Good evening everyone. Thank you so much for all the lovely comments about Oy. I have shared them with him, and he is humbled by the outpouring of cuteness remarks. He is not conceited at all. Hahaha...
I did a random number generator, and Bea of Baa Baa Blacksheep is the winner of the hedgie themed gift pack. I hope you enjoy the package Bea, and I hope that you will let us all know when you make a hedgie of your own. It was a pleasure reading all of the comments over the last few days, and meeting some lovely new bloggers. I have visited each of your blogs, and I look forward to reading them more in the future.
Oy has really bonded quite well with me and my husband. He is hardly raising a quill at all, and we have discovered that his absolute favorite treat is Gerber Graduates bananas. He goes nuts for them. If you say "wanna banana treat" to him he stops whatever he is doing. He only gets two maximum per day. I don't want a chubby hedgie.
I am sorry this is a pictureless post. I have lost my battery charger for my camera, and I have spent the last four days tearing the house apart looking for it. I don't know what I am going to do. I do not want to buy a replacement charger from Canon, but if I don't find it soon I will have to. I have a tendency to loosing chargers and keys. It is a running joke (along with many others) in this house.
I am working on a few knitting projects right now, and I will use my husbands camera to take some pictures this week to share. Until then happy knitting!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Our new hedgie and a contest!
That's right everyone, the hedgie has arrived. My husband and I picked him up on Saturday in North Port Florida. That is about 4 hours away from our home, so it was truly a day trip. We arrived at the breeder's home around 1:30pm, and she opened the door with our new little baby in her hands. We immediately went inside and she handed him over to me. Now, I will be honest with you here...I don't think I listened to anything else once I had him in my hands. I was just so focused on him. I fell in love instantly. Thank goodness my husband took everything in.
The breeder, Shelly, was so sweet. She answered all of our questions, made sure that we understood everything, and she even introduced us to her other hedgehogs. She has about 15! They were so cute, and we even got to see the brand new babies that just arrived. Shelly made sure that we knew that hedgehogs need about a week to adjust to their new families. During that adjustment period they will be standoffish and shy. We were there about 30 minutes, and then we were on our way home.
We decided to name our little guy Oy. We have been debating names for a couple of weeks now, and we chose Oy as an homage to one of our favorite novel characters. So no, his name is not Oy as in Oy Vey. :) Although my friends like to tease me about that. We have been spending at least an hour a day with him since Saturday to help him get used to us and the noises in our house like dogs barking and our neighbors "music". He is doing well so far, but he has raised his quills a lot. Yes they hurt. But only if he is really frightened. He really is just trying to make us leave him alone when he does it. Shelly assured me that this is only temporary. When he is playing or snuggling in his blanket with me on the couch he is soft to the touch.
Ok, I know you are all just dying for pictures, but let me warn you first. He is CONSTANTLY in motion. He is so playful, and he is darn near impossible to photograph. But I do have a few really cute blurry photos to share.
Here he is with my husband. They are doing great together. Animals are naturally drawn to him.
Most hedgehogs love to play with toilet paper tubes. I don't know why, but man they go berserk! Oy played with this one for at least 30 minutes. He rolled it around, stuck his head in it, and chased it.
Everyone asks me, "why do you want a hedgehog?". It's the same reason some people buy a puppy, or a cat. A hedgie is a great pet. I grew up on a farm, and I honestly miss being around so many different types of animals. Plus hedgies are so cute, they are low maintenance, they are playful and smart. If you want to read more about them you can read the Wiki or go to Hedgehog Central. Oy is absolutely adorable, and we love him dearly. I will continue to share photos (hopefully some decent ones).
Now for the contest. I have put together a fantastic hedgehog themed prize. The winner will receive the Fiber Trends Huggable Hedgehog pattern, the yarn needed to make one hedgie, and child proof eyes. Just leave a comment between now and Sunday night to enter your name. Monday morning I will use a random number generator to pick the winner. Make sure you come by on Monday to see if you have won.
