adventures in tv watching

Pay it Forward presents!!!

Posted on July 19, 2013July 22, 2013 by bekswhoknits

When I posted the Pay It Forward challenge a year or so ago I thought it would be easy.
Make something for the first three people to comment on a post. Bonus because only 2 people commented.

What I underestimated was just how difficult finding the right pattern and yarn was going to be.
The two people who commented Keri and Caitlyn are two of my knitting idols.
They were two of the first knitting blogs I followed and introduced me to ravelry, patterns, yarns, and turned me from someone who had just learnt to knit, into a knitter.

The more I thought about how much I admired these two ladies, the more daunted I was to knit for them.

So I procrastinated. And procrastinated some more.
Until it struck me, in the middle of the night I scrambled to check the rules of the pay it forward post.
I didn’t specify it had to be knitted, just hand made. Hurrah!

After that the idea came quickly. Embroidered cushions.

Then I thought about cushions being expensive and difficult to post.
So I thought about glueing some embroidery to a canvas.
I was onto a winner!
Then it was a matter of finding the right quotes.

Keri is the one who ~~held a gun to my head~~ gently persuaded me to finally watch Buffy. So I felt a Buffy quote would be quite apt.

Caitlyn had the domain 25dancer for a reason – she’s a dancer.
And late one night I was watching Black Books with commentary and found a great quote.

And so the plan was complete.

And some behind the scenes shots.

And just so no one thinks I’m making these quotes up.

**** it was only finding evidence of both quote I’ve realised I’ve misquoted both of them!!!! Whoops!!!! And I’ve waited until the recipients have received it to put up this post so it’s well and truly past the point of correction.
Eep!
Consider my hand well and truly slapped!
Note to self – always double check before stitching

Whatever Wednesday – heartbreak

Posted on July 18, 2013July 18, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Every Wednesday/Thursday I’ll be blogging about the topic that comes through my email courtesy of Shay & Alissa.

biggest heartbreak

I thought about this long and hard. I have had my heart broken a few times. Ex boyfriends, ex bestfriends, people that I though had my back but when it came to it they didn’t actually.

But there was only one heartbreak that I look back on and wish was different.

And that is something I don’t want to share with the interwebs. So instead I’m going to talk about the last time my heart ached.

I had a day off on Monday. My body needed sleep and it got it. In that state of ‘really don’t want to leave the covers of the bed’ I turned on Netflix to see what I could watch.

I clicked on Orange is the new Black thinking that I’d give it until I got sick of it. That’s my usual plan when watching something I know nothing about.

Half an hour into the 13th episode I fell asleep because I just could stay up any longer.

I was absolutely gripped.
If you know nothing about the series, it’s a Netflix original based on a memoir of the same name. I have since read the memoir and it is very very loosely based. In many ways this makes it a better series because one of the things that I liked most about the TV series that wasn’t in the book, was the many and varied stories that were shown.
It’s set in a women’s prison, with the main character being a pretty white girl whose girlfriend was involved in drug smuggling and she helped out. She then moves on with her life, but 7 years later the case is brought to trial and she is sent to a minimum security prison.
But as dry as the original premise is, the ensemble cast of fully fleshed out characters is the real strength.
Episode 3 was where it really got me. I’m not going to be all spoilery, but these are bad people. They’re all in prison for a reason. But they’re also women, mothers, daughters, friends, lovers, and enemies.
And their stories made my heart ache because for every story there was pain.
I am well aware that these are fictional characters, made up for the screen loosely based on reality. But for me it wasn’t a stretch to think that these were real people and real experiences and my heart aches for every single person who is facing that life. Not the prison life, but the life that led them their in the first place.
Because every episode focuses on a different inmate so we get to see her story, the decisions that were made, what led them to prison and who they are as a character.

I enjoyed this series so much that I watch it all (bar 30 minutes) in one day.

If you have Netflix it carries the Beks Stamp of Approval.

(And because I also read the book I’m totally including it in my books read list)

The theme is by Regina Spektor and was specially written for the show.

The bluest blue

Posted on March 29, 2013April 4, 2013 by bekswhoknits

This was meant to be a post about how it’s 2 days till doctor who and I made a lovely hat in tardis blue. But then my
circular needle came loose.
And I realised I can’t keep track of a pattern.

So instead it’s a not so finished object. And now I have to buy another 6mm hat circular.
But when it’s finished……….

So where do I start?

Posted on January 14, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I rocked in the new year with my bloke, my best friend, and Sugar Army at the Rosemount.
We managed to get a taxi without incident, so it went down as one of the better New Years. I think the trick is to go in with low expectations and let it confirm or exceed them.

The cold I caught over Christmas was starting to go away which was promising.

It was then a day of watching Series 3 of Downton Abbey, including the Christmas episode! I desperately want somewhere to talk about this without fear of being all spoilery. I then rewatched all of series 1 and 2. I had forgotten just how soap opera-y series 2 got. I’ve become hooked on Billy Doux episode recaps. They come with a historical context and fun facts around each episode.

Then 2 days in Margaret River touring wineries, playing scruples, and enjoying a mini-break.

Isn’t that cat adorable? I wanted to take him home, but ended up coming home with this guy, who is totally adorable. (It’s a cow from the Cowaramup brewery)

Then Southbound!
Two days of camping, music, friends, and frivolity. And dust, and dirt, queues, greasy food, low phone batteries, and accidentally stepping on beer cans. Ouch.

But I couldn’t start the year any other way. Django Django, Two Door Cinema Club, Bombay Bicycle Club, and Maximo Park were my highlights.
That and bringing our own shade was the best decision ever.

I can’t wait to see who’s on next year’s lineup – although my ticket folder is looking rather full with a Laneway and Perth Festival having awesome lineups.

It wasn’t all fun and lollipops though.
Max, our pet pinchie, fell to a broken filter. Our 4 fishies (Richie, Tony, Bill, and Ken) managed to survive.
Tony Greig (the namesake of one of our fishies) passed away over the time as well. There were some very tearful tributes during the Sydney test match.

My little brother, fell off his motorbike on the way back from Southbound and luckily had only minor scratches.
I never expected to start the year off with my first ride in an ambulance.

It certainly could have been a different first blog post for 2013, so I’m incredibly grateful that it’s not.

On the knitting front I’ve already notched a few finished objects, which I shall share on Friday.
I think I’m having enough trouble choosing photos for this post already.

It’s good to be back!

~~~
lets talk!
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Geeked out knitting.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by bekswhoknits

It’s the countdown to Christmas, and all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a dalek.

So much for rhyming.

I got a swag of doctor who goodies in the mail last week, including Doctor Who monopoly! Which I need to ~~con~~ persuade someone into playing with me.

Apparently Monopoly is banned my bloke’s family due to its rage inducing properties.

But my little brother loves doctor who and monopoly, so I may invite him round for a game.

(Can I congratulate myself on a smooth segue?)

While I was watching all of series 6 & 7 on the weekend, I needed some themed knitting.
As I’m doing dishcloths for Christmas this year, I found this adorable dalek cloth.

So little brother, this is your Christmas present (to go with your Lego storm trooper alarm clock you’re getting for your birthday).
I’m such a cool sister.

~~~
lets talk!
tweet me ~ ravelry me ~ email me

Embroidering things

Posted on November 9, 2012November 9, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I’ve been embroidering. I asked a question on A Sheepish Girl‘s (oh so lovely) blog about what stitch she uses for her text, I’ve been itching to try back stitch ever since.
It’s just like knitting but in lines. (In a kind of not really sort of way.) but a lot easier then stem stitch.

So I opened up phonto on my iPad and typed in a couple of quotes. (If you then set that image as the home screen it makes it easier to trace.)
So once it’s traced onto the fabric, I used back stitch to make the letters.
And things just clicked. More so than they did with stem stitch.

It is really relaxing. Not as much as knitting. It doesn’t have the same TV watching options (I don’t think you could ever embroider with your eyes closed, or during a really important scene), but it’s great for listening to music.

