phew...

its been a long week! and a tiring one at that. most of the time was spent putting the finishing touches on my new office. here are a few more photos today of the finished office, as i've started to unpack. i'll be posting more in the next few days as i get stuff set up on the new desk that ian built for me yesterday :)


[fireplace still needs to be painted]




[look at the nice cedar lined closets with chalkboard + magnetic paint!]


its going to take a few days to move things down 2 flights of stairs, and set it up, but i can't wait to start on my next project in my new space. it also frees up the current office to finish up the wedding dress :)

speaking of wedding stuff, the paper supplies for the invitations arrived on friday, and i was able to start mocking up some test invites.




luckily, i have some great friends and ann offered some time and came over today to help me assemble all [!] of the invites. tomorrow i'm off to buy some stamps, stuff some envelopes, and get these things labeled for mailing. with 10 weeks and counting, they'll need to be in the mail in the next 2 weeks. its crazy how quickly time is flying. i'm looking forward to all the fun extras like bridal showers and bachelorette parties, but its more that i really can't wait to marry ian. well, that and going to st lucia :) hehe, just kidding sweetie!

last night we finally went to silk elephant in squirrel hill to try out their thai tapas. i highly recommend this place! i was pretty irritated when zyng closed and this opened in its space, but i'm already over that! yummy food, strong drinks, and a nice atmosphere. i'm sure we will be back sometime soon :)

thats it for now, i'm ready to crash and its only 8:34. i think its time for some mindless tv and knitting to relax me for the night. oh, and maybe a foot massage....

more photos and house stuff, as usual :)

i finally have a few photo updates to post. not many, but its something :) first, we have the semi-finished walkway that ian and i worked on a few weekends ago:



i still need to plant a few hostas in the shade, and we may need to put a little more sand around the pavers, but its finished enough for now :) it will be nice to have a place to relax once it cools off a bit. once we pick up some more mulch, i'll be able to post photos of the rest of the landscaping in the backyard... not too much to show now.

next up, we have a few office-progress shots.






we have a new ceiling, new light/fan, we've painted the walls, and ian made a built in shelving spot in one wall, and installed 2 new windows [thankfully replacing a glass block one]. he's started putting down the floor, which should be finished this weekend and then we can install the baseboards. before i know it, i'll be able to start buying the new furnishings :) speaking of, anyone interested in buying an industrial vintage steelcase-type desk? i'm in the market for a more streamlined desk for the office, so i've got to sell the one i have.

on the knitting front, i received a lovely package from my SP8 today... it was a nice surprise while taking a break from mowing the back yard. she sent 3[!] skeins of knitpicks shimmer alpaca/silk lace yarn, 4 bars of yummy scented soaps, and a great debbie bliss book. once i finish up the picovoli t i'm working on, i think i may make one of these.

hmm... what else? keeping on track with the wedding planning, dress making, invite designing, etc. also keeping busy on the work front, with a few websites in the design stages and a press check tomorrow. looks like i'll have some time to work on picovoli :)

the 4th + seven

ahhh... finally a minute to post, sort of. its been a busy week, as usual. ian had an extended 4th of july holiday weekend, so we spent the time getting a lot done on the house. he took over inside renovations while i tackled more yardwork, in hopes of getting a bit of a tan. the progress on my new office is exciting... we'll be picking paint colors and hopefully painting an evening this week... [ hmm painting vs. burger night? ]. here's the status: i drywalled a bit during the week, and updated the electrical outlets/switches. ian finished up drywalling, plastered, and finished the cedar lined closets. he also installed the ceiling over the weekend and the new fan. next steps are caulking, painting, installing the floor, and trim work. yes, i'm glossing over alot of the specifics, but this gives me hope that i'll be moving into the space over the weekend :) [can't wait til ian reads this.. hehe]

as for yardwork... wow, alot of progess there as well. we finished the walkway with the pavers, sand and gravel. we mulched the torn-up grass between the walkway and fence, and we now have a nice sitting area to relax in. i see many days spent sipping a cool beverage and reading/knitting/sleeping.... :) i also managed to start edging the lawn and preparing for a small landscaping/butterfly/flower "space" to mask an ugly area in the corner. i'll be planting around the perimeter of the fence as well, so i've got about 50 more feet to edge. yay! [i'll post photos when i get home tonight.]

