Tagged! by Gobbledeygook

I thought too hard about these. I could have warbled on and on for some of these categories...Here goes....!

Four jobs you've had in your life:
1. Auditor for Hong Leong Finance
2. Accountant (treasury)for Hong Leong Finance
3. Accountant (financial markets) for National Australia Bank.
4. Accountant for a private investment company.

*Four movies you could watch over and over: (far too few! will try and categorise)
1. Good Comedies
2. Indiana Jones trilogy
3. Indie movies
4. Most thrillers
5. Most animated movies such as Aladdin, Bug's Life and Ice Age.
...some honorable mentions of the spooky/gory kind (genre generally avoided)- Jacobs Ladder, Siesta, Sixth Sense.

*Four TV shows you watch regularly: (Currently?)
1. Supernatural
2. House
3. Law and Order - Criminal Intent
4. Amazing Race

*Four places you've lived:
1. Malaysia
2. Australia

*Four places you've been on vacation:
1. Grampians and Wilsons Promontory, Australia
2. Marianna and Orlando, Florida
3. New York
4. USA West coast - San Diego to San Francisco and as far in as Grand Canyon

*Four websites you visit daily:
1. Knitter's Review (of course)!
2. all my email accounts
3. Bulldog forum
4. eBay/yahoo

*Four of my favorite foods:
Again, too narrow for a foodie like me! I enjoy food far too much to try and limit this....aaarghhh
1. Trotter's in sweet black vinegar
2. Rare to Medium rare steak
3. anything but fast food - gourmet, home made, as long as it's well prepared.
4. Every dish I have ever eaten! yum yum yum

*Four places I'd rather be right now:
1. New York (for a 6 mth holiday)
2. Wongarra, Vic, Australia.
3. Warrandyte, Vic, Australia.
4. to visit the Alps and Scandinavian countries.


....now who could I tag?

Back to school...

Kids start school tomorrow for 6 weeks before the Commonwealth Games. In a way, I'm a little anxious.... I'm hoping that this year will be the time I make my sea change.

I'm a reverse mum. Most women start working when their babies are going back to school. I have no insecurities about my babies and find that there is too much fuss about the need for bonding at an early age. It's funny and I can't tell you why but they KNEW I was their mum and I was theirs right from the word go. Sure, you don't get it right all the time but I always had my eye on them and yet distant as well. I'm not in the least bit maternal (not touchy-feely) if compared to my peers. In fact, some might think me harsh but we have always taught our 2 that this is our life together, so let's get on with it.
I went back to working fulltime when my babies were young. I owe all to my mum and sisters who thankfully are likeminded and helped me out then. When my babies started creche, we had them at a centre close to my work. Every morning, they would travel with mum and dad to work and they went to 'school'. This centre was only 5 mins from my place of work and near medical centres .... I could zip over in a blink if anything was wrong. I wouldn't be in my right mind anyway rushing in peak traffic if they were at a creche near home - worrying about them and fuming at the traffic!

I figured that as babies and young children, the needs of my littlelies were simple. Eat, sleep, bathe, ABCs, nursery rhymes,... Again, so thankful that they were good bubs too. Starting sleeping thru the nite around 5 to 6 weeks. I could have set a clock to DS - he was on time for just about everything.... fell asleep by himself for his bedtimes, whinged only every 4 hrs for his feed and heck, he even arrived smack on his due date. DD was almost the same except that she would pout and cry more... part of being a girl, I guess. DH and I tease her alot too..

2 years ago, I realised that I needed to make that step that I had anticipated all this time. My babies are fast becoming impressionable teenagers. We joke and talk alot about all sorts of things and I do feel I need to be there if they need help with schoolwork as it's getting harder now and a sounding board for the social situations/difficulties that they encounter. We often talk about life. I'm glad that they are willing to chat with mum... no matter how daggy or goofy they think I am!

