Our group of knitting gal’s {and one guy, who is not a knitter} decided we would do a Secret Grinch swap, where we had to spend $50 minimum on our Grinch partner. And I’m just so happy with all my Secret Grinch swag, that it gets it’s own post {that and I forgot, like usual, to take photos of the swag I made….} Jen was my Secret Grinch, and if you’re on Ravelry, I suggest you check out her page {her username is splynk}

My awesome swag included:

Gorgeous wrist-cuff with lovely embroidery! Jen handspun the brown background yarn, and hand-dyed the green for the stems of the flowers! For more photos of this freaking amazing wrist-cuff, check out my Flickr Photostream.

A super soft, beautiful cowl that’s nice, lacey and long. Here’s it’s wrapped around 3 times and held with the hand-carved wooden button {that’s removable!} You can also see my awesome new earrings, bright orange yarn-balls!

“Mystery Beast” yarn, with a mixture of wool and a touch of silk. Jen lovingly hand-spun this, and made it into a thicker ply too! {I’m not always a sucker for laceweight!}. The photo does the plethura of colours an injustice, I will get a better photo in the daylight.

My brand new, violet/plum/burgandy/pink/wine coloured Silk & Merino blend wrist-warmers! And oooh, they are super soft and warm! I got complimented on them today by my Midwife!

And last but not least, the orange yarn-ball earrings, which I’ve been wearing for most of the day, and plan on wearing them to work! I love the fact that they are bright orange! I wouldn’t pick orange for myself, but they really catch your attention and I love the shade!

I think this was the best “Christmas” ever! I always forget how awesome it is to receive hand-made gifts! It just makes you feel really warm and giddy inside, knowing that someone sleuthed you out and made you gifts in colours you love, designs you’d wear and all with love!

Yeah, how many more words could I fit into that title? XD This is just a quick update, hopefully followed by more updates >___>

Got married, went on honeymoon, photos of the Wedding are here. I haven’t uploaded Egypt honeymoon photos yet. Those shall hopefully come with the next updates! XD

Baby is getting bigger, cuz I’m starting to show a little…. >___>

Yeah, I know, it’s pretty lame that I had to pull my shirt back to show the “bump,” LOL
Anyway, I’ve started a few new knitting projects, and I’ve got a lot of stuff to make/do this year. Thankfully our Secret Grinch with our Knitting group isn’t until January, so I can concentrate on the other presents, ones that require me to makes stuff before the 20th of December >___>

The tough part is that in another group of friends, where we did ANOTHER Secret Santa, they haven’t even done a List yet. I mean, I’m not a mind reader! Cuz honestly, too many hormones right now for that! LOL

Okay, well, all of my friends know this already, as well as my family, but here you go:

I’M PREGNANT!

Yes, ladies and gents, I am growing a demon spawn as we speak. Hopefully two demon spawn, but we will find out when I’m back from my honeymoon. I’m around 5 weeks now, and yes, starting to feel the nausea on a regular basis. And the need to eat watermelon. It could be worse, I could have a need to eat deep-fried lard-cakes or something otherwise disgusting. XD

The gross thing is that I can smell everything. It makes fighting nausea worse than normal. #___#;; I managed to eat a quarter of a watermelon and a small bowl of cereal for breakfast, and Sarah {a friend who is staying with us for a couple days} is already talking about lunch. >___>

The never ending battle continues…

If you know Saiormoon, then you know that there are Sailor Senshi {the “Dubbies” call them “Scouts,” that word is blasphemy to us “Subbies.”}

So, incase anyone really cared, this is my Senshi Name {based on my full future-married-name}

My Senshi Alias is Sailor Lead Dragon.
Take The Sailor Senshi Name Generator today!
Created with Rum and Monkey’s Name Generator Generator.

<33

I got hired at Langley Hospital! XD I’m officially a Unit Clerk again! <33>{ Brent’s number is 838-7444 and you can send him txt msgs. XD

My last day at Newton is on Tuesday the 30th, I gave them two weeks, but I don’t know what my shifts will be for August, so I just let myself get booked for those two days – money = yay!

I’m very excited! I got my pattern for my dress, but I haven’t started it yet — I’m kinda getting scared — like I might screw it up, even though it’s a mock-up and there’s a reason you do a mock up. >___> I think I shall call Tiz and find out if she can help out after work or something <333

On the plus side, I’ve got all the party favours ready to go, we just need to pick out the green tea. I’m working on the pattern for the bodice-piece, and I’ve got the Bridal party gifts figured out! XD They are fantastic – I hope! LOL

Okay, CRUNCH TIME LADIES! XD

I got the fabric for the mock-up dress, my pattern should be here around Wednesday or Thursday and at the very latest, Monday July 7th. I’ve decided what to do about an accent peice for the dress bodice — I’m going to crochet a “lacy corset” to which I will be making up a pattern for because I have not found one decent enough.