what else... we made it up to erie over the weekend for some family time; ian took my dad to get fitted for his tux, while my sister and i went dress shopping with our mom. it was a nice weekend, great weather, i just wish we had a little more time to relax. next time i'm hoping we'll find time for a short trek out to the peninsula, which is one of the things i really miss about home.

this week i'm freelancing "on-site" so its something to get used to. mostly the traffic. i haven't had any problems getting into work, but the drive home last night was not fun. but i did manage to make it home in time for ian and i to get to the gym a little after 6. had a good workout and hope to get back a few nights this week. its nice to see that bally's has opened up their outdoor pool. that will be nice next week while i'm working at home :)

its good to relax...

after a very productive weekend, the evening is ours to relax, grill and enjoy :) more tomorrow, hopefully with pictures.

short update

how has june flown by so quickly?? it seems like just yesterday i was unwrapping gifts, and now its almost the 4th of july. things have been really busy lately, so this may be a short post :)

ian and i went up to erie the weekend before fathers day to celebrate my dad's 79th birthday, and to have our first "pre-marital" counseling session with my pastor. that involved taking a long standardized test to measure our compatibility and views on a long list of stuff. i bet he's just entering our answers on match.com. :) we've also started going thru all of my belongings that are still at my parents house. that is going to be a huge task, since i haven't really "lived" there since the summers between college years. i won't even say how long ago that was. my parents have been discussing moving into a smaller home this fall. i'll admit a six bedroom house is a little too big for 2 people, but its also sad since i grew up in the house, and my dad + grandfather built it. anyone interested in a huge house in erie? :)

my sister that lives in erie called on tuesday night to let me know my mom was in the hospital overnight for observation. her blood pressure was really off, and there were some issues with her heart. they did a few tests yesterday and everything seemed ok, so she was sent home to rest. pittsburgh isn't that far away from erie, but sometimes it seems too far, especially when family is concerned.

in other news, freelancing has been pretty busy the past few weeks. ian and i have gotten a lot done on my new office. [photos will come later as the camera is charging now.] last night he started building a closet/bookshelf system in there, as it will be a "bedroom" when it comes time to sell the house. landscaping was put on hold for a bit due to the rain we've been getting, but i hope to plant some groundcover this weekend on the strip of dirt on the side of the house. still need to finish the stepping stone walkway, but we haven't had a chance to pick up the rest of the supplies for that.

wedding plans are coming along. i've started work on my dress [yay!!], but i can't really talk about that or upload photos. so you will just have to wait until the wedding. speaking of, i designed a quick site for the wedding, so if everyone wants to send us gifts, its all on there. jk :) i also want this, but its not at target, and we're still debating adding an amazon wedding registry.

i haven't been knitting much lately, since i've been too busy with other things. you know... work, life, etc. i'm hoping to get back into some new projects soon, esp since my SP sent me some lovely yarn and chocolate for my birthday. [i'll have to post that photo later too.] speaking of projects, i think its time for me to get back to work!

the countdown begins.

4 months + 2 days is close enough for a countdown right? this week is the official start of our 'lets hit the gym hardcore so we are in prime shape for the wedding and honeymoon adventure'. yay, lucky us! nah, seriously, its a good thing... i actually enjoy going to the gym, but sometimes its hard to find the time to make the trek out to ballys. [and by trek, i mean a 10 min drive in traffic.] its a little irritating that they got rid of their pilates class for now, and don't offer yoga... hmm... may have to try out the new schoolhouse yoga in squirrel hill.

i promised photos, so here they are.... photos of my latest FOs. the first is 'lelah', a nice summery top perfect for getting rid of tanlines. this was made out of a recycled gap thrift store sweater... totaling maybe $2? i still have 1/2 the sweater left...




