Hi! I can’t believe how time flies!

One moment in 2008, I started knitting/crocheting simple things that I picked up from here, there and everywhere.

The next moment in 2009, I took to teaching (nothing to do with knitting though) and pursued a post grad diploma.

Right after that moment way up till 2010, I completed the dip with flying colours and back to teaching.

The next thing you know, it’s 2011. WOW!

I tried to knit here and there or crochet some dolls. But my dolls are either without embellishments or eyes! The procrastinator in me.

Apparently, I haven’t posted any pictures of the yarns and works either. It’s CNY eve today in sunny-rainy Sg. I’m still recuperating from my very bad flu. I’ll see how I can organise the pictures. Haha! Could be another empty promise I make to myself =_=

I started a few things and they’re all now WIPs. I feel like starting some more, but I never complete the old ones. Okay, I should go and work on them. Now.

craftcow <3

People just don’t get it do they?

When I’m not available, not around, I’m busy with the things that are obligatory to be done. It’s part of the job I’m in. Part of the trail of assignments that I’m obliged to complete.

When I’m around, it’s either talk about the too much yarn I’ve bought, the too many things that are still clattered and not kept in the new cupboards, the ridiculous big things that I create for assignment purposes (which tend to be those that I would like to keep for future use as well — things are always recyclable to me), or the materials that I bring back from the more than 1 semester of being cooped up in my own space free to create whatever is necessary for me to succeed.

Isn’t there other things to talk about? It’s like the same as what he is always complaining about. What difference does it make, really.

I had the space, the time to think, the freedom to express my anguish, my thoughts my troubles. But when I’m back, I feel like as if no one is listening sometimes, yet they don’t get it. They think I’m throwing a tantrum, not doing what I said I would. I’m at home, why can’t I be more myself, with the space that I have at home? Because it’s home, I’m to feel safer, aren’t I? But why I do I keep feeling threatened sometimes, like as if I think too much. I can’t say too much of what I think, because they are regarded as irrelevant, rebellious. There’s no one seemingly on the same frequency. I get the feeling that I’m questioned, about whatever that I’m intending to do.

What I do know is this. I usually do as I deem fit to do at that point of time and try to make the most of it, which is why I cannot do things or promise to do things ahead — even my own assignments. I don’t want to regret not having been able to accomplish what I said I would. It’s not easy to understand me somehow. How else can I say it? Only people whom have been there would be able to get, won’t they?

Maybe like those who share the same troubles that I do. So many things have happened in campus. Too much stress. It’s the only time I can escape from that now, if only for these 2 days. But I’m still pressured here. Pressured with other expectations, which are not even graded for. So I don’t know what or who or why anymore.

It’s like I’d rather shut myself away from it, since I don’t have the allocated space I have in campus anymore. Not everything I say gets heard anyway. I don’t know.

It’s like what my classmates shared about during that last session of educational psychology. There are people who will really take mundane comments personally, too personally that they can’t accept some of them. To they point where they start questioning themselves whether they’re good enough. Why is it that they can’t accomplish that particular task.

Now I’m claimed to be ungrateful.

But who actually listens to my share with just a plain listening ear? Without imposing any expectations. Without imposing thoughts and opinions. Sharing is alright. But not when it feels as if a threatened sort of sharing, that I’m supposed to accept whether I like it or not. I don’t even know what I’m typing anymore.

Maybe it’s all gibberish. What’s the meaning of me being here anyway?

Bye.

Penguin Book Fair at SG Expo from today till the 6th December @ Hall 6!

So can you tell what happened today? Oh, was pulled along by my lovely sister, though.

Dang… It’s a double-edged sword happening… Shall not elaborate for now.

HO HO HO — for the snow falling on wordpress-ed blogs! (:

Go to the Book Fair if you haven’t! That is if you love adding books to your personal collection no matter how many you already have on the floor shelves.

My very first grab bags!!! (: Though small bags, cos’ there weren’t bigger ones on the 23 Dec, Monday, update! Wanted a Blau one soooo much, but I missed it cos’ of the flags.

