Sunday, December 31, 2006

I'm so Spoiled - Part 2

Hello again!! Remember in my last post where I said I was glad to have the Holiday Hustle and Bustle over with? I guess I was just fooling myself into thinking it was over, because it clearly wasn't. We've had parties and get-togethers keeping us busy most of the week. On Tuesday our holiday obligations will finally be finished and our lives can get back to normal. And hopefully, my blogging can get back to normal as well!!

I thought I'd wrap up 2006 by posting the rest of my knitterly Christmas gifts. I supposed my loved ones are more convinced this year that the knitting "will stick" . . . . as opposed to being a fad that passes a few months after I throw myself into it. (Yes, yes, I may be known for that!!) There were quite a few knitting gifts under the tree this year!

The first batch is from Pea. Knitterly gifts found their way under the tree and also into my stocking! My stocking held the mini Kacha counter, the Chibi and the Lantern Moon black sheep tape measure. Since our stockings are so big, the latest issue of knit.1 was also tucked in there!! And under the tree I found the Heal My Hands I'd been hoping for, all four sizes of the Knit Picks DPNs and enough Cinnamon Andean Silk to knit A Cardigan for Arwen!! He also picked out a great skein of sock yarn . . . . which I may have cast-on while eating breakfast on Christmas morning. (I just couldn't resist!!) It's the new Austermann Step, (I've got color-way 01 -laub). This is the new yarn with aloe vera and jojoba right in it to soften your feet (and your hands while knitting). I wondered if such a thing would really work, as my fingers do get very dry and chapped as I knit. So far, that hasn't happened while working with this yarn, and it is very nice to knit with. No splitting or anything, it just runs smoothly over the needles. I can't wait to see how it wears.

Up next, some gifts from my parents and my best friend. My mom buys me a page-a-day calendar each year, and last year I asked for the Knitting Pattern A Day version. As it turned out, the patterns it contained weren't really to my taste, so the only request I had this year was that I DIDN'T get that one! She did a great job in choosing the Stitch 'n Bitch calendar - I can't wait to see what's in there. (Yes, I'm one of those people who thinks it's a sin to look ahead in the calendar. I won't even take it out of the box until tomorrow.) She also surprised me by picking out some yarn! I told her I'd always figured she'd never try, because she would think she didn't know what to pick. (Although I have to say, almost any yarn is good yarn, and you can always find a project for any amount!!) She did admit that it took her a very, very long time, but look how great she did!! A skein of Lana Grossa self-patterning sock wool that will be very entertaining to knit up, and a skein of Noro Kureyon! I've been dying to try some Noro, and I've been surfing around looking for the perfect project for this ball of yarn. I've got several possibilities, but think I've settled on the Kristina bag. I love the look of it, and I know I would get a lot of use out of it. It would also push me to finally try my hand at color-work! Lastly, the two books on the right are from my best friend. A Good Yarn is a knitting novel, perfect for when my hands need a bit of a rest. And the new book One-Skein Wonders! I had just been flipping through that book at Barnes & Noble and had planned to keep it in mind when my birthday rolls around. I was thrilled not to have to wait all the way until May for it!! I looked through it quite a bit yesterday, and it is filled with great patterns. One of the best things about it is that the chapters are arranged by yarn weights, so when you find a random ball of yarn in your stash, you can flip to the chapter that matches it's weight and ponder your options!

I guess I've got plenty to keep me inspired for knitting in the New Year! I want to thank you all for your friendship and comments in 2006. I consider myself very lucky to have stumbled into the world of blogging and to have met such loving and supportive friends. I look forward to sharing another year with you all!

Have a wonderful time tonight, and if you venture out to celebrate, please be sure to be safe. Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

I'm so spoiled - Part 1

Well, I must admit, it sure does feel nice to have the Holiday Hustle and Bustle over with. Pea is on vacation this week, so we are doing some major relaxing and some little chores around the house.

Christmas was wonderful, and I thought I'd share my knitterly gifts with you. (Well, I'm not really SHARING them, but you can look at them!!) The first one was a super surprise gift that arrived on my doorstep on Saturday. I knew from the return address that it was from Melissa!! I suppose I should have put it under the tree until Christmas, but I tore right into it. Look what was in the box.

Oooh, a snowman! I love snowmen! But wait, look what was inside the snowman box!

Honestly, I opened the box and was so overwhelmed. You can click on the pictures for a larger view of everything. There is a lovely Musical Love Charm chime, some sweet Hershey treats (which Pea claims are meant for him), and the cutest little sock blocker key-chain sporting a "chocolate covered cherries" sock Missy knit herself!! And the yarn . . . click the picture on the right to see the yarn better. A beautiful 500+ yard skein of Brooklyn Handspun in "Understated" that is so pretty. I'm going to have a tough time finding a project worthy of this gorgeous yarn!! (Missy knew Pea had ordered something for me from Scout and didn't want to send the same thing!!) The last thing in the box touched me so much, I burst into tears. It's a bundle of mistletoe!!! Remember in the holiday meme I said my mistletoe had fallen apart and I hadn't been able to replace it? She replaced it for me.

