Quiz #1 - HLBOE Swap

Here we go for our first quiz of the swap. it's also posted on my Ravelry

Cheers everyone!!
Astrid, Hufflepuff 1st year

Start of term!

Astrid Cloverleaf here, Hufflepuff 1st year in the Hogwarts Little Bit of Everything swap. the semester has begun at Hogwarts, and this friday, my 4th to last semester of MBA classes begins in the muggle world.

This is going to be a very full year for me! Not only this swap which seems like it's going to be a very active knitting few months, but also 3 semesters of muggle MBA classes, and planning my wedding to take place on November 29, 2009!

ME! (this is not my actual wedding gown in the off chance that my fiance finds this blog..)

my beloved car... violated

my neck's been hurting for the last few days so i took some Tylenol PM before bed and was zonked out by midnight.

this morning Steve got up to leave for work by about 9:20am. i heard him shut the door then come back in a few minutes later and he yelled up the stairs "Becca wake up and come outside!" somewhere in my drowsy state i thought.. oooh snow. yeah, not so much since his next words were "your car was broken into last night!"

i bolted out of bed, ran downstairs, managed to grab a jacket along the way and outside cursing up a storm. socked feet, no bra and all. yeah, it was special. there was a big muddy brick in my passenger seat, my window was blown out and glass was just everywhere. it looks like they'd attempted to go through my front windshield too since there's a nice 10-12" spider (only with about 20 legs heh) right below my rearview mirror.

i ran back in to grab my phone and call the cops. by the time i came back outside our neighbor and her dog had appeared and a few others. our neighbor said that around 1:30am her dog bolted downstairs barking like crazy, so we think that's when it happened. i reported what happened, gave my address and hung up. after running inside to super fast get dressed, grab my camera and run back out the police were pulling up. yeah, seriously, less then 10 minutes. CHPD rocks.

Officer Mitchell took down all my info, write up a report and gave me the number. seriously within about 35 minutes of Steve finding it, i had a report number in had.

Steve started cleaning up all the glass. for 1 window, it sure shot everywhere. we found glass behind the 2 rear seats, on the passenger side by the door, everywhere.. he swept up the parking lot, then went at the car seat by seat. i called my insurance company (Geico) who won't cover the cost until i meet my deductible but they gave me the number for a glass place to see how much it'd be. so i called Safelite Glass and got a quote. umm yeah, $415.90++ and my deductible? $500. *sigh*

then i called my renter's insurance (USAA) to see if they covered what was stolen - my GPS, cell charger and triple cigarette adapter - and they're sending out an adjuster monday or tuesday. they said they'd have covered the window but unfortunately i don't have my auto policy with them. grr, yeah thanks.

meanwhile, i called around to find other prices for the 2 windows and was quoted well over $500 by the only other place i could find to answer. i guess Safelite really is the best price. *sigh*

i'm so mad and annoyed and violated. seriously, i'm more pissed about the car charger then anything else missing.. and of course the $425++ price tag!!

oh yeah and.. i'd spent $275 yesterday getting new brakes, fixing her alignment, etc.. and now this. Steve already told me i don't have to worry about getting him anything for Christmas. cuz $700++ for my car is enough to ruin any holiday season. good thing i have the yarn for everything i'm making for everyone...

My package arrived!

Owl post arrived this afternoon all the way from Tennessee. Agatha Vablatsky sent me a wonderful package and I'm definitely nominating her for Best Kit!

first the box all nice and packaged with a note on top.


all my goodies laid out!


