Knotty Mouse

I’m having a hard time believing that 2008 is nearly over.. in one respect it seems like a whole year couldn’t possibly have passed and in another way this year seemed like it would never end.

I’m seeing lots of impressive “finished objects of 2008″ recaps going on in Blogland but mine is rather dismal due to all of the money stress and moving that went on here at Chez Mousie this year. I only finished two pairs of socks (Avada Kedavra, Nanner Socks), 4 hats (slouchy copycat, LeSlouch, Hermione’s Hat, & my own “prototype hat”) 2 headbands (from IK, Dreamswatch) and about 12 washcloths for gifts. I did finish a bunch of handspun yarns and I’ll do a photo collage of those soon… I know that my wheel had a thick layer of dust on it for a good portion of this year and its one thing I’m going to try to remedy this coming year.

Emotionally this year has been a load of crap and I’m really glad that it’s over. I wasn’t able to write much due to all of the b.s that was going on here behind the scenes because I wasn’t willing to turn this into some sort of self-help blog. I’m looking forward to 2009 – there are already glimmers of good things on the horizon for the House of Mouse.

I wanted to thank everyone who has read and commented here on this blog throughout 2008. To all of the friends new & old — I hope everyone has a wonderful New Years Eve and is safe!! See you in 2009!

(I wrote this on Dec. 31 but forgot to hit publish.. I’m not entirely sure where the time stamp edit is on this newish version of WP that I upgraded to, so it might just have to stay improperly time stamped.)

Just a quick post because I’m in the middle of wrapping presents, dipping chocolate pretzels, making cupcakes, and knitting last minute dishcloths that I didn’t expect to have to knit. *sigh* Did I mention that I also have a sinus infection and PMS? Yeah.. I’m really hoping that I don’t kill any of the inlaws today at the TWO Christmas events we have to go to. There are going to be two tomorrow as well, so I’m sort of running around like a chicken with its head cut off at the moment.
I wanted to wish everyone who reads my blog a Merry Christmas, Happy Yule, Happy Hanukkah, Merry GWIFGWIF, Joyus Festivus, and anything else I forgot. Merry Merry to all my “old” blog friends and my new ones too!! I’m so happy to have ‘met’ all of you!
– Love from the House of Mouse
(Ms. Mousie, Munchkin, Mr. Bear & Ms. Kitty)

I’m tired and stressed and its time for wee skully bullet points!
I’m calling that holiday happening on the 25th “Clustermas” because it seems that EVERYTHING I’ve tried to do as gifts has backfired.

Due to stores under stocking popular toys & books, Hubby and I have been calling all over the greater Atlanta area looking for the things on Munchkin’s Santa List. I tried to order the books from Amazon.com a few days ago but it turns out that they are out of stock… *sigh*

Thankfully it seems that Barnes & Noble online was prepared for this and had ‘expedited free shipping’ for orders over $25.00. I now have BOTH books Munchkin wanted winging their way to Georgia as we speak.. and I’m very happy. I also had to order the PS2 game (Lego Batman) that Munchkin asked for because the only place we were going to be able to purchase it was Circuit City – and it turns out that they are closing all of the locations near us. We went the other day and everything including the trash can outside was for sale… they had no games. Fortunately (as we were using our ancient CC charge card for the purchase) I was able to buy the game online (from CC) and have it shipped with 3 day free shipping directly to my door.

I”m now going to sit here and PRAY that “Guaranteed Delivery by Dec. 24th” isn’t a joke! I’m starting to wonder why I didn’t just do this from the beginning because I feel so much better knowing that we’re not going to be running all over creation today – its Munchkin’s last day of school until January 5th and I’m sure every parent in the area is out frantically doing their last ‘child free shopping’ until Christmas.

Its 67 degrees here in Georgia… no shit. People all over blog-land are snowed in and we’re wearing t-shirts and drinking iced coffee… weird. Not to say that I’m not happy that I’m not freezing my tail end off – I’m definitely sick to death of not having heat and being too cold to want to shower or wash dishes. Its just that it doesn’t feel like Christmas when its too hot to drink hot chocolate!