Got a Turkis and Lila! And… okay, I haven’t uploaded the photos yet. Maybe tomorrow or Friday, I will?

Just for a start,

• Turkis Bag has: WD – Neptun & Die Auster (which are very rich deep in teal)
  1. I haven’t seen the actual Die Auster, but my impression of it from everyone else’s pictures is that it’s a much lighter version from what I’ve got. But mine seems to suit/match (really!) so well with the deep Neptun I got in the same bag!
  2. Had missed it when it first appeared, bogged down with so much work. Didn’t know what colours were new.
  3. But is having a gooood impression of it being WD and on the teal-ish side. Seriously matches the teal-ish Neptun that came with it.
• Lila Bag has: WD – Lavender & Arlene (which are very rich deep in purple)
  1. I wanted to get Lavender skeins when it was out on 27 Dec, Friday’s update… but… was too late! They flew off the update shelves.
  – This really makes up for it, but it’s much richer in purple than I could have imagined.
  – But my camera couldn’t capture the rich essence of purpleeeeee =.=”
  2. Tried to get Arlene before, though it’s not one of my real-die-hard-to-get favourites but it matches so well with the rich purple Lavender.
  – Wondering if I can match the 2 to make something… (oh, if only I’m capable of it)

I wonder how can I ever get those strong mixed blues… Let’s see if I’ll ever get a chance to get them. Though, another mail is coming, not exactly the colours that I’d first clicked on (cartjacked), but I think will add a touch of difference to the current WM collection (:

Thank you Wollmeise for such beautifully rich colours! Thank you Lois, for bringing WM into our forum! ;p

Yes, I am finally back. Gosh, September doesn’t seem too long ago… But I cleanly forgot when my last post was!

Anyway, I now finally have the whole month to do nothing, rot and probably finish up a few things from school:

1. GSL Reflection (please do it tomorrow)
2. Clean up my hostel room (please go there tomorrow) 02-12
3. Bring back the novels I borrowed to read 02-12
4. Ed Psych 2 txtbooks to read and refer to 02-12
5. To do: 1 Research on EBD and 2 Research on the topic allocated for E-L wk
6. Start MA LP II
7. Start SC LP III
8. State a time and date to consult EL tutor
9. Be back in school on the 8th Dec for meeting
10. Update story book list

On the needles, I have to please finish:

• Pudsey (he has had a long adventure on our Nov K.O. LOL)
• Diamond Lace Shrug (need to see how long it stretches, to seam tgt)
• Shawl Project! (I shall not name it, because whenever I name my projects, I procrastinate to complete it. Must complete.)
• So many other mini UFOs I have left lying around …

In the house …

• Update book list and possibly yarn list
• Arrange books and magazines for easy finding
• Hide yarns in nooks and crannies …
• Put all wip bags and accessories in ONE place
• Watch my 2 sets of VCDs by this Friday 4 December
• Stop online shopping … if only I could … until the 12th?

Okay. If only I will keep to this… And no, I have had no real FOs except for my Dean Street Hat in Malabrigo! Photographed, but all the photos are still within the camera.

And… I totally love The Loopy Ewe! Have made like my 3rd or 4th purchase and I always end up squashing the yarns and not knit them =.=” This time around I got myself 8 various colours of DIC and 2 colours of LL (Devon and River). I am so in love with the bright blues in LL’s Shepherd Sock Multi! Ahhhhh! Can’t think of what to knit them in. They’re like so bright blue and pretty… Brighter than DIC’s blues. DIC’s blues are a little more muted although they’re light hues of blues.

Or maybe I should just knit what comes to mind, so that I can buy more… I wanted to get George Town too :/ Yes, they’re all different kinds of blues. But, somehow I still want to get them.

NO cc, you are currently broke from spending on Kino books/mags/children’s picture books/online shopping for needles, yarn, etc/Etsy-ing for knitting accessories and miniature craft (realised too late that I should have bought from a local online store for these, felt cheated man).