It was a wonderful and thoughtful start to my holiday, and made me feel more special than I could ever deserve. Thank you so much, Missy!!

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Check another one off!!!

Okay, I didn't finish the socks last night. Or this morning. Why? Well, Blogger let me switch to Beta (or New Blogger, since I guess it's out of Beta testing) and it took me all day to figure out how to get my highly customized template formatting to work. I was mostly successful, and the few tweaks that need to be finished can wait until after Christmas. At least, that's what I keep trying to convince myself - although I get really addicted to all of this formatting stuff.

In any case, I did manage to get another project off the needles. DON'T CLICK THE PICTURE IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO WILL BE RECEIVING A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FROM ME!!!Everyone else, please click the gold package to see what just came off the needles.

Four days to go, and here's how the list is looking.

  • Flower Cloth
  • Daisy Socks
  • Baby Sweater
  • Fetching
  • Socks
  • Fetching
  • Slippers
  • Fetching

No rest for the weary. I'm off to cast on another pair of Fetchings.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

More Mitts

I think just about everyone is knitting some Fetching mitts for Christmas.The gray pair are the ones I knit up for myself during Skate America. I've been wearing them non-stop and love them, except for my picot cuff. So on my Christmas knitting pairs, I am opting for a plain bind off. The maroon pair is for my MIL, and I'm very happy with how it came out. Let's hope she is too.

So, with less than a week to go, here's where the list stands.

  • Flower Cloth
  • Daisy Socks
  • Baby Sweater
  • Fetching
  • Socks - will be done tonight, oh yes, no matter what!!!
  • Fetching - will start tomorrow
  • Slippers - almost there, maybe I can crank them out tomorrow
  • Fetching - don't need to be gifted until 12/30, so I can worry about these next week.

I absolutely can't wait to cast on some STR and knit myself a new pair of ribbed socks. I think that's what I'll be doing Christmas night!!

In other crafting news, as I wrapped presents today we ran out of gift tags. So, I used my new sticker maker and my graphics program to whip up some home-made ones!! I think they came out really cute. Here's a little sample of how they'll look.

Monday, December 18, 2006

One week to go . . .

A week from now, it will all be over. To tell you the truth, I think I'll be pretty relieved a week from now. Provided, of course, I finish my Christmas knitting. Right now I'm flip-flopping between being sure I'll be finished within the next few days, and panicking that it won't be done by Christmas. So, to distract myself from the pressure, I thought I'd do the MeMe I saw on Missy's blog.

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
I really love Egg Nog, but until they make a sugar-free version, I have to just remember it fondly. I like Hot (sugar-free)Chocolate, but I'd much rather have coffee.

Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
When we were little, he always just put them under the tree. But now he wraps them!

Colored lights on tree/house or white?
White. I love white icicle lights for the house, and lots of white, non-flashing lights for the tree.

Do you hang mistletoe?
I used to, until the mistletoe I had fell apart. If I could find more, I'd start hanging it again. I also used to wear a Santa hat with mistletoe tucked in the brim.

When do you put your decorations up?
When ever I get around to it. Usually mid-December.

What is your favorite holiday dish?
Spiral sliced ham. Yum!!

Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Every year my father would have us wait upstairs while he went to turn on the lights and check if Santa came. Every year, he would come back upstairs and tell us that Santa DIDN'T come - and we would rush past him and run downstairs to our presents!!

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't remember, so I guess it wasn't that traumatic. I do remember my little brother was quoted as saying "The kids at school say there is no Santa, but I know there is. There's no way my mom would buy me all those toys!!"

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes. We go to my uncle's and I open a gift from them and from my cousin. Then we go to a family friend's house, and I open a gift (or two) from them too!

How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Pea puts all the lights on, but I usually do the ornaments myself. I *ahem* kind of like them hung in a certain way. (OCD takes no break for Christmas!!)

Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Yuck, dread it. Although if I don't have to go outside, it is kind of pretty when it first falls.

Can you ice skate?
I can go forward, and usually stop without falling. You would think after all of the hours I spend watching figure skating, some of it would sink it. But it doesn't.

Do you remember your favorite gift?
That's a tough one, because I always get so spoiled!! I think I have a new favorite each year.

What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
The special magic that seems to be in the air at Christmas time.

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Christmas cookies!!! It is actually what I have for breakfast on Christmas morning.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Having the cookies for breakfast.

What tops your tree?
A star.

Which do you prefer: giving or receiving?
Do I have to pick one? I love them both!!

