It came!!

So after many issues thanks to the pranksters in Gryffindor, ;;points at the guilty parties:: you know who you are, my package from Belladonna Boomslang arrived on Sunday by owl, good thing that the owl was sent back before the snow started to come down!

You can find pictures of the faboo package she sent me with pictures and explanation of the uber-geeky (geek is a good thing, seriously!) socks Bella designed for me on my blog. Thank you Bella don't worry about it being late, I didn't mind waiting.

Better photo

Okay I had already posted a photo about the sock my partner, Queen Frysia of Gryffindor aka Maran, sent me but played with the photo a little bit so they are easier to see ... they are really comfy -- i tend to wear them everywhere these days (socks from partner of HSS2 are my 'house socks' to keep my totsie's warm).Same photo as before but I used my Corel Photo-Paint to clean it up a bit ... dang digital camera. The color is quite nicer than the photo gives it credit for.

I found my package today! It had probably arrived sometime last week, but apparently Erol was sent and he has very bad aim. The package was found on the ground beside my deck. I wouldn't have noticed it there if I hadn't been hanging Christmas lights today. The box was soggy from snow and rain but the contents inside were fine. I love the socks! They are perfect Gryffindor socks and they fit wonderfully. I also got some great sock yarn that I can't wait to knit into my second pair of socks! There are two sets of needles, a mini sock, some Harry Potter gift bags and some yummy DQ chap stick! What a great package! Thank you Head Mistress! Thank you for adopting me when my partner decided to drop out! Thank you for taking the time to make an extra package and for being patient with me with my slowness and imperfect first socks. I hope you enjoy your package. I love mine :)

Trying to contact the Head Mistress

Head Mistress,
Please check your email :)
Jane

THANK YOU !!!!!

Thank You to our head mistress and

every one who made this a GREAT! swap

Big thank you to Celestina Crookshanks

Sorry it took so long to post about my package from Celestina Crookshanks. She sent me a wonderful package with Sees Pumpkin Spice Suckers, nuts, chocolates, yarn from Sunshine Yarns, a journal, fabulous socks (they fit perfectly and I love the color and pattern), sock pattern ( can't wait to try) and rosewood knitting needles. I received my package 10/23/08. I have been working a lot of hours and didn't have time to post.

Celestina was a wonderful partner. Sorry there are no pictures, but I couldn't find the cable to my camera after I took the pictures. I will post them if I find the cable in the next week.

Thanks again Celestina for being a great swap partner.

Mafalda

yay! thanks nelle

Perenells owl got here tired as the dickens! poor thing had been flappin all over the dang country! aaaany who. i blogged all about what i got and sent over here. i dont know if you ever got your box from me dear but i sure hope you did and your one good foot is enjoying its sock. for those of you that dont know perenelle got in a big car accident and had to have surgery on her foot! she just got out of the hospital wing. skelegrow has been perscribed. so i am assuming that even if she got her box shes in no fit state to be takin pictures and stuff which is why i did. every one put out some good vibes for her fast heeling. here is a teaser pic of what she sent me:

I got my package

I just wanted to say a big thank you to Sarah aka Nymphadora! She sent me an awesome package! She sent me some great stuff! The sheep is so soft and fuzzy I had to keep it away from Chandler, the Centaur is hand carved she got it in Cuba while she was on vacation, the book had negatives from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix they are of my favorite character Sirius Black, the socks are inspired from Sirius and made from Malabrigo sock yarn! They are so soft and warm! Thank you so much Sarah I love everything!!!

Hi all!

Just wanted to pop in and say a big thank you to all of you! I am on a non HP swap right now and I do belive I've been flaked. My upstream has recived from her spoiler and my spoilee has recived hers but I've had one e-mail for her this whole time and the mod and I think she may have done a Lupin. Drats!

The Thank you is for all of you who work so hard to make sure your swaps go out on time! Grandma

It's Here!

I want to give a very big THANK YOU to Mafalda Grubbly-Plank of Hufflepuff for the wonderufl package I received today! Amazing socks and goodies! The socks fit great and are in the Sirius Black colorway! How cool is that! And she sent tea, needles, candy, nuts, chocolate - full details on my blog

Thanks for another wonderful round!

Celestina Crookshanks
Gryffindor -4th Year

House Cup

Party in the Snake Pit!!!

Gongratulations!!!!!!

Good Going Slytherin

Next swap is when?

I'm going to presume, considering the time of year and all, that we can look forward to the next swap in the new year. Yes?

Lady Felula
Gryffindor House

Re: From Slytherin to Gryffindor

Oh, I'm so glad you took pictures and posted them!! I *did* take pictures .... but neither my husband nor I can figure out where the devil he PUT them!! We've found every other picture we have on this muggle device, I swear, we've found 'em all TWICE! But NOT the pictures I took of my package!

I love the colors, and the pattern is really neat. You say that's a Pygmy Puff, huh? Would have sworn it was an owl! It's up among my other stuffed friends and seems to be quite happy there.

Lady Felula
Gryffindor House

Congratulations!!

Great job Slythrin! You guys won the house cup!!!! Send me an email by the end of the week and let me know what colors that you would like your yarn!!!!

FANTASTIC JOB!!

Thanking Head Boys/Girls & Prefects

Is there a very polite way of saying thank you to our headboys/girls & prefects?

I think they deserve a little something special for all the work they did ... making quizzes, tracking postings, gathering house points, helping with any little matters that may have popped up that we don't know about ...

A little something for the Head Mistress would be great too!

Whatcha all think?

The Slytherin - Gryffindor Connection

Well I got my package from my partner Queen Frysia last week from my partner, but didn't want to post until I could get reliable photos ... hubby needs to charge the batteries for the good cameras, he puts those charges into 'safe' places then forgets where that was (you would be surprised how many we have had to replace) ... I finally broke down and 'borrowed' my daughters old old digital camera - it has got to be one of the first ones they made with a data card, this thing is about 3 inches thick.