With one week to spare I’ve finished the only knitting that I am doing for the holiday season.. I cut my list very short this year so as to not stress myself out. The holidays are usually pretty hectic around here and this year money is tighter than ever.. so I really didn’t need to make myself neurotic over the one thing (knitting) that makes me happy. I’ve dug through my drawer of hand knits and am gifting some of the FO’s of the past that I didn’t end up wearing for one reason or another.. my SIL ended up with a blue Basic Cable hat (from the SNB book) and I’m gifting my Branching Out Scarf to hubby’s Aunt who lives in Florida.. because she is in a climate where a cotton scarf is appropriate and because she loves getting knitwear and understands the amount of work that goes into something.

This hat (The Hermione Hat) is going to Munchkin’s teacher — she keeps hinting how much she loves the knitted things that Munchkin and I wear, she loves Harry Potter, and Munchkin says that pink is her favorite color. I hope she likes this hat.. I’m pretty happy with the way it came out even if I did have to fudge the pattern pretty fiercely.

Pattern: Hermione Hat Yarn: Wool-Ease Worsted in Blush approx 125 yds

Needles: size 6 circular – magic loop method

Mods: a ton. I changed the needle size, did a long tail cast on instead of trying to attempt to learn something new while on a deadline, did only 2 repeats of the cable pattern, decreased in the purl stitches until there were one left and then decreased by K2tog in the center of the cable stitches to make a star pattern on the top of the hat (and because the directions made no sense to me when I was finishing the hat at 1am the other night)

On a totally unrelated note.. I was bored today and decided that maybe I needed bangs. I didn’t actually cut my hair, its sort of pulled over and tucked into the victory rolls on the sides of my head (the flowers are hiding the wonky bits) I was going for sort of a rockabilly/pinup + goth type look. I’ve been reading a lot of fashion blogs and watching makeup tutorials lately, and I guess it rubbed off. Sadly, I didn’t even go anywhere today even though I had done my hair AND makeup. I included a second photo below because I ended up taking out the victory rolls because my hair was WAY too heavy and I had about a gajillion pins in it to hold it up. I ended up keeping the side swept ‘bangs’ and doing high pigtails in the back.. I think I need a bigger flower!  Are “Bettie bangs” totally overdone at this point?

… its great to be a vampire! Stolen from Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos.

Which creature of the night are you? Your Result: Vampire   You are a social pragmatist, as likely to kiss as to bite. Your sensuality and social pragmatism is the counter-balance to your existential angst and your tendency toward depression.
Werewolf
Incubus/Succubus
Sorceror
Demon
Ghost
Cthulu Spawn
Which creature of the night are you? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Lately we’ve spending a lot of time in the woods (aka “our yard”) gathering pine cones (they make good fire starters) and firewood to keep the house warm. On top of keeping our bills down its lovely and cozy to have a fire at least once a week. I really love these pine cones I’ve been finding so much that I’ve decided to put some of the smaller ones (most of the ones on the property seem to be of the giant mutant variety. The pine cone pictured is bigger than my hand) on the Christmas tree this year. Our tree itself has been up for the last week but it remains undecorated until we can locate the ornaments and lights. We believe they are up in the “attic” (rafter space with a ladder) but haven’t gone up there yet to investigate. Sadly, I wasn’t able to put up our large beautiful tree that I finally got last year because hubby says it won’t fit in our living room. Normally I would forge ahead and pretend that I don’t hear him but since I have no concept of space (I’m “spacial-relation challenged” as he calls it) I’m just going to believe him and muddle on with the 6 foot tree placed on a table.

I woke up the other day to this sight out the window as I made Munchkin’s breakfast – its amazing what colors a sunrise can produce!  The lights in my window are paper lantern lights from Target’s outdoor section about 2 years ago.  It seems that they are pretty popular because everyone that comes in the house comments on wanting to steal them.. lol.

I’ve got a few projects and knitting WIP’s going on but its pouring down rain outside which means that photography is completely out of the question.  I’m going to go pour myself another cup of tea and drag my husband out of his office and see if I can get him to go up in the “attic” and hand down some decoration boxes so that this poor tree doesn’t look SO pathetic.  I swore that this year I wouldn’t be putting up the tree and decor with so little time until Christmas.. but here I am.  *sigh*

Hey all.. this is a PSA to ask if y’all would do me a favor and go to the Bad Knit Girl website (Link may NOT be work safe or small child safe — there are suggestive pin up style photos though there is no nudity.)  and vote for my girl ShadKitty (aka: Crystal) for December’s Knit Girl! Voting closes on December 6th. Thanks!