A Good Movie, A Good Weekend, and other Good Stuff

Seems like forever since I posted...other than kitteh photos;)

It rained all day yesterday, which we really need, but the cold and damp really make my fibro flare. So achy. Yuck.

Ron and I had a really nice weekend. He took me to see 27 Dresses Saturday night-I loved it! A really funny and sweet romantic comedy, and I even liked the ending! If my opinion matters, I'd recommend it!

I picked out the yarn for Char's purse-I'm using Lion Wool in Dark Teal, Purple, and Ocean Blues (variegated). I'm using a pattern from the Bag-a-holic Yahoo group I belong to. It's called Knot Sew Hobo Bag. It's a felted bag, very simple, but I think I'll add an outside pocket. I've posted a pattern picture.I'm going to do the larger version, add some sort of button, and line it.

Work on my LCM afghan is coming along nicely, I'm still working on the fourth color-block, it's about halfway done. Pretty soon it's going to be too big to carry around easily, so it will be good to get my New England Socks and/or Char's bag OTN. I really need to do both...especially if I want to keep up with my knitting resolutions...I'll get a new photo of my progress soon. I'll have to use Ron or Naomi's camera, and maybe do it outside, it's getting too big for my phone camera, plus I'd like a nicer representation of the colors.

Vote for Frosty!

Okay, I loved the icanhascheezburger.com site so much, I decided to make my own pic.
Here it is:


moar funny pictures

If you go to the link, you can vote for Frosty, and he might make the front page!!! Come on, you know you wanna!! As they say on the site: hez a kewt kitteh!

Be Afraid...

This was so cute, I absolutely HAD to share:


moar funny pictures

Bask in the cuteness!

The latest on the LCM. Milo the Adorable!

I just couldn't resist sharing the adorableness! This is Milo's favorite, "Pet me, worship me, see how adorable I am..." pose.

Notice the buttons on his fur coat? Very proper. He is, of course, the royalty of the house. Very regal, and very easily irritated by the dog, and the other cats if they throw off his "groove."

In the knitting portion of my life, my Log Cabin Moderne is moving right along. As you can see from this photo, it has received approval from Frosty. I took this picture maybe an hour ago, and he seems to have taken up permanent residence. The sun has moved onto it, so he's in cat heaven. I want to work on it, but haven't figured out how to get it back! So it's a "2 Tails Up" for the LCM!


I've begun the fourth block, if you look to the right, you can see a bit of the dark blue. I think the colors are coming along well. So far I'm happy with the yarn overall. It has a nice hand for an acrylic. Much softer than the Red Heart I used for the Bass Section hats. I guess the real test will be how it wears with washing.

I have a new project to add to my list, I need to find a cute bag pattern to make for my pal, Char. She's willing to trade haircuts for knitting. I knew this hobby would payoff someday!!!:) If anyone reading this has any good suggestions for a medium to large bag, especially a nice felted one, send it my way!

LCM coming along!!

So, here's my progress on my Log Cabin Moderne as of last night. I wish the photo gave a better idea of the colors, it's really dark. The brown is a lighter taupe than you see, and the blue is also quite a bit lighter.

I love picking up the stitches, it looks so nice on the front, and saves me from a million years of finishing. I'm weaving in the ends (so very few ends, foolish grin) as I go. So when I'm done, I'm done! I'm telling you, those Mason-Dixon gals know what they are doing.

Of course, being on Ravelry as I am, I've found another afghan pattern I want to do...this one, of course, will require much assembly....it's called Circles to Squares. I saw it done in a completely different color scheme on Ravelry, and it was GORGEOUS. Each square was done differently, instead of the same color scheme, and it reminded me a bit of the Babette Blanket. How many afghans can a person do in a year????? And still get my knitting list done??? And of course TYF keeps offering classes I want to take...like the Einstein Coat. Sigh. What's a poor pattern and yarn addicted girl to do?

A weekend filled with family and knitting! My 2008 knitting plan so far...

This past weekend was really lovely, we had family in from California. Lots of good visiting, shopping and eating WAY too much. Just my kind of fun! My Aunt Susan, a crafty lady, brought me a big bag of yarn and another bag filled with knitting books and patterns!! I was especially excited to get 2 books that have been on my wish list: The Knitting Experience Book One: The Knit Stitch by Sally Melville, and A Treasury of Magical Knitting by Cat Bordhi. There were lots more goodies, too.

I also got a lot done on my Log Cabin Moderne. I finished the second color block, and later last night started the third. Here are some photos, both front and back:

I'm really enjoying the process on this project. It's very simple, just knit, knit, knit. Yet I don't seem to be bored at all. It's great for when the T.V. is on, and I get to change colors before I tire of it. Of course, that may change when I get to the larger blocks, though I hope not. It's making a very nice fabric, and should be warm and soft. I also happen to love the colors! Plus it's just beginning to drape across my lap a bit, and seems to have met with feline approval, Milo even gave it a purr!

As soon as it's to bulky to travel, I plan to cast on my New England socks from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush.

My 2008 projects:

1. Log Cabin Moderne (underway) for me

2. Babette Blanket for Naomi

3. New England Socks for me

4. Rambling Rows Afghan for Cassie (one for me, too, but that'll have to wait!)

5. Throw (pattern undetermined) for Nicole and Lance (a wedding gift)

6. Curve of Pursuit Afghan for me

7.-11. Socks in Ravelry queue for me...I'd like to do at least one pair every other month

12. Log Cabin Afghan (similar to Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors in MDK) for Brennan

Some 2008 resolutions:

1. Organize craft room

2. Downsize yarn stash (both through knitting and trading/selling)

3. Be more consistent in home duties (housework, cooking)

4. Get back to some type of exercising

5. Have that yard sale I've been talking about for 6 months!

That's about all the resolution-y stuff I can handle at this point.

Progress on my Log Cabin, Recipe stuff for the MDK contest;)

So, 3 days into the new year, here's my progress on my Log Cabin Moderne:

Though I've added some rows since I took this. I'm enjoying the simple nature of the project, perfect for knitting while DH Ron watches endless college bowl games!

The gals at the Mason Dixon Knitting blog (link at right) are holding a little show us your recipe box contest. Though I don't have a box, I have a binder (that was supposed to organize my endless papers, cards, cut-outs). Here it is:

Frosty shows the lovely, well organized nature of my binder!

And here is the recipe of choice, which I scribbled on the back of the words to a hymn at a Christmas women's brunch at a church probably 5 or 6 years ago. The recipe is now a New Year's morning tradition for our family. We eat it and watch the Rose Parade on HGTV. A Pasadena native, I have to watch the parade, even though I am now an Arizona resident.

Caramel Rolls

18 frozen Rhodes white dinner rolls (1/2 the package)

1/2 Cup butter (one stick)

1/2 Cup packed brown sugar

1/2 box Jello brand butterscotch cook and serve pudding (NOT instant!)

pecan halves

Grease bundt pan, put in rolls. Melt brown sugar and butter together. Sprinkle the pudding powder over the rolls. Pour melted sugar/butter mixtures over. Sprinkle with pecan halves. Cover with waxed paper and let sit overnight to rise. In the morning, heat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 1/2 hour. The rolls will get pretty dark, that's okay. Remove from oven, don't let stand more than 1-2 minutes, invert onto large plate and serve warm.

Here's photos of the recipe, and the other side. Yes, the binder came with cards that fit neatly into the nice, plastic covered pages...what's your point?

Bye-bye '07, Hello '08! One Project done, a new one cast on!

Well, a Happy New Year to any and all who may read this!
My completed project, as of last night, December 30, 2007, the "Waiting Room Socks." Here they are, in all their glory:

A bottom view: Between "Second Sock Syndrome," the holidays and the Bass Section hats for Chicago, I was beginning to think they'd never get done. But done they are.

And now, for my next cast on...Michael's sent out a mailer for their current sale, 30% of all yarn!! And a 50% coupon good for one regular priced item...so I bought Mason Dixon Knitting (yay!) and enough yarn to knit up a Log Cabin Moderne! I bought this yarn:

It's brand new to my Michael's (at least around here) and to me. I liked the way it felt in the skein, a little more weight and body than Simply Soft, and quite a bit softer than Red Heart. I was thinking Vanna's Choice, as I've heard some good things, but I preferred these colors. Of course if I had the budget, I'd have gone nuts at Tempe Yarn and Fiber, but that's just not in the cards right now. Hopefully it will wash well!! I'm going to swatch it up today (if I ever get off this computer) and decide on a needle size.

I'm hoping to get several projects done this coming year. I'd like to complete the Log Cabin, and an afghan for Naomi (the Babette Blanket, as mentioned in earlier posts.) Also I would love to do a pair of socks every (other???) month, and complete the projects to the right. Beyond that, I have a HUGE Ravelry queue, and would like to try to do a project or 3 from there:) Maybe begin my first sweater???

