MK's 2015 Oscar Picks

Sorry...been busy trying to get ready for the show.  The Metroplex is under a winter storm warning; so, I'll be in front of the tee vee with my blanky and a glass of wine.

I'm going to get down to the knitty- gritty and not wax poetic. The following are my picks if I were allowed/qualified to vote.

Best Supporting Actress - Patricia Arquette in Boyhood.

Best Supporting Actor - J.K. Simmons as the abusive band director in Whiplash.

Best Actress - Julianne Moore in Still Alice. 

Best Actor - Eddie Redmayne in the Theory of Everything.

Best Picture - It was down to three movies for me: Boyhood, Selma and Whiplash. My pick is Boyhood.

MK out.

FO Friday - 2/20/2015

I finished the first of my Loopy Academy assignments this week. It was my first time to use Cascade 220 Superwash and I like it. I think it's a good yarn for accessories and children's clothing items. One can make beautiful wool items for a reasonable price without worrying about felting them.

Pattern: Cupido Cowl
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Modifications: none
Started: 2/8/2015
Finished: 2/17/2015

MK out.

I'm Ready...

...for the Oscars.

American Sniper is based on the book American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle. Bradley Cooper plays Kyle and Sienna Miller plays his wife Taya. The film examines the impact that war has on soldiers and their families. Chris Kyle had skills that served him well in the execution of his duties while serving our country. His death was truly a senseless and avoidable tragedy. The movie was good.

Robert Downey, Jr. and Robert Duvall star in The Judge. The film is about a judge who is suspected of killing someone with his car and his estranged son, who happens to be a successful defense attorney offering to help him. The supporting players include Vera Farmiga and Billy Bob Thornton. It was a little predictable, but good.

Examining the political, racial and social issues of the time, Selma focuses on the marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama demonstrating for African American voting rights in the 1960s. David Oyelowo plays Martin Luther King, Jr. Tom Wilkerson plays Lyndon Johnson. Also starring are Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey. The acting was phenomenal and David Oyelowo was robbed - he should have been nominated for Best Actor. Some parts of the movie were hard to watch, but it was well acted and very good.

In French, with English subtitles, Two Days, One Night follows Sandra (Marion Cotillard) as she spends her weekend trying to convince each of her coworkers to vote for keeping her on the job instead of receiving a €1000 bonus. Cotillard's performance was spot on. The film, in typical French film fashion, was subtle, yet very good.

In Whiplash, an abusive band director (J.K. Simmons) pushes an aspiring jazz drummer student (Miles Teller) to the limit. The movie was riveting. One could feel the anxiety and humiliation the students in this prestigious music school had to endure under this person's tutelage. The acting was superb. I really liked this movie.

Tune in Sunday for my Oscar Picks.

MK out.

Start Something Sunday - The Loopy Academy Spring Semester 2015 Edition

The Loopy Ewe continues its scholastic endeavors with a list of assignments for students to complete during this spring.  This semester, the focus is on techniques. Students are to make one striping project (not using self-striping yarns to achieve the effect), one felting or fulling project and one slip-stitch project.

My school supplies arrived this week:

I'm planning to make French Press Slippers for felting, 

Penny Candy Tee for striping 

and Cupido Cowl for slipped stitches.

I was going to start with the slippers, but early this morning, I was having trouble sleeping and decided to start Cupido by the light of my iPad in bed.

I think I'll go knit now.

MK out

FO Friday - 2/6/2015

I know, I know, it's February and it's been awhile since y'all have seen any finished knitting projects around here.

I am happy to report that another WIP has been finished.

The Lone Star State Knitters recently had a KAL (knit along) and I finally finished my blanket.

Pattern: Sleeping Beauty Baby Blanket
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease
Modifications: cast on 112 stitches
Started: 8/6/2014
Finished: 1/22/2015

I also finished my first FO of the new year last month.

Pattern: A Little Bit Bohemian
Yarn: A Pulchritude of Peacocks by Alisha Goes Around
Modifications: I did three repeats total of the center section without increases.
Started: 1/17/2015
Finished:  1/24/2015

MK out.

WIP Wednesday - 2/4/2015

I am moving right along on the 8 Days a Week sweater.  

I wanted to be done by now, but stuff happens. I am happy with the way it is turning out so far...and it's knitting; so, it's all good. The color - Seaglass - makes me happy, especially since the days have been gray around here. I think I'll do the cowl next before I venture to sleeve island.

The socks for January aren't done yet either.

I love how they are turning out...the pattern makes the stripes do this fun little shape. 

However, I am not enjoying the knitting of them. I will finish them, but I might start another pair of socks before I do...

MK out.

Movie Monday - 2/2/2015

The Theory of Everything is an adaptation of the book Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen by Jane Wilde Hawking. The Stephen (in case you didn't know and you missed the clues in the last sentence) is none other than Stephen Hawking - one of the most important scientists in my lifetime.  It is basically about their life together, beginning when they met while he was attaining his PhD at Cambridge. Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne play the principal characters. Eddie Redmayne was stellar in this role. The movie was very entertaining. I really liked it.

Reece Witherspoon stars in Wild, another adaptation of a biography - Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. Witherspoon plays Strayed, a troubled young woman who hikes the over one thousand mile trail to settle her demons and find purpose in her life. Laura Dern plays her mother Bobbi Grey. All I can say is, I don't think I have the courage to even attempt such a feat. It was very good.

MK out.