Oma comes to the midwest

Last weekend my Oma came to visit. She lives in Florida (along with all the rest of my family, no joke) and likes to come visit about once a year around December. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't wanna live in Florida but one thing I do miss is seeing my Oma because she's such an amazing person. My mom, brother, and I (my dad is in Germany) picked her up from the airport and took her to lunch at her favorite restraunt in Barrington.

Now when I say my Oma is awesome I truly mean it. After one glass of wine she was making fun of people and we were all laughing hysterically. Then she told us a story about when she lived in Germany, before she married my Pops. One night the girls living above her were throwing a party, she went upstairs to tell them to be quiet and ended up dancing on a table. Then she told us about how she didn't have a christmas tree and my Pops cut down a little tree in protected forests for her, too funny. The best part was when she was telling me about how my great grandmother and great great grandmother (who spoke only German) used to knit socks and helmet warmers for soldiers during the war. She said that between the two of them they could make five pairs of socks a week.

Although my Oma doesn't knit she sews and when I was little she used to sew dressed for me and my American Dolls so we matched. I just think it's awesome to have those stories and know that my love of crafting and art is shared with generations of my ancestors. My grandfather was an expert printmaker and my mom is an artist. I used to not think creativity had anything to do with genes but I'm starting to think diffrently.

Here's a pic of my mom, oma, and I :)

Twilight Mittens and a month off with nothing to do

Walking around Dekalb without mittens you're just asking for frostbite. I had a pair of mittens but to tell you the truth they just were not that warm and nothing even close to cute or stylish.

Having read the Twilight series (I'm reading Breaking Dawin right now and for anyone who's read them what is your opinion? I'm about 1/2 through and ugh, she's pretty much ruined the series for me with "Renesmee") I naturally felt like I should see the movie, even though I had very low expectations. After watching it online I decided I wanted Bella's elbow length cable mittens. And here's where I love ravelry soooo much because I found a pattern someone had just made. It was perfect and lovely and I just had to make them. Half a skein of Red Heart later I had these beauties:

Yeah I know, cheap acrylic, most knitters are cringing right now. Really though? Who cares? I'm definatly not a yarn snob, I can't afford to be!

Break just started and since I don't have a job I need to fill all the time with something worthwhile. So I have a xmas break to do list going. It's getting pretty long but that's good, I need a list with check boxes to get myself in gear. You'll be happy to know that regularly updating this blog was pretty close to the top of the list. When I look at beautiful blogs (http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/) such as this one I'm always inspired and wish I had something like that to look back at. Something updated regularly instead of once in a blue moon. I actually have alot planned, alot of things I wanna write about. Also I'd eventually like to be selling some small things and I think a good blog is some of the best press you can make for yourself. So look forward to some better posts coming up. Especially with my sewing machine here in the apartment. The possiblities are endless!

A Who-full Return

So you probably thought I was dead (although in reality no one reads this blog anyways) but I'm not. Everything got so busy and updating this blog just kept getting lower and lower on my priority list. Luckly knitting was still pretty high up there so I do have some stuff to show you. I've got more I'll share later but for now lets focus on Chicago Tardis which I attended with a friend and my brother this past saturday.

The experience was amazing! I got to meet Colin Baker and Lis Sladen which was just amazing, they're some of the nicest people, much nicer thank I would have expected when they have to deal with crazy fans and (in one certain case) scary stalkers. I also met some people from big finish but seeing as I have no idea who they are I remember them as just more nice Brits to talk to.

So I decided a few weeks before the convention that I was going to do Rose from Boomtown and knit her scarf. After alot of searching I ended up with a handful of diffrent lionbrand homespuns. I used a great pattern on ravelry and knit it up in no time (holes and all, as my boyfriend would say). I need to take some detailed pictures still but for now I give you these:

Here's my brother Alex wearing my Tom Baker scarf, me in my Boomtown outfit, and the amazing and oh so nice Colin Baker (aka the 5th Doctor). When I got his autograph before signing it he looked up at me and said you know you look just like my niece when she was about 18. I replied with REALLY?! Well I'm 22 but close. He replied with "You're kidding?! Really?!" in the most adorable british accent. Colin is prolly my third fave of the doctors after Peter Davison and David Tennant (I know I know, what about Tom Baker, I do love him, he's prolly next on the list).

Here's me with a wonderful Ten and 50s Rose which was my original plan but I'm glad I didn't attempt it because she did SUCH a beautiful job. Their outfits are what make me really want to go all out next year and start planning and crafting NOW! (I'm thinking one day a ten rendition, the next Nyssa w/my bf at Davison and the following as a female Davison, probably just borrowing the jacket and hat from my bf's, since I know I'll be making it anyways, I'll just be swimming in the jacket. I'm thinking of starting soon cause I really want to make my own 5 sweater as well as one for my bf).

Here's Taylor (did I mention she dressed Boomtown as well, we were twins!) and Alex playing a game of ten while waiting in line (there was alot of that, must remember knitting next time). This gave me an awesome idea for a Doctor Who version of the game with each of the doctors being one through ten and something like K-9 as the joker. I really want to do it, just need to figure out the best way to make good cards.

Here's me being EXTERMINATED. This was actually made by someone, crazy awesome! I think Alex is proly working on his as I speak, haha, he was so jealous.

I love love love this pic! My face is weird but I love how both the scarves are hanging down and how awesome the Tardis looks (also a homemade, my next project haha, I think I want a tardis wardrobe, it would make my mornings so much shinier!)

Here's a few random shots. A cartoon someone drew on a sign and delicious sonic water.

And now I must go spread these pics across the Whoniverse, promise to post soon!