What is your favorite Christmas Song?
The Carol of the Bells

Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Yummy

Friday, December 15, 2006

What it looks like when Christmas throws up.

It's been a while since I mentioned my strange new neighbors. For the most part, we've decided they aren't too bad. They aren't as loud as they used to be. Although they are somewhat weird, they do seem to be pretty nice most of the time. When pruning a tree, they came over to let us know they would come clean up any branches that fell into our yard. And they have invited us to a few picnics they were having.

So I feel somewhat guilty making fun of them . . . . but not guilty enough not to do it!! I'd been wanting to blog about their Christmas display for a while. And as soon as I caught wind of the XXmas Contest, I knew I had to snap some covert photos and share with everyone.

You see, my new neighbor told another neighbor that they are really excited to be spending their first Christmas in their own home. Now if it were me, I'd show my pride by choosing some tasteful decorations to really make my new home shine. You know, sometimes less is more. But I suppose, in their opinion, MORE is more.

When Christmas throws up I
Click the pictures to read the notes!!
When Christmas throws up II
I honestly don't think they could fit one more think on the lawn . . . . or porch . . . . or roof, for that matter. (I had to post two pictures just to fit it all in!!) Unfortunately, the pictures don't do it justice - it is much more cluttered and tacky in real life!! I shutter to think what their next electric bill will look like! On the up-side, we can keep our living room lights off and still have a nice soft glow from all the wattage on their lawn!!

So, now that I've finished my snarky Grinchy post, I'm going to check on Pea. We've been together for 7 1/2 years, and today was the first day since I've know him that he called in sick to work. He even had a 101.6 fever, poor guy. Although I suppose it's better to get it over with now so he won't be sick for Christmas.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

It happens every year.

Each December, I set out to find a small tree for our living room. As I search for my cute little tree, I try really hard to remember that the tree will look much bigger in my little house. I remember that a tree taller than me is really bigger than what I have in mind. And each year, I end up with a HUGE tree that barely fits in it's corner. This year was no exception.

The star is about 6 inches from the ceiling. Of course, I do love this tree, but next year I'm bringing a tape measure with me!!!

Monday, December 11, 2006

Thank you, DIY!!!

There was a knock at the door today, so I answered expecting to find the house-painters with a question. To my surprise, it was the Fed-Ex man, with a box addressed to me from DIY. I immediately called Pea, just to make sure it wasn't a Christmas gift that I wasn't supposed to open yet. After getting the green light from him, I ripped into it to find these.

You see, I have been entering the DIY Craftnanza Giveaway every day, and I seem to have won one of the daily give-aways!! One box is an Adhesive Runner, and the other is a Sticker Creator. Hmm, have they been reading my blog? They must have known I've been getting into all of the card making stuff!! I hadn't heard of these things before, but they look really neat. I especially can't wait to try out the Sticker Maker!! These DIY people must be psychic!! Thank you, DIY, for an early Christmas present. You sure made my day!

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Busy weekend and a hat.

Whew, what a busy weekend. Yesterday we went to the casino with friends - and won enough to pay for our food and drinks. It was great to come home with the same amount of money that we had left home with! Today we got our Christmas tree, and then I took Pea to see a movie he's been dying to go see. Can I just say, before we went, I didn't quite see the appeal of this new Bond. Less than five minutes into the movie I had totally changed my mind. This guy is my favorite Bond yet. By far. I think I'm still swooning.

Pea got a really good laugh at me on the way to dinner after the movie. One of the main ladies of this film is named Vesper. Which, unbeknownst to Pea, immediately makes me think of sock yarn. So, as we talked about the movie, I said something about "Vesper's sock phone"!!!! Yes, I meant to say cell phone. Those Freudian slips are slipping in again!

Anyway, I do have some knitting to share. I finished my hat for the Soaring Eagles Project.


Chunky Cabled Beanie
Cast On: 6 December 2006
Completed: 7 December 2006
Yarn: Wool-Ease Chunky, Charcoal
Needles: Knit Picks Options size 10 1/2 (magic looped)

This was a fun and very quick knit. The picture isn't the best, but it makes a really cute hat with bulky yarn. I had forgotten how much fun it could be to knit a project on 10 1/2 needles. I also managed to teach myself to cable without a cable needle (so fun!!!). If I do finish the Christmas knitting already on my list, I'd like to make a couple more of these as presents. The chances are slim, but we'll see. You can find out more about Soaring Eagles by clicking the button below!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Wow!!