It doesn't take the best photos and the flash would have flooded out the pic, so pardon the darkness;

From Ginger Gargoyle's Gems

The yarn is soooo soft! It is called "Death Eaters" by Faery Fibers ... I've never heard of them, but man are these socks comfy! They are 100% merino superwash ... its like putting my feet into clouds - and I am not a big sock person so trust me when i say you would love this yarn.

She also made me a pushmepullyou style sock bookmark - have you seen these? It is so cute! one half is green the other grey. She even had time to felt me up a little bag that looks like a cauldron -- it is adorable (I may have to hide it from my 9yr old though, she thinks its a hat for her doll).

Thank you Queenie! You were a wonderful partner.
Queen Frysia
Slytherin
(aka ginger gargoyle)



Now if Queenie doesn't mind I'm going to put in some itty pics of the socks & markers I sent to her (I'm kind of proud of them).

From Ginger Gargoyle's Gems

From Ginger Gargoyle's Gems

From Slytherin to Gryffindor

I hope my pal, Felula, doesn't mind me posting pictures of the package I sent her. I took them before I got it ready to send out.

Here are the socks. The are knit up using yarn from TipoFilato and are in the Ginerva colorway. The colorway was named for Ginny Weasley. The pattern is the "Yarn Over Cable" and can be found in Sensational Knitted Socks in the 5 stitch section.

The bookmark is the Fan Bookmark. I used some of the leftover yarn from making the socks. If you make these, be sure to look at the right directions. The Australian/English instructions are listed before the US instructions.

The little red ball of fluff is actually a Pygmy Puff. It was designed by Pren Wilcox and is very fun to make. It gives one a cute reason to buy Fun Fur. The dishcloth on the left is the Ballband Dishcloth and the one on the right is the Windmill Dishcloth.

Anyway, that should help anyone wanting to know more about what I made for my pal. Felula, I am really happy that the socks fit you. Enjoy the package!!!

Thank you Pernell Auckerly

The lovely and fabulous Pernell of Ravenclaw sent me my package and I have finally gotten the pictures online! I love everything here are a few pictures but really there were so many layers to the box I couldn't do it justice with photos.





she hand dyed all those house colors herself! Aren't they fabulous! There is much more I will blog asap
THank you so much Tricia!

Cool Package!

Thank you Cliodna for such a great package. Sorry I am so late posting!

White owl arrives!

The owl arrived this afternoon. Here's a sneak peak, with everything but the socks which were on my feet when I took the picture. Full details are on my blog.




Thanks Penelope of Flitwick!

Owl Arrival!

When my husband went out to check the muggle mailbox, he got hit on the head by an owl carrying a box. Poor thing was so tired, it was just looking for someplace to rest!

I've got pictures taken, but must wait until the husband returns to upload them (I am not really very good with muggle devices that require technical knowledge - in other words, if I can't push stop or go, I'm lost!!)

But I got a WONDERFUL pair of socks in the fire colors - Gryffindor red & gold (yellow) with orange. I LOVE the fire colors, always have (I'm a Fall baby, born in New England ... how could I *not* love them???) Not sure what the pattern is, but I really like it! From the stitch size, my partner used size 0 needles, tho! And there is the most amazing bookmark in this same yarn - a crocheted fan pattern. I think I'm going to have to raid my partner's pattern stash!!

Speaking of patterns, I got FOUR of them! Not the one she used for the socks, tho. Yeah, I really like the pattern. It's a very fancy rib stitch. Since I really need socks that hug my feet, these are wonderful.

Also got TWO sets of size 0 metal dpns - now I all I have to do is find the yarn for the pattern I have that requires size 0 needles - the Bayerische.

There's a really nice project bag in warm autumn colors, a pair of knitted washcloths - one in a brick stitch, the other in a wonderful star pattern. Neither of which will get used as washcloths - they are both going on our big kitchen table. The brick stitch one will be used under serving dishes. The star one is on the lazy susan that's in the middle of the table for salt & pepper & grinder spices. It just fits. ;)

There are 2 sets of stitch markers - a heavier set in deep red & bronze and a lighter set (which I will use much more often!) in light red & a fire-polished gold. Neither set shows up well in the picture I took, but they are both very pretty. Also included were point protectors for both straight & circular needles. The straight needle set is so cute - tiny socks! You put the points in the legs of the socks!! Some bath soak crystals (stress relief & muscle relief - how *did* she know???), a small composition book, just the right size to keep in the project bag to make notes, some cherry tic-tacs (I'm telling you, my partner is psychic! Must be a Slytherin trait - mind-reading & snakes, huh? LOL)

And guarding the box? The most adorable little red fuzzy owl with yellow feet! I think I'll have to beg for the pattern. I'm sort of starting to collect owls, I think - I keep finding them tumbling around, anyhow!

Lady Felula
Gryffindor House

Who0 - hoo! Hubby took my package to the owlry today ... and it is on its way to my partner Queen Frysia the Fierce of Gryffindor (yes a tad Ironic ... who knew Frysia was the wizard equivalent to 'Smith')


Queen Frysia
Slytherin
(aka ginger gargoyle)

Nemesis takes flight

Heads up Felula!!! Nemesis is winging her way to you with you package. She should arrive either monday or tuesday. I have attached a tracking device to her so I can track her flight. Hope you like the package. I had great fun putting it together for you. Also, I did take pictures of the package before I packed it up. Have a great weekend!!!

Owls away!

Cliodna look to the sky for a big white owl!

The Owl Has Left the Owlery

Yes, I mailed my package this morning via Priority Owl Post. He is winging his way east and should arrive at his destination in a few days.

Cheers for another great swap! I hope there will be a #5!

Celestina Crookshanks
Gryffindor
4th Year

New Poll

Hey everyone - a bit of fun on my blog ... I put up a new poll:

Fantasy pet, which would you like?

Pop on over and cast your vote Ginger Gargoyle Gems

For anyone interested in the results of my last poll (age of participants in the HSS4) I moved it to the very bottom of my page ... just keep scrolling down -- my side bar is very long because of my stash lists.

Queen Frysia
Slytherin
(aka ginger gargoyle)

Moth Repellents

Grandma Beth shared the following on another list we share. I thought it might be of use to someone here, as well. All the recipes/suggestions use natural ingredients, many of which are easily grown in the average garden.

Here's a moth repellent recipe from Martha Stewart
http://tinyurl.com/6qlu7r
Another from DIY Life
http://www.diylife.com/2008/04/15/make-moth-repellent-sachets/
From TipNut
http://tipnut.com/how-to-get-rid-of-moths-with-natural-repellents/
Most of them are variations on the same herbs. I'm thinking making
several of them and stowing in my sock yarns....and other wools, too,
might be a great idea, not to mention a "smelly" treat when opening up
the containers!

This was from another list I am on. I'm already thinking that a few of
the bottles I've been saving from the recycle bin would look great with
these in them and a shear fabric tied over the top.

Or maybe sew the bags in house colors, or the shape of owls. So many
possibilities. Grandma

3 Days left!

Ok it is time to get your house elves in high gear, brush up on your knitting charms we only have 3 days left to get your soks done and send them off with the owl!! If you need anything or help with anything please ask!!!

I can't wait to see all the packages that everyone got!

buried in books

It must be that bogged-down time of the semester at Hogwarts. I'm feeling buried in writing and knitting projects, so if course it was definitely time for DD to catch that first fall cold.

These castle rooms do get chilly at night, don't they? Must make more autumn foods to warm up...perhaps a pumpkin soup?

Cliodna Boomslang, Ravenclaw

Re: Pink Ribbons

Real men get cancer, too - including breast cancer. And they die from it, just like women. So when do your family a favor ... teach the men how to do self exams. Encourage them to *do* the exams. Speak to a doctor if anything doesn't seem right.

Real men care enough to take care of their families ... *AND* themselves.


My mother died because of cancer. NOTHING in my life ever scared me more than having the doctor's office call me to come back in because of a shadow on a mammogram. Turned out to be a cyst, thank the Lady. But my family & I spent a very scary few weeks until we knew, for sure, what it was.

Lady Felula ... who may forget a lot of things, but not that.
Gryffindor House

my very first sock!

ok yall. i am sooooo proud of myself. after much unknitting and trying a few different patterns i finially finished my very first sock! i just love it so much. i hope perenelle will like them too. i started to get confused at the heel because i never done any short row knitting either but then i just went step by step and i started to see the heel developing. i am using this book called "knitting socks for the first time". it has really good pictures and was very helpful. oh yay! ok now to start sock #2. now that i know what im doing i think the second sock will go quite a bit quicker.
allitrya spelling- gryffindor

Tie a pink ribbon round the old oak tree

As a red head my earlier years were spent avoiding the color pink. With the passage of time comes some compensations. My now mostly grey hair means that pink is a spectacular color on me. So please excuse the, from head to toe, pink witches outfit.

Pink has another meaning for me. My family is plauged with cancer. My mother had multiple operations that prevented her from erupting with full blown breast cancer.

As a retired muggle nurse i have seen way too many women die from this disease.

Detection is simple. Do your self exams. Hang the reminder card in the shower. When it is time go and get your mammograms. I know they are quite literally a pain, but a bigger pain would be to lose you.

Wizards! Yes you men! One of the greatest gifts you can give the woman you love is the reminder to be an active participant in preventing that disease.

Real men wear pink.

Grandma

Is this sickness being carried by the Floo network?

I just have to ask - can you get the flue from the floo? Not that I have flue - I have an ear infection and sinus infection. But you do have to wonder...

:::DOING HAPPY DANCE:::

I'm SO glad the socks fit!! If anyone wants to make that pattern, you'll find it here:
http://jfcampbell.us/anne/patterns/show_off_stranded.pdf

I had a *lot* of fun with this swap. Couldn't believe how much I could come up with that reflected Slytherin, including the little green sneaky snake. Gods, I can remember my kids playing with those things, and I'm now a grandmother of 7, with the 8th one due at the end of this month!!

You'll find the witches hat washcloth will help to keep your hands clean while you are knitting, the hair elastic will help to prevent your hair from getting in your way, and the two scrubbies will help to keep that coffee cup clean. AND I got 'em all from just one hank of cotton yarn, except the hair elastic - that's crochet cotton.

That map of England is just over the top, isn't it? I got the original as a gift, and have only used it to make copies, so I can keep using it over and over again. I just love it! It is so perfect for HP crafting. :)

Lady Felula
Gryffindor House

Do not disturb

So beside having issues with blogger last weekend I am sick and have been in the infirmary keeping Madam Pomfrey very busy. After not being about to knit for about a week due to my ailment, I did manage to finish Bella's socks, so not I just need to wash and block them as well as the final touches on her package. I have leave from school this (Canadian long) weekend so I can go visit relatives and stay at our cabin on Galiano Island, BC for some much needed r&r and I hope to be fully recovered by then.

I apologize Slytherins that I haven't gotten your quiz out and there is a lovely prize just sitting in my dorm room waiting for it's new owner. Once I get back from celebrating Thanksgiving, the quiz will be written and up. For all you Canadian students, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, salute!

USPS says 'Delivered'!!

My partner's box was delivered today according to USPS.com. Cool! Hope you like it :) While I do have a scan of the socks, I don't have a scan of anything else ... and I have no clue whatsoever how to post a scan to a blog.

Lady Felula
Gryffindor House

Package arrives

This package arrived yesterday and I was completely thrilled. Check out the socks. I have made a rule that all new socks are worn that night. These were really warm and my feet were really happy. And I love how they fit.

Check out all of these goodies. I really like the box. There is a map on the London area on it. The mug will be happily used as often as possible. And the Slytherin mug cozy comes off for easy cleaning of the mug.

