On Hooks and Needles

2007-11-20T17:42:00.000-08:00

Oh I have already posted on the new blog. Check it out!!

Dancing Sheep to Sheep

I am still adding links and stuff??

soon to go bye-bye!!

2007-11-20T16:55:00.000-08:00

Due to some weird search results due to the name of this blog and some other things I will soon be changing blogs (again) I am getting things set up now and hope that even though I have not written a post in over a month that you hang in there and follow me when the new blog is up. It will have a new name. I don't know if I am going to stay with blogspot or not. I should be set up soon.

ready, set, go

2007-10-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

I knew that I haven't blogged in while but life has been in the way. That and the fact that for some reason I can't blog from work anymore. I have started my sewing class. It has been fun. We learned how to cut out a pattern.

This is the back of a quilt that I made. It came out pretty good for the first time.

This is the front. Daughter Uno claimed it before it was even done.

I have been knitting but not much.

It was within reach....

2007-09-18T17:14:00.000-07:00

For a few weeks now, I have stalked the Knitterly Things shop. I have waited for a shop update. The thing is that I was so excited to see openings for Yarn Pirate booty club on friday I forgot about everything. I guess that while I was figuring out the difference in time be eastern and pacific, the Knitterly Things shop was updated. Sigh.....
So imagine my surprise when I checked on monday and saw that there was still Vesper sock yarn available. hooray!! It was meant to be!! I put a skein of stripy goodness into my cart and got all my info in. I was one step away and I stopped. I actually thought to myself..... SELF! Do you need more sock yarn?? My answer was no I don't. I should really make an effort to use some that I have first before I buy more. I closed the browser.....

Ok I am going to let you catch your breath and probably pick yourself up off the floor!

Honestly, I have been so slow at making socks and so fast at buying sock yarn that it becoming most of my stash. To the point that I didn't even have one skein of yarn of the right weight of yarn to make a swatch for Cutaway!! I still haven't figured out what yarn I want to use for it. I guess cause this will be the first sweater for myself I want the yarn to be really special. I want it to knit well and drape perfectly. I guess that is every knitters dream when they pick yarn. What is a girl to do....

(OK let me tell you what I did. I just went to Knitterly Things and there was still yarn!! see I told you.. MEANT TO BE!!!! I got some Astro. I hope that this yarn is everything that people say it is!! )

All the news that's fit to print.

2007-09-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

Whenever I can I try to go to the SnB on Wednesday night in downtown New Haven. The city is probably best known for being the home of Yale University. About 2 weeks ago, (it might have been more) and there was a reporter (Mia Wang) for The New Journal Magazine. She did an article on the group. You can read about it here. Just scroll down the article titled Sharing needles. That's me, Heather!! I thought that the article was very nice and put the group and knitting in a positive light.

A funny thing happened last night at my daughter's school orientation. I was in my daughter's classroom with the other parents listening to the teacher and a woman next to me starting talking to me and I realized that she was from SnB. Jackie (who is also mentioned in the article) also has a child in the same class. What a small world. It helped put me at ease knowing someone there. She also lives right down the street from me. I wonder if we could cross breed our stashes to form some kind of super yarn!!

Oh by the way, I want to make the Cutaway sweater by Chic knits. It calls for a DK/Sport yarn and I am having a hard time finding a good one. The pattern doesn't give a yarn used for the sweater. Right now I am making a swatch with Knit Picks Merino Style. I am not sure if this is the right yarn to use but first I have to finish the swatch. Anyone got any suggestions? ?

creative photo directors sold seperately..

2007-09-07T14:01:00.001-07:00

First up in my update is a cuff of a jaywalker for my daughter. So far so good. I am hoping to get my act together and finish it before Summer of Socks ends...

This is my finished pair of socks. My only pair so far for the Summer of Socks 2007. This is Socks that Rock medium weight. My husband put them in the washing machine and dryer with the rest of the laundry. I was horrified when I saw them come out of the basket. But they made it through ok. (Don't mind the toys. This picture was taken at the last second before my post.)

This Claudia's Handpainted. This very nice yarn and the colors don't disappoint. I suggest that if you haven't tried some, you get some!!

This is Zen String. I have never tried it but I just loved the colors on the screen when I saw it at The Loopy Ewe. I loved them move when I saw it in person.

More Claudia's Handpainted. This time its from the latest Loopy Ewe sock club. It's for fall and its the perfect colors for fall!

(My Creative Photography department hard at work.)

As the luck turns....

2007-09-02T19:51:00.000-07:00

After a summer of downfalls, I have finally had some good luck. Or should I say great luck. (Well I probably just jinxed myself.) I took my MIL to a slot tournament at Mohegan Sun Casino and ended up winning a jackpot on a dollar slot machine. SWEET!! I got 1000 bucks and I put it right in the bank!!

Than Friday I won a blog contest over at Vera's crafty blog. I had the answer to her The Flight of the Conchords trivia question. I am getting some sock yarn from her stash. Oh this is going to be good. Sock yarn is the best prize!!

I am also getting more sock yarn from the Yarn Pirate! (Go give her some baby love) I just found out that I won a contest on her blog too! This would be the second time I have won a contest on her blog!! I guess what her neighbors (she calls them the yard parkers) had just recently add to the collection of junk on their yard. It was a big flip flop for Mike's hard lemonade!! Honestly the next time she has a contest you have to enter. (I might even let you win!!) It has to be one of my favorite yarns from an Indie dyer. I got my first skein long ago and haven't looked back since. Her merino/tencel yarn is awesome. At least I don't have to use my $25 frequent buyer credit at The Loopy Ewe to get some more!! Again-- Awesome. More yarn!!

Now for pictures...

In Lake George we went swimming...

We stopped at Santa's Workshop and had to take our pictures in all of this photo things. There were like 4.

Even Daughter Dos got in on the action!!

We also went to The Magic Forest. (sorry I can't find a link) Can you see Daughter Uno sitting on the foot. This guy was huge. I want to say he was 365 feet. I could be wrong.

The last 2 are just random...

Have a great Labor Day!!

I'm a bit slow.....

2007-08-31T18:37:00.000-07:00

So I know that I promised pictures of pretty yarn but truth be told I haven't even taken them yet. I have just been a big ball of mental forgetness (is that even a word?) It always seems that I have something to do that prevents me from getting around to it. I guess that I should take this time to mention that I am going to sign up for a sewing class. Yeah that's right cause I just need one more thing to focus on!! So in place of promised pictures, I leave you with a picture that I took in Lake George of a friend of mine who is just my speed!!

vacation

2007-08-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

Yeah I am on vacation for the next week. great yarn picutures following my return

It's got that wooly smell.

2007-08-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

I went to see The Yarn Harlot last Friday. She was very fun and I had a good time. I recommend seeing her if she comes to your area. I did end up in the background of one of her pictures from that night but I am not going to say which one!!
Surprise!! It's yarn!! (are you really shocked?) This is Syncopation self striping yarn from sKNITches. I got it at the last Loopy Ewe sneak up. It looked more of a pink with like a dark burgundy color, but it's pink and brown. I still like it and can't wait to use it. The colorway is called sugar shack.

I also got some Yarntini!! OH happy day!

Fig and plum!!

Just to warn anyone who hasn't recieved their Loopy Ewe sock club package yet, I will be posting pictures next post!!

One down.....

2007-08-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

I finished my first sock of my seastone socks. I think that the pooling is awesome.

This is a better view of the pooling. Since this is the first pair of socks that I am making for myself there are a few things that I would have changed. Like I would have made the heel wider and the foot a little longer.

I would have made the toe just a little wider. The toe still looks good even though the pooling stopped.

And can someone tell me why this happened. I got a ladder on one side of the toe where I did my decreases.

Shield your eyes.

2007-08-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

For some reason this sock was very hard to take a picture of. The yellow and green in it came out very bright. It's not this bright in real life. This is socks that rock medium weight in Seastone. I really like it so far. I tried to make a Jaywalker with this yarn but I just didn't like it. It's pooling like crazy but in the best way. I hope that the foot and the second sock works out the same. I used a short row heel on this. I don't really know which one I like better. A short row or a regular gussett heel. The short row is faster but I think that I like the way a regular heel looks. I used the short row tutorial at the Knitting Fiend. She has a bunch of useful stuff. The sock calculators are awesome. I used them a few times to figure out how many stitches I needed to cast on for.

The last few months have been pretty crazy here. Between all the sickness and the humidity. Summer is such a busy time. I feel like I never have enough time to get things done. And now to top it all off, (warning a TMI moment ahead) my husband had a abscess on his leg that had to be cut open. He had an open hole on his leg that was just covered over with a patch of gauge. It's still healing. Just gross. I thought that things were suppose to be looking up. We are going on vacation soon to Lake George so hopefully that will be a good time. Does anyone know if there are any good yarn stores up in Lake George?

One good thing is I am going to see the Yarn Harlot tomorrow night. Looking forward to it. I hope to get some good pictures.

ETA. Does anyone else watch Big Brother?? Can you no longer take the crying either???

Fisher-price recall

2007-08-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard yet, Fisher-Price has recalled 83 toys due to high levels of lead in the paint on the toys. This is a list of the toys with pictures. http://www.service.mattel.com/us/recall/39054_IVR.asp?prod=
If that link doesn't work for you than you can go to the Fisher-Price website and click on the recall list on the bottom. My kids have 3 things from this list. Trust me when I say that when they get up in the morning these toys will no longer be in this house. The good thing is that my youngest just had a test for lead during her 1 year well child visit and it was fine. Spread the word and tell everyone you know who has a small child or anyone who knows someone who has a small child.

RSVP

2007-07-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

I got my invite to Ravelry yesterday. I was shocked and excited to see it there. I almost missed it as I was skimming the list. It's very cool. I am really enjoying everything. I put all the books I had in already. I added some of my WIPs and some finished things too. I started on my stash but only got one thing in. This is going to be a great thing for someone like me, who keeps her stash in bins in her bedroom closet. Its not easy to see what is in there but I can look on Ravelry and see what I have. It's so awesome. If you signed up and haven't received your invite you can go here and put in your email address and it will tell you where you are in line. Hope to see you all soon!!

Cantadew

2007-07-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

So here is the yarn that I dyed. I really like it. This picture shows the colors really well.

I started an ankle sock with it. I am trying a single wrapped short row heel. So far its coming along good. I am pretty proud of how this came out.

I have been wanting to do this cute striped dress from Adorable knits for tots by Zoe Mellor. I never got around to it. I got some inspiration from Gina over at Gone Knitting. She made hers in the round and gave me some tips. I decided to give it a try. I love knitting in the round. Don't really know why but I do. I think that it's going to work out great.

I decided to use Tahki Cotton Classic. I used some that was in my stash. My husband helped me picked out the colors. I think that the green and the yellow work really well together. The needles are Knit Picks Option circular size 4.
Only one problem. The needles are REALLY slippery. I have lost a few stitches already but nothing that couldn't be fixed right away. I am really looking forward to getting this done and putting it on my daughter.
It has been pretty hot here the last few days. As the saying goes It's not the heat, It's the humidity. Boy has that been true lately. It's just sticky! Hope everyone is keeping cool!!

All bad things must come to an end. Right?

2007-07-12T16:21:00.000-07:00

Deneen said that all things happen in 3's so I must be done with my run of bad luck. Guess again. Last Friday when Daughter Dos got up in the morning she had a rash. Little pinpoint dots. Later in the day, My husband stopped at my work with her. The dots had become bigger and raised and had started to spread. Given her symptoms I thought she had chicken pox. The 102 fever, The pinpoint spots 2 days later that get bigger. I didn't know how long it took for the spots to become blisters which is what usually happens when you have chicken pox. Then they burst and scab. She had her vaccination for the pox at her last well child visit which wasn't to long ago and can cause a mild case. Off to the doctors she went. (I seriously think I keep that practice in business) I was not looking forward to dealing with a one year old who was all itchy! Luckily I didn't have to. It turn out to be a virus and the next morning the rash was gone. Kind of made me feel like an ass but better safe than sorry. The last few days have been pretty calm and it seems like all is going OK.

I tried dying some more yarn. I didn't take any pictures yet cause I want to get part of a sock done to show what I did. I actually achieved some strips. Bright green and orange. Sounds weird but it's nice. I thought the orange would come out more yellow. So I call the yarn Cantadew. It reminds me of melons. Cantaloupes and honey dews. I am hoping to get a picture up tonight or tomorrow for my weekly SOS 2007 update post. I haven't done as good as I was hoping for SOS but there is still time to get going!!

How to get a new stove or food precessor...

2007-07-05T19:12:00.000-07:00

Or both if you do it right!! Let me tell you how.
You start by putting away the clean dishes from the dish washer. Take the stuff that goes in the pantry on the top shelf and place them on the counter and stove till you have them all so that you can take as few trips as possible. After a minute or two, realize that you have to start dinner cause you have 2 daughters who will want some dinner some time before bed time. Take pot. Place water in it to make some tasty hot dogs. Look at stove. Mentally think "SELF!! make sure you put on the front burner. Make sure you put on the front burner." Reach forward and turn on burner. Hear daughters screaming. Go it to living room to make sure that no one is on the verge of death or bleeding from the eye. Everything is good so you head back into the kitchen. As you walk into the kitchen you will hear at this point a "POOF" sound as the plastic container for the food processor that you put on the back burner ignites. Scream "OH SHIT" Think mentally "SELF, you are such a dumb ass!" Now at this point you will hear the sound of small foot steps behind you. Pick up smallest daughter and put her back in the living room. Close child gate. Smallest daughter will freak out over inability to get into the kitchen. Remain calm. Put out fire and wait for husband to get home to take kids out to dinner while you clean up the soot that went every where. Replace stove (cause the burner and catch all underneath is just one big pool of hard plastic.) or food processor. Both if you can.

Daughter Dos had another fever. This time of 102. Plus the Fourth of July celebrates. This all equals up to no process on any socks for SOS 2007.

Keeping my fingers crossed that next week is better. How can it not be?

gonna show ya the goods.....

2007-06-28T17:53:00.000-07:00

Here is my new Jaywalker. This time I decided to make more of an ankle sock. I usually wear ankle socks so this seemed like a good idea. This is Colinette Jutterbug yarn.

So here is my dye job. Don't mind the old pot that I found to do this in. I used loaf pans that I got cheap just for this. But like I said I need some canning jars so that I can do more than one color at a time. So I think that I used to much dye.

Here is why. The yarn started taking up color before the burner even started to get warm. I had just put the yarn in the dye and turned on the stove and this is what I had. The yarn was already yellow. I mean really yellow!!

Now the blue one was my biggest problem. For some reason it was getting every where and I kept getting it on my fingers and than hitting the yellow part. So I kept getting green spots of color on my yellow. I also spilled some in the water in the big pot. As you can see now it is blue when in the yellow picture it was clear. And you can also see how it is soaking up the side into the yellow.

Than it was time for the pink. This was pretty boring......(again note the blue water)

After I was all done, there was a ton of dye left over. Again too much!! I rinsed it for a while but it too forever for the water to run clear. I am sure that after a few more times of trying I will get the ratio figured out. Unless someone wants to give me a little hint!! I am going to buy a book. or this one. or this one. I am open to suggestions too!!

Shield your eyes cause this is the final result. It doesn't exactly look like I planned. It's really bright. I mean really bright. But not bad for a first time.

My yarn came today. Hopefully better results as around the corner.

We had a change of plans....

2007-06-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

Life always has a way of biting you in the butt when you least expect it. Tuesday Daughter Dos had a temperature of 103.5 and even an hour later after some Tyenol it was still 103. I had to give her some motrin. But it never went down below 100. She was one crabby baby!! Yesterday she got up from her afternoon nap with a temperature of 104! Off to the doctor's we went. I guess Hand, foot and mouth disease has been going around. Thankfully she doesn't have it. Just a bad virus. As of this morning she was back to normal. Having a sick kid and taking a trip to the doctor's can really mess up your plans. I needed to go to Walmart, the post office (sorry Wendy), get a new bathing suit (sorry self image, I will have to crush you some other day) SnB, and take pictures of my dyed yarn and jaywalkers!! And to top it off, I got another migraine on Monday right after I got home from work.

As for the yarn dyeing, I have to say it was mostly a success. I have to come up with a slightly better way to dye the yarn in the pot. I need those canning jars but just haven't found any yet. I do think that I used way to much dye. I took some pictures as I was going along. The colors are very, very saturated. A bit brighter than I had pictured in my mind. But I have more undyed yarn on the way. I am hoping it will be on my door step today or tomorrow. More practice. Pictures should be up tonight. Just as long as life doesn't get in the way!

Where has all the striped yarn gone?

2007-06-26T09:44:00.000-07:00

Do any of you remember not to long ago when self stripping yarn was all the rage?? Alot of indie dyers had some. It was everywhere. I wanted to make my Jaywalkers in some stripey goodness, but I don't have any Self Striping yarn left in my stash.. Horrors! And it seems that any that I do find on the net is sold out and if they get more it sells out in like 2.5 seconds. (sigh) So I am going to try to dye my own! I have read some websites that explain what to do. I have dye and some Undyed wool yarn. The skein is small but it will be good for experiment while I wait for the yarn that I ordered yesterday to get here. I am going today after work to get some pots to dye in. Can ya stand it??? I restarted my Jaywalkers in Colinette jitterbug in the Lagoon colorway. Its really nice. When I take pictures of my dyeing experience I will take a picture of that too... Okay, Update tomorrow. Hopefully I don't die while I dye! (corny!!)

Fun for all ages

2007-06-23T17:25:00.001-07:00

Mingle² - Online Dating

I got this off of Deneen's blog. Now if only my mouth in real life was rated G!!

Sending out an SOS

2007-06-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

As the summer of socks begins I will be starting my Jaywalkers again. This is what has become of them. I just wasn't happy with them and than I dropped a stitch and didn't notice for like 3 or 4 rows. It was very depressing.
Yesterday we took a trip to Massachusetts. First we stopped at Magic Wings.
I thought that it was pretty fun. Daughter Dos really seemed to enjoy herself. Daugther Uno lost interest after a very short time. And my husband was panicked that one of the butterflies would land on him.

These brown ones are the same type as the first blue one. This is what they look like when they have their wings closed.

Than it was on to Yankee Candle. It is always a nice day trip. And I love their tarts! I was able to get a scent that they have stopped selling. Last time I went to the store near me the sales person said that it was discontinued. Of course!!

This big bull is out in front of the store.

Off to work on my first sock for summer of socks!!

It could be my second home.

2007-06-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

A new Jo-Ann's about 10 minutes away from me. I went there tonight to get some stuff for sewing. (Yes I am going to learn to sew) The store is really nice. I think I want a job there!! It's huge. There is a ton of stuff. Lots of fabric, beads, yarn, frames and stuff to decorate your home. Way better than the old stores that use to be in Branford or Milford. I think it is better than AC Moores. I got some beads and fabric. I DIDN'T BUY ANY YARN!!! Yeah I am pretty shocked! But I did get some circular needles that I need. I spent more than I should have and I am sure that I will be going back soon!!

It must be a special day!

2007-06-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

In reading my bloglines, I found out that my daughter shares her birthday with The Yarn Harlot! Now I know that she really will be fiber addicted!!

HBTY!

2007-06-13T19:03:00.000-07:00

One year ago, on June 14th at 1:47 a.m. my second daughter came into this world. She is one of the happiest babies that I knew. People ask me all the time "Is she always this happy?" and I have to say yes she is!! Happy first birthday, Daughter Dos!

I got such a bad migraine at work today that I had to leave at 10!! Problem with that is I am about to start vacation and I won't be back till the 25th.
The good thing about today is Rescue Me starts tonight!! Oh yeah!!
(OK so I wrote this Wednesday night. The night before my daughter's birthday. Oh and by the way, Wendy if you still read this I never did get your address!! Prizes don't expire! Just saying!) (OK another side note. I just saw the movie trailer for the new Harry Potter movie. Anyone else freaked out by how old Harry is now!)

If you don't pay attention...

2007-06-09T17:24:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when you are excited to start a pattern, You don't always read the directions correctly. I did a swatch of the pattern for Jaywalkers. I figured out that it wasn't as hard as it seemed to be. So I was very excited to get started with some of my new STR yarn. I printed out a brand new copy of the pattern. I read it one more time and thought yeah yeah I got this. I was ready to start my first pair ever!! 4 and a half inches later I started to think about the double decrease. I went and checked the pattern and sure enough I was doing it wrong!!

Instead of the slip 2 together as if to knit, I did slip one as if to knit, slip the next stitch as if to knit, knit the next stitch and passed the 2 slipped stitches over the knitted stitch. Now it works fine and I can see the hills and valleys of the ripple effect. But with the decrease that I did it causes more of a raised bump. I am going to keep going this way. Even for the second sock. I just can't rip it out cause I don't see it as that big of a mistake. But I know better for my next pair. Oh yes, there will be a next pair. I can see why knitters make so many pairs.

(I am also going to use one size smaller for the 2x2 cuff)

Ring around the Rosie

2007-06-07T17:31:00.001-07:00

One pair of finished socks for Daughter Uno.

Basic sock in Yarn Pirate's Rosie colorway. I think I might have made the foot just a bit too short cause they slide off her heel.

I learned how to use a drill and put up these cool forks that I got at MSWF.

And my Peonies are in bloom....

Yarn from MSWF

2007-05-21T15:16:00.001-07:00

Tess Yarns

(Don't mind the weeds in my garden that I haven't been able to get to yet. Or my lawn that my husband ruined! )

Socks that Rock

The bright one is Sherbet colorway, Then Seastone and the purple one on top I don't know what the colorway is cause I cant find the label. (It might be tide pool.)

Socks That Rock in Lolite colorway.

Socks that Rock in Jewel of the Nile

And finally Socks that rock in Barney Rubble colorway. All socks that rock are medium weight.
More tomorrow if I get a chance.

P.S. I will still post but only when I have something to show. I need the blog for the Summer of socks 2007. There probably wont be that many long personal post anytime soon.

Seriously....

2007-05-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't been blogging much lately cause honestly I haven't really wanted to. I guess that I did not get what I thought that I would out of having a blog. After surfing around blogs and seeing what people were doing and writing about. How they were connecting with people. That made me want to write a blog. I thought that I would write and connect with other people out there that had the same interest as I did. And at first it seemed to be going good. I meet a few people to share thoughts and ideas with. But as time went on that kind of changed. I don't really know how many people read my blog when I post. I didn't even get one comment on any of my last 3 posts. It's kind of sad in a way. Maybe my blog is uninteresting and that is why people don't comment when they read it. I don't really know. People say that if you want more comments, leave comments on other peoples blogs. I have tried to leave comments on more blogs if I think that what I have to say is good. But it really hasn't made a difference. I just haven't found a group that I fit into. I feel like I just write to myself. And I know that some people would say that it what a blog is for. It's an online diary. I write for other people to read to. I know that most people do to even if they don't say so.

I really don't know if I am going to keep writing. I will keep the blog cause I need it for the summer of socks 2007. I need to have a blog to take part. I really think that I am just going to post pictures of projects that I finish with just the details. I don't feel the need to discuss much more than that. I am not writing this post so that people will feel bad for me or anything like that. I just thought that I should explain my lack of posting and what will probably be a continued lack of posting, except for pictures.

Thank you and good night!

MSWF

2007-05-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

(Hopefully you can see what I did. All the people who are encircled by red were waiting in line to get in The Fold's booth pick out what skeins of Socks that rock they wanted. The people in the green circle had their yarn and were waiting to pay. And No one ran away with any yarn. Knitters really must be the most honest people.)

Tomorrow....

YARN, YARN, YARN

My Heart walk and a trip to MSWF

2007-05-08T07:17:00.000-07:00

Before I give you a brief summary of what I got at the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. I have to mention that I will be walking in the American Heart Association's Heart walk in my area on May 20, 2007. If you would like to make a donation to my walk you can go to the link on the side bar that says My AHA donation page or just click this link "Donate here" I know that people ask for donations all the time but Its for a good cause.

Maryland was lots of fun and filled with fibery goodness. I have pictures but haven't downloaded them off my camera yet. I got some nice socks that rock. I had to stand in line to get it but that I will save for my full post run down of the whole thing. Back to work.

Troubles......

2007-04-29T05:34:00.000-07:00

So I decided to rip out the Picovoli. I just know that I was doing something wrong. The areas where I did the K f/b looked very messy. I did take a picture before I ripped. Hopefully someone can tell me. Maybe I was doing it wrong. Or maybe I was pulling the stitches to tight? It might be hard to see cause of the orchid color of the yarn. The pattern calls for 2 K f/b. One before and after the stitch marker. The thing is that both of them look different. Are they suppose to?

Even though I only did I few rows, I was amazed at the shape it was when I took it off the needles. It looked like the picture on the pattern page. It was hard to tell on the needles. I do want to make it. Or should I say that I AM GOING to make it.

This my next problem. See how the yarn is twisting onto itself. WHY? Did I wind the cake wrong? Should you turn the handle of the ball winder clockwise or counter clockwise? Or did I wind it too tight? I divide the skein into 2 cakes so if the other one is going to be like this to I want to fix it before I start. The twisting is annoying cause it is causing the yarn to get tight as I use it. See there really are dangers to knitting!!

Yada, Yada, Yada and than I took a nap!

