All Over the Map

All my peeps, this is going to be a lengthy post because I'm just "All Over the Map" with great news, FOs, Yum-O treats, and anything else that sneaks into my post.

Breaking News
If you haven't already read or heard from "Scout" followers like me, is that Scout from "Scout's Swag", has signed a book deal to share, inspire, and teach all inquiring "dye-minds" about the "Dyeing" process. That is taking pure undyed wool and dyeing it into your own unique colorful yarn.

I've actually known about this for awhile, but I had to keep my lips sealed until Scout made the secret news public. When I took Scout's dye class awhile ago, she revealed the great news to her dye class students, and asked that we keep it on the down-low until her announcement, which came this past weekend. She announced it during a Y-Knit Podcast, which I have to say is a very good one. WonderMike & Stephen really are just wonderful with their Podcasts and Scout's Podcast has alot of good info in it, as well as info about her upcoming book.
Although we will have to wait awhile before we can get our hands on her book, expect it out in press around 2010, and if I'm lucky, I'll try my best to get my own signed copy. I'll end this by saying that Scout is very nice and very customer-service oriented, and great at her craft. Visit her at http://www.scoutj.com
Did I also mention that she is a photographer? She takes the most beautiful pictures too.

It's "Knitta" time
I did it! I finished my "Knitta Project 08" this weekend, and "knit tagged" my tree in front of my home. I know really that I should've of knit tagged
something out in public, like a stop sign pole, but I really wanted my 1st Knitta Tag to be in front of my house. I had such fun with this project, in all aspects. First I got to use my lighted knitting needles, and I got to take part in a tradition held by the Knitta Gang from Texas, and I got to use up some scrap yarn, and I got to display to my neighbors and passer-byers that there is a "Knitta Gal" living in my house. When I put it up earlier, I really thought my husband would think I was crazy, but
as always he appreciated it and liked it himself. Now onto my next knitta project, hmmm....

I'm just getting started
As I am an avid knitter, crafter, everything, I'm extremely passionate about cooking & baking, it is one of my favorite things to do. Before knitting, I spent alot of time researching about food prepping, food storage, food combinations, savory vs. sweet, traditional vs. modern, you name it. Some of my favorite chefs are, in no particular order:

~~Alton Brown "Good Eats"
I enjoy Alton because he really breaks food down into a science, and makes you understand the
physics behind food & he's goofy funny.

~~Giada DeLaurentis "Everyday Italian"
Giada's food is just perfect. It's always simple, elegant, and tasteful. I've cooked her recipes time and again, and there always delicous. I'm Mexican, but Italian is really my other love, right next to Mexican food.

~~Rachel Ray "30 minutes Meals"
What can I say, I just love Rachel. I've met her in person about 2 years ago, she was totally
nice and when I met her do you know what she said to me??? "Hello Gorgeous", such a compliment
from her! I was star struck, I didn't know what to ask her or tell her, all I could muster was
"I love your recipes". Her recipes are quick and Yum-O!

~~Ina Garten "Barefoot Contessa"
Hmm... Ina is just an all around faboulous chef. She has great ideas, and can mix up some
awesome drinks to go with her dishes. I love her methods, and her presentation.

~~Martha Stewart from ALL Marthas shows
This is the Queen herself, what can't she do?? My idol, who I strive to be, someday, even if
only in my dreams. Her recipes, methods, ideas, resourcefulness, I could go on and on

So now that you know my other passion, what I mean by "I'm just getting started" is that the holiday season is not far away, and during that time, I do a ton of baking and cooking. I'm at my happiest during this time of year, really I am, I'm just happy inside. I enjoy the smells, the feeling of warmth, the beautiful array of colors that nature takes on, the ambiance that the holiday's bring. I'm like a kid when I visit Michaels, because I just love seeing all the props for the holidays, and the scents. I'm starting to test out new recipes for baked goods and entree's, and this weekend I tried out a Chocolate chip Oatmeal Bar" recipe. I was a little skeptical on how these would taste, but boy, "YUM-O", they came out great. It's funny because normally when I make anything with Chocolate Chip morsels, its just all around sweet, but the Oatmeal ingredient in this recipe, really balances out the sweetness of the Chocolate Chips. When I eat one, I don't feel as guilty as if I'd eaten a cookie. And, after having these, I have all kinds of ideas of other combinations I can spin-off into, so I can feel myself just getting started for this upcoming holiday season 8-)


FOs from the past
I knitted the "K & K Cap" from Purlescence Yarns awhile ago, it was my first hat/beanie that I knitted. I used Cascade Cash Vero yarn in Black, and was just really proud of how it came out & how comfortable and soft it felt. Another fave of mines is this "Baby Purl Beanie" that I knitted using Lorna Laces Angel yarn. I can't remember the color, but it's just precious. I gave this as a present to my close friend/family for their new baby girl.

Whew.. now that's the end of this post.

P.S.
Tell me what do you prefer, short or long posts? Or are you in between? I prefer long, I read all sorts of blogs daily, so I like to have something to read, it's my version of the "morning newspaper".

With everything that I've wrote about, I had to provide pictures, so here yah go.....

Stuff to Share

Well I hope everyone had a good 4th of July weekend! It's obviously winding down now, and the new week will be once again.
For those of you who didn't get your fireworks fix, I recorded the ones my family & I watched on Friday, only about 30-40 seconds worth. My husband made a boo-boo and used a curse word, so just warning you, guess that makes this a PG-13. See below for the fireworks.
Well, I said on Twitter that I got a shipment from Scout, and it was my new book, "New Sock Pathways for Sock Knitters" signed by Cat Bordhi. This is an awesome book, and I will need to order Book #2 soon. I also go the "mini-crochet" keychain hook for knitters on the go who have a dropped stitch emergency 8-) It's so cute & tiny!

Here's my new book

Here's a shot of the signature


Here's the Stitch Saver

4th of July 2008 Fireworks in San Jose, CA


Originally uploaded by RockyMoreno

Here's the Fireworks, please caution, my husband used a curse word at the end, so sorry! 8-)

4th of July Fireworks in San Jose, CA Grand Finale


Originally uploaded by RockyMoreno

Here is the Grande Finale.

More Dye Class to share...

Well, there was so much to Scout's Dye Class that I couldn't fit in just one post. I've put together a collage of photos from class. I unfortunately didn't get any pics from the first day because *just my luck*, my camera's batteries clunked out..but I was well armed for the 2nd day. What your seeing are pics of Scout giving us instructions and method tips on how to dye a skein of yarn. She talked about bleeding, segmenting colors, thinking about color combos, and what we all should know from childhood, what happens when you mix 1 color with another. Sometimes you get a pretty color or sometimes you get a color you didn't want. Although the dyeing process is relatively easy, at least this method, the hard part is creating your own personal style with colorways. This is where Scout's magic comes into play. She has a great eye for colors and combos, really why she is great.

I learned to DYE!

Scout Teaching Berkeley Dye Class 6/2008


Originally uploaded by RockyMoreno

Wow! What a fun-filled + quality-packed weekend! I signed up a few months back for a Dye class being hosted & trained by the wonderful Scout from Scout's Swag. She is a great teacher, very informative, and very good and really trying to get you to understand the techniques & ways to make dying easier.



This was a 2 day class, Sat/Sun, and it was great fun! I died 2 skeins, one for self striping and one regular skein.



I can't wait to see if Scout continues class, if she'll develop an intermediate course?



Click on the photo to link to my Flickr Dye Class set, and see all the wonderful pictures from class.