But this has got to be the best bag that I have ever received. The picture fails to show the sparkly parts of the bag. Huge thanks go to my Gryffindor pal, Lady Felula!!!

House Points

Well so far we have Hufflepuff in the lead for points!! Congrats Hufflepuffs! This could change I have not yet recieved word on Syltherin or Ravenclaw.

Hufflepuff 100%
Gryffindor 75%

Keep posting and get your points up!!!!!

Out of town

I will be out of town starting tomorrow until Sunday afternoon. I will be checking emails so if you need something right away contact your house prefects I will get back to you as soon as I can. :) Have a great weekend and happy knitting!!!

I'm here!

I'm here babe! Lets go see what's making that noise! Grandma

I got my box!

Wystoria knocked it out of the park! I adore my socks and all the way cool stuff she sent with them! I feel better and so loved! Grandma

shrieking shack

so here i am flying around the shrieking shack getting more and more jumpy as the minutes go by. i have to say, when i talked to grandma beth about this it seemed like a good idea, but now i think i just want to go back to hogwarts. i sure hope she shows up soon. i cant even remember why we thought this would be a good idea in the first place. AAAAAHHH! what was that? did you hear that?! grandma beth where are you? ugh stupid peaves swooped down on us sneaking out and we split up. why didnt we have a better planB just in case something like this occoured? ok im sure that noise was nothing right? ill wait and see if she shows up.

Hogwarts little bit of everything exchange

Ravelry may be a bit wobbly and our group on there has to wait until their server glitch is fixed but we do have a blog. http://hogwartslittlebitofeverythingswap.blogspot.com/

I like our little guy, he reminds me of Dumbledore. I'll have the questionnaire up soon, I hope. If my tummy lets me. I be sick....: ( Grandma

great big Ravenclaw socks

I finished a pair of Ravenclaw socks for DH over the weekend. He's a men's size 13, hence the post title. I'm so glad they're done! His birthday is in a week so the socks are like an early gift. I'll probably make myself a matching pair sometime.


Cliodna Boomslang, Ravenclaw

New info on my blog

I've made changes based on the suggestions I've gotten to the proposed little bit of everything swap. Please check the edited post on my blog. Grandma

Wow!

So there is a 75% yes for the little bit of everything swap. In order to get it on Ravelry 3 other people have to go to meta groups and reply that they want the group, as I understand it. Those other 5 people that have already voted yes and any one else interested, if you want to be a part of "staff" please e-mail me. damabeth@gmail.com so we can do some planning. Grandma

Getting there

I think my owl is getting impatient with my progresss. She keeps trying to snatch the socks out of my hands and take off with them. I keep telling her it's only a matter of time.

Please VOTE!!!

Grandma wants to do a hat swap and there was another suggestion to do a hat and mitten swap what do you think????

moving is yucky!

wow. this move has almost done me in. normally i pack i move whatever. this time i think i may actually be at the end of my rope. id better tie some yarn on the end of it and see if i can keep a grip. :0) i am offically in california and i am really sorry if i have missed anything while i was in transit. please send me an email if there was anything important that i missed :0) i will be checking everyones blogs and stuff throughout the week to get caught up. i have missed you all and am happy to be back on the internet! yay for contact with my hogwarts friends. ok now to sleep and then up early to keep unpacking. my MIL is here from tulsa "helping" and my mom is coming to "keep me sane" tomorrow. while MIL is all "screech! screech! why are there still boxes of stuff around you have been here a whole 2 days!" my moms like "whatevs- cram it under the bed" both are a bit extreem ends of the spectrum and im somewhere in the middle tearing my hair out. hahahaha (hugs)
allitrya spelling- gryffindor

And I had to take a break...

I had to take a break from my pal's socks. I made her another little something for her for this swap, and I knit a whole bunch of little coffee sleeves which were so simple they are the sort of knitting you should take along if they ever send you to the locked ward, and then I knit a bit for another person, and now I have to get back to these socks which I think are not half as cool as my spoilee. Ah, well, she will end up with half a dozen hand made consolation prizes and a pair of socks in the middle - sometimes that is just the way it is...

hey kids! let's put on a show!

OK only a child of the 50's, or earlier, will get that reference. I posted this in the comments below but want to post it as a entry. Anybody want to join me in starting a Hogwarts Hat exchange on Ravelry?

I won't take up room here but I'm off to Grandma's little world, (my main blog) to post my ideas. I'll also put it up on the Ravelry area as a question. In order to start a new group you have to have three people reply to the post on metagroups. Grandma

Swap question

Does anyone know if there is a Hogwarts Hat/Mitten exchange???

I just got a copy of "Favorite Mittens" by Robin Hansen and the patterns made me think of how many of the movies show winter/yule (esp. Prizoner of Azkaban) and thought .... hmmm, I wonder.

So does anyone know if there is??

Queen Frysia
Slytherin

I need to get moving!

Wow! The deadline is almost here and I am still working on sock number 2. I need to focus, forget the house work, let the kids miss a meal or two and get my socks done.

Gnargles!!

Great galloping gnargles! Wouldn't you know it, now that I am coming into the homestretch of my socks .... my yarn has gone missing!

I am working with small hanks of yarn and kept the extra ones I didn't need in a box so they wouldn't get dirty -- I took out some because I thought I was going to have to 'felt' it on so I wouldn't run short ... but I lost the last two small hanks of the other color!!

Oh my .... what am I to do? I have enough of the other color to finish it but then I will have this big patch of color at the other end that will throw my pattern off ...

UGGGHHHH!!!!

>Queen Frysia
Slytherin
(aka ginger gargoyle)

Hufflepuff Quiz Posted

Just posted my answers to the Hufflepuff Quiz., watching Private Practice and yelling at my dog for getting into everything. I'm gathering the goodies for my pals package and can hardly wait to send it out.



Mafalda

Happy Birthday

A very Happy birthday to our Ravenclaw Pernelle Auckerly

Stop over and wish her a very Happy Birthday!!!

Hufflepuff Quiz

You may belong in Hufflepuff, Where they are just and loyal, Those patient Hufflepuffs are true, and unafraid of what?

Foil
Toil
Soil
Spoil

Cedric Diggory is a contestant in the TriWizard Tournament. He is from the Hufflepuff house

True
False

In "The Prisoner of Azkaban" who is the Hufflepuff seeker?

Cho Chang
Terry Boots
Cedric Diggory
Harry Potter

Cedric Diggory is a contestant in the TriWizard Tournament. He is from the Hufflepuff house

True
False

What are the three things that the founder of Hufflepuff valued above all?

Where is the Hufflepuff common room?

Picture hunt:

Hufflepuff Founder
The Fat Friar
Susan Bones
Lavender Brown

Leave me a note on here to say you have posted the answers.
Good Luck!

House points so far?

Does anyone have a tally? Just curious....

Cliodna Boomslang, Ravenclaw

Slytherin Quiz Prize

Here is the prize that I won for a Slytherin quiz. This yummy package arrived today. It's all very Twilighty. Thank you very much for my prize!!! Looking forward to knitting up that yarn. That and my sweater from Whimsical Alley arrived today as well. I have finished with my one of my pal's socks and the second is coming along faster than the first. Then I will make sure that I have everything ready to package up for her. ::waves at Gryffindor pal::

Almost halfway done

I'm almost done with the first sock. So, I will soon be on to the second.

Finally some progress

So there has been some progress with Bella's sock and I haven't frogged it for a while now! I hope I don't jinx myself. All that needs to be done are these socks and I hope to finish the first one with week and start the second after that. Things have been busy working on my double potions homework and some nasty ancient runes translations to do.

Slytherins there will be a house quiz coming up in the next week or so. I hope everyone is working hard on their pal's socks and kit.

Knit on,
Megaera Black
Slyherin Prefect

Still waiting

Still waiting and hoping that some of the last minute extras I ordered online will show up in time to be mailed out. I have everything I need to send, plus some! , but spotted a few fun things while wandering around some sites.

If they don't arrive soon, I guess they'll just hang around until the next swap. :)

Lady Felula
Gryffindor House

Cliodna Boomslang is the Best!!!!!

I recieved the most wonderful package today from Cliodna Boomslang. It was every thing I said I liked. Thank you so much! I will post pictures to my blog.

OT:Bed Doll Society

Totally not knitting related but thought I'd get this out there for any fans of the "Annie Attic's Bed Doll Society" patterns (you know the ones that Barbie's get put into and they wear those lovely old fashioned dress?)

They are being DISCONTINUED so all the patterns they have in stock is all they will ever have - they are marked down to $1.99 a pattern ... and they are flying out fast, they sent a special notice to any one who used to be a member of the society.

I just got my letter yesterday and already a bunch were gone - they are all crocheted for those who don't know.

Rush over there and snatch them up.

http://www.anniesattic.com/collections.html?collection_id=106&source=ETIBDDL

Queen Frysia of Gryffindor - DON'T READ THIS

okay ... hopefully that will work.

I have a question for more advanced knitters. For the first time on a sock I am doing a pattern that calls for my carrying the yarn on the inside of the sock from spot to spot along the row. I thought I was leaving enough ease for it to stretch, but it doesn't seem to want to stretch far enough to make it comfortably over the instep.

How loose should it be? I'm afraid if I make it too loose there will be holes ... but too tight it won't fit nice ... what would you recommend?

Owl on the way

My owl is headed north. I wish it a safe journey to Penelope!

WEEEEEEEEE!

Grandma rolls in. "Howdy all! Wonderful day! I got my prize package! The organic Cotton is sooooooooo soft! I know there is a pattern for the elephant I want to do but that bit of loveliness is going to become a wash cloth or two for me!"

"I had a good weekend off. I only crocheted a little bit. After I get through with my blog and site rounds I'm off to crochet by the lake. I brought some brownies for the giant squid."

Grandma

Re: This week's post

::waving to Andromeda:: Right back at you, Slytherin pal!

I just finished your socks (YAH!!!) but am still waiting for a couple of items to come in the mail. Not sure if they will get here in time, but they were extras so if they don't make it, I can still mail out.

I've had so much fun finding or making things that related to Slytherin. It's really amazing just what is out there. And, of course, how things be re-purposed to fit a universe that they didn't come from.

I am so looking forward to your reaction when you get your package. I'm just not sure which item I'm most looking forward to your reaction to! LOL

Um .... be careful when you open parts of the package ... there's something soft and slithery in there someplace .......... I just can't quite remember where ........

Lady Felula the Forgetful
Gryffindor House

Weekly Update

I honestly don't remember if I popped in to post this week, so here it goes. Not much going on. Still knitting away at the socks. It would have gone faster if I hadn't caught a cold from the oldest child. But I am not worried. So here is a big "Hello!!!!" to my Gryffindor pal. Hope your weekend is going great.

Happy Birthday Grandma Beth!

Happy Birthday and Cake and Butter Beer for Everyone! Party in the Greathall! And please no one hide any canary creams or puking pastils in the cake! But since it's Grandma's birthday I don't think we'll have any problems she is our resident trouble maker!

Weekend pass

I got a weekend pass for my birthday! See you on monday. (My 52nd b-day) Grandma

Birthdays

If you are having a birthday during this swap let me or your prefect know that way we can celebrate it hogwarts style !! :)

Petrificus Totalus

I feel like I have had a petrifying spell placed on me. I have yet to graft the toe of my first sock and move on to the second sock. Will someone please find a reversal spell so that I can get back to work?
Lilly Longbottem, Gryffindor

organized and calm

well sort of calm...as calm as i ever get anyhow. *slightly hysterical giggle and hair tugging*
i took all of your good advise and came up with this plan to keep track of my swaps and gifts to be made and stuff like that. i made a folder and put tabs in it each swap or gift has a tab. inside each tab area are sheets that say stuff like "rules" and "spoilee" where i can put all the things i know about the swap and my swap partner. i also put in sheets for ideas (because usually i doodle out my ideas and make lists of all the possible things i COULD make till i decide on the best ones) and a sheet for patterns (where i can keep any pertinint patterns.) each tab also has a check list with a hopefull date to finish each item. in the front i printed some calendars so that i can see what hard deadlines are comming up for mailing etc. i also set up my phone to do reminders a day before the actuall mailing date. yay! i really do feel much better now and have no fear that anything will get forgotten even durring my big move to california. :0) how about a pic of my supper spiffy folder? ok.

