The President, Fair Trade, and the Growth Initiative

Today the Prezzy prez, that is Obama, touched down today in Long Beach right outside my office. Folks were lined up all along the streets and in the tunnels. Our parking lot was full of cars that didn't belong to any of the employees that worked in the business park. Folks in the building were excited and giddy. From our office we had a birds-eye view through the windows. The new Air Force One is a very pretty plane. Very sleek and colorful. He landed, jumped on Marine One and was escorted by 3 other helicopters to Costa Mesa. Just a little excitement for the day.

Now back to me. Today is Day 4 of my personal Protective Style Challenge. On Saturday I braided my hair into a gazillion little box braids that I plan to keep up for 3 weeks to a month - repeat. Every night I will moisturize them with my rosewater mixture and baggy the ends. By following this method I hope to be better able to retain my ends and see increased length. At the end of this month after I rebraid I will show progress picks. My goal by the end of this year is full armpit length or just below. I'm being hindered by occasional scalp flair ups in the back area where I had alopecia, which leads me to my next topic.

I wanted to show you my recent haul. I love it when I get boxes in the mail. A couple of weeks ago I infused Castor oil with fresh rosemary and sage leaves. I wanted to see if I could get better effects with a fresh infusion vs. an essential oil mixture. So far so good. I'm loving the Castor oil mixture so I bought a few other treats to try. In a later post I will explain what each of these herbs are and their uses. I may even post a video.


From Mountain Rose Herbs I got the following organic fresh dried herbs: Lemon Balm, Chamomile Flowers, Peppermint Leaf, Rose hips, Nettle Leaf, Horsetail, Burdock Root, and Dandelion leaf. I plan to try some new oil infusions and make tea. I also ordered some fresh unrefined cocoa butter. Many of these items are Fair trade.


During this challenge I also plan to start hennaing my hair more often. One place I've used before and gotten great results is Mehandi. This time I'm not really going for color (my hair is darker than it has every been and I love it) but strength and conditioning. I bought two packs of the red label for African Hair. Mehandi has excellent henna that is finely sifted, smooth in texture and deposits great color. Also the prices are very reasonable. 200g cost me $14 with shipping.

Lastly, I picked up some yarn. I loved the Cycling Aran so much that I decided to make one for myself. My LYS Compatto Yarn Salon was having a sale and I got a spiffy deal on some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino. I plan to start working on this soon but it may have to wait until school is out.


Be sure to check me out on YouTube to see what else I'm doing.



Kamika Au natural

Did I Sleep With You Last Night?

Remember when your momma used to say that to you when you woke up in the morning and didn't say hello? Oh Hello! Yes, Mert (short for Martha) is old skool. It's sad when it seems like everytime you come back to YOUR house you have to explain to folks where ya been and why you been gone so long. Dang! I am GROWN! Although I am living in my parent's house and too lazy or is that too tired and unmotivated to move out. Most of the other boarders have gone so it's been pretty much smooth sailing. I guess I'm just deceiving myself.

Back to explaining where I been and so on. I'm talking to my blog readers not my mom. She doesn't tread to closely to my personal business and when she does, I just ignore her. Then again, she doesn't need to. I'm pretty predictable and regimented. It's only on the weekends that I turn into a hoe-bath taking Hussy! LOL! Actually, I wish! Not the hoe bath part. I likes to bathe in tubs and showers and put on fresh, well you know...

I was gone 5 days shy of a month. I missed my own blogiversary. I think I was a little afraid to come back. Does that say how I am in relationships?

Work is really draining my energy. Mental drains are waaay more tiring than the physical. When I get home at night I barely make it over the threshold before I want to fall face first into the carpet and stay there until morning. It's as if all the "special" projects at work have turned into my actual job. These crazy things have become endless. Sometimes I feel hood-winked.

I have been knitting and combing my hair though! Shew! It'll take a nation to hold me back. I'm working on my own shrug design which I think I'll call Oz. Peep the picture below. I'm much further than it shows but I was too lazy today to take another pic. It should be finished by this weekend and I'll post it then and the pattern when I get a chance.

I finished steeking the Deep V Argyle vest and got distracted. Here's some pics of my progress. I'll get back to it soon.


Do you remember this? It's Buttony done in that wonderful Malabrigo.


Well look at it now.

It's more like Button still in that same wonderful (blah, blah, blah) Malabrigo. I don't know what I was toking on that day, probably long dormant energy, but I shrunk it in the dryer. Words cannot describe my face when after realizing that I had left it in for longer than 5 minutes, I opened the dryer and saw this miniature. LB (remember my 8 yo neice I dubbed Lying Butterfly?) would love it. Would because she's living in Las Vegas now and has absolutely no use for it out there! Oh well, I bought some more Malabrigo in this pretty peachy-orange color and I plan to make another Buttony but this time a perfect fit. Lesson learned: Malabrigo felts really nicely.

Talk about being scatterbrained. Check out my new train case and my makeup.


Isn't it pretty!? I realize my creature-of-habitness shows up in my choice of makeup colors. I needed to get the case so I could prove to myself that I always seem to buy the same colors.

I think I may plunk down the $1,890 to buy this bag. It's up there, a little materialistic, and prolly not worth it. But I want it and since I don't have a car note or market rate rent, it's justifiable. We'll see if I come to my senses. I just love Gucci.

I tested some of this at Sephora. Smashbox Photofinish. This is a great product. I use it under my foundation but mostly under my loose powder instead of foundation. Love it! Love it! Love it! With this summer's heat sure to be high enough to melt your makeup off. This with loose powder or bronzer, is a great alternative.


I went back and redid the collar on the Cycling Aran again. The cashmere/wool blend, still wasn't stretching enough even in the rib so I reknit it in the same Blue Sky Alpacas yarn as the rest of the body. I then realized that I didn't like how the zipper looked on the inside so I knit a facing to cover it on both sides. It turned out really great and gave the sweater an even nicer finished look.


On another note I started an Etsy store for my jewelry and stitch markers. I haven't gotten around to decorating it yet but when I do I'll let you all know.

Thanks to those of you who checked on me,


Kamika

Trying To Be Prolific

This weekend was full of knitting and creating. I had summoned all of my crafting power into my hands in order to finish off as many projects as I could. I was knitting like yarn was endangered. Alas, I didn't finish everything but a lot and I even found time to make some great stitch markers. Check tomorrow's post for pics of the stitch markers individually. Otherwise this would have been a very picture heavy post.

You already know I finished Buttony, and the Brother In Law Hat. I finished the Cycling Aran, zipper and all. I also swatched the Deep V Argyle Vest. I just about finished a scarf I was making to go along with His sweater and hat (I'm trying to use up the remaining 1/2 skein of Malabrigo and 1/2 skein of Blue Sky Alpaca's that I used on the last two projects, otherwise this is entirely to much coordination for me). I started the Oatmeal Jacket from Monkey Suits and I had to keep myself from starting a scarf for my secret swap partner.

Check it out! Here are some progress pics on the Cycling Aran and the finished project:

The zipper took me about an hour to put in. I didn't want to do it by machine and risk puckering or tearing the stitches ragged.

On my previous attempt I had stitched a simple stockinette lining. When I tried the jacket on a male friend, I noticed that the lining didn't stretch like the collar and wouldn't allow the collar to close. I ripped it out and decided to make the lining ribbed like the color to get the same amount of stretch.

Me modeling the finished product with hat.

Kamika

Sherlock Kinky Coils Is On the Case

Ooh Chile, have I got a bug to put in your ear. Girl, you gotta promise not to tell NOBODY! I mean not a soul cause I got a reputation to keep but this bug is itching me to death! I gotsta tell somebody, you know I get the one person rule. You gotta promise me. I'm serious! You say my name and I will deny it and give you the evil eye.

Anyways, I was over at Cozy's Place and chile Mojo done left her. Walked right out the house. She can't find him nowhere. Been calling and hunting and wondering where he be and ain't been able to talk him up to save her life. You know the new IK is out, which means the bills are due and she better get to making something but she can't. Forget about a pot to piss in! Honeeey! He ain't left her with a sock with a toe in it to stick her foot in! Winter is cold but it ain't got nuthin on Mojo when he step out on you.

I wanted to tell her that Mojo was ho! But you know you can't tell nobody about their man inspiration. Quiet as kept. I swear I saw him over at Crimson's spot last week. Umm Hmm. He gave her that Cashmere Neckwarmer. Heck he gave her a few in different colors. And she calls herself Virtuous! Hmph! Just today I saw him over at Urb's crib. She tried to play if off by saying her Mojo was at the club with Cozy's but we all know they the same person. **wink** **wink**

And then let me tell you this! I had planned to take this to the grave with me but I couldn't help it. I'll have a little talk with God after I tell you this. Have you noticed that NikkiJ's daughter Teddy Bear looks a lot like Mojo? I know, I know, it's uncanny. She be strutting with her little bad self in those minaturized sweaters. You know Mojo gave her those. Who her momma kidding! Her socks got toes in em.

But even that ain't the half of it! I hear SuperstarRAH is Flo-ing. Only Mojo can put you in that type of mood. I know this for a fact. But you didn't hear that from me.

Okay so you got me! Mojo done been dipping in the yarn stash over here too! How else could I have gotten Buttony in Malabrigo, Trio Shawl in Pagewood Farms, and a dang near finished Cycling Aran in Blue Skys Alpaca? I know I'm wrong, but if lovin him is wrong...you know the rest. I sure hope he come back by here before he head home to Cozy's. The Cycling Aran needs a zipper fixin!

________________________________________ Just doing a little blog dipping today. Enjoy the progress pics and tune in tomorrow for hair and the winner of the Sisters of the Yarn GiveAway.

Kamika

3 Eves Before Christmas

3 days before Christmas and I still have 2-3 more gifts to get. I say 2-3 because the third I'm not really all that enthused about getting but since this person is a sibling and expecting it I guess I need to get it. I'm trying to give this gift out of the goodness of my heart (most appropriate don't ya think) but my heart thinks no gift is better than a contrived one. My mind on the other hand is saying kill 'em with kindness and let the streets teach them their lessons.


My mind is winning the battle...


An update on the Cycling Aran. I'm just about done. I'm halfway finished with one of the sleeves and plan to start the other one tonight. After that I'm going to knit a lining in the collar with a lighter shade of Jo Sharp Silk Aran Road. I will then spray block it (sans boobs on my mannequin. see pic.) and then insert the zipper and gift wrap. Enjoy the pics. Sorry one is darker because I couldn't really catch the cable detail with the light in my room.


I'm working on some designs of my own. No telling when they'll make it to this blog or even to full completion. In the interim I think I will start on another sweater for myself. I'm thinking either the Buttony Sweater by Katie Marcus or Killybegs by Debbie Bliss. Both have been in my Ravelry que for a minute now.



If I don't see your before Christmas, have a wonderful one and be safe.

Kamika

I Am the Phantom...

I am the phantom that lives in the house

I am the phantom that walks in and out

I am the phantom that will not shout

so no one in the house will know I'm about...

Yep, that sums it up. For the last couple of weeks I have been rising early and coming home really late. Way after others have gone to sleep I've been slipping in the house and acting like I live alone. I haven't seen the faces of some of my family members in a couple of weeks but they know when I'm home. The light in my room is on and when they knock on the door I freeze like I'm invisible until they go away. At other times I feign deafness due to the earphones surgically attached to my ears when I'm here.

I know, some of you would say that I'm wrong while others may be resentful of me for being single, childless, and able to slip in and out without someone or a some thing called familial responsibility attached to my hip. I'm not ashamed. I'm tired ya'll! Hate me, I'm good at being a villain named Single. My krytonite is loneliness and longing.

God promised to remedy my plight, hence my latest project. This picture was taken yesterday so it doesn't show my progress on today alone. Double the height and you'll see where I currently am on my Cycling Aran. I decided to knit it in the round to eliminate as much seaming as possible. I'm a few inches from dividing for the armscye.

This has gone so smooth and the yarn, Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Organic Cotton, is soooooo soft! I guess the blessings of the Lord do make me rich and add no sorrow... As if I didn't believe.
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I went shopping today and bought myself a few treats and took in a movie only to come home to an IRS wage garnishment notice. UGH! I need to go see my tax man like tomorrow.

I checked out the Golden Compass this afternoon. I know all about the reviews and the uproar the church is having with the storyline and the anti-church message. I got it. I liked the movie and I plan to go see the sequel (although I will reserve the right to change my opinion as I read more up on it). I was thoroughly amused through the entire movie. Great cinema! Nicole K is my girl. She's a bad actress and so I tend to like most of her movies.

I picked up Da Truth's album Open Book today and you should check it out. Nice grooves. It's going straight to the iPod and will be my running soundtrack until I'm tired of it or find a lyric that doesn't line up.

I'm really enjoying life. It's all been worth it!

Kamika