The breeder, Shelly, was so sweet. She answered all of our questions, made sure that we understood everything, and she even introduced us to her other hedgehogs. She has about 15! They were so cute, and we even got to see the brand new babies that just arrived. Shelly made sure that we knew that hedgehogs need about a week to adjust to their new families. During that adjustment period they will be standoffish and shy. We were there about 30 minutes, and then we were on our way home.
We decided to name our little guy Oy. We have been debating names for a couple of weeks now, and we chose Oy as an homage to one of our favorite novel characters. So no, his name is not Oy as in Oy Vey. :) Although my friends like to tease me about that. We have been spending at least an hour a day with him since Saturday to help him get used to us and the noises in our house like dogs barking and our neighbors "music". He is doing well so far, but he has raised his quills a lot. Yes they hurt. But only if he is really frightened. He really is just trying to make us leave him alone when he does it. Shelly assured me that this is only temporary. When he is playing or snuggling in his blanket with me on the couch he is soft to the touch.
Ok, I know you are all just dying for pictures, but let me warn you first. He is CONSTANTLY in motion. He is so playful, and he is darn near impossible to photograph. But I do have a few really cute blurry photos to share.
Here he is with my husband. They are doing great together. Animals are naturally drawn to him.
Most hedgehogs love to play with toilet paper tubes. I don't know why, but man they go berserk! Oy played with this one for at least 30 minutes. He rolled it around, stuck his head in it, and chased it.Everyone asks me, "why do you want a hedgehog?". It's the same reason some people buy a puppy, or a cat. A hedgie is a great pet. I grew up on a farm, and I honestly miss being around so many different types of animals. Plus hedgies are so cute, they are low maintenance, they are playful and smart. If you want to read more about them you can read the Wiki or go to Hedgehog Central. Oy is absolutely adorable, and we love him dearly. I will continue to share photos (hopefully some decent ones).
Now for the contest. I have put together a fantastic hedgehog themed prize. The winner will receive the Fiber Trends Huggable Hedgehog pattern, the yarn needed to make one hedgie, and child proof eyes. Just leave a comment between now and Sunday night to enter your name. Monday morning I will use a random number generator to pick the winner. Make sure you come by on Monday to see if you have won.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Fun Friday
I have had a great Friday. First of all, this is the first Friday of my summer vacation. Whoohoo!! So it started out as a great day. My husband and I have finished the set up for the new hedgie home. His cage is decked out to the nines..he is going to be so spoiled. Just like our other pets. :) We also went to a movie today and had dinner together. I am going to knit a little tonight just to top it all off.
Another contributor to my fun Friday was this post by Staci. She was tagged for a meme, and I really enjoyed her "response". It is a mosaic theme meme where you answer questions through pictures. I was really intrigued by the idea so off to Flickr i went to build my own. I had a lot of fun putting it together, and it was a neat experience choosing which picture to use.
Here's how it works:
Type your answer to each of the questions into Flickr Search.
Pick an image from the first page of hits (don't cheat)
Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.
I am not tagging anyone specifically because I don't want to pressure anybody. But I hope you guys do this, it is so much fun. Leave me a comment if you make one so I can check it out.
Thanks so much Staci for such a fun activity. Here it is...
Hedgie update: We are picking up our baby tomorrow, so I should have some great pictures to share this weekend.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Well, I guess the hedgehog is out of the bag!
A few weeks ago I finally succeeded in convincing my husband that we needed a hedgehog. I have been trying to convince him for years. I guess I finally wore him down, and he grudgingly said yes. So I feverishly started to search for breeders in my area. I soon discovered that my "area" was going to mean my state! Hedgehog breeders are few and far between, and to top that off hedgie litters are quite small so I knew it was going to be a challenge to find an available baby. So I literally contacted every breeder in my state to be put on wait lists. I heard back from Beach Bum Hedgehogs fairly quick, and to my surprise they had an available baby from a very recent litter. I put down a deposit, and then started to prep for our new baby. When we first reserved him he was only a couple of weeks old. Here is a picture of him from just a week or so ago. He is the first baby pictured...it says "reserved for Shannon" next to his pic.
I was so focused on completing my Secret Pal survey that I really wasn't thinking. I have been planning a big reveal for when we bring him home, and I didn't realize that I had just outed myself with the questionnaire. Hahahaha...that is so like me.
