Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays! For whatever Holiday you may choose to celebrate or choose not to celebrate!

Boy Wonder and his girlfriend exchanged gifts this past week. She loved her wrap he picked out for me to make for her. As did her sister and mother! Something tells me that wrap will be getting a lot of use.

It most certainly does NOT feel like December out there! Our grass is green and the temps are very mild. Absolutely no chance of a white Christmas for us this year.

I have been doing some little stocking stuffer crochet. An owl, a penguin and a few eyeballs. All of which I will have photos of tomorrow. I also did a wee little crafty knitting basket ornament type thing for a friend of mine, whom I taught to knit this past summer.

Been Crafting My Sweet Ass Off

Ahh the Holiday rush! Make items for order, make items for gifts, make items for stocking stuffers, make items, make items, make items. It's a good thing I dig knitting and crochet! :) Who am I kidding? I love it! If I didn't, I damn sure wouldn't spend so much time doing it.

I made some great fingerless mitts with a mitten flip top for one of friends that she requested. She couldn't find what she was seeking in the stores, so she came to me to make it! Pretty awesome. Having never done individual glove fingers, even half fingers, I tried to talk her into a flip top mitt. She *really* wanted half fingers. This was out of my comfort zone. Half fingers seemed like such a pain in the ass. It's a good thing I like her! I also knit a 3/4 thumb, leaving just the tip exposed for important texting. She loved them, and I added a new skill to my knitting arsenal.


There has also been a wonderfully soft and LONG scarf/stole made for Boy Wonder's girlfriend. It is so very long. I did an extra pattern repeat. This way she can wrap it numerous times or leave it long to the ground. It was his decision for me to make her something, he picked the pattern as well as the yarn and colors. He is such a thoughtful boy, his momma raised him right! He went with something that his GF would love as far as color and style. She is a wonderful young lady and has her own style. She is an individual, much like Boy Wonder. Not crowd followers.

Other items are crochet 'toys'. Penguin, owl and eyeballs. No photos taken yet, still in progress. The eyeballs will be stocking stuffers. Everyone will get one to match their own eye color. Family tradition of eyeballs in stockings. Yep, we're strange.

Autumn!

Why is it that time flies by faster the older one gets? I swear it cannot be the end of OCTOBER already. The weather has been wonky to say the very least. We have days in the high 80's this month. It's supposed to be AUTUMN. 80's is not fall temps in my book. We have also had days in the 40's with frost at night. Again, where is my autumn weather? It seems it is one extreme to the next around here. I am stubborn and refuse to turn the heat on. I am not quite ready for those electric bills.

The school year is whizzing by at the speed of light for the kids as well. Teen Queen has been applying to colleges and for scholarships. It seems like just yesterday she was skipping around sing the Winnie The Pooh songs and bouncing like Tigger through the house!

At the end of the day, I just hope that everything works out in the end, and that's all I can do. We have what matters in life and what makes us complete and that is love. It doesn't pay the bills, but it's worth so much more. We have each other, we have our awesome kids and we keep our little family unit tight. People have mentioned how close our kids appear and how lucky we are to have such a close little family. We have our health, and we laugh A LOT. Come on, with a life like this one you have to have a sense of humor.

Sarcastic humor and a hobby is what helps to keep me SOMEWHAT sane.

The Isabella with the huge armholes is sitting in a project bag. Until I figure out something to remedy it or just give up and rip the whole thing out; this is where it will remain. I just cannot bring myself to frogging it yet.

On a happy crafting note I did complete a scarf. It was kind of by accident. It started with wanting to make some granny squares for the fun of it. I wanted some instant gratification. I crochet pretty quickly. In a week I had over 12 squares. What to do with them? I figured I would make a scarf. Used a pattern for the squares, but found nothing I liked on how to connect them. In my mind, I wanted it to have a lattice like appearance. It really was a couple evenings of try it,, don’t like it, frog it. I did that for two nights and finally I came up with something that I liked. Curling was the biggest issue I had which is why it took a couple tries to find the perfect join/edge.

Ravelry Project Page for Autumn Granny Scarf

My favorite latest item is my Drop Dead Sexy Vlad Shawlette! The yarn is from the Blue Moon Rockin Sock Club 2011 latest mailing. I had started a pair of socks with the yarn. However, by the time I got to the heel flap, I decided that it was too pretty to be way down by my feet and I had to have it up by my face! Vlad was perfect!

Ravelry Project Page for Drop Dead Sexy Vlad

Just the NAME of the colorway is awesome!

VLAD beginning.


VLAD complete, but not blocked.


VLAD blocking. Just look at those points! *SWOON*

Next up is a pair of socks for Rambo and a commissioned pair of fingerless mitts with a flip top.

LIVE< LOVE< LAUGH AND CARRY YARN!

Blogging Idiot

More often that not I forget that I have this blog. I tend to get so caught up in the daily grind that I don't even think about posting what I have whipped up crafting or cooking lately or what nonsense we have been up to over here.