So where does this leave me now?.... the decision to leave my highpowered (haha!) job to be fulltime chaffeur, tutor and task master....
(and hopefully fulltime designing knitwear as well! much to the dismay of DH as he knows what I'm leaving behind and it's a real tough competitive world in craft and fashion... I must have some fun!)
There is still a large part of me that wants to try juggling everything....but age and health are against me. Am constantly reminded that I'm not Supergirl but I revel being immersed in activity. Could I ever sit back and take it easy? I think not...

Not wanting this to be a non-knitting related post, here's a pic of my first attempt at a sock which I started while watching the Aust Open 2006 tennis. Small enough not to jab myself and the people sitting on either side of me, Am also glad I learned the magic loop technique for this!

Mimi - Dressy Lace Bag

Mimi is done in Rowan's Chenille. Being a very dark grape color, it doesn't lend itself to be photographed very well. I was curious how a lacey knitted handbag would hold up with the minimum essentials : purse, phone, lipstick, eyeliner, etc etc.
Unfortunately not very well.
Very pretty to look at (lace design is Frost Flowers from Barb Walker's Knitting Treasury), this was made using yarn leftovers from another beaded top (to be featured next). I lined the inside with white cotton material to bring out the pattern. The bag can't take too much weight - will sag and stretch.

A sleeveless dressy bolero pattern for DD

Knitted for DD to wear on top of the spaghetti strap flowergirl dress just in case in got a bit chilly. Again, I raided what was left of my baby wool stash - a white 8ply yarn that had multicandy colored colour blobs and a baby white wool. Alternated these 2 in the main body using wave stitch. The hem edge was knitted as well to give it a bit of interest. The white satin ribbon is not secured firmly - this is have a bit of 'give' as DD grows and if she wanted to lace it instead of a straight forward tie.
During this period, I 'flushed' out alot of my stash by selling some on ebay and donating some to the op shops. I've long come to terms with the fact that none of my family or friends knit or are as craft obsessed as I am. But it was really depressing to hear from op shops didn't want yarn because "no one knits any more"........:( wah! all alone in knitting exile!

Time out... for a bit of fun!

this is what keeps me on my toes at home - ol' Lard Butt who is 11 months old and I figure probably 80lbs by now. (Almost as heavy as my DD!)
He's not real happy about the sweater/jumper I knitted him! He definitely wasn't happy about the fairy wings I tried to put on him to make him my "bulliebee"!

Oooooooo, BITE ME!

ok... what next??

I don't think these are in order as I press on with past projects to try and catch up with what I am working on now.

I remember looking at the fashion tops at the local shops and wondering 'hmmm, I wonder how hard it is to knit that?'.
As I can't wear wool directly on skin, I purchased some 4 ply cotton (Regal) and fancy Faux Fur to attempt this. Did have some trouble with the neckline as cotton does not have the same 'grip' as wool when it comes to ribbing. Improvised with some elastic.
It turned out very Chrismassy - sort of like a vampy Mrs Claus! (if there is such a thing!)

hooked on beading after Carnival...

Immediately after Carnival, just had to 'bead' some more! Brought out some baby wool from the 'stash' and shopped for some glass beads in the same color - lilac and yellow.
I think I'll call this one Sherbet. Meant for DD, she has since outgrown it too ...sniff!
The hems and edges were done with alternating lilac and yellow beads and I carried thru the diamond theme on the yellow border with a smaller diamond config 2 lilac+2 yellow beads on the main lilac body.
This did get the need of more beading out of my system... well at least til the next time!

Heralding the New 2006 Year with an original called Carnival.....

Heralding the New 2006 Year with an original design .......
This is one of my first attempts that I was truly happy with. Knitted around 2000/2001, I had intended this sweater as a long sweater/jumper for my daughter and she has been able to wear it for quite some time. A bit tight for me but it could be a half sleeve length top for a size 8 adult.
Cleckheaton had started following the synthetic trend then with this line of fancy yarns and this was a particular colorway combination that I liked. The line has since discontinued which is a pity! As I was finishing the garment, I felt that it lacked something so I dug up some red wool leftovers and strung large black beads. Crocheted the hems and collar and voila! A Carmen Miranda effect! with clicking beads like castanets when you wear it! Designing and knitting this one was fun!