another completed afghan!

I FINALLY finished my second stashbuster blanket early Saturday morning.  According to Ravelry, I started it on December 26, 2010 so clearly I'm the slowest crocheter in the world (or the most easily distracted).  I got rid of 11 skeins of yarn making this project, made 66 hexagons and only had to purchase one to finish the borders.  It's mostly Impeccable Loops & Threads but there's some other stuff thrown in there as well.  The hexagons are from Beyond the Square and I think all 5 different ones are shown in the second picture.

I also finished the Game of Thrones series and, like the loser I am, just started reading book 1 because I have nothing better to do!  

I also explored my garden today.  Because I live in an apartment on the second floor, I can only put container plants on my balcony.  At my mom's, I've planted a bunch of different vegetables that are growing pretty well.  The zucchini, peppers and cucumbers are growing fantastically, and I've got quite a few baby pumpkins! 

Random dead bird next to my zucchini plants.  Now I don't want to eat anymore of them!

I saved a poinsettia plant my mom gave me for Christmas in 2011 and it's growing great, but it's all green.  I'm going to have to figure out when to cover it so it's red by Christmas!!

being reclusive.

It's kind of embarrassing to admit how reclusive I can be when I'm absorbed in a good book or series.  I'll dedicate all of my time to reading until there is no more to read.  Game of Thrones is no exception.  I've finished the first three books in about 2 weeks (that's approximately 2741 pages) and I'm almost 200 pages into the fourth book.  

I've been working on a new blanket...I've got 7 rows finished of the 10 I've been planning although I fear I'll have to make more hexagons to finish.  Here's a teaser pic:

And with that, I'll leave you with my new favorite saying, thank you George R.R. Martin, I'm sure everyone appreciates this:

i'm still the worst blogger ever.

And that is a fact. Here is an update of the past several months in pictures!

This actually happened today!  11 mile bike ride, my first ride using clip in pedals.  I forgot to unclip and tipped over when I stopped!

My first completed quilt.

Quilted pillow case!

Orioles game

A day in Baltimore, the National Aquarium and a baseball game.

Concord grapes, just started this year.

My first class towards my Master's Degree.

Tour of the south rock climbing trip!

Hershey 10k, 2012.

Horse Pens 40, Alabama.

Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee.

Horse Pens 40, Alabama.

LaFayatte, Georgia.

Craig at Little Rock City.

Handmade bow and arrow.

I spend my days at work, my nights working on school and any time in between reading the second Game of Thrones novel.  Slowly but surely I'm working sewing, crocheting and baking back into my routine.  I need to be more dedicated!  We'll see...

yesterday i...

Yesterday I was fairly productive.  In list form (I'm all about lists lately, not sure why):

• My mom got the doctor to FINALLY prescribe me something to help with my hives.
• I finished sewing all my Halloween rectangles, am going to start pressing them today and cutting triangles tomorrow!
• I learned that going to Wegman's is absolutely out of the question unless I want to spend all of my money.  That store is too much for my discipline.  Yesterday I got Country Pumpkin Granola and Pumpkin seeds and have been snacking on them all day.
• Spent entirely too much money at the Clymb.  For anyone who'd like an invite, here you go!  If you're unfamiliar with the site, it's a an outdoorsy website that majorly discounts products for limited time.  The brands and items usually change every few days and are typically discounted 50-60%.
• I made Cucumber Cups Stuffed with Spicy Crab!  This recipe was super easy and very good, although not very spicy.  For those who like spicier foods, I'd add extra hot sauce, I could barely taste it when I used the amount suggested!

Picture by http://domesticfits.blog.com

long time, no posting.

Once again, I am a terrible blogger.  I spent the entire summer trying to be outside as much as possible and as a result, I made next to nothing.  Now that Christmas is coming/it is getting colder, I've started crafting again!


A lot has happened since my last post and I will try and keep it brief:

• I finished my first quilt! (Pics to come soon, it's at my parents house..)
• I started my second quilt (tonight actually!  Using this Moda recipe and am loving it so far)
• I ran my first 10k and registered for the Disney Princess Half Marathon (I also convinced my mom to do the 5k with me!)  I also destroyed my foot doing the 10k and haven't been able to run since, I'm hoping to start again tomorrow.  
• I bought a cyclocross bike and a mountain bike and having begun riding again.
• I continued rock climbing and spent 3 days camping and climbing in the woods of West Virginia.
• I created a really epic pattern for a chalk bucket, made one and will never make it again!
• I've discovered a really horrible allergy to....something.  I have no idea, but I've had hives for the last month and may actually go insane due to the itchyness.

Now I'll give you a visual of some of the items on that list!

Craig and I's mountain bikes!  Mine is the blue, Craig's is the pink.  We don't conform to gender stereotypes :D

Wicked 10k, Virginia Beach right after I finished and right before the downpour!

Start of the race!

Cooper's Rock, WV.  Photo by Joslyn McKenzie.

Cooper's Rock, WV.  Photo by Joslyn McKenzie.

My lovely chalk bucket!  I LOVE this fabric.  I cannot wait to go buy the Christmas print.

Craig's birthday hat.

My Halloween quilt strips.

Strips waiting to be sewn!

Now I'll end my night with the Walking Dead and Water for Elephants (the book, so far I love it!)  I'm going to try and update more frequently from now on!

crushing!

I had such a good Memorial Day weekend.  Probably the best one I've had ever because it's the first time I've actually done something.  Spent Saturday in Philly, Sunday at the beach and today climbing Governor Stable.  Being outside so much leaves little time for creating anything but hopefully I'll finish up my Mom's present soon.  

Last week I made pretty epic cupcakes to take climbing! 

Cookies and cream cupcakes.

Lime cupcakes.  The lime ones ended up being this radioactive tennis ball green that looks pretty cool.  In my opinion, they were much better than the Cookies and Cream but not everyone agreed with that.

And now for some climbing pictures.  Today was an open climb day which means we only had to pay $10 for a day pass and we could climb for however long we wanted.  It's actually the first time I've climbed outdoors and was it hell on my hands.  

Finishing an easy V0.

Kyle climbing a v3.

Jared finishing a V1 (I think...)

Traversing.

Epically high and scary V0.

Craig sending a slopey top out.

This problem ripped my finger tips apart.  Gah.

Hopefully there will be another open climb day soon!

still working.

I'm still working on my secret project, which most people have figured out is my Mom's mother's day present.  I'm past the planning stages and now in the putting together stages!

I don't have much else to share except my Christmas 2010/Birthday 2011 present from my friend Kyle Dunn.  This is the person that Leonidas the Lion was for.

New hand-stitched leather wallet!  My old wallet is beyond old and gross, so now I have this lovely new one.  It's pretty much the perfect size, there's room for everything I need to carry, as well as the zipper pocket which is a requirement for me.  I'm pretty amazed at how great this turned out, he's really quite talented.

I also made cupcakes for my climbing partner today!  Completely from scratch, banana cupcakes with Nutella frosting.  In all honesty, the frosting is disgusting but it's what he wanted.  I mostly just really hate Nutella.  I got the recipe here.  I've spent some time searching around that blog and found great recipes.  I've already made one of the pasta recipes and have ingredients for another.  Next weekend I believe I'm going to try out the lime cupcakes!