Life and Such

I'm pleased to announce that tonight, after nearly 2 weeks of revisions I finally turned in a paper for class that I think my professor will not send back to me with a notation that reads something like, "You are full of fail. Try again." (Ok, that might be over doing it a tad but you get the drift...) The joys of grad school...

I'm also happy to report that I got final confirmation that I was accepted to an internship site. All the professors I have emailed have said this sounds like a place where I can get good experience.

I leave for Romania in 3 weeks as of tomorrow.

That last sentence does not convey my actual excitement in any way.

Neither did that one.

I started and finished a scarf:

It's called the Heart to Heart scarf and I got the pattern free from the yarn shop in Cherry Grove, South Carolina when I bought some Gedifra Airmix there.

(Hopefully you can kind of see the heart pattern) The organization that I go to Romania with is called Heart to Heart International. It was like this pattern was meant to be.

I started a skinny tie for my brother that was supposed to be his Christmas present last year.

It's coming along nicely. I got the yarn from Whorled Peace on Etsy. Perfect shades of variegated black and grey.

I'm in the middle of moving all my belongings to my parent's house. I'm trying to purge as I go. I'm ready to be done with it.

For some reason this blog post was rather draining. And now for a head count...

Project count up:
Charity: 7 completed
Self: 0
Family and friends: 2 on the needles, 4 completed (probably more with all the washcloths I made my mom)

Loved and Lost

Loved:

My sister in law's socks are finished!

They turned out super cute.

I like the swirly toe pattern, the first one I've made.

I hope my SIL likes them as much as I do.

Lost:

I started a shawl pattern for charity, Brilliant and Divine.

It was...ok. But I didn't love it. And I couldn't see myself working on it for several more weeks until it was finished. So, it's in time out until I can rip it out and find something else I want to make.

Project count up:
Charity: 6 completed
Self: 0
Family and friends: 1 on the needles, 4 completed

All the Stuff I Didn't Talk About Last Time

I left a teaser at the end of the last post about several things but am only now getting around to following up. I think I need a manager for my life...

Wedding Blanket (cat included not for scale but because she thinks all the blankets are belong to her):

Praise the Lord! This thing is starting to get to a point where it actually looks like it might be finished this century. For those of you just now joining our little game I started making this blanket for some friends who got married almost a year ago. It has become something of a thorn in my side. The bad thing about this blanket is that it lost its portability several months ago. Turning or adjusting it on my lap requires significant upper body strength (which I generally lack) and just working on it induces much sweating (which I produce proficiently). Once I finish the block at the top (in red) then I will pick up stitches along the left side and do block #7. I'm stopping after block #8. The question is, Can I finish this for the 1 year anniversary? The answer is, Probably not. Let's just be honest. I know myself. But a girl can hope...

SIL's Socks (no picture because I'm too lazy to get up, take one, and upload to my computer):
Finally got measurements for my sister in law's foot. Can commence to finishing these ASAP.

And what's that over there...
Nothing to see here! That is not a new charity shawl on the needles. I'm finishing missed deadline projects first.

Then what are these washcloths...
Those were mindless, portable knitting! Mom wanted them. I said to keep moving along!

Language lessons:

My good friend Connie (who I meet via my charity and have never met in real life, oddly enough) was moving from California to Singapore. She knows Romanian and graciously offered me her language books (so she wouldn't have to move them half way around the world). I graciously accepted. Now I have about 20 new language books and tapes to help me learn Romanian. There is even a Romanian cookbook that she threw in which I'm unreasonably excited about.

I think that covers every thing from the last post. In the next post I will stop denying other projects and fess up to my deviant behavior.

Project count up:
Charity: 6 completed, 1 on the needles
 Self: 0 (I'm honestly kind of doubtful I will make anything for myself this year)
Family and friends: 3 on the needles, 2 completed! (and I never even mentioned them!)