Click Click go my needles

I have finished my shopping but am still working on the socks. I think my owl is getting anxious!

eureka

I finished my socks this weekend and started some cookie a pattern pomtomous and it is great but I still need to go shop for some sweet goodies for my buddy. I am excited. I am just past the heel on my first of the new socks and I am calling them my rainbow fish socks because they are made out of pagewood farms crayon color yarn and the pattern looks like fish scales they are more awesome then I could have expected and the pattern is easy to follow at work between calls :) aimee

Quote Quiz

Okay who said this, extra fame if you give the circumstances:

"never, ever again .... that was the worst -- "

Almost ready to go

The socks are done, goodies are ready, and I have a box. Now I just need to get everything in and make it to the owlery. :D

Cliodna Boomslang, Ravenclaw

Frogged

I have finally decided that I don't like the original pattern that I chose. So I have ripped everything out and am going to start over.

Quote Game

"Well, who cares what he's interested in? What is he, when you come down to it? Just some stupid teacher."

too much homework

i am having a very hermioneish frazzled sort of moment. i can not find my time turner either. so i am in a few swaps and they are all harry potter related :0). its like a sickness. hahaha. i am in this swap and i have everything done plus some for my spoilee, except for the socks i did decide to take them out and start over after all but i am part way through my first one (again). i do love the way the yarn is knitting up. i am doing the HSKS6 too. i am very excited about it and they are really active over there with the chatting and the games. they also have a dueling club that sounds like fun. i might have to pass on that though because i would hate to take on too much and be all stressed out. i feel like if you are hating making something because you are too busy or whatever then those vibes get in your project. if you make something you should make it with love in your heart and that gets in your project too (ugh, my hippie muggle parents DID rub off on me. sheesh). anyhow i am also in a transfiguration swap. where you take an altoids tin and transfigure it into something else. can you say "fereverto"? i have a pretty good idea for that one but havent started it either and its due by the end of the month. plus i am moving back to california from colorado by the end of the month. how do you guys keep track of all your swaps and due dates for swaps and challenges and the like? just curious. i am just feeling like i am forgetting something. i dont want to let anyone down. i like to be a great swap partner and make something really nice you know. i dont feel like i am overbooked for the swaps (i have done more than this and had no prob at all) i think it might just be the moving. can someone please make me a claming draught? *wrings hands*

Quote Quiz

so confident am I, that I've already got the next quote ...

"You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright"

Okay who said it, to whom, and what were they speaking about???

Quote Quiz

OK here it is: Tell me who said it, what book and when.

"First think of a person who lives in disguise,
Who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies.
Next, tell me what's always the last thing to mend,
The middle of middle and the end of the end?
And finally give me the sound often heard
During the search for a hard-to-find word.
Now string them together, and answer me this,
Which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"

Extra virtual brownies for the answer to the riddle. Grandma

little ravenclaw socks

I had to share! The main part is made with left-over yarn from Wisteria's ravenclaw socks. Grandma

#2 is half done :)

Well, sock #2 is nearly ready to turn the heel. I'm pleased with the look of the pattern, especially for a Slytherin partner. Can't post pics, so I hope my partner will not only post pics of what she gets, but of what she sends, as well.

Lady Felula
Gryffindor House

Someone hexed blogger

So I had a draft of the post I wanted to write and I went back today to finish and post it; however it is gone. Lost in the internets like it never existed. Sigh it's been a long week. Bella's socks aren't going as well as I hoped once again the sock in progress has turned back into a ball'o'yarn. I'm going to try again once the common room is quiet and I'm not so tired. I have some much essays to do that the parchment is piled so high it almost reaches the top of my canopy when sitting on my desk! Well it's off to bed for me it's been a long day with Quidditch practice and a Hogsmeade trip and I have to spend all day tomorrow finishing my homework *sigh*

Hey I am half way through sock # two but had to stop to knit emergency birthday socks for my soon to be five year old. :) I was home sick three days and had taken one day off so at least I got a bit done here and there I think I get more knitting done at work lol.

quote game

"I am fortunate, extremely fortunate, that i have you, Severus."

who and why?

found on engrishfunny.com

more the engrish!

allitrya spelling- gryffindor

Quote game

Here we are - it took me a few days to come uip with this - Who said it, to whom, in which book?

"Well, he's not my type, but he'll do,"

Yarn and pattern bought

Finally found the yarn and the pattern I will use for my partner's socks. I have to finish up one little thing before I can get started but I should be starting by the end of this weekend if all goes well.

Selina Starfire
Gryffindor

new poll

hey everyone - just out of curiosity I put a new poll on my blog page if anyone wants to do it ... no house points or anything, but it is completely anonymous ... just wondering how old everyone is in real/muggle-life

Queen Frysia
Slytherin

Perfect Sock Yarn

Hi everyone I received my pal's sock yarn this week and I think she will like it. My pal said her favorite character is Serius Black and lo and behold I found some sock yarn in the Serius Black colorway. I haven't been able to post much with work and watching my grandchildren but that should change now. Pren, just wanted to let you know I am posting a picture of the Noro Wave scarf on my blog. It turned out beautiful.

All for now as I need to e-mail my pal and post on my blog.

Questions Answered :)

Good Afternoon Students!! :)
I had some very valid questions asked this morning so I wanted to post here to make sure that everyone knows what is going on.

I'm not sure I understand how to play the quizzes that are put up on the blog. And I cannot find any rules anywhere on it, either.
Do we answer all we can?
Answer as many of the trivia as you want or don't answer at all it is up to you.

On the blog?
When answering trivia on the blog answer it in the comments and the person who posted the trivia will get back to you and let you know if you were right.

to our prefects? (in which case, how do we contact them? I can't find that info, either)

Prefects you should have been contacting your house, they should have your email to get in touch with you in case they need something. Check your email to see if there is an email from your prefect and save their email. If you have not heard from your prefects let me know.

House quizzes go on your personal blog or can be emailed to your prefect.
I've never seen a posting on the Gryffindor quiz that I answered on the blog - How do we know? Your prefects should let you know who wins the quizzes. Do we get House points for answering? Yes you get house points for answering the quizzes and trivia,You get 5 points per answer if you are right for the trivia and 10 for every quiz answered.

I hope this helps!! I hope to have the house points up soon!

Headmistress Cassandra

Greeting Everyone

Well, I have been a very slack Gryffindor this round. Vacation, illnesses, school starting...I haven't been in touch too much. But I have started my socks and the first one is almost done! And I am really excited to put my package together for my pal. This is the best time of year for a Hogwarts swap...Halloween means lots of goodies in stores and on line to choose from. So, I do solemnly swear to be more involved now that my life has settled down a bit. Go Gryffindor!

CC

OFF TOPIC: 9/11

just a quick note, pardon the off topic post ....

I wanted to express my great sympathy for any of our members or people in their circle of family & friends who were tragically touched by the horrid events 7 years ago today.

We will never forget.

Slytherin Zucchini Bread

Imagine my surprise when I, a Ravenclaw, pulled this out of the oven a couple of days ago!



It looks just like the S on the Slytherin locket. I baked two loaves. The other came out with some version of an R on it (and was quickly eaten). The batter is basically a puree when it goes in the oven, so really and truly, I did not carve any letters into it.

So, who's putting spells on my bread? ;)

And, here's a teaser:


Cliodna Boomslang, Ravenclaw

Grandma's alter ego

My potterverse alter go has her own blog http://grublyplank.blogspot.com/ . Recipies from my family's collection will be shared. Grandma

Re; Slytherin Quiz 2

Did we ever learn who won the second slytherin quiz, or am I just dizzy this week and miss it?

Slytherin Quiz 2

did we ever learn who won the second Slytherin Quiz? or am I just dizzy this week?

Sneak Peak

Greetings from the Snake Pit!!! I am making good progress on my pal's socks and have finally picked out some lovely needles for her that are on their way here. Here is a sneak peak of the socks. Of course it is just the heel part. Not that I am gonna show the pattern part. But ya can at least have an idea of the colors. Other than that, not much going on here. Just picking out some items for the package. ::back off to the Snake Pit::

Oooooo...Lookey, lookey...

I got a package from my Prefect, Megeara, today with the prize from the first Slytherin House Quiz. Look at the yummies that were inside...

The yarn is from Sunshine Yarns in the colorway Chinese Fireball Dragon, and the groovy owl stitch markers are from Crazy4Dyeing.

love (1000)

Thanks so much Megeara!!!

I don't know how I feel . . .

It is her baby. I would be upset if someone just took my idea and ran with it.
I wouldn't worry about making crafts and using the HP name, I would just put a note in your description that you are no affiliated with JKR or WB.
Lilly Longbottom-Gryffindor.

Re: Greed

Bothers me, too, Allitrya. I've recently made up a bunch of stitch markers, and intend to open an Etsy store, perhaps next month. And of course some of the markers are in colors which correspond to the House colors. I had intended to use Harry Potter to tag those markers ... now I suppose I'd better not. But in that case, how can I tag them so they'll come up on a search without putting myself into an untenable legal position?

This may not (please note I said 'may not') be all JKR, either. I know nothing, really, about publishing, but I do know a little bit about other businesses and her publisher and/or lawyers may also be behind this. I don't know how much personal choice she may/may not have in such issues.

But it sure is discouraging. Will she/they be after things like sock patterns and knitters next?

Lady Felula
Gryffindor House

Has anybody seen an owl?

I'm dying here! Where is that ding dong owl at with Wisteria's package! It should have made it to her by now! NEVER borrow an owl from a Weasley! Grandma

Also to be fair he is moving the lexicon and he is the one that threatened to close it. The judgement only applies to the book. he got in trouble when he did not acknowledge where the quotes came from.
In fact he did not put it in quotes at all.I read the trial transcripts. (Yup I do have time on my hands).
It seems to me he was used badly by the shady publishing house who contacted him. he did not know how to legally anecdote a book and the sleazeball publisher did not have a competent editor assigned to him.
Now the poor guy hasn't got a chance to publish anything because his name is mud in the book world.
If he had a good publishing house, a mentor and a good editor we would have had another reference book.
I'm not a lawyer but have been, unfortunately, a witness in a publishing case. Had to write a complete textbook and prepare all new study material in a two month period one year because of a unknowing person thinking that you did not have to use anecdotes.
Everyone wants to spend your 25th wedding anniversary long distance on the phone with your editor right! Grandma

I didn't do it I swear!

