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Life Around Here.
Life has been so busy lately. I’ve been studying for the GMAT, knitting the Heliopath KAL, running/working out, and taking care of my tribe.
First things first, the GMAT. I have to say I’m enjoying working through the workbooks for this exam. I have never studied for a standardized test before so all the strategies and methodologies are fascinating. However, the testing material is intense. Nothing is ‘complicated’, but the way the exam is designed is to make sure you know the basics in-and-out. So I’m re-memorizing my geometry proofs, my algebra rules, basic grammar skills, and reasoning strategies. I have faith I’ll get the score I’ve set as my goal, but these next 9 weeks will be full of practice problems, practice exams, and workbooks.
The Heliopath KAL is coming along – I’m about to start the arm shape-ing. Honestly, I’m pretty tired of the cables so I took a few days break from working on it. Tonight I’ll get one side done and hopefully start on the back-piece/make head way on that. I did however rearrange my entire house/address my clay cat-litter ‘situation’ I ended up switching to World’s Best (again) so fingers crossed my asthma/Boris’ allergies are improved.
The gym has been great. I got an outdoor run in on Sunday since the weather was lovely. I also ‘splurged’ and bought new running shoes, which I desperately needed. These New Balances are great. I honestly feel like my momentum and speed are soaring in them!
The Ugly Tribe. I spend so much time at home, these guys really make me so happy. Although during my first full length practice exam on Saturday, Vladimir would not leave me alone and would not stop fussing with stuff in the kitchen. I don’t think the GMAT people had a pesky sphynx in mind when they designed the exam. I may start going to the library to take those exams since I had to get up three separate times to sternly warn my eldest cat to GET THE EFF OUT OF THE SINK / QUIT KNOCKING OVER CLEAN BUT DRYING DISHES. Anyways here’s some photos of my weekend with them.
ONWARDS.
xxx
GFK.
GFK Weekend Round Up SANS Tornado
Well I had a great weekend! It’s my last one here in Chicago before I leave for Thailand on Saturday!!! (WHAT TIME FLEW BY!) On Saturday I got a new iPhone 5s for my trip/life. Ever since I updated my 4s to iOS 7 it was just so slow and the battery would not even last for a few hours. The upgrade came at a good time because I’ll be able to use this new one on my trip as my primary camera.
Anyhoo. I met up with an old Mullen (my high school) buddy who recently relocated to Chicago and finally got to eat the November burger at Kuma’s Corner – the immortalized SLEEP burger. Pretty much it is a ‘Thanksgiving style burger’ with cranberry, gravy, turkey burger, topped with tempura fried stuffing and sage leaves.
Yesterday I accidentally got into the holiday spirit… I know what you’re thinking – “But Bree it’s only the middle of November!” I know I know. BUT Since I’ll be gone for Thanksgiving I had to set up and shoot all the photos for my annual Ugly Tribe Calendar this weekend. That meant I got to buy/set up a tree – I didn’t get to decorate at all last year so this year is gonna get nuts.
Then being such a coconut milk/almond milk enthusiast I was super super excited when I saw that this year there are even more holiday/seasonal flavors for the non-bovine ‘milk’ drinkers. So far – So Delicious is winning by miles and miles.
In terms of CRAFTS! I know it’s seemed a little dry here lately. BUT I’m gift making so I can’t very well put up photos of people’s future gifts. But do note that I finally bought the contrast color for my sweater and have been marathon knitting gifts so once I can give those gift I’ll post all the photos here. I did manage to use the sewing machine extensively last night/yesterday afternoon during the Chicago Tornado watch 2013.
It was a super busy, but fun weekend – Now on to the busy week before I jetset to Thailand on Saturday!
Godspeed!
xxx
GFK
Saturday!
So I had a pretty fun Saturday! First, I took Mister Lee (Leopold) for a walk and he was super happy about it. I’m continuing to lose weight and am down about 19 pounds.
I’m feeling good. So I’ll force you to look at this selfie. LOOK! No I’m kidding. But, I’m happy that I’m successful on my eight millionth attempt to lose those last twenty-five-ish pounds. I’ll do a blog about my weightloss in a few weeks so hold tight for the details.
Then, I cleaned my living room and basically sorted all my crafts and hobbies into their designated zones…. It’s getting kind of cluttery so I NEED to address my nightmare guest room closet that I have been carelessly making more and more disorganized since I moved here in December. This week/next weekend I’ll get that all organized too. I need to think about how to organize it properly though as there is no hanging rod or built in shelf so I’m going to have to buy something to act as a structure. Any closet organizing help? I don’t wanna spend A TON, but I want it to be sturdy.