Knitting and Reading

I so love these breaks from school. They give me time to relax and enjoy some almost forgotten pastimes. Reading and knitting have been the order of the day. Of course there are still "work" type things to take care of. I ordered a book on how to form a non-profit so I can (finally) submit paperwork for the Eastern European and Russian Orphanages Project. And I'm still working on lining up/finalizing an internship for the fall. Side note: If you are the praying sort might I ask that you remember me? I spoke with an internship site that sounds very promising but I'm waiting on final confirmation that they can give me a large enough case load. I have been disappointed in the past (several times) by sites that have seemed like a good match but have fallen through. I'm trying not to vomit in my mouth when I think about it but instead to lift up prayers. Your spiritual contribution would be much appreciated as well :) And of course I'm working at my full time nanny job every day (which I'm very thankful to have right now). So, there is still work going on. But also some relaxing. Here's a glimpse of what that looks like:

The Poppy Hat

Part of the EEROP Yearlong KAL/CAL. A March pattern. This worked up quick in some Dark Horse Fantasy (an acrylic yarn that I love). A note: The entire pattern is worked flat/back and forth. I did not realize this on the brim so mine does not have the cute fold over that the ones in the picture do but I think it still turned out ok. I (very poorly) crocheted something that looks like a flower and stuck it on the side. Very 1920s.

ScWiNoNa

Finished this multicolored, simple scarf finally. It's even been washed and blocked! I like how the colors came out. Nice and manly but not too plain. This was a February KAL pattern for the EEROP Yearlong KAL.
Reading has been another relaxing activity for me and I'm almost done with the first book in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. I actually read the first four books in this series about 6 years ago but life took over and I lost steam on finishing out the 15 book series (13 books plus a prequel have been published. The 14th and final book is expected to come out next January. Oh, and there is also a companion book available.). I really like the books so I decided to re-read the first four and finish out the series.

The books are really richly written and not for the fantasy faint of heart. There is a lot of mythological stuff that comes into play and it can be hard keeping all the characters straight (which is why I'm re-reading and not just picking up where I left off). While the rest of the world is reading the Hunger Games I'll be picking my way through these.

There is more about what's been going on but I feel this post is getting longer than I intended (further proof I should update regularly). I didn't even get to tell you about the progress on the wedding blanket, my SIL's socks, or my new language books but I'll save that for next time...

Project count up:
Charity: 6 completed
 Self: 0
Family and friends: 2 on the needles

Just a Second

I literally have 5 minutes to make this posting before I have to get back into school work. My week has been super busy with starting a new job, being social, and trying to finish up the next to last week of school (for this quarter). I just had to share though: I met my goal of raising $1000 for my return trip to Romania in just 8 days. 8 days, people! That is so awesome! So, I'm not going to stop, I'm going to see how far this can go. The next milestone? $2000 in 21 days. Yep, I want to raise $2000 by the end of this month. How can you participate?

1. Donate through Heart to Heart International, the organization I will be traveling with. Their donation page is here. You can give online or send in a check. You can even sign up to give monthly (which would be great because I plan to travel at least twice a year to Romania). Make sure to designate your gift to Melissa Brown.

2. Buy a t-shirt. All the proceeds from my apparel shop will go towards this trip.

3. Buy some yarn. The monies raised from my shop will also be used towards this trip. As an added bonus you can use the coupon code "marchmadness" and get 15% off your purchase for the entire month of March.

Please consider donating something to help me return to my kids. I miss them terribly and they need a little love and caring after losing so much in life already. So... let's see if we can raise $2000 in 21 days!

Next posting: Updates on knitting! With pictures!

1000 in 31

Today starts a new month and I feel refreshed and ready for it! As we head into spring I've been thinking over a new project that I wanted to start. It's a push to help me raise enough money in just 3 months to go back to Romania this summer.

I mean, who couldn't wait to get back to these sweet faces!

The first campaign I'm launching is called 1000 in 31. I'm going to try and raise $1000 during the 31 days of March. Sound like a big task? It's really not. According to Facebook I have 645 friends. If each friend gave $1.55 I would raise the entire $1000. $1.55, that's less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks! You can barely find anything on the McDonald's menu for cheaper than that! I bet you have $1.55 in change in your couch cushions.

But why give? Because these children have zero stability in their lives. They need constant reassurance that someone is there for them. They are waiting for me to come back, literally! I have their notes on my dresser urging me to come back quickly. If I come back then they see that there is someone who cares. Someone who keeps their word. Someone who loves them enough to beg people on the internet for money just for a plane ticket. If I can raise all $3000 I need for this trip I can spend 3 weeks with them. 3 weeks of playing games. 3 weeks of snuggling. 3 weeks of bringing a little happiness and change to their normally dull and monotonous lives. And, as always, I will be taking a big suitcase of donations with me: clothes, toys, crafts, toiletries. Things we take for granted but that they have rationed out on a daily basis.