2007-04-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

What can I say people?? I got nothing!! I haven't written in a while cause there really isn't anything to write about. I haven't been knitting or crocheting much lately. With the unseasonably cold weather we have been having here in the northeast I haven't been able to get much done cause my finger is either hurting or has no feeling in it from the Raynaud's. I was hoping with spring here that I would be getting a lot more done than I am. But most nights after the girls are asleep I just want to sit and veg. I have been really tired in the afternoons lately too. I know it is from the candy that I have been eating lately. You have to love a holiday that revolves around candy. And once you start eating that stuff you just want more.

Right now I am working on Picovoli. I don't know how this is going to work out for me cause my k-f/b stitches look a tad bit weird. I went on to Knitting help.com and it looks like I am doing it right but it doesn't seem to be looking too good. I guess I should really wait till I get more rows done and see if it starts to look better. What I should really do is post a picture of it and see if anyone says that it looks right or wrong. Yada, yada yada, basically I have no idea what I am doing!!

It's a contest.

2007-03-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

Not here at this blog.

But 5 minutes for Mom is having a contest to win a Dyson!!

Love the Dyson!

Sad blogger!

2007-03-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Broken Laptop = Sad Blogger. Getting Laptop back tomorrow = Happy blogger!!

If you got the feelin' jump and touch the ceilin'

2007-03-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

This sweater was sent to me by Deneen before my daughter was born. But since she was born in June and this sweater was made in a bigger size, I had to wait. I took her out to the diner with me and a friend one day while she was wearing the sweater and got lots of compliments on it. But I did find it funny that after I told an older woman that she was indeed a girl, she still called her a "him". I guess the pink, purple and mint green sweater didn't lead her in the right direction!! And even though Deneen said that she made the sleeves 3/4 length, it fits perfectly.

(P.S. excuse the mess in the background!)

(P.S.S. And before anyone who knows me comments, Yes I know how much she looks like my husband. Still haven't decided if that is a good or bad thing.)

Ok. So anybody who knows me and spends a considerable amount of time with me knows that when I decide to try something I jump in with both feet and go wild. (feel bad for my co-workers they have to hear about my latest fads all the time.) The yarn habit has stuck around while other things have faded away. Like scrap booking. I just never got the hang of that. But my new thing is my hair. I have lots of curly brown/blond hair. I mean lots. LOTS!! For a few years now I just haven't felt like dealing with it. I have worn my hair in a ponytail for so long that when I do wear my hair down people sometimes don't recognize me. I found this web site called Naturally Curly.com I love this community. You have to check out the message boards if you have curly hair. Plus I got this book called Curly Girl. I also love this book. I have been following the steps in this book and my hair is starting to improve so much. It has been a little over a week and the frizz is starting to dye down!! I have started using conditioners that are natural and don't have silicones in them. Which leads me to passion for all things that are hair products!! I can't get enough! I want to try everything that people talk about on the message boards. There is just so much stuff. I love stuff!!

Now I am not the kind of person that tells people to buy stuff but since I was on a roll about the curly hair stuff, here is some more. My other favorite thing is Bare Escentuals Bare minerals makeup. I have been using it for about 2 months now and I have to say that I am not hating it!! It take some practice to get the look right but I think that I have it down pretty good and I like the look of it. I have read that some people don't like it. Its one of those products that either you really love it or you really hate it.

And my final thing is The Neutrogena Advanced Solutions at home MicroDermabrasion System.

I have to say that I have seen an improvement of my skin since I started using this. I have less patches of dry skin and my pores are getting smaller all the time. Again, Not hating it!!

And to end my obsessive habit talk, I must have listened to Jump Around by House of Pain about 100 times this week. Don't know why but it gets me pumped. Maybe I should get out my seat and jump around, jump around, jump around, jump around, jump up, jump up and get down!!

(In case you need to hear it now too.)

Holy Pooling, KnitMan

2007-03-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

I finished Calorimetry. I did it in a dark gray color to match the fleece scarf that I wear. I think that it came out nice. Maybe just a little too big. But still wearable. I used Paton's Classic wool. I did have to go down a needle size. But all in all it turned out well.

Next up for your viewing pleasure I have a sock for you. I will probably rip it out. Its the Baby Cable Rib pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. The yarn is Yarn Pirate (She looks to friendly to be a pirate, Plus she looks like a fellow curly girl!) (check out her Etsy store.) This is the Rosie colorway. One problem... It's pooling! This is one side of the sock.

This is the other side.

You can see the problem. I haven't decided if I like the effect enough to keep it or if I will be able to make a second sock that comes out the same. What to do?? What to do??

(WOW Plenty of links and photos in one post. Must be a good night!)

Sad but true....

2007-02-21T16:07:00.000-08:00

I finished my Drive-Thru and I think that it came out quite well for my first sweater knitted in the round. At first I wasn't sure if the colors would look good together but I thought that they came together nicely.

Just one thing was wrong in the end. I couldn't get it over my daughter's head!! I did the size 2T cause she wears about 24 months. So I don't know if I did something wrong or if she just has a big head. I redid the neck 4 times trying to get a BO that was as loose as can be. But it just isn't working.

I made a Calorimetry cause it has been so cold out. But it was to big.

I started a new one on smaller needles so it should work out fine. But of course today was like 45! It will probably only get warmer so I will never have a chance to wear it!!

Dr. Frankenstein and the Lowrider.

2007-01-26T18:01:00.001-08:00

I feel like a doctor with all the ripping back and fixing. I don't know why I have such a problem with knitting sweaters. I decided to try the Drive-thru from Wendy at Knit and Tonic cause it is knit in the round. I am still having problems. I had a hard time getting the sleeves on the circular needle that the body was on. I think that its cause I need a longer circular needle. I have a set that has the interchangeable cord. I won't say who they are from but I am waiting for them to get here. I don't know how long it will take cause I ordered something else 3 days before and it is taking forever for it to get here.

This is a picture of the sleeve part. In the process of knitting the sleeves on I dropped some stitches.
So I ripped it back a few rows.

Now it waits on waste yarn for my new cord. Don't worry this is common surgery that is preformed everyday.

Now on to other things. For any of you that drive SUVs, trucks and so on, Do you now have problems driving in regular cars? My husband has a VW Jetta station wagon. I have a Tucson which is considered a small size SUV. I took my husband's car to work yesterday and it was like I was driving a bob sled (is that what they are called? You know the thing that four people jump in to and go racing at break neck speeds at the Olympics?). All I needed was a tube of ice to go down at like 100 miles an hour! It was so weird.
Time to relax and get some knitting done.

More yarn

2007-01-21T17:47:00.000-08:00

I am still working on the Drive Thru. Since I took this picture I have one sleeve done and I am almost finished with the second. I would be done with both of them by now if it wasnt for the fact that I forgot to do the increases on the sleeve!
This is the new yarn that I just got from the Loopy Ewe. I got it in no time. Love the Loopy Ewe!

This first yarn is called Red Wagon by Claudia's Hand Painted. I have to say that I love it. This is the first time that I have purchased this yarn and I am not disappointed.

Next Up is Rosie by Yarn Pirate. This is the Merino/Tencel blend and it nice. So soft and shiny!!

This is Sweetheart by Yarn Pirate. Is it not perfect for a pair of Valentine's day socks!!

I could be getting a ton of knitting done if it was not for this stupid Raynaud's syndrome! Yes my pointer finger is blue in the above picture. I was in my house and it was like 68 degrees. The colder it is the worse it gets. I have to knit or crochet up stairs in my bedroom cause its warmer up there. But hey look Deneen is my twin! Scroll down to see her hand!

Oh how I love thee, PJs

2007-01-12T05:30:00.000-08:00

For the last 3-4 years my brother in law has given all the women that he knows a pair of PJ's for Victoria Secret for christmas. And while I like them, I liked the bag that they came in more.

My pair looks just like the bag. After I took out the pajamas I knew what I had to use the bag for. Knitting project!!

This is Drive-thru by Wendy of Knit and Tonic. The sweater is a fast knit like she says and I am sure that I would be done by now if I didn't run into some problems getting size 8 DPNs!

I know that some where in this house I have a set. But they are MIA! One day while I was out I went to AC Moore to get size 7 and size 8. They had every size except 7s in bamboo. So I got Lion Brand. I will be taking them back cause they are so heavy. I called a local yarn store but they only had one size and not the other. So on the way home from work I stopped at another LYS but they only had 7s so I got them knowing that somewhere I had 8s. So either a lot of people here in Connecticut are making hats and socks or Drive-thru with size 8s or the knitters are out to get me!! So today I have to go get 8s cause I can't find the ones that I have. I took today off and than I have Monday off. Nice. I have a 4 day weekend for my birthday. (which is monday by the way!) I think that its a rule that if your birthday falls on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday you get to celebrate for the WHOLE weekend!!

Phenomenon......

2007-01-05T09:16:00.000-08:00

I have not written a post in like a month cause I don't have any crocheting or knitting new to tell of. I was making an afghan for my BIL for Christmas but only got half way through it cause I kept losing the feeling in my pointer finger of my right hand. And since I am right handed and need my finger for crocheting it was hard to do on a nightly basis.

Soon after I noticed that my fingers were turning a little blue after being in the cold. Didn't think much of it cause hey it's cold and when I got warm my hands were fine. Than they got really bad and would turn almost purple. I should have taken a picture. I went to the Doctor's and was diagnosed with Raynaud's syndrome (or phenomenon). Now that I have learned to control it I have been knitting and crocheting more.

For Christmas I got a gift card to Border's and got myself Sensensational knitted socks by Charlene Schurch. I have heard lots of people say this book is good but everytime I was in a book store I would look at it and pass. I love this book. I have started a sock from one of the first 4 stitch patterns and I love it. See I like knitting socks and I know how to do it. The patterns and gauge was always a problem for me but I think that this book has saved me. Just reading the first section I have learned so much. I hope to have progress and pictures to show soon.

Do I have to buy for you too?

2006-12-07T16:52:00.000-08:00

I am about to say something that you might find odd but don't get mad.... In my adult years I haven't been a huge fan of Christmas. I find the whole thing annoying. All the buying and wondering if you got the right pesent for someone. Plus besides my husband, No one ever gets me anything good or that I like. Now I know you are going to say that Christmas is not about the presents, But if you are going to give someone a present shouldn't you at least have a clue as to what they like? I guess that annoys me cause I really listen and put thought into what to get people. I got something for a friend of mine (Hi Dan!) that I will have to show you after I give it to him cause I know he shows up here from time to time.. But trust me its cool and funny if you like that kind of thing!

Now that I have kids I like Christmas more. It must be the wonder that it holds for little kids. This year is going to be good cause Daughter Uno is really into it. She gets the whole Santa thing. It's the adults I could do with out. I plan my shopping at times and days that I know won't be super busy just so I can avoid other shoppers as much as possible. They really wreck the whole shopping experience. That is why I love shopping online.

I know that I am babbling on about nothing. Just wanted to let you know I am still here.

(BTW. I have been sitting here at work for 2 hours and just noticed that some of walls of the cubicles are covered in wrapping paper!)

Things that have kept me from my blogger duties.

2006-11-20T16:30:00.000-08:00

Daughter Dos. She is just starting to get a good nights sleep. That means I get a better nights sleep too!
Daughter Uno. Turned 3! That meant lots of princess birthday party planning and cake making. Not to mention cupcakes for daycare.
Than not once but twice, Daughter uno had some type of allergic reaction that gave her a rash and made her face swell up. We think we have it narrowed down to what it was that caused this.
Starting my Socktober socks 3 times before they came out right and fit Daughter Uno. But in the end they came out good.
It only took me a whole month to make a pair of socks that are toddler size. I wonder how long it will take for an adult size.
I made my own yarntainers. I was at Target and found 2 there for 4.99 each which I didn't think was to bad a price. I got both. Now everytime I go in there they are out of them. I saw some at Walmart for 8.99. I got this rubbermaid container for 1.29 at walmart. perfect to fit a cake of sock yarn in.

This rubbermaid container I also got for like a dollar something. I had my husband drill a hole in the top and put in a grommet (which I already had). And there you go. My own yarntainer. Plus I can make them in any size I wish. I hope to return to a more normal schedule of blogging soon!

I knew it wasn't right!

2006-10-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

I hope that everyone who got to go to Rhinebeck had fun. This year wasn't my year to go. Maybe next year.

I am sure that some of you have tried the Knit Picks Options needles. I ordered the DPNs in size 1, 2 and 3. And while I like them, I couldn't help but notice that the size 2 seemed large. Almost the size of the 3s. It was bugging me. Finally I got out my needles sizer and checked. They wouldn't fit into the size 2 hole. I looked at the package and there it was. The size 2s aren't 2.75mm, they are 3.00mm. I don't know why this bugs me but it does. I guess when you are use to a certain size being a certain millimeter than you want them all to be that way. I switch back and forth between bamboo and the Knit picks. I don't really have one that I prefer over the other. Although I have to say that if you like your DPNs slippery than you might want to try the Options. They are slick. Mine have fallen out of the sock on more than one occasion which will cause profanity to come falling out of my mouth.