{Except for maybe this pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/floral-lace-belt but it needs to be a bit thicker to work for me.}

Anyway. The mock-fabric I got is an awesome reddish-purple, close to the colour I want to use for the wedding accents. It’s a bit bright, but the reason it’s a mock up is because I need to see if the dress will look good! XD

Wedding invitations are PRINTED! And they are being stuffed today, I will be writing out names later, and some we will have to mail but if you are a friend, and I see you on a regular basis, I will NOT be mailing them! XD You will be handed an invitation! <33>___> She didn’t really do much of anything anyway – I don’t think she asked once about what was going on except on the day I asked her to be in the party. She seemed pretty relieved yet disappointed when I talked to her. I don’t blame her, she has a lot of stuff going on in her life, and she might not be able to afford a nice dress for the wedding. =( Oh well, she’ll {hopefully} still come to the wedding as a guest! XD

One of awesome managers at work is going in for surgery on Wednesday. She’s getting her colon removed. @____@ I’m really upset cuz she’ll be gone for 8 weeks and she’s SO fantastic! So I’m going to see about making her a blanket. I was thinking about the Galaxy Afghan — because it’s super awesome-sauce. And it would just be sewing peices together eventually. But it seems like a big project and maybe knitting a large afgan would be quicker. Any ideas? <33

Brent hands me a clear, plastic box with a lid. Gracious as always, I smile and say thank-you, totally confused. Brimming with pride, Brent concludes:

“You don’t know the rules of the box. The rules are that you get to fill it with as much yarn as you can and still get the lid on. You cannot sit on the lid, and if the lid breaks it’s null and void.”

Needless to say it was not a quiet night at our house….

Brent’s sister, Leane, got free tickets through her work {Coast Capital Savings} so Brent and I had the pleasure of getting to see the 20th Annual Vancouver Volunteer Celebration last night. It was fantastic!

I would love to see the VSO again, they have a brilliantly funny and entertaining conductor and they are extremely talented. The Celebration was MC-ed by a stand-up comic, who was extremely hilarious! And it was a great little interruption to the music.

I felt very compelled to volunteer — I still do. It was very inspiring, the whole night, they had a Guest speaker who spends most of his time volunteering and helping others. It made me really want to go out and help my community.

Anyway, plug for them:
http://volunteervancouver.ca

I’m just updating. Don’t really have an idea of what to update about. I think I need bionic wrists. And one of those ball-chairs. That’d be cool.

I was also thinking about registering our wedding at Canadian Tire. Sounds weird, I know, but man, Debbie Travis’ dishware is so sexy. I love it! XD

And they sell other home-stuff, too. Just not enough. >__>

Anyway, been thinking about the wedding a lot lately. I’m trying to figure out what to do, if we’re going to have it here, or if we can encourage Julia and Carson to let us use their house. I would just feel terrible if anything happened — like we ripped up their grass or something. I’m know, we’re not really having “THAT” kind of party where ripping up grass is the main event, but chairs or just people walking on it could kill it.

Grass is pretty resiliant, though. As proven by the “Planet Earth” series on Grasslands. Yeah, I know, weird that I watch educational DVD’s, eh? Is it freaking you out? Freaks me out.

I think of everything as for the future, such as: “If we do this, how will it affect our kids,” or “We should get these DVD’s because then our kids will have something educational to watch.” I’m becoming more responsible without really being a parent yet. I think Brent’s getting sick of me saying things like: “When we have kids…” and “We should stop this *holds up giant list of habits* before we have kids so we don’t mess them up!”

I think I’m more nervous than anything to be a parent. I’m not even pregnant yet. I’m just worried I’ll screw it up hardcore-style. And no one seems to be supporting Brent and I for wanting kids. It hurts to know that some friends think that I’m too stupid, irresponsible, lazy or ignorant to have kids.

It’s too bad that those friends don’t really know me. Or that they pretend they do, but honestly, Brent is the only person that comes close to knowing who I am, how much I struggle and how hard things are for me.

No one else seems to really care. They just pass judgement: “Steph’s out of work, she sits at home and does nothing. She’s a slacker, a lackadaisacal ignorant bitch that we can judge and make fun of behind her back.” I’m starting to realise that some people don’t grow up. They don’t stop being “in highschool,” where it’s “the in thing to do” to talk behind people’s back and pass judgement so you can fit in with the “cool kids.”

I thought I was past this stage with my friends. I suppose I’m not.

I made a pattern! Woot! I did this pattern up for an Amigurumi craft-swap, and I decided that anyone who wanted a more simple version of Totoro should get this pattern! {It’s free too! <3 } Your versions of the blue Totoro should look a little shorter than what the pictures are. I put one two too many straight sc rounds in there, but if you'd like to make it exactly the same, just add two rows extra of striaght sc to the sc rounds.

