About Me

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Illinois, United States
I am a band director at five private schools in Kankakee. Music is a big part of my life, but knitting and crafting are right up there too. I own a ridiculous stash of yarn, which I am slowly using... and replacing with better yarn... I tend to knit and crochet a lot, in class, out of class, while watching tv, while driving, pretty much constantly. I have been involved with crochet romantically for 15 years, and involved with knitting for 11 years. They sometimes get jealous of each other. I think its funny. Along with knitting and crocheting, I quilt, spin (drop spindle) and design patterns!!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

The epic music scarf is

DONE!!!

10:45 pm.

Took me... three weeks? two weeks?

Not quite sure. But its done!

I am so happy about it too! I literally had 6 inches left of the white yarn when I finished. 6 INCHES!!!

I do not know how I managed that. But I am so happy I did not have to go out and buy more acrylic yarn.

It is a wide scarf, but I believe that with some wear, it will stretch out a little and become longer and less wide.

But who cares if its a little wide.
It's freaking awesome.
I don't mean to toot my own horn but I just love this scarf.
If I wore scarves I might have just kept it for myself. But alas, I do not. Then again, it is going to a good cause.

Hey Austin! if you are reading this, go to my Etsy page, (I have it set for 15, up to you if you would like to pay more :) but go head and purchase it when you get a chance. Even if you pay me in cash after you see this!)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/67101340/reserved-austins-music-scarf

I hope you like the scarf! Cause I put a bunch o work into it! And all my music major friends are jealous!

See you in class tomorrow!

We just might get lucky!

It's supposed to snow and ice a whole bunch this next week! I might have time to work on some more bags!!! That would make me very happy!

Ok I know I posted this purse before. But I added in the button and now its for sale!!!


I ABSOLUTELY love this bag!






Who wants it? :) http://www.etsy.com/listing/67088209/handy-woman

I made choco chip cookies today... and like always... they turn out cakey... any advice????

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1945839

Check that out if your bored!

Battling a sore throat....

I'm sick. It stinks.

After a full week of school with no snow days (FINALLY) I was teaching almost every class. And my throat is showing the results of talking and singing, and yelling over all the classes. I am almost out of tea, which is disapointing, and I have been popping vitamin C pills like nuts. It has not gotten any worse, but I am close to no voice today, and when I do talk I sound like I am dying. Which is not the case. It just feels dry and scratchy, and I am hoping it does not get any worse. Full week of school starting tomorrow again! (hopefully)

Now I want to start up the craftiness of this blog post by pointing out the awesomeness of Beadpassion on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/beadpassion

Seriously, go there right now. I have not bought anything, YET, because of the trip I am fundraising for. But trust me, a sale is in the future. I love love love love love these stitch markers!
Sushi, I love sushi. So epically much! I want these stitch markers! Wait for me stitch markers! :)




And don't even get me started about these awesome rainbow cookie stitch markers! My favorite kind of cookie is rainbow cookie. My mouth would be watering the entire time I would be working with these!!!


And watermelon! Come on!!!! how awesome is that!!!

I swear, when this Florida trip is over, I am going to up my collection of stitch markers by a billion.

Until then, you should really check out beadpassion's shop!

Next up is the shawl I am working on. I decided i am doing so many scarves and hats for the Casey kids, that I have not had time to really do anything for myself. So I looking at my stash of yarn, and decided that I really wanted to use the Malabrigo lace yarn that my friend Sarah gave me for donating money to her at the end of last semester. (she got to graduate!!!!)

The color is Purple Mystery, and I just love the yarn oh so much.

I decided on Eliina Shawl by Lankakomero. It's coming along pretty simple, and I love the yarn with the pattern. I am epically excited about this shawl!
Here's what its supposed to look like when its done.

And this is a really bad picture (I HATE MY CAMERAS!) of how it is coming along for me. I started last night and I am working on the 5th repeat out of ten, of rows 23-36. Each row is getting slower as I keep adding more stitches. I kept telling myself this shawl would be a breeze, until I realized it kept growing. makes sense! :)

Now for the students! I am almost done!!! One more panel of staff lines and then a big bass clef at the bottem! It is a thicker scarf, being that it is double knitted. So no doubt it will keep the student warm! I am just about to run out of white yarn, and I am crossing my fingers that I don't because I really do not want to have to buy a whole skein of white acrylic to finish it off. The point of doing these scarves was to kill off the acrylic in my stash!!!

