One More Row...

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T20:29:00.004-06:00

Long time, no post. Been busy busy busy, knitting knitting knitting, scarves scarves scarves. I spent the last 3 months making tons of ruffle scarves out of Katia Triana and similar yarns (do you call that mesh stuff yarn?). It's time to make things for me me me!

So...here is the first FO of the new year (actually, I just finished blocking it today, but I'm still counting it as a 2012 project). It's the Belmondo Shawl in Universal Yarns Classic Shades colorway Tropics. The poor-quality ipod pics do not do this yarn justice, but it's the best I can do today:

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon at Ewe & Company enjoying good company, good food, good knitting and great yarn. Glenna made cookies and a great black-eyed pea soup (does it count if you eat those on New Year's Eve instead of New Year's Day). While we were visiting, the nicest older couple came into the shop asking if any coffee shops were open. They were driving down from Canada to visit friends in West Tennessee on their way to spend a month on the Mexican coast. They had tired of interstate driving and had ventured off onto one of the state highways. They wound their way around one of our hilly, curvy backroads and ended up in Kingston Springs, hoping for a nice coffee shop at which to rest for a bit. We have a great local cafe, but it was closed for New Year's Eve, so Glenna offered them a cup of her freshly made coffee. They sat and talked to us for a bit, and it turned out that the lady was a knitter (knew I liked her). Her husband was from Scottish descent and I could have listened to him talk all day long. After they finished their coffee, they went on their way. Funny how something as simple as a bit of small talk with folks just passing through can add such a bright spot to the day. I hope they have safe travels.

Back to knitting, while at E&C, I used some of my Christmas money to buy an alpaca blend for the Glitter Shawl, which is next on my list to cast on. Yesterday, I cast on the Lintilla out of some Poem Sock yarn that I also purchased at E&C several months ago. I love this stuff. The colors and texture look a bit like Noro, but with a much softer hand. I do need to get another project started and in the mail this week. My sis-in-law asked me for another pair of Susie's Reading Mitts for her sister. These are a fun knit and this pair will be my fourth.

I hope you all have a healthy and prosperous new year. As for me, in 2012 I hope to:

Spend much more time in 2012 at my two favorite LYS's knitting with new and old friends: Ewe & Company and Haus of Yarn

Return to Atlanta for Stitches South

Escape for at least 1 knitting retreat with my good friend TNknitter (been too long, Liana!)

Give weaving and spinning a fair chance

Do more fund-raising knitting - so much fun to knit with a purpose

Best wishes to all!

Living Spherically

2011-08-09T12:43:00.014-05:00

One of my favorite movies happened to be on a week or so ago, Under the Tuscan Sun. I hadn't seen it in a long time, so I watched for a few minutes. One of the characters was relating some advice that she had been given as a young girl:

"Live spherically...in many directions." ~Katherine, Under the Tuscan Sun

I've always been one that is interested in everything. In other words, I'm a dabbler. I always thought that was a bad thing and have tried (unsuccessfully) to supress this trait.

Now I understand that I've been "living spherically". That sounds so much nicer, doesn't it?

Lopsided?

2011-07-24T07:34:00.009-05:00

We've all had them--those projects that you began with a gauge swatch, followed the pattern to the letter, were monogamous (no little side affairs with a sock or scarf), used your very best tools, pet and cooed at the project every day and . . .

something goes awry.

Is it in the button spacing? No. I think that turned out well.

Or how about the lace pattern. Uh uh. Looks A-OK to me.

Let's keep going then.
Sleeve #1 - Looks OK.

Sleeve #2 - Oh, I like this. But hold the phone. Something is different.

AAAAAAARGH!!!!!!

Sleeve #1 looks like it's been Super Sized. Looks like a lampshade. I thought I was done with this project and was so ready to move on to the next one (something for me). But, since the intended recipient is due in the next couple of weeks -- and her mama looks like she's ready NOW -- I guess I'll be ripping out this sleeve and re knitting. Have I told y'all how much I HATE DO OVERS!!! It will be worth it to get it right though. Especially since this is done in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and is heaven to work with.

P.S. Yes, I know the body looks a little woppy-jawed, but it's the way I laid out the sweater. I was just too lazy to retake the photo.

P.S.S. See if I ever start with a gauge swatch again!

What I Did on My Summer Vacation

2011-07-14T06:40:00.022-05:00

I have been a bad blogger. This I know. Funny how life gets in the way of good intentions, isn't it? Since my last post, I've:

tried my hand at spinning - still need lots of practice;

worked my 5th year in the infield at the Kentucky Derby;

vacationed with the family in a new place - Crystal River, FL

and saw my 1st manatee;

read and read and read;

watched my oldest turn 15;

turned another year older myself;

knit a few hats;

(These were for Halos of Hope to send to Camp Happy Times for their Medieval Week)

gave crochet a chance (still not my fav) ;

started and finished my first Multnomah from some Creatively Dyed yarn I bought at Stitches South;

and cast on an Angel Sweater as a gift for one of my bosses who is having a baby this summer;

had our 1st Rogers' Birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day Extravaganza at my brother's house in Kentucky to celebrate all the summer birthdays (there are 7 within 3 weeks) and to all get together to celebrate our folks;

made some new knitting friends;

welcomed TNKnitter back to our Wednesday lunch knitting group -- YAY!!!!

Of course, there's more but I'd rather hear what everyone else has been up to this summer.

New Toys

2011-04-25T21:02:00.008-05:00

With my earnings from working the Handknitting.com booth at Stitches, I ordered a couple of new toys that came in today:

A Learn to Spin Kit

and a Rosewood Nostepinne

I cracked open the spinning kit tonight. Let's just say this is gonna take some practice.

It is finished

2011-04-24T07:38:00.003-05:00

Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there.

~Clarence W. Hall

God bless you on this Easter morning.

Stitches South 2011

2011-04-23T08:41:00.013-05:00

Last week, I took 2 days of vacation to travel to Atlanta with TNKnitter for my first Stitches event ever - Stitches South. Was it worth it? Most definitely! Would I go again? Well, just check the updated countdown at the top of my blog. hehehe

After spending 4 days and going $100 over-budget, I would like to introduce you to my latest stash enhancements (notice the unintended pink theme):

I bought 2 keyrings and a pair of earrings from Sassafras Creations -- made from recycled knitting needles. There are 6 balls of Ironstone Sky from Fiesta Yarns. I actually bought 8 and immediately knit the pink ones into my version of the Baktus -- and wore it to the Market the next day:

The big ball of Muppet fur was purchased, along with the matching HUGE hank of rayon, after some excellent salesmanship on the part of the vendor and a bit of coercion by TNKnitter. It reminds me a bit of Animal.

I also purchased 3 hanks of Mica from Berroco, 2 hand-dyed hanks of sport weight from Creatively Dyed and 4 hanks of gorgeous art yarn from Jazz Turtle Creations - one of which I promptly whipped up into another scarf before we made the return trip home and another I turned into a belt when I got home Sunday evening (as if I hadn't had enough of knitting by then - NEVER gonna happen).

The PJ party in the lobby of the hotel was a hoot. The Gwen Bortner class I took was great. Dinner each evening at ToscaBlu in the hotel with TNKnitter and 2 new friends from Colorado was wonderful.

Despite 2 tornado warnings while we were there, it was all-in-all a terrific trip. I'm saving my pennies for the next one.

Hope Springs Eternal

2011-03-27T08:01:00.018-05:00

In defiance of the winter-like temperatures this week (30s/40s) here in Middle Tennessee, I am determined to remain hopeful and continue to look forward to warmer temps. Never mind that the maple tree I can see through my window is shivering in the arctic breeze. Ignore that we've had to turn on the heat in the house...again. Notice not the donning of turtlenecks and sweaters as we leave for church this morning. The calendar does not lie...it is spring!

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come...~Song of Solomon 2:11-12

In anticipation of the season, I began a light and airy cardi for myself using a mishmash of the Half-a-Cardi (used as a guide for the top) and the lace pattern from the Lace-Edged Women's Hat (for the bottom half).

The yarn is Patons' Grace mercerized cotton in Ginger that I bought on clearance at Michael's for $2.49 a ball. I've been on a yarn diet for a while in anticipation of Stitches South, but who could pass up such a deal? Not me. The color is not the best for me -- I don't wear much green because is sometimes gives my skin a bit of a greenish tinge --

But this particular shade of green reminded me of spring leaves (and, again, there was the itty bitty price tag). Maybe it will look all right.

So coax out that cotton, pull out those pastels, bring out your bamboo, slink into that silk, wear those wonderful whites, and share your brightest brights. Winter is over!

Take heart, ye shivering masses. In the blink of an eye, the warm weather shall return...and then some!

Heat Wave? Whatever!

2011-02-15T19:49:00.007-06:00

So I finally finished my Nimbus made from Berroco Peruvia Quick. It's squishy, soft, cozy and warm. Just what I needed on a 60+ degree day. (not!) But, it made me smile.

The knitting and seaming has actually been done for a couple of weeks but it wanted for the perfect button. I found it at a fav LYS - Haus of Yarn. The right button makes all the difference, doesn't it?

After complaining last week of the snow and ice (and having to abandon my car in the dreaded white mess) I will NOT gripe about the weather being too warm to wear my finished project. I'll just give it a hug now and then...and I can always turn the air conditioner way down and wear it anyway.

Who Says Chivalry Is Dead?

2011-02-09T19:47:00.004-06:00

It's alive and well out here in the sticks (Kingston Springs). Nashville and the surrounding areas had a snow "event" this afternoon. My husband called me at work around 3:00 to tell me things were getting pretty bad at our house, which is 30 miles west of downtown. At 3:30 I was on the road home. I knew it was going to be slow going when the interstate was snow-covered. I did NOT know that it would take me 2 hours to get to my exit and another hour to travel the 10 miles home.

A couple of roads were closed and I had to leave my car about 4 miles from the house. I bundled up, filled up a bag with all the stuff in my car that I might need, and started walking. A little way down the road, a nice man in a 4-wheel drive pickup stopped and asked if he could give me a lift. He was on his way to get his wife and then on to rescue a buddy. I hopped in and asked if he could give me a ride just to the top of THE HILL. I've lived here for 20 years now and I know when THE HILL is passable and when it is not. THE HILL has claimed many victims over hte years and it is not to be toyed with. My Good Samaritan didn't want me to walk from the top of THE HILL so he insisted that he was going to take me all the way home. He also told me he was gonna teach me how to drive down a slippery hill. (insert smirk here -- He obviously doesn't know THE HILL like I do) I asked him several times to just let me out at the top. I told him that I would feel just awful if he got stuck when he still needed to go get his wife and friend. My protests went unheeded...

I'll just say that, once he stopped sliding sideways down THE HILL, got turned back around, avoided sliding into another truck already claimed by THE HILL and was able to slip and slide back up THE HILL (with much praying done on my part), he was more than happy to let me out at the top of THE HILL and bid me farewell.

While I appreciate chivalry, I appreciate good sense even more.

Time to Relocate?

2011-01-30T09:03:00.006-06:00

I just discovered that I live in the Bermuda Triangle. The Bermuda Triangle of Productivity, that is. This picture came my way via Robin's blogpost @ The Knittin Coop who found it on Juniper Moon's blog.

The Triangle in which I live is encompassed by Facebook, Ravelry, and (dare I say it?) knitting. I'm thinking it might be time to relocate. But I won't move too far away. Maybe just a bit outside the Triangle's boundary lines.

What's makes up your triangle?

Don't Get Your Mobius All in a Twist

2011-01-30T00:39:00.005-06:00

Well, it's OK if it's just a half twist. Today was my foray into the mysterious world of the mobius. Using the Easy Mobius Cowl and Cat Bordhi's mobius cast-on video, I ventured forth. It's quite a technique and one I have yet to wrap my head around. Perhaps my head will never wrap around this, for I wound up with two twists in my mobius, instead of one. Or maybe I have happened upon a new creature? A mutation of the famed Mobius -- the Mo-Mobius?

Maybe not.

Attack of the Shawl Collar

2011-01-23T17:43:00.002-06:00

I am proud to post that I am done knitting my Nimbus. All the ends have been woven in and it's ready to be blocked.

(Well. . .almost.)

I am not so proud to post that I sewed the garter stitch shawl collar on backwards.

@#*($^@%

Further, I am not so proud to post that, in picking out what I thought was the collar seam, I used the wrong tail and unraveled several stitches of the collar itself. The result? I had to frog about 5 rows.

*(#$^&*#@%^&!(&&@$#

(I am just grateful that I don't have to re-knit the entire collar.)

Now, the dreaded collar has been separated from the rest of the sweater, the live stitches placed back on the needles, and the re-knitting and re-seaming can commence.

Did I mention that after 7 skeins of Peruvia Quick and hours of work I am beginning to think will not look good on me at all?

Cheers!

2011 12-pair Challenge and 2 FOs

2011-01-17T19:35:00.013-06:00

It probably was not the smartest idea I've had -- signing up for the 12-pair sock challenge and making my first pair of the year on size 0 needles. (Remember, sock-knitting is not one of my favorites.) However, I am glad to report that I am done with sock #1 in pair #1 with almost 1/2 the month left to get the other done.

To keep myself from self-inflicted impalement on those size 0s, I calmed myself by making a couple of other quick, fun projects:

The Long Longer Longest scarf - see the Purse Scarf pattern- is my 2nd FO of the year. I made this from 2 skeins of Nashua Equinox that I bought on clearance at my LYS.

Also works well as a Babushka:

And for the third FO of the year, may I present the Choo Choo Hat (my own design, albeit a simple one) made for my 3-year-old nephew who is wild about trains.

And finally, there seem to be pieces of Nimbus all over my living room:

*See my new Addis winking in the corner?

Why I Love My Knitting Groups

2011-01-08T09:42:00.010-06:00

I have two knitting groups that I regularly meet. The first group meets at Dunn Bros. Coffee every Wednesday at 11:30 and consists of ladies from all over downtown Nashville. Liana and I met met through a mutual friend and had been knitting together for a couple of years during our lunch hour. She posted something in the Nashville Ravelers group on Ravelry and Chris and several more joined us. Our little group has grown over the years. We have 6-10 on any given Wednesday and even have our own corner complete with comfy chairs reserved for us every week (the manager's idea).

The other group meets at Haus of Yarn on Thursday nights. This is an equally fun group. In addition to show-n-tell, help with problems (knitting or otherwise), inspiration, cheerleading and lots of laughter, sometimes there's wine and even guest appearances:

FIBRE LIBRE

In truth, I wasn't able to participate as much as I would have liked during the last 3 months of 2010. I've missed these folks...a lot. One of my new year's resolutions is to set aside time to meet up with my knit peeps as often as possible. This is one resolution that will be a pleasure to keep.

Long Weekend = Lazy Times and FO#1 for 2011

2011-01-03T21:59:00.010-06:00

(OK you non-knitters -- FO means Finished Object in the knitting world, so get your minds out of the gutter and remember that this is a knitting blog.)

I've spent most of this long weekend doing nothing that I had planned, but pretty much what I wanted. I did not put away the Christmas decorations. I did not follow my Weight Watchers program. I did not catch up laundry. I did not clean out my closet. I did not organize any part of the chaos that I call my house.

I did, however, watch lots of TV with my girls and my husband - including an all day marathon of Angel today, thanks to Netflix.

(OK, so this one wasn't my husband's first choice, but we girls get control of the remote on occasion.)

Back on track now...what else did I do this weekend? I did pick up my kid from her New Years' Eve sleepover. I did go to church and take my girls shopping (briefly). I did work 8 hours on Sunday (that wasn't on my "want" list, but extra $ is always a good thing). I did spend 2 whole days in my pjs. I did take a couple of naps. I did eat too much and too many good things. I did catch up on blog reading. I did revamp my own blog. And I did cast on and complete my first knitting project of 2011, take two on my Christmas weekend project, Duffers felted slippers.

Time to put up my feet and work on the next project. (In truth, I started it on New Years Day too - sock pair #1 of the 12 Pair Challenge.

What did y'all do (or not do) with your long weekend?

2011 Knit Challenge

2011-01-01T11:24:00.005-06:00

I love hand knit socks. I can't say that I love to knit them though. Oh, I get all excited casting on the first one...I repeat, "the first one". However the project loses all of its luster by the time I've slogged through the foot and finished off the toe. I have yet to find a cure for Second Sock Syndrome, although I find that wearing the first sock while I work on the second seems to spur me on...somewhat.

So maybe you will understand when I tell you that my knitting goal for 2011, and yes I've only made one goal, is to knit 12 pairs of socks this year. I signed up for the 12 pair challenge with the Stash and Burn group in Ravelry. I already have a bit (a lot) of sock yarn in my stash (who doesn't?), so I'm ready to go!

What are your knitting goals for 2011?

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T23:49:00.001-06:00

Wishing everyone a healthy and happy 2011!

Merry Day After Christmas!

2010-12-26T18:17:00.014-06:00

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. We enjoyed a nice visit with my folks who drove down from Louisville on the 23rd and stayed until this morning. We had snow, cold temperatures, and lots of down time just to "be".

We also had presents, and lots of them:

(Seems that Rosco's ear is making a cameo appearance in this photo.)

The kids were up at 5:10 a.m. The grandparents got to sleep in until 7:00-ish. Papaw appeared first, fully dressed and ready for the day, as always:

Granny followed a bit later, still in her nightclothes, as most of us were for the greater part of the day:

Our chef made us a light breakfast of finger foods. Why does he always have a guilty look on his face?

The calm before the storm:

In the midst of the Tempest:

The aftermath:

Time to swing to the tunes from her iPod, wearing her new Cookie Monsters.

What did I get, you ask? Among other things, some great silver fleur de lis earrings, Bath & Body Works Dancing Waters shower gel, Keith Urban Get Closer CD, Haus of Yarn gift certificate, and what's that at the top of the picture??

Addi Clicks! Yes! My very first Addis and I got a whole set of interchangeable circulars! Hub pays attention to me more than I realize. He knows I'd never splurge on these for myself, but he's heard me mention them before (and I wasn't even hinting!).

So what does any self-respecting yarn addict do when she has brand new Addis? Why, cast on a new project, of course! These are Duffers. They're only 19 rows! 19 rows, people! I started them last night and finished them this morning.

Pre-felting:

Post-felting:

(My original model wouldn't cooperate for the "after" picture.)

Time to kick back and enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend.

God bless!

You Get What You Pay For

2010-12-13T08:00:00.006-06:00

I'm snowed in today, so I've been searching for something new to cast on. I am a big fan of free patterns. However, sometimes, you get what you pay for:

Poor little fella:

I call this the Lady Gaga meat sweater. I believe that is supposed to be a squirrel, but it looks like a steak to me.

And this????
(Get your minds out of the gutter -- it's a golf club head cozy. What were you thinking?)

And finally, the Footsie Pillow, a/k/a Accident Waiting to Happen:

Light

2010-12-06T07:22:00.001-06:00

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

--Isaiah 9:2

As I try to adjust my focus this year on why we celebrate this season, I invite you to join us at Cross Point Community Church as we remember and celebrate the coming of the Light of the World.

I pray that we all put aside ourselves and reflect His light this season.

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

--Matthew 5:14-16

Baktus, Baktuses (Bakti?)

2010-11-29T18:48:00.005-06:00

I have been shamefully negligent in my blogposts -- partly because I've been travelling a lot, partly because I've been knitting like crazy, partly because I've just been plain lazy.

But now, here goes:

I have become addicted to the Baktus.

I've made four of these since the beginning of September.

First, we have the Lacy Baktus, which I made to go with a black dress and wear on my trip to San Francisco at the end of September (sent the dress back and am looking for another):

Next came this larger turquoise version out of Ironstone Skye. I also made this to wear in San Francisco, but it looked so good on my travelling companion that I let her have it (plus it was her birthday). Below is another friend modeling the scarf -- think she's a little camera shy.

Next is a lime green Baktus made also in Ironstone Skye. The model is the recipient, a/k/a Birthday Girl, a/k/a Traveling Companion. Ain't she cute?

And now we come the the final version made from Berroco Borealis. I don't have a good picture of the scarf, so I'm posting a few so you can see it from different angles. Plus, the background is just so gorgeous -- Greenbrier, just outside of Gatlinburg, TN.

So, what knitting patterns are you addicted to?

When Good Knitting Goes Wrong

2010-11-22T18:26:00.011-06:00

So, I wanted a Christmas hat to wear to a party my church is having for a small town in Appalachia in a couple of weeks. I've had this yarn hibernating in my stash for about a year -- not really my color and not my favorite weight (worsted), but in the spirit of waste not, want not, I went with it. I found this pattern on Raverly - The Guinan - and thought it was kind of cute.

How many ways can one hat go wrong?

#1 - The This-Hat-Must-Have-Been-Knit-For-One-Gargantuan-Head Look (and I must educate my photographer daughter in how to photograph from above so as to minimize the appearance of any multiple chinnage in the future.)

#2 The Star-Trek-Whoopi-Turban Look

(I have better eyebrows, or should I say, I have eyebrows.)

#3 The IHOP Special - please pass the syrup

#4 The Scottish Emo Look - now where did I put that kilt?

#5 And, finally, are those cat ears?

No. It's just that it's Monday and I can be evil if I want.

Make Do and Get It Done

2010-08-23T20:43:00.004-05:00

I finished knitting my French Lace Camisole yesterday morning and blocked it. What does a body do when she has no blocking wires and a shortage of pins (and patience)? Bamboo skewers to the rescue. Other than being a little sticky and leaving behind a splinter or two, they worked perfectly for blocking the lace on the straps. (But I could really use some blocking wires -- hint to husband.)

I sewed on the straps tonight and tried it on. Hmm...a little big through the upper region (delusions of grandeur on my part, perhaps?). What do you think? Take it in just a bit with a seam on each side or throw it in the dryer for a bit? Suggestions?

Geekery

2010-08-15T17:24:00.006-05:00

Do you ever spy a piece of furniture, an old appliance, a book, anything that time has passed by, and you feel just a little sad. This is an old school card catalog cabinet that my husband found for me a few months ago. It's sad for me to know that my kids have never learned about the Dewey Decimal system and how to navigate the old card catalog system. You see, I'm a library geek from way back (former library aide) and a book nerd from even farther back (had books in my crib -- seriously). I used to love to flip through those cards in my school library and fantasize about reading every book catalogued (told you -- major geek). Scrolling through the computer catalog is just not the same.

Anyway, I absolutely love this cabinet. I don't know what school she called home. But she still had intact most of her cards from her previous career. We couldn't decide where she should go, so she's been living in our garage. Well, today was her lucky day, and mine. I cleaned her up, and we moved her to a place of honor next to the front door. I did have to exchange some of her drawers with those from another cabinet that was not completely intact, but I kind of like her mismatched appearance.

It is truly amazing how many UFOs I can fit into these long narrow drawers. Maybe now that they're within easy reach instead of languishing in the back of a closet or the bottom of a bag, some of them might see completion. Or maybe not...at least they don't take up so much space now.

Oh, and another feature in her favor, she holds my long needles perfectly!

And, yes, I'm still a library geek. I can walk into a library, no matter the size, and immediately feel like I've come home. But I've also evolved into a yarn geek, so using the cabinet for all my fibery treasures is a match made in heaven -- geek heaven.

A Tangled Mess

2010-07-24T09:38:00.011-05:00

Lately, my soul feels a bit like this:

My thoughts and emotions seem to be all tangled and running in a thousand different directions.

I really should not feel this way right now. We just returned from a wonderful vacation in Hilton Head, and I can truly say that I fell head over heels in love with the place. Larry said that, everywhere we went, I had a big smile on my face. Who would be able to suppress happiness when surrounded by giant trees dripping with Spanish moss, beach waters full of live sand dollars, turtles paddling around all the local ponds, salt marshes and gorgeous birds around every corner?

So perhaps my current state of mind is partially due to mourning for a place in which I would have liked to have spent much more time. Could be that I miss the "little girl" unfettered joy that my now older kids previously exuded whenever we had new experiences or visited new places. Perhaps it is adjusting to being back to reality. Maybe it is that, in my everyday world, I feel stretched a bit too thin. More likely, I'm just a spoiled brat who wants more fun and less responsibility.

Whatever the cause, it's time to snap out of my funk and be grateful that I was able to spend yet another great vacation with my family, grateful that I have a home and a job to return to, grateful for responsibilities because that means I am needed. . .

But, in my mind, I'm gone to Carolina...

Oh, and lest I bring you all down too much, I am grateful for YARN! I found this in the sale bin at my LYS and I'm going to make a little goody for a friend's niece who is having a baby this fall:

And I am making progress on the French Lace Camisole. I finished the back and am now done with the lace border for the front:

Go With The Flow Day

2010-06-27T10:48:00.016-05:00

After a long, busy Friday and Saturday, we decided we needed a go-with-the-flow day. I'm spending the better part of the morning in my favorite spot. Welcome to my backyard.

Surrounded by some colorful decor:

Accompanied by my two faithful bodyguards:

And enjoying my favorite pasttime:

Y'all have a wonderful day!

Dogs, flowers and yarn

2010-06-22T06:35:00.008-05:00

It's been in the high nineties for several days here in Middle Tennessee. On top of the temperature, living out in the woods makes for very high humidity. We wake up every morning to all the windows having been steamed up. It's too miserable to do much of anything outside except in the early morning. This morning, I took a little time to have some quiet time with God. Then I briefly strolled by a couple of flower beds as the dogs chased a squirrel or two.

A face only a mother could love:

We have had some very brave deer visiting us lately. They have been coming up to the front porch and feasting on my lilies. Two mornings ago, a doe and her triplets (tiny things - still had their spots) walked right past our front windows. Here are some of the lilies that the deer did not eat:

As for knitting and yarny goodness, I'm still working away at Bianca. I have the back and the sleeves done and started one of the front pieces last night.

I'm ready to have Bianca done, because she has a sister waiting in the wings:<

The yarn for this is not as orange as it appears. It's more of a pinky-coral color. Very summery!

Enough for now. Enjoy the sunshine and try to stay cool!

Sunshine Award

2010-06-22T05:58:00.002-05:00

Yes, I am the proud recipient of a Sunshine Award from Debbie at stringofpurls. Thanks so much! Who doesn't appreciate the gift of sunshine?

