazy

As i've declared this weekend -FINISH UP weekend (notice the all caps on that), I've decided that i need to get something off the needles and done cause A. - i want to knit me a sweater/hoodie, and some gloves and would feel bad doing that before i finish some promised projects B. A few of them are due either soon or should have been done by now. and C. Make room for more yarn!!!! Not to mention, I've joined a Helping hands for homeless animals group over at the myspace, and would like to be able to knit for the homeless fuzzy animals.

So what do i do? i find another swap and join it! Luckily, there's no knitting required but that doesn't mean that i won't end up with some sort of crazy idea to knit up a house cozy - ya know -just cause.

So, as a start for this swap, here's the questionnaire for the Winter Wonderland Coffee Swap
Coffee
*What are your favorite kinds of coffee? (Brands, Roasts, anything at all you'd like to share!)
I don't have Brands that i prefer really. I don't like Starbucks Coffee if i can avoid it. And cause i grew up in Little Italy, i prefer espresso to coffee, most days

*Do you prefer whole bean or ground coffee?
Ground, only cause i don't have my own grounder!

*This time of year, there are often Holiday Blends available, and many flavored coffees - do you drink flavored coffee? Do you enjoy special blends?
I'm up for a flavored coffee. I don't have a favor in mind though.

*How do you take your coffee? Cream and Sugar? Straight up? Decaf?
Decaf defeats the point of coffee! Cream and sugar for coffee, and i tend to make hot chocolate for my espresso

*Do you prefer drinking from a nice thick mug, or a matched cup and saucer?
I love mugs. like A LOT!!!! the bigger, the better!

Winter and Holidays - PLEASE be descriptive! Your pal will need this information to be sure to put together a package you will enjoy!

*What is your favorite part of Winter?
Snow, snowman, and cookies!!!!

*Do you celebrate a holiday in December, and if so, which holiday?
I do the whole Christmas thing, but i tend to decorate for more of a winter feel - lots of snowman, snow globes, snow flakes. Very non-religious (though i do have an angel that i put on my tree and love dearly) i can't say no to a fat, jolly Santa. And lights!!!! Lots and lots of lights!!!!

*If you celebrate Christmas, do you put up a tree?
Yep.

*Would you enjoy items related to the holiday, or would you prefer a Winter themed package?
Either or. Like i said, non-religious is good, but i do appreciate an nice angel here and there.

*Do you collect anything?
Yarn. and knitting books these days :P

*Are there any holiday or winter-themed items (Snowmen, Angels, Snowflakes, Santas, etc) that you collect?
I don't really "collect" anything. but i do like all the things listed above.

*Do you wear scarves? Mittens? Hats?
scarves and mittens more than hats.

*What is your favorite holiday or winter treat?
getting to wear scarves and mittens and playing in the snow!!! Putting up lights. Looking at other peoples' lights in/on their homes.

*Please share a favorite Winter or Holiday memory.
Staying up all night with the BF, putting decorations on our first Christmas tree and being happy that my house smelled like Christmas, cause he went out of his way to make sure i had a real tree.

Yarn and Crafting
Do you Knit or Crochet? For how long?
i do both, avidly, for the last two years

Do you like wooden, metal, or plastic needles\hooks? Circular or straight?
i love hand me down metal needles best, and am getting to like some bamboo needles for sock knitting. I don't have a preference for either straight or circular - i can knit with anything!

What sort of projects do you enjoy making?
Socks, today. I just look at patterns and make what i think that either i will like, or someone i know would like.

What are your favorite types of yarn to work with?
i'm still playing in the world of fibers, so i haven't used much other then wool and some alpaca

Do you spin or dye?
still learning to

Do you do other crafts such as scrapbooking or needlepoint or anything else?
hahahahahahahahahahahaha. i hardly have time to work 9-5 and keep house. all spare time is spent on the knitting. BF hates me for it :P

General
When is your birthday?
11/25

Do you have any children? (Furry kind count!)
2 kitties (Lunchbox and Emma), a froggy (Monkey) and a gold fish

What are your favorite colors?
these days? Blues, purple, Chocolate brown, deep, rich reds

Do you have any allergies?
only to answering too many questions :P

Where to start...

Well, i've added a few more things to the "On the needles list" in the past few days and haven't finished a project, so the knitting is starting to out number me and may soon consume my house. I did a really nifty job of sorting and storing my yarn a week or so ago, so i might still have a fighting chance and may not end up drowning in yarn. Maybe.

Here's the list so far

*Carter's baby blanket - My boss, Alec, just had his first son Carter. Carter was due to arrive on the 25th, so i had planned on having the blanket done by then. I'm working on making a blue and off-white blanket with stars done in relief. I would like four rows total. I have one blue row done and just started the white one a few days ago.

*Brooke's mittens - I *finally* got around to figuring out this pattern. these are convertible mittens worked flat. For the under mitten, i decided to work this fingerless gloves in the row instead, with k1, p1 ribbing at top and bottom. I used my hand as a model, but i'm hoping brooke will come visit tomorrow and try it on. It only took a few hours to knit this glove, so if it is too small, i will frog and redo. in the mean time, i'm following the pattern for the over mitten, and have stared the Left one, and am about halfway thru that already.

*Rachel's Blankie - a work in progress, as always. I will finish this once i get Carter's blanket done

*Paul's Wolf Sweater - I've gotten a sleeve done on this, and haven't even casted on for the second one yet. I've really been working on Carter 's blanket

*Harvest Sock Swap - Just stared this sock sometime last week. It's got some YOs in it. i've lost a stitch here and there and need to sit down and frog a few rows, but i' scared cause i haven't done that with YOs. Wish me luck.

*Cathy's tote - just started this last night. Already frogged totally once, and need to rip back a few rows when i get home. *sigh*

So that makes for 6 WIP. not too bad i guess.

Blogging, blogging, blogging ...

Being the nerd that I am, i decided to get a "Grown up" blog, and start a blog outside of myspace. Of course, I also signed up for Raverly today, and by the time i get invited to that, I'll prolly stop posting here. I'm a flake like that. In the mean time, I'll do my best to make this spot kinda cool and keep you up to date on all my knitty adventures.