On the crafting front I have completed two more items in my LSG11ty project.

#7 Wicked Twisting Socks

Project info

Name

wicked twisting

Pattern

Twisting the Night Away Socks by Heather Marsiglia

Needle and yarn

Needle

US 3 - 3.25 mm

Notes

Yarn used is that which came in the BMFA Rockin Sock Club Jan 2011 edition.

#8 Josie's Big City Calais

Project info

Name

Josie's Big City Calais

Pattern

Calais Shawl by Judy Marples

Needle and yarn

Needle

US 5 - 3.75 mm

Yarn

Knit Picks Essential Tweed

How much?

2 skeins = 462.0 yards (422.5m)

Colorway

plum tweed

Color family

Red-purple

The Needles Are Clicking...Can You Hear It?

My knit 11 in 2011 (LSG11ty) has been coming right along.

4. Darkside Cowl: knit on US size 8 needles, yarn was held double strand, Naturally Caron in Country (charcoal) and Knit Picks Essential Tweed (plum). Accidentally in the end, it matched my coat pretty well. Added bonus! :)


5. Peapod Sloucher aka Blackberry Bramble as I like to call it. It's knit on US size 9 needles using carons simply soft in black. GASP! Acrylic! Whatever, I am no yarn snob. :) Equal opportunity knitter over here!


6. Forest Mr. GreenJeans Cardigan is my latest and fresh off the needles! US 8 needles and Lion Brand Wool Ease Heather yarn was used. It was knit for a friend, size medium. I hope she loves it and I REALLY hope that it fits! That's one of my stressors when knitting for others who are far away...will it fit. This is the second time I have knit this sweater and I LOVE IT. Perhaps the next one will be for me! ;) The first one was meant to be for myself, but my lovely daughter decided she liked it, so I handed it over. She is the one pictured above in my Blackberry Bramble hat...which she also swiped and now calls her own.

Not blocked and still needing the edging

All blocked out and ready for it's close-up!

Only five more projects left to go to make my 11 in 2011. I don't know who I am trying to kid, it's really no stretch for me to make that many items in a year.

In other news, Teen Queen's high school team has been practicing just about 6 days a week for months now. Games begin March 21st. Could they possibly take state this year? Only time will tell. Once school is over it's Magic time! Magic Fastpitch Softball that is! Tournaments all summer long to include a World Series.

Boy Wonder has had off season training along with some speed and agility training for Phenom Baseball. He has the honor and recognition that I would guess a very few have; he caught a bullpen session of a MLB pitcher. Not too shabby for a 14 yr old!

It's a damn good thing for my kids that I enjoy sports and spending my life at the ballfields!

Castiel Hat Complete!

I do love me some Woolly Wormhead Hats! This one was different from the other designs of hers that I have done. My first thought was; "oh no, I have to learn or more like *attempt* to learn a new cast on?" I got to say her tutorial of the alternate cable cast on was so easy to follow and I had no issues getting this hat cast-on!

Knowing that I stitch tightly when I knit or crochet for that matter, I went up a needle size. Where I might have goofed is that I kept that size for the entire hat. Ideally, in hindsight, I should have went up a size for the body of the hat. Although, even with this very minor error on my part, the hat fits nicely!

#3 of my LSG11ty DONE!

Yarn used: Naturally Caron Country in charcoal colorway
Needle size: US5

Blocking







Totally Wearable







Oh and just to add cute-ness to the blog...the recipient of the Toddler Hat with matching Doll Hat!

LSG11ty Tracking

My LSG11ty (knit 11 things in 2011) is tracking nicely.


1. Toddler Sock Yarn Hat (with a matching one for her baby doll)
Obviously this is NOT the intended recipient and just my very willing model! ;)



2. Rambo's Trigger Mitts
He says they fit well and he loves them!


I will be casting on for the Castiel Hat by Woolly Wormhead tonight. Swatching and checking gauge right now. It will be in a charcoal color, by Naturally Caron in Country yarn. It's so super soft and squishy. I believe it will make a lovely hat!

Off to my knitting!

A Brisk *Almost Autumn* Morning to You!

Almost Autumn! My absolute FAVORITE season and time of year!!! LOVE IT!

Technically, this year Mabon falls on September 23rd. For the non-pagan types, equinox is an astronomical point and varies slightly year to year due to the Earth's wobble on it's axis.

In any case, no matter how you look at it, it will be Fall before we know it. Time for apple picking, pumpkins on the front porch, leaves falling from the trees, warm autumn days and cool, crisp nights, the smell of a fire and the crunch of wonderfully colorful leaves underfoot.

I love a day when the leaves are falling from their branches as I drive down the winding roads with my sunroof open and they fall right into my car. I am sure that for most people, they use their sunroof during the summer. Not me! Autumn is the time of year when my sunroof gets the most use ever!

I can finally post some knitting now, since the gifties have been mailed out! Items are linked to my Ravelry Project pages if you want the deets.

Hemlock Green Azzu: