Because I Just Can't Think of a Title

Well hello folks!

It's been one of those weeks, and naturally when you have so much to do, you just don't want to be doing any of it.  So then you decide to write in your blog, cause it's so much more fun and satisfying.  Or you start a new obsession.  I just recently discovered Tumblr.  If you don't know, I am VERY behind on what is "trendy" or whatever.  (Usually I just don't bother because it's considered "trendy" :P)  But I have fallen in love with it and now I write another blog!  (Don't worry you will always be my first love!!)  More distractions are always better ;)  but anywho you should check it out!  It's called on your sleeve and it's pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

Right now, I should be studying for a very un-fun Latin exam that will be bright and early tomorrow morning.  But who wants to do the un-fun right?

Tomorrow is when I'll be participating in Relay for Life here in the lovely 5 College Area of Amherst!  SO excited!  I have never done it, so fingers crossed.  Tomorrow is also the much anticipated Juniper Literary Festival!! At least I have been!  Lots going on this week!!

I'll be switching between writing here and over at on your sleeve so stay tuned!

P.S.
And there will definitely be pictures! (I know I always say that)  As I have been taking photography more seriously :)  Here's a little preview:

that's me, in my wine :)

Should.

Lately, I feel as though I've been in constant motion, bopping around without ever a thought, or maybe too many, and never going anywhere.

There's like a million and two other things I should be doing right now, but nobody ever wants to do the things they should.

I was having one of THOSE moments, when you can actually FEEL your mood slipping over you and I became restless with preoccupations.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but for those of you who know what I'm taking about, sometimes you just got to write it out and let the shit fall where it may.  As I have learned, you should never keep something in that does not want to stay, if it wants to leave, let it.

And since I can feel the waves of time-not-being-well-spent-for-someone-who-might-possibly-be-up-all-night-with-work, I will leave you, dear readers, with this: a quote by Graham Foust from his poem "Chat Room" that I just cannot simply get out of my head.


"What's wrong is I can't
stop thinking me,
maybe.


What's more
I start to think you."

Glad You Came!

Time.  There is never enough of it!

It's been so long I know!  Lots and lots and lots of things have changed, but without any further ado, I have much to report!

For starters, Happy March of the beauteous  2012!  I'm attempting to make March the best and most productive month to date!  And with Spring Break just around the corner, hopefully this dream will reach reality (but, as we all know, I am a GIANT procrastinator unfortunately).

Since I have been taking my Creative Writing classes this semester, my writing has flourished!  A poem has been written almost every day and I've come to the realization that I want to specialize in poetry!  Who knew that a "hobby" I've had since about twelve would turn into my creative lifestyle and career?  Funny how life works out that way.

I've also been toying with the idea of Grad School, specifically the MFA Program here at UMass Amherst to further my craft.  But, I'm still not 100%.  I don't know if I can handle anymore schooling--I'm itching to move on and try something new!--but at the same time, the frightening sense of the impending unknown of "real life" is starting to hit, and I'm not sure which road to take, to channel my inner Robert Frost.

I have become more serious about my writing and am even thinking of posting some of my works here.  Thoughts?

It's also been suggested to me to keep a journal of sorts--which I've dubbed "The Letters"--to record my thoughts, events of the days, ideas, frustrations, pretty much anything.  I hope (I REALLY REALLY hope) to keep it up and to post more here!!  Turning it into an actual fully working blog, so wish me luck! (I will need it!)

I've really grown as a person within these past few months, and as cliché as it sounds, I've found  self-discovery through my writing and new experiences in my classes.  And since I've been rambling for quite sometime now I'll leave you with a few of my recent photo adventures--Enjoy! :)

That Time of Year Again...

Ever had one of those days where you're thinking of all this awesome stuff that you could do, like updating your blog that has been long since ignored or taking a TON of photos for your Ravelry page that has been abandon, but finding little energy or time to do so?  Well this was me today.

Once again it is that time of year for overworked college students to return home to celebrate the holidays and finally relax.  All of this is find and good, but I find myself in a Catch-22 situation: I keep thinking of things I could and want to do (or rather should be doing) and end up doing absolutely nothing with my day.  I wake up and all of a sudden it's five o'clock and the day has escaped me.

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and as the countdown to 2012 begins, I can't help but reflect on the past year, as I'm sure many of you do.  I accomplished a lot in 2011 and am officially half way done with my college career (Eeek!).  The year has had its ups and downs, but I've lived to tell the tale and cannot wait to see what the year to come has in store.  I've thought about a couple resolutions I'd like to make and stick with, but to be completely honest, by the time the month is over I've completely blanked on whatever resolution was made and just simply make daily or monthly goals depending on my situation at the time.  This year, I think I want to write them down in my planner, as a constant reminder.  I never just make one, perhaps because I always expect or want too much, but 2012's overarching resolution will be...drum roll please...to simply be HAPPY.  Yep, that's it happy.  It's not that I've been unhappy per se, it's just that I want to be happy in as many moments in life that I can possibly be.  Taking advantage of every opportunity and even if you will, be a little selfish--not in the bad way--but respecting who I am as a person, first and foremost.