Gosh that was boring okay now onto the fun stuff!
I took a class at nina – which is a fabulous knitting and yarn shop on Division here in Chicago (right were the Renegade Craft Fair was last weekend). It was for a Chevron cowl – I mainly took it so that I could socialize with other knitters and get out of my habit of ‘solitude-knitting.’ Well it ended up I was the only one in the class which I was more than over-qualified for. The instructor who was a total sweetheart felt bad, because I knew how to knit it by just reading the pattern so she didn’t have any new information to offer. I did however have a great time chatting with her and found out they do a knitting group every Sunday so I think I’ll start going to that to make some friends. Here is the chevron pattern that I ‘learned’ how to knit. It’s actually really fun and simple. I’m always amazed at how people discovered techniques to manipulate the yarn like this. Damn knitter geniuses.
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Then of course because I was there, I bought some amazing yarn from Knit Collage – which is a magical yarn company. Their yarns are just so unique and beautiful – I fell in love with them all, but chose this one.
It’s so beautiful if I had dreadlocks I would want them to look just like this yarn…. le sigh. Yes, thats a AAA magazine – didn’t know I was so cool did you? I digress….. I’m pretty sure I’m going to do something similar to their bandana pattern available on their website for only $3.
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You know you all want one now…. go to their website. Do it. Do it now. You can ‘thank me’ aka ‘scold me’ for showing you this little gem later! 😉
I also started a really fun baby bootie knit project on Thursday. I did a ‘tester’ bootie as a trial run and I loved the way it turned out. I was so angry none of my mean animals would let me try it on them 😦 – what good are they if they won’t model my knits!?
Step one: knit till a little area for toes emerges….
Step two: then knit the rest of the shoe……
Step three: add the inside sock and TA-DA! A baby moc-soc!
Okay, okay, so it took more than three easy steps. It did however only take about 3 hours (I’m not a beginner though so use your own judgement here). Here is the pattern it is only $5 and there is a coupon available on that Ravelry page with the pattern. The designer is so creative and amazing! This is what her moc-socs look like. (I used left over yarn (recognize the red/white/blue from Leopold’s Sweater?!) so that is why mine is ‘crazy’.)
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I’m glad I did a test run on them though. I have a few little tweeks I need to address just based on my knitting style so that it mirrors her finished product a little better. Overall it’s a wonderful pattern and I am going to love making a lot of these little guys.
Gosh I’m exhausted and it’s only 9pm! Tomorrow I’m taking Lee to a Fall Frolic with other pugs. Hopefully he can try to make some friends too. I’m not holding my breath though.
Happy Weekend Friends!
Sphynx Cat Q&A
Whenever people find out or see that I have a Sphynx cat there are usually A LOT of questions that I have to answer. Ranging anywhere from obvious answers to more detailed explanations, people have some pretty good questions. I thought I’d answer some of those here.
1. Is that a skin-less cat? It doesn’t have any hair anywhere?
Well for starters they do have skin. I think this is just a ‘slip of the tongue’ but I hear it a lot. They also have hair – it just depends on the amount and texture. Vladimir is a really nice ‘hairless’ cat in my opinion because he has softer fine hair all over except a small patch of short white hair on his nose. Some sphynxes have more ‘tufts’ on their tails or paws depending on their own genetic make up. One kitten in a litter could be more ‘hairy’ than it’s litter mates – it just depends upon each one.
2. Why did you get a hairless cat?
To be honest I thought they were hypoallergenic – seriously. I went and looked at some full-grown cats and fell in love with how goofy they were and decided to get one for myself.
3. Does that cat give you allergies?
Yes. The allergens are actually in the cat’s saliva. Vladimir grooms himself just like a normal cat and therefore is covered in allergens all the time. Costco sells Zyrtec in bulk, so I’ve overcome this sometimes debilitating issue.
4. What does their skin feel like?
Easiest answer like soft thick skin. Also like a peach or smooth pig skin.
5. Where do you buy a hairless cat?
There are breeders all over the world now. In terms of buying locally – do your research. Certain breeders can be more intense than others (i.e. wanting you to show your cat or adhere to strict care guidelines down to what litter to use). Sometimes I think it could be worth it to buy from a long-distance breeder if you ‘click’ with their breeding and caring habits better. I bought Vladimir from a great girl in Las Vegas and now Waldo (our new addition) is from a wonderful woman outside Milwaukee. In the end, every breeder I have met has only wanted to insure the cat goes to a devoted and loving home. However, I have seen some breeders make their customers sign really strict contracts like I mentioned ensuring you use a specific brand of litter or a certain type of food pending on ‘kitten-revocation.’