Materials:
Bernat Satin Solids {or any worsted soft acrylic} in Grey, Blue, White and Black.
Size 3.5mm hook
Stitch marker
White felt
Tapestry Needle

Stitches Used:
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
hdc = half-double crochet
dc = double crochet
tc = treble/triple crochet
inv dec = invisible decrease
inv join = invisible join
mr = make ring
french knot

Instructions for Grey Totoro:
Body -
Using grey yarn:
MR, ch 1, sc 6, close ring – do not join, work in spiral.
Rnd 1: 2sc in each sc = 12 sc
Rnd 2: increase 6 sc evenly = 18 sc
Rnd 3: increase 6 sc evenly = 24 sc
Rnd 4: increase 6 sc evenly = 30 sc
Rnd 5 – 20: sc in each sc.
Rnd 21: 6 inv dec evenly = 24 sc
Rnd 22: 6 inv dec evenly = 18 sc
Rnd 23: 6 inv dec evenly = 12 sc
Rnd 24: 6 inv dec evenly = 6 sc
Finish: Leave 6 inch tail, pull the yarn through so there is no active st. Stuff fully, and close the top by using 6 inch tail with a tapestry needle on it. Slide the front loops of the 6 stitches onto the tapestry needle, pull tight and secure.

Belly –
Using white yarn:
MR, ch 1, sc 6, close ring – do not join, work in spiral.
Rnd 1: 2sc in each sc = 12 sc
Rnd 2: increase 6 sc evenly = 18 sc
Rnd 3: increase 6 sc evenly = 24 sc
Rnd 4: increase 6 sc evenly = 30 sc
Rnd 5: increase 6 sc evenly = 36 sc
Finish: Inv join, leave 6-8inch tail, sew belly onto stuffed body. Secure and hide ends.

Ears –
Using grey yarn:
Ch 13. Working on the back row of the chain {the small bumps}:
Sl st into the first ch. Sc in ch twice, hdc in ch three times, dc in ch twice, hdc in ch, sl st in remaining 3 ch. Secure.
Attach ears into the third or forth row on the top of the body’s head. Attach between posts {where there are little holes}, pull ears into the head a little and secure.

Finishing -
With grey yarn, make 6 upside-down “V”’s on the white belly of the Totoro. With felt, make two little circles. Push tapestry needle through the center to create hole. With black yarn, make a french knot on the white felt circles. Pull the french knot into the white felt to make more secure. Repeat, then tie and hide ends.

Instructions for Blue Totoro:
Body -
Using blue yarn:
MR, ch 1, sc 6, close ring – do not join, work in spiral.
Rnd 1: 2sc in each sc = 12 sc
Rnd 2: increase 6 sc evenly = 18 sc
Rnd 3: increase 6 sc evenly = 24 sc
Rnd 4 – 12: sc in each sc.
Rnd 13: 6 inv dec evenly = 18 sc
Rnd 14: 6 inv dec evenly = 12 sc
Rnd 15: 6 inv dec evenly = 6 sc
Finish: Leave 6 inch tail, pull the yarn through so there is no active st. Stuff fully, and close the top by using 6 inch tail with a tapestry needle on it. Slide the front loops of the 6 stitches onto the tapestry needle, pull tight and secure.

Belly -
Using white yarn:
MR, ch 1, sc 6, close ring – do not join, work in spiral.
Rnd 1: 2sc in each sc = 12 sc
Rnd 2: increase 6 sc evenly = 18 sc
Rnd 3: increase 6 sc evenly = 24 sc
Finish: Inv join, leave 6-8inch tail, sew belly onto stuffed body. Secure and hide ends.

Ears -
Using blue yarn:
Ch 9. Working on the back row of the chain {the small bumps}:
Sl st into the first ch. Sc in ch, hdc in ch two times, dc in ch once, hdc in ch, sl st in remaining 3 ch. Secure.
Attach ears into the third or forth row on the top of the body’s head. Attach between posts {where there are little holes}, pull ears into the head a little and secure.

Finishing -
With blue yarn, make 3 upside-down “V”’s on the white belly of the Totoro. With felt, make two little circles. Push tapestry needle through the center to create hole. With black yarn, make a french knot on the white felt circles. Pull the french knot into the white felt to make more secure. Repeat, then tie and hide ends.

Instructions for White Totoro:
Body -
Using white yarn:
MR, ch 1, sc 6, close ring – do not join, work in spiral.
Rnd 1: 2sc in each sc = 12 sc
Rnd 2: increase 6 sc evenly = 18 sc
Rnd 3 – 7: sc in each sc.
Rnd 8: 6 inv dec evenly = 12 sc
Rnd 9: 6 inv dec evenly = 6 sc
Finish: Leave 6 inch tail, pull the yarn through so there is no active st. Stuff fully, and close the top by using 6 inch tail with a tapestry needle on it. Slide the front loops of the 6 stitches onto the tapestry needle, pull tight and secure.

Ears -
Using white yarn:
Ch 6. Working on the back row of the chain {the small bumps}:
Sl st into the first ch. Sc in ch twice, hdc in ch twice, sc in ch, sl st in remaining ch. Secure.
Attach ears into the second or third row on the top of the body’s head. Attach between posts {where there are little holes}, pull ears into the head a little and secure.

Finishing -
With black yarn, make a french knot on the front of the Totoro between the third and fourth rows from the top of the head. Repeat with the second french knot around 3 posts apart. Tie and hide ends.

Note: Add PVC pellets or another type of weight to the bottom of them if you’d like them to be more sturdy. They should still stand without them.