Monday.....

nataliedee.com

Don't be surprised if I don't give out advice today.

Wednesday, Sep 2nd, 2009 -- You might believe that you have the answer to someone else's problem today, but your solution doesn't quite seem to cut it. You could become discouraged with your friends or co-workers, for they appear to be incapable of accepting your good ideas. Nevertheless, you should consider that your suggestions might be valid for you and not for anyone else.

It's all about what and who you know right?

Well there's face book for WHO you know. But there is the internet for giving you WHAT you know. ;-)

I had some free time today. In my BUSY life I have a hard time getting around to basic house cleaning stuff regularly. IT happens to everyone. Me especially. 2 jobs will do that to ya. SO I thought I'd share with ya'll the links to the places I hit online today. (Actually I'm being completely selfish. I'm only posting these here so I can get back to them later for more inspiration. ya'll just get the benefit.Doesn't mean I don't love ya.)

organize-home-getting-yourself-motivated

maintain-house-cleaning-schedule

residential-cleaning

clean-room-quickly

keep ceiling fans dust free

hints-cleaning-carpet-stains

healthy-carpet-cleaning


washing_machine cleaning

clean-dishwasher-kool-aid

OMG It is almost August!!

Wow! I haven't had a chance to post in a while. We've been quite busy lately. I'm lookin for a new place for Sym and I to call home. Someplace that I can actually own!I've been knitting a bit. Not much though. Still Tatting, no crochet lately. Why you ask? Because I've been reading and reading and reading the Anita Blake Crack books. Highly addictive I must say. finish one then eagerly search my stash for the next. We've been hitting the outdoors alot too. For the past 2 weeks Sym and I have been hula hooping with my dear friend Robbie. She teaches classes a real live health and wellness facility. She hosts a hoop night just for fun on Friday nights now. It's been great! Sym and I get out and work out then we watch a movie. Yeah we hit a park and hoop and usually the parks we hit have a free friday flick. This week it is Homewood park for Monsters v Aliens!! Cool huh?
Ya'll have fun with your weekend! I'll be back to bloggin soon I hope. Maybe I'll actually show you some knitting? Won't that be nice?
XOXOXO

More coolness!!

A friend of mine found this via Stumbleupon toolbar

http://mommyknows.com/birthday-party-candy-sushi/


I totally want to make candy sushi now!!! It looks easy and fun for the kids!!!

Carry on. ;-)

Funky Funny Friday!!

Laugh hard! You know you want to!!

http://www.sketchwar.org/sketches/gods-worst-nightmare/
Love this site BTW!

Mommy For Stem Cell Research

Check it out. Post a comment to the NIH today before 5/26. They are adapting this bill for the government funding of Stem Cell Research.
___________________________________________________________

Subject: ESCR under attack - CONTACT NIH TODAY!!!

Forwarded message from Don Reed, national stem cell research advocate--

Dear Stem Cell Research Advocate:

The next 8 days are crucial in the stem cell research struggle.

Here's why.

Remember when President Obama signed that document removing the Bush stem
cell restrictions? That same day he called upon the National Institutes of
Health to draft a new set of guidelines for scientists wanting federal
funding.

Those guidelines have just been issued. see
http://stemcells.nih.gov/policy/2009draft.htm

The next 14 days are the comment period for the new guidelines for stem cell
research, which American scientists will have to live with if they want
federal funding. This is the public's only chance to shape those guidelines:
which can be improved-or made worse.

Unfortunately, there are problems with the proposed guidelines!

Not only are the guidelines far more conservative than we had hoped, but
opponents of the research are systematically flooding the comment process.

Conservative religious bodies, have launched a national campaign to attack early stem cell research by mass emails to the NIH.

*"The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) launched a new
"Oppose Destructive Stem Cell Research" campaign today, equipping citizens
to contact Congress and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to oppose
embryonic stem cell research ." -- WASHINGTON, May 6
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ www.usccb.org/stemcellcampaign

Is their anti-research campaign having an effect?