So close to being done! We might just have another picture by tonight. I have a bunch o stuff to do today though... cleaning, laundry, cleaning, working in the recording studio, cleaning, and then hanging out with Steve for dinner time. I made pork roast a couple days ago, and I would really like it is he were to help me finish it off!

I would also like to bake up some cookies!! *crosses fingers* I hope I have enough time in the day!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Knitting tattoos

So, I was bored, and my wrists were hurting a little from knitting the music scarf (ALMOST DONNNNE!)

So I decided to look up some tattoo ideas. I already have one on my left ankle in memory of my grandma. She was one of my biggest inspirations when it comes to crafting. She taught me how to crochet, back when I was eight years old. She would always call me from New Jersey and ask how far I had gotten on the blanket she had started for me. I would always groan internally because back then I felt it was more of a chore. I loved learning, but I hated feeling guilty for not getting any farther on the blanket.

We finished it together years and years ago. I love that blanket. Purple and cream, amd just so beautiful.

She passed away a few years ago, when I was a sophomore in college. It was one of the hardest things I have ever gone through. She meant the world to me. I was the last person she heard before she died... She was in a coma (diabetes), and mom kept telling me to call, because the time was coming... Dad put the phone up to her ear and I told her how much I loved her and how much I appreciated all the things she inspired me to do. That I would never ever give up crafting because it made me feel close to her. As soon as I hung up the phone, my father said she passed away. My uncle told me later that it seemed she was waiting for me to call so she could say goodbye to me...

Well... thinking about it I still choke up.

I got the tattoo in memory of her. "Not goodbye, just goodnight"
She never said goodbye to me, and I never said it to her. I have faith that she still watches me and sees all I do. I would do anything to have her back, for my graduation, for my first real job, for my wedding (whenever that happens) and for my children. And in a way, she always will be. Because I will never throw away the blanket we made together.


I love my tattoo. I love my grandma. I wanted to make sure that I never forget her. It is so important to me.


My only problem is that it does not signify all the crafting she embedded in my heart. So I started looking for something I want in order to show this. I am not someone you would expect to have a tattoo. And truthfully I want one in the upper middle of my back, between my shoulder blades. But the issue is, I do not want it showing when I get married. I feel that would look tacky. But the wait is killing me. So I am making double sure what exactly I want to get done!

So here are some great knitting and crafting tattoos! (I just googled them, so I am not sure of the sources!!!)

This one is absolutely my favorite. I don't knit gloves much, but just look at how amazing it is!!!


Drop spindle, I love it. And I am getting more into spinning. Too bad my grandma didnt spin! (For all I know)


This is getting closer to what I am looking for. A thick yarn, just because I know lines smudge and fade over the years. But not quite exactly right.


This is sooooo close! I love the heart, I love the yarn, I feel the needles are too pointy. Exact area I want my tattoo as well!

Gah! I love it!


This is not my favorite, but its adorable! I have a black kitty! :)


This one is just really cute! I love the lettering and the needles and everything. So adorable!
And last up, I love how this looks. The threads drifting around the ball of yarn look like hearts! Its pretty, and girly, and really not me! I am not a pink girl! hahaha.
I think I will stick with black and white.


Now, all my new followers... do you have any tattoos? anything crafting related? if not what tattoo do you have? I would love to see yours!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

We have a winner!

I want to start out by saying how awesome I feel today. I went from 6 followers to more than 33 in a week and a half! So that just lifts my spirits and makes me feel loved!!!

But enough jibber jabber. I figure you are all waiting to find out who won this wonderful little care package!

I did a random online generator, with everyones names. I found out afterwards it would have just been easier and quicker to do numbers... But hey, I do things the hard way!

And the winner is *insert drum roll here* (actually i did make a drum roll sound, and then realized no one could actually hear me)

GENI! At http://teasin.blogspot.com/ Up, Down and Inside out!

And newly engaged from what I see in her blog! Congrats on all fronts!

Please send me your address ASAP so I can ship this awesome package to you!
email me at vrruesch@eiu.edu

My next "raffle" will be happening mid February, so please keep an eye out and keep spreading the love!

I will post pictures of what was in her package as soon as I have it completely finished and sent out!

Now back to getting some knitting done!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Third snow day in two weeks!