Thank you all so much for the enthusiasm about my yarn!! I'm quite anxious to see how it knits up, but I'll have to wait until after my Christmas knitting is done. For those of you who asked, here is my recipe:

  • Tan - two packets of Tamarindo with a sprinkle of Grape
  • Blue - 7 packets of Ice Blue Raspberry, the rest of the packet of Grape and a little sprinkle of Cherry
  • Burgundy - 2 packets of Cherry, 1 packet of Watermelon Cherry, 1 packet Tropical Punch and a half packet of Grape
Not very scientific, it's just important to sprinkle in some grape or cherry to tone down the day-glo quality of the Kool-Aid. I dip-dye the yarn, because we *gasp* don't have a microwave.

I've taken a little break from my Christmas knitting to knit for a couple of good causes. The first is my square for Comforting Jenn - I took the picture before it was blocked . . . I don't know why!


(Click the photo for details)

It's all knit up and ready to become part of an afghan for a woman who has had more sorrow in her life than anyone should have to bear. I hope it brings her some comfort. You can find out more about the afghan here:


I've also finished a hat for another very special cause, but I'll save that for my next post. My wonderful Pea was kind enough to kiss me good-night even though he was sick with a cold. Thanks honey, just what I needed. I'm off to the couch for some tea and a nap. *sniff, cough*

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Am I getting on your nerves yet?

Can you stand one more crafty thing from me? I don't know what's gotten into me lately. Last week I dragged out the Kool-Aid and dyed a skein of yarn.

It didn't come out exactly how I had intended, but I like it a lot. I told Pea he'd know right away what my inspiration was, and the minute he looked at it he said "July at the Beach???". Which, of course, was totally wrong. The inspiration was SUPPOSED to be our house if it EVER gets finished in my lifetime when it's all done. The siding is tan, the trim will be white, and I plan to use navy blue and burgundy for accents on the porch and some of the trim. But he's right, it did come out more patriotic than I had intended. Pea thought it was very Tommy Hilfiger. (Didn't Ralph Lauren have a red, white and blue collection too? I thought so, but couldn't find any pictures on-line. I guess Pea won the designer debate.) In any case, I'm quite happy with the shades I managed to mix up, and I can't wait to re-stock my Kool-Aid stash and see what else I can come up with.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Time for Knit-mas Carols

I was cruising through Bloglines last week when I came across Purl's post. She has declared herself the official broadcaster of Christmas Knitting Carols!!! It's such a cute idea, and I've enjoyed seeing what she and her other readers have come up with. Since I live for this stuff, I immediately wrote my own Christmas Knitting Carol and sent it off to her. She posted it today, so I thought I'd share it here as well.

GOD REST YE MERRY KNITTING HANDS

God rest ye merry Knitting Hands, let nothing you dismay,
I'm sure all of your hand-knit gifts, will be done by Christmas Day,
Just one more scarf, and then some socks knit in soft wool of gray,

oh-a hand massage would bring you such joy, bring you such joy
oh-a hand massage would bring you such joy!!

Hhhmmm, wonder where I got the inspiration for that song? Speaking of which, I'm off to do some more gift knitting. But before I go, I realized I was so tired when I wrote yesterday's post about the baby sweater, I forgot to write up my project info. For those of you who have asked, you can find it here.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Don't you rememeber you told me you loved me, baaa-beeee?

Believe it or not, another gift knit is DONE!!! The baby sweater is bound off, blocked, seamed, and gifted. While working on it, I could not stop singing Superstar. I'm not a Carpenter's fan, but the fact that a whole line of lyrics was comprised of Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby has always cracked me up. It's like they ran out of something to say.

But I digress. The sweater came out so cute! My hairdresser (the new mom) loved it and admitted that she was hoping I would knit something for the baby. She said she couldn't wait to go home and try it on the little guy.Again, I channeled Martha Stewart when wrapping. I decided to use a receiving blanket as wrapping paper.And made a little gift card . . . . complete with one of those little bears from the first issue of IK I ever bought.I seem to have become slightly obsessed with stamping and card making. I've been amassing some supplies and used my Borders Rewards points to score a great card making book for free!!! I whipped up this little card this morning for a birthday party we went to today.Just what I needed, right? Another hobby to distract me from my gift knitting list. Here's where it stands now.

  • Flower Cloth
  • Daisy Socks
  • Baby Sweater
  • Fetching
  • Socks
  • Fetching
  • Slippers
  • Fetching

Thursday, November 30, 2006

I wish I had known.

I couldn't sleep this morning, so I got up at 5am and spent some time with my knitting. I bound off the neckband of the baby sweater (that's right, just need to seam the arms and sew on the buttons!!!) I knit a few inches on the sock,which I am doing in Magic Loop for the first time. I didn't even read a tutorial. I figured doing socks on two circs had pretty much taught me what I needed to know, so I just cast on and started knitting. And I thought about how far I've come, knitting wise. This time last year I hadn't even knit a whole sock!!

I then thought about things I wish I had known when I was just starting to knit. I think my biggest one would have been this - Don't waste your money building a complete set of straight needles. When I started knitting, I started buying straight needles in every size. Now I never even use them!!! I didn't realize that anything you can knit on straight needles, you can knit on circulars. It seems so obvious now, but I never even thought about it. Of course, had someone tried to tell me that, I probably would have stubbornly insisted that I loved straight needles, and gone about buying them all up. Some things you just need to learn for yourself.

So, what is your big I Wish I Had Known fact?? Tell me in a comment, or post it to your blog and I will come and read it!!

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

All about Scout!!

I guess I'm just a shameless groupie . . . . . but don't we all just love Scout??? The yarn (I could max out my credit cards on the yarn alone), the swag (just about everything on that page is on my Christmas Wish List!!), the cool club (I've shamelessly stalked the mailman each month when I know it's time for it to arrive!!).

Aside from the unabashed gushing, it's time to show you my latest pair of socks. The Daisy Socks, knit with the colorway Scout created especially for my Walk-A-Thon.

Daisy Socks
Pattern: magKNITficent 'No Sugar Added' Sock Pattern, which also supports the ADA. Go check it out!!
Suppies: Daisies yarn and Knit Picks size 2 DPNs
Cast On: October 16, 2006
Completed: November 25, 2006

I love everything about these socks. I love the way the white makes a little swirl down the legs and feet. I love the stripes on the heels and toes. I love the cheerful colors. I can't wait to wear them . . . . but I will. These beauties are getting ready to fly off to Scout, and accompany her on her upcoming Knitty Gritty appearance!! Isn't that cool? Oh how I wish we got DIY here.

Now, to wrap up my All About Scout post, I will partake of Scout’s Meme:
  • How and when did you learn how to knit/crochet? Who taught you? - I guess I've been really knitting for about a year and a half. I (mostly) taught myself.
  • How has this craft impacted your life? (besides financially!) - Well, knitting led me to blogging. And blogging made me realize how much I love computers, and led me to my little graphics gig. And that has made me realize that I can design things to other people's specifications. And because of that, I will soon be taking web-design courses, and some day launching a new career!!
  • Pick at least one person to talk about who you have met through the knit-world and why you are thankful to have met them. Feel free to get all mushy. - The hardest part about this is trying to pick just one. I have made so many real friends in the knit-blog world. Some I have been lucky enough to meet in real life. But today I'll talk about Melissa. Almost a day doesn't go by without us e-mailing each other . . . about knitting, about our families, about our day in general, about anything we can thing of. She's always there to commiserate, bounce ideas off of, and often tempt each other with the latest knitting stuff we are pining over. She's sweet and encouraging and such a wonderful friend - and I don't know what I'd do without her. (Well, you said I could get all mushy!!)

Oh, one last thing! Let's revisit THE LIST!!
  • Flower Cloth
  • Daisy Socks
  • Baby Sweater
  • Fetching
  • Socks
  • Fetching
  • Slippers
  • Fetching

Monday, November 27, 2006

Is it Monday night already??

I really didn't intend to be away from the computer all weekend, but somehow it just worked out that way. Thanksgiving was fun and we didn't eat TOO much. Saturday was my 20th (?????) High School Reunion. (How can it be 20 years already??) I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. My best friend (since 6th grade) and her husband were able to make the trip down from New Hampshire, so I knew even if it was lame, Pea and I would have a great time with them. (Luckily, it wasn't lame!!) It was weird to see people who looked familiar, and suddenly remember their names after all these years. People I used to be friends with, but hadn't thought about in years. A few people I had known since kindergarten. Of course, as a special kind of hell, they printed up name-tags for us that had our high school photos on them. The '80s were not the best time, fashion and hair-wise!!

Over the long weekend, some knitting also got done. A few of my Delusional Deadline projects are now complete. First off is the Flower Washcloth.


Done, blocked and gifted to my best friend yesterday. I wish I had gotten a picture of the whole gift once it was put together, but I was lucky I remembered to snap this picture before she took everything home. The pattern is from Weekend Knitting, and it's the same cloth I've knit before, but this time I used the chenille yarn suggested in the pattern. I use the cotton flowers as dishcloths, but the chenille makes a nice washcloth. I picked up a bunch of yummy bath stuff and lotions at Bath and Body Works so she can pamper herself. She really needs it, with one son in kindergarten and a nine month old at home!! This was certainly a big hit!!

So, to re-cap my project list:

  • Flower Cloth
  • Daisy Sock
  • Baby Sweater
  • Fetching
  • Socks
  • Fetching
  • Slippers
  • Fetching
The Daisy socks are almost dry, so that will give me another one to cross off tomorrow. And I made great progress on the Baby Sweater over the weekend as well. Hmmmmm, maybe I can fit a couple more projects in!!