Here’re the lovely current stash sources (that I wasn’t … of):

• Karatstix
• 3AMenchant
• Mintconspiracy
• DecoSweets
• Knitpicks needles (finally made up my mind to get the set)
• Kinokuniya SG (for my healthy dose of craft books and magazines and.. stickers and stationery)
• Expo sales! (for toys from JL!)
• Hello Kitty Lab SG!
• Daiso (for all the cute buttons they’ve just added and gift boxes!)

Shows watched for the YEAR (note: THE YEAR!):

• G-Force (in 3D, my first 3D show.. gosh)
• The Blue Mansion
• Christmas Carol (in 3D, my second 3D show so far)
• Nora Robert’s Angels Fall
• Royston’s Shorts (VCD – from Iv)
• Need to watch and return: Nora Robert’s Blue Smoke, Nora Robert’s Hidden Riches

I want to do EVERYTHING! Argh.

So far, I have 3 magazines not received from Simply Knitting. Big duh. I do not know why and despite requesting for a replacement copy, I suppose I am never to see them, even after they’re all gone from the retailers for the month.

Did not get: May Issue 54, October Issue 59 (Had to buy from EBAY, because there was none left in retailers), November Issue 60 (Had to buy from Kino)

Despite emailing so many times for the issues I subscribed, I got none of them. Nothing more to say. Won’t be subscribing next year for sure. The magazines end up being attainable faster from the stores, though I have to travel there, than to receive them happily in your mail box. Do not know which mail man ate up my 3 lost issues. Whoever you are, jolly well USE them, not SELL them.

Oh and yes, despite debating with myself. I still lugged my sister all the way to Sitex last Sunday, right after our 2nd lesson of Inter 1 Jap, to get myself … Intuos4 mini!!! And it got delivered about 3.50pm today! And it rocks!!! Even drawing/sketching on mspaint is like drawing with pencil on paper! I’m going to try and draw something each day, like I do on paper each day during lectures in school. I don’t need paper anymore! Though it is still fun to sketch using coloured pen (no editing allowed, kinda thing).

Okay, I should go and knit although my eyes are rather tired from viewing the screen to sketch for a good 2-3 hours.

Please do what you listed, cc. See you tomorrow, cc.

Wow… It’s been such a long time that I’ve forgotten my password to this place.

It’s not craft time anymore. Recall when I mentioned I’ll have to go back to studying. In any case, studying isn’t any free-er than the real working time.

So… Yes, I’m practically just picking up bits and pieces of UFOs for KOs. Most recent KO was the one at Iluma I believe. The new mall around Bugis area. It was sooooooooooooooo cold on that particular 15 Aug, I’d frozen then. Only brought my SackBoy UFO, since all the other UFOs were in my hostel.

Yes. Now I practically stay in a hostel somewhere far off, and pretty near Jalan Bahar. How nice. For the records, my roomie just dropped in like last 2 Saturdays ago.

Have completed a couple of assignments. MANY MORE to go, apparently. Time is flying so fast that it scares me. Things are happening so fast that I suddenly feel so at home with my friends. Funny thing, it has only been 6 weeks and it feels like we know one another for years.

It always happens that way doesn’t it? Spending too much time with them and all.

I miss home, though. Miss the noise, the bed, the pillows, the messiness, the TV and the company. No more TV here for me

For the record, I turned a year older yesterday too (: Had the strangest celebration for it too in campus. And, I practically carry the presents I received on the Sunday afore, like almost everywhere.

Today I showed I the mini photo album to prove that I DO sleep. As apparently, word has got it to I‘s mind that I do not sleep as much as everyone else — in fact, sleep very little. Well, it does bring some fruit to the discussion, but hey, I do sleeeeeeeeep when I have the time and space for it.

I said my sis is as creative as me! Well, she is, for all the cutest things. かぞくのかめ is here with me too. I have since called it the family heirloom/emblem. Haha!

Jap Elem 2 classes have been going on. Trying to absorb without having to revise much because when weekends arrive, my energy seems to have all sapped out. Too tired to even do homework or revise previous lessons learnt. Hopefully, it will as much a breeze as the Elem 1 classes. Would have loved our Elem 1 せんせい to take us for Elem 2. Alas, there’s no such luck.