6. What do hairless cats act like?
Amazing cats! From the dozens + sphynxes I have met over the years I can describe them all as incredibly loving and friendly. The best description of a sphynx is part monkey, part cat, part dog, and part human – I really agree with this. They will run around and play/fetch like a dog. Climb all over everywhere (including their person) like a little monkey. Sulk around and be ‘irritated’ by their person like a cat. Their personalities are so big and unique they really do act like their own little person – they even make their own noises. Vladimir says ‘bbrrrruuummmmbbbb’ for most situations. They also require a large amount of attention. They are not like ‘traditional’ cats that could take or leave human interaction. Sphynxes are known to sit on your lap for hours, sleep in the nook of your arm, and pretty much lay all over you.
7. How much do they cost?
This varies slightly, but I would say the average range across the country is between $1050-$1300 depending on if they are ‘show’ quality, amount of hair and if they come spade/neutered. It seems pricey, but if you are considering a hairless cat you need to make sure you are getting a high quality bred cat. Their breed can have certain issues and responsible and smart breeders are the ones that insure you get a cat that you will have for a long time.
8. Do you have to put lotion or sunscreen on your cat?
NO. Vladimir gets washed three or four times a month with Aveeno body wash. He doesn’t really like bath time – there are some Sphynxes that love water, but not mine. He just sits there and waits for it to be over. They don’t need lotion because they produce their own oils to moisturize their skin. I have never heard of a cat wearing sunscreen, but I guess if you had a cat that refused to stop sunbathing (which they love to do) to the point where they became sunburned you might have to use it.
9. Do they get cold?
Yes. Very easily. As many of you know, I knit quite a lot of outfits and sweaters for Vladimir. He only really ‘enjoys’ wearing them if it is extremely cold outside and thus chilly inside. His favorite shirt is a short AC/DC shirt for cooler days. Otherwise he just finds a warm lap, a blanket to snuggle under, an open heating vent, or a sunspot. Whenever I cannot find Vladimir I usually just look for a lump under the covers or any fabric and there he is!
10. What’s going on with your cats nails?
Any cat owner has an opinion about de-clawing. Obviously, owning a sphynx I am extremely AGAINST de-clawing. In my opinion it is disfiguring, dangerous, and lazy on an owner’s part to de-claw a cat. Essentially de-clawing ‘cuts off’ the cats finger just below the equivalent of their knuckle. I’m sorry, but to me – seeing my cats ‘fingers’ everyday it’s horrific to think about the process. We trim Vladimir’s nails at least every two weeks and he uses cat scratching posts to maintain them for himself. Yes, Vladimir has ruined many shirts, countless pantyhose, a few upholstered chairs (sorry Dad and Cym) – but in the end it’s my fault for not covering them/trimming his nails more often. (Saran wrap and fabric pins are essential for stopping scratching if they won’t leave a certain texture of cloth alone)
There are lots of comments – some nice, some ‘offensive’ – that come with owning a Sphynx. Ultimately I don’t care what is said, because I love Vladimir so much. He and his breed are such characters and so sweet I cannot believe anyone wouldn’t want to one day own a Sphynx. Here are some links if you’d like some more information:
Join the Sphynx Cult today!
Or if you have any other questions feel free to ask me now! You all know I love talking in Sphynx!
The Winter of Craft
This winter I really let my inner-knitter out. (Like I let her out and let her run around the front yard waving knitting needles). It all started with a really funny ‘cute’ pet knit project book.
Oh it looks so adorable. Make this ‘firework-muffeling” hat for your pug – GET SUCKED IN.
A cat consumed by knitting.
A special keekee teepee complete with pink garland for extra fun!
The bean bag – his favorite thing I’ve ever knitted.
This was the seed stitch for the teepee and initially it was going to be a cowl for me, but I have too many cowls and not enough teepees.
My favorite sweater I made for him – it took 7 other sweaters to finally knit it to his exact shape and size. He hates it and will only wear it if it’s below 15 degrees F outside.
Leopold in his total armor. This project gave me the idea to make a knitted knights costume for him for halloween.
So those were a few of my projects – I also knitted many cowls, some cute smaller ‘for fun’ or pattern learning swatches. I’m thinking of getting a cache of cowls, scarves, and hats together for the upcoming fall/winter to sell or donate. Perhaps people would be interested in that?
ghostfaceknitter.com 