And, following in Debbie's footsteps, I will pass this along to some of by bloggy/fibery friends:

Liana
Chris
Toni
CinnamonGirl

2010-06-06T06:10:00.006-05:00

I've laid aside my morning knitting these last couple of weeks to play in the flowers. Before I had kids, and before I spent my free time tangle up in various bits of yarn, I was quite the avid flower gardener. (Sadly, vegetable gardening has just never sparked much excitement.)

Here are just a few shots from around my house:

Don't you just love an unopened rosebud? It's full of such promise. This bush was started by my mother, from a bush her grandmother started, from her great grandmother's bush. Thanks, mom!

A beauty of a star flower just getting it's start.

A batch of yellow daylilies that my dear departed mother-in-law gave me some years back. (I miss you, Hazel.)

Lantana - always a summertime favorite at my house.

Now on to my pet yarn project of the moment...I'm making the Fair Bianca from Tahki Yarn's Garden Variety booklet in black Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima.

The pattern is so easy and the yarn is such a delight (very soft and silky feel to it) that the project is clipping along at a very nice pace. I have both sleeves done and am about 1/3 up the back.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T07:41:00.012-05:00

We celebrated Mother's Day at my house on Friday night. My older daughter made this framed collage of pictures from when she and her sister were little. I love it.

My younger daughter wrapped up a brownie mix box and promised to make those for me this weekend. She also gave me this handmade card - hilarious!

(That's me telling her to clean up her crap.)

(And this is me doing a cannonball into a cup of coffee.)

These 2 girls keep me laughing every day. I love them, and I love being their mom.

Happy Mother's Day!

Flooded

2010-05-05T10:12:00.015-05:00

You may or may not have heard about the disastrous flooding that occured over the weekend in the Middle Tennessee region, flooding parts of downtown Nashville, the Opryland Hotel, much of Bellevue, Kingston Springs (my little town), Pegram, and many other areas. Given other events in the national news, it is my understanding that much of the country knows little to nothing about what is happening here.

13-17 inches of rain fell in the region on May 1 and that volume of water had nowhere to go. Officials are calling this a 500-year flood. Most of the homes that were flooded are not insured for flooding, as they are not in a flood plain. Who would have ever thought the Opryland Hotel would have 6 feet of water standing in its beautiful conservatories? Who could imagine cars floating on I-24 or a school portable floating down the interstate like a houseboat? The Country Music Hall of Fame and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center took on water. Business on Lower Broadway are flooded, including the lower levels of the building I work in. So many have lost everything that it is absolutely heartbreaking. This video is a house across from my kids' middle school being swept away:

Flood across from middle school

However, there is also this uplifting story about a beautiful lady whose house was also on that street and was also lost:

Cheatham County Cleanup

Keep our area in your prayers. Not only are folks here dealing with property damage and a mess that will take months to clean up, some have lost loved ones.

Thanks.

"Honey! One of these socks is too tight."

2010-04-22T20:51:00.007-05:00

To all husbands out there (I know, I know. I have very few male blog readers that I know of, but here goes):

IF you were the last one to use the carpet cleaner, and
IF your wife decides, in a moment of pure insanity, that she needs to clean the carpet, and
IF she finds that the carpet cleaner was left with unused water in it, and
IF the machine is no longer operable...

DO NOT, under any circumstances, attempt the following:

* Tell her "Well, it was working the last time I used it." That really doesn't help, because it is not working NOW and she has not touched it in months or maybe even years.

* Make the statement "You probably forgot how to work it." Really? I can feel a slight chill in the air.

* "Accidentally drop the heavy metal handle on her head while she is sitting on the floor dismantling the machine to ascertain the problem. It is doubtful that this maneuver will render her unconscious. Even if you succeed, upon regaining consciousness, she will likely still remember that were the one who broke the machine and will most definitely remember that you bludgeoned her with a piece of the cursed beast.

* Once she has fixed the problem, reassembled the mess and proclaimed victory over yet another household appliance, look at her from the couch where you are watching football reruns, roll your eyes and sarcastically remark "You're amazing."

Despite any or all of these actions, if you have a wife who is knitting socks for you, she will most likely continue to do so -- probably not because she cares if you're feet are warm, but because now she needs an outlet to work out her frustrations. So...

I'm quitting my chores for the evening and going back to work on my husband's second sock. If he observes that this one seems a little tight, well then...let's just say I have sharp pointy sticks and I can do more than just knit with them. :)

O Pioneer!

2010-04-12T06:10:00.006-05:00

I really should not go to bed earlier than the rest of my family.

Let me start by explaining that, when we moved to the sticks in 1991, this place was so far off the beaten track that the road was still gravel, there was no city water, most everyone had their own propane tank buried in the back yard, and you had to turn a crank on the outside of the house to get electricity. OK, I'm exaggerating a bit, but only about the electricity. When we were building the house, my folks gave down from Kentucky for a visit. They followed us from our apartment 45 minutes away to the building lot. The first thing my mom said when she got out of the car was "How in the world did you find this place?" (Not a positive comment from someone who, herself, lives in the wilds of Kentucky.)

Because there was no city water, we had a well dug and were delighted to find that we did not hit a sulphur spring, of which there are an abundance in these parts -- hence the name "Kingston Springs". Well water can be very good, and our was and is. However, we vowed that we would tap into city water if ever it was run to this area. The county did run water into the back country about 10 years ago, but we have since lacked the $40 gazillion it would take to tap in and run the line from the road to the house 0.25 trazillion feet from the road. Hence the problem of the day...

When you have a well, you have to be very careful about letting water run for long periods of time. If the water is allowed to run for too long, the water level gets too low in the well and you end up pumping muddy water into all the pipes. Once that happens, it usually takes about 24 hours for everything to clear up. That means no drinking water, no showers, no laundry, no dishwashing, and, most importantly to me this morning, NO COFFEE! You see, because I went to bed before the rest of the family, I was not awake to do a final check of the house to see that all was as it should be. It seems that one of the commodes was stuck in flush mode all night long, pumping gallon upon gallon of water up and out of the well. I awoke to mud. Isn't that a lovely way to begin a Monday morning?

Ah, but this story has a happy ending. I came up with the bright idea to melt the ice cubes in the fridge so I could make some coffee. My pioneering ancestors would be so proud.

Now I'm off to hitch the team up to the wagon so I can make by daily journey into downtown Nashville. Y'all have a great day.

20 Things

2010-04-10T09:09:00.004-05:00

I was catching up on my blog reading when I saw this on Knitting4Shirley's blog. I thought "Why not?" so here goes:

1. Explain what ended your last relationship?
Returning to my present relationship, 24 years ago.
2. When was the last time you shaved?
Yesterday
3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.
Yoga while listening to my 11-year-old chatter and while fighting off my 2 terriers.
4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
Catching up on blog reading
5. Some things you are excited about?
Transplating plants today. Redoing the floors (if we ever get started). Working at the Kentucky Derby.
6. What is your favorite flavor of JELL-O?
Orange
7. Your prom night, what do you remember about it?
3 guys in tuxes push-starting my date's car in the parking lot of the restaurant.
8. Do you have any famous ancestors?
No, but one was a Pony Express rider
9. Last thing received in the mail?
Junk mail cleverly (or so they thought) disguised as official government mail. Sorry guys...didn't fool me. Now who's the clever one?
10. How many different beverages have you had today?
One - coffee
11. Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine?
All the time. What's the big deal?
12. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
No. I draw hearts and smileys.
13. Any plans for Friday night?
I plan to enjoy being at home.
14. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?
Never really thought about it. With short hair, it doesn't seem to do anything. When it was long -- yuck.
15. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?
No
16. Do you re-use towels after you shower?
Yes, if someone else hasn't thrown it on the floor...How can it jump from the hook on the back of the door to the floor opposite corner of the bathroom all by itself. I'm just asking.
17. Describe your keychain(s)?
Silver seahorse -- absolutely my favorite sea creature.
18. Where do you keep your change?
Where every other self-respecting woman keeps hers. In the bottom of my purse.
19. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?
My grandmother's funeral.
20. What kind of winter coat do you own?
Black leather...not that we need winter coats very often in Tennessee.

New Addition, New Reason to Knit

2010-04-09T19:11:00.008-05:00

About 2 1/2 weeks ago, we got another baby for Team Rogers. With the addition of this new niece, my brothers and I have 5 girls and 1 boy. Woo hoo!

Here's the little sweetie being held by her oldest cousin (and my daughter):

And now for the knitting part...

This is the Garter Yoke Baby Cardi from purls before wine. Liana, my long-time knitting pal, recommended this one. She's been working on one too out of a royal blue speckled with all kinds of pretty colors. Mine is done in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino that I bought at Haus of Yarn. I know, I know. What am I thinking making a baby sweater out of a cashmere blend? Before I get comments like "You must not like that baby's mother" or "I can't believe you'd use a special care fiber for baby clothes" or "Well, the silverfish and the moths will love it" let me just say that once I petted this yarn, I had to have it. You true yarnies will understand. Those of you who don't..."[insert favorite phrase]". My new niece has the coloring of her big sisters, her cousins, and me, so she will look absolutely fabuloso in this periwinkle. She will when she grows into it. The finished product looks to be about a 6-9 months size.

So now that the fun little sweater is done, it's back to the socks for the hub. I have some serious Second Sock Syndrome going on with that project. But I promised I wouldn't start on anything else until it's done.

I'm in knitting purgatory.

Eat Cake (oh how I wish)

2010-02-24T06:27:00.005-06:00

This year, I have attempted to give up two things that I dearly love for Lent: sugar and Facebook. I know that Lent sacrifices are meant to make us lean more on God during times of temptation, but I have a tendency to just whine instead (guess that's the human in me?). Thanks be to God that He knows I am a work in progress.

Since I'm not eating sugar, I decided to read about it instead. This was a delightful, quick read, and my second Jeanne Ray book. It inspired me to drag out my recipe box and find my grandmother's German Chocolate Cake recipe (the best German Chocolate Cake in the world). I just might have to make this for Easter weekend.

The first Jeanne Ray book I read was Julie and Romeo.

There's just something about the women in these books with which I can identify (or, probably to be more accurate, about which I fantasize). Maybe it's because they are in mid-life and the are forced into taking new paths that ultimately are better paths. Maybe it's because the author is a Nashville gal, as am I (sort of). Who knows why? They're just good reads.

Snow Day!

2010-01-30T07:31:00.010-06:00

Yesterday was a rare treat for me. I got a snow day! As I got ready for my 45-minute trek to downtown Nashville yesterday for another day and another dollar, I was grumbling and mumbling to myself about being the only one in my house that had to get out. About 15 minutes from the house, a mix of sleet and snow began to fall. "No worries," I thought, "I'll just go on in to the office and leave a little early." I'm rather stingy with my allotment of days off and I hated to burn one of them if I didn't have to.

I made my way in to work with no problems at all, but the snow was definitely falling more heavily. I worked at my desk with one eye on my work and the other on the weather outside. At 10:30, we were all told to go home and to be safe. Yes!!! Thank you!!!

Although the roads were merely wet, traffic crawled along on the interstate at about 10 mph. You see, we don't get much snow around here and there are many many many who go into a panic when they see bits of white fluff falling from the sky. (See The White Death posted by Knitty Bits.) We have been told about a great terror often seen in the north called Black Ice. Some of us think that it is an invisible substance that will leap out to cause death and destruction if we dare to drive over 10 mph.

Here's what I get for all my snarky remarks (you'd think I should know better):

I drove home and didn't encounted any slick roads until I was about 5 miles from home. I live about 5 miles back a narrow, winding, hilly road, with creeks, steep dropoffs, and deep ditches along the sides of the road. Those of us who have lived in these parts for many years have learned to respect The Hill -- an extremely steep, winding hill that levels out in a hairpin curve with a creek on the other side. Whenever there is ice and snow present, wise drivers stop before the plummet down The Hill and test it out before gingerly inching down. One cannot see to the bottom of The Hill to determine the conditions, so, once the descent is begun, there is no turning back.

Yesterday, there was a large pickup truck in front of me, carrying a heavy load of a camo 4-wheeler and some other equipment that I could not see about to make the descent. The driver (wearing a confederate flag ball cap) got out, put chains on the tires while I rolled my eyes, and began the downward journey at about 1 mph, stopping completely every 6 inches. Chains? Was he serious? I mean, we only had about 1 inch of snow at that point, and the county always salts The Hill, so there's usually some traction to be found. I followed along as he rolled forward until he arrived at the steepest part of The Hill where he stopped completely and inched about a foot at a time to the left side of the road so that he could drive with 2 wheels off of the road. Again I thought, "You have to be kidding me!" We had both just been passed by a truck coming up The Hill the other way. How bad could it be? Isn't getting up a slick hill harder than going down? Apparently not. . .