My other problem is kitchener stitch. WHY CAN'T I GET THIS RIGHT??? I had been working on a sock for my daughter and had finished the first one. Which didn't take long really cause her foot is small and I am using size 3 DPN at 7 sts per inch. I did a short row toe and was grafting it together when I realized that some where along the way I had messed up. On the front needle I had 3 stitches left and on the back I had 5! WTF??!! Now I don't know if it was the screaming of an almost 3 year old that distracted me or the fact that I totally suck at kitchener stitch but I undid it and tried again. It just looked like crap!! So I started a new sock. Which is good cause I can change a few things that I didn't like about the first one. I still want to do a short row toe cause I like the way that it looks but I have to practice the kitchener stitch. Maybe if I can get it right I will actually finish a pair. Maybe in time for the last day of socktober fest!!

Funny thing is that even though to me the sock looks awful my daughter loves it. I put it on her to see if it fit and she didn't want to take it off. She even slept with it on and still had it on in the morning. I guess that is real love right there!!

I am my own worst enemy.

2006-10-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

I have this new obsession lately. It has to do with yarn of course.

I have to try all this handpainted yarn that I hear everyone talking about.

And after purchasing a one or two, I knew I had to try more.

One problem.....

I don't have a swift. This sometimes can be time consuming.

Let me show you with picture that I took to document my skein to cake process!!

This a skein of Yarntini's Melon Margarita. Most beautiful. Lovely bright colors.

(I patiently stalk her etsy store for more yarn. But so do about a million other yarn lovers.)

After undoing the twisted skein, I loop it on to the back of a chair in my kitchen. Impressed aren't you??

Than I move my arm in a circular motion and let the yarn fall on to the floor in a sea of mixed color. I have mad skills I know!!
Than in order to get the yarn on the ball winder with out tangling it, I have to pass the yarn back through my hand on to the chair. This technique took time to learn.
I can than wind the yarn onto the winder. I hook it on to the island in my kitchen. It does take some time to get through the skein, but a girl has to do what a girl has to do!!
This is yarn from Celia's basket in Green and Yellow stripes. It just screams make me into baby socks. That is what I will do!

Next we have English Bay by Sweet Georgia yarn. Wonderful! (There is a story about the fate of this yarn that will come at the end of the post.)
This is Elf by Sweet Georgia Yarn. I love these two yarns. They are a thicker yarn that she sells called speed demon. I got 7 stitches to the inch on size 3 needles. I took a small amount of this yarn and played around with different techniques. And I have to say that it knits great. Socks should be flying off my needles in no time.
I don't know why but this yarn didn't photograph well. The colors are way better looking. This is Berrylicious by All Things Heather. How could I not by yarn from her with an awesome name like Heather!! Both the Sweet Georgia and All Things Heather yarn were purchased at The Loopy Ewe. Sheri is great. The yarn came fast and she even included a hand written Thank you note. It's wonderful and thoughtful service like that that will make me shop there again. Well the yarn ain't bad either!!

So the story of the English bay yarn. Kind of sad really. After doing one skein on my own, I talked my husband into being my swift for me. I had him hold out his hands with the yarn wrapped around them. All was fine. He did get tired and when I explained to him that it would be a whole lot easier if I had a swift he said get one!! (Note the easy way to get your SO to let you get a swift! Make them into a human one and they will cave in no time!! He did enjoy the winder!! He wouldn't let me take any pictures of him doing this even though I told him that I would blur his face!!) My last skein was the English Bay. The Mets were on and he was taking his time coming to help me so I started with out him using the chair. I don't know what I did, but the yarn got tangled about half way through and when I tried to correct it the yarn got all tangled into a big mess!! So I had about half the skein in a cake and my husband said that he could untangle the rest. After spending 3 hours the next day trying to accomplish this feat, he gave up. When I came home and he said that he couldn't do it. I said I will just have to order another one! If you could have seen the look on his face as he said "Wait you can get more? Than why did I just spend all that time trying to untangle it?" See if he was a knitter he would know why. So the half a cake will have to go towards socks for small feet!!

One good thing came out of last night as I was watching the Mets lose (really kind of sad). I taught myself how to knit socks on 2 circular needles. I thought it was kind of easy and after watching the video on Knittinghelp.com I got the hang of it in about 5 minutes. I wish that I learned how to use DPNs that fast!! I messed around and cast on for a sock and got to the heel where I did the short row kind. One problem... When I was making the heel the yarn in between the needles pulled and when I started in the round again there was a big hole. Anyone know how to avoid this??? I tried picking up a stitch in between but some of the stitches were still a little stretched out.

To answer your question..

2006-10-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

To Deneen: I wouldn't try this pattern for my very first sock. Try just a basic cuff down first. that way you get the hang of joining the yarn in the round, doing a heel flap and turning the gussett. I have made a few practice socks but never a pair. I wont till I can figure out what I like.

To Lynn: I didn't master the short row toe making a sock. This is what I did. I used some red heart soft and cast on the number of stitches in that the pattern called for. Than I followed the instructions that way. It was easier to figure out. Try it that way. Plus you wont waste a sock if you mess up.

Good luck!!

Are those toothpicks or are you just happy to see me?

2006-10-07T18:50:00.000-07:00

So far my toe up sock has been a success.

I used Wendy's Generic toe up pattern.

I used a crocheted cast on with a short row toe.

So fancy! It was easier than it sounds.

As you can see here. The bright orange yarn is the crochet cast on. You knit your first stitches into the back of the crochet chain. Than after you knit the toe you pick up the stitches from the chain and unravel the chain so the stitches are all live.

Than you knit in the round after that. You can see here that the bright orange yarn is gone.

So far the one thing (well besides a crochet cast on and short row toes) that I have learned this Socktoberfest is not to be afraid of trying a new technique. So jump in. Read the directions and just try it. You might surprise yourself and it might work out.

I sent this picture of my progress to a non-knitting friend. He had 2 questions. Are those fingers? And what are the toothpicks for?

The toe is my foe!

2006-10-04T18:13:00.000-07:00

As socktoberfest is in its early days I am having a hard time with the toes on my socks. The first one I did was just a regular toe. It was to pointy. This time I decided to use the short row toe. I used this tutorial from The Blue Blog. I didn't really like the backwards yarnover method. I was thinking that the next time I was going to use the wrap method. But than I finished my sock and seamed the toes together with the kitchener stitch. It was horrible. I don't even feel like taking a picture of it right now. I have decided that I am going to try a toe up pattern. I mean I have no problem casting on, joining, and knitting the ribbing. I can do the heel flap, turn the heel and knit the foot with out any ladders. But the toe!!!! My kitchener stitch was kind of bumpy at the beginning where I started. Plus I ended up dropping a stitch. I ended up with a hole!! I fixed it, but I used self stripping yarn. The row is blue with one orange stitch in the middle!! After doing both socks with different toes, I realize that I like a rounded toe better. So I will start another sock this time toe up!! I might switch yarns and try my nice fall colored yarn that I have. At least there are 28 more days of socktoberfest to go. The question is can I actually make 2 socks that are the same that I like and don't mess up???!!! I am thinking that I am going to go with this toe up sock pattern.

There are also some good instructions here. Hopefully the knitting gods will smile on me and it will work out right. Wish me luck!!

You know the saying....

2006-10-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

You know the saying.....

Always check your gauge.

Some of us think that we don't need to do this.

We turn our noses up at gauge.

You might say we mock it!!

Gauge! I don't need to know no stinking gauge!

and what do you get???

Socks that you made for your almost 3 year old daughter that fit your 3 1/2 month old daughter!!

Oh yes! Bad move! The sock was a little long but other wise it fit well.

I don't like the toe. But I started a new one. At least now I can just make her socks first and know that they will fit.

The yarn is from yarnmonster.

It's the mets colorway and it's my socktoberfest socks.

Good thing I plan on making more. And I will be checking my gauge closly.

In a world of my own.

2006-09-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

The other day at work I tried to explain to some of the other women that I work with the world of knitters and crocheters. It started by me telling that I vacuumed out my closet and I had to move some Rubbermaid containers around to do so. Than I told them that in my closet I had 2 rows of containers. One row had 3 middle sized containers, 2 smaller containers and one clear small container. The other row had the container with the top that flips open, 2 more medium and 2 small drawers that hold my needles, hooks and other fiber related tools. They were amazed by all the yarn. I told them that that was nothing and that I had seem people who had way more than that. I went on to explain the bond between knitters and crocheters. You can meet a fellow fiber lover and instantly have tons to talk about. From your favorite yarn to your least favorite project. That is why multiple fiber lovers can get together and sit around and knit and talk for hours. There is just a bond.

Last Friday my future sister in law was downtown and meet Uma Thurman who was there filming a scene for one of her up coming movies that takes place at Yale. When my mother in law told me I said now I should have been the one to meet her!! She's a knitter. My mother in law was like what difference does that make?? I said we would have had a tons to talk about!!

I look forward to the comments that people leave on my blog and I always know what I will have at least one from Deneen. Even is she is being anal about my non-working links!! But that is ok I don't mind at least someone told me it wasn't working.

I get to meet new people like Georgia. the yarn pirate! I won a contest on her blog by guessing how many pounds of yarn that was on her table. And this is what I got....

I could tell that it was my prize when I was walking up to my house. I mean the tape gave it away. My daughter was like what is that I said it's from the yarn pirate!!

This is what was inside.......

My daughter had to get in on the camera action!! In the box there was a skein of awesome yarn. Great mix of pinks and purples!! It's called Plum Gorgeous. There was a candy necklace that my daughter claimed as her own in like 1 second. I got it back!! Soap that has a skull on it. Some Burts Bees hand cream. I love Burts Bees!! 2 bars of awesome chocolate. One was plain and the other was milk chocolate with hazelnut biscotti in it!! ( just finished eating the last piece!) It's so good. Very smooth!! yummy!!

The best thing next to the yarn was this! It goes in my car tomorrow morning!! It's a funky Fresh Air Freshener. It's freshly swabbed deck scent. I know that sounds odd smelling but amazingly it smells really good. Maybe when people see this hanging off my rear view mirror they will know to get out of my way!! Nothing screams move aside like a skull and cross bones!! With a patch no less!!

Smile pretty for the camera....

2006-09-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

Ok here are the pictures that I promised.

The first picture is of the Mets colorway from Yarnmonster. The colors are really great. She also included a lollipop!! There is nothing better than getting a little extra somethin' somethin' in your package! Right now I am making socks for my girls but I told you that in my last post.

The next picture is of my yarn from To knit, perchance to dream.

The colorway is Autumn's end. The colors just scream fall! My favorite time of year.

She also included a little extra gift. Can you see the cool stitch marker that matchs the yarn. Love gifts!!

The following picture is of my daughter eating an apple in the middle of an orchard. We went apple picking Sunday. My daughter had a great time and loved crawling under the trees to get the apples. The only problem was trying not to break an ankle dodging the ones that had fallen on the ground. They engulfed the bottom of every tree. About 25 apples around every tree. It was crazy.

Lately I have been watching Dead like me on the Sci Fi channel. I don't know why Showtime cancelled this show. I love it. It's a dark comedy. Very funny.. The nights here are getting colder and you can smell fall in the air. Halloween is on the way along with my daughter's 3rd birthday. Halloween is my favorite holiday. SOMEONE should make a colorway that screams Halloween... SOMEONE. Anyone... I'm just saying......(Hint Hint) Now that the summer is over and kids are back in school that means that people will be posting more and knitting more (hopefully me too) and by the way, I love pictures!! Probably as much as carving pumpkins. I can't wait!!

Well bust my buttons!!

2006-09-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

I won a blog contest!! I am so freakin' excited! I entered Yarn Pirate's blog contest to guess how much yarn she had on her table to dye. I made a random guess of 78 pounds. Well she had 78.4 pounds of yarn!! I am beside myself with joy. One of the reasons is cause I have been buying hand dyed sock yarn from some of the wonderful knitters and spinners out there and she was next on my list. I have pictures of the other yarn I got but just haven't up loaded it to the computer yet, but let me tell you its awesome. Yarn monster did a get job on the Mets colorway. I totally stole that colorway from someone else who special ordered it!! (and that person would be IMBKARH) I started making Mets socks for my daughters. Better do it now cause if they go all the way, I don't want to seem like we are just jumping on the band wagon. (Even though I am banned from going to anymore games with my husband but that is a whole other story!) and The autumn sock colorway that I got from To knit, perchance to dream is just the perfect fall colors!! I will post pictures of my prize when I get it! I can't wait!! I have already had a bunch of hits from people coming over from Yarn Pirates's blog! HI! Don't mind my lack of posting lately. I will have more soon cause...
My daughter slept from 7:30 to 3:30 last night!! And than had a bottle and went back to sleep till 7!! AHHHHH!!!!!!
I actually got to clean up the kitchen from dinner and relax and knit!!
Will be busy all week cause my daughter's christening is on Sunday so I have a lot to do.
Things seem to be falling into place. Maybe I should go play the lottery while I am on a roll!!

