WHAT HAVE I DONE?

I have decided to finish ALL of my exams this year.  This is after multiple years of saying I'm not going to do them and fighting their existence (I was having an existential crisis, what can I say?).  I am going to take 5 exams this year.  5.  And I've already taken the one easy one, so I don't even get a break.  I feel my knitting will suffer, but I owe my mom and pair of socks, a small baby a bib, and myself something awesome.  Also, I really want to finish something for the KAL.  Because I signed up.  So I should do it.  On that note, behold, the beginning of a project:

There's a sock started there, I promise.

I have started the Lazy Lace Socks for my mom.  Stompy has taken a keen interest.  Actually, I stopped where I did because my fingers started tingling.  It was very upsetting!  hopefully I can knit a row here or there during study breaks or something.  This is the project I want to finish for the KAL.  This also means I will finish it probably right around when I take my first exam - I am planning to take that by March 6.  I'm going to Puerto Rico on March 7 or 8!  Yayy destination weddings!  Vacations in pretty places woo woo!

Alright, this was my study break, just a quick hello and project update.  The boneyard shawl is getting bigger slowly.  Maybe that can be study knitting since it's so boring?  but that's after I finish taking notes while reading.  I need to invest in a desk lamp and a task chair.

Goodnite!

The Christmas Aftermath

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas full of family and friends! I just got back from my vacation home, and I had a great time!  The gifts I gave were well received, those bought, those computer designed, and those knitted!  However, I need to work on my graphics for my knitting!  It wasn't clear enough that the card came with the gift, and that it indicated a hand-knit.  I've brought home some light cotton/linen cloth to try and make actual tags for my knits, I'll have to see what I can come up with!

The rest of my time at home was fabulous - I got to hang out with my good friends, try out a bunch of new bars, and eat some tasty home-cooked meals!  I also got to try my hand (again) at screen printing.  We did the easy way this time - no burning the image onto the screen, just using plastic sheet stencils.  Check out my bibs!

Butterflies!

Flowers!

My screen printing partner - not as useful as you would think!

I need to work on my screen print photography - those are terrible, eep.

ALSO - I did, in fact, FINALLY finish the Simplicity Cowl!  Drumroll please:

TA-DA!  Looks good, don't it?

Completed before I even made it home!  OH YEAH.  I think it looks pretty snazzy, here's hoping it gets good use!  

The fingerless mitts however, were not completed without a mad knitting session at the airport, on the airplane, and at 11pm on Christmas Eve.  But they were done before Christmas, and that's all that matters!  I did not take a photo, however, because I am a genius.  Oops.  I'll have to ask the sister for that as well.  She and her husband both liked them, I'll see what I can do for him.  It'll probably be next Christmas.  I'm not really what anyone would call, "Speedy".

In other hometown adventures, I took the parents to the Science Museum (since I bought them a membership last year and all).  I think this is some amazing wayfinding signage:

It's really well-balanced and instructional!  You can see the passage of time and the variety of the species on the planet, and it's a pretty graphic!  I love it!

While at the museum, we saw some re-created panels from the Lascaux Caves:

The Panel of the Great Black Cow, in the Nave of the caves

The newly renovated Hall of Egyptology:

This gave me some color ideas - should I ever start doing something colorful!

And some gems.  Lots and lots of shiny gems.  It was a little overwhelming, those gems.  I'm not as much of a fan as I feel I should be.  Oh well.  It was a good time anyway, and the parents got out of the house!

How was everyone else's Christmas?  Any awesome adventures or gifts?  Amazing food perhaps?  hmmm, food.....  :)

I'm going to coordinate my thoughts for my New Year's post and get that up as soon as possible.  Until then, I leave you with Glitter Dancer and Friends:

Meet Stompy the Parapalegic Trike, Glitter Dancer, and as-yet-unnamed Mr Fox.  They only came together this year to form my supporting crew.  :)

Have a great night!