D.I.B. (Dead In Bag)

That's what my laptop is, Dead In Bag. In the past hour, I have completely wiped my hard drive and it's still doing the same thing. So, this weekend, my loving SIL from Dayton will be stopping by to pick it up and take it home to her sweet, generous husband, who is going to take it apart to test the hard drive, since we both think that's what's wrong with it. And trust me, it will be a good thing that it's leaving town for a while, as all day at work, I day dreamed about taking it onto the dock, laying it on the floor, and smooshing it with about 6,000 lbs. of fork lift. And, if I'd had the money, I would have bought a new laptop, today. But, alas, I am on the poor side. No new laptop for me, at least not for another 6 months.

For updates: I still have 2 spots let for the PIF Exchange, so sign up by leaving a comment.

My Josephine Top is finished, but I obviously can't post any pics right now. I'll post some as soon as I'm able.

Sign ups for the Harvest Sock Swap '07 are still open, and will close on Sept. 15th. So far, we have, roughly, a dozen people, and plenty of room for more. So, stop by the blog page and sign up.

In other news, I have started another IHS for my cousin in West Virginia, who was diagnosed with congestive heart failure last month. She absolutely loved mine when we visited in January, so I thought I'd make her one before the weather turned cold. I'm already a third of the way into it, so I should be able to mail it soon.

I finally took the plunge, and ordered that Namaste Knitting bag I have been drooling over for more than a year. In black. It's on it's way, and I can't wait. Yippee!

I have a second sock that has been on the needles since the end of softball season that I desperately need to finish. It's a footie, you'd think I'd have it done by now. Especially since I only have to turn the heel and knit the foot. And, I need the credit for the SAM4 KAL.

Also, tonight, as I was on the phone trying to trouble shoot and arrange the going away of afore mentioned dead laptop, my niece was in the back ground, clamoring to talk to me. When she finally gets her turn to talk, the conversation went like this:

Niece S: Hi, Aunt Tonia. I need another pair of fingerless gloves. (If you remember, I made her a pair in navy for Christmas '06)

Me: Hi S. You need another pair?

Niece S: Yes, I lost one. And I'll look stupid wearing just one.

Me: What? Don't you wanna look like Michael Jackson? Ok, do you want the same color, or another color?

Niece S: Same color, so it matches my scarf. (The one I made her for Christmas '05)

So, I'll be ordering more Knit Picks Essential in Navy.

Ok, since my laptop is down, if you need to reach me, please leave me a comment, or e-mail me at rosiegypsy AT aol DOT com. I check that e-mail all day long.

ETA: I wasn't able to post my Felted Bad Exchange questionaire until now, so here it is:

1. How long have you been knitting or crocheting? I have been crocheting for 20 years, and knitting for 13 yrs. How did you learn? I got bored and taught myself.
2. What was your first felted object, and why did you decide to try felting? My first felted object was a small hand bag, it was a Christmas gift for someone.
3. What are your favorite colors? Red, black, green, and pretty much all of them. Any you hate? none.
4. What are your favorite styles\types of bags? (Long straps? Short handles? Handbags? Totes? Embellished? Plain? Include links to patterns or photos if you’d like – give your pal an idea of what you enjoy!) I like all kinds of bags. I'm pretty much a purse whore.
5. What handbag or bag are you carrying today? A black, white & purple striped tote from Victoria's Secret. Do you use a separate bag to carry your knitting? For now, waiting for my new Namaste bag.
6. What other things do you enjoy knitting or crocheting? socks, socks, and everything else.
7. What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum) whatever is needed for the project, and I prefer bamboo or wood.
8. What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make? color work
9. What’s one yarn you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with? Paton's SWS (soy wool)
10. What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden? I try to spin, I make wire jewlery, I sew, cross stitch and bake.
11. Besides yarn, do you collect anything? tea cups and tea pots
12. What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to? my favorite sweet is white chocolate.
13. Do you have any kiddos? (Furry kind count!) I have 2 great girls (ages 12 & 6) and 2 furry babies (cats)
14. What kind of project best personifies you and why? not really sure, but I knit alot of socks
    
15. What is your favorite part of Autumn? You can also share a special Autumn memory if you'd prefer! I love all of Autumn, the mildly warm days, very cool nights, the leaves turning colors, and the change to gather around a bon fire.
16. Tell us 3 things you would do if you won 10 million dollars in the lottery. Visit Ireland, Scotland and England. Buy my own house. Open my own yarn shop.