The kitties are looking forward to being spoiled for another year, and I think Frosty has a future in computers, or at least computer decor:


By the way, notice he's on Ravelry!!!

Well, Happy New Year, once again!

Christmas come and gone...

Well, I got through another Christmas. While I am so amazingly grateful for the birth of Jesus, since Mom died in October of 2005, it's just been really tough.

We had a nice, quiet family time this year, really all I want or can handle. On Christmas Eve, we got the tree up, and baked some cookies. The day before, Naomi and Anthony did a bit of decorating in the house, they were so sweet. We also made the fudge and divinity that day. Yesterday we opened gifts, talked on the phone with a few friends and family, and had Mat, Tabitha, Brennan and Austin over. We did our brunch with them, then hung out and watched movies and played games. Cassie worked, and when she got home she joined in, and we exchanged gifts with her. Ron, the kids and I never got out of our jammies!

Frosty got into the spirit, investigating boxes. I wasn't quick enough with the camera to get a pic when he was inside the box, looking out at me, but here he is snooping around it!

And here is little Austin Shane, on his very first Christmas:

Now it's time to get to enjoying the vacation time with the kids! And back to getting to work on finishing some of the UFO's!

I seem to be drawn toward afghan projects, so I'm hoping to do some. I want to make a throw for my cousin and her new husband, who ran off and got married. Congratulations Nicole and Lance! I need to make the Babette Blanket for Naomi, as mentioned in an earlier post. I also want to do a Rambling Rows afghan (for Cassie), a Log Cabin Moderne (for ME!!!) and for Brennan, a Joseph's Blankie of Many Colors.

And, of course, Ravelry keeps inspiring me and giving me multitudes more ideas....that queue just keeps growing!

Christmas rush...finally back to my socks!

Well, DH and I did our shopping yesterday, finally. With finances what they are, it was as minimal as possible.

In trying to get everyone together to do anything in the way of baking and decorating (no, I don't have a single light up!) I have discovered how things change when you have teenagers. Josh got back from the trip on Friday night, went out last night, and will be gone to a party and a gig tonight. He seems to think we can cram it all into Christmas Eve. Sigh.

As for my knitting, I'm working on the gusset decreases on the waiting room socks. My Ravelry queue keeps growing, especially with big projects (i.e. afghans and more afghans, plus a couple of sweaters from the Starmore book I checked out from the library...I think St. Brigid may be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!!). My feet may never get warm again. I didn't buy any socks this year, thinking I'd knit a sock wardrobe...I've been wearing lots of thin and holey socks. The next pair up is New England from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road. I love the pattern, and they look so warm done in a sport weight. I've got 2 skeins of Nature Spun Sport ready to go!

Today is fudge and divinty day, they need to set, and I will want some when we trim the tree tomorrow. Sorry Josh. We'll do the spritz cookies tomorrow.

If I don't post, I wish any and all who may read this the merriest of Christmases!!

Josh is off...scarf done, but no photo!

Okay, so the Obnoxious Orange Scarf did get completed, even though I was knitting at 2 in the morning! My hands are so stiff I can barely type today! Stuff just kept getting in the way of my getting it done! But done it is. As soon as he either gets back or sends me a photo, I'll post it. It was a simple k4 p4 rib, in RH Super Saver "Pumpkin." It should be called "Traffic Cone Orange" or something. If I ever see a pumpkin that bright, I'll assume it grew near a nuclear power plant or something. I used the yarn left from the trim of his Camo Earflap hat.

As I write, the Orchestra is on the plane to Chicago, the bass section with their bows and hats, and everyone else with their instruments. Basses are being provided for them their, thank God.

Josh was so excited, and I'm excited for him, I only wish I could go, too. Here's Josh and a couple of orchestra buds on their way to a previous clinic:

A Truce!!!

Well, it's been pretty cold this week, and the boys have been scoping out whatever blankets are around. This fleece on is a feline favorite. I put it on my chair for Beasley, whose old bones suffer in the cold. (Beas is the dark ball of fur hiding his head!) Next thing I know, Milo is snuggling up with him. This isn't surprising, as they nap together occasionally. But when Frosty joined them (the cushion on the chair is one of his very favorite spots), I thought I'd have a heart attack. They were SO cute, I had to get a photo. Or two:

Of course, when Beasley woke up (about 3 hours later), the cease-fire was officially over! Oh well, you can't have everything, I guess...

Bass Section Hats DONE!!!

