Its Been a While... guess we all need a break?

It has been a LOOONNGG time. I’m sorry for this. I haven’t felt very creative or like sitting in front of my computer. I know that I can only get what I put in. I just have a lot of chaos going on in life. I am not the kind of person that likes to not be in control. Thankfully I have a pretty set plan B if plan A falls through. I have had three plan A’s. If this does not work- I am going to this plan B. How is that for being vague? I can’t really talk about it until it’s all set. I can say that I will be moving in the next four weeks. I do no like packing and I have a lot of stuff to pack up.

READING

I feel like I haven’t read in months but that is not true. I started a book called Love You, Mean It. It’s a sad story so I put it down for now. I read a few books by Dean Koontz recently: Demon Seed, Trapped, and Your Heart Belongs to Me.Demon Seed, was okay. It reminded me of Smart House, the Disney movie. Trapped, was kind of boring and not really my style. I just plan on reading The Taking this week as well.

Someone was moving out of my apartment last week and brought a bunch of stuff down to the laundry room- giving it away for free. JACKPOT! I got a lot of new books and sweaters. I gave my mom a couple of the sweaters and took the rest home.

ETSY SHOP

Well I separated my business side from my creative side. I moved some furniture around in my apartment.. here are some before and after pictures. My living room is my creation area.  My bedroom is huge, so I took half of it for the business area and storage of my inventory. I utilized my bookshelf, white organizers, and my desk.

TV!

I like to rent seasons of TV shows and play them while I create. It helps me to concentrate on what I am doing. Right now I am in the middle of Friday Night Lights (starting S3 soon), In Plain Sight (Season 2), and I still have to watch S1 of Ally McBeal again since I skipped it, and S6 of The L Word (love my LA lezies) again since its now at the library finally! 

Thats all folks :) Im going to get back to my Friday Night Lights now. Its good stuff.

I Started A Project BOX!

I have accumulated quite a bit of yarn over the past couple of months. Hobby Lobby has a sale or i get that awesome 40% off coupon and i just cant help myself! i want to use all the different types and weights and colors possible.

here is the thing.. excess material.. limited free time.. that leads to a project box. i went through a lot of my patterns i liked.. and tried to match them to yarns i have if possible and here is what i am thinking (with the exception of a custom order request- i am up for suggestions to change my ideas around)

1. crochet afghan in these stripes. not for sale.

2. Cable Knit Pillow with the patter on both sides. 

may do one side all pink & the other brown

or pink with the middle section brown... not sure

i have about 4 in done so far (more than shown here)

3. I want to try making squares like this... pink, green, and black

i have to go buy black still in simply soft.

I want to make a purse/bag from squares. not this throw.

may need some help... not sure yet

4. Gloves with half fingers. this looks complicated...

i have extra white so i thought i would try it. 

i have two patterns i want to try

5. I thought i would try a lace pattern scarf- but thinner.

Spring is here but i know some girls who love scarves all year long

and when u live in a place where its cool all year

its nice to have options to go with the seasons

6. I like this pattern a lot. the yarn isn't very fun to work with thou.

we shall see. this is a more advanced crochet pattern

i love a good challenge

7. This is a nice light weight yarn for the spring/summer shawl.

this is also a more advanced pattern for knitting with two needles

that in itself is kind of complicated sometimes

i hope it looks good in black. 

8. Custom Order Request!

These are my favorite. 

you say here is a picture of what i want

i say what color and kind of material are you thinking

then bam.. its yours. 

[i did not make this shawl pictured above
my friend found this and asked if i could make this for her
basic ribbing, knit, purl, and decreasing skills.
i will post my version once i complete it.
my goal is to have it done in the next week.. we shall see]

I also have two new items i finished that are being listed today and two that i will list later this weekend. very exciting stuff! 

I like comments. let me know what you think. or that someone actually reads this stuff :) you don't have to have a google account either! post anonymously if you want to say mean things

xoxo

Randee

Ready to Celebrate St Pattys Day!