One of my favorite hobbies (which makes me very happy!) is falling in love with an amazing new book!  I just finished "The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton, which was absolutely fabulous!  It was so enthralling that I honestly didn't want to put it down and just devoured it!  Today, I bought her lastest book "The Distant Hours" and I will soon be onto her debut novel "The House at Riverton".  Morton's writing is captivating; her characters come alive and jump right off the page.  The perfect blend of mystery, suspense, and relationships.  Grab some coffee and cozy up!

Recently, I've been knitting what will eventually grow up to become a snuggly blanket!  I'm almost finished with the first square, as the blanket is worked in a series of growing squares.  The blanket has been dubbed the Merlot Throw, since the colors are all reminiscent of sultry red wine: dusty pinks, deep reds, and creamy chocolate browns.  This project will probably not be finished any time soon, but I don't mind, since it's all in garter stitch!  The best stitch ever!  It makes the throw so squishy and I can't wait to be snuggled in it once it's done!  One of the best things about garter stitch is that it's so simple and easy to knit and I can watch TV too!  Big Bang Theory has become my sister Fallon and mine's new favorite show :)

To wrap up, I'll leave you with a few things I'll be looking forward to in 2012 (so long as the world doesn't end :P).  Next weekend I'll be in Montreal with a few friends as a last hurrah before my friend Gal spends his semester in Australia (jealous!).  The fast approaching spring semester marks the beginning of my specialization in Creative Writing--I'm excited, yet also a little scared to put my writing out their to my peers.  In May, I will turn the fabulous age of 21 and I cannot wait!!!  As an early birthday present, Fallon bought us tickets to see Foster the People in June!  Hopefully come Fall, I will finally be able to go to a Patriots game, now that I have my Brady Throwback jersey and Victoria's Secret NFL gear (Thanks Dad!).  There has also been talk of a possible Christmas trip to Walt Disney World--my favorite and happiest place in the world--with Fallon and my Dad's family.  Keeping fingers crossed! :)

Until next time, Happy New Year!!!  See you next time in sure to be fabulous 2012!!!

Design Star

As you may have noticed, "Red Hat Writings" has a new look!  I'm really excited about it!  My sister Fallon actually helped me decide on the current design, since I have an EXTREMELY hard time making up my mind (especially when it's design related and there are SO many choices!).


I have just returned from a 2 week dream in Maine.  Unfortunately I had to "wake-up" and return to reality, needless to say I didn't want to leave.  I love it in Maine.  I couldn't get enough since my first trip one year ago.  I bought local Maine yarn from Done Roving farm at Quilt Diva's in Rockland.  The colorways are to dye for ;)  They're so vibrant and fun I had to resist buying up the whole stock.  I bought a skein last year and made my "Autumn's Leaves Scarf".  I'm still in the process of taking more photos for my Ravelry account, but there are a few up there and the name is very fitting for the colors just scream "Fall in New England!"  I bought 2 more skeins on my trip this summer: one for Fallon, which I'll use to make her own version of "Autumn's Leaves" in "Mandarin Lime", and one for me of course, a woolier yarn called "Sky Blue Pink".  I'm still not sure what I'll make with it but with all the yarn and projects I have going on, I really need to learn to pace myself.  


I finally finished my first knitting project "The 4 o'clock Scarf" and I LOVEEE it!  I can't wait for Fall!  It's so soft and gorgeous and I still have a skein left over and I decided that I'll make a matching hat with it. I;m almost done with my "Brattleboro" hat and I think I'll do the "4 o'clock" in a similar style.


As always, I'm really behind in uploading pictures with all my accounts: here, Facebook, Ravelry.  My camera's memory card is currently in some "safe place" in my boyfriend's car.  The "safe place" was created because I had used up all my memory space while in Maine and started to take pictures without it.  I put it there so I wouldn't forget it, and well we all know how that turned out...


Nevertheless when I do get it back, I'll go upload crazy and post everything!


While in Maine I started reading "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett and I just finished it a few days ago.  I can only use one word to describe it: Amazing.  Simply engrossing.  Seriously, all I wanted to do was read it.  I devoured that book and I recommend it to everyone.  I'm curious about the movie, but as a reader and writer, I will (almost) always love the book so much more (though I am a huge fan of film and would really love to get into it more).  Stockett's writing style is captivating and I was hooked before Chapter One finished.  Read "The Help", you won't regret it!


And if anyone has a book recommendations, I would be so pleased to read them!  I'm really open to anything and am currently looking for a new book.  I started "The Secret Life of Bees" last night, a recommendation from my best friend Elise.  I'm only a chapter into it so far but it's really got my attention.


I visited a local winery while in Maine, Breakwater Vineyards.  It was one of the most fascinating experiences.  Not only is the owner's plantation style home beautiful, but the mountain and ocean view is simply breathtaking!  Wine is a growing passion of mine (my blog's background is very fitting), but the whole process of wine making and running a vineyard is a new interest of mine and I'm really curious to learn more about it.  I would love to live in Maine and owning a winery would be amazing!  I read an article in "Discover Maine" magazine about the Maine Wine and it was really eye opening.  There's a lot that goes into running a winery, but one the the greatest challenges has been the New England climate.  Yet, so many have overcome this hurtle and there are over 12 wineries in Maine.  WHat really interested me was that so many of the also had shops that sold local products and crafts.  i would love to maybe someday have a shop to sell some of my crocheted and knitted crafts, as well as maybe my writing.


My blog, I realized, is kind of unorganized, but it works (or at least I think it does...:P).  It started as a place to vent and share my writing and feelings and now has evolved into a photo gallery, craft's corner, book reviewer, and more.  I'm really very happy with how this whole endeavor has turned out and even though I don't always get to write and share and post as much as I would like to, I still love this opportunity.


That is all for today, off to watch Jeopardy with the sis and kick some butt! ;)

Finally Bit the Bullet....

And added all my photos of my finished projects to my Ravelry account (http://www.ravelry.com/people/xoluv7157) !  Tedious task, but it has been on my to-do list for ages!  I even added my unused yarn to my Stash and put up pictures of those too.  No more blank white unavailable boxes for me :)

Other than that, it has been a very slow Thursday afternoon.  I am currently working on two projects.  The first I am knitting, my first knitting project ever, and I love it!  It's simple garter stitch but I find it to be so much fun!  It's so easy to do and I can still watch TV or talk or whatever.  The colors are just lovely, see for yourself:

Ahhh so pretty!! AND it's malabrigo, my new favorite thing :)  It's going to be HUGE--about 630 yards!  But, I'm not sure if I will use all three skeins (save some for a hat maybe?).  We shall see.

My second project is a little black beanie out of 100% wool, so it will be wicked warm! (Yes, I am from Massachusetts and I love the word wicked...though I did throw it in there on purpose ;) )  But anyway, it's coming along nicely and I just started a few days ago.  This is like my fifth beanie and I vow to get this one perfect and just right!

In other news, I am a horrible person and never took ANY pictures while I was in Maine those few weeks back.  But, the weather wasn't all the cooperative and I am going again and eventually one way or another there will be photos from Maine up in here. I'm actually really dying to take some nice shots of the water and landscapes but the weather has been so rainy lately it kind of ruins the picture.

Reality calls now--must get ready for work.  Short post today, but I am getting better! Haha

Until next time

xoxo

Blogging at Barnes & Noble

So I am pretty much terrible at keeping this blog up-to-date as you can probably tell since six months have past and we are now in a new year, a new decade!
But, no worries--I still have plenty to say and I already decided from the start that this hobby would be without rules and boundaries....

SO much has happened since my last post but I don't really know where to begin...I'm actually sitting in the Starbucks Cafe in Barnes and Noble surrounded by yarn and books, staring at my laptop screen contemplating what to write...I got nothing.  I think I'm generally lazy sometimes but I DO want to try and keep at least a monthly posting going on during the summer and hopefully will be able to keep it up during the school year (though it is always a challenge for me, as I have confessed I am horrible at keeping a journal and a blog is no different).

To make up for lost time though, I have a little recap I would like to share:

• For starters, I am officially no longer a teenager: I turned 20 in May!
• I have finally been outside the country!  I spent 5 days in lovely Montreal over Spring Break with my boyfriend Taylor and our wonderful friends Kyle and Emily.  It was amazing! Great food, good drinks, and now I'm bit by the travel bug and am dying to go abroad :)
• I am officially half way done with college: I will be starting my junior year this coming fall--unfortunately I feel that this year, more specifically this semester will kick my arse (Oh, the British Elise)

.........

Well, I has been two days since I started writing this post and sadly I am no longer blogging at Barnes & Noble, but rather in my room at home by the A.C. and yarn.  I'm working on crocheting (a hobby that has been on hiatus for too long!) a hat with the very pattern that inspired this blog's title.  Actually, I am using that very same yarn too, along with scraps from projects I've completed.  I'm not quite sure how it will turn out, but it should be interesting and I was in dire need to start crocheting something.

I'm doing much of anything now, besides of thinking of all the things that I need/could be doing.  I'm going to Maine this weekend (SO EXCITED!!), a different part of Maine than I went last summer and I promise promise promise to take many pictures and post them here! Cross my heart and pinky swear!

Well that;s all for now, I'm going to go work on my scrap hat (potential name?) and make a list of things to pack this weekend.  But, before I go, I want to share some pictures from the last six months I decided to live under a rock and not share ANYTHING here.  Enjoy!

Winter View from my room in Amherst

Anniversary Roses:

The Most Beautiful Flowers I've Ever Received 

Yummy Breakfast before road trip to Montreal!!

Montreal

To Die for Coffe

Just Your Ordinary Fruit with Breakfast

Storybook

View from the Top

<3