Sorry if it's a little late.

Updates.... Now with Pictures!

I finally got the pics uploaded from my camera, without problems. Yippee! So, on with the show:

Ok, so where was I? Oh yeah, the Medieval Festival. When we go there, the first show we came upon, inside the gates was a Fire Eater show. I don't know if these guys were really brothers, but one of them looked like a really skinny Orlando Bloom. Here are a few cool shots I got in:


The one on top was the one that looked like Orlando.

Here is a shot of Annie and Dillon. Annie had to stand on her tip toes to look through the hole:

And, of course, we can't forget our favorite bare foot bag piper, Barrett:

He reminds me alot of my step-dad, when he was younger. Although, Barrett is probably the same age, if not a little older than dad.

Where else can you see guys in bras assisting a guy in a straight jacket:

We didn't take as many pics as we wanted. But then again, we were too busy shopping, eating and watching the shows as we passed to take a whole bunch.

On to other updates. I am still taking volunteers for th Pay It Forward Exchange. I only need 3, and no one has volunteered, yet. If you'd like to join, just leave me a comment with your e-mail address.

The Harvest Sock Swap '07 sign ups are still open. So far we are doing great. The sign ups have been open for 2 days, and (including me) we have 7 people. Just maybe I'll hold a contest if we reach 20 or more. I'll wait a couple more days to see how we're doing before I make that offical.

And, finally for an update on the Josephine Top. Here's a pic of where I was last night:

From here, I need to knit the sleeve caps (which I picked up the sts for the right sleeve and have it half done), the trim around the neck and the trim around the bottom hem. And for some reason, that whole middle section looks to be a different dye lot, but I made sure I got all the same dye lot. It doesn't look like in person, honest. Maybe if I get enough time this weekend, I'll get it finished.

And, in a bit of a teaser: I taught some one to knit the other night, but they made me promise not to tell who, until they have finished their first project. Drat!

Have a great weekend, everyone, and don't for get to sign up for the PIF Exchange and the Harvest Sock Swap '07.

Gone Kaput!

Well, I think my laptop has gone down for the count. I can start it ok in safe mode, but it has started freezing in regular mode, again. So, I am stuck using the work computer to blog with. Now, on with our regular blog......



I will be opening the Harvest Sock Swap '07 today. If you missed last year's, or any of the others, now is your chance. Sign up! Come on, you know you want to. And it's so easy to do. Just leave me a comment here, or on the swap blog, or drop me an e-mail at rosiegypsy AT aol DOT com (temp e-mail until I can beat my laptop into submission {insert evil laugh here}), with your e-mail addy and blog addy (sorry, blogs will be required this year. If you don't have one, now's the time to get one. They're easy and, best of all, free!). Please stop by the swap blog later today to see the rules and questionaire. I will update that page today as work and home life permit.

And, in other news.....

While make the rounds of my blog reading (before my laptop took a nose dive {I don't sound bitter, do I?}) , I found something that looked great, and I had to try to join. It was this:





I was over at Knitting Nurse when I was it. It was inspired by that great movie. And what better way to show that you care for your fellow man. Now, I will blatantly steal the rules from her page. They are:

"Here is how it works! I'll send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange! I don't know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week...LOL... but you will receive it within 365 days, that's a promise! and it will be something yummy!! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog..."

So, there you have it. The first 3 people to leave a comment that they want to join, will be in. Please make sure to leave you e-mail address in the comment, so I can contact you for your snail mail address.

Next up, we have this:



I think I'll join this round. I always have fun making felted bags, so why not? If you'd like to join, sign ups open tomorrow (Aug 15th), just drop by the Fall Felted Bag Exchange and sign up.

And last up is the update on the Josephine top. Well, I did take a pic, but since my laptop decided that it needed a vacation (it may be a permanent one, if it keeps it up), I can't up load them. But anywho, I have finished the left front and am working my way up the back. I may have that done tonight, and can start on the right front. After that is when I have to pick up all those stitches for the sleeve caps, neck and bottom hem. Oh, that'll be fun. But, it'll look great when I'm done. And, seriously, it is a fun pattern. I can see myself making a couple more.

So, to sum up, join the Harvest Sock Swap '07, join the PIF Exchange, join the Fall Felted Bag Exchange, and stop back by for updates on my lazy laptop and the Josephine top.