Once the truck made it down The Hill and around the hairpin curve, I noticed that he was stopped and was watching me. "OK, I'll show him how this is done," I thought. I slowly moved forward and very soon found the spot where he had encountered his challenge. Yikes! I was sliding in super slo-mo toward a deep, gravely, axle-scraping, car crunchin ditch and all I could do was hold my breath. I stopped short of certain disaster and tried to make it to the other side of the road, as the object of my previous ridicule had done. Every time I would make a little progress, I would then start sliding toward the yawning mouth of death on the other side of the road. After this back and forth battle that seemed to go on for hours (while the truck driver before me and 2 drivers behind me watched), I stopped, took a deep breath and prayed "God, please get me down this hill. Or at least let me go off the road over there, and not end up in this ditch." I swear to you that, after that prayer, I moved forward, slipped only a little, and was able to make the rest of the trip down.

The truck driver, as it turns out, was quite a gentleman -- and had a lovely Italian accent -- quite a nice surprise in the backwoods of Tennessee. He stopped me once we were on a level part of the road and asked me about my car. He told me that he was sure I was headed for the ditch. He had been waiting and watching to see if I needed help -- a guardian angel in camo and a confederate flag cap.

And, yes, there is knitting at the end of this story. I got home to my family, collapsed on the couch, and finished my alpaca/wool/bamboo scarf:

A Cup of Cold Water

2010-01-16T23:34:00.009-06:00

"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Matthew 10:42

My heart has been heavy all week with the news of the earthquake, the devastation, the images of the dead, the hurting, the mourning, and my helplessness. My brother and sister-in-law, Jeff and Vicki Rogers, work for an organization named G.O. Ministries that ministers to the poor on the island of Hispaniola, where both the Dominican Republic and Haiti are located. They travel back and forth from the States to the DR and into Haiti, and have over the years made Haiti much more real to me through their stories and pictures.

"What difference can I make?" you may ask yourself. There is much evidence already that God builds on what each of us do individually. One newspaper reported that, as of Thursday night, $7 million had been raised through cell phone pledges of $10 each, by texting "Haiti" to 90999. Most everyone in the U.S. can come up with $10. My kids blew me away today by telling me that they wanted me to donate their month's allowances to the relief effort. They are 11 and 13.

G.O. Ministries has already managed to acquire the use of 2 planes to shuttle supplies and has set up their headquarters in Santiago, DR, as a staging area for medical supplies, food, water, and emergency supplies. A couple of their American missionaries who live in Santiago full-time chartered a boat and have traveled up the coast of Haiti to rescue a mission team stranded there. Two truckloads of supplies will go out to the coast to be delivered by boat tomorrow and, hopefully the first of many flights will go in to Jacmel with supplies for some orphanages.

Please plug in, get involved, contribute something -- whether it's prayers, time, money, encouragement -- find a way to help. Everything counts. God will use it all to his glory.

Click the link to see a great example of the work God does through regular, everyday people. This is outside Santiago, DR. It was built by hand, one cinder block at a time, with no machinery, but lots of love. I am blessed that God used my unskilled hands to help, if only for a few precious days, with this project: Brisas update

"Dear children, let us not love with word or tongue, but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:18

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

2010-01-03T08:47:00.009-06:00

OK, folks. When I tell people I love winter, I mean the 30-ish degree winters we are used to in the Middle Tennessee area. It's 15 stinkin' degrees outside right now! What? I am not prepared for this! Last year, in a fit of declutteritis, I donated my heavy coat that had not been worn in about 5 years. The girls, deciding that their coats were uncool ("Mom! No one wears pink anymore!"), put theirs in the Goodwill bag too. Only The Man, who breaks out in hives if forced to get rid of anything and is, in fact, the ultimate pack rat (ask me about the 3-legged chair he brought home once), has a warm coat to wear.

Ah well, this too shall pass. Given our fickle weather, it could be 70 degrees here tomorrow. I shall, in the meantime, snuggle into my favorite corner of the couch, with may faithful guardians, Sammy and Rosco, and cast on something new. Perhaps it is time to fashion a mate for that fingerless mitt I made for a friend several months (or could it be more than a year?) ago. Poor little fella:

I am proud to say that I have finished my first project for 2010. This was a free pattern I found thru Ravelry - Susie's Reading Mitts courtesy of Dancing Ewe Yarns. I started them on 12/30 and polished them off last night (1/2). These will go in the mail to my sis-in-law this week. Hope she enjoys them! I may have to make myself a pair.

First, I'll have to buy some new dpns. I had about 1/2 inch of the hand to do and the thumb still unknit, when 2 of my #4 dpns fell into the crevice between the couch cushions -- the attached couch cushions. When I was feeling around in the cracks with my hand, the needles worked their way into a much smaller crevice in the couch frame, never to be heard from again. @$&*(#*&@! I rummaged thru my stash of circulars and found a set of #3.5s. I was able to finish off last little bit of knitting with those, knitting a bit more loosely than normal. Crisis averted! Mitts were saved from the dreaded Abyss (bottom of the knitting basket).

I hope y'all have a wonderful new year full of lots of fibery goodness, many blessings, and a life abundant!

Twas the Day After Christmas...

2009-12-26T07:17:00.002-06:00

and all through the house
not a creature was stirring
except for this mouse (oh, and 2 dogs).

Good morning, all!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was a quiet, laid back, all day PJ party. We abandoned tradition and opened all the gifts before breakfast. Afterward, there were children to tease and laugh with, family and friends to call or send greetings of cheer, movies to watch, cards to be played, naps to be had, a fire to be warmed by, football to watch (or knit by), a feast to be eaten, sweets to indulge in...and there was the laying aside of all troubles, worries and fears. Ours was a day to accept and enjoy the gift that God, through Christ, has given us all:

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
--John 10:10

May you all enjoy an abundant life. God bless.

There Be Owls Here

2009-08-23T17:53:00.015-05:00

Or maybe I should say, owlets. I ran across this cute little pattern on Ravelry. Now, in all fairness, the pattern did come with a warning label that it could be addictive. I would up that warning and suggest that this pattern be listed among other controlled substances. I think I'm starting to hallucinate, because these little guys are popping up everywhere:

This is a great way to use up scrap yarn. I used Lion Brand Homespun scraps and some of those extra buttons that come with everything you buy these days. I started making these around 9:00 this morning and couldn't stop myself until about 3:00. This is a great beginner's crochet project because, depending on the yarn, it can be very forgiving.

Photo credits go to SJL Photography (my 13-year-old):

Son of Dish Rag Tag

2009-08-21T20:54:00.007-05:00

I'm in! Thanks to foothillsofthegreatsmokymountains' nudge to join, I'm giving this a try. Sounds like a hoot. Here's how it works, as far as I can tell:

A "baton" is passed through the a team of 10 knitters. Each box has a finished dish rag, a ball of dish rag cotton, instructions, the Official Dish Rag Tag Pattern and a small treat. Upon receipt of the "baton", the recipient knits a new dish rag using the yarn in the box and the Official Pattern. When the new dish rag is done, it is sent with a new ball of yarn, the pattern and a treat to the next team member. The first box to make it through all team members and return "home" is the winner.

This whole thing is organized by yarnmiracle. Visit her site for some really cute patterns.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T10:15:00.006-05:00

Happy Father's Day to my 2 favorite dads! I love you!

My dad, doing his favorite thing - fishing:

And my husband - how many dads would let their kids turn them into mermaids? Such a good sport!

Summer = Family Time (and a little knitting)

2009-06-20T11:04:00.011-05:00

Greetings from Gulf Shores:

Dad's always such a good sport. There's no way I'd let them bury me in the sand:

So glad G & P joined us this year. It was our first beach vacation with them since I was a kid:

3 generations - G, Me, and D1&2:

G and D1 at Stacey's Rexall Drugstore in Foley, AL - opened in 1923 - full service soda fountain - we went back for more a few days later:

Oh, and, as luck would have it, look at what was delivered while we were away:

Yes, those are the swimsuits we were supposed to take with us. Thank goodness that Gulf Shores has a Wally World!

I did manage to do a little knitting here and there. My After Dark Robe has been out of hibernation for about a month. The back is done and I am almost finished with the front left side:

When I couldn't stand another minute of stockinette, I started the Swirl Shawl out of some Koigu sock yarn I bought with a birthday gift certificate a while back. These little medallions are rather addictive once you start on them - kind of like "potato chip" knitting as Gigi and Jasmin like to say.

And finally, I added to my dishrag cotton stash. How could I be expected to resist colorways named Fiesta and Gumdrop? And what better souvenir could I ask for?

Emergency Knitting

2009-05-28T21:04:00.002-05:00

There are a few things that I try never to leave the house without -- my cell phone, my purse, my ipod, and my knitting. What if, horror of horrors, I was stuck in traffic or had car trouble and had no knitting with me? What would I do to pass the time? What would I do to calm my nerves? I know - I have become obsessed.

Tonight, on my way home, my obsession served me well. My car, apparently a nail magnet given the number of flat tires I've had since buying it, picked up a large chunk of metal in one of the tires. I heard it thumping and pulled over on the interstate but there was no flat tire. I got back in my car and drove a bit further. The thumping got worse and worse until I saw something out of my rearview mirror fly out from under my car. Then I heard it - a sickening pssssssss thud thud thud thud. I pulled over again and, yep, my tire had turned into a pancake.

I called AAA and settled in with my knitting. That comforting click-slide-click of the needles made those 20 minutes of wait time fly by. Before I knew it, the service truck was there. This very nice man had my tire changed in under an hour. As he was packing his gear to leave, I hopped in my car to drive away. . .click . . .click click click . . .deader than a doornail. My hazard lights had drained my battery. Luckily, the gentleman had not left yet. With a smile, he jumped my car and sent me on my way - wishing me a good evening. AAA Man, you are my hero!

So, there you have it. In addition to a AAA card, spare tire, flashlight, and cell phone, emergency knitting should be considered essential equipment for every car.

Podcasts, anyone?

2009-05-27T21:33:00.003-05:00

I made the mistake of mentioning to my brother that I love to listen to knitting podcasts. He said "What's to listen to? The sound of metal sticks hitting each other? Ooh, that sounds like socks." What a smart @$$.

But, it gave me the idea for this blogpost. Here are a few that I listen to on my 40 minute commute to work.

Stash and Burn - Nicole and Jenny have inspired me when my knitting mojo was MIA. They are creative, funny, and I look forward to every new episode.

The Knitmore Girls - Gigi and Jasmine are a mother and daughter duo that have lots of good information. Gigi is a delight with her "Mother Knows Best" segment. And you never know what to expect from her Magenta-headed daughter.

cogKNITive - This is a new one for me. Dr. Gemma is a prison psychologist who records her podcasts in her car during her commute. Her insights into psychology combined with her knitting stories are a good listen.

CraftLit - CraftLit is also one I'm just now trying on for size. Heather Ordover is reading The Scarlet Letter right now. I'll let you know if I stick with this one. She has a nice voice and her podcasts have good sound quality.

Cast On - This was one of my favorites for a long time. Unfortunately for us, Brenda Dayne doesn't release new episodes as frequently or as regularly as she used to. And I miss the stories she used to tell herself. She has such a wonderful voice and paints such vivid word pictures.

Anyone else out there have some favorites they'd like to share? Those of us with long commutes would appreciate anything new to keep us entertained as we fly down the interstate.

May - Derby Day, Mother's Day

2009-05-25T20:27:00.008-05:00

This is my new knitting nest. My husband bought the swing for me a while back and refurbished it. He bought me new cushions for it and hung it on our private deck outside our bedroom as a Mother's Day gift. I spent all Mother's Day in it - knitting, napping, knitting, reading. I woke up from my nap to this from D#1:

This is a rose from a rosebush that my mother started for me, that she started from a slip from her grandmother's, that her grandmother started from a slip from her grandmother. My favorite part of flower gardening is having a plant with history.

On the knitting front, I have been busy with Bella Paquita, but she is still not finished. I am having trouble getting the sleeves sewn in just right. My seaming is P-I-T-I-F-U-L! I took the sleeves out for the second time today and will have to work up the gumption to attempt them again.

For a little mindless knitting in those "I am so sick of you, Bella!" moments, I'm just working up a good ol' dishrag - or warshrag as D#1 likes to say.

I did not make it to Stitches South in April, but my friends were able to go. My good friend, Liana, didn't want me to miss out on any yarny goodness and brought me this gift:

The colorway is "Wild Thing" - doesn't she make your heart sing? Thanks, Liana! And thanks, Martha and Chris for sharing your stories and for the show-n-tell!

Also, this month, it was my privilege to work as a volunteer at Churchill Downs again during the Oaks and Kentucky Derby. Four friends from Nashville drove up to join me on Friday night, May 2, to work a 12+ hour shift manning souvenir trailers at the Downs. It was a long, hard day, but we had a blast. We were participating in a fundraiser for G.O. Ministries, for which my brother and sister-in-law work. G.O. received $47,500 for working this event! I've already committed to work again next year - my 4th year in a row - a great time for a great cause.

That about wraps up May for me. The kids will be out of school this week (although D#2 has had some kind of bug and will probably miss her last day). We're looking forward to our family vacation next month. Then, the month after that, we hit birthday season. Hopefully, Bella will be done by then!?!

