Slowly going insane...

So, turns out the little satchel I'm making was supposed to be for tomorrow, not next Saturday. Could've sworn the kiddo's birthday wasn't until next week, or I wouldn't have said I'd have the bag done in time. Not that it's going slowly, but since I work all weekend, I don't think it'll be done until Tuesday at the earliest. Here's a few in-progress photos:







As for the insanity, while sewing tonight, I found myself meowing the theme to Bonanza... I really need to fix my iPod.

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Now playing: They Might Be Giants - Birdhouse in Your Soul
via FoxyTunes

I haven't had nearly enough to drink today...

I'm still so worked up over my car that I can tell I'm not getting to sleep anytime soon.

I was out shopping earlier, and in the 15 minutes or so I was in the store, some asshole whacked the side of my poor little pumpkinmobile with his truck door. Then he came out while I was still on the phone to the insurance company, got all belligerent when my mom went to talk to him, and drove off.

And I even got a photo on my cellphone of how nicely his door matched up with the dent.

To give you an idea of just how bad this is, when the nice police officer (God, I love my local police - they're always so nice) showed up, he looked at the side of my car and went 'Jeez, what did he hit that with?' We're not just talking scratched paint, I've got a ****ing FOLD in my rear passenger-side door. I mean, it could be worse, the door still works and the glass didn't get cracked or anything, but still - and the man was just such an ass.

Anyway, the officer said that if no one actually saw the guy hit the car, there wasn't much they could do, so tomorrow I'll be calling the corporate office of the grocery store next door to the lot where my car was parked and see if their cameras extend over that far. If nothing else, I've gotten a paper trail started with the police, so it's one less thing my insurance company can raise as an objection to paying out to get my car fixed.

*deep breath*

Okay, so the reason I was at the store in the first place was shopping for supplies for an adorable satchel my mom's commisioned for a friend's little girl (which as an aside back to the car, means mom felt guilty about being the reason I was there, so she said she'll cover the deductable). This bag is going to be so incredibly cute - she starts preschool this year, so I'm making it kid-sized, but big enough for her to carry stuff like a couple of coloring books and crayons and whatever the heck else a kid takes to preschool. Also, I got a few supplies I needed for some plushies I'm planning on putting up on etsy soon.

Now for some fortified hot tea and a little mindless websurfing to calm down enough to sleep at some point tonight.

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Now playing: Alice Cooper - Steven
via FoxyTunes

Yarn Review: Himalaya Recycled Sari Silk

I'm liking this yarn, but not loving it. I think the finished piece is going to turn out fairly impressive, but the actual process of working with it has been a bit wearing. For some reason, the concept of knitting with television static comes to mind. A certain amount of slubs, knots, etc. were to be expected as the nature of the beast, being recycled and handspun, but the bits of straw I keep picking out of the yarn have been slightly offputting. Also, I was really not prepared for the amount of shed/fuzz that's being produced.

Overall, I think I'd work with it again for something special, but it's not something I'd use for just anything. Final judgment will be reserved for seeing how the finished hat washes - I have to admit to a few qualms concerning the colorfastness, but it's not like it's coming off on my hands or needles like some yarns I've used.

Let there be light - please!

Odd phenomenon lately - seems like everywhere I go, light bulbs burn out in my wake. We've got three out at work, five at home, and the streetlight on the corner goes out every time I go past it. It seems odd that so many light bulbs that were all last changed at different times would all go out at the same time.

I got a pack of bulbs on my way home last night, but I'm thinking that perhaps certain rooms would benefit from fancier bulbs. I wish I had my craft area a little better defined, so I'd know where to spring for the full-spectrum/true-color bulbs.

Also, it's snowing again.

Failure to Prepare

So during my lunch, I went to the pastry shop down the way to get my usual Italian soda. They were of course busy, and when the girl got me my soda, she apologized for the wait because, and I quote 'we just weren't prepared for this'.

We're talking about a pastry and chocolate shop here. And they weren't expecting a big rush on Valentine's Day? Of course, these are the same people who regularly run out of quiche (their main lunch menu item). If we just had the money, Tiwaz could totally blow them out of the water. Ooh, the dessert tonight...it pays, marrying a pastry chef!

In actual, to the point, crafting news, I'm very excited - I've actually gotten a list together of art fairs coming up, and I swear, this year I will actually make the deadlines for submission. I'm terrible about forgetting about fairs and gallery shows until a few weeks before they open, well after the submission deadlines. And as a happy coincidence, my favorite art-supply store is having a massive sale this month. I mean *massive* - buy one get three free canvases and 30% off my favored brand of paint.

I don't even care if I sell any of my work, it's just the thought of having some of my pieces in a real honest-to-God non-student show.

eBay has its uses...

Funny the things that suddenly bother you in the middle of the night.

I recently traded in my Stratocaster for an acoustic, and for some reason about an hour ago it started nagging at the back of my mind that I really had no idea if I'd gotten a good deal on the trade or not. So, I nipped over to eBay and looked up my model - turns out I got a fairly good deal for it (it was a modern Mexican), and they threw in a hard case for the acoustic.

I've always had good luck with that music store in the past, don't know why that was bothering me, other than I've managed to take care of most of the other stuff I was worrying about and needed something new to keep the list full.


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Now playing: DeVotchKa - Miette
via FoxyTunes

Delays

So frustrating - I got the stuff for my swap package done, but I won't be able to mail it until Monday. It's all just sitting there tormenting me. I almost want to post a few teaser pics on Craftster, but since my swap partner's one of the organizers, I don't want to taunt her too much.

Oh well, gives me a chance to get some decent pictures before I send for once - might even get creative and make a small extra just to pass the time.

Or, you know, I suppose I could send Tiwaz out to mail it for me - but the weather's gotten nasty enough, we're really trying to not venture out any more than we have to. Maybe if it's cleared up by Friday...

Changing my policy?

My original policy on Ravelry was that I wouldn't post any projects that were finished before I joined, and I wouldn't post anything that was going to be for etsy. I'm starting to reconsider that second part of the policy, though. It seems like at the moment, about two thirds of my projects are being made with the hope of selling them, and while I certainly wouldn't post every single individual item that I'm making on there, I am giving consideration to posting the prototypes for the patterns that I plan to sell on etsy.

I'm just not sure if I'm comfortable with the minor self-promotion involved. Maybe I should just stick with the free patterns, and hope that people will follow the links on here to buy the other patterns.

Maybe I should look up some designers on Ravelry and see what they've done with works/listings