Time keeps on slipping.....

2006-09-05T11:07:00.000-07:00

I swear that soon I will post the picture of the sock yarn that I got from Yarn Monster. But let me just tell you that its nice!! LOVE IT!! I have been working on a pair of socks with some Knitpicks yarn that I vowed I would finish before using new yarn. I don't know if it's having new yarn to use or if I really just dont like the sock that I am making now. Good thing the needles that I need for the new yarn are being used for the old socks or I would have given in already. But I do have some new DPNs on the way that should be here tomorrow. Hmmm what to do!! I really need to get off my butt and start making all the stuff that I want to. I figure when the baby gets on a good sleeping schedule I will have more time!! Pictures coming soon!!

It's around every corner!

2006-08-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

I am talking about temptation people!!

See when you have a job that gives you access to the internet and you get bored you tend to use that internet. And you go to websites and find 20 million patterns of things that you just have to make. Than that takes you to sites that sell yarn. And you try to figure out subs for the more expensive yarns that you just can't seem to spend money on getting. Soon you are lost in a internet world of yarn, needles, patterns and assorted yarn related goodies!! Time flies by and it's time to go home and you probably could have ( or should I say should have) been able to do more work than you did! I figure if I ever get fired I can sue for my job back stated that I had an addiction and they never offered me help for it!!

Also what do you do when you order sock yarn and you checked the UPS tracking and you know that its in your town and probably will be delivered today?? The thought of it is giving me butterflies in my stomach. You all know that there is nothing better than getting a package in the mail that contains yarn or yarn related goodies in it. Well maybe if that box was filled with money that would be better. But that never happens. Well it could but not to me!! Problem: I have a sock that I am working on and vowed to finish it before moving on to something else. (notice that I said it not them as in pair) Must resist new yarn!! Details tomorrow if it arrives today!! You all will want some!!

(side note: should I write ya' all or just stick with you all? Not being from the south or parts that use Ya' all I don't know the difference.)

Double your pleasure, Double your WIPs!!

2006-08-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

I really don't know what my problem is when it comes to completing a project. I have knitting ADD!! I might get half way through the project and than decide that I don't want to work on it anymore or that I want to do something else. Half the time I just browse. I will see a pattern and like it but I am not that good a knitter so I don't want to buy the yarn if its expensive. By the time I find a yarn I think will work as a sub, I am to scared to try the pattern with a different yarn than what the pattern calls for.

I have a ton of patterns in a book that are waiting to get done. Most of them I don't have the yarn for and haven't gotten it yet!

Like right now I am working on a sock. Just a plain sock trying to tune up my sock knitting skills. Hopefully if I can get through the first one I will actually finish the second one!! Only time will tell.

I think that my problem is that I just like to knit. I knit for the pleasure. For the relaxation that it brings. I really don't care if I am making something or not. I do a lot of swatches.

stay tuned to see if I can actually finish something!! Anything!!

A Dyson to die for!

2006-08-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

So I know that its been a while since I posted. But my time is limited now! I did start writing a post today at work but my computer went haywire and I lost the post. So I finally broke down and got a Dyson vacuum cleaner. I have wanted one for a long time but just never got one. Now was the perfect time since I am having a battle I like to call "Where the hell did these stupid fleas come from when my cats are indoor animals?" Yes for some reason we have fleas. I have read all about the flea life cycle so that I can learn how to kill them. That involves vacuum everyday and I wanted a vacuum that would suck just about everything out of the carpet and this thing does. This is the 3rd year that we have had fleas and I have tried everything to get rid of them. One of the only things left for me to do was to get rid of both of my cats. I am still very upset by this. But before you judge me, let me say that it really came down to the cats or my family. The decision became clear one day when I was feeding my 2 month old daughter and she started to cry and as I was investigating the problem, notice a huge flea on her forehead using her as an all you can eat buffet!! So in order to get rid of the fleas I had to get rid of the hosts. I have already told my husband we will never get another animal again!! Anyway, I am loving the Dyson!! I had a Hoover windtunnel that I thought was good but this one is mind blowing!! See the pictures below for proof!!

This first picture is of the canister after I vacuumed my bedroom for the SECOND time!! I can't believe that all the stuff was in my carpet!!

This picture is what I got after emptying the canister and vacuuming under the bed for the 3rd time. I got the DC 14 animal model. Anyone who has animals that shed should get this!! I got a bargin on mine cause I waited till I saw one on sale. It just so happens that it went on sale at Kohls and I had a 20%off coupon so I got it for 150 dollars less than normal!! I like to vacuum so I am in heaven! I want to go to other people's house and ask them if I can vacuum just so I can see what this thing will pick up!!

This next picture is of the next thing that I am lovin' !! I am not taking about my daughter though I do love her!! It's called a co-sleeper. I used this with my older daughter to. It's like a pack and play (some call it a play pen). It goes right up next to your bed so that the baby is within arms reach and you don't have to get up and go into another room to check on or feed the baby! Love it! I would recommend getting one for any soon to be parent!!

This is Paige! I posted this picture hoping that you can see that she has 2 different colored eyes. Her right is brown and her left is more blue. The doctor says that its nothing to worry about and that one might change and she will end up with the same colored eyes. If you click on it and enlarge it, It's better to see!! Freaky!!

This is both of my girls. I am very proud of my older daughter. She has been great with the baby. Talking to her all the time and singing to her. It's really cute. And just so you didn't think that I haven't been touching yarn. Here is a picture of a blanket that I have been working on!!

I also found a knitted blanket that I was working on and decided to finish it. It was when I first learned to knit so it's all St st! It's mindless! I was looking for some needles! See what you can find when you aren't looking!!

Wendy asked me how work was going. It's going! That is about all I can say about that. I like my actual job, it's some of the people that I can do with out!!

All good things must come to an end.....

2006-07-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

My maternity leave is ending. I will be going back to work on Tuesday. The time off has been nice, but I only got paid what vacation, sick or personal time I had. So money is starting to get tight. I would love to stay home and spend more time with my girls, but I would also like to feed them!! This is my youngest sleeping in the swing. Sometimes I feel bad about letting her fall asleep in it, but after holding her for an hour or two and than having her wake up within minutes of laying her down to sleep, it's the only way to get anything done. My older daughter has been good with her. I just have to get her to stop talking to the baby 2 inches from her face. But she means well. She has been acting up lately. I don't think it has anything to do with the new baby just normal "I am almost 3" kind of stuff. A friend of ours has a little boy who is about 5 weeks younger and he has been acting the same way. It kind of made me feel better to know that it just wasn't just us.

On the yarn front...

I have been practicing my sock knitting. It's about the only thing that I can do. Its easy to put down for a minute or hour or day when I have to tend to little girls. I am crocheting a blanket for my older daughter. That's easy to cause I am not following a pattern so I can just put it down. Hopefully I will have a picture or two of my projects. But my time is more precious than you can imagine!!

Do you know the repo man?

2006-07-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

I know that I haven't been blogging much lately but who can blame me?? I am a bit busy. It's been three weeks and things are falling into place. I am sick with some sinus thing. Which feels just wonderful. I did go to the doctor's and he gave me some stuff to help. It's so quiet here right now. My husband has left for work and the baby is sleeping. My older daughter is at daycare till I pick her up. She has been adjusting to the baby pretty well. We try to give her attention as much as we can. We have had some incidents but nothing to fear.

I have been trying to keep up on all my blog reading. So I know what everyone is up to.

OH and the title?? My husband is famous for asking weird questions. This morning he asked me if I had been making my payments on my car. I said yes why? He told me that there was a tow truck out in front of our house three times the day before. It was the same tow truck each time. So he was probably looking for a certain car.. Just waiting to repo it! But trust me it's not mine. I told him if I wasn't going to pay a bill it won't be that one!!

No crocheting or knitting to show at this time. I was working on a sock and was doing the foot part and I noticed that I had dropped a stitch. So I had to stop. I still haven't frogged it yet.

Now I am off to add more yarn to my stash!!

And we have a winner!!

2006-06-19T18:39:00.000-07:00

If you remember way back in about January (I think) I held a contest to guess the sex and date that the baby would be born on. The winner is Wendy. She was only off by one day by guessing June 15. Congrats to you! You will have to email me your address. I am going to have to come up with something really good to send you! HMMMM..... Thanks to all the people who left me a comment on my new baby. She is pretty easy going as of right now but that can change. She does have a diaper rash and a clogged tear duct that we have to give her eye drops for. I have to say that it is easier the second time around. We are much calmer as parents. I guess it was all the practice we got with the first one!!

It's been hot here the last few days. Thanks god it's nice and breezy tonight.

My New Addition.

2006-06-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

Say Hello to Paige Elizabeth

June 14, 2006 at 1:47 A.M.

6 lbs 7 ozs 19 inches.

I should mention that I had 4 hours of labor for first contraction to delivery of baby!!

I will have a better post later.

I also want to thank Deneen for the baby sweater and the wrist bag for my older daughter that she sent to me. I haven't had time to get a picture yet but soon.

2006-05-31T07:05:00.000-07:00

I figured that I should post and let you know that I am still around and no there is no new baby. I still have 2 1/2 weeks till my due date. I am ready when ever she is. I am ready to be able to bend over and get out of bed on my own!! or maybe put on some sneakers!! I am happy that its warm out so that I can wear flip flops or sandals and not look silly!! But I can't make her come out any faster!!

I haven't been crocheting or knitting much. I am working on a sock. I have this nice yarn from MaMa E . I am kind of following a pattern but I thought that I needed the sock to be bigger than what the pattern called for so I added 4 stitches to the CO. Hopefully it works out for me. I also thought that socks were suppose to be a quick knit that is one of the reasons that people loved them so much. I guess I am slow cause this one sock seems to be taking forever or it could be because I have to keep reading the instructions for a basic sock so that I can remember how to do all that nice heel turning and gussett stuff. I really want to learn to do the short row heel and toe. (There are instructions here, here and here) Since I already did the heel, I am going to try it on the toe. I forgot to keep track of what I have been doing so far so I guess this one sock will be a test. I have to say that I am very proud of the heel and gussett. I didn't get that little hole at the top of the gussett like I did before. But I did have a problem picking up the same number of stitches on the second side of the heel than I had on the first. Which is really weird cause I have the same number of rows!! But I managed and it looks good so far. If I could just go faster!!

It should work now

2006-05-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

Ok the link below should work now. You just have to click on the link for the right new footage. See my post below.

2006-05-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ok I hope that this link works!!
try going here
You have to click on the link that says May 17 East Rock park rescue.

If it does you can watch my husband save a girl from the side of East Rock Tuesday evening. He is the first fireman that they show bringing a girl with a red shirt up the side of the mountain!!

(Ok I had the wrong link but it is fixed now)

How long does it take to get to the end?

2006-05-05T08:58:00.000-07:00

It's like the question how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?

The first question that people ask me when they see a FO is how long did that take? I never keep track of how long I work on something. I could tell you how many stitches are in a project. But time spent is beyond me!!

This blue blanket is one that I made for a friend of mine. She is due about 3 weeks after me. I like this blanket a lot.

This is a close up of the different stitch that I used for the white part.

This is the blanket that I finished for my baby. I really like how it came out. It's really soft. The colors are pretty accurate in the picture.

This is a full view of the blanket so that you can see the stripe pattern. I made the blanket so that they stripes were the same going from either side. It made the blanket come out long than I had thought that it would. And it's a little heavy. I made both blankets with Bernat Satin. It's really soft and held up nice after washing. The only problem I had was with the yellow or Banana color. It had a few spots where it got thinner or thicker. I didn't have problem with the aqua, pink, white or light blue. So maybe it was just that batch of yarn. But I will use it again to make another blanket. Just for the softness and the price.

If a blanket is unseen is it unloved?

2006-04-27T17:52:00.000-07:00

It's kind of like that question, If a tree falls in the woods does it make a sound?

As I was sitting on my couch last night crocheting a baby blanket for my future daughter, I got to wondering what happened to the last baby blanket I made for someone else. It was for a guy who is a co-worker and friend of my husband. Him and his wife had a baby girl about a year and a half ago. I made a beautiful (if I say so myself) ripple blanket for them.. (If I can find the picture I will show you) I gave it to them and they said that they loved it. I have never been to their house so I don't know if they use it, I hope they do. I had asked my husband to ask his friend how the blanket was holding up but he doesn't like to do those kind of things. Than it got me to thinking about other blankets that I have made and given away. I gave one to my FIL last Christmas and I know that he uses it cause I have seen him sleeping in the recliner with it.

I gave one to another couple that we know that had a baby boy 5 weeks after I had my daughter I did see them use it cause they had been at my house a few times when it was very cold out and the blanket was tucked into the carseat to keep their son warm. But I knew that they would use and appreciate the blanket.

Than you have my BIL and SIL. I made my nephew a nice thick blanket cause he was born in the winter. I would say that after about 2 months I finally saw them use the blanket. Once. And it was my BIL who had the baby that day and had used the blanket to keep his son warm in the car seat. See he is my husband's brother and probably wanted to show me that they used the blanket. But that is only cause he wants me to make one for him. He requested an afghan 0ver 6 feet long and 6 feet wide so that when he laid down the blanket would cover his feet completely. Like that is going to happen!! Anyway back to the blanket. I never saw it again after that..

Fast foward to the summer of last year. They moved into a new house and we went to visit. In their living room there was box marked baby blankets. I couldn't help but wonder if my blanket was in there? That fall, they had another son. I didn't make him a blanket cause I felt that my SIL didn't really appreciate the first one. She probably looked at it and thought that it was tacky or something cause it was home made. She is that kind of person if you know what I mean. One day when we were visiting again my MIL asked my SIL where the blanket she had her second son wrapped in had come from. And all high and mighty she said a woman at work made it for me. Please! Like I was suppose to be jealous. If I wanted a blanket that was made out of cheap ass baby yarn I would make one, cause unlike my SIL, I can!! My MIL said something about the blanket being fuzzy and my SIL said something about the yarn and that she thought that if she kept washing it the fuzz would go away. I told her that the more she washed it the worst it would get. I got a dirty look for that but its true and she is a bitch so what do I care!!

I just made another blanket for a friend of mine who is due about 3 weeks after me. I haven't really talked to her much and I am wondering when her shower is going to be. Usually people will have one about 2 months before they are due. That would be about May 7th. I haven't received an invitation yet. I wonder if I will and if the shower is later. But the closer the shower is to my due date the less likely it is that I can go. Maybe I am not invited. If this is the way that someone who is suppose to be my friend treats me, How will she treat my blanket? Will she smile and say that she loves it but in the back of her mind think "Oh god!!"? When you give a gift to someone who knits or crochets, You know that even if they think it is ugly they will appreciate the work that went into it.

Is the third time a charm?

2006-04-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

Ok I just checked my stats and this is the third time that someone came to my blog by way of doing a search for Needle torture!! I wonder if its the same person each time or 3 different people?? The only torture with needles that goes on at this blog is the torture that I bring upon myself trying to master the art of knitting needles.

Anyway, on the FO front, I finished the baby blanket for my friend and I started on one for my baby. I was going to do a ripple but than decided I didn't want to do that. So I tried something else and didn't like that. Than I thought why can't I just make a simple blanket? How come every time someone designs or makes a blanket or anything for that matter it has to have stripes, dots, bobbles, ripples and all other crazy stuff in one piece? I am using 4 different colors and want to show them off cause I really like them all. So I decided to just do a striped blanket. Very simple. Which is the way most things in life should be. Simple. Pictures of baby blanket will be up later tonight.

A Sad State Of Affairs

2006-04-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

I think that I have grown bored with the internet. Everyday I get on and do the same thing. Check Email, check bloglines and than go to a few websites to see what is going on. Other than that.....nothing. I feel like I have explored every knitting/crochet website and have seen every pattern that is out there. I am bored. That is all!

Happy Easter!

2006-04-16T06:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter Everyone! I hope that everyone has a great day. My daughter enjoyed her Easter basket. She really liked the jellybeans. Good thing I got her to eat breakfast first. I got these really good Starburst Tropical flavored jellybeans. My daughter Also got The Chicken Little movie and Chicken Little pez dispensers. Guess what??! She also loves pez!

I finished seaming together the baby sweater. I just have to put some buttons on it. I did have a problem with my seaming but it is my first time. The side seams look good but the sleeves are another story. I finished it yesterday afternoon. Than last night as I was looking at my knitting books I saw a way to do the shoulder/sleeve seam better. I wish I had seem this before it would have made things so much easier.. But for my first knitted garment I can't complain much. At least it is wearable as long as no one who knits every inspects the seams. :)

Someone told me long ago

2006-04-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

Theres a calm before the storm. I know its been coming for sometime! That is what I feel like lately! Something is brewing but I don't know what. I have a very uneasy feeling that something is going to exploded and things are going to get crazy. But I can only wait and see. I got a call yesterday from the computer repair place that my laptop is already done! Hooray!! I can't pick it up till tomorrow after work and I forgot to ask how much it was going to be. My living room and dinning room are almost done being painted. I should have taken a before and after picture but I am very forgetful lately. Also the baby's room is in the beginning stages of painting. I should take a picture of that tonight when I get home. I only have 6 rows left on the sleeve for my sweater and than I have to seam it up and I am done. I also half way done with a baby blanket for a friend of mine. See what I mean? everything is going along nicely. That is why I am getting this feeling....... Maybe its that spring is in the air and I can't wait till there are no more cold days left. My daughter has cabin fever and needs to spend some time running around outside!! Hopefully if all goes well I will have some pictures to show you tomorrow after I get home with my fixed laptop!!

2006-04-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

Your Theme Song is Born to Be Wild by Steppenwolf

"I like smoke and lightningHeavy metal thunderRacin' with the windAnd the feelin' that I'm under"
A total independent spirit, you can't be held down or fenced in.You crave the feeling of wind on your face... and totally freedom.

What's" Your Theme Song?

Coming to you live

2006-04-06T11:28:00.000-07:00

From my work computer. That is right. My laptop is still busted. I did manage to hold the cord in place the other night so that I could actually use it for a while but my arm got tired and that was the end of that.

I can't seem to finish a project lately. I have to make something for a friend of mine who is due with her first baby 3 weeks after me. I know that her shower should be soon but I haven't received an invitation yet. Maybe I won't, you never know!! I want to make a blanket but I just can't find one that I really like. I know that I will end up making a ripple like I always to. Well now I am going to see if this new way I thought of works for adding some pics to this blog. Ahhhh it did I see it at the top. That is a close up of the baby sweater I am knitting. Hopefully I can get a close up of the mistakes I made and someone can tell me what I did wrong!!

P.S. If you came here by way of the "Ville and are looking for some drama, You have come to the wrong place. Keep on going!!

Tic Toc!

2006-03-30T09:56:00.000-08:00

Time is ticking away as I wait to see what is wrong with my laptop. I just order a new AC adapter and I am hoping that will fix the problem. I really don't want to have to take it to get repaired. Thank god for sneaking time at work!! I am still working on my baby sweater even though I messed up on the collar when I was picking up stitches. But since its my first sweater I will finish. I ripped out the first sleeve that I did so now I just have to do that one and than I can seam it all together.

As far as my pregnancy goes.. I am doing just fine. Moving right along with 2 1/2 months left to go. My due date is approaching fast. I am getting a little nervous but that is normal with such big life change. At least I will be off of work for most of the summer for maternity leave. That will be so nice. But you know what? My lazy ass has not finished one project for this new baby!! I still have plenty of time left to get my ass in gear.

Lastest search that someone did and got my blog.... Needle torture pictures. Very interesting.

The weather outside has turned so beautiful. It's suppose to reach like 70 today. I love spring!!

So it seams

2006-03-22T09:21:00.000-08:00

I have one more sleeve to make for the sweater. But the back still has live stitches on it that are attached to my second skein of yarn. So I think I am going to seam up the shoulders and do the neck line first and than make the second sleeve. I am really nervous about finishing this sweater because when I am done I have to seam the whole thing up. This terrifies me!! Its so different than seaming up a sweater that you have crocheted. You don't have to block crocheted sweaters and the seaming is pretty straight forward. With knitting you have to block, pin and than there are all these ways of seaming up the sides, the shoulders and the sleeves!! Makes my brain start to spin!! Thank god for the Knittinghelp.com site! I have gone there to learn so many things. I am hoping to be done with everything by this weekend and hopefully my lap top will be fixed and I can post some pictures.

I have decided to organized my stash. I have to stop at Walmart on the way home and I am going to look for something to put in my closet that can hold yarn. I think that I might have to part with some stuff. But you have to do that to make room for the new. I was going to try to just buy yarn for the project that I was working on at that time and not buy more till I finished that one and was going to move on to the next but that didn't work out to well!! I have yarn all over the place and really need to get it all together and figure out what I will use at some point and what will never be used. It's going to be hard but I know I can do it.

Is that dust on my blog?

2006-03-21T06:24:00.000-08:00

I would love to blog more. Really I would. But for some reason my lap top completely hates me and refuses to charge unless I put it in weird positions!! I have a service contract with Comp USA but for some reason they don't have any record of that so they have to look into it. How convenient!! So until I get it fixed I have to use my computer at work to do whatever I need to. So no pictures of new yarn or projects!! But I can give you links to other blogs!! I just received some yarn from MamaE. It's sock yarn in the color Keohinani . It was in my mail box yesterday when I got home from work and that made me very happy after a not so great day. I got out my ball winder last night and put it into cakes! Which I would love to show you but again computer issues. The color is exactly what it looks like on MamaE's blog. Very light and spring like!!

I also have made progress on my baby sweater. I have the back done along with both fronts. I started working on the sleeves but I messed up the increases so I had to rip it out. But I want to thank Jo over at Something from nothing who happened to be working on the same sweater and answered some questions for me. She was very patient in answering my 15 (probably more than that!!) So hopefully my computer will be fixed soon and I can show you a finished sweater!!

I got pictures!

2006-03-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

Here are my pictures. The first one is of a sock that I am knitting.

I am using Plymouth wildflower for a practice run cause I have never

followed a pattern for a sock before. I choose this yarn

cause it has the same gauge as the yarn in the pattern.

This second one is of a shawl that I have been working on forever.

Its suppose to be for work cause it gets cold in my office. I guess I just haven't been putting

alot of effort into it.

(guest appearance by Leroy)

The last one is of a little pouch that I made for a woman that I work with.

I finally did it! I got the pictures posted and I didn't get kicked off the net!

It must be Karma!!

Can you believe how much I have to say the last 2 days?

Oh the horror!!

2006-03-02T09:33:00.000-08:00

OH MY GOD!! It's snowing here!! Don't leave your house unless you need to go to the grocery store and get your 27 bottles of water!! Run for the hills or you'll be up to your arm pits in snow!! Please!! If you have lived in Connecticut or New England for that matter you have seen snow!! Calm down!! Ok moving on...

So did I say yesterday in my last post that I would have another one by the end of the night? One that would contain pictures in it? Yes I believe I did. I took said pictures. And was ready to blog but my computer/router/internet provider (take your pick it could be anyone) is plotting against me and would only let me on the net for like 2 minutes and than every page I went to I got that annoying message that the page wouldn't load!! Hopefully tonight the powers that be will come together and let me blog!! I can't put the pictures up at work so I have to wait.

I want to thank Wendy for telling me about Edmunds.com when I was looking for my new car. I did go there and checked all the reviews on the cars that I was looking into. Very helpful. I did get a new car about a week ago. I would show you a picture but well we already went over that. I ended up getting a Hyundai Tucson. I really like it and it has 4wd. Which even though we don't have a ton of snow days here, when it does snow usually its a good amount. The 4wd drive is nice and today will be the first time I get to use it. I was sad to trade in my Honda Civic. What a great car that was. Great on gas!! Sporty and Dark Green!! I would have gone with the Honda CRV if it wasn't for the price tag that was on it. The Tucson is basically the same car and it was 3000 dollars cheaper right off the sticker price. Plus incentives took off another 1000 and my trade in took off another 3200 after paying off what was left on my car loan!! I ended up with the same payment amount for the Tucson as I was paying for my Civic. And boy did all these dealerships I went to want that Civic. It was 5 years old and only had 30,000 mines on it. We only used it when one of us had to go to work or somewhere with out my daughter. But switching back and forth all the time was getting to be a hassle and with a new baby on the way it was time to give up my little 2 door coupe of a car and get something that would fit all of us!! I will miss that car!!

You might be wondering why I just didn't sell it privately (or maybe you aren't but I am going to tell you anyway). I knew I would have been able to get more money for it. But in my neck of the woods all the little teenagers love to drive Honda civics and accords. They put big annoying mufflers and big fins on the back and race around like jackasses!! So I had a feeling that if I started showing my car to these little punks (and most of them are punks) I could kiss my car good bye cause I am sure that it would be stolen. After all it is one of the most stolen cars around and the sales man at the hyundai dealer was surprised that I had it for 3 years and never had it stolen. Plus I don't think that any of them could really afford the price I was going to ask for the car anyway. So trading it in got me less money but saved me time and the hassle. My husband is dying to drive it. But It's mine and he got a new jetta just 2 1/2 years ago that was his!! I am going to let him take it to work tonight cause of the weather. See what a good wife I am!!

