Fulcrum

It’s the final installment of this Thank You Trilogy to the EPIC BOX OF EPICNESS

Maggie seemed incredulous that I wanted a rock. I mean, sure, I was being a little facetious when I said that I would be happy with a box of rocks. Inside duck swap joke from years ago… and also true. Last swap I was in was the geology swap. Most fantastical box of rocks EVER. That box of rocks about made me cry just by opening the first card. I love those rocks so much.

 the sealing wax and twine is brilliant
 
Maggie didn’t make me cry. Instead it’s a fist pump of victory and epicness.

See, with this rock I can reference “Stars and Stones” because it glitters like the stars in the sky or Demonkeep with the crystals parkour or Fool Moon with the pentagram and the stones.

 

 Harry draws circles not pentagrams for his magic...

...and this stone would be the fulcrum of power

I would say I saved the best for last, except in the EPIC BOX OF EPICNESS- OMG ITS SO EPIC there is not a best…

 The yarn.

Maggie spun it and Karen dyed it!

Everyone knows Maggie and Karen, right? Right!?! Knit 1 Geek 2 podcast? They’re Rock Stars, those two. OMG Maggie and Karen!!! Karen and Maggie!!!

 I started knitting it right away and am almost finished with the mittens. The cable on the backs of the hands are the Ley Lines converging under Chicago and they barely made a dent in the first ball! 

We’re always ready for the end of the trilogy but so sad that there isn’t more. Thankfully, Jim Butcher has said he is writing seven more books so we should have fourteen more years to geek out. I hope that means there will be more swaps to come.

Thank you, Maggie, the box is pure magic. Astonishing, Wonderful, Tremendous Magic. I love it all so much. Thank you.

Epic Swap Box of Epicness

Last time I left you with the EPIC SWAP BOX OF EPICNESS we were here

 It turns out there isn’t a better word than Epic…

A locking journal so I can keep my own diary like Merlin. That’s right The Merlin, the real one, not the puff-up running the White Council at the moment.

This journal has fancy clasps that even though I could see exactly how they worked took an embarrassing longtime to actually open. Something like full 20 seconds. It took some magic words to get it to open but I showed it who’s boss and now can get in with a snap.

 A coffee mug that Maggie designed herself. I’m blown away! It has the ingredients list for the Pick-Me-Up-Potion on it. A full nights sleep in a cup. She also included the base ingredient of Casi Cielo “almost heaven” Coffee. I LOVE THIS MUG SO MUCH! As If I didn’t love every single thing SO MUCH but I squeeeee every time I pick this up.

Perhaps the most personal part of the swap package is this drawing. Yes, Maggie drew it herself. I used to draw before knitting hijacked my brain 14 years ago and now all I can think about it yarn, so I know this isn’t a little doodle, this, this right here, this is some serious time and effort. I’m going to frame it and put it on my bookshelf with the books.

The Chlorofiend is one of my favorite moments. Walmart…. Chainsaw…. and Murph “Put on the BOOTS” The boots for kicking some monster ass. Oh, yes. In 15 books that could very well be the best moment. And what do you do after you kick monster ass in a walmart? You go eat pizza. I love these books SO MUCH!

And do you know who else loves these books SO MUCH? Dresden Files Fan Filming! That’s who.
See there is this group of fans that make YouTube Movies. Because you are not really a fan until you have made a movie trailer to your favorite book. IT'S AWESOME. LOAD IT UP NOW!

 And that is an autographed photo of Matt that plays Harry!!!

So, here, Matt is dating Gilly of Knit Princess and Gilly is going to be here in KC for Planet Comicon so that means when I go to meet Gilly then I will have a chance of meeting Matt too? Maybe. I haven’t checked facebook in a million years so these things slip by me. But it’s all just so cool.
Also in the photo is the Shield stitch markers so my knitting will be well protected from evil.

 More candy. Of course, Maggie, made the labels. She’s Kick-Ass that way.

There is still a box to go. I had planned on finishing off the thank you in this post but I got sucked in watching Matt on YouTube.

Maggie, you’re amazing!

Thaumaturgy

A HUGE thank you to Maggie in the Dresden Files swap. I received an AWESOME EPIC BOX OF MAGIC GOODNESS.

The kind of EPIC that makes winter come early and it blizzard on Halloween or it be 70 degrees in February like it was here last week. The forces of Summer and Winter are battling it out over the contents of this swap box.

First up, Maggie made me a calendar.

 That’s right! She made this. It’s HUGE. It broke my camera. All I can show you is the little corner or it will break all of the internet and melt your computers. You’re welcome.

Next is the Fuego Cowl. Harry’s favorite spell for blowing up building (even if he said he didn’t blow up that last one we’re all pretty sure he did). It’s firmly knit and I could tell impregnated with magic to stop the coldest winter wind. Well I washed it in running water, destroying the magic and it’s now soft and supple. Oops. But the blocking made it sooooo soft. I love it!

 Harry doesn’t wear hats but I do. This little cabling lace beauty has Thaumaturgy written all over it. Don’t believe me? Look it up. Here. Thaumaturgy (from the Greek words θαῦμα thaûma, meaning “miracle” or “marvel” and ἔργον érgon, meaning “work”) is the capability of a magician or a saint to work magic or miracles Our Maggie worked real magic with this.

A box bag. The outside is Harry’s books the inside Soul Fire! Maggie, didn’t make this. She tried to make one but it came out sort of half baked. I’m secretly glad. It means that’s she real and human. Really really above average, possible a Valkyrie, but not one of the Fae. Whoo. I’m glad. I was a little worried that I was trading away my soul for this swab box. Not that I wouldn’t. You’ll understand once you see what’s coming up next.

 But more of the Box Bag first. She did make the zipper pull. My very own Bob! This is amazing!!!

Inside the bag was the YUMMIES and yes she made the awesome wrappers.

So much epicness in the epic swap box. I maybe need a new word

There are still these parcels to go. I must stop now as I try to find an new word for epic. More to come soon.

Maggie, I’ve said thank you a few times and I LOVE IT once or twice but it doesn’t come close to conveying how wonderful this swap box is and how much it means to me. It’s phenomenal and you’re a dynamite. There aren’t enough words.

Cult Classics

I'm getting together with friends weekly to watch movies. We are featuring art movies, iconic, pop culture, and cult classics. The loose criteria is that one of us hasn't seen it before so that it's an educational experiences. Being an adult is great. We don't have a bedtime and get to watch movies and call it educational.

Last weekend I was on my own but stayed on theme. I loaded up Mad Max and did some spinning.

Alpaca/wool blend from Midwest 2013 feature fiber. I spun a nice lofty 2-ply aran weight.

Now that Dresden Files swap is almost over I've joined the Dystopia/Utopia Swap and nothing is more dystopian than Mad Max. Quite the movie from my childhood. Or so I thought.

Turns out I've never seen it before. It's very low budget, very art house, and very very gruesome. I spent the whole movie with knots in my stomach because three minutes in I could tell there was no way it was going to end well. I was right. It didn't end well and in ways I never imagined. It was low budget so not much happens on screen but the off screen suspense and violence was very effective.

The hat I knit from the yarn while watching Pitch Black. The pattern is Citric by Alex Tinsley. Dull Roar Design is a bit of knitting cult classic and she has a way with the hats.

Last night we watched Pitch Black which was billed to us as a horror. Besides one spot were I was grossed out, needles ick, and a surprise jump it wasn't horror scary. However, in looking it up to be sure I had the name right I found it's billed as a low budget cult classic thriller.

It makes me feel better calling it a thriller, but it was so strong in the Sifi trops I had tagged it as one maybe two people making it out alive in the first five minuets. Since, obviously, one was going to be Vin Diesel (the antihero never dies) the rest of the movie watching was waiting to see which trop the director was going to allow to live and making personal bets about the survivor. Not really the right frame of mind to be taken in with suspense.

I wonder about the low budget part of Pitch Black. To me low budget mean Mad Max style- hey lets go rent cameras for a month and hire all our friends as extras so they work for beer- while Pitch Black had known actors and quality cameras and special effects.

Tonight I cast on Fructose, another Dull Roar design in the classic malabrigo Twist. Keeping in the cult classic trend, I watched Leon: The Professional which was absolutely adorable. Bloody extravagant violence and adorable is just so French.

Road Trip

I took a little road trip to Independence, Missouri.

 Wait! What? Doesn’t Jim Butcher live in Independence, Missouri?

 Why, yes. Yes, he does!!!

I stopped at Jim Butcher’s coffee shop.

 Jim Butcher’s game store.

Jim Butcher’s art supply store and gallery of local artist.

Jim Butcher’s specialty grocery and down the way to Jim Butcher’s candy store.

And finally, and most important.

Jim Butcher’s local yarn store!!!

It doesn’t look like much on the outside but it’s magic on the inside. The largest selection of hand dyed yarn around. I had no idea!

That's right. I'm in a Dresden Files swap! I'm so EXCITED!!!
  
Oh, how I suffer for my partner. I bought one for you and two for me.