Phoenix decided to take a sniff around to see what I was getting.


the book of patterns! it contained Minerva's Lucky Quidditch Socks (which have been in my Rav-queue for ages!), Go Gryffindor socks, and Minerva's Argyle Socks


the fantastic red and black stitch markers, Harmony 47" 2mm, Bodycology lotion in vanilla buttercream (perfect size for my knitting bag!) and a really cute Cats mini-calendar


the best part! haha... my favorite snacks cuz Agatha is AWEsome! Craisins, Sour Patch kids, Mint mojito Orbit gum and white chocolate Lindor numminess.


a close-up of the stitch markers - did you make these, Agatha??


the wonderful yarn goodies: the bag and scarf were crafted while Agatha was on the plane to and from her honeymoon... talk about good luck! and of course KP Essentials yarn in Gryffindor colors.


a close up of the scarf.. i want to learn to crochet now!

thank you so much for everything Agatha! i love love love it! the bag is the perfect size for small knitting projects to take to work with me. and now that it's freezing here in NC, i'll be making very good use of the scarf.

Last Quiz of the Semester!

Here it is... we're down to the last quiz of the semester. And my kit is done and all ready to get mailed out tomorrow morning to Ceciley. It's got lots of little bits of everything and hopefully she loves everything!

1. Who was Tom Riddle Sr.'s girlfriend before Merope gave him the love potion?
a. Eleanor
b. Cecilia
c. Sally
d. Mandy

2. What does Luna say floated into Harry's ear when he was in the train car that supposedly caused him to lose focus?
a. Demiguise
b. Jobberknoll
c. Wrackspurt
d. Runespoor

3. How much do the primary Apparition lessons cost?
a. 10 galleons
b. 8 galleons
c. 15 galleons
d. 12 galleons

4. What is Professor Merrythought's first name?
a. Eileen
b. Galatea
c. Carol
d. Jocelyn

5. What Hogwarts club was Eileen Prince captain of?
a. Charms Club
b. Gobstones Club
c. The Slug Club
d. Occlumency Club

6. Who is head of the Goblin Liaison office?
a. Ambrosius Flume
b. Dirk Cresswell
c. Ciceron Harkiss
d. Barnabas Cuffe

7. Mrs. Weasley offers Fleur a goblin-made tiara for the wedding with Bill. What family member is currently in possession of the tiara?
a. Aunt Muriel
b. Aunt Ethel
c. Aunt Edna
d. Aunt Thelma

8. How many points does Snape take from Gryffindor for Harry's late arrival and muggle attire?
a. 30
b. 70
c. 50
d. 90

9. When Profressory Slughorn first meets Hermione, he asks her whether she is related to Hector Dagworth-Granger. What society did Dgworth-Granger found?
a. The Most Extraordinary Society of Charms
b. The Most Extraordinary Society of Herbology
c. The Most Extraordinary Society of the Defense Against the Dark Arts
d. The Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers

10. Which of these describes Golpalott's Third Law?
a. The antidote for blended poison will be equal to less than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separate components
b. The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to less than the product of the antidotes for each of the separate compenents
c. The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the product of the antidotes for each of the separate compenents
d. The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separtea components

Swap Box Done!

So i finished my swap kit - finally! - for Ceciley. The problem is that now my lazy butt needs to wrap everything up and get to the post office. I sure wish they were open tomorrow. It's some sort of muggle holiday. It's also the 19th anniversary of my bat mitzvah. um, wow.. that means I'm old.

I'm not the best knitter, or the fastest, so I made 2 small things for Ceci. I really hope she likes them.. and all the tons of other things in her swap box! I haven't got a clue where my darn camera is.. and even less of a clue where the battery charger is....

I need to have my kitty Phoenix go round up some owls to carry the heavy box over to the Slytherin tower (in Tennessee) for Ceci...

HSKS6 Gryffindor Homework

Homework time! Looks like this week we've got an essay to complete. Well here goes...

1. Name your favorite magical creature, and describe why it is your favorite.
House elves.. well, more specifically Dobby. I adore how loyal and wonderful he is to Harry even though he belonged to the icky Malfoy family. He knew that Harry was good and the Malfoy's were bad from the beginning and kept trying to save Harry's life... even if he did get him into loads of trouble at home and school!

2. Tell us your favorite charm, spell or curse, and explain why you like it.
Lumos, because I just don't like walking around in the dark! I like to keep my wand around all the time and be able to turn a light on in an instant.