next, we have 'sexie' from the stitch+bitch series, and yes, thats what they call it, not me. i substituted yarn on this one, and made it from some gifted berroco cotton twist. [thank you donna!] and it took less than 2 skeins! i also modified the straps so they don't tie at the neck. this was a super easy and quick knit.... i'm liking this one. but if i make another, i'll probably make it a few inches longer, and more snug, to show off the back lace work. this will be perfect in st lucia :)




here's an 'in progress' shot of my latest project... another tank. i just need to knit the straps. i'll post a finished pic in a few days, hopefully. i love this yarn! it is so soft and easy to work with; i may have to order another color [silver grey?] and make a lightweight hourglass sweater. plus, i am only on the 2nd skein... this is another great pattern :)




tomorrow i'll take some photos of the current state of my new office: walls are scraped and primed, and we need to patch in some drywall in spots then skip trowel. we decided to paint the brick wall white due to the difficulties we were having cleaning the brick and time constraints. this week we'll be installing 2 new windows and hopefully the ceiling. well, more than likely that will happen next week ;)

ian also started installing a new walkway in the back yard.. using some huge ass paving stones. so far its looking pretty good... we need to pick up some sand and gravel and fill everything in. normally, i love yardwork, but seeing how the stones weighed more than i did, i had to opt out. we're lining the walkway with inverted beer bottles... thoughts?




yes, the photo is taken out the kitchen window, i'll take some "outside" ones tomorrow :)

old

what's been keeping me so busy? celebrating my birthday of course! lots of parties, gift-unwrapping and yummy boston creme pies. enough to keep me slightly distracted from turning 33. no time to dwell on that tho... i've got a never-ending list of "to do's" that i need to tackle. i can cross one of the list tho... [drumroll please....] the honeymoon is booked! we finally settled on st. lucia [thank goodness for travel insurance in case of hurricanes]; hurricane or not, we'll have a great time! we're staying at a small hotel in the north end of the island the first few days, then traveling south to round out the week. we'll be staying in a private villa overlooking the ocean, and with our own private pool + garden shower, plus prime views of the pitons. jealous yet? :) photos will definitely be coming soon.

speaking of photos, i'll be uploading some this week, so much to show! we did some landscaping to the front and back yards and much progress has been made on my new office. i've also started on the bridesmaid dresses and fitted the first dress yesterday... things are looking great. the fabric i ordered for my dress arrived today and i'll hopefully be starting on it within the next week or 2. :D i've also been working on a few knit items and will be posting those pics soon, as soon as i finish my latest project, a cute little grey tanktop.

its been a long week, so time for a little relaxation, and finishing the last of my birthday beers. thanks sweetie ;)

house stuffs

so that never-ending bathroom renovation? almost finished. here are some photos! you'll notice all thats left to do is for me to switch out the old light switches with some new ones, along with cover plates. we ran into quite a few problems with this one... about a month ago [?] i finally finished tiling the walls and the floor, and finished painting the walls. ian grouted. we installed the toilet and started hooking up all the plumbing fixtures. thats odd... the toilet is all warm and steamy. [could be nice on a cold winter night; not so much in the basement in the summer]. but the shower was right. turns out, the plumber hooked the toilet up wrong, and we'd have to bust all the new work to see what he did wrong. grrr.... so ian switches the pipes on the outside going into the toilet and sink. well, the plumber had tied everything in together, so now the shower is backwards. we can live with it :) so, we've got a few photos of the overall bathroom, a nice shot of the tile, and some great recessed wall boxes and some found art. i'm loving it.










with all the house painting that went on last summer, we've realized we weren't happy with the green that we chose, and decided to go blue. its a nice smokey blue grey, and it looks great. its hard to tell from the pics because its been so dreary out lately, but heres an overall shot, plus a closeup showing the old green as well. we still need to paint the front trim and railings and tile the porch, but we are on our way.






the new project that will now be taking up alot of my time is my new office. my current one just isn't working out, so i am moving into a larger room in the house, and turning current office into a guest room. the new office is on the bottom floor, and will look out on the back yard, which will be a pleasant change. first, here are some shots of the room when i bought the house:








a little blah, right? well, first thing to go was the paneling. which revealed crumbling plasterwork, and then the brick wall on the exterior facing walls. we've decided to go with it and have an exposed brick wall. i need to finish up removing the plaster in a few areas, then we'll be cleaning and sealing the brick. next steps would be patching drywall and fixing the other walls, installing new windows and getting the nasty carpet out of there and laying a laminate floor. we're still figuring out the ceiling + lighting, but we've got a good start on the room. here's how its looking now:










looking good, right? i'm hoping to get back on that project later in the week, but with all the freelance work and wedding plans/dress making, it may be on hold for another week. but now its time for a lunch break, then back on a freelance project. busy busy aimee!