I am so excited about getting the hedgie, and now my husband is pumped up as well. He even bought me a little hedgehog figurine this week for my desk. We are going to pick him up next weekend, and I promise lots of pictures once he comes home. I am even putting together a little contest for later in the week. So stay tuned, there is lots of hedgie fun to come.
I was so focused on completing my Secret Pal survey that I really wasn't thinking. I have been planning a big reveal for when we bring him home, and I didn't realize that I had just outed myself with the questionnaire. Hahahaha...that is so like me.
I am so excited about getting the hedgie, and now my husband is pumped up as well. He even bought me a little hedgehog figurine this week for my desk. We are going to pick him up next weekend, and I promise lots of pictures once he comes home. I am even putting together a little contest for later in the week. So stay tuned, there is lots of hedgie fun to come.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Secret Pal 12
I have decided to join Secret Pal 12 since I am off this summer, and I am super excited. I have met so many great people via my blog and swaps! Here is my questionnaire:
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love so many different yarns. I adore Dream in Color, Wollmeise, Jitterbug, Cascade 220, and Ella Rae Classic and Noro. I am especially fond of indie dyers, and I am open to trying new things. I haven't had the pleasure of trying any handspun, but I would love to.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Unfortunately, I have never splurged on a decent needle organizer. Right now they are all over the house. I really need to remedy this.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I purchased a "Learn to Knit" kit by Lion Brand and taught myself in January of 2007. I have taken a few specialty classes since then, and I consider myself to be an advanced knitter.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? no
5. What's your favorite scent? I have to be very careful with scents since I am prone to migraines. So I don't do scented candles or anything like that.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? My favorite candy is red licorice. But please don't send any...I am trying to eat healthier.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I learned to spin a couple of months ago, and I am absolutely in love with it. I also love to collage.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I do have devices that can play an MP3 CD. I am open to all kinds of music. I especially enjoy classical. I love to hear what others are listening to because there are so many different artists out there.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I love pink, green and orange. I do not particularly like black or yellow lately.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I do have pets. I have two mini dachshunds, 2 birds, and soon we will have a hedgehog.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Well I live in Florida so I don't NEED to wear these items. But I do. :)
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks!
13. What are you knitting right now? Right now I am working on a few bags, but I am planning on working on toys this summer. I really enjoy knitting whimsical patterns.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes of course. They are the best!
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer circular wood needles. I also adore wood straights, but they mostly just end up in my hair. :)
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I do.
17. How old is your oldest UFO? 1 year
18. What is your favorite holiday? Halloween
19. Is there anything that you collect? Teddy bears and turkey stuff of course. My husband would say that I collect bags too.
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I subscribe to Interweave Knits. I would love a subscription to Simply Knitting and/or Knit 1. A few books I would love to have include Socks Socks Socks, Scarf Style, Bag Style, Knitting on the Edge, Knit 2 Together, and any stitch dictionaries. I am also always on the hunt for larger size lantern moon straights. They are so beautiful, and I love to wear them as hair accessories.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I want to learn to knit socks toe up ( I love knitting socks but have never gotten around to this technique), and I really want to learn about designing patterns.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am an obsessed sock knitter! I wear a US size 9 1/2.
23. When is your birthday? September
24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Minerva Turkey
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love so many different yarns. I adore Dream in Color, Wollmeise, Jitterbug, Cascade 220, and Ella Rae Classic and Noro. I am especially fond of indie dyers, and I am open to trying new things. I haven't had the pleasure of trying any handspun, but I would love to.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Unfortunately, I have never splurged on a decent needle organizer. Right now they are all over the house. I really need to remedy this.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I purchased a "Learn to Knit" kit by Lion Brand and taught myself in January of 2007. I have taken a few specialty classes since then, and I consider myself to be an advanced knitter.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? no
5. What's your favorite scent? I have to be very careful with scents since I am prone to migraines. So I don't do scented candles or anything like that.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? My favorite candy is red licorice. But please don't send any...I am trying to eat healthier.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I learned to spin a couple of months ago, and I am absolutely in love with it. I also love to collage.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I do have devices that can play an MP3 CD. I am open to all kinds of music. I especially enjoy classical. I love to hear what others are listening to because there are so many different artists out there.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I love pink, green and orange. I do not particularly like black or yellow lately.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I do have pets. I have two mini dachshunds, 2 birds, and soon we will have a hedgehog.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Well I live in Florida so I don't NEED to wear these items. But I do. :)
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks!