And of course, Muffiato, since I am a bit of a gossip (a yenta) and this way no one will overhear my friends and I.

3. Describe your favorite holiday family tradition - which holiday and what makes it special.
For Halloween, I always carve 2 or 3 pumpkins and then roast the seeds. This year I made a "standard" pumpkin face and a Jack pumpkin face (from The Nightmare Before Christmas). Jack was a huge hit with all my neighbors.

For Christmas, since I am Jewish, I have been celebrating it with my best friend and her family since 1993. I stay with them for about a week and on Christmas Eve, she and I wrap all the gifts and assemble whatever needs assembling for her little boys. And then we have gift opening around 7am at her house with breakfast and a second round at about 3pm at her parents house with an early dinner.

4. Name your favorite fiber-based (knitted, crocheted, or spun) finished object.
I call it my Flower Power hat in Ravelry, but it never received its' flower. I would wear this baby everywhere if I could. It's fairly open weave and made of yummy Malabrigo and for real, THE softest item I own. Plus it's a really simple and fast pattern.

HSKS6 Gryffindor Homework!

Homework time again! This time we had to decode a cipher. I admit that I needed a slight push in the right direction to solve this one, but got it shortly after. We were watching a crazy muggle movie, The Forbidden Kingdom, while I typed out the answer. The good thing is that I could predict some of the words after getting just a few letters.


The clue: "OFXMWPOZCP DLJD APZAWP QTYO TE QLC PLDTPC EZ QZCRTGP ZESPCD QZC MPTYR HCZYR ESL MPTYR CTRSE."

SPCXTZYP RCLYRPC

And my answer: “Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong tha[n] being right”

Hermione Granger

Bonus 1: Who became scarred and developed a taste for raw meat in Chapter 29 of HBP?
Bill Weasley began craving raw meat after Fenrir Greyback bit him. The bastard werewolf! At least now he can eat prime rib the way it should be cooked.. nice and rare.

Bonus 2: Who developed an antidote for a birthday present in Chapter 18 of HBP?
Technically it wasn't a birthday present. Ron was opening his birthday gifts in the dorm room when the Christmas gift Romilda Vane gave Harry fell into the pile. Ron thought they were his and ate a few not realizing they were spiked with love potion! Professor Slughorn gives Ron the antidote, then poisons him with the mead meant for Dumbledore! Luckily, Harry remembered the trick about the bezoar being a magical cure-all.

It's Quidditch Time again!

1. What animal does the portrait in the Muggle Prime Minster’s office resemble?
a. Rat
b. Frog
c. Cat
d. Lion

2. What drink does Romilda Vane try to give Harry?
a. Gillywater
b. Butterbeer
c. Pumpkin Juice
d. Elf-Made Wine

3. What is the name of the person who heads the Holyhead Harpies?
a. Gwenog Smith
b. Gwenog Jones
c. Glen Jones
d. Glen Smith

4. How many ‘Exceeds Expectation’ grades does Harry receive in his O.W.L’s?
a. 6
b. 3
c. 5
d. 4

5. What is Professor Sughorn’s favorite candy?
a. Cockroach Clusters
b. Sherbet Lemon
c. Acid Pops
d. Crystallized Pineapple

6. What tattoo is Harry reported to have on his chest?
a. Mermaid
b. Blast Ended Skrewt
c. Hippogriff
d. Unicorn

7. What color robes do the staff at the Weasley’s shop wear?
a. Buttercup
b. Magenta
c. Royal Blue
d. Aqua

8. What is the man outside Flourish and Blotts selling?
a. Amulets
b. Cloaks
c. Wands
d. Hats

9. How much is the skull, which Hermione enquires about at Borgin and Burkes, worth?
a. 9 Galleons
b. 18 Galleons
c. 16 Galleons
d. 12 Galleons

10. What are Professor Slughorn’s initials?
a. H.F.G.
b. H.E.F.
c. H.A.L.
d. H.K.D.

howdy pardner!

hey, just getting into the lingo for our staff retreat. yup, that'd be to a dude ranch. however, 1 thing i failed to grasp is the lack of internet or even phone access! *cringe* no contact with the outside world for nearly 3 days... no talking to Steve at least once a day. no quick 2 minutes email checks on my phone. it's a scary prospect to be disconnected for that long. well, for me at least.

on the flip side, it's going to be the 23 full time staffers enjoying the outdoors. and each others company, for nearly 3 full days. there will be horseback riding (though, not for me!) and fishing and camp fires and s'mores and karaoke and steak dinners and beer and wine and and and... :o) i'll be fishing with Patsy and a few others while the rest of the staffers go horseback riding. no way am i getting on a horse! pretty to look at and pet and feed, but no thank you.

no internet, but i'm still SODAMN excited!

More homework!

What a fun homework assignment! I love word scramble's and crosswords. Yay! So here we go, my next homework assignment for HSKS6...

1. At what are Hogwarts students allowed to swear loudly if venomous tentacula attempts to strangle them?
2. An animal form protector charm is a patronus.
3. Who is the potions master in HBP? Horace Slughorn
4. What is Aragog? An acromantula
5. Who is imperiused and cursed by a necklace in HBP? Katie Bell
6. What does Harry destroy in HBP? horcruxes
7. Draught of living death is comprised of ? wormwood, asphodel, valerian roots, and a single Sopophorous Bean (crushed with the flat side of a silver dagger
8. What potion can reverse the draught of living death? Wiggenweld

And of course I took advantage of the bonus question...
Who is R. A. B.? Presumably, it is Regulus A Black, Sirius' younger brother and a known death eater. He loaned Kreacher to Voldie to place the locket horcrux. and later removed the horcrux and replaced it with a fake locket.

Hogsmeade Trip!

So this weekend was the 1st Hogsmeade trip of the semester! I ran into Honeydukes for some yummy treats for myself. My favorites are definitely Droobles Best Blowing Gum since I loooove gum! Afterthat, I wandered in an out of the stores buying some more parchment, quills, and of course some ice cream at

I sat in the Three Broomsticks drinking butterbeer and knitting with Hermione Granger. I thought I'd get started on some Christmas gifts and she came over to sit with me when she saw I was knitting. she was working on some projects for S.P.E.W. We had a great time! She is such a sweetheart.

I ended the day by wandering back up to Hogwarts for an early dinner and then homework in the Gryffindor common room. What a great weekend!

new ink!

I went to dinner with a friend and her hubby tonight. Our plan was to get food, then go get our tattoo designs priced to come back on Saturday to get inked. Well, the plan changed about 5 minutes after pricing them... we decided to stay and get inked! Yup, below are some pictures in the progression of my newest inking. It's my 5th and I just love it.

Gryffindor Quiz #1

Am I the first???

What yarn shop did Henry Longstaff shop at for yarn?
Mrs Mac's

Who is the HSKS6 SPEW coordinator?
Clidonia Acromantula

Which Gryff student just returned from London?
Lady Felula the Forgetful

Which Gryffindor has cats named after the muggle rock band, The Ramones?
Dagmara Grindelwald

What is your favorite childhood television program (Magic or Muggle)?
Smurfs or Fraggle Rock

What is your favorite adult television program (Magic or Muggle)?
Lost or Heroes

Which travel destination did you last visit?
Pittsburgh, PA to visit one of my best friends and her brand new fiance

What was your last finished object (FO)?
ummmm... toddler socks - the blue ones on my Ravelry (msrib) projects list

How many project(s) planned for holiday gifts? How many do you expect to actually finish and give?
far too many, but i have 1 and a half done already.. dunno if my best friend will get her stuff on time or late like last year

Who is the mother of Half Blood Prince?
Eileen Prince

Which Weasley became engaged in Book 6 (Half Blood Prince)?
Bill to Fleur

What is the result of a Sectumsempra curse?
Cuts the target like with a sword

Who used a Bezoar to reverse poisoning?
Harry when Ron drank poisoned mead

Muggle Marriages

The muggle side of me is getting married. We don't have a date yet, but there's so much to do that there's plenty of time. Plus, we're moving into our 1st place together in a few weeks. Yippee!