Well, I got the girls hats done! This is Molly's:

I did it in RH Super Saver in the hot pink, with some black acrylic from my stash. I crocheted the flower, and added a black sc border for some contrast. I opted out of a tassel on this one, and did the braided long tassels on the sides.

Here's Shandon'sThis was my first "fair-isle" experiment, and I'm pretty happy with the results! I did an i-cord on the top, adding the purple in, and double-stranding it, endid with a tassel. The side ties are also i-cord.

Now it's off to finish the Obnoxious Orange Scarf. I've decided to name it that officially, thus the capitalization!

I looked at my ticker, and I am stunned that Christmas is a mere 2 weeks away. Please excuse me for a moment while I go in the bathroom and scream at the top of my lungs....

Guess I better be off to do SOMETHING Christmas-y!!!

What's new...tea poll closes today

I'm moving right along on the hats! To keep it interesting, I've been doing something a little unique with each one. I made this one second. I striped it, and decided on a tassel for the top, rather than a pom-pom. I like the result:




I did this one next, and did an i-cord knot on top, and did i-cord on the sides, instead of braiding the yarn. It looks pretty cool, I think.

I'm almost done with the first hat for one of the girls.No pics yet, but soon. I'm doing a bit of fair-isle (my very first, and without instructions!) on one, and will probably do a flower on the other!

I'm actually having lots of fun with the hats, and will insist on a pic of the whole bass section together, in hats!!!

Today is the last day to vote in the tea poll!

Knitting Hats like a Crazy Person! Big Crochet Project(s?) on the Horizon...

Okay, so I am knitting the hats for the whole bass section of Josh's orchestra. On his dime...I'm about 2/3 of the way through one. I will post pics when I can. He even took "orders" for colors...knitting round and round and round for the next week!

As for the new project, I've been trying to find an afghan Naomi likes forever. I was cruising Ravelry, and saw the Babette Blanket, check out pics on Flickr here, and a gorgeous Hexagon afghan, pics here. She's rejected everything I've shown her so far, so I didn't think she'd like them, but I did, and wanted to make one for myself. She LOVES the Babette. Her room is in aqua, teal and other cool colors, so I'm thinking that's what I'll do, then she saw this. So I'm doing one in warm colors like these. She'll have the afghan longer than the room, so I'm good with that. It is gorgeous. Oh, and of course, me, who LOVES (dripping with sarcasm, btw) finishing, will be making this in 2008. I ordered the back issue of Interweave Crochet, so I could get the pattern. (IW Crochet, Spring 2006) And I still want to make one for myself (similar to this colorway...and Josh (who already has an afghan, btw) wants one (he likes this). Maybe I'll get him one before he goes off to college. Oh, and Ron digs the hex...link above. Funny I'm in a knitting obsession, and here come some enormous crochet projects....will my "waiting room socks" ever get done??? Will any of my socks ever get done????

I know the furbabies will love all this "afghaning," lots of yummy warm yarn to sleep on!

Only 4 days left to vote on the "What's in Your Pot?" poll!

Fastest FO in a long time!!! It's RAINING!

It's raining...it's actually raining. In Gilbert. In Arizona. The desert. How cool is that? Two weeks ago it was about 90 degrees.

The downside is, my fibro does not like the rain. The rest of me loves it. You folks in the Pacific Northwest probably aren't impressed. But I love the rain. Probably because it's such a rarity in my life. Perfect knitting, sleeping, reading hot cocoa or tea weather!!! (Speaking of tea...the poll closes in a week!)

Oh, and the Camo Earflap hat is DONE!!! An FO in less than a week. Maybe I'm slipping. My knitting ADD took a sabbatical. I don't know, but it is done, and done in plenty of time. Note this day, it may never happen again. Of course, now Josh wants me to make one for ALL the bassists in the Orchestra. That would mean 4 more hats. Before December 17. I find out today if this is something the rest of them want to do....and I was all set to do a scarf (already cast on in that truly obnoxious orange!) and possibly wristwarmers to match. Oh well, we will see. Here's the hat in all it's pom-pommed and tasseled glory:

Off to knit on aforementioned scarf.....

Cloudy Days, Earflap Hat Movin' Along! 8 days left to vote

So here's the masterpiece so far, on the head of it's intended wearer! I still need to make the pom-pom for the top (in the bright orange) as well as long, braided tassels (also in the orange, with some of the "camo" mixed in) for the ear flaps! I have a nice big skein of the orange, which I am going to knit up into a ribbed scarf, possibly with a bit of fringe. Josh is ready for the ear flap tassels to be about 4 feet long...I'm thinking more like 9-12 inches....