Yes. You read that correctly! I have been student teaching for two weeks, and yet I have only taught 3 days. The other days were filled in with snow days, half days, and seminars. I can only wish teaching would be this easy in the real world!

Well. Because of the snow day, I am able to get work done! So here are my current projects.
This is the current progress of my sunshine scarf, I am working slow on it because a bunch of my students are asking for scarves and hats. Whatever money I make off of those sales will be going towards the fundraiser for the Florida trip. Truthfully... I just have a feeling that unless I get a comp. ticket, there is no way I will be able to raise enough money... sigh....


Well, next up is this chunky green cowl. I want to find a couple of those long wood buttons. I think that would go perfectly with this cowl! Easy, moss stitch. Just taking a while because I don't put effort into it!

Next up is one of the scarves I am making for one of my students. Double knit, music themed. I am almost halfway done. If you have ever done a double knit scarf, then you know it takes twice as long to do than most scarves. Just because you are knitting up two fabrics instead of just one. But I like it, and I believe the kid likes it. So I am happy!
This is the back of the pattern, opposite colors and also backwards. But it'll happen!


Lastly, a purse I sewed up over the weekend. The fabric is from an idea of a quilt that I was going to make my father. But I couldnt find enough of the fabric, and I felt it was too busy. So I made it into a purse!

A picture of the inside strap fabric, cute little screws!
It is also the interior of the purse.
I also have to find a cute wooden button to use on it. I just have not found the right one yet...

And lastly, the pocket inside the purse. Same fabric of the exterior of the purse!



I absolutely love the pattern of this purse. I plan on making a whole bunch of these purses in different fabrics.

Now for knitting the rest of the night!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

You live, you learn

I just want to say that I have learned today, how to mail things.

Apparently you don't send everything in the flat rate shipping. I was sending out the purse, and the scarf that people bought from my store, and some knitted scarves that I finished for my cousin. And I got a bunch of those flat rate boxes. And wrote down the names and everything.

Took it to the post office counter, and the guy there informed me that it was $10 more expensive then just using envelopes.

Well gosh darn.
Now I know.

I made soup!


Potato and Leek soup

Love.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

My hands are hurting!

I want to start up this post by stating that I do in fact have carpol tunnel in both my wrists. During my junior recital (and the months beforehand) I could not knit, or crochet because my wrists hurt so bad from practicing. I kept worrying that my wrists were hurting from the knitting and crafting... because that would make my life very horrible.

Thankfully.... once the recital was over, and I was not practicing 4-6 hours every day. My wrists went back to normal. And I was so grateful for that, because I even tried acupuncture to make the pain less. (AND I HATTTTE NEEDLES!)

(it worked though, after I got over the faint feeling of being stabbed multiple times.)


For my senior recital, I did not seem to have that much pain. There were bad days, but truth be told, I kept at practicing. I even felt like the pain was worse when i did not knit that day. So to my percussionist ex-boyfriend who told me "well maybe you should quit knitting."

Suck a log.

You cannot tell someone who is so committed to crafting to "quit"

Ever.

Turns out it was the intense practicing that created the pain in my wrists.

Though, I must say, after 5 hours of knitting straight, my wrists do get tight. So thats when I go and sew up a purse. Or eat. Something fun like that.


So this is my "break" before I go and sew up another purse.

I want to "squee" at whoever is reading this because I sold two big things out of my store in the past day! Sold off the adorable cow playing a piano bag, and then also the grey and pink knit Everyday Scarflette. How happy am I???

((((((((((: <- that happy. The only issue now is trying to get to the post office to send them. Why is that an issue you ask? Because today it is closed. Tomorrow it is closed. Tuesday I am driving to a student teaching seminar, out of town, starting at 8 am (post office opens at 830). I may be able to get to the post office after the seminar, not sure though. Then the rest of the week I am in Casey from 7:39- 4:30. I am thinking about chuggaluging over to the post office there. If I have a big enough break... If not, the boy has offered to send the packages off for me. I just worry because then I have no control over the shipping. So... hoping to get a chance on Tuesday! Alrighty. Now for what I am working on. First up is a double knit music scarf. This is for one of my students that has asked for me to make him up something musical so that he can help me pay for the Florida trip. So far... it is taking forever... But I am enjoying it, and I am excited to see how the rest turns out. The first end, is a treble clef. Next up will be 5 white (or black) stripes, making the music staff. Then some eighth notes, some quarter notes, and eventually a bass clef at the other end. This first part only took a couple hours. But thats what you get when you are double knitting... Front side:


Back side : (yes backwards, but thats what you get with double knitting)
And a hat that I knit up yesterday for another student who wanted a black and white striped earflap hat. I feel like it might be big, but only because it is big on me. It's for a male student. So I am hoping it will fit. If not its going up in my store, and I will just redo it quickly.