So, convinced yet? Great! Then go to this link here. You can send in a donation or make an online contribution. Make sure to include a note that the money is to be used for Melissa Brown. Or maybe you want to get something for your money. That's cool to. Go here and check out the shirts in my apparel shop. All the proceeds go towards this trip. Or maybe you don't care about supporting me and would rather just help orphans in general. Awesome! We still need to raise money to send some blankets to Russia. 75+ blankets. Visit the EEROP website and donate to shipping costs. While you're there check out the list of needed items and think about sending one (or two or ten) of those in my direction.

I appreciate your support in helping the orphans of Eastern Europe! Let's make March an awesome month!

Preparation

This week is a big exercise in mental, physical, and emotional preparation for change. I just completed my final residency program for graduate school. I have 3 weeks left of my current classes then I'll have two more classes to complete before I start my six month internship. During my internship I'll finish up two final classes and then graduate in December. I know that sounds like a lot but the end is finally in sight (at least for my masters anyways, still debating going for my doctorate...). So, I'm preparing to move from class taking mode into internship mode in just a few months. I'm also preparing to take on a new, full-time nanny job next week. That means that the time I've had during the day for the last 8 months to do laundry, schoolwork, pay bills, grocery shop, and keep up the charity is about to be gone. But I need the money and I'll be helping a friend out so I can make it work for a few months. I'm also preparing to go back to Romania. I've set a little reminder using the iPhone app "Commit" to help me stick to my language studies for the next few months. My friend Connie who lives in California and runs Project Hope is moving overseas and has very generously gifted me with some of her Romania language learning materials. I'd love to be fluent one day but for now I'll just be looking forward to understanding a little better and being able to ask something more than, "Where is the petrol station?" Another aspect of my nanny job is that it's an hour drive to and from my house each day. In order to save my sanity (and on gas and wear and tear on my car) I'll probably be staying 2-3 nights each week with my parents (who only live 30 minutes away from my new job). This may actually be good in preparing for a possible, more permanent move, to their home. It depends on if I have a roommate by May or not. Or I could be moving to my grandparent's house, depending on my internship. Either way, I'm preparing for a possible move. So, yeah, lots of preparing going on around here.

This morning I was able to open up a Cafe Press shop to help fund raise for my trip. I've had some friends and family who have graciously agreed to create some designs for me free of charge and the ones I have so far look awesome! All the proceeds from the shop will go towards my trip which is currently sitting at a $3000 price tag. Go check it out and buy some stuff :)

My favorite design (so far) that's up in the shop.

I've also been slowly working on some knitting projects. Sadly the wedding blanket has not been touched in a few weeks. I left it at home when I went to my residency program because it's getting to big to transport so I haven't done any new work on it. I completed the 5th block which means I'm officially half way done with the thing.

My sister in law's socks have been growing a bit too. I wanted these done by the end of the month but I'm thinking that might not happen now :(

I have about 2 inches to go before I can start the heels. I'm shooting for 2" of work on these each night. That should make fairly short order of these. If I can stay focused.

I finished the Citron shawl and washed and photographed it.

I love the white and dark purple at the bottom. The shawl ended up turning out really nice and not too terribly big at all.

I also washed, blocked, and photographed the Mossy Ridge socks (finally).

But they have been finished for awhile.

And then I did a bad thing. A very bad thing. I started another charity project. I wanted something portable that wasn't worked on size 2 needles (like my SIL's socks are). So I started an EEROP Year Long KAL project: the ScWiNoNa scarf.

It's made up of left over worsted weight yarn I had lying around, mostly Cascade 220 (or so it feels). The orange bit is Malabrigo and will be the last section. I've just joined and knit the new color until it runs out. I had two more partial skeins I could add but it's almost the end of the month and it will be plenty long as it is.

I hope you're preparing for March too!

Project count up:
Charity: 4 completed, 1 on the needles
Self: 0
Family and friends: 2 on the needles