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Channeling Martha Stewart

I laughed pretty hard when I saw the comment MissyJoon left on my last post asking if I've been hanging out in Westport with Martha Stewart. Given that I'm here in Connecticut, that isn't such a stretch, but no, Martha and I have not been spending time together. I've been making my Christmas cards all on my own. Here's how I did it.

First, stamp 'em. The inside too.

Let 'em dry. Then add some color.

Don't forget to sign the back.

And voilà, Christmas cards!!!


Not too bad for my first try, even if they are a little basic. I hope to continue my card making tradition every Christmas, and work up to more and more elaborate cards each year.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Delusional Deadline Knitting

I may be delusional, but for some reason I have myself convinced I have plenty of time to do some gift knitting. Of course, this means that once the Daisy socks are done, there will be no more knitting for myself going on until 2007. Yikes!!

(Oh, and did I mention I also decided I'd like to make my own Christmas cards and gift packaging? At least the cards are almost done.)

First up, a reverse-bloom flower washcloth and a baby sweater that need to be done for this weekend and next weekend respectively.

Then, Fetching, socks, Fetching, slippers, and . . . oh, Fetching.

With five weeks to go, I'm thinking I should be able to pull this all off. And maybe even slip in a couple of felted purses for my cousin's daughters? Yup, delusional. At least I've got all my materials together.

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Did you spot the lie??

I've always thought I was a terrible liar, but maybe I'm not so bad !! Only one person guessed which one was the lie. (Did she spot the lie because she is my long lost twin? Or did she spot the loop-hole in the story with her savvy legal skills?) In any case, here are the real stories.

Pea and I met on a blind date . . . sort of. He was on a blind date with another girl at the restaurant where I was a waitress. As I waited on them I could tell it was not going well. I couldn't understand why, because he seemed so cute and nice. A week later he came back alone and asked me if I'd like to go out some time. And the rest is history! - This one was the lie!! I feel kind of bad, because so many of you loved this story of how Pea and I met. Some day I'll tell you the real story of how we met, which is also cute, but not as good as this one. And by the way, I am far too uncoordinated to have ever been a waitress!!

I've been on television several times. My most "famous" appearance was in a commercial - but only my legs were seen. The Statue of Liberty was photo-shopped to be wearing a mini-skirt, and my legs were dropped in! - Although this was the most popular pick as my lie, it is absolutely true!! (But I now have a complex about what you guys must think of my legs!!) It would help to recall that the job of 15 years that I quit last November was in the advertising department of our local cable company. My good friend was one of the commercial producers. He filmed me in front of a blue screen wearing short shorts, and my legs now belong to the Statue of Liberty. The commercial was for a varicose vein center. Apparently, once the Statue of Liberty had her varicose veins removed she could proudly shed the long, flowing skirt!!

My first experience with jury duty was quite an exciting one. While we were dismissed for our lunch break, there was a shooting in a nearby sandwich shop. I watched the shooter be chased down the street by the police and handcuffed to a light-pole. Several prospective jurors ended up appearing in court as witnesses to the shooting! - Oh yes, this is true!! The courthouse is in one of the most notoriously dangerous cities in Connecticut, and I was kind of nervous about the whole thing. My mom assured me it was perfectly safe during the day, and that the streets would be filled with business people. That is usually the case, and this was a once in a lifetime kind of thing - but it's just my luck that it would happen the day I was there! I also had a tough time getting home, because the street for the one route I knew was blocked off for investigation for the rest of the day!!

This little meme was a lot of fun . . . but don't worry, I think I'll stick to telling the truth.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Time for more squares.

One of my favorite things about knit-bloggers is how compassionate and generous they all are. When faced with a good cause, they never fail to pitch in. Well, there is another blanket being put together for someone who has had a REALLY rough time, and I hope you'll consider knitting a square for it.



Please read this post by my good pal Cathy, and please let her know you can send her a square. I know we're all getting busy with the holidays fast approaching, but there is alway time to knit up a small 8 inch square. And Jenn will certainly need to feel some extra love this Christmas.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Nothing to post about . . .

Do you ever get that feeling that you need to blog a post, but you've got nothing good to say? I keep forgetting to have Pea get a picture of me wearing the Fetching Mitts, and I can't exactly model them and take a picture at the same time. As far as knitting goes, I'm still working on the same two WIPs - Clapotis and the Daisy Socks. Nothing new to see there. As for the weekend, I went to see another skating show with my mom, but I'm sure you are all tired of hearing about those by now. And on Sunday we went on a wine tasting tour to three local vineyards, but since I forget my camera it wouldn't make for a very interesting post.

So, what's a girl to do? A Meme , of course! JessaLu tagged me with Two Truths and a Lie months ago (I bet you thought I forgot, Jess!!). So here goes - can you spot the lie? Leave your guesses in the comment section!