I solemnly swear I did not put the cream tart on the headmistress's' chair at lunch today. Wasn't me. Nope. Never. And I have several well paid witnesses that will vouch for me. Grandma

greed

omg!!!! i have to say this feels like jkr being greedy. it kinda pisses me off. she basically went to court and said oh look how popular this guys free web site is. i could be makin money on that idea "HP was my character and i was gonna make an encyclopedia of HP "eventually" so you cant do that" there is a copyright rule that says if its reference material you are making then you can use the original source if you want to. duh. you would need to! how do you think that encyclopedias get made!? i am so irked. i really did not think she was gonna win when this issue first came to light. its like how she has teams of people that search on the internet all day long looking for "harry potter", in the tags area of handmade goods and then she sues them for the meeger proffits they have made making stitch markers or whatever in the hogwarts colors. i just dont get it. if the seller was saying this is aprooved by jkr i could see how she wouldnt like that. but just someone saying this is inspired by the harry potter books. ugh! shes pushing her fans away i think. any other thoughts? am i too bent out of shape about this!?
allitrya spelling - gryffindor

ATTN: Quiz makers

Hey y'all I ran across this sad news today online:

Judge waves gavel, says Avada Kedavra to Harry Potter Lexicon: "Steven Vander Ark's Harry Potter lexicon has vanished and may never be seen again. The handy guide was not spirited away with the wave of a wand: it was, instead, banned with the bang of a gavel. In a ruling issued this morning, Judge Robert Patterson affirmed that Ark and his publisher had failed to demonstrate that the reference text fell within the scope of fair use."

Now with the way this article reads, it will affectively not only stop the publication but also knock out the website that so many of us have come to love ... this will likely cause a cascade effect to the other 'back up' sites as well and they all become leary of falling to the same legal challenge.

Just a heads up.

quote game

hey BellaDonna - you got it right, now its your turn to publish a quote :-)

say I went to your blog site to see if you would be one to watch the Quidditch match tonight between the Vikes and Cheeseheads (hee hee) but noticed that your last exchange sent you lemon drops -- don't know if you've tried it yet but they are really good instead of sugar in your tea! Put one in your Earl Grey and it instantly turns into a potion the muggles have labeled "Lady Grey".

How lucky you are!

Queen Frysia
slytherin.

Quote Game

Okay here's one:

" Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve. "

Who said it and in what book?

***************
I should say 'good luck' because I did a general internet search and found that most sites are only attributing this quote to JKR, but it did come from a character.

Quote Game

"There are plenty of eyewitness accounts, just because you're so narrow-minded you need to have everything shoved under your nose before you--"

And the Winner is!

Congratulations Grandma Beth! Thank you for participating and answering all the questions for the Gryffindor Quiz! ROAR ROAR! I will gather up something lovely and mail it out later this week. ;) Let's hear it for Grandma Beth!

Disclaimer: The winner was chosen by writing each participant's name on a slip of paper wrinkling them up and throwing them on the table and picking the one that fell closest to me. We'll do something even less scientific and more arbitrary next time!

dear ophelia b.,

i was wondering if we ever found out who won the gryffindor house quiz. i have been out of town so i might have missed the post. just curious. :0)
allitrya spelling- gryffindor

Teee Heee

I snuck over to ravenclaw and up to Wisteria's room. Don't tell her I re-arrainged all her yarn by color. Oh and I put her needles in reverse order! Grandma

Quote Game

After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.
Who said it?

uuummmm? can this be right?

i sent this question in an email to nelle but i just read on her blog that she is off campus till monday so i thought id post it here too. this being my first pair of socks i, of course, am second guessing my self the whole way :0). i have about 2 inches done on the ankle part of the sock. it looks awfully small. but i slid it over my foot and my foot is 8.5 around just like nelles is and it slid right on. i am meeting gauge for the pattern. my concern is that it seems a bit small to pull over your heel. you know how its wider there? and dont you hate socks that fit but are really hard to get on? i do. i just feel like if i make them bigger they maybe wont stay up. they arent ribbed the whole way just at the cuff. what do you think? would you keep going or take it out and add a few more stitches? falling down socks arent any better than too tight ones. i dont think they will be too tight on just tight to get over the heel. ok any advise you have to give would be great . thanks guys
Allitrya Spellling- Gryffindor

Quote Game

"The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure."

What a slow owl!!

Well the owl with Bella's yarn finally got here! This owl makes the Weasley's old owl Errol look like a speed daemon. I can finally swatch for Bella's socks, now I just need to find the perfect pattern. :: does a happy dance::

Slytherins I hope that all goes well with your knitting charms or those who prefer to have their house elves do their knitting you haven't had any issues with Dobby or Hermione trying to liberate your house elves. If so let me know I need some practice on my hexes ;-)

Cheers,
Megaera Black
Slytherin Prefect

Quote Game

" And I'd tell him to follow his instincts, which are good and nearly always right."

Who said it and about who?

wooo hoooo

I got my first sock done but some how I have no darning needle with so I can't sew the toe up and start sock # two. I am very excited but I am going to shop over my three day weekend next weekend for something to spruce up the socks. :) I am soo excited. I tried them on very cozy.

Quote game

"Bad news, Harry. I've just been to see Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt. She – er got a bit shirty with me. Told me I'd got my priorities wrong. Seemed to think I cared more about winning the Cup than I do about staying alive. Just because I told her I didn't care if it threw you off, as long as you caught the Snitch first."

Oliver Wood - Prisoner of Azkaban

And since I don't want to hog *all* the answers, I guess I'll stop now ....

Lady Felula
Gryffindor House

Quote game

"No, I was merely reading the Muggle magazines. I do love knitting
patterns."

Dumbledore .... Half Blood Prince

Lady Felula
Gryffindor House

Quote Game

An extremely easy one to get us thru the night ....

"I can make that old bloke down there pick his nose again ... and again .... and again ... "

of course I don't know why anyone would want to see that, but appearantly this person did.

Who is it and how is he making the bloke do it again and again??

Quote Game

Ok who said it

"Bad news, Harry. I've just been to see Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt. She – er got a bit shirty with me. Told me I'd got my priorities wrong. Seemed to think I cared more about winning the Cup than I do about staying alive. Just because I told her I didn't care if it threw you off, as long as you caught the Snitch first."

Quote Game

Who said It?
As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them

Quote Game

Okay this is super easy ... Who said it, and in which book?

"No, I was merely reading the Muggle magazines. I do love knitting
patterns."

And the Winner Is....

The winner of this week's House Quiz

is none other than...

Andromeda Finch-Fletchley

Congratulations!!

Be sure to PM me on Ravelry with the

address you'd like your Slippery Slytherin House Prize

to go to...