Resurrection and Renewal

2009-04-12T06:20:00.012-05:00

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' "

--Luke 24:1-7

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

--John 10:10

Spring is all about renewal, rebirth, resurrection. I stepped outside early this morning and smelled the cool crisp air, listened to the birds signing, and saw those pink-tinged clouds I love so much scattered across that beautiful clear blue sky. Mornings like this are vivid reminders that He loves me, that He loves all of us -- enough to do whatever it takes to reconcile us to Him. Over 2000 years ago, Christ became a man to teach us how to live and love, to stand in our place and take our punishment, and rise again. Because of His love, each new day can be like the first day of Spring for me. I am a new creation. The old is gone, the new has come. I am bewildered, stunned, grateful, whenever I consider this.

See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come
--Song of Solomon 2:10-12

Will Bella Go to Stitches?

2009-04-03T06:11:00.003-05:00

It's 19 days until Stitches South in Atlanta. A few from my downtown knitting group are going. The jury is still out as to if I will go. But, it never hurts to be prepared.

Since one can simply not appear at such an event without wearing some evidence of one's work, and it will be warm in Atlanta at the end of this month, I am making Marnie MacLean's Bella Paquita. The cross-over neckline is a favorite of mine. After browsing through many finished projects in Ravelry, I chose Red Heart TLC Cotton Plus in a lavender shade.

There were several projects on Ravelry made from more expensive yarns, but the two I liked the best were from TLC Cotton Plus. I ordered mine from Joann.com and it only cost me around $25. Who can argue with that?

I am finished knitting the bodice and the sleeves. I am about half-way through the lace neckline (I've learned the value -- the necessity -- of using lifelines while working with lace).

Keep your fingers crossed that Bella will be done soon, that she will fit like a dream, and that she will be traveling to Atlanta at the end of the month.

I'll post some pictures this weekend.

Who are these children and why are they calling me Mom?

2009-03-13T22:18:00.006-05:00

I sit at my computer completely brain-dead tonight - brain-dead from 5 hours of mini-golf, shopping and chauffeuring. It's after 10:00 p.m., there is a Frankie Muniz movie blaring on the TV, and I hear occasional eruptions of hysterical pre-teen giggling in the background. I don't even want to see what those girls are up to. D#1 and D#2 were on Spring Break this week. Since we don't take our vacation until summer, I decided to take a couple of days off and spend some time with them.

Yesterday, we saw Paul Blart, Mall Cop (save this one for the rental queue). Today, we drove over to Opry Mills Mall for shopping, 18 holes of Glow Golf, and more shopping. This mall is 45 minutes from our house - one way - and being trapped behind the wheel with a 12-year-old and 10-year-old and their warped senses of humor is much like being locked in a rolling insane asylum. D#2 was fairly exhausted when we left the mall, but then, I made the mistake of feeding them. All I can say is do you remember Gremlins?

Never ever feed them after midnight? Well, I fed my gremlins earlier than midnight, but I believe it has had the same effect. Whew! They have been swinging from the rafters since we got home.

Seriously though - I haven't been able to take any time off in past years during the girls' Spring Break. I am so glad I did this year. Just a couple of days of doing nothing but fun stuff will be time we all remember - even if all we did was go shopping and act silly for a while.

Sock it to me

2009-03-13T10:17:00.018-05:00

It seems I've caught the sock bug. After I finished the Vomit Socks , I realized how much I love the feel of custom fit socks.

So I made a pair out of San Diego Yarn self-striping, which, after another crass comment from D#1, I have dubbed the Vomit Socks - Take Two. Although I did these in straight stockinette, the self-striping pattern kept me going. I'm not sure how well these socks will wear in the long-run. They seem a little pilly after just a few wearings. Maybe the fabric is just blooming a bit. I'll update after a few more wearings and washings.

Last week, I finished my Corny Toes from Maizy yarn in Night Shades. I love the socks and the feel, but this yarn was a pain to work with - very splitty. I'll let you know how they wear.
The next pair will be out of the Wildfoote I bought at Smoky Mountain Spinnery two years ago. I frogged the Crusoe sock that I had done in this because it was just too big.

Waiting in the wings are the following sock yarns:

Cascade Heritage - bought last fall at Smoky Mountain Spinnery.

Kroy in off-white. I bought this on clearance at Michael's for $2.49 a ball. How could I possibly pass that up?

Koigu - Wow! Did you know how expensive this stuff is? I had a gift cerificate left over from Christmas, so I splurged.

I'm thinking of making this instead of socks with the Koigu (but I'll need more):

Swirl Shawl

G.O. Derby!

2009-03-10T21:38:00.003-05:00

Calling all volunteers! G.O. Ministries is looking for volunteers to man the souvenir trailers at the Kentucky Derby again this year. Volunteers are needed for 4/30, 5/1 and 5/2 (Derby Day) to sell the official souvenirs at the Derby. This is a great way to people watch, and there are so many interesting people to watch, and a fun way to raise money for a wonderful ministry. For more information, please see: http://www.goderby.blogspot.com/

I DO NOT like to work retail, but I've participated in this the last 2 years (and will be there again this year) and it is a blast! Oh, yeah - and I won $30 on Big Brown last year.

Thanks, ya'll!

A Wicked Weekend

2009-01-28T20:06:00.004-06:00

This past weekend, I travelled with 2 of my bestest friends in the whole wide world to see Wicked at the Kentucky Center of the Arts in Louisville. What an absolutely fabulous show this was! If you get a chance to see it, jump on it -- whether you're a Wizard of Oz fan or not (I am not). The music, the costumes, the sets, the story -- nothing disappointed.

I wanted to be Elphabah, bright green skin and all. But, since, I can't go around in day-glo green makeup, I think I'll knit something.

Grumpy Grumpy Grumpy

2009-01-08T22:06:00.004-06:00

Yes, that would be me. I've been running errands, working, wasting time, and NOT KNITTING. The lack of fiber in my diet has made me very:

So, tonight, I did a little knitting on my Maizy sock and now I'm:

Ahhhh - much better now!

Why I Love New Year's Day

2009-01-01T10:36:00.002-06:00

New Year's Day has always been my favorite day of the year - full of wonder at what a new year will bring. I love the idea of second chances, fresh starts, clearing of the decks, etc. The new year, for me, brings thoughts of what I would like to accomplish; of little things I can do to improve my quality of life and the lives of those who cross my path; of new opportunities to nuture friendships, makenew friends and reconnect with ones; of appreciation of the gift of my family; and of gratitude for all the experiences of the last year (the good and the bad, for both shape who I am).

May 2009 bring much joy to you and yours!

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
-- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Simplify 2008 - The Results

2008-12-30T07:13:00.000-06:00

So, how've I done in my decluttering this year? I've kept a record and I think it's a good start, although I still have a long way to go. You can see that I kind of lost momentum toward the end of the year. (And we won't even talk about the weight loss attempt.) But progress is progress, and, with the excesses of the Christmas season behind me, I'm ready to resume the decluttering process. While I don't know that I'm ready to go as far as this fellow, I do dream about being unfettered by STUFF. Wish me luck!

TOTAL DECLUTTERED FOR YEAR
10 bags
18 boxes
18 books
25 VHS tapes
2 items of furniture
2 jars of coins

January

2 leaf bags of clothes/stuff and 2 boxes of dishes/ornaments to Goodwill
5 pounds

February

3 leaf bags of clothes and toys (includes 10 pr. shoes, 3 purses, 6 pr. pjs) and 18 books to Goodwill
1 pound

March

Not much success decluttering
Gained and lost the same pounds

April

2 leaf bags and 1 box of clothes, books, and toys to Goodwill

May

1 leaf bag of clothes and 1 box of dishes to Goodwill
4 pounds

June

2 leaf bag of clothes, 2 box of dishes/toys 2 bags of VHS tapes to Goodwill

July
4 boxes of household items, 1 shelf unit, 1 wicker trunk to Goodwill

August

4 boxes of household items, kids' clothes/shoes, kids' stuff to Goodwill
1 rusty old swingset that had outlived its usefulness
5 VHS tapes
2 jars of coins to Coinstar

November

4 boxes of warm clothing items for Wheelwright mission project

Christmas Gifts Accomplished!

2008-12-28T17:19:00.006-06:00

(Well, sort of). Here's the breakdown of my hand-knit gifts that were actually completed and given this year by Christmas:

1 pair of felted clogs - Dad

2 ruffled hats - twin nieces (Here's one, modeled by D#1)

1 pair of fingerless mitts - D#1

Instead of stressing over what I didn't get done, I just enjoyed giving what I finished. The others on my list received bought items, but I decided not to stress over those this year either. This Christmas just had a different feel for me. Instead of letting myself get wrapped up in and/or aggravated by the consumerism and commercialism, I decided to just be grateful - grateful for the incredible gift that is the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place - and to look for ways that I could live out that gratitude. I have a long way to go, but it made for a much more meaningful Christmas season this year.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas celebration.

Christmas Knitting

2008-12-07T20:52:00.002-06:00

I finished another felted bowler hat this morning. I hope it will work for the recipient. I left it in the washer longer than I had planned (distracted with Facebook, I'm afraid) and it shrunk a wee to much. I stretched it and worked quite a bit with it in the blocking phase, so I think I saved it. I'll let you know.

I started another mitred square vest, but lost count about 8 rows into it. I frogged it and decided that I needed to take a break from knitting for the rest of the day.

I still have quite a list to go:

Vest
Ruffled hat
Bunny Blanket Buddy (although I think it'll be a puppy instead)
3 pair of fingerless mitts
Pillow cover
Afghan (mostly done - just about 12 inches more to go)
Man's hat

How many more days are there before Christmas?

Now on to a non-Christmas item -- I finished the "Vomit Socks" last night and loved them so much that I wore them to bed! They turned out very cute and they are the perfect color to wear with my tan mary-jane Skechers. Today I wore them out shopping and to the Opryland Hotel to see the Christmas lights. I think they really enjoyed their first outing! :)

Deadline Knitting

2008-12-02T21:58:00.002-06:00

I started this Baby J sweater on Friday and finished it today with 40 minutes to spare before the baby shower for which this was made. I breezed into my LYS last Wednesday evening, right as they were ready to close, and bought the yarn. I cast on the project on Friday morning and have done nothing but knit since then. Yesterday, I realized that I still needed buttons, so I went back to the LYS on my way home from work and found these little cuties. Then it was back home to knit knit knit until I finished around 11:00 p.m. I handwashed it and blocked it before I went to bed at 11:30. This morning, I got up early so that I could sew on the buttons before I left for work only to realize that I didn't have the right color thread. Of course, the sweater wasn't dry yet either, but, since it turned out a little too big anyway, I tossed it in the dryer. It came out the perfect size. (Better to be lucky than smart!) I swung into Wal-mart on my way to work, picked up the thread I needed, and sewed on the buttons during my break.

Whew! I don't know why I do this to myself, but this hasn't been the first time I've done something like this and I know I'm not the only one out there. Anyone have any last-minute-to-spare stories?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T05:52:00.002-06:00

As I take a moment from the hustle and bustle of getting my family ready for the trek to Kentucky, I am shifting my focus from the busy-ness of the day to the reason for the day. I am so very thankful for:

A God who loves me enough to sacrifice His son for me
A family who loves me unconditionally
Friends who laugh with me, laugh at me, listen to me and honestly offer advice
A good job with good people in these uncertain times
A roof over my head
Food in my pantry
Clothes to keep me warm
Good health
Life's little luxuries - scented bath gels, chocolate, coffee, yarn, yarn, yarn, yarn, more yarn

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

A Productive Weekend

2008-11-24T05:59:00.007-06:00

Action shot:

Actually, I got a ton of work done around the house this weekend. I cleaned out my closet and my bedroom and packed up 3 boxes of clothes to send to an Appalachian mission that my church supports plus 2 bags of clothes for Good Will. This is the first time in about 100 years that the floor of my closet has been seen. I wasn't really sure there was a floor. I thought maybe that was where old clothes went to die. Anyway, I have a long long way to go to get this house back in some kind of order, but I'm energized now. Hopefully it will last.

I was able to get in quite a bit of knitting, too. Last spring, I picked up 5 balls of Patons Shetland Chunky for $1 ea. It was pretty and soft, but I really had no idea what I would do with it. Last week, my church knitting/crochet group received an e-mail requesting that we bring in whatever items we had collected or made for the Appalachian mission. We do a lot for the kids up there, but there is a nursing home with many in need. They were asking for blankets, towels, washcloths, heaters - warm stuff. I rifled through the stash that was lurking in my closet and ran across this yarn. I was able to start and finish a lapghan with the 5 balls I had on Saturday. It's a simple piece, worked double-stranded, completely in garter stitch. It is unbelievably warm and soft. I hope someone gets some warmth and pleasure from it.

After that, I started a wrap out of some off-white Baby Clouds I had bought on eBay about 2 years ago - also for the mission. It's amazing how warm this loopy fabric can be.

And now, on to the Throw Up Socks. I ran across this yarn on KnitPicks and just loved it. It seems to fall-ish and the name is just wonderful - Gingerbread House. It's a wool/alpaca blend, is so incredibly soft, and I was very excited to start working with it. HOWEVER, having 2 tweens in the house has a tendency to deflate one's elation. D#2 saw me working with it on Friday and said "That looks like colorful throw up." Gee, thanks! Yesterday, I asked D#1 what the yarn reminded her of. "Kinda like vomit," she said. Well, I like it anyway. But I guess the socks will forever be referred to as the Vomit Socks. KIDS!

Yet another addiction?

2008-11-12T22:02:00.020-06:00

Time to confess - I've found a new addiction. . . Facebook!

I have heard everyone from my pastor to my brother talk about Facebook, and I always considered it a complete waste of time (much as they would if I tried to tell them about Ravelry). I joined about a month ago and have already reconnected with so many people from my past. I married young and moved to another state, so I had lost contact with many friends from my childhood and high school years. It's so much fun to think "I wonder what ever happened to _____" - do a search and,voila!, there they are!

Oh, I haven't given up Ravelry, blogging, or knitting. I've just added to my list of excesses. I have been busy working on a few projects in the last couple of months:

Felted Bowler Hat:

Unfelted - not the most flattering picture of me, I know.

Felted.

I don't really wear hats, but I saw this pattern and had to give it a try. I bought a bunch of Paton's Classic Wool on clearance, so I have lots to play with. D#2 likes it, so I'll probably give it to her. I've got my eye on trying a felted Fedora, but the pattern I found is crochet andI don't know how to do that (yet).

Striped Modular Vest for me:

D#1 is modeling for me. (Isn't she cute?) I used Lion Brand Wool-ease for this that I had actually purchased for another vest about a year ago. I had started the other one, but the stockinette back had become very tedious and I just couldn't take it anymore. When I saw this vest on the front of September 2008 Creative Knitting, I just knew this yarn was made for that pattern. It is very cozy and very warm - perfect for our mild Tennessee falls and winters. I forgot to make a buttonhole while I was working the front, so I've decided just to leave off the closure for now. If I decide it needs a closure, I'll knit on some I-cord.

Sakura Ruffled Hat:

This was a free-with-purchase-of-yarn pattern that I thought was just the cutest little thing - perfect for a toddler. I bought enough yarn to do 2 hats in different colors. I made this one according to the pattern and I think it turned out a little too long and a tad too big around. I am making these for my twin nieces for Christmas, and I'm just not sure of the fit. I'll go down a needle size for the next one and make the hat about 2 inches shorter.

Baby Kimono and Hat:

I started this sweater last weekend for our newly hatched great-niece. I finished the sweater last night and started and finished the hat between last night and today. BOB (D#1's "Big Ol' Baby") is modeling it here.

Moderne Log Cabin Afghan:

This one is coming along nicely. It has grown to a size that is not very portable, so I use it for mindless TV knitting. D#2 has been very patient with me. When she sees me working on another project, she asks me about her blanket, but she doesn't pout. Here she is posing underneath it. She is a sweetie.

Picot Edge Mitts:

I made these from some Silky Tweed that Liana gave me for my b-day. I haven't done picot edging before, but it was very easy and these were a quick knit.

5-Hour Baby Sweater

I made this a couple of months ago and completely forgot about it. It turned out a little crooked, so D#1 got to keep it for her American Girl doll. It was a perfect fit for her.

Does this still count as a post?

2008-11-06T22:21:00.002-06:00

I've been working on a post, but it's been so long, and I've been knitting so much, and I haven't taken pictures of my projects, and I don't like to blog about my knitting without pictures, and . . . and . . . and . . .

Oh, OK! I confess! I'm procrastinating instead of packing for a weekend trip. Although, in my defense, I have been waiting for the washing machine to quit so I can throw in another load.

So, since I'm obviously not going to blog about my knitting, here's one of those little quizzes I found on Big Pink Cookie (Cinny, my apologies -- but you never read this anyway):

1. Do you like blue cheese? Only on a salad

2. Have you ever smoked cigarettes? No - really - no

3. Do you own a gun? No

4. What Kool Aid flavor was your favorite? Black cherry

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Sometimes

6. What do you think of hot dogs? Mmmm . . . with mustard, on a really fresh bun

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Holiday Inn with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Coffee with lots of cream

9. Can you do push ups? Why, yes I can. Wanna know how many?

10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? Antique scarab bracelet my husband bought me the first year we were married

11. Favorite hobby? Knitting

12. Do you have A.D.D.? Self-diagnosed, yes

13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? Wear contacts exclusively since I squished my good pair of glasses and the dog chewed up my others

14. Middle name? None

15. Name three thoughts at this exact moment? -1- I really should be doing my laundry. -2- I'd like to get that fingerless mitt done tonight. -3- I wonder if there's any good chocolate around here.

16. Name three drinks you drink regularly. Coffee, Diet Pepsi, Water

17. Current worry? That my husband and kids are going to be pi&&ed in the morning when they see how much I didn't get done tonight to get us ready

18. Current hate right now? Hate is a strong word - can't say that I hate much of anything

19. Favorite place to be? In my backyard, with my knitting, kids and dogs running around, husband happily on his lawnmower

20. How did you bring in the New Year? Home with husband and kids

21. Where would you like to go? Ireland

22. Name three people who will complete this? I don't even know if there are 3 people who will read this.

23. Do you own slippers? Yes. But I only wear them to go outside or in the garage.

24. What shirt are you wearing? Blue nightshirt

25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No -- too hot!

26. Can you whistle? Barely

27. Favorite color? Pink, turquoise

28. Would you be a pirate? No - I'm too much of a softie (or a coward?)

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Slow Fade, Better is One Day in Your House, Feels Like Today

30. Favorite girl’s name? Well, I can't pick either of my daughters, because they'll be offended. How about Elizabeth?

31. Favorite boy’s name? Joseph

32. What’s in your pocket right now? No pockets

33. Last thing that made you laugh? My silly daughter doing her weird stretches

34. What vehicle do you drive? Pacifica

35. Worst injury you ever had? Broken tailbone

36. Do you love where you live? Yes - woods, streams, quiet. Wish we had a little more room in the house, but we manage.

37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 4 - 1 of which doesn't work very well.

Ok, now it is your turn! Let me know if you do it too!

Impractical and practical projects

2008-10-11T22:12:00.010-05:00

Here's what I made the other night when I was up until 1:45 a.m. Like I said, it's totally impratical, but it was fun to make.

I have made some practical items recently though. This is sock #1 to the Crusoe socks from Knitty. I realize that this project, too, is totally impractical if I never finish the second one. If only I could find that second skein of yarn . . .

I also made a Scribble Lace scarf for my friend's birthday. This is the first time I've used mohair and it is just heaven on the skin! I can't believe how warm this stuff is.

Then, here's a scarf I made for myself a few weeks ago using Liesel as a guide. I didn't want such a wide scarf, so I did just one pattern instead of the 2 repeats it called for. I just love leaves, don't you?

Finally, I hit a bit of knitting disaster tonight. I was chugging along on my Go Big Blue baby sweater for my nephew when I realized I had totally screwed up about 4 rows back. I just didn't have the patience to frog it tonight, so into the timeout bag it went. Grrr!

I have to finish it, though. Won't he just be adorable in it, with those big blue eyes?

Fireproof

2008-10-10T22:06:00.003-05:00

I reluctantly went to see this movie tonight with 2 girlfriends. While I am a Christian, I often shy away from "Christian" entertainment, finding much of it a little cheesy and contrived. But I have to say that this movie was a nice surprise. It took me about 10-15 minutes to get into the story, but then it really pulled me in. The characters weren't the goody two shoes I had expected. They struggled with some very nasty problems and were not magically transformed overnight. I would recommend this movie to just about anyone.

It's 1:30 a.m. - Do you know where your felted project is?

2008-10-07T01:29:00.003-05:00

Mine is in the washer, hopefully felting to perfection. I have become truly obsessed with this craft we call knitting. I sat down around 9:00 tonight with a project in my head - no pattern - just some inspiration. Here I am 4 1/2 hours later, waiting to see if it felts to become anything close to what I had in mind. Now, I have to be up at 6:00 a.m. to get myself ready for work and the kids off to school. Any sane person would have put the needles down and tucked herself in at least by 11:00, but NOOOOOOOOOO - not I.

In my defense, part of my nightowledness tonight was due to a movie I have been wanting to see - The Other Boleyn Girl - that I knew H would not want to see. So I indulged in some late night movie watching while I knit. But the movie has been over for a couple of hours now, so I will admit, it has been creative genius (madness) that has kept me up into the wee hours.

Yawn! The felting is done. The project is a little cutie pie, if I say so myself. It is extremely impractical, which makes it all the cuter. I'll try to post some pics tomorrow. Right now, I've got to get a little shuteye. Or maybe cast on that second sock that's been haunting me . . .

Waxing nostalgic

2008-10-04T10:57:00.017-05:00

Two weekends ago, I had the pleasure of reuniting with my 2 best friends from college, Tracey and Debbie. We had not been together as a threesome in 13 years, and even then, it was for Tracey's wedding, so there wasn't time for much chit chat. The last time we were together just to vist was in 1987 (wow!) just after I married and moved to Nashville.

Even after so many years, we were able to pretty much just pick up where we left off. We had plans to shop and eat and play, but we mostly just talked . . . and talked . . . and talked . . .

We talked about kids, husbands, exes, parents, old friends, old enemies, crazy things we did, how stupid we were about some things, how life has knocked us around a bit, but how good life is still.

Imagine my delight when I learned that Tracey had picked up knitting and crocheting. That opened up a whole new world for us to talk about. Debbie, who just doesn't get the whole "fiber" thing, thought we had joined the ranks of the elderly. I told her that she just didn't know how "cool" knitting and then promptly reminded her that she is the SAME AGE as us - in fact a few months OLDER. :) Then I pointed out the Jolly Roger (I have on the back of my Pacifica and asked if that looked like something an old lady would have. We'll just have to work on converting her.

As I drove away on Sunday, I was keenly aware of the passage of time. Where did it go? I remember those days with such clarity that it's hard to grasp how much life has happened to each of us since. I was letting myself slip into sadness, wondering how long it would be before we would see each other again. But then I realized how lucky we were to have had this weekend and to have shared our memories.

Thanks, guys, for being friends through the years, over the many miles, and despite my complete lack of communication. Next time, we won't wait another 13 years. And next time, we'll bring extra yarn and knitting needles for you, Debbie!

I won! I won! I really really won!

2008-09-22T20:03:00.004-05:00

I'm a little late in posting this, but better late than never. Looky at what Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains sent me. All for just saying "howdy" -- isn't this just the greatest?

It's a needle wrap, hummingbird note cards, and handmade soap.

This is a peek at the outside and the inside of the needle wrap. I love them all!

Goofing off

2008-09-14T22:01:00.002-05:00

This is just fun. Here's what to do if you want to play along:

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name. (kid version: favorite animal?)

1. leann (iv), 2. 14th August 2007 / Day 226, 3. Old Male High School, 4. tulip, 5. Daniel Craig's looking at me, and I don't think he's happy, 6. a cosmopolitan trinity, 7. the cliffs, 8. Flickr meltdown, 9. The Writer, 10. evening James River sky, 11. 335/365 Knitting: not just for nerds anymore, 12. Knitwit

Tag

2008-09-14T13:05:00.002-05:00

Found this on http://furryadventures.wordpress.com and decided to play along.

Rules: You must answer the questions using only one word & tag four others.

1. Where is your cell phone? somewhere
2. Your significant other? funny
3. Your hair? messy
4. Your mother? prompt
5. Your father? dependable
6. Your favorite thing? chocolate
7. Your dream last night? yummy
8. Your favorite drink? Cosmo
9. Your dream/goal? retirement
10. The room you’re in? noisy
11. Your hobby? knitting
12. Your fear? bridges
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
14. What you’re not? organized
15. Muffins? bland
16. One of your wish list items? flooring
17. Where you grew up? Kentucky
18. The last thing you did? ate
19. What are you wearing? nightshirt
20. Favorite gadget? iPod
21. Your pets? dawgs
22. Your computer? on
23. Your mood? frazzled
24. Missing someone? family
25. Your car? black
26. Something you’re not wearing? shoes
27. Favorite store? Haus
28. Like someone? mostly
29. Your favorite color? pink
30. When is the last time you laughed? yesterday
31. Last time you cried? Thursday

Procrastination, Vexation, Irritation, Excavation, Fumigation

2008-09-14T09:47:00.005-05:00

Procrastination
Good morning. Here I sit with 5 hours before I have to leave to pick up my daughter's friends for her birthday party, and what am I doing? Why, blogging, of course! Makes perfect sense to me. If I am staring at the screen, I don't have to look around and see all that I still have to do.

Vexation
But then, I look up and . . . yikes! My knitting has taken over my dining table. I still need to vacuum the living room, sweep the kitchen, and give the bathroom a once-over. I am in the middle of a week's work of laundry. I am still in my nightshirt and in need of a shower. (TMI?)

Irritation
And now I'm just plain irritated. If I have to pick up one more pair of shoes or socks that my H, D#1, D#2 leaves in the middle of the floor, I think I'm gonna have a "come apart" -- don't you love that that very Tennessee phrase -- very descriptive.

Excavation
So, in a few minutes, I'll begin the excavation of the living room and the dining table.

Fumigation
Hopefully, once I see what's under all the clutter, there will be no need for fumigation.

Wish me luck today. These things usually end up collapsing together at the last minute and everything turns out fine. Any other procrastinators out there?

BTW - I did work on D#2's afghan a little this morning. Her actual birthday is Wednesday and I'd love to have this done by then. So I am a little productive while I'm procrastinating.