Pea and I met on a blind date . . . sort of. He was on a blind date with another girl at the restaurant where I was a waitress. As I waited on them I could tell it was not going well. I couldn't understand why, because he seemed so cute and nice. A week later he came back alone and asked me if I'd like to go out some time. And the rest is history!

I've been on television several times. My most "famous" appearance was in a commercial - but only my legs were seen. The Statue of Liberty was photo-shopped to be wearing a mini-skirt, and my legs were dropped in!

My first experience with jury duty was quite an exciting one. While we were dismissed for our lunch break, there was a shooting in a nearby sandwich shop. I watched the shooter be chased down the street by the police and handcuffed to a light-pole. Several prospective jurors ended up appearing in court as witnesses to the shooting!

If you'd like to post your own lies and truth, consider yourself tagged. And let me know, so I can come make my guess.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Fall and Spring meet!!

It's been cold here, and the leaves have turned pretty colors and are falling from the trees. But today, it's actually made it to 70 degrees! I'm certainly not going to complain about the mild weather. It feels like there's a bit of Spring in the Fall! Which brings me to my two current favorite sock yarns, dyed by the talented Scout.

On the left, most definitely Fall, is Socktoberfest. It arrived the other day, and was a prize from Blogger Bingo!! I was so thrilled and surprised to find out I had won, and was so excited to learn that my prize is the very Scout yarn I had been pining for.

And there on the right, just screaming Spring, is the start of my Daisy sock!! I love the way the yarn pooled to create a white spiral down the leg. The inspiration pictures I had sent to Scout were of daisies with rays of sunlight shining down on them. So how cool is it that my sock has a "ray of light" shining down the leg? I know, I'm so goofy. The foot is continuing to stripe like the heel flap, and although it is making for an unusual sock, I really love it.

Hurrah for some Spring during the Fall!!

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

If you're happy and you know it CLAP-O-TIS

Ha ha ha ha ha!!! How's that for a Clapotis pun that hasn't been done yet? What better intro to the progress on my Clapotis?


Here is my version of the pattern everyone in blogland has knit except me. The gorgeous yarn is some Brooks Farms Four Play that I picked up at Rhinebeck. I love the colors, and the yarn itself is a true joy to work with. I'd like to pick up some more for a sweater in the future.

Although I'm not quite as far along on my Clapotis as I thought I would be, I'm happy . . . and I know it . . . Clap-o-tis!! Sorry, I couldn't resist using that line once more. This is what sleep deprivation does to me. Even though I wasn't up knitting all night like I thought I would be, I didn't get my usual good night of sleep.

Last night was a bit of a landmark for me. Pea was away overnight for work, and it was the first time I spent the night alone in my house since the break in three years ago. I could have slept at my parent's house, or a friend's house, but I figured it was about time I conquered this last demon. I set the burglar alarm and hunkered down in the bedroom with knitting projects, books, magazines and movies. Oh,and three phones - the cordless one, a second cordless in case the battery went on the first one, and the cell phone.

As it turned out, I was much more relaxed than I thought I would be. I fell asleep sometime around midnight and slept straight through until 4:30. By then I knew it was less then two hours until daylight, so I dozed off and on until I got up at 7:30. It was much more sleep than I expected, but much less than I am used to.

But I feel great this morning (aside from the stupid sense of humor that kicks in when I'm sleep deprived.) I now remember how much I used to enjoy living alone - although I can't wait until Pea gets back tonight. I celebrated by baking my favorite muffins and making a huge cup of coffee. It's cold and rainy here, so I plan to reward myself with a day on the couch with my knitting and the movies I didn't end up watching last night.

Note to the burglars - You may have taken some much loved material objects from my home, but you have not taken anything from my spirit. I am stronger than I knew, and I have gotten back all of the comfort I used to feel in my home.

If you're happy and you know it
and you really want to show it
if you're happy and you know it Clap-O-Tis!!

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Back on track (sort of)

Hello! It's been a while, huh? I had hoped to post yesterday, but we've been having problems with our internet connection. Pea thinks the contractors may have damaged the wire to the cable modem while working on the siding. He fiddled with it last night, and so far it's been okay this morning. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will stay that way. It doesn't help that Mercury is retrograde until next Saturday. Mercury always really messes with me.

What have I been up to? Well, most importantly was the four day figure skating extravaganza!! We had a blast . . . well, my mom and I had a great time. My dad came with us two days, and Pea came with us two days, and each of them were pretty bored. We got to watch the practice sessions and the competitions. We saw a lot of the skaters, coaches and choreographers walking around in the lobbies. And one day at lunch we even met and got autographs from the pair team that ended up winning the silver medal! It was a perfect four days.

Victor Kraatz takes a break from coaching to sit at the Canadian media table.

I spent last week catching up on all the "real life" stuff. We now have groceries, clean laundry, a clean house and bills that are paid. I even made wheat bread from scratch yesterday. All of the Walk-A-Thon prizes have been packed up, and the last few are being mailed out in the next day or so.

