Caffeine is condusive to creativity

I stayed up so late last night early this morning, but while I was lying awake wondering, "Will I get to sleep before the sun comes up?" I had a burst of inspiration for a really cute knit design.

I'm not about to spill the beans about it yet! You'll have to wait for that info when the sample is finished, but needless to say, if it turns out as awsome as it did in my mind, then I will definitely be putting at least one up on etsy when the time comes.

I did finish knitting four coffee cup sleeves and they are so cute! I used some left over ribbon to decorate them a little. They're very girly girl looking. Love.

In writing, I know that I've been really really bad about my April challenge. Today, I sat down and edited 12 pages (5 of those were a second edit on a chapter). Pretty good so far and I think that I'm caught up. My crazy calculations now suggest that I edit 2.09 chapters per day to reach my goal, which I'm fairly certain is less than 2.5. Yay math. *grumble*

That's about all I've got today. I've printed off my new pages for my "editor" to read through. I guess I'll go back to knitting and hoping my finished project is as awsome as I think it will be.

Happy Knitting!

Wagon + Me = Off

Yes, that's right. I'm rolling my eyes as I admit this and if I could, I'd kick my own self in the backside.

April 2nd. That's as far as I made it! I kept telling myself that I'd work on my novel this weekend and make up the pages I hadn't edited. So far, my effort has been nil. Except, of course, for the chapter I edited on Wednesday. In actual pages it probably started out as about four, so that wasn't even two days worth of work.

And then I gave in and had a hot chocolate from Starbucks today. In my defense, it was (is) really good. I went out shopping with my sister after work and we just happened to be shopping near a Barnes & Noble and you know, one thing led to another... and here I am guiltily (or not really so) sipping a delicously hand-made hot chocolate without whip cream. I'm probably going to start pmsing tomorrow. Whatever.

Reading:
Princess Forever, by Meg Cabot.

I've been reading all day, except for the part where I went to work, because I've still got bills to pay, and where I went out shopping after work with my sister, because even though we don't always get along, we're still really good friends, which is nice. I'm closing in toward the end of the novel; there are less than fifty pages left and I'm already screaming in my head: DUMP J.P. He is USING YOU! Because in my heart I've always loved Micheal better and there is definitey something fishy about when the paparazzi is showing up and when they're not. That's all I'm going to say. That and, well go read it. The whole series that is.

Knitting:
New Designs

I'm working on a few new coffee cup holder designs to put up on etsy and a cute coaster set. I'm working with cotten right now and I am really loving it! I hope I don't get sick of it by the summer, but maybe by then I'll have to pick up some bamboo yarn.

Lastly, I went to a craft fair at the Lake County Fairgrounds this past Sunday. There were a lot of the same vendors there from last fall, but a lot of their stock was different, because a lot of vendors sell seasonal items. I got a really cute crocheted beret. It's purple with a shimmery blue yarn woven in. I saw it, though mermaid! and had to have it. I also got a pair of earrings. They're a jade colored stone cut into a leaf. They're really pretty and I'm totally wearing them at this very moment.

I'm off to finish reading the last few chapters of Princess Forever(and eat dinner).

Happy knitting!!!

April Challenge!

I realize that posting this today, of all days, is a little funny. There are a few things that I want to finish this month. I want to put it down in print where I will see it and remind myself that this stuff has to be done!

First, let me start off with how I ended March. I finally finished the Knitting Bag from the Fall/Winter 2008 edition of Debbie Bliss Magazine. It is an awsome bag! I had finished knitting it forever ago, but I needed to get handles and sew the lining.



Last Saturday, the girls took a trip into the city and went to a craft rummage sale. I found two sets of bamboo handles for dirt cheap. Score! So, I felt that it was definitely time to dig the knitting bag out of my projects bin and finish it.

I had the lining cut out. Yesterday, I stitched up the sides and sewed it into the bag. As far as sewing goes, it would probably score a 4. It looks pretty, but how I stitched it was pretty wonky due to hand-sewing and lack of skills. But I don't care! Because it's finished and now I have a cute bag!

On to the challenge material:

I have been working on editing my nano novel for far too long! Let's face it, editing a chapter a week (I know!) is like a snail trying to walk across my yard. He might get to the other side... eventually.

Instead of focusing on editing a chapter at a time. I want to start editing pages per day. Taking weekends off, I would only have to edit 2 1/2 pages per day to finish by the end of April. That is totally an accomplishable goal for me.

On another front, I am cutting you out hot chocolate and sweet, sweet mocha frappuccinos. I simply cannot afford you. This, I know, will be the hardest challenge, since Starbucks sits right next to my place of employment.

So, those are my two goals for April: finish editing my novel and no drinking of the Starbucks, even when offered by others. *cringe* Free Starbucks is especially difficult to turn down. I may have to have some squishy yarn at the end of the month to comfort me.

Happy Knitting!