Gone, but not forgotten . . .

2008-09-02T22:42:00.003-05:00

Our friend from work, Jason, passed away on Sunday morning after a 2 year battle with metastacized melanoma. He was the kind of young man that everyone liked and he always had a warm greeting and a bright smile for anyone that crossed his path. He always exhibited a "can do" attitude, even when he was feeling unwell.

Visitation was tonight in Nashville and the funeral itself is tomorrow in his hometown. His beautiful girlfriend, Tish, greeted everyone this evening with a smile and a hug. Although she is my co-worker, I don't know her well, but I can tell that she has been a tower of strength for Jason. I pray for God's comfort and peace to envelop her, especially through these next few days, weeks, months.

We were all blessed to know Jason and will miss him. But I rejoice that he is now completely healed, completely pain-free, and in the presence of our Father.

A is for August - and A-Fairing, A-Camping, A-Hiking, A-Knitting

2008-09-01T21:11:00.008-05:00

August 16 marked our annual pilgrimage to Lebanon, TN for the Wilson County Fair. This year, our oldest TN friends, The U Family, met us there for lots of fun, sweat, motion-sickness, fried food, and lightening of wallets to win stuffed animals for all our kids. A great time was had by all, but all were exhausted -- all except Daughter #1, who could whoop the Energizer Bunny on his best day.

We also managed to squeeze in a weekend at Girl Scout camp. Here's Daughter #2's and friend's maiden voyage in their canoe. Great job, girls!

And now we witness a camel refilling her hump having scrambled up the TN version of Mt. Everest along with the mountain goat (er . . . I mean Girl Scout) troop. Camels weren't meant for mountainous terrain. Give me the desert anytime!

After a fun-filled weekend, we bid adieu to GS camp and headed home. You will notice that my knitting bag made the journey with us. That's it posing prettily in pink.

Did I mention knitting? Yes, I have been slogging along on the After Dark Robe in emerald green bamboo. I finished the back, but I won't bore you with photos, since it's just one long rectangle at this point. But I have . . .

finished the Fair Isle Baby Sweater, except for sewing on buttons:

And I've begun another Moderne Log Cabin blanket for Daughter #2 with her choice of colors - turquoise, lime green, and purple. This is the project that stowed away in my pink bag at GS camp. The colors don't come through very well in these pictures. I'll try to post more later after I've tried different lighting.

Here's Daughter #2 trying to break my fingers at the park. Ain't she just the sweetest little thang?

Finally, Daughter #1 was trying to hold down lunch all the while saying "Faster, Daddy, faster!".

Thinking, praying, pouting

2008-08-30T07:34:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, life just stinks. This has been, and still is, a hard year for so many people I know:

One of my best friends lost her mother a couple of months ago.
A fellow Dominican Republic mission teammate lost her fight with cancer last month.
3 work friends are fighting serious health battles, one of which, a vibrant, sweet man in his thirties, was moved to hospice yesterday.
Many of my girlfriends in my Bible study group have lots of "junk" going on in their lives - illness, family stuff, work stuff.

My heart is heavy this morning thinking and praying about my friends and their loved ones who are suffering right along with them. I know that God has a plan and that he works all things for good, but I don't have to like the process.

But, in the next moment, I realize all the ways in which He has blessed me -- family, friends, work, faith, shelter, food, health. Who am I to question or pout about His plans? Who am I? One of His children living in this fallen world. He understands.

Crazy Windows Feature

2008-08-17T08:50:00.002-05:00

Has anyone ever had this happen? Daughter#2 was playing an on-line game that froze up. After Hub rebooted, the display on the monitor had rotated to the left by 90 degrees -- make reading and especially mousing a little tough. Since I'm the official IT gal at my house (scary thought), if became my job to get this fixed. I tried everything but to no avail. Finally, I mastered the skill of mousing on a sideways screen and did a Google search. Here's what I found out:

Ctrl-Alt-Up - right side up
Ctrl-Alt-Right - 90 degrees
Ctrl-Alt-Down - 180 degrees
Ctrl-Alt-Left - 270 degrees(If that doesn’t work, try Ctrl-Shift-R)

It's a Windows feature that was apparently designed for tablet laptops. BUT, on a regular keyboard, you can apparently accidentally hit one of these sequences when you try to Ctrl-Alt-Del. How crazy is that?

July gone already?

2008-08-01T06:29:00.006-05:00

It's so hard to believe that July is over and it's time for the kids to go back to school. Where did the summer go? Last night, I took the girls out for school supply shopping. Today starts the beginning of Tennessee's Sales Tax Holiday weekend for clothing and back to school items, but I decided that whatever $ I might save, would NOT be worth the pain and suffering. Can you imagine how crazy the stores are going to be. As of last night, there were already items on our list that were hard to find or not found at all.

I have done quite a bit of knitting this last month. I'm still working on the After Dark Robe from Mason Dixon in an emerald green bamboo. It feels WONDERFUL, but it's a slow go. I've finished most of the back and am working on the seed stitch border for the neck.

I made a tank top for myself out of Royal Bamboo in a nice colorway of ocean blues. I've frogged the neck and shoulders a couple of times and decided to lengthen the shoulder straps. Boy was that a mistake. I have heard that bamboo tends to "grow" but this is crazy! I'm going to have to frog the neck and shoulders again and go back to the original pattern measurements.

My bud, Liana, has inspired me to try a baby sweater. She's always making the cutest little baby items - bonnets, sweaters, stuffed animals. Me? I seem to pick out projects that take a lifetime to get through. But, back on topic, this little sweater is my first foray into fair isle. It is a VERY simple border around the bottom and the sleeves. I think it's going to be just a little cutie pie.

Liana finished her Clapotis, which, I must say, is very impressive. She has already gotten so much use out of The Clap, as she likes to call it :) that I think I may have to try something similar. She uses hers as a wrap. I'm thinking of something in black with maybe some varying widths of dropped stitch rows. Mine is still forming in my head, but, once again, thanks Liana for the inspiration!

Taming of The Stash and other tales

2008-06-18T18:54:00.013-05:00

I can’t believe it’s been a whole month since I’ve posted. I’ve been busy with end of school stuff with the kids, vacation, lots of knitting and lots of procrastinating (you should see my house). Knitting is so much more fun than laundry, cleaning house, organizing paperwork, cooking . . .

About a month ago, I had a “taming of The Stash” – well, as much as I could get to – there’re still several skeins lurking at the back of a closet that shrink from my grip when I try to reach them. I must sheepishly admit that The Stash, when fully stretched out, covered my 8’ long dining table. Wow! It is now grouped by type–baby, acrylic, eyelash, wool, etc. – and logged it into Ravelry, along with all my knitting needles. It is amazing to me how well The Stash is behaving now that it has all of its pieces and parts where they should be. Although The Stash is no longer outstretched on my dining table, it is still lazing around my living room waiting to be put to use, put away, or put out of its misery. I know The Stash has parts that I will never use, but I just don’t have the heart to remove any part of The Stash that won’t be put to good use. So, for now, I’ll just have to settle for living with a tamed version of The Stash. I guess it’s better than the monster in the closet it had been.

Now on to my knitting projects:

I made this easy garter stitch scarf to wear around the office. The yarn reminded me of the ocean and I bought it a couple of weeks before vacation.

I’ve wanted to try some bamboo, since I’ve heard so much about it in the last year or so. A couple of weeks ago, I stopped by Haus of Yarn (one of our local LYS’s) and bought a ball of Royal Bamboo just to play with. I made this drop stitch scarf and I think it turned out very nicely. While I was at the Haus, I bought some Bonsai in a shimmery black. I’m thinking about making one of those neat little cravat scarves with it, but I’m still looking for a good pattern.

Tangerine Twist is done! (I call it Vanilla Twist since mine is white – made with Berroco Comfort.) I finished it last week while I was on vacation, and I wore it today for the first time. We have a group of Ravelers that meets at a downtown coffee shop every Wednesday and they were all very complimentary. They had seen this top about 3 weeks ago when I was still working on the back, but not since then. Their comments were very nice affirmations for me, because they are all such talented knitters.

I got a great deal on some MeiMei Bamboo sport weight on ebay and started on the After Dark Robe from Mason Dixon last week. I’m not very far into it, but that Bamboo is absolutely sinful. I can’t wait to wrap up in it.

Last night, I started a Bunny Blanket Bunny in some pink Red Heart Baby Clouds that was in The Stash. It’s for a baby girl that was born last week. I thought it’d be a cute, quick project for her. I’m already half-way done with that.

I also started a baby blanket for Warm Woolies with some of the acrylic in The Stash. They only accept wool clothing items, but will accept baby blankets made from anything, and they say they need as many as they can get. I had heard about Warm Woolies before, but never looked into the program. Then I watched an episode of Extreme Makeover Home Edition that was shot on an Indian reservation somewhere out west. It was absolutely mind-boggling that such poverty exists in our country. When I found out that Warm Woolies not only provides clothing and blankets to Mongolia and other overseas communities, but also to several Indian reservations in the US, I decided that I needed to do something to contribute. I think The Stash will be happy to know that it is helping others too.

Lastly, I have half a pair of fingerless mitts done that I’m making for a friend with fibromyalgia. She said that when her hands get cold, her fingers hurt, so we’ll see if these help.

Like everyone, I have lots more ideas running around in this noggin, but my fingers only work so fast. I was listening to Stash and Burn (my absolute favorite knitting podcast) this morning and they were talking about an octopus and how much knitting one could accomplish with 8 hands. Hee hee! I’ve often daydreamed about knitting with my toes so I could go twice as fast.

Ribbit Ribbit Ribbit

2008-05-09T20:39:00.004-05:00

I absolutely hate to frog, tink, rip, whatever you want to call it. HOWEVER, I'm working on Tangerine Twist right now (see my Fantasy Project list) I'd really like it to turn out well. I have learned that this project is not good "visiting" knitting for me. I've had to rip out the last few rows about 3 times now and I'm getting very frustrated. I'm hoping it will be worth all the trouble.

2nd Annual Paralegals with Needles - Dogwood Winter 2008

2008-04-13T17:39:00.012-05:00

On Friday, My knitting pal and I headed again to The Cabin at Still Waters in Cumberland Furnace, TN, leaving husbands, children, cats, dogs, hamsters, etc. to fend for themselves for our 2nd Annual Paralegals with Needles knitting retreat.

It was unseasonably cold, so there was very little knitting in my favorite nest, the screened-in back deck. In addition, both of us are battling nasty spring colds. (Sniff! Cough! Groan!) However, we still managed to have a great time, get a lot of knitting done, and vegged a little in front of the TV without having to fight for the remote.

I finished my Hazy Paves scarf and blocked it last week, so I brought it for show & tell:

This flowering shrub seemed to like it because it grabbed hold as I walked by:

It was about 40 degrees and blustery this morning, so I tried to warm up this little fellow:

I decided he needed something a little more substantial, so he tried on my tank that I finished on this trip:

Our Guardian Indian looked a little forlorn so I let him wear the Calorimetry and the wristbands for a while:

And finally, here's EC's birthday gift hanging around the dog pen. (Honey, there's no dog in there any more.)

Sniffles, piles of tissues, and spells of crummy feeling aside, we had a wonderful time and enjoyed lots of knitting and cleaning up some of those pesky UFOs.

How fast do you type?

2008-04-10T21:11:00.003-05:00

I just love these kinds of things:

87 words

Speed test

All that knitting keeps my fingers nimble (plus the fact that I type for a living??)

2008-04-09T18:13:00.006-05:00

What have I been up to since I last posted in February? Too much!

Mid-March, Baby Girl and I went to Girl Scout camp.

(Wow! What a blast from the past!) I was a Girl Scout in 4th and 5th grade and absolutely loved it. BG wouldn't go unless I went, so of course I couldn't resist. It was a cold, rainy weekend, but it didn't hold the girls back at all. They did a 4-hour horse program, cold rain notwithstanding, and we all (moms included) rode horses for about 2 hours in the arena. Not only was it BG's first time on a horse, it was mine as well. (I don't think I can count the pony rides at the zoo when I was six as actual horseback riding.) They assigned BG to the tallest horse I think I have ever seen:

and will you just look at what they put me on:

The world's shortest draft horse! Could I look any more ridiculous? Hubbo says I look like "Mongo" - what a prince I married, huh?

My girls were on spring break the week after GS Camp, so we went to the Smokies. We had a great time, but came home more tired than when we started. We hiked, shopped, went to Wonderworks, walked the strip in Gburg, and I knit and knit and knit. I made a set of discloths for the folks who own the cabin we stayed in.

While we were in Gburg, I also knit this felted bag for a friend's birthday. I worked the body on the Bond knitting machine. It was supposed to be just a rectangular bag that I was planning to put shoulder straps on. But, I used a different wool for the burgundy stripe at the top and the bottom and when it felted it ruffled at the top. It wasn't what I expected but it was a good surprise.

For the last couple of weeks, I've been working on the Hazy Paves scarf for myself in a charcoal Malabrigo lace weight. It is so soft and wonderful to work with.

UFOs are winning . . .

