Yarn!!!

 Did I show y'all the yarn I bought at DFW Fiber Fest?  No? 

Well then:

I bought a few skeins of Madelinetosh DK Twist to make a sweater to wear at STARS games.  

I also bought a few skeins of Books Farm Yarns Four Play to make another sweater I've been wanting to make for a while.

Aaaannnddd...yesterday, I won some yarn!!!!  I've been reading The Knitting Doctor's blog for several years.  I think of her as a friend.  She recently celebrated her 10 Year Blogiversary and had a contest.  Happy Blogiversary to her and happy yarn day to me!  Thanks again, Lorette.

MK out.

Movie Monday - 3/31/2014

I am not watching many movies these days - between the move and the new guilty pleasure...I've been catching up on Revenge.  Oh my, what an intriguing show...I never knew.

Anyway, in the last week, I watched Ginger and Rosa.  It is set in London in the 1960s.  Do you ever wonder where the expression Ban the bomb! came from?  It's from this time period with the Cold War at its height.  Elle Fanning, Alessandro Nivola, Christina Hendricks, Alice Englert, Timothy Spall, Oliver Platt and Annette Bening star in this movie about two girls (BFFs) growing up in those uncertain times.  It was alright.

Back to Revenge...

MK out.

FO Friday - 3/28/2014

Patience will eventually be rewarded. Living in two houses is a real pain - knitting has been a bit of a salvation..when I have been able to actually do it.

I finished the 22.5 Degrees about two weeks ago and finally blocked it this week:

The yarn is Loopy Legend by The Loopy Ewe in the Nana Ruby's Jewels color way.  

I finished Ishbel this week:

The yarn is Kraemer Yarns Sterling Silk & Silver.  It was a dream to use.

I placed beads ever six stitches about every eight rows, but they cannot be seen by the naked eye, as they are pink...like the yarn.  But I know they are there. And it's all about me. (Right.)

I finished the March 2014 Socks earlier today:

The yarn is Gynx Sock by Gynx Yarns in the Sakura color way.  

I love how the flashing is orderly and as symmetric as possible - and Merry Karma approved.

This weekend, I am joining my sheeples at the DFW Fiber Fest.

The Yarn Harlot is speaking tonight...as in, right now...She is teaching this weekend too.

MK out.

WIP Wednesday - 3/19/2014

I only have three charts left to knit on this shawl - and one of them is a one row chart:

Fifteen rows until bind off People...and I will have a completed Ishbel shawl!!!

The socks are coming along too:

I like how the flashy is turning out.  In my defense, it's not the actual flashing and pooling that bothers me in and of themselves...it's that it usually doesn't seem to happen the same way on both socks.

Remember, I'm the matchy-matchy girl.

MK out.

Movie Monday - 3/17/2014

Since the Oscars frenzy has ended, I have other priorities besides movie watching.  Speaking of the Oscars, the voting members sure didn't agree with who all I thought deserved an award...but I have my own theories about that.  I will keep them to myself...

I have watched a few flicks though, because...well...that's what I do.

The Sapphires is based on a true story about four Aboriginal girls, sisters and cousins, who go to Viet Nam in the 60's to sing to the troops.  Chris O'Dowd (I just love him), Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell starred in the movie. It was very good.

I watched Ain't Them Bodies Saints several weeks ago and I forgot to write about it.  (Oops!)  Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara star as a star-crossed couple on the run from the law.  Bob (Affleck) ends up in jail, leaving a pregnant Ruth to fend for herself. Bob finally decides he's had enough of incarceration and he breaks out to reunite with Ruth and the daughter he has never met.  I really liked it.

The Kid and I had intended to watch The Hunger Games: Catching Fire while he was home for winter break.  We didn't have the chance...until last night...now that he is on spring break.  It is the second film based on the trilogy by Suzanne Collins.  After Katniss and Peeta's victory, the powers that be were not very happy, as their actions inspired hope in the hearts of Panem's poor.  President Snow, the nation's leader, devised another interim hunger games whose tributes are chosen from past winners.  Katniss and Peeta must once again fight to the death. Many of the actors from the first film reprise their roles in this one: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Stanley Tucci, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz and Donald Sutherland  - just to name a few.  It was kind of sad to watch one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's last performances, but the movie was very good. 

MK out.

Start Something Sunday - 3/16/2014

I started a new pair of socks...on Friday...but they are still new enough to count for SSS:

I'm using a discontinued yarn by Gynx Yarns called Gynx Sock, in the Sakura color way.  It's another plain vanilla - I started cuff down with a picot edge.  I haven't decided what kind of heel to use yet, but I have a few inches before I have to decide.  I think it's going to be a little flashy...as in pooling and flashing.  I'm not a big fan of the pooling and flashing, but I'm thinking it won't be too obnoxious in this color combo.  Well, here's hoping...

Sorry for the recent radio silence. Chez Merry Karma is split between two locations currently, and I've been a little busy with the shifting around of the stuff.  Lots.of.stuff.

I did finish the 22.5 Degrees neck thing yesterday.  Here's a shot of the edging in progress: 

It needs a bath and a bit of a block....but I can't promise when the finished shot will appear on the blog...

MK out.

The Oscar Post

Tomorrow night is the big night!  I'm excited, even though 1. I'm not attending an Oscar party and 2. I saw all but one of the nominated movies.  I didn't get to see Her yet, but I feel confident that I can choose which movies and actors I think should win from the ones I've seen.

I almost didn't get to see another movie, but I watched Captain Phillips last night and I really liked it.  It is based on the true story of a tanker ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. Even though I knew the outcome, it was pretty tense at times.  Tom Hanks stars as the captain, Rich Phillips.  Besides Best Picture, the film garnered a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Barkhad Abdi.  The acting is good and the story is riveting...you should see it if you haven't already.

You can see all the nominations here.

So - I will make it short and sweet and tell you who I would pick to win, if it were up to me...

Best Actress - This one is a hard category for me, because every actress was great...but...(sorry Meryl) I am going to have to go with Amy Adams.  
Best Actor -  I think this race is between Christian Bale, Bruce Dern and maybe Matthew McConaughey  (maybe) and I'm going with Bruce Dern.  
Best Supporting Actress - Jennifer Lawrence did a mighty fine job in American Hustle, but June Squibb stole every scene in which she appeared and I am going with her.
Best Supporting Actor -  Jared Leto should win, hands down.
Best Movie -  American Hustle, but Nebraska is a close second.

What are your picks?

MK out.