sp8

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
hmm.... i do not really like wool. its itchy and makes my skin blotchy :( i wonder if its certain types or all types, but i don't want to invest the money to find out! [i do use it for felting tho]. i'm currently loving some cotton/rayon/microfibre-y blends from my SP7.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
i have an interchangeable needle set that came with a case; i store other needles in a mason jar for easy access.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
15+ years; intermediate bordering on advanced

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
amazon, not entirely knitting-related, which i will be updating + posting soon. will be making a knitpicks wishlist soon.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
raspberry, vanilla, coffee

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
i *love* chocolate... dark especially. oh, and french martinis.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
i'm trying everything. currently remodeling/renovating my house that was a foreclosure; also an accomplished seamstress: hoping to get that website up and running soon; i'm a designer by day, that must be where all the DIY-ing comes from :) i'm also in the process of DIY-ing more or less my whole wedding..... dresses, flowers, invitations, etc...

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
ipod, computer + car stereo play mp3s. usually on rotation... dashboard confessional, r.e.m., death cab, alkaline trio, shins, postal service, mates of state, cake. currently enjoying say hi to your mom, arcade fire, rogue wave, hot hot heat, inxs, nada surf, etc...

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
i love blues, greys, black, olive/basil-y greens, burgundys; i really do not like yellow, red, purple, bright primaries...

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
currently living with fiance ian with wedding planned for oct '06, with our deaf dog sydney, our 2 cats black & tan, and a handful of fish.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
yes on scarves + mittens/gloves, occasionally hats. i kind of like ponchos but they do not like me. they overwhelm my small frame and i just look silly :P

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
currently summer tops, tank tops, etc.

13. What are you knitting right now?
tank top :)

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
only if they're super cool and unique :) hehe.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
aluminum over plastic. i use circular alot for knitting in round, or fronts + backs at same time, but use straight for smaller projects.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
yarn winder, best knitting invention ever.

17. How did you learn to knit?
self-taught via book

18. How old is your oldest UFO?
so old i don't even remember what it is. i do have a pair of arm warmers with an inch left to finish laying around somewhere.

19. What is your favorite holiday?
i don't really have a favorite holiday...they're all important for one reason or another. i *love* fall tho.

20. Is there anything that you collect?
hmm... not really...

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
i love alot of the new phildar patterns, but haven't found in the states. i like more simple, fitted, modern looks... phildar, rowan, debbie bliss, etc. no knitting magazine subscriptions yet.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
can't think of any right now.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
knit a pair last fall but it took so long.. a little tedious for me knitting on #2/3 needles. maybe i'll do a bulky pair next. i'm a size 6.

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
06/01

where in the world is aimee

i realize that i've been MIA for the past month or more, so its time for an update. i'll post in fun categories with a recap of all the house projects and wedding planning going on, plus all the other fun stuff.

other than house and wedding stuff, we've still managed to get out and have some fun. last monday we made it down to heinz hall for the inxs show. we skipped the opening band [like most of the crowd] and enjoyed the nice weather while sipping our $9 beers outside. we had great seats for the show, close enough to see jd fortune grabbing himself and gyrating all over the stage. oh, and for the googl-er who made it to the site searching for "does jd fortune have underarm hair", i'd have to say no. i'd also have to say he must be shaving other areas of his body, cuz those pants were damn low. but thats a whole other story ;) the show was great... they did alot of the new album, but i was happy to hear some old favorites like don't change and never tear us apart. good show :)

as usual, on tuesday we hit the infamous burger night with joe, while ex-rippler/current-neighbors diane and ed made their first showing. good times were had by all, i just wish it hadn't been raining as i love outdoor seating this time of year. the rest of the week i kept busy with lots of freelance work. same as the this week... i've been really busy, but thats always good. it's making the macbook pro a more realistic purchase :) after a tasty dinner + drink at shady grove, its time for a little relaxing watching some quality must see tv tonight. more posting soon :)

the one with the list

look, i'm posting again! i'm getting a break from working and enjoying the beautiful spring day, so i thought i'd post the recent happenings. sadly, there aren't many!

lets see.... semi-busy weekend. finally got in to get my hair cleaned up, ran some errands, including picking up some paint for the bathroom. hopefully i will paint that tomorrow or friday, and then finish the tiling. saturday evening ian and i made the fun trek out to st. vincent college in latrobe to see dashboard confessional. it was my 5th show.... unfortunately chris was sick so it wasn't one of the better ones, but we still enjoyed ourselves. if you haven't been to one of their shows, i highly recommend it. its a great experience. ian kindly pointed out that i was old enough to be the mother of some kids in the crowd... thats the problem with those all ages shows. grr... dashboard is playing another [acoustic!] show in erie next month which i'm still debating...

in other rock star news, the mail man delivered our inxs tickets for the pittsburgh show on may 1st! i was a fan throughout high school, and was saddened by michael hutchence's death... but i was excited by the premier of rock star inxs, as cheesy as the name was. i was even more surprised that they could find a new lead singer with as much as, if not more of, his sex appeal. so i'm definitely looking forward to the show with jd fortune ;)

now, all this talk of rock stars always leads to the conversation of "the list". everyone is familiar with the episode of friends, where they made a list of the 5 celebrities they'd be allowed to sleep with, blah blah blah.... and most people i know have made their lists... so we are always bringing up ours and relisting people and updating them. as i started talking about mine with ian this weekend, it seemed kind of funny. why, you ask? well here, let me show you. and yes, i know there are only supposed to be 5, but i wanted to throw in the fiance to give the full effect [and 6 pics fit better than 5 ;) ]




hmm.... its funny how i don't notice any similarities. its such a broad range, isn't it? but, is there one that doesn't seem to make sense? or maybe... it just gives a preview of how these tasty young men will age. [oh, and for those too unfortunate not to be familiar with the men.... chris carrabba, jd fortune, chris nunez, my sweetie, lance henriksen, julian mcmahon]. feel free to comment on my silliness :)

anyways... see what happens when i try to blog more than 2x a month?

this is who we are

it's been a whirlwind since the last post. lots [and lots and lots and lots....] of wedding planning. the first two weeks were very stressful...wondering if we'd be able to find any spot available for our october 06 wedding... nevermind even finding one that we actually liked. luckily, we have finally found and booked our venue for the ceremony and reception. i'll keep that as a little secret for now, until we have more of the planning done. it is currently being remodeled, so i can't even give a name right now ;) countdown to october 7th starting now.....

while on the topic of wedding stuff, i have gotten so many compliments on my ring, i wanted to point out that ian designed the ring and had it made especially for me.. what a sweetheart! its hard to see in the pictures from the last post, but the 2 stones on the sides are black diamonds. i love this ring :)

speaking of sweethearts... he has surprised me over the past few weeks with some very nice gifts. i came home one day to find this waiting for me at my computer:



my very own frank black action figure! most people that know me well enough know of my obsession with frank black. now i've got him standing on the shelf watching me work. hehe. and those that know frank black, well, you'll understand the post title ;) and then, this past week, he picked up some beautiful flowers for me on his way home. they looked pretty cool against the tile wall in the sunset.




even with the planning taking up most of my free time, ian and i did have a chance to go up to erie a few weekends ago to visit my family and had a pretty nice time. i tried on a few wedding dresses with my mom and sister. now i just need to make up my mind on a style so i can start making mine!! i'm very excited about that project :) i have the time now that i've finished the hourglass sweater. i really like it, the simple shape is very flattering, and i'm loving the sterling color. i make have to make another one for next year. i'll post a photo as soon as i get ian to take one of me modeling it. i've started on another knitting project... a pattern on the web called lelah. it seems to be another very flattering sweater and perfectly suited for our honeymoon.... :D. i'm making this out of a soft cotton yarn "recycled" from a gap thrift store sweater, for only $1.50. here's my progress:




this past weekend we got back on track with our lives and forgot about wedding plans for a bit. we had ians sister, brother-in-law, and baby over for dinner and had a great time catching up. saturday we ran quite a few errands, had brunch at coca cafe in lawrenceville, then headed out to a st patricks day party later that night. on sunday i finally got around to tiling the shower in the 2nd bath. i still need to tile the "fixture" side, and then grout, but its already looking great :) depending on freelance flow this week, i may get to finish during the week, or possibly paint. phew! my arms and back are really sore from this project :(



and what is with this on-off nice weather?! i'm loving it, but i wish it would stay! my crocuses have bloomed in the front garden, and it looks like the tulips and daylilies are starting to sprout up as well. i'm just hoping we aren't hit with *too* much more cold weather.... i'm anxious to get back to work on some outdoor projects.



hello spring!

... and I knew that you meant it

time for the 2 week update. as usual, its been pretty crazy. the cold i had during my last update lasted much longer than i was expecting, so i was out of commision for quite a bit. i haven't been hit by a cold like that in quite some time, so freelancing + house work were out of the question. i was able to catch up on some knitting and reading while recovering. i am almost done with the hourglass sweater [pics to come], with only an inch left to finish. once thats done, ill pick up on the socks again. my SP sent me another very sweet package, which definitely cheered me up. lots of sock making supplies, and some more chocolate for valentines day. yay!

speaking of valentines day, ian and i made it out to ibiza for dinner. i was not a big fan. it may have been the cold throwing me off, but we weren't that impressed. we exchanged some lovely gifts, [mostly involving chocolate, yummy], and celebrated ian's birthday as well. we did go out on friday night for a special celebration and enjoyed dinner at hot metal grille.

the past week i've been feeling much better and have been catching up on all the freelance work, some house stuff, and bunches of other things i can't quite remember. oh wait, thats right.... i'm engaged! yes, loyal 3 readers, you read that correctly, and i'm as happy as ever.

a little sleepy, but really happy :)


calling our families...


being all smoochy...


and, ta da, the ring..



feel free to send congratulations, advice, gifts, and of course, chocolate :)

does advil cold & sinus really work?

its about time i update the blog, but this one will be short. ian and i have both been battling bad colds the past week and it finally caught up with us this weekend. needless to say, most of the weekend was spent relaxing on the couch, drinking lots of tea, and catching up on some tv.

so what else have we been up to the past week or 2? hmm.. last weekend we finally got around to tiling the shower ceiling in the 2nd bath. ian did the planning and installing while i manned the wet saw. once im feeling better, i'll be able to finish the remaing walls by myself, now that the ceiling tiles are in place.



i've been busy with quite a few freelance projects so thats about all the house news i have! in the evenings ive been able to catch up on some knitting, and ive made alot of progress on the hourglass sweater. i'm going to have to start shooting against something other than my grey table ;)



i have the body and first sleeve completed to the underarm. once i finish the second sleeve and attach it, i'll just need to knit the yoke and it will be finished! the joys of circular knitting :) with it being such a simple sweater, i hate to say it, but its getting to be a little boring, so i started a second project! my first pair of socks... i'm about an inch into the toe section, and im loving the self-striping yarn.



in other knitting news, my SP sent me a very sweet gift last week: some handmade stitch markers and some lovely yarn. ill have to do some research and figure out what to make with it.. maybe some fingerless hand warmers? or another pair of socks?



on the "entertainment" end of things, we finally watched finding neverland last week. i highly recommend it, great movie! as the colds were sinking in last night, we watched another episode of millennium, season 3. not as good as the first 2, but who doesn't love lance henriksen? i'll be awaiting your post, sheila ;)

i'm off to make some more tea and curl up on the couch. lets hope this cold passes soon.

photos [and links!] galore

its only a month into the new year and there's already a sense of accomplishment. first, some house pics. i'm finally able to say that the 1st floor is about 90% done, with the remaining 10% being only very small things we need to finish. last week i skip troweled the remaining kitchen wall and ian painted and installed the baseboard. ta da:



as for the dining room, we really just need to move all of the misc furniture out of it, and put the dining room furniture back into it. we've also been trying to decide on a shelving unit... buying one or designing a built in unit. we also managed to score a free 55 gallon aquarium and we set that up last week and now have a few small schools of fish swimming around. it adds a nice bit of relaxation to the dining room, and i'm sure the cats will love it as well.




ian did a little organizing in the laundry room and put in a cast-off corner cabinet and a counter. i'd post a photo, but its piled up with laundry at the moment, so....


in the downstairs bath, i skip-troweled the walls and now i just need to pick a paint color and get moving on that. i have the floor [black tones] and tub surround [white/grey veinish] tiles, and am thinking either a khaki or blue grey paint to go with the woodwork of the vanity and recessed shelving.




over the past few weeks ian and i have managed to do some cleaning and downsizing: ended up taking a small truckload of "junk" to goodwill, along with a few bags of clothing to avalon, therefore having more closet space to go shopping :)

our weekend was busy but relaxing. friday night we headed out to squirrel hill to hit zyng for dinner but to my horror found out that it has gone out of business :( as did pi, which was our second choice. we ended up at shady grove in shadyside and then home to relax and watch some nip tuck season 2. saturday night we finally made our way over to abay to meet some friends for dinner, and it was pretty tasty! finished off the night with a few drinks at kelly's bar. sunday we brunched at fuel + fuddle... its a great deal. our bill was under $12, as all brunch items come with free coffee :) yum. we ran a bunch of errands through out the day, and of course ended up back at mad mex for dinner.

lets see... what else is going on? i've been on a huge knitting spree lately, trying to finish up a bunch of projects and starting some new ones. i tried my hand at "felting" wool, and made this cute little bag. see how much the felting shrinks it?






i have also started work on a new sweater, out of the softest silvery grey yarn. its the hourglass sweater from last minute knitted gifts, a book i repeatedly check out of the library and should just end up buying. its coming along pretty quickly, and its an easy knit to work on while watching tv. here's my progress: [note it would be alot more if i hadn't needed to frog most of it and restart with smaller needles].




before i close, there is one thing i find very amusing. i recently looked up the search strings people are using to end up on my site. here are the top 5 search strings for january:

1. jd fortune
2. ugly dolls
3. j.d. fortune
4. inxs jd
5. ugly dog

interesting, considering i've only mentioned ugly dolls and jd fortune once on the blog :) among some of the other searches were house remodeling how-tos, many other variants of jd fortune, misc. design search strings, and of course "hot girl laying out on the beach pic". anyways... how about some searches for kick-ass designer ?

:)

SP7

for those who need to know, they'll understand this post :)

SP7 info:

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand?
i'd like to say i'm a bit of a yarn snob, but i have a hard time splurging on fancy yarn for myself. i do use craft store yarn [lion brand, moda dea, bernat, etc...] but i'd really like to start upgrading to nicer products in the near future :) i have a hard time finding "nice" yarn without a high wool content.

2. Do you spin? Crochet?
spin, no; crochet, yes i know how, but don't very often

3. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
i have an interchangeable needle set that came with a case; i store other needles in a mason jar for easy access.

4. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
15+ years; intermediate bordering on advanced

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
amazon, not entirely knitting-related, which i will be updating soon. will be making a knitpicks wishlist soon.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
raspberry, vanilla, coffee

7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
i *love* chocolate. oh, and french martinis.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
i'm trying everything. currently remodeling/renovating my house that was a foreclosure; also an accomplished seamstress: hoping to get that website up and running soon; i'm a designer by day, that must be where all the DIY-ing comes from :)

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
ipod, computer + car stereo play mp3s. usually on rotation... dashboard confessional, r.e.m., death cab, alkaline trio, shins, postal service, mates of state, cake. currently enjoying say hi to your mom, arcade fire, hot hot heat, clap your hands say yeah, nada surf, etc...

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
i love blues, greys, black, olive/basil-y greens, burgundys; i really do not like yellow, red, purple, bright primaries...

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
currently living with boyfriend [ian] of almost 4 years, with our deaf dog sydney, our 2 cats black & tan, and a handful of fish.

12. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
yes on scarves + mittens/gloves, occasionally hats. i kind of like ponchos but they do not like me. they overwhelm my small frame and i just look silly :P

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
hmm... for being a yarn snob, i actually do like simply soft for baby garments/easy wash stuff, but wouldn't say its my favorite. im searching for the perfect one.

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
not a fan of scratchy acrylic, fur/eyelash yarns, novelty junk. i'm semi-allergic to wool, but i still work with it. wondering if alpaca would bother me too...

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
don't think i have one, other than starting 10 projects at a time.

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
can't say i have a favorite at the moment

17. What are you knitting right now?
working on my first felted project, a bag; turtleneck shrug; silvery grey dressier hoodie; a pair of gloves; a few gifts in progress; the list goes on and on... hoping to start a lelah and hot lava soon.

18. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
only if they're super cool and unique :) hehe.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
i use both, depending on project.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
i prefer aluminum over plastic, but i've never tried bamboo.

21. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
nope.

22. How did you learn to knit?
self-taught via book

23. How old is your oldest UFO?
umm.... at least 1 1/2 years.... :( its stuffed in a closet somewhere

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?
i do love ugly dolls

25. What is your favorite holiday?
i don't really have a favorite holiday...they're all important for one reason or another. i *love* fall tho.

26. Is there anything that you collect?
hmm... not really...

27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
none

28. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on?
the rowan butterfly pattern; i've checked last minute knitted gifts out of the library so often i think it should be on my list now as well. i'll think of others and post soon :)

29. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
can't think of any at the moment.

30. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
as much as i hate wearing socks, i am anxious to try sock knitting. it makes no sense. i'm a size 5.5/6

31. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
june 1

misc: as stated above, semi-allergic to wool. i say "semi" because its my own diagnosis :) some wool fibers make me itchy + blotchy, but i haven't figured out if its all types or not :
-aimee

... and a hectic but happy new year

already a week into the new year, and its as crazy as ever. a few freelance projects are keeping me busier than i expected, but thats not neccessarily a bad thing :) ian and i rang in the new year going out to dinner and then relaxing at home. here we are before leaving for the night:




ian has finally finished up the remodeling on his parents house and we've gotten back to work on our place. over the course of 2 short days we managed to get quite a bit done. ian worked on the baseboards and cutting in paint in the dining room, trimming out sydneys private food area, and installing/building a cabinet and shelving unit above the peninsula. i love the finished look. we'll need to get a coat of poly on there, and then finally start putting stuff away.






i finished hanging the drywall in the downstairs bathroom, and now i just need to start taping the seams and skip troweling. i have all the tile + fixtures for the room, but i still need to decide on a paint color. i'm hoping to start the tiling this weekend and before you know it, i'll finally be done with this room :) and not a very exciting photo, i know.




in other news, we hung out with joey 3 shirts on tuesday night for dinner, thats always a good time. as one of the few people who actually read this blog, i thought he deserved a shout out :) we've also finished up season 1 of lost on dvd, just in time for all of our regular shows to start up with new episodes. the tivo will be definitely getting a workout the new few weeks. speaking of workouts, i'm also hoping to get back to bally's on a regular basis, esp since they've been withdrawing from my account the past few months.

on that note, i may just go to the gym now :)

goodbye 2005...

time sure flies.... it seems like just yesterday i was preparing for new years eve 2004. luckily, its been a very good year :)

someone pointed out that i hadn't updated the blog in a while... so here goes. things have been pretty busy on the work, life, and house areas. here are some pics of the progress of the house:







*finally*... we got the floor installed in the living and dining rooms over thanksgiving weekend. while ian worked on that, i was busy updating the old electrical outlets + switches in both rooms, installing a new front porch light. then, with a few days off, i managed to skip trowel the dining room and paint. i'll be able to post some pics of that once we get the baseboards installed and the furniture moved back to where it should be.

also, during one of our last trecks to ikea, i was very lucky enough to find a single kitchen cabinet [with glass doors] that matches what we just installed. lucky being that it was only $25 [when normally it would be around $100+], and that it was the perfect size to go on the wall above the bar. hopefully we will be installing that next week, building some shelves below it for cookbooks, and *ta da* the kitchen will be almost finished. yay!

on that note, time to get back to laundry and cleaning before getting ready for the nights festivities.

happy new year!