Dr. Wise Young of Rutgers University , ". of the 6000 plus comments that NIH
has received concerning the draft guidelines, 99% were from people who
opposed embryonic stem cell research."-Carecure Forum
http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showpost.php?p=1039001&postcount=12

Imagine what the enemies of research will do with a statistic like that!
Think of the State Senators and Representatives who have to fight for stem
cell funding-they will be hammered-no politician ever wants to stand alone.

Supporters of stem cell research must be heard.

To prevail, we need to do three things:

Inform ourselves,

Act individually,

Reach out to our networks

.
First, read this message all the way through; it contains background
information from the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research
(CAMR), and other sources.

Second, send your message to the government. Click on the comment box you
will find at the following url:
http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm


Third, SHARE THIS LETTER-or write your own-- email all your contacts.

Any statement of support has impact. One sentence can make a difference.

Click on the following to contact National Institutes of Health:

http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm

Your comment can be as short as "I support embryonic stem cell research, and am glad some of the restrictions are being loosened." That matters.

Anyone who clicks on the comment box, and writes in a sentence-that message
will be tallied as one citizen in support. Of course, you may say more if
you want. If you are a long-term research supporter, your letter will be put
in the expert witness category.

But if you want to get more involved in shaping the guidelines, that would be
helpful. The guidelines are politically very timid, and must be
strengthened. Problems are:

a "grandfather clause" is needed to insure that every stem cell line already
approved under the previous stringent guidelines will be eligible;

alternate sources of stem cell lines such as SCNT should not be excluded from funding, and more. (see CAMR comments below.)

But every patient advocate in America must at least click on the comment
box, and make a statement in support of early stem cell research.

Click on the following to contact National Institutes of Health:

http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm

This affects everyone in America, and the world. MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN A
FAMILY MAY COMMENT. Every adult friend or family member should click and
make a comment-- as well as every scientist, medical student, every teacher,
every parent-everyone who has a reason to want stem cell therapies and
cures.

Here it is, one more time: http://nihoerextra.nih.gov/stem_cells/add.htm.

Or, send a letter (ideally on letterhead) to: NIH Stem Cell Guidelines, MSC
7997, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda , Maryland , 20892-7997

But whatever you are going to do, do it now. There is very little time
before the May 26th deadline.

We have worked hard, many years. We are so close. We must not falter now.

Click on the button, send your comments in-do it today, please.

And thanks. You make the difference: you are one of the overworked few who
change the world.

P.S. Here is a sample letter from Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR)

You can copy and paste into Comment section of NIH comment form and edit as appropriate for you.

Embryonic stem cell research holds great promise for millions of Americans
suffering from many diseases and disorders. I am not a scientist, but I
have been following progress in this field with great interest. Significant
strides have been made over the past decade, and the final guidelines issued
by NIH must build on this progress so that cures and new therapies can get
to patients as quickly as possible. The final guidelines should not create
new bureaucratic hurdles that will slow the pace of progress.

I am pleased that these draft guidelines -- in Section II B -- would appear
to permit federal funding of stem cell lines previously not eligible for
federal funding and for new lines created in the future from surplus embryos
at fertility clinics. However, as drafted, Section II B does not ensure that
any current stem cell line will meet the criteria outlined and thus be
eligible for federal funding. It will be important for the final guidelines
to allow federal funds for research using all stem cell lines created by
following ethical practices at the time they were derived. This will ensure
that the final guidelines build on progress that has already been made.

I also believe that the final guidelines should permit federal funding for
stem cell lines derived from sources other than excess IVF embryos, such as
somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Sections II B and IV of the draft
guidelines do not permit such federal funding and I recommend that the final
guidelines provide federal funding using stem cell lines derived in other
ways. If not, it is essential that the NIH continue to monitor developments
in this exciting research area and to update these guidelines as the
research progresses.