But quotes!!! And music lyrics! I have so many things to embroider on cushions and to put on walls and I can see a lot of decorating until my Bloke gets fed up with embroidery and I have to start decorating my BFF’s house (who reads this and can now request embroidered items. I promise I want embroider a doily for you!).

I digress! Here’s my embroidery attempts.
The quotes are from Silversun Pickups, Wolf Parades, and Parks And Recreation.

~~~
lets talk!
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Try it with more wine

Posted on November 6, 2012November 6, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I was bored on Saturday morning and there was nothing on tv. I was bored enough to check out Coles recipe on demand on Foxtel. And it was this recipe. (This is a true story, Coles are not paying me to plug this recipe, as flimsy as this back story may be I really am this bored sometimes).

It is a good recipe. It’s beef ragu with rigatoni. Or in my case tortiglioni.

Really easy recipe, just perfect for those afternoons when the weather is doing its best to convince you it’s winter (even if it should be spring).

This is the way I made it.

the ingredients
Chuck steak 500gm
1 Onion
2 cloves Garlic
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1 cup Beef stock
2 400gm Tinned tomatoes
1 stick Celery
1 Carrot
1 potato

the recipe
Coat the chuck steak in flour.
Fry it in a frying pan. (If you have a casserole dish that is stove proof use that.)
In your casserole dish add all the non-meat ingredients.
Once the meat is brown, put that in the casserole dish.
Put that in the oven for 3 hours, or until it’s stew like.
When it’s ready to serve, cook up some pasta.
Add Parmesan cheese and Bob’s your Aunty.

Such a quick but hearty dish.

Although it was a bit lacking I felt.
I would add some red wine (whilst browning the meat), and probably brown the onion in the red wine.

More wine in general.
And my Bloke wanted more vegies. Some peas maybe, or some cauliflower.
This really is a good base to add things too.

But definitely try it with more wine*.
*if you’re thinking about ‘I am Giselle, I am a french bitch’ you win a red balloon. If you have no idea what I’m talking about you need to watch Coupling. Steven Moffat wrote it. That speaks for itself.

~~~
lets talk!
tweet me ~ ravelry me ~ email me

Etsy love

Posted on September 3, 2012September 3, 2012 by bekswhoknits

So another knittingless weekend meant I spent a lot of time browsing etsy.

And I put together some treasury lists.

yarn in a tea cup

and this one

all things doctor who and knitting

I am totally into rings at the moment, even though they really don’t suit me.

This shiny one is my favorite

So many pretty yarns

I like a man in a tool belt

Posted on June 14, 2012June 14, 2012 by bekswhoknits

It’s just all there in a row. Sex and mending things.

I like a man who can say ‘I can fix your cistern, and I can fix your cistern‘

Of course it’s a little hard to write the intonation there, but that’s a fantastic quote from Coupling.
Which is one of my most favourite shows ever.

And I do like a man in a tool belt.

Another thing I like? Books.

So a man that builds me a bookshelf, in my bathroom (and wears a toolbelt whilst doing it), is a man to keep hold of.

And guess which lucky lady now has a book shelf in her bathroom.

Below is the photo I took when it first went up.
And a few more photos down you’ll see it now.
A slightly different calibre of books, but that’s us.

Sport, movies, rain

Posted on June 11, 2012June 11, 2012 by bekswhoknits

It was definitely a weekend to stay inside and keep cozy.

Apart from going to my local to watch my boys lose and wait for a non-existent roast, which only in hindsight wasn’t worth leaving the house for.

So inside I stayed and knitted. I finished off my Riff socks (but more on those on Friday) and immediately cast on anothe pair with the same needles and yarn and basic pattern (without the riff part).

I then wore said socks for the rest of the weekend.

I finished watching firefly. Cried at the appropriate points during Serenity. And wished that there was more.

Then needing more Joss Whedon (I finally got around to seeing The Avengers last Tuesday so I’m in a Joss mood) I started watching Angel.

It might take me a while to get into it.

So my weekend wasn’t spent with my nose in a book as I originally intended, but I did keep my (warm and cozy) feet up.