Today was a very November-y, overcast day. I don't think I've seen any sun. Quite different for the AZ desert. Good tea, reading, and knitting weather. Not too bad for blogging, either!

I checked out Debbie Macomber's book Susannah's Garden on Monday, and finished it yesterday. Since Susannah was mentioned in the latest of her knitting books, Back on Blossom Street, I wanted to get her story. A nice, quick read. I figured out the "mystery" within the book maybe halfway through, but I still enjoyed it.

The kitties are loving the weather, all except poor old Beas, his arthritis and the cold don't mix too well. I need to get him back on his glucosomine. It's good snuggle weather, so they all pull up an afghan or a lap, and nap their furry little buns off. Milo and Frosty are trying to work out sharing our bed with us. First one in seems to get my side, the other get's Ron's. Beasley likes the blanket on the sofa downstairs, so he usually doesn't come up 'til it's time to yell at me for breakfast.

The tea poll closes in 8 days...vote even if you don't drink tea!

Prayer Shawl is Done, New WIP, don't forget the poll!

Well, I finally finished Gloria's Prayer Shawl. I hope and pray she will feel God's love and comfort wrapped around her. I'll get it off to Oklahoma today.

These are the photos I took while it was blocking. The pattern can be found at Elann.com-Pacific Waves Shawl.

I cast on a new project yesterday. It's the Camo Earflap Hat from Knitty Gritty. Josh and I were watching one day, and he thought it would be a cool hat to wear for the Chicago trip in December. (His Orchestra was invited to the Midwest Orchestra Festival-a big deal!) Since we live in AZ, and he won't get a lot of wear out of it later, I substituted the called for yarn with something a little more economical. It's knitting up fast!! My first hat, and I like the progress so much, I doubt it will be my last! Here's what I got done yesterday:

The yarn color is "Woodsy." There will be a bright orange border, pom-pom and tassels (a sort of "hunter's" theme.) I will be using "Pumpkin" for those. I find it funny that Josh wants these, since he's such a tasteful guy, normally, but he's going kitschy for the trip.

There are 10 days left to vote in the tea poll-if you aren't a tea drinker, there's a place for you, too!!! I leave you with a cool tea quote:

Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company. ~Unknown

No shopping for me today! Take my tea poll!

I know lots of Americans are out shopping the "Black Friday" bargains. Me, I'm home, putting fun stuff on this blog. As you can see, I've put a countdown to Christmas up!

Also, there's a poll to the right and down a bit. I have my little "What's in My Pot Today" blurb up, and I got to wondering what's in everyone else's. So take a sec to vote! Although I have a pot of the Irish Breakfast every morning, my afternoon cup can vary. Right now I'm sipping on a double-bergamot Earl Grey, with a bit of Splenda in it. It smells wonderful, and is really satisfying.

We had a lovely Thanksgiving, with the four of us, our nephew and his wife and two boys, and our niece, Cassie, who lives with us. Tabitha, Mat's wife, made a yummy pecan oatmeal pie, and I made pumpkin pie, of course. We had turkey with all the trimmings and it was fun to have baby Austin and his brother, Brennan, who is 3. Though I'm in the midst of a pretty decent fibro flare, I was glad to have us all together. I think Thanksgiving may be my favorite holiday, less commercial and more family and God-focused.

I was pretty pooped from all the cooking, so I didn't really get any knitting done, although I've begun the heel-flap on my pink socks today. I'm hoping to get to the heel-turn by tonight, and finish them by the end of the weekend.

I bound off the prayer shawl, it just needs washing and blocking, then I'll send it off to Oklahoma. That leaves me with 3 WIP's. Josh wants a hat for the orchestra trip to Chicago, so I may have to put aside the others for now and get that done. I'd like to do a scarf to go with it. He wants the camouflage ski hat from Knitty Gritty on DIY. I will probably substitute an inexpensive yarn for the Lorna's Laces that the pattern calls for, since we live in the desert, and he won't wear it much after the trip. I know Bernat makes a camouflage yarn, so that's probably what I'll use. I might even brave a trip to Joann or Michael's to pick it up this weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving

Just a quick note to wish any and all who read this today a joyful feast and a Happy Thanksgiving. I pray that God will bless you all.

I am so grateful this year for my wonderful family. The blessing of my faithful man, my awesome kids, a healthy new great-nephew (Happy first Thanksgiving, Austin!), all my nephews and nieces. I'm thankful for my furry children, without whom my life would be so much emptier and lonelier. They bring so much comfort and joy.