Since i didnt do so well last month on reading, i am trying to actually start and finish a tangible book again :) I decided to go with Fugitives and Refugees by Chuck Palahniuk. He is my ALL TIME no questions asked favorite author. i found him when i was 14. i own all of his books and i've read all but this one. I put it off because the word "non-fiction" kind of turns me off. Its all about Portland and little bits of his life. I am about half way through and its AWESOME. I've had my eyes on Portland for a few years now. It sounds like an awesome place to live. This is a neat passage from the beginning of the book:

"Katherine's theory is that everyone lokking to make  new life migrates west, across America to the Pacific Ocean. Once there, the cheapest city where they can live is Portland. This gives us the most the most cracked of the crackpots. The misfits among misfits. 'We just accumulate more and more strange people,' she says. 'All we are are the fugitives and refugees.'"

Im still doing good on my two new years resolutions. one being to stop being fat and lazy haha. i am a little more conscious of what i'm eat... not too much though. then for jan and feb i was going for an hour-ish 5 days a week but i've had some personal (mental) issues the past couple weeks so i slowed down to like 2 days. well thats done. i'm back to the grind. i don't know how i went so many years without exercise. its one of my favorite pass times now. right after reading and knitting :)

I finally listed my other hemp set i made:

Its currently listed at $12 for the necklace and $7 for the bracelet. Im offering $5 off through refund if purchased together through the end of the month. See the bracelet listing HERE and the necklace listing HERE.

and I created a (i think) super cute head band for St Pattys Day. No pattern involved. just me, my sweet skillz, and some yarn :) Its listed for $10. Free Shipping. See the listing HERE.

Well thats all i have to report right now. i hope everyone is having a great March! I know I am :)

xoxo
Randee

MARCH SALE! MARCH SALE! MARCH SALE!

So i have this cute little shop. I am working on some new inventory, but while that is in the making... you can check out what it is listed.

$5 off when you buy a NECKLACE and a BRACELET together.
$10 off when you buy a hat AND scarf
discounts will be refunded via paypal.

I take custom order requests. If you like something in my shop, I can adjust to your liking. size color whatever.

you can also check out my FLICKR to see my past custom orders.

I just joined the EtsyKnitters Team!
This is the team BLOG
and the team Flickr
and the team FACEBOOK FANPAGE

I have been a member of the QueerEtsy Team for a bit now and i love it!
Our Facebook Fanpage
Our Collective Etsy Shop
And The Team BLOG

and a little link love for myself:
My Twitter
My Etsy Shop


Im excited for my new stuff i am in the middle of, or have to list, or have in the planning stage. :)

xoxo
Randee

Thursday's Finds!

My 40% off any regular priced item coupon led me to hobby lobby (after work.. and my work out or course).

Here is what I added to my "raw materials" inventory:

Then I also found Artfire.com which is like etsy... except there is no listing fee. I guess its just another medium to get my name out there. I just have to keep track of what sells on what site and not double sell something. Most of my yarn is no longer sold. I like making one of a kind pieces! :D

Here is my shop on artfire.... http://RandeeAnne.artfire.com . its still in the making so check back often.

I cant wait to get to work this weekend. I am hoping my mom's visit brings lots of good new ideas for my shop and my work.

OH and i also used a Kohls coupon and $20 gift card this week too! I bought a new GROWN UP PURSE! its my second one so far.. my first one (no as grown up like) is falling apart.

SHORT AND SWEET.
just like me :)

thank goodness tomorrow is friday... do I hear a AMEN? haha.

-RandeeAnne

Tax Return+Best Buy=Happiness

Since before Christmas, I have been trying to hook my tv to my computer as a second monitor. I bought two cables and two adapters- none if it worked. Lots of frustration through ebay and christmas presents and fiddlesicks. i almost gave up- until tonight. i bought the adapter from best buy even though it was twice as much as on ebay... i dont trust ebay anymore. I came home- hooked it up and BAM! I have my facebook on my tv! its very pretty.

Thats not all of the happy story. NEXT i went to look at the external hard drives. (picked up the new OS for Macs too!) well i dont know much about anything so i always have to ask the guys there a million questions. too bad the people were all taken, but ALAS there is a fellow mac owner looked at the stuff with me. he noticed i looked like a deer in headlights and offered to answer my questions. WELL AWESOME THANK YOU. he showed me how i should format my new hard drive, what hard drive i should buy, how to install my new OS, and we talked about my tv monitor situation. I should have gave him a tip because he was very helpful. He also gave me his number and said i could call or text if i have any questions. 231 area code. we're both from Muskegon. he went to high school with my cousin, katie j. i dont know if he knows her but he said the name sounded familiar. whatever. So i am ready to back up, free up, and upgrade my baby.

then as we are leaving, nate said "make it a movie night for 4.99" AWESOME $5 movies! i wanted 13 going on 30 for xmas but mom couldnt find it. BAM! there it is, the flirty version, for $5. Yes, Thank YOU! so i just gave them the money i would have given the as stations and taco bells from here to indy.btown- if i were going.

i also went to Hobby Lobby, got some more yarns, and finished my shawl.

This is what i used for the scarf i made yesterday. not as long as i would like, my bad for not reading how much comes in a package... but still cute and wearable :) I will be listing it on my shop this weekend. http://RandeeAnne.etsy.com check it out :)

Then this yarn is the same kind but a different color.. which i will be making this weekend. 

i win i win i win. Cant wait for my THREE DAY WEEKEND. me, my movies, and my knitting. busy enough so i dont realize im still alone. someday... someday... you will see, you belong with me. my funny valentine, sweet comic valentine.

xoxo
Randee!

FEBRUARY BOOKS part 1

I finished my third novel in the Kathy Love series I am reading. It is called I Only Have Fangs For You.

Let me tell you, these books are fantastic! I love all three that I have read. The ending of this had my talking out loud "WHAT?!" so good. The romance part isn't as hot as My Sister is a Werewolf, but it is good enough. The other book from this 4 book series that I have read is Fangs but no Fangs.

I can see myself as Mina which made it even better. I like being able to step into a good book, and I find it very easy to step into all of these vamp books.

If I didn't mention it, or this is your first time reading my blog, this series is about three brothers who are turned into vampires, and a sister who is turned into a werewolf. They are the Young family.. Elizabeth, Christian, Sebastian (my fav), and Rhys. You don't HAVE to read them in order but I think it helps. I did not read them in order and I am not confused. I started this series on my trip to Florida with my best friend, S. She introduces me to a lot of good things in life, like Etsy, The Chicago Diner, and stuff. GO HERE for more details.

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I also read this book called Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. It was a random pick, and I wasn't expecting too much from it. I was wrong to judge. The beginning was a little slow for me to get into, but once the pieces fell into place- I couldn't stop reading. This was new for me. They weren't the stereotypical vampires and creatures. They were different and had new creatures.. its new for me so I can't remember all the details but its a nice change of pace.

This is the first book in the series. There are four books out so far.
"Two races of vampires walk our world. One, the Moroi, are alive and wield elemental magical. The other, the Strigoi, are undead and evil--feeding on the innocent to survive. Rose Hathaway--a half-vampire with poor impulse control--is training to be a bodyguard for a Moroi princess. Learning to decapitate and stake is hard enough, but Rose's real danger may lie in an illicit romance with one of her instructors"
Go HERE to read more on this series.

and no.. since the twilight saga which got my addicted to these books... no other vampire sparkles. wtf. sparkle? S Meyer... you can do better I think. I used to love that series... now I'm not so sure.

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I have the Black Dagger Brotherhood series being shipped to me. I downloaded a bunch of Jane Austin books, and for my lunch hour read... I am reading the Great Gatsby because I've never read it.

Always accepting requests and ideas for new reads :)

xoxo
Randee

My Etsy Shop is Filling Up Nicely :)

This is what i have made so far since I made my shop on Etsy.com.

I take custom order requests too :)

Lost, Fangs, and Knitting Needles

LOST (tv)
i watched all of lost seasons 1-5 in like a 3 week time frame and SERIOUSLY fell in love. last night was the FINAL season premier and i have to say i am kind of disappointed. i hate waiting a week for another hour but i know when tuesdays at 9 roll around ill be glue to the couch.

i don't really like Sawyer as much since he fell in love with Juliet. Im glad Michael hasn't made another appearance.

FANGS (books)
Im reading I Only Have Fangs For You by Kathy Love . its the third book in a 4 part series that i've read. its pretty awesome. I may take a break from my vamp love for a couple months and read something different. i thought about reading the Bible. 23 years old and i believe there is a God but i've never really gone to church since well i just don't like the idea of it. I have like 6 bibles in my library that were gifts. different versions. my dads side of the family are all church goers and at one time i wanted to get into it. i just want to read it for fun and to know what people are talking about.

I just finished The Lost Symbol over the weekend. not as good as Angels and Demons but i didn't think it was bad. same level of coolness as The Da Vinci Code. a little predictable for me but i guess all art is an old idea reinvented.

I love book requests so if u know something you REALLY liked, let me know and i will read it- if its in my local library or i can find it on audio book for free.

Knitting Needles (craft time for etsy )
i made a new scarf and hat set over the weekend (cute pic below with my great grandma's teddy bear as a model). i am trying to use up all my yarn from last year. I learned something new and used that new smarts to make a pretty shawl. i ran out of yarn so once i buy more i can finish it and list that baby. or wear it myself :) no sales yet but i'm still reading up on the etsy shop deal.. ill figure out how to make those sales that people talk about one of these days :)

I joined the Queer Etsy Street Team . i love it. i got to witness/enjoy my first tuesday night chat with the group, or those of us that were on. i had to leave just as the party started thou for Lost...

I also started a flickr account to keep all my pics of things I am or will be selling in my shop. I may use it for other purposes too but thats the main reason for now.

BED TIME. im going to sleep before 2am finally!

xoxo
Randee

A month into 2010 and i love it

I finished up the Sookie Stackhouse series.. or as much as possible (new book in May this year!). I really enjoyed those books, especially the ones with Sookie and Eric together :). I am looking forward to new True Blood in June. I am curious to see what they take from the books this season.

For the past couple of weeks, I have given myself completely to the Lost series. I started with Season 1 rented from the library to pass the time on the weekends... but that turned into something else entirely. Lost may be my favorite TV series ever. I just finished Season 5 earlier today which was aired last year. I had great timing since the new season begins on Tuesday!

Along with my re-found love for reading, I also started knitting again. I had a lot of left over yarn that i bought last year and didn't get around to using. So far I have made three scarves, a hat, a plastic bag holder, and fingerless mittens. I am in the process of knitting a shawl as well, i just ran out of yarn. I am trying to make new items with new yarns and techniques. Since i had to many requests and people seem to like me work, i decided to start my Etsy.com shop. This is a place to buy and sell homemade items, as well as vintage stuff. It is probably the most exciting and neat thing i have been a part of. It really is a world of its own, with all sorts of different communities.

In my shop, I have seven items listed. Right now I only have knit and hemp items for sale. I am looking to put up my photography as well. I am constantly working on ideas for new items and promo tactics. I feel like my business degree that I acquired this past May might actually mean something now.  I named my shop Craftee Randee. Its catchy and it rhymes. It also allows me to have more than one medium of art sold.

I started this Blog only for discussion on books and tv series that I get into. I am going to add my other hobbies as well, and maybe a few blogs here and there with life updates if anything truly exciting happens. :)

Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Randee