And yes, there has been time for knitting too. During breaks in the skating I managed to knit a pair of Fetching mitts with a ball of Cashmerino Aran I bought at Rhinebeck. What a fun and quick pattern. I finished them on the second day, and have been wearing them ever since. I'm a bad blogger and have no pictures yet, but I'll post them one day this week. I'm also working on a Clapotis and a couple of pairs of socks I'm knitting with some blog pals. That's plenty to keep me busy, and I need to get started on some Christmas knitting too.

I guess this is a lame post for my first day back, but I'd better get it uploaded before the internet conks out again.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!
Regular blogging to resume when I get caught up on all the "real life" stuff that piled up while I was watching figure skaters non-stop for four days!!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

The genorosity of knitters!!

Take a look at my final Walk-A-Thon total!!! Chrissy donated a whopping $450 from the Walk-A-Thon sock pattern to put me will over the $1000 mark!! Thank you so much Chrissy, and everyone who pledged and bought the pattern. I remain speechless by how well the fund-raising went!

I'd like to draw your attention to another excellent cause.The Soaring Eagles Project


This project is all about sending some hand-knit presents to some underprivileged kids. The hats, gloves and scarves they receive may very well be their only Christmas gifts this year. You can find out more by reading the first post on the Soaring Eagles blog. If you have some time, I urge you to knit up a hat and donate to the cause.

On a completely unrelated note, guess what I'll be doing for the next four days? OH. MY. GOODNESS. Wow!!! Those of you who are big skating fans like me know just how thrilling this will be!!! We have tickets to all four days and will be allowed to sit in for the practice sessions also. So if you don't hear much from me until next week, you'll know I'm in Skating Heaven!!!!

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

New site to check out!!

Long, long ago (well, okay, about 14 months ago) I made my very first blog pal. I've often talked about the days when we were the only ones who commented on each other's blogs. It's fun to look back and think how far we have both come.

Chrissy is now a budding designer, and has just re-launched her very own Gardiner Yarn Works web-site. It's beautiful, and was designed by none other than Jordana Paige! How cool is that?


Click on the button to go check it out. She's already got a few patterns up for sale. More are coming soon, so be sure to check back often!! And please join me in sending Chrissy some super "best of luck" wishes!!

Monday, October 23, 2006

Is it too cold for Ice Cream?

No way!! In fact, it's perfect ice cream weather here in New England!! The Ice Cream Man socks made their debut at Rhinebeck.

Wendy's Toe-Up pattern, with a seed stitch cuff.
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM
Needles: Knit Picks size 2 circulars
Cast On: August 10, 2006
Completed: October 16, 206

This was my first time knitting with any of my Koigu, and I must say, I should not have waited so long. This yarn was a joy to work with, and I fear it may have ruined me for any Knit Picks sock yarn in the future. *sigh* I like having a simple stockinette stitch pair of socks on the needles for mindless knitting. These traveled with me on my summer journeys (remember seeing them at the Renaissance Faire?) and were great to work on while (nervously) awaiting my turn at the dentist's office. But of course, their favorite car ride was the trip to Rhinebeck!!

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Yet another Rhinebeck post

Are you tired of hearing all about what we did, bought and saw at Rhinebeck? Well, I've got yet another telling of the same old story.

Just about everything about the day was perfect. It was an ideal New England fall day, and we enjoyed our two hour ride to the Duchess County Fairgrounds.


Once we got our tickets, things became a bit of a blur. There was yarn, bloggers, yarn, sheep, yarn, money, yarn, bingo, yarn, food, yarn, wheels, yarn, needles, yarn . . . and, um, some yarn.

Then there was the meet-up at 1:00. We must have been a site to see, running around chanting "Are you a square? Me too! Who are you? Do I have you? Do you have me?" It was so much fun!!

I even got to rub shoulders with a celebrity!!!

I got to see some blog pals, and I might have bought some yarn.

I'm a little sore today from carrying around that heavy bag. I spent every last cent of "yarn money" I had saved up, but I didn't dip into my other spending money or put anything on a credit card, so I think I was pretty restrained!! What? You want to see a full picture of the loot?

Can't really tell what's there? That's because it isn't all for me. There are a few gifts and Walk-A-Thon prizes hiding in the pile. And since I shop using the "one to gift, one for me" method, I can't really go into details about what I bought. (Although sad to say, I didn't see any official "NY Sheep and Wool" tote-bags.)

We left about 10 minutes before closing time, exhausted and broke. We had a bit of a scare when Pea's "Service Engine Soon" light came on when we were still over an hour from home. Luckily, the car (and we) made it home safely. I'd say it was the Luck 'O the Rhinebeck!! And now, to knit up some new yarn and start saving my pennies for next year.