For now I am going to make a sling bag out of some great power-tool and screw fabric that I bought a while back in order to make a quilt for my carpenter father. That plan fell through because it felt too jumbled. And expensive.... :)

I will hopefully get it done in time for dinner so I can make meatballs and pasta with the boyfriend! :)

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Some recent projects and FO's

Starting off is the hat I mentioned that I crocheted in about an hour and a half. I would crochet a hat over knitting any day (if its one yarn, no stripes, and no pattern) just because of the speed that I can finish one up in. I will probably be crocheting the hats that my students are asking for, just so I can do it quickly and then get back into my lace knitting and sock knitting. I miss it dearly!!!
I made it up out of Freedom Spirit 100% wool by Twilleys of Stamford. I was not planning on using this yarn for a hat, just because I felt like it could have been so much more. But in the end I LOVE how it turned out. I love how the yarn made the subtle stripes, and I love how soft it is.
This is another hat that will be added to my shop on Etsy for sale!


Next up is a project that I have been leaving at the boyfriends house in case I want to get some knitting done. Its a simple 4 rib scarf, pretty short, but really soft. I'm pretty sure its wool yarn (I cannot remember cause it has been over at his place so long!)

Now this is one of my mindless knits. One that I will have to soak and wash and soak and wash for a while, because he is a smoker, so everytime I leave his place I reeeeeek of smoke... And I know that it is really hard to sell something that has been introduced to smoke. So I will have to wash it a bunch just to make sure it wont kill anyone.



Now one of my students asked for a pink fuzzy scarf. I found this yarn that someone had given me a while back, and I started knitting this up the other day. I plan on finishing it up today so that when I go back to school Wednesday, I will have it ready for her.


See that bag in the picture? its from http://www.etsy.com/shop/piddleee . And it is totally worth it. I bought my first one, and then as soon as I got it, I bought two more, and a smaller bag. I use them for all my projects (that can fit in them) and I really think they are perfectly made, adorable, and they have a huge variety in their shop!

Seriously, Check it out. Have you ever had a needle poke through the bag your knitting is in? Exactly, it does not happen with these bags.

Go, buy your own. Then tell me about how great they are!

And from there I want to say thank you to all that have joined up for the raffle so far! I cannot believe how many people have become followers. It makes me so happy, and I love seeing emails when I get back from teaching, saying that I have comments!

it makes me :)

Thanks all!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Over it

I am over my rant!

And I came up with some great patterns on the way home from Casey.

Two students also came up to me and ordered a scarf and a hat. So I will be knitting up something for them this weekend.

I feel better now.


:)

Knitting = self destructive?

Don't get thrown off by the title, but I have to warn you, this may be one of my most emotional filled posting ever.

I feel that knitting has indeed become an addiction in my life. I literally make a project a day on top of everything else I do. (student teaching and working!)

After student teaching yesterday I went over to the Yarn Studio, and I finished that Earflap hat, then I worked on my yellow sunshiny scarf that has been stalking me behind closed doors. I got about a foot of that done while sitting and enjoying the company of my fellow knitters, but then I decided it would be best to drive the half hour home before I got too tired.

So I did.
And as soon as I walked in the door I threw off my coat and started crocheting another hat. With in two hours I finished up that hat, and then started up a fun furish scarf made from the Moda Dea Dream yarn. I got about halfway done with that before I realized it was 1 am, and I needed to be up for student teaching in 4 hours.

As I was trying to sleep, I kept falling in and out of sleep. But not a good sleep. It was a tossing and turning and dreaming sleep. Patterns were flying through my head, and I kept waking up thinking, "man.... I should write those down so I don't forget them"

But instead I kept trying to fall back asleep.

I believe its because of this fundraiser in which I have to raise 900 by Feb 15th... I explained about the Florida trip with the high school band I have been teaching in an earlier post, but I'll give the gist.

Casey high school band is heading out to Florida for a 5ish day stay. Not only are they going to a whole bunch of the Disney places, they are also marching in a parade. IN DISNEY. They will also be attending the beach, and having a pizza pool party and things like that.