Count down to new baby= 15 1/2 weeks to go and counting down!! It's gone by so fast so far. This pregnancy has been so much calmer than my first. I guess cause I know what is going to happen. You don't have that what is going on? Why do I have to do that? What are these test for? What do the results mean?? How I DON'T miss that. But now when I hear woman who are pregnant for the first time say all that stuff it kind of makes me laugh that everyone is that way the first time but they think they are the only ones!! Honestly can't wait for June to get here. I am so anxious to see what she is going to look like. Will she look like my daughter or totally different? Better yet what am I going to name her? My husband picked my daughter's name so we agreed that this time I would get to pick a name. It's harder to come up with a name that you like than it is to go through labor!! What if you pick the wrong name and 2 weeks after the baby is born you don't like it!! And people say giving birth is the worst part!! Yeah right!!

I think its about that time.

2006-03-01T10:51:00.000-08:00

How sad it is when your yarn stash has taken over some much of your side of the bedroom (also attic, spareroom, downstairs closet, you know what I am saying) that your husband has had enough and put it in to rubbermaid containers for you!! (Which before showing to you warned you that you would be pissed off and you replied on seeing said containers "You touched my yarn???!!!!" )

Or how about this... You are in your local yarn store or craft chain store and you see a pattern booklet. You think "Oh I like that sock on the cover." But decide to just stick with what you came in for. That night (after your husband has cleaned up your yarn) you are reaching into your night stand to get something and a pattern booklet comes out also. The same one you saw in the store.

I think it is about time that I take charge and get myself organized. Or try to as best that I can!! SO I was thinking that maybe I would start something over at Crochetville that everyone that needs to get their stash organized can join!! Maybe a week long organization-along. YEAH!! I have to think about what needs to be done!! Ok better post tonight with pictures and such (hopefully!)

Second time around.

2006-02-18T17:32:00.000-08:00

I was sitting around this afternoon thinking. It is so cold outside. Just 2 days ago It was like 50 outside and today it was like 20! I started thinking about what I could work on. I have my ripple blanket but after starting and ripping, I need a little break. All the sudden I remembered a shawl that I was working on. I went looking for it. Can you believe that I couldn't find it. I checked where I usually keep all my WIP. It was not there. So I started thinking where could it be?? Than I realized that my husband must have moved it. And he did. He put it in a rubber maid container with other stuff and put it up in the attic. I pulled it out and started working on it again. That got me thinking what other WIP might he have put up there while cleaning up that I didn't realize are gone? It's 9:00 p.m. Do you know where your WIP are?

She sells striped socks!

2006-02-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

How much do you think it would cost me to pay someone to make these for me? I know that I won't be able to do it anytime in the future. I have been practicing with Knit Picks simple stripes. But the problem is that the yarn is to thin. I had to switch to baby yarn. I was having a bad problem with my yarn laddering when I was switching to the next needle no matter how tight I pulled the stitches. I was thinking of trying the Knit Picks parade. Its a sport weight that is 6st = 1 inch on #3-5 needles while the simple stripes is 7-8 sts =1 inch on #1-3 needles. I really want to use the sock yarn cause the socks come out so nice. When I look at the socks that knitters are making (like these) that is what you want yours to look like! The other thing is that I suck at subbing one yarn for another. So help me out. If you make socks tell me what your favorite sock yarn is. Or if you can recommend a good sock yarn that is thicker than simple stripes but not to thick! For now its baby yarn for me.

Things I have learned this week.

2006-02-09T18:20:00.000-08:00

I have learned that the skip 2 stitches was to much for the SC. Too tight. So I did the dc3tog. Stacey had asked me to let her know how I solved my problem. Its working much better now. I got my new yarn in the mail today. Its an ombre with the same colors as the ones that I am using in my blanket. They should go real nice together. The mix of colors is very nice.

Next thing- I hate when people try to tell you how to solve a problem and they just keeping going on and on and on! Like you didn't get it the first 50 times that they said it or that you couldn't possible figure out how to handle it on your own!!

Moving on.... The grammys suck!! (If you are a huge fan of the Rolling stones, Neil Young or U2 move on and don't leave me a comment if you don't like what I say!) Ok For best rock album the grammy goes to U2!! Oh come on!! and the other groups please! The rolling stones I don't even know anyone who listens to them! Did they even come out with a new album this year??? And Neil Young!! I can't stand Neil Young! But I don't know anyone who listens to him either. And again did he release any album this year?????!! I don't think that some guy sitting on a stool playing a guitar and moaning about nothing is rock!! And did the Term rock change its meaning? I don't consider any of these three to be rock! Why did U2 win so many grammys? I don't get the huge profound message that is suppose to be in every song. But I was disappointed that the one group that I do like didn't win!! The Foo Fighters! I have their newest album that was a 2 CD set. The first CD is awesome (I can't seem to find the second one ) But I love every song on that CD! And it rocks! They rock! That's why they were in the best rock album category!! Ok Rant done. Again no comments cause I don't care if you like the Rolling stones, U2 or Neil Young!!

Ok NEXT!!!--- I am buying a new car and what hell that is!! I know that I look young and I am female but come on I am not stupid!! When I already know that the Kelly Blue Book trade in value on my car is 8200 and I make it known to you that I looked it up, don't try to make it seem like you are doing me a huge favor by offering 8200 dollars for my trade in!! Or put down the other SUVs that I told you I was considering cause you want me to buy yours when I have the comparison list in my hands and I have told you 5 times that all 3 SUVs are basically the same car. The only difference is your sticker price that is 3000 dollars more than the other ones! Dumb ass!! Oh Look we have that car in the pretty red color that you want! Please!! In all honesty I liked the red color but I can live if I get another color cause the real color I want is green and it doesn't come in green! At this point I want to kick this dude in the balls!! Oh little girl look at the pretty car! Its such a pretty color!! Look at the nice lights on the dash board! OHHHH pretty!! I don't want that crap! I want safety features, Gas mileage, warranty and stuff like that!!

Last but not least.. People who get hired after you and know less than you do will always some how get paid more than you. Who knew?? Ok I have crocheting to do!

I am so worked up now I don't think I can sleep!!

AHHHHHH!!

2006-02-06T18:25:00.000-08:00

If over the hills and through the woods you heard a screaming at about 9 o'clock p.m. that was me!! I got back to the point where I left off last time. and I still like the blanket. The colors are really nice together. It looks like this.

But what it really wants to do is this!!

What is the problem here. I did a chain 2 so that the sides wouldn't pull. But it is still doing the accordian thing. I wonder, is the Single crochet to weak for the power of the ripple pattern!! The one that I was working on yesterday has relaxed some. So what should I do? Keep going and see if adding the edging will help flatten it out? Or maybe after I do the edge and wash it, it will relax? Should I just suck it up and do the pattern like its suppose to be in double crochet? I can't stand it. I really like the way that it looks but I can't stop the crinkle!! Why can't figure out what the problem is! In all the years that I have been crocheting, I have never had a problem like this. What to do? What to do?!!! Actually I think I just figured it out! After going back and proof reading my post. I can see it now! It's the decrease! Its the Sk 2 for the valley that is where it folds in!! What to do? Should I do a chain 1 when I sk 2? Should I skip 3? Should I dc3tog? That might work. I don't really want to start all over again. I am afraid that I might run out of yarn. And since I can't just run to the store and get it I have to be careful of how much I use!! I don't want to have to wait for another order to show up at my door!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

The frog says "RIP IT"

2006-02-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

I finally got my yarn and I have to say that I like it. The pink and blue colors are very nice and go together well. Than throw in the yellow and you have the makings of a great baby blanket. I started my new blanket in a ripple pattern. But I didn't like it in Double crochets so I decided to do single. So I ripped it out. Than after doing like 14 rows I noticed that the bottom of the blanket was started to look like an accordian. So I think... Stitches are to tight I must need a bigger needle. I switch from a 5.00mm to a 6.00mm. I start over. After about 22 rows the blanket is the same way. Finally it hits me! It's the sides. After I chain one and turn I have to skip the very first stitch to keep the number of stitches even. If I don't I would end up with one extra every row. But with only a chain one it is making the edges pull tight and curl in! So now I must rip again and start over. This time I will chain two and hopefully this will resolve the problem. I kept thinking that after I did the rows of yellow that I would take a picture to show how well the colors looked together but that is not going to happen till I restart and get up to row 28!! Keep your hooks and needles crossed for me!!

The Name Game.

2006-02-02T07:33:00.000-08:00

OK I know you are thinking Holy crap! 3 post in 3 days that must be a record for Mrs. Hunny! But I have figured out that to help pass time at work I can blog! Please there are no little kids here to put their feet on my keyboard and ask for juice!! So now that I know I am having a girl I have to think of a name. It would have been so easy if it was a boy cause we were going to name the baby after my husband. So now I start my list of names that my husband will veto till I give in to the name that he wants. But we both agreed that since he picked my first daughter's name this one would be up to me and there is no way I am caving in!! The other thing about picking names is that you want something that is nice and not to popular but not something that will cause your child years of school yard torture! (LOL I just wrote yarn instead of yard! How sad is that??!!) The first time, I checked all the names that we liked to see if they were really popular in the last few years and for some reason I never checked my daughters name that we actually gave her. Go figure. But I love the names that people suggest to you!! And some of the names are bad but they are so serious about them. It makes me laugh!! But I know that they are only trying to be helpful.

I am still waiting for my yarn!! I am thinking I will have to wait till tomorrow for the delivery!! Brings a tear to my eye!!

Happy Birthday to Mr. Doo! Happy Birthday to Mr. Doo!! Obey the Doo!!

What's a girl to do?

2006-02-01T07:26:00.000-08:00

I am, like many of you, obsessed with yarn, crocheting, knitting and anything related to these subjects. My problem is that I don't have any friends that are to. I have my blog world friends who understand and never judge. But its not always the same as being face to face with someone. I have gone to my local SnB but I don't get to go everyweek. So when I want to talk about yarn and whatnot, I don't have anyone to let it out to. I have even tried to teach people. But I guess some people just don't take to it like others do. I do make a woman that I work with listen to me. But she is out today and I wanted to sh0w off my knitted swatch. I didn't make it as long as in the book just enough to see what the pattern looked like. I like it and I think that I might use it. I did find 3 or 4 mistakes that I made but its hard to knit when you have a 2 year old who insists on putting her feet on your knitting and a husband who has nothing to say until you pick up some yarn!!

Anyway I just wanted to leave you with this. One day while surfing around Babies r us .com I came across these blankets . Each for sale for under 10 bucks!!

So cheap it is!

2006-01-31T10:32:00.000-08:00

As I wait for my yarn to arrive from Knitting-warehouse I have been trying to learn some new stuff about knitting. I went to Michaels yesterday to buy some stuff to make me feel better after a crappy day at work and Hey I still have a gift card from Christmas to use. I got a pattern book with dishclothes in it. I figured if I found a pattern that I liked that I could add more stitches and make a blanket. So far I did find a pattern. I start out using sugar and cream which is what was used in the pattern. And I figured if I was just testing the patterns spending about 1.50 on a skein of yarn was worth it. But I soon found out that knitting with this yarn is a lot harder than crocheting with it!! Wow it was tough! So for the next pattern I decided to try, I got out some Takhi cotton classic. It's a bronze/orange color that I don't really like much but for what I was going to use it for it was fine. I had a much easier time with that yarn and the pattern worked faster. Ahhh now I am sure you are waiting for pictures, but I am at work and don't have them. Hopefully if I can get through the whole pattern tonight I can take a picture of it.

I did get some Red Heart So soft yarn the other day. I like the feel of the yarn and its good for a baby blanket since it will get washed like a thousand times. But the problem I found with it is that the size of the strand tends to change. I am sure that you know what I mean. I am crocheting along and its nice and full than all the sudden I notice the texture changing. The strand is very tight and thin. Than it goes back to being loose and full again. I also encountered a section where they must have put new yarn on the skein. Not a pretty sight. But I guess you can't ask for much with cheap yarn. If it was something that was going to be taken care of I would invest more money but since I know it will end up like my daughter's blanket. Dragged around like a rag doll, I just don' t see wasting the money!! (please three olive don't hurt me sista'!!) :) So I decided to change cheap yarn and go with Bernat Satin. Its nice and soft. The only problem is that I couldn't find the colors that I wanted and had to order off the net. Which is why I am waiting for my order from knitting warehouse. I still didn't get all the colors that I wanted.

Lets see... Oh my new Knitting needles!! I got some Crystal Palace needles. I really like these needles. I found them to be nice and smooth and I am not a fan of bamboo (did I mention that they were bamboo?) I like them better than Clover. I am going to get some more. But that is a trip to the local yarn store after work. I usually prefer aluminum needles cause of the slickness of them. But I found these very nice. Very nice indeed!!

Think Pink!