13. What are you knitting right now? Right now I am working on a few bags, but I am planning on working on toys this summer. I really enjoy knitting whimsical patterns.
14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes of course. They are the best!
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer circular wood needles. I also adore wood straights, but they mostly just end up in my hair. :)
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I do.
17. How old is your oldest UFO? 1 year
18. What is your favorite holiday? Halloween
19. Is there anything that you collect? Teddy bears and turkey stuff of course. My husband would say that I collect bags too.
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I subscribe to Interweave Knits. I would love a subscription to Simply Knitting and/or Knit 1. A few books I would love to have include Socks Socks Socks, Scarf Style, Bag Style, Knitting on the Edge, Knit 2 Together, and any stitch dictionaries. I am also always on the hunt for larger size lantern moon straights. They are so beautiful, and I love to wear them as hair accessories.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I want to learn to knit socks toe up ( I love knitting socks but have never gotten around to this technique), and I really want to learn about designing patterns.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I am an obsessed sock knitter! I wear a US size 9 1/2.
23. When is your birthday? September
24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Minerva Turkey
Quinn in Progress
One of my many works in progress right now is the Quinn bag (ravelry link). I have been working on it off and on for about 2 weeks now. I hardly have any free time to knit right now, but I have worked on the bag whenever I get a chance. I really love the look of the finished bag, and that has motivated me to keep working on it even when I get home exhausted.
I must say I had a rocky start with this pattern. I had a hard time choosing the right yarn for the look I wanted. The pattern calls for worsted, and I knit almost half of the top band using a worsted yarn. With the worsted yarn the fabric was way too stretchy. I didn't like how it looked, so I bumped up to a bulky yarn and went up one needle size. I wanted a nice sturdy fabric so that the bag would ultimately be more usable for me. I must say that I am much happier with the bulky yarn, and the color is much nicer. Here is my progress so far.
I'm using Brown Sheep Waverly Wool , but I have no idea what the color number is. I purchased it on ebay at least a year ago. I am really happy with the look of it, but the plys are driving me crazy. I am on the last full repeat, and then I will be in the home stretch. It is a very interesting pattern, and once you get rolling it is easy to follow. I am not looking forward to knitting the handle, so I am looking for alternatives. The pattern calls for 3 icords that are braided for the handle. It sounds lovely but I know it will stretch a lot. If you have any ideas I am open to hearing them. :)
I am going to pick out my fabric lining this week after work. This will be my first lining project, and I must admit I am a bit nervous. I am not a good seamstress, but there is no way this bag will survive my lifestyle without being lined. I am so rough on my bags.
I must say I had a rocky start with this pattern. I had a hard time choosing the right yarn for the look I wanted. The pattern calls for worsted, and I knit almost half of the top band using a worsted yarn. With the worsted yarn the fabric was way too stretchy. I didn't like how it looked, so I bumped up to a bulky yarn and went up one needle size. I wanted a nice sturdy fabric so that the bag would ultimately be more usable for me. I must say that I am much happier with the bulky yarn, and the color is much nicer. Here is my progress so far.
I'm using Brown Sheep Waverly Wool , but I have no idea what the color number is. I purchased it on ebay at least a year ago. I am really happy with the look of it, but the plys are driving me crazy. I am on the last full repeat, and then I will be in the home stretch. It is a very interesting pattern, and once you get rolling it is easy to follow. I am not looking forward to knitting the handle, so I am looking for alternatives. The pattern calls for 3 icords that are braided for the handle. It sounds lovely but I know it will stretch a lot. If you have any ideas I am open to hearing them. :)
I am going to pick out my fabric lining this week after work. This will be my first lining project, and I must admit I am a bit nervous. I am not a good seamstress, but there is no way this bag will survive my lifestyle without being lined. I am so rough on my bags.
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