One of the mornings, there will be a critiquing session for the band, and I really want to be there to support them. Yes... part of the reason I want to go is because its Florida. Duh.

But the main reason I want to go is because I want to see all aspects of being a teacher. I want to follow my Cooperating teaching around and get tidbits of how to make this trip happen. I have learned so much already, but this Florida trip is huuuuge! I don't know if I would even be able to plan a trip down the hallway for my band. I have no idea what I would be doing!

So I have been attempting to fundraise. We have these tickets to a bingo game in Casey, that I am trying to sell. 10 $ a ticket. But I have not recieved any tickets yet, so thats not working out. Theres some sort of Little Ceasars pizza fundraiser, but he never really explained it.

So I am taking things into my own hands. I am working extra at my jobs, (even though one of the two is a flat pay, and I only get a certain amount every month).

And this is where the obsessive crafting comes in. I have been flinging out projects in order to hopefully sell SOMETHING in my etsy shop. I keep having people tell me "Oh wow! I want that so bad. I am going to buy it" and then it just never happens.

STOP GETTING MY HOPES UP!
THIS IS 900 $ I AM TRYING TO RAISE HERE!

So I am researching and trying to find different projects that people would like. One of my students brought up making school colored hats for the students and parents to buy. So now I am going to spend my three day weekend (whatever is left of it after work and the basketball game) knitting and crocheting up these gold and purple hats.

I feel like its a disease. That I have to knit in order to live. I can imagine my hands shaking and eyes turning red if I dont have my needles nearby.

Of course, once I am able to gain some money then I will go back to enjoying my lace projects, and all the patterns that I am knitting up that I cannot sell.

Until then.... Chug a lug...

Help me out -> donate button
Check out my shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/luganchica102

Or just send me a hug!!!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Braidy!

So I have been working on some random different projects recently. This is an ear flap hat that I knit up after hearing constantly that many people are interested in ear flappy hats!

So its knit up in 100% wool, Araucania yarn. Which I love. love love love.




So I posted it in my Etsy shop to hopefully find some buyers. The money will go towards my Florida trip with the high school band I am student teaching with!

Next up is the mobius scarf I was knitting up this past week. It was knit out of Kudo, Plymouth yarn. Which is a really nice multi color scarf, and I think it knits up great as a mobius!





Mobius cast on is not that hard, and its actually a pretty cool idea! Try it!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Piano cow!

So I spent the first part of my snow day sewing up a purse that has been on my mind for months.

I had this fabric with a bunch of cows on it, but the cows that drew my attention to the fabric was the ones that were playing snare drum and piano. I was disappointed to see that when I got the fabric the snare drum cow was right at the edge, and with seaming... well it would be cut off...

So piano cow it is!

I actually know a group of people that would be interested in this bag. Music and cows. Sounds just like my KKPSI chapter here at EIU!




For sale in my shop!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/luganchica102
Welp... gonna shower and head out to get some stuff done!

Snow day!

It's only my second day of student teaching and I get to stay home because of a snow day!

So my first day was busy, and long. Started out 8 am with high school band, I played clarinet with the clarinet section, and we ran through a bunch of pep band tunes. I missed playing pep band tunes!!!
After that I photo copied the junior high music for two hours ish, while catching up with my CT (I was his practicum student last semester).
Off to the middle school to teach the 7th and 8th grade percussion sectionals, then off to the grade school to teach a very short trombone lesson. (which made me feel awesome because as all the students were passing by they were so happy to see me and I got so many hugs! I helped the clarinets out during 5th and 6th grade band (I must have been in a clarinet mood!)

Then back to the middle school where I started the students on a piece that is an interpretation of Danny Boy with the 7th graders. Once that was done (end of the school day) my CT and I proceeded back to the high school where I taught two clarinet lessons.

Now heres the yarny part, so glad you stuck through that mess of back and forthedness.

The Yarn Studio http://www.the-yarn-studio.com/ is right down the street from the middle school, and I found this out during the end of my practicum. I have never been so happy! I checked it out once before Christmas break, and I guess word travels in a small town and a bunch of the grade schoolers knew I knit by the time I got back for my student teaching. So after I finished lessons I went over to the store to knit for an hour with a couple of the grade schoolers, and some of the wonderful ladies that knit there.

Had to leave to go back to the high school for the band boosters meeting, but once that was done I headed back to the yarn store, I had a goal.

One of the knitters there, a guy named Justin (I believe) was starting on on a mobius scarf/shawl and he was learning the mobius cast on from the wonderful owner Jeanette Huisinga. I had never done the mobius cast on, and really wanted to try my hand at it, because it seems the mobius scarf really sells well now adays.
So Justin walked me around the store (This is absolutely something that would not happen in my home town of Berwyn, random strangers just do not help random strangers!!!!) and he helped me pick out some awesome yarn and 40" cable needles. Then taught me how to cast on. I felt like I was learning to knit all over again! (but it was so much fun!)

This is the yarn I bought to make my first mobius with!

And then this yarn was in the sale bin for 6, and I thought, hey.... what a steal! :)
Plus Casey's school colors are purple, so it felt like destiny!


And here is the beginning of my mobius. No I do not have a picture of the entire thing, because my camera is pretty bad... and my good camera is out of batteries.... so you get an artsy stand still of a picture! Congrats!


Its knitting up fast and I actually plan to rummage through my stash, because I am going to take this mobius scarf to the next level! And possibly kill off some of my stash! *crosses fingers*

Next up, is what I have been working on since the last post. This is as far as I got with my spinning since I said I was going to spin that roving. Not too shabby, and I feel pretty happy with it!


By the way, while I was in the shop, I overheard a woman asking about another woman who comes in and spins. And with my nosey personality I interjected and asked if there was somewhere I can learn how to spin with a wheel. She mentioned about a place in Casey where they have weekend classes, and even lend out their spinning wheels! She said she will email me about it when she finds out about an opening. I am very excited about that, I just feel bad because I cannot for the life of me remember what the name of the place was that offers the spinning classes....

Next up, I had a little bit of Panda bamboo yarn, so I knit it up into an easy ribbed baby/toddler hat. My good ol father stated that I don't understand how small babies heads were, because I kept asking him if it would fit one. I finally told him that I will just have to have one in order to model my hats. He glared at me and walked away. Vanessa-1 Dad-0


Now my cousins new (ish) wife Jennifer, is literally just awesome. http://www.etsy.com/shop/hevin204 <- her etsy store, check it out! She said she plans to update it in the near future! In exchange for a scarf I knitted her a couple weeks ago, she sent me a bracelet that she made especially for me (I promise to post pics of it as soon as I can get batteries) but she also sent me a box of half knitted projects and some sparkly yarn. So this is one of the scarves that I finished up for her in about 20 minutes. I thought it was adorable!


And this is the other scarf that was in there, which I will eventually finish off. Garter stitch, so its a little tedious, but I do have a day off today, so I am looking to finish it off!


Lastly, I need some money help. I have been invited with the Casey high school to the Florida band trip in April. The only issue is I can't really afford the $880 it is asking for. I can get about half of that from saving my paychecks, and a little help from the parents.

I can't even work extra (during weekends) because the paychecks won't arrive until after the money is due (Feb 15). The students knew about this trip for around a year, but its only been about a month for me. I have been able to save up half since I found out, but thats about it. I would really like to go on this trip, to support the group I am student teaching as a chaperone, and of course because.... it's Florida... it's a five ish day trip including a whole bunch of the theme parks, a trip to the beach, and a parade that the group is participating in.... in Disney World... (if I am not mistaken) Then there is also a critiquing type thing on the last day there.

How cool is that? My high school band went to Cedar Point and Kings Island every year. Don't get me wrong, I appreciated it, I enjoyed it. But this is Disney WORLD we are talking about.

So here's where I reach out to friends, and fellow bloggers. I installed a "Donate" button on my blog here -> somewhere in that direction. Even a couple dollars here and there will help. If that is not your thing then check out my shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/luganchica102 . I will try to get a few new things up there, so keep checking in.

I really appreciate anything anyone is willing to donate, because this is the first time I am really looking forwards to something. A couple students at the high school say they are going to sell raffle tickets for me, (which I am going to try and do as well, more on that once I receive them) One even promised he was going to sell 1,000 of them so that I can go on the trip. And since I don't see that happening, :) I am going to do my best to raise it myself.

Alrighty then. I guess I should go knit now, and eventually I will head in to the EIU recording studio to get some work done, then if there are any events going on at EIU Catering I might go work there today too. (make some money that I won't see for a while) Gotta love snow days!