2008-02-29T20:59:00.004-06:00

What was that I said about not casting on any new projects until I whittled my list down? While I did finish the clogs and the baby afghan, I have stalled out on everything else. Actually, when I picked up the socks to work on them last week, I discovered that my demon-possessed Cairn Terrier had chewed the cable on my circular needles in two. Grrrr!

On the upside, I finished a doggie nap mat for my friend's new puppy. And, I started and completed the Utopia hat for my husband this week. And, I cast on a vest for myself that I've had my eye on.

Felted Clogs are done!

2008-02-25T20:22:00.003-06:00

I finished my first pair of felted clogs last week. My knitting pal and I did these as a KAL. She finished first, so I guess she wins. (Didn't know it was a race, did ya, Liana? What's next?)

Now I've moved on to the Utopia hat in Baby Bee Sweet Delight Licorice. It's a nice, dark brown that shows off the cables very nicely. I've kind of messed up my cabling on one side, but I think it will still look OK - doing well for my first cable project, I think.

I also want to make myself another pair of fingerless mitts. My daughter keeps making off with mine. She doesn't like gloves because they make things hard to pick up (exactly why I wanted those mitts!). There are so many cute patterns out there now, it's so hard to decide.

Progress -- Gotta love it!

2008-02-12T21:47:00.005-06:00

The baby afghan is done and ready to be set free. Sorry for the crummy pictures, but all I could find was my camera phone. It's really a nice soft pink color.

I'm also 3/4 done with the first felted clog. (Again, due to the crummy camera phone, you can't see that these are a really nice denim blue.) I hope I'm not jinxing myself, but this is going amazingly quickly. I can't believe I'm working on Christmas gifts already. Have I entered the anti-matter world?

UFOs are taking over my world

2008-02-09T22:40:00.000-06:00

5 UFOs notwithstanding, I've cast on 2 new projects this week:

*Angel Baby - This is a baby afghan I started as a prayer afghan for my friend's brand new grandbaby. She was having some breathing problems and needed extra prayers, so I cast this on last weekend and am over half-way done tonight.

*Felted clogs - My knitting pal and I started our very first KAL on Thursday night. This will be the first pair of clogs either of us has tried. I have high hopes for these.

I've been adding some items to my Ravelry notebook and have been looking around the house for UFOs. Much to my chagrin, I have found several:

*Baby kimono - This is for no one in particular. I just wanted to try the pattern in stockinette rather than garter as per the pattern. It's about 3/4 done, but I lost interest a couple of months ago and haven't picked it up since.

*Lace scarf - Several months ago, I bought some Malabrigo Tortuga lace weight in a grey colorway in order to make myself a lightweight lace scarf. After several false starts, I finally settled on Trinity stitch and had about 6 inches done when I lost count and screwed it up royally. I have let that project slip into hibernation. I don't know when it'll wake up or what it will be when it does finally wake.

*Summer tank - I started this back in August and have it about 2/3 done. It's for me, but it looks like it will be a little small. Maybe I'll fit into it by the time I get around to finishing? (Maybe not!)

*Socks - Again, these will be for me. I feel a little selfish after typing all of these "me" projects out. Oh well, I don't keep many of my creations, so I guess I won't feel too bad. These are in a really pretty Wildfoote sock yarn - mostly reds with some purples, greens, and oranges. This is my first sock project (other than slipper socks), so I'm doing a simple 2x2 rib on US0 circulars. It's a slow go, but I'm enjoying the no-brainer time.

*Winter scarf - Once again, this one's for me. Argh! I started it last weekend while on a girls' weekend. I didn't have the right size needles with me (this is a double-strand scarf - 1 bulky, 1 worsted weight), so I'm going to frog this and start all over - I'm thinking a big cable right up the middle.

I know I'm forgetting something, but these are enough! 7 projects! And so many more I'm just itching to try.

But, like the Bible study my group is doing to get our eating habits under control, I must learn moderation! Too much of a good thing, even knitting, can get me into trouble. I have to get my fiber habits under control too. So, I'm taking a pledge right now - ahem, ahem - I'm serious now - I will NOT, except in a dire emergency, cast on another project, no matter how small, the intent, the gorgeousness of the yarn, the boredom with the existing projects, until I have finished every one of my current list of UFOs. Wish me luck -- I'm going to need it!

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

2008-01-30T19:01:00.000-06:00

With these bouncing temperatures here in good ol' Tennessee (60s yesterday, 20s today), maybe I could learn to love headwear. This is the Calorimetry I made as a gift, but thought it was too bulky. When I tried it on again, I kinda liked it. What do you think? (Honestly?)

Lazy dazy weekend

2008-01-27T21:31:00.000-06:00

We've had such a laid back, lazy weekend. I haven't been away from the house since I pulled in the driveway on Friday night. My husband and oldest daughter were sick, and I wasn't feeling too well myself, so we just laid around most of the time.

I knit and knit and knit and knit. I made another Calorimetry -- this one out of some leftover Bernat Boucle that I've had forever. The resulting fabric is very pretty, but it's just too thick for a headband. I'll probably end up frogging it, but it was fun working it.

Then I made another smaller Calorimetry with some Sassy Stripes I've had for about 3 years. It was too tight for me, but made a perfect neck warmer for Sammy (who has suddenly become camera-shy).

Then I couldn't leave Rosco out of the fun. I made him a kerchief out of discloth cotton. He's not quite sure if he's the accessorizing type yet.

And, finally, I started some socks with this gorgeous Wildfoote that I bought at the cutest little yarn shop in Gatlinburg back in the fall. These are for me!

Felting is so much fun!

2008-01-27T21:17:00.000-06:00

As I posted previously, I finished my French Market Bag. Here it is pre-felting:

and post-felting:

I just love it. I'm very very very late jumping on the felting bandwagon. My knitting pal Liana has been doing this stuff forever. But, better late than never.

I'll definitely be doing more of this.

How is 2008 so far?

2008-01-19T07:09:00.000-06:00

We're more than half-way done with the first month of the new year. Christmas is done, down, packed up, and put away for another year. The turning over of the calendar has brought a yearning for positive change. Instead of trying to follow resolutions this year, I've begun to make small adjustments here and there. First and foremost, I am spending more time with God -- reading, listening, thanking Him, resting in Him. My Sunday night Bible study group has started Dee Brestin's study A Woman of Moderation to change our poor eating habits. Secondly, I am really listening to my family and friends -- trying to tune in to what they are saying, needing. Thirdly, I am decluttering my life using the "If you don't love it, toss it" philosophy -- paring down the schedule, ridding my house of unused items, unsubsribing to e-mail lists, throwing away junk mail and catalogs as soon as they arrive.

With all that said, I have taken a selfish turn in my knitting. I am determined to knit myself some things this year. So far I have knit a pair of fingerless mitts (my own design, I am proud to say) -

I am working on a lace scarf and am 2/3 done with my first French Market Bag.

My knitting pal, Liana, keeps me inspired to try new things - thanks girl! I have been considering the Fiber Trends Felted Clogs for a while, after hearing about them from Brenda at Cast-on and Jenny and Nicole at Stash and Burn. Liana is planning to embark on a pair, and I think I may as well.

I finished 2 pair of baby mitts for the new nephew. The first pair were my own design.

The second I made from a charity pattern I found on the web that I modified a little. The body of the mitt I did in stockinette instead of seed stitch. And I made a 2-stitch I-cord in place of the ribbon.

Happy New Year (a little late)

2008-01-05T20:00:00.000-06:00

I'm a little late with a Happy New Year post, but with good reason. We had a very special Christmas gift this year - our baby nephew came a little early - on Christmas day! We are all very glad to meet him, and his Aunt Nan (that's me) has been busy knitting him some little mitts to keep him from mauling his sweet little face.

We spent the weekend before Christmas visiting family - both sides. It was great to see everyone. It is sad that we all are so busy with our day to day lives that a year or more sometimes slips by before we come back together. This was our first Christmas without my mother-in-law and without my grandmother. They are missed.

Ah, but a new year brings hope for new beginnings. I hope to:

*continue in my ever-growing relationship with Christ
*work on my priorities - putting my husband and kids before my work, my friends, myself
*do a better job of reflecing His light
*continue with charity knitting, but also make a few things for me
*shed some of these 50 (did I really say 50?) excess pounds

Happy New Year and Many Happy Stitches!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Ya’ll!

2007-11-27T16:50:00.000-06:00

It’s 26 days until Christmas! Yikes! Once again this year, I find that I have a quite a list of Christmas unfinished (or, dare I confess it, unstarted) knit-gifts. Not only am I the Queen of Unfinished Projects, I am the Duchess of Good Intentions. Here’s my list of the “unbegun”:

3 hats
3 scarves
1 pair slipper socks
1 doll poncho

While these gifts haven't been promised to anyone, or even requested by anyone, I have it in my little head that I'd really like to do these.

Knitting Emergency

2007-11-27T09:40:00.000-06:00

I’m sending up a flare for a friend of mine. She is looking for someone to knit a sweater between now and Christmas. The pattern is a basic long-sleeve crew neck with an initial across the chest. If there is anyone out there who might be interested, please leave me a comment and I’ll put you in touch with her. Or if you have any ideas on where I could drum up some interest, please let me know.

Many thanks!

Yarn snobs

2007-11-19T20:30:00.000-06:00

This topic has bothered me a bit lately. Well, it doesn't keep me up nights or anything, but . . .

Is it just me or does anyone else out there have a problem with yarn snobs? You know the type, those knitters who will stop and ask with interest about what you're working on. They can really be impressed with whatever the project until you tell them that the yarn you are using is something you picked up at a craft store or (heaven forbid) a big box store. That's when their noses turn up ever so slightly, their eyes glaze over, and they make a hasty retreat, escaping from that lesser fiber as if it were the plague!

It's just YARN, ladies! (and gentlemen)

Get over it, get on with it, and let's just knit.

Can't we all just knit along? OK, you can roll your eyes now.

2007-11-14T20:34:00.000-06:00

I thought this was a fun little quiz. I actually think it was a fairly accurate description of me except for the covering up mistakes part. Anyone who knows me, and knows what a worry-wart I can be knows I don't cover up my mistakes. I admit them, fix them and then obsess over them. (big sigh)

What kind of yarn are you?

You are Mohair.You are a warm and fuzzy type who works well with others, doing your share without being too weighty. You can be stubborn and absolutely refuse to change your position once it is set, but that's okay since you are good at covering up your mistakes.
Take this quiz!

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Halloween 2007

2007-11-07T16:41:00.001-06:00

For our annual pumpkin decorating contest at work, I just didn't have the energy to carry out my original plan. So, as I sat on my living room floor staring at my naked pumpkin (the night before it was due), inspiration struck. What do I have tons of? What can I reuse after Halloween is over? What can I never seem to get enough of?

Corny, I know, but I won 3rd place.

Knitting Hepburns?

2007-10-19T20:23:00.001-05:00

I ran across this great picture of Katharine Hepburn on the internet today. Isn't this beautiful? She was such a classic. She could step out of that picture and into our world today and look completely at home.

And I also found this one of Audrey Hepburn, another of my favorite actresses, knitting on the set of one of her movies. (I think it was The Unforgiven). Again -- beautiful!

Wish List

2007-10-12T21:29:00.000-05:00

Knitpicks

Double pointed needles - sock set

Imagination sock yarn - 2 skeins each of:

Gingerbread House
Seven Dwarves

Books

The Bond

2007-09-27T17:34:00.000-05:00

Back in the summer, I got a great deal on a knitting machine. I had seen this in craft stores and just turned my nose up thinking “Oh, please! That’s not real knitting!” and never gave it another glance. Then I heard an episode of Stash and Burn about “The Bond” and all the great FO’s Jenny and Nicole had from using this. So I decided that maybe it wasn’t a knitting cop-out after all, and that it might be just the thing to get my small attention span through some bigger projects. I mean, who hasn’t just about fallen asleep slogging along those seemingly endless rows of stockinette on projects larger than your basic dishrag?

I am one of a few women at my church making blankets, scarves, and other warm items for First Fruits, a charity that is helping out several families in Eastern Kentucky. Most of the ladies are crocheters, and their projects go by pretty quickly. Knitting, on the other hand, can be slow-going. So, a couple of weeks ago I set up my machine and started knitting long strips of stockinette that, hopefully, will make it into a few nice afghans for this project.

Here are my problems, though:

The machine is LOUD. My husband kept turning up the TV and was trying to be patient, but I finally had to start waiting until commercial breaks to work.

It doesn’t do so well with textured yarn. I was using a navy boucle and it was very hard to see/fix dropped stitches.

On Row 250 (I needed to get to 329), the yarn snapped and the whole piece came off the machine. I couldn’t see the live stitches to save them on a straight needle, so I’m thinking about hemming that end -- not sure if that'll work.

I am the Queen of Unfinished Projects. Ask me about writing, soapmaking, weaving, cross-stitch, reading . . .So, I’m not certain that I’ll ever get these strips sewn together.

Maybe, if I post a blog about this machine project, I’ll trick myself into some accountability.

(Maybe not)

Mmmmm . . . cupcakes!

2007-09-25T22:05:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday, Lori! I made this cupcake pincushion for a seamstress friend who's birthday is today. I've made a few of these now from a pattern I found on Blah, Blah, Blahhhg - she's done some great projects.