Thank you!

My first brag worthy tat

I've been attempting this flower to tat. It is what inspired me to take on this fiber art that has been around for centuries.

I'm learning totally from the instructables site here.

It's tough to get used to the tension of the thread and how to bounce it on the needles.However my perseverance has paid off in the end. While attempting the said pattern above I created what you see in the pic.
pretty groovie huh?

See cool stuff must blog

One of my favorite artists, yuko shimizu, has a blog. On that blog I saw this AWESOME yarn sketch/painting she did. I love this!! Just had to share. ;-) Go check her out. She's awesome!!!

(yes! those ARE yarn balls WITH knitting needles coming out of them!! She freakin rules!!)

That is all! TGIF!!!
XOXOXOXO

Car Art

A friend of mine sent me a pic. Low and behold it was a sticker!! So guess what I did! I bought it! Along with another knotty one. ;-)

They are both going on Eggbert this afternoon. I'll shoot an after shot and post it. ;-)



Purchased at buyolympia.com Search Sara Utter and they will appear. Apparently this site host local artist's wares. LOVE IT!! Lots to drool over! So go! Tell them LesleyD sent ya. I don't know if it will get you anywhere but hell it's worth a shot. ;-)

Cheers!!!
PS Finished Worse than Dead (Sookie Stackhouse series) Now waiting the new book to come out in May. WOOT!!

Currently Reading:
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A Heinlein

Next Reading
Anita Blake Series by Laurell K Hamilton

Pain can be annoying but all is well

I'm feeling a bit sore in my back. This weeked was a fun but that whole aging thing is getting to me. Ibuprophen is my new best friend as well as ice and heating pad.

Ok knitting. I've finished another calorimetry, that baby sweater for charity, and now I think it is time for a sweater for me. That way it will be ready in the fall OR I finish/restart a pair of socks I've been sitting on.

Ya'll should go check out Allyb's blog. She's doing a giveaway celebrating her 200th post! Tofootsies and a sweet little notions bag!! Tell her LesleyD the birmingham knitting ho sent ya. ;-)

I'm reading on the Sookie Stackhouse book Definitely Dead now. Book crack I tell ya book crack!!! gotta love it though to have an escape that doesn't require you to experiance a world of vampires without have to actually be there. Good stuff. Ya'd like it!


Back to work!
XOXO

Feeling on Some clean house

I'm glad Clean House doesn't leave their state. This morning while getting ready for the day, Sym says to me "Mom, when we get a house, we should trash it up and then get Clean House to come and clean it up for us."
I looked at her and said, "yeah right. First, that show is only reserved for the TRUELY messy, second like I'm going to let you trash our house once we get one."
"But it would be cool to have them out and clean our house," she protests.
"It would be totally embarrassing if we were on TV with our house all in a shambles. I would die from the embarrassment."
"It wouldnt' be that bad mom, our house is messy now and we have people over."
"Not for long Miss Grounded"


Yesterday was a Clean House Marathon. I love that show, seriously I LOVE that show. I wish there was a channel that just showed Clean House all the time. These people live in a "hot mess" until the hosts show up, sell the junk then clean it up. Some of the people remind me of days when I let my depression get the better of me and let the clutter pile up. I'm doing my best now to not let my life get that chaotic again. It's hard when you have a 9 year old that loves to spill out all the crap from her room all over the place. Yeah she's a toy bomb.

So more home improvements all around. But first I gotta work.....

The weather has been weird lately. It's constantly going from Winter to early spring then to harsh winter, then to Sping severe weather. It's enough to drive this knitter crazy!! I'm just getting tired of the chaotic weather that the ham offers. I think I may need to get away for a while. If anything just to relax, read and knit. I have seriously been contemplating getting the stitchin ladies to go on a weekend stitch-a-thon. I'm so needing it!! I also want to get my walk on, but the damn weather won't stop being bi-polar so that I can. GRRRR This time of year.
Here's a pic from the other day...It was dreary all morning long! Then it rained for a long time finally slacking off so that I could get home. I was sitting on my balcony when I noticed the sky and how beautiful it looked. There was severe weather all over the area. After seeing this, it made me feel hopeful. So I captured it with the trusty phone.

I'm ready for some new projects that have been churning in my thick head. Knitting, I really haven't done much HOWEVER I'm planning and plotting various groovie things to make that's not knitting. I guess I'm feeling a little uninspired with the needles. Mostly I've been knitting on calamorities and baby crap. I want to eventually finish Sym's sweater but it has turned into "damn do I really have to knit this? It's too mind numbing and tedious"
So I'm thinking PAINTS, Hot glue, Mosaics, Collaging, lots of fun!

We'll see what turns up. My special Anti-anniversary project is beginning phase 1 tonight just before Battlestar Galactica. WOOT!!!
Alrighty folks. Gotta get back to work!!
XOXO
Lesley

What's happened?

Okay so where did January go again? Did the cat eat it? Izzy! You need to stop eating things you aren't supposed to. Silly cat
I am now without words. Seriously. I guess I'll try again later.....

Pardon my absence but here's what I've been doing

1. Knitting a Baby Sweater in order to get the hang of knitting garments in 1 piece.
2. Reading the Merry Gentry books. OMG I'm addicted. I need help.
3. Completeing alot of work crap
4. Helping Sym figure out how to combat a bully. Hopefully this issue will be resolved alot sooner than later.
5. Enjoying my knitting ladies, my BSG Boys and my dearest friends whom I love their company and we don't necessarily share the same hobbies/TV interests. I treasure them so much!!
6. Figuring out ways to become more financially savy and be able to start saving the dough for a trip to Europe (FINALLY!)
7. Expelling user trash from my life. Yep. Those that take advantage of their friends generosity, willingness to help and love should be shot, hung and castrated. Although if they were to REALLY apologize to me and mean it, I would reconsider the above statement.
8. Trying to UPdate Ravelry. I know I suck at updating
9. Facebook vortex- Yeah I've been sucked into that which is Facebook more so than the myspace. Why? Cause my knitting ladies hang there more than Myspace.
10. Filling out surveys. What? yeah why? IDK so I've decided not to fill out anymore until March or April. One-2 surveys about my interests etc is enough to guage.

IF you would like more to read: Go Check out Amanda Palmer's Blog. It is a very empowering read on making light out of the darkness. I hate how society likes to keep things that are sad and depressing, sad and depressing.Just go read it! I adore reading her words and I love her music.

XOXO

Okay So I am being bad today....

Yes. Indeed.

After busting butt all week I've been doing knitting research on the internet. Thank you Daily Chum for helping me get side tracked at work. lol

Okay if you want to know what to get this lady for Christmas Continue to read. If not, you can go back to the other blogs. It's ok. I won't hold it against ya. I still love ya and thanks for stopping by.

A few Knitting Things in no particular order that you can get LesleyD for Christmas or what I may just get you!! ha ha!
@ TinkerandPo etsy shop has such geeky stitch markers that I'm all over it!!! You may see these as a gift from me my knitting friends. ;o) Twilight Stitch Markers OMG!! I've been into these books this fall and I'm all about the movie coming out next week. There's also Buffy Themed AND My other fave, Monty Python and the Holy Grail themed

@ Twist Collective Winter Issue has the most incredible patterns!! I'm droolin ya'll!!! Droolin over Sylvi OMG! I love it just not the point in the hood. I don't like for my hoods to have an erection. I'm sorry ya'll may but I just don't. Love Gnomes but just don't want to look like one. Also I was about busted by folks when I saw Vivian by Ysolda Teague. OMG!!! I so want those patterns!!!

@ BOOKS! Knitting books! This one! The AntiCraft Book!

@YARN or Gift card for any amout at these fine retailers Knit Picks, Fire Lizard, Little Knits, elann, webs, scout's swag
Any of these Etsy stores!!
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5324808
This Yarn

Okay all for now. I must refrain and get back to work. TGIF!!

Must Share! Must Must Must!!!

Must Must Must Share!!!

All around the Internet Saturday....Sharing the Love of Other Peeps Blogs!

Blogiversaries
Check out Ms Grace at Lovin Comfort Knits. She is having her Blogiversary. Congrats Grace! She's also having a contest too. Go check it out why don't ya?

Rosemary is having her 2 year blogiversary too! Can you believe it? She's also doing a contest.

Random Hilarious stuff
My buddy Jen at KnittedSpecks has a hilarious video she ganked from Jennifer Mayers on myspace. It is hilarious I tell ya!

The Sneeze had another tree brain growing. You must read the back posts on the whole thing in order to get it. Check out the "Steve Don't Eat it!" too. ;-) Guaranteed to make you pee your pants in laughter.

More funny stuff. Here is Adolf our attack Cichlid to the sounds of Sym playing Madagascar. ;-) Ya'll enjoy! (Give it a while I just uploaded it to YouTube.



PS.
Okay after the upload finished I saw this! IT is pretty funny too. ;-)

Yes I'm still alive and I'm selling out!!!

Hey all!!
Yes I know I've been gone a while. I've missed reading your blogs! I've been hittin myspace a bit this week. Mostly because I can leave it open on a spare machine and still work on the other as well as my email. Work's kickin my butt!!! That's my reason for my absence. I have neglected your blogs mostly because of work kickin my butt! I'm sorry!!! I've causght up on my reading though! Ya'll all seem to be doing pretty damn good too! Love your projects and PRGE gifts!!! I hate that I'm missing out on the exchange this time around. I'll be back after christmas!!!

I've added a new project to my ravelry. It is a nice cascade baby alpaca hat for my dear friend that is moving to of all places Iowa. Yeah Iowa! No offence to my dear knitting Iowaians (Iowa-ites?) but he's moving from Atlanta (aka little new york of the south) for a job up there in Iowa. The plus side is that I will know someone in Iowa and I could stay with them when I finally can afford a Green Bay Game ticket. LOL The hat is coming along nicely. I'm almost finished with it. I'm working the decreases for the top of it. The yarn ya'll is soft as rollin around neked in satin sheets!! I love this yarn I almost hate that I'm knittin it for someone else. He just better wear it or I'll have to be branded an indian giver. ;-)

My STR sock 1 is going slow. I haven't finished the heel flap yet though. I know I'm slacking. The size 1 needles have been slightly cramping my hands so I'm only knitting a few rows then movin back to the hat. I still love that yarn.

Yeah and Sym's Sweat rag, didn't get finished. I fell asleep after knitting 4 rows the other night and haven't picked it up since.

As always I'm still trying to find that lovely medium in life between knittin, work, Sym and sanity. So part of my plan is to have a mega super get rid of all the crafty stuff I don't have time for anymore SALE!!!
Yep you heard it right! I'm having an online sale! I'll be putting together a blog/post for it tonight.

Here's what I'm selling:
Yards of various cool fabrics
Knittin/cool cans (Ya'll have heard me mention them before)
Crafted by me items
Knitting needles
Sewing Notions
Books (fiction and non)

If any of these things interest you, please come by sometime tomorrow when I will have the blog up for it.

XOXOXO
Lesley

My British Title....

This is pretty cool! I nabbed it from Sunne! Thanks Lady!!!Her title rocks, mine is just pretty rediculous! LOL

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Reverend Countess Lesley the Extemporaneous of Midhoop St Giggleswich Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

OH yeah! Here's Symone's

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Milady the Most Honourable Symone the Sentient of Hope End Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Happy Tuesday that feels like Monday although I hate Tuesdays so this shouldn't count as one since it is technically the first day of the work week. he he
XOXOXO
Lesley