2006-01-25T15:36:00.000-08:00

The contest is now closed with 3 people guessing right. Wendy, Deneen and Stacey all guessed that it was a girl! I didn't really care one way or the other what the sex is, But as with my daughter I like to find out so that I can prepare if needed. My husband will now be greatly out numbered!! I already started working on a blanket now that I know the sex. I am sure that I need to get a few new things like onesies and burp clothes but nothing major cause I kept EVERYTHING that I got for my daughter. And I was smart about it to. Even though I knew I was having a girl, all the major stuff that I selected (pack n play, stroller, carseat) I got in a neutral color in case I had a boy as a second (third?) child I wouldn't have to buy new stuff. I do think that I am going to get a new crib set cause we don't want to do another purple room. But I don't really want pink either. I am going to have to put some thought into it! Now I can start planning my crochet and knitting project. Plus I just found out that one of my good friends is also having a baby and her due date is 3 weeks after mine!! Very fun!! and more things to crochet!! I just love the look of a crocheted blanket over a knitted one! And of course some where in there I will do a ripple blanket!! I just have to find the right pattern!

Is there anybody out there?

2006-01-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

I want to thank the people who entered my contest so far. But I can't believe that is all so far. Did I mention that the prize will include yarn? I know that you have to wait till June to get this prize but just think that gives me about 5 months to think and get stuff!! As of right now, I am having a girl, Wendy will be the winner and won't even have to wait till June to find out if she won. She is the only one out of the three that has said girl. You have till Wednesday to add your name and guess.

As far as crocheting and knitting goes, I have been working on the knitted sweater and I am almost done with the back. I have to remember that knitting takes longer than crocheting. But what I can't figure out is how all those knitters that post their finished projects do them so fast. I guess that speed is some thing that you work up to. But I am not giving up just yet....

Progress and Contest

2006-01-18T11:09:00.000-08:00

First the progress. Above is the first of 2 sweaters that I am

working on for my daughter. I am using this pattern from Bernat.

This is the first time I am using Cotton Tots to make something.

The above picture is a close up of the pattern. I hope that it came out clear enough.

This second sweater is my first attempt to knit a sweater.I am using this pattern, Also from Bernat. I am using Softee Baby in Her Jeans Ombre. I decided to use a pattern that called for a cheaper yarn so in case I mess up it won't be so bad. I have been working on both. Once I get tired of one, I work on the other one. I am hoping that I will actually finish both of them!!

Ok now for the contest. Here is how it is going to work. List in the comments if you think I will have a boy or a girl. Than put the date you think that the baby will be born and last put the weight you think the baby will be. After next week when I find out the sex of the baby, all the people who have the wrong sex will be taken out. Now remember you won't win till June when the baby is born. Cause the winner is decided by who gets the right date. If there is a tie, the person who is closest to the baby's weight will be the winner. If for some reason there is still a tie, I will put all the names of the people who are tied into a hat and pick a winner! I do ask that everyone who enters is a knitter or a crocheter and not some random person surfing the web. The prize will include YARN! Also I ask that you leave me your email address and your blog or website (or your member name if you belong to Crochetville). That way if I don't know you to well I can check to make sure that you are a knitter or a crocheter.

Simple enough right??

Ok here is some background on my first child. I had a girl. I went into labor exactly one week early. My daughter was 6lbs. and 2 ozs. I had morning sickness during my first trimester and was so tired all the time. I also looked like I had a watermelon in my stomach during most of my pregnancy once I started to show. My daughter was head down the whole time. I swear she never changed positions. She also had a foot stuck under my rib for most of the third trimester that cause me so much pain! I gained weight everytime I went to the OB!! for a total of about 30 pounds over all.

This pregnancy, I have had no morning sickness and only had 3 days where I was really tired. I have gained 2 pounds the whole time and I am already 18 weeks along. How that happened I don't know. I am carrying lower than with my daughter but note that the baby is in a different position that my daughter was in. My daughter was head down, this baby was on its side when I had my first ultrasound. (I don't believe in that Old Wives tale that states the way you carry can tell the sex of the baby!) My due date is June 19. If I can I will post a picture of my stomach from the side but I don' t think that I have a picture I can put up for when I was pregnant with my daughter. If you have any questions you can ask. You have until Wednesday January 25 when I post the results of my Ultrasound. I did do 2 things that are suppose to determine the sex of the baby. I did a Chinese gender chart. That said that I am having a girl. Than I did the test where you take your wedding ring and tie it to a long strand of your hair. If it goes back and forth that means you are having a boy, if it swings in a circle you are having a girl. My ring went from side to side. So according to the ring I am having a boy!! Still 50/50 odds!!

Good luck!!

2nd anniversary of my 30th birthday!

2006-01-13T11:28:00.000-08:00

Sunday is my birthday. I don't have anything special planned. But I am going to stop today on the way home from work and get myself a birthday present!! :) Sorry for not posting for a while I just haven't been in the mood for it. But I will have my contest up on Monday and you will have one week if you want to make a guess but remember you wont find out if you win till June!! Details on Monday!!

2006-01-03T17:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a hat that I made for one of the babies. This one is for the boy.

Oh and by the way neither one of the babies was born on New years day!

Oh well. It is better to have a health baby than a New Years baby!

I made some other hats to but I haven't taken any pictures yet.

Do you like my model?

It's a new doll that my daughter got for Chirstmas. Its just a little smaller than a

new born baby's head. Perfect!!

I just tried to upload another picture but blogger is acting up!

I am working out the details of my contest so get ready!!

It Lives!!

2005-12-29T17:21:00.000-08:00

Yes I am still here! Christmas was good. I did get my camera. I am not sure if I like it. It focuses differently than my other camera. I am having trouble getting use to it. But I am sure that I will get the hang of it. I do have pictures to show but that is another post. I have been crocheting. I made my FIL a hat but I forgot to take a picture of it. I also made one for my daughter. I also made some hats for a few of my husband's friends who are having babies in the next few days. Both couples have a good chance of having a New Year's baby. Now I don't know about where you live but here they make a big deal about it. Hospitals wait to have the first baby of the year. Its a big honor. And The baby that is the first baby born in Connecticut gets stuff. So Keep your fingers crossed. You never know, one of them could end up having the first baby born in the New year in the whole USA or the world!! How cool would that be. Maybe they will end up in the papers wearing the hat I made for them! One of the hats is in boy colors cause one of the couples knows that they are having a boy and the other hats are in each a girl color and a boy cause the other couple doesn't know. Oh and I find out the sex of my baby on January 24th at 2:00 p.m.!! Should I tell all my friends in blog land what the baby will be or should I hold a contest. I could do something like first you guess the sex, than all the people who get that right can guess the weight. You can also guess the date the baby will be born on to be used in case of a tie. OR if someone can think of a better contest let me know!! I will have to think of a prize too.

I can dig that man, That dude didn't know any tunes!

2005-12-16T19:14:00.000-08:00

So I have to say that I am almost done with my Christmas shopping. I just have to get to gift certificates and than I am set!! Oh yeah and that afghan thing!! Why does it seem like the things that you try to make for gifts take 5 times longer than at any other time??! What makes it harder is that most nights I am asleep by 9:30!! So it's not like I can get a lot done!! Its just one afghan that I have a week to finish!! I think I can! I think I can!! I am hoping for a new digital camera for Christmas. The one I have now is slow and I miss a lot of good pictures of my daughter. So picked out a new camera that has a faster shutter!! I told Santa that I have been a good girl all year. Hopefully he was paying attention!!!

2005-11-26T18:40:00.000-08:00

I have been a blog slacker lately!!
But it's for good reason. If you haven't seen my post over at crochetville, than let me tell you now. I am pregnant and due in mid June! So my mind is not my own right now!! I have no morning sickness which is great. I have been a little tired but not too bad. But I have no desire to really do anything. Take my BIL's afghan. Still in the same spot and still on the same row. The same stitch for that matter. I really have to make myself work on it or I will never make Christmas! It's the only present that I am making for Christmas so far and I can't even focus on it!! BLAH! But on the good side, I am part way done with my shopping already!! I am hoping to be done soon. This will be the first time in a long time that I will be done early. I am getting most people on my list gift certificates. That helps to cut down on the time that I have to stay in the stores.

We did try to take my daughter to get her picture take with Santa. She loved him from a far but when we got up close, she wasn't having any part of it. She gripped on to me for dear life!! There was no way that she was going to sit on his lap. I guess I will have to try again next year. I am going to take her to get Christmas pictures in a week or so. I hope that we can get through them without her crying!! Keeping my fingers crossed. I guess I should go work on my afghan now! BLAH!!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

2005-11-19T11:16:00.000-08:00

I am such a sucker when it comes to stray cats. In the 4 years that we have lived in this house We have had 5 different strays hang out on our deck at one time or another. The first one was so cute. It was a little tiger cat. I use to feed it and it was so sweet. Until one day it attacked me! I stopped feeding it after that. That was in the summer and after a while the cat stopped coming around. The next spring We had this strange smell in our kitchen. We couldn't figure out where it was coming from and than one day it went away. Later that summer my husband was ripping down this little porch that is on the side of our house and leads to a door in our kitchen. He found the remains fo that little tiger cat under it! Very sad. I have 2 cats that are in door cats. But They like to sit in the windows and stare out. There is this new cat that has been bothering them. One day they had a fight through the screen in my bathroom. Very weird. The cat has been around a few times. Yesterday I came home and there was this weird smell in my back hallway that leads out to my deck. It was coming from outside. It was the smell of cat spray. Now if you have ever smelled that you know what I am talking about. It didn't come from either one of my cats cause they are both fixed and have never sprayed anything in their lives. So after much cleaning the smell was gone.

Which leads me to last night. The cat was on my front porch staring at my cat who was sitting in the window. My husband calls me downstairs. I look out the window and there he/she is. The cat sees me and meows. Now I want to feed it. So I ask my husband should I feed it. NO!!! was the answer that I got. I can't help it! I must save all the cats!! Than I went into my speech about how people should spay and neuter their animals and how it would decrease the number of unwanted animals. Now I feel bad that I didn't give the cat some food. If it comes back tonight I am sneaking food out to it. I never learn! I am such a sucker for a fuzzy face!

2005-11-14T17:12:00.000-08:00

So I guess that I should post something to let you all know that I am still here. I have been tired lately. I have a cold. blah!! I have been working on a blanket for my BIL. Its very simple. I am using Caron One pound in Off white and just half doubles. But I cut my finger on a soup can lid so I have to hold off for a while. Has anyone else seen those new can tops with the pull tabs? Why do they make them so hard to pull off. The one that I was opening got stuck half way and when I pulled harder it can falling off and some how caught my little finger. If I kept it bent the cut closed but when I straighten my finger out it would open up. TMI I know!!

2005-11-06T10:40:00.000-08:00

I am still here! I have been running around doing different things and haven't had a lot of time to blog. My daughter was sick on her birthday (which was oct 27th) We had to take her to the ER the night before. She had a bad virus but she pulled through in time for her party that Saturday.

In the meantime, I am still working on Dawn's well traveled bag. It is coming along pretty good. I can't wait to see how it looks once its fulled. I might make another one but with different colors. I choose a nice green color and a yellow but I don't know if I am going to like the combo once I am done. Only time will tell!

2005-11-03T19:50:00.000-08:00

I got my reveal package from my secret pal the other day. I know that I

am a little late posting about it.

My secret pal was Dawn from Wildyarn. She was an awesome pal

and my package was awesome to. I got 3 skein of Knit Picks

Andean Treasure. It is so soft. There was some Halloween dish towels,

A black cat bag, a pumpkin tea light holder, 2 Yankee candle

wax tarts, a chap stick, 3 little tins that will be perfect for holding stitch markers,

a little witch figurine and some pumpkin body butter. It smells like heaven in a jar!!

She also sent a Muppets Halloween book for my daughter but that was taken

as soon as she woke up from her nap!

I also got this wonderful shawl. Please excuse the photo, I had to take it myself.

It's so soft. I love it!!

And this little guy! You might have seen him if you read Dawn's blog!!

I remember seeing him and thinking how cute he was and now he is mine!!

I love him! I can't wait to put him out every Halloween from now on!!

THANKS DAWN! YOU WERE A GREAT PAL!!

Did I mention that I started to make her Well traveled bag. Great pattern so far.

I don't know if I really care for the colors I decided on!!

2005-10-31T18:11:00.000-08:00

What ever happened to Halloween? Trick or Treating isn't like it was when I was little. Kids now a days hardly dress up. They don't even say thank you half the time. I don't have any lights on for my porch cause its quarter of 9 and kids are still knocking at my door and if I don't answer they are knocking at the window. One kid was looking in our window!! My cat got up there to look out so when I looked up I could see the kid in the window. He yells trick or treat. My husband says sorry kid no candy. So he yells trick or treat again. So I say get off my porch. He yells again I said trick or treat. I yell back get the fuck off my porch. Now I don't know about you but when I was little you didn't knock on doors of houses that didn't have their porch light on. It meant that they weren't giving out candy or that they were already out. Now kids don't care. If there is a light on in the house they knock on the door. But knocking at my window is just to much!! It makes me not want to give out candy anymore. These kids don't deserve it. They just ruin Halloween.

2005-09-01T17:48:00.000-07:00

I am currently in the process of switching to this blog from another. This is going to be my blog about knitting and crochet. So give me some time!!