I'm heavily leaning towards an Asian theme with orchids in the bouquets, lucky bamboo favors, Japanese lanterns twinkling around the yard (my parents), and possibly parasols for the ceremony during the daylight to block the Miami sun. My dress has been purchased (scroll down a bit to see it) and my girls and I are looking into a few choices for their dresses. *gasp* they get to choose!


In other news, I received 2 badges in HSKS6! And I've been buying all sorts of fun gifts for my spoilee, Ceciley Fortescue, and just have to come up with/ decide upon a super cool pattern to knit for her.

Phoenix

My kitty is a big help with my homework and knitting. He loves to grab the yarn in his paws and curl up on the balls of yarn in my stash. Too bad he's not so hot with arithmancy and charms and potions though.

Time for Quidditch! round 1

It's Quidditch time over at HSKS6.. Here's my quiz answers and a few pictures at the bottom.


1. At the beginning of the book, Cornelius Fudge is talking to the Muggle Prime Minister. Which member of the Order of the Phoenix has recently been found dead?
c. Emmeline Vance

2. What animal does Bellatrix Lestrange kill when she and her sister, Narcissa, are going to see Professor Snape?
b. Fox

3. What time does Professor Dumbledore collect Harry from Privet Drive?
b. 11 p.m.

4. What did Professor Sluhorn transform into when he was trying to hide from Harry and Professor Dumbledore?
a. An armchair

5. What grade did Harry get for Herbology?
a. E – Exceeds Expectation

6. Herbert Chorley, the Prime Minister’s Junior Minster, has been entertaining the public by impersonating which animal?
b. A duck

7. What is Professor Sprout’s first name?
d. Pomona

8. What is Dumbledore’s idea of ‘a few words’?
d. nitwit, oddment, blubber and tweak

9. Who is Marcus Belby’s famous uncle?
b. Damocles

10. What is Snape’s mother’s name?
b. Eileen Prince

Pictures
Post pictures to your blogs or link to the pictures from your blog post.

Narcissa

Snape

Bellatrix

Professor Sprout

Professor Dumbledore

Hogwarts School Photos

It's picture day! *squee*

This is my most recent picture from Labor Day weekend. I was helping one of my friends with her wedding dress shopping. So of course, I had to try on tiara's and other fun stuff.

~Astrid

HSKS6 Questionnaire

Potter Name: Astrid Cloverleaf
Rav ID: MsRIB
I am allergic to: mangos (bad allergy!)
Pets that I have: a big fat orange cat, Phoenix
My favorite yarn: hrmm.. Malabrigo and anything superwash. My latest obsession is sock yarn
If you are a Ravenclaw, do you prefer the film colors or the book colors? n/a, but if I were, I like the movie colors more
My favorite flavor: hrmm... gum: Orbit Mint Mojito, chocolate: light or whait (no dark!), perfume/ oil stuff: vanilla, food: sweet and sour (think sour patch kids)
My favorite holiday: Halloween
I would like to receive a: Sock kit
List your favorite brand of needles or hooks, including size and length: I prefer circ's of the 47" variety and just adore the KnitPicks nickel-plated. The only small sizes I'm missing is 0 (2.0mm) and 5 (3.75mm) - I have the interchangable cables already
Is there a brand that you are dying to try? KP Harmonies, but I'm certainly open to other brands...
I've participated in HSKS: never, I'm a 1st year! *squeeek*
Do you have a birthday during this swap? If so which day? yep.. September 16th (3 days from now!) and I'll be... older ;o)

Hey guys!

Yep, I'm back and raring to go. It seems that this blog only gets touched when I have a swap or something going on in the knitting/ crafting world.

This time it's the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap. I have been sorted into Gryffindor and my Hogwarts name is Astrid Cloverleaf. Go Go Gryffinfor! RAWRRR!

Yes, I am a dork.
and, of course, my new avatar: