Friday, November 5, 2010

Weekend Report

I'm Rockinsticks and this is.......Weekend Report (yikes just typed Weedend Report)

In our top story this week - November.  Not just  time for new classes but a sign of the beginning of the famstravaganza that makes up many of our holiday seasons.  The Slytherin Pride Theme this month lets you expose your bloodline to the rest of the house cup. 

In special celebration our own Cattiekins will be taking the first step toward becoming an ancestor this month.  We all wish her luck with the delivery of babykins and look forward to photos of the new Slytherbaby.

Weather:  In the five day forecast we see a clearing of the planning storm and small clusters of procrastination on the jet stream.

Speaking of planning,  classes have hit the main cup with a fury.   The following advisory focuses on the small projects because if your OWL is in as much trouble as my OWL classwork needs to be small and quick this month.

I am unclear as to who is going to have to put the socks on the Yeti (sounds like a Filch detention to me), but if you are feeling the desire to whip up some socks for Care of Magical Creatures perhaps these ankle socks would do.  They are short, quick and the motif reminds me of the endless knot which is one of the 8 auspicious symbols of Tibetan Buddhism.  If you are really pressed for time Cattiekins reminded us that mini-socks make excellent gift tags.

Up in the Astronomy Tower we've been asked to interpret the night sky.  These star wrist warmers are lovely.  Maybe sew up the bottom and call it a lovely little evening purse.  If you are looking to do some designing for this one, did you know there is a constellation called "Draco" .  Could there be a better opportunity for a Slytherin project?

History of Magic is....hey wake up.  As I was saying Goblin Wars!  What would goblins wear into battle?  Perhaps a helmet, or chain mail ?  Excellent.  If you are leaning toward commemorating their craft how about this lovely lace scarf in metallic yarn or these cabled gauntlets

Transfiguration is all about... ahem.... shrinkage this month.  How about some felted slippers or these felted fortune cookies would make fabulous gift tags.   The ubiquitous knit or crochet mini sweaters act as great gift card holders.  Or whip up six beer sweaters and mail a six pack of your local brew to Rockinsticks.

Sorry folks, I've been reminded that I will not use my blog posts for personal gain.  Please disregard the last part.

Herbology is custom made for your gift giving preparations.  In thinking about this it might be a perfect time to splurge on a skein of luxury yarn and search out a one skein wonder gift.  The recipient of this cashmere neck warmer would love you forever.

Fyre! Fyre!  What would protect you from Feindfyre?  What shape would it take in your world?  If you've been just looking for an excuse to knit up the dumb as a snake mitts - this might be your chance.  Maybe in a flame red variegated yarn?  Of course the best protection from fire.....RUN!

Potions, why must I always be stumped by potions?  Maybe because Potions makes me think of Snape which makes me think of ...... Oh, right, sunshine and peppermints.  So I'm going to make a stretch here and make an Altoids box cover seeing as peppermint is added to the elixir to keep people like me from causing hearing damage to those around us.  Any suggestions anyone?

Maigret's Poppy

And finally Charms gives you the perfect chance to get your Slytherin Pride Ancestry project in.  Or you could whip up a lovely lapel poppy for Remembrance day as did the lovely Maigret or maybe spend veteran's day working up a helmet liner for your troops.

In other local news the Headmistress Challenge is up.   This term she will be peaking into our muggle abodes, vehicles, desks, etc to examine our holiday decorations.  I am a notoriously poor holiday decorator so our lovely in the field reporter JuliaV927 has compiled this report of holidays and the pattens that love them:

Nov. 4th = National Candy Day (U.S.) yes, this is real!
Nov. 5th = Guy Fawkes Day aka bonfire night! (primarily Great Britain)
Nov. 11th = Remembrance Day (Canada) and Veterans Day (U.S.)
project ideas:
Nov. 25th= Thanksgiving (U.S)
December is loaded folks.....

St. Nicholas Day = Dec. 6th (Dutch and German)
Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe = Dec. 12th (Mexico)
Hanukkah = Dec. 1st-9th (Jewish)
St. Lucia Day = Dec. 13th (Sweden, Norway, Denmark)
Las Posadas = Dec. 16th-24th (Spanish)
Yule = Dec. 20th-22nd
Winter Solstice = Dec. 21st
Soyaluna = Dec. 22nd (Hopi)
DongZhi = Dec. 21st-23rd (Chinese)
Christmas = Dec.25th
Kwanzaa = Dec. 26th-Jan 1st
Boxing Day = Dec. 26th (Australia, Canada, England, Ireland)
Omisoka = Dec. 31st (Japan)
New Year
Possible patterns: mini-Christmas stockings, advent calendars and advent trees, mini holiday stockings, mini sweater ornaments, diminutive sweaters, Yule ornament (crochet), Sally V. George Snowflakes (crochet), poinsetta candle holder and candle (crochet), ornamentt cozy, ornament that rocks!, Christmas pickle, ice skates (crochet), ornamental bells, dreidel (crochet), garland of pinwheels (crochet), popcorn garland (crochet), leaf garland (crochet)

Thank you JuliaV927.  Hmmmm National Candy Day.

Forgivable Curse of the week:  "Craptacular" as in "My grades in physics were outstandingly craptacular ."

In sports you only have until the 16th to finish up your red carpet look for the premiere of Deathly Hallows.

As always we close the show with a report from the Sub-human Interest Desk.  This has been a long post full of links, but it reminds me why I love the House Cup so much.  The inspiration to seek out patterns I wouldn't have tried, design new things, try new crafts and write outlandish stories has me amazed month after month.  The comradory is overwhelming too.   My husband refers to you all as my imaginary friends, but you are all so real to me and so talented.  I love looking through the class pages and seeing what you have all come up with and ....(a giant hook grabs Rockinsticks around the neck, pulls her off stage and a mysterious wizard forces some anti-emotional sap potion between her lips.  She straightens up and walks back to the desk.)

Where was I, hmmm oh who the hell cares.  This is Rockinsticks signing off. Slyther on, laugh a lot and don't let the holidays freak you out. 

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