I’ve always had it in mind to knit either a Koolhaas or the… okay, suddenly I forget the design name. As wells, I shall do it when I’ve run out of things to say here AND when I’ve washed up myself.

So yeah, that should be all for now. Many things have happened, but it’s all too much for me to organise my thoughts and have them typed out into this post.

By the way, tomorrow’s 09/09/09, please take a picture of your watch/clock at 09:09:09 as well! HAHA

toodles,
craftcow

Reading to pass the time. I am still knitting my little pink-purple sock — still at only the RFS – going up the leg gusset. Surprisingly, it looks okay and didn’t die on me. Had a lifeline after the heel turn just in case I read the heel flap wrongly. So far nothing’s gone wrong. Except maybe my cables aren’t so neat and um.. I had a rough start thinking the cables were all over the sock… HAHA.

Knit update: My First Sock! Okay, I’ll probably post pictures after work today. [kiv]

Work update: Still got 8 more days, incl. today, until I’m going back to study again.

Splurge update: I think I’ve bought more than I can knit, thinking I can use them all when I knit them. Like, they’re being put on backup stock or something for me — ‘em yarns. Mom is quite (very) frustrated that I keep buying and the ratio of [knit : buy] is not proportional. Furthermore, the house is running out of space :/ But… they’re all so pretty… Sigh, I should stay away from the internet for a while, to curb those yarn-buying-urges.

Book update: I think it has been a very loooooooooong while since I’ve read a novel proper. Usually I read the beginning, jump to the middle and jump right to the end — to fulfill my impatient curiosity. Yes, I’m a lousy reader. Anyway, if I find out the story is a tad cliche, I just put the book down and stop reading. But, I finally found one that got me hooked to read.

Book: Angels Fall by Nora Roberts
Genre: Romance/Mystery
Location: TPY Library
About: Reece Gilmore, suffered a near-death murder attempt in Boston. All her 12 loved ones died, leaving her as sole survivor. She suffered a psychological trauma, became paranoid and extra careful/organised/particular in everything that she does. A well known chef, she had to quit her passion as those who died were in the very passion she lived for. Without a job, she had to sell off all that she had to pay off the bills. A once vibrant, rich and  full of personality of a woman, she turned near to bankrupt. Until she went travelling aimlessly only to stop at Angel’s Fist, where her Chevy Cavalier started to die out on her… It was a beautiful place, so near to nature. Her traumatic experience repeated itself when she witnessed another murder. But all the while, Brody stood by her.

I simply love these 2 characters. Their witty sarcasm and the way they get along so well still, just reminds me of myself towards my friends. Brody, being so understanding despite his temper and all is just charming.

There’s another Nora Roberts novel that I borrowed, Midnight Bayou. But the story rides on the Victorian times and the stark differentiation between the society classes of the people. It also speaks of reincarnation and vengeance. Didn’t quite like it. Maybe it’s just that I prefer real witty stuff because the first actually had me thinking whether she was really psychotic when the 2nd murderer was actually plotting to let her think she had a relapse of it.

Okay, done recording my thoughts. Shall make a quick drop to get another novel before I head to work!

Yesterday, they finally got to know for sure that I was leaving.

Though I had not mentioned the real fact to them initially earlier in the week, they had already assumed or somehow knew. One of them burst into tears. Some were excited about knowing the new one. Some were upset. I won’t know for sure. Shrugs!

But, yesterday I was surprised with a bouquet of beautiful flowers — topped by a huge sunflower in the middle. The first one I’ve ever had and it’s from one of my 31 little boyfriends. So sweet of him. Considering they’re all only 7-8 year olds.

I’m so touched. I never thought I would get such a reaction. Haha.

I will miss them for sure. Considering all that lectures, scoldings, fun activities, lively discussions. They grew onto me somehow, though I hadn’t thought of them that way the first day I ever knew them.

Up until today, I can tell straight away which of the 31 is showing his back/backside to me. Or from the footsteps. The laughter. The speech. The handwriting.

Even though it has been a short but long 5 months.

I really appreciate the feedback I received from their Ps today. Am glad I did manage to make a difference, whether big or small in this short stint.

One thing for sure, they make most of my memories for this 1 year. Not much of the older people. It’s the little people who really affect you, with their varied personalities and habits.

Hopefully, they’ll carry on the same way without me.

Sigh.

Thank you little ones. It has been a great journey for me although I almost lost my voice for your little sakes!

Tooooooooo-day is my Wollmeise day!

Beeeeeee-coz I’ve received my little parcel all the way from Germany! Right before I left for the K.O. today! The mailman sent the registered parcel! My mum got it and I was like WAH!

Super fast, but the waiting time for the invoice was quite long, cos’ the silly Paypal didn’t want to accept my payment at first =.=”

Anyways, it was the 7th May update. I took 2 Zenzi(s)! Cos’ being a cow, I must surely have some cow-related yarn somehow. The dye pattern is so cow-ish

Yeay, and the parcel smelt fruity great too, with a little Haribo packet. I’m so swooned by the packaging and the browns of my 2 skeins (: Thank you Claudia!

AND! At the K.O. got my Miss May Wollmeise skein from Lois! Thank you so much! It’s so pretty in person too!!

AND! After living on the mountains in SG, I’ve finally stepped into Golden Dragon at Chinatown!! YEAH! No one believed me at first. My first visit there (: It was like stepping on clouds.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-verything I could possibly want was there. Not just the selection of softy yarns. The pewter charms! The bag flexi-handles I was looking for. The metal findings I was looking for. The resin clay fruit slices I was salivating for. Everything crafty I’ve been eyeing on Etsy and been favourited tonnes of times.

Oh! Finally got my ball winder!!! (: Thanks to all the people who’ve brought it up in the Rav Forums

After GD, happened to step into another charm-beady shop. AND Buy 1 Packet, get 1 Free! On the ones that I loike! Plus, those that I was eyeing on Etsy toooo (:

Okay, I’ve burnt quite a little hole today. Went to PS’s S to get a ball of silky merino superwash that I’d thought would go well with a top I had in mind. And found some cute tiny metal cases at PS’s D.

Today’s been a good day. With the sharing during K.O. With a friend who insisted to follow me there. She’s a non-knitter/non-crocheter. In the end, at GD, she got 2 balls of yarn to go with a scarf pattern on a mannequin that caught her eye. Now, she’s gooooooing to get my help to get her started with it. It’s just Ks and Ps, so I think she can manage it. Haha! The power of knitting somehow attracted her.

What a day!

I’m actually exhausted when I finally reached home.

Got a packet of duck noodles for Mum. I had piiiiiiiiiiizzzzza waiting for me at home!

Is it the shopping or the week that has exhausted me…
I still haven’t done any of my Japanese homework! Class is tomorrow D:
No matter, many of my wishes granted today!

Check this out:

Ananova:

Knitter has her knockers
A Sussex octogenarian has an unusual hobby – knitting woollen breasts.

 

knock 'em out!

 

Audrey Horncastle gives her woolly boobs to daughter Rhona Emery, a community nurse, to help teach new mums to breast feed.

And the 84-year-old, from Woodingdean, near Brighton, has churned out more than 100 knitted breasts in little more than three years.

She said: “It only takes a few days to do one and then I pass it on to my daughter. It’s a bit of fun. I enjoy the knitting and they are being put to good use.

“People give me a strange look when I tell them what I am knitting and it is unusual but they are fun to do.”

Mrs Emery said: “I went to a breast feeding training course and was told about how these things are useful but that they were difficult to get because the pattern is hard to do.

“My mum is good at knitting so I gave her the pattern and she was able to do it. It has just built up from there.”

Mrs Horncastle, who is only paid for the cost of materials, says she will carry on knitting as long as there’s demand.

“I try to keep the basic fleshy tone but sometimes people ask if I can put in a bit of colour as well just to make things a bit different,” she said.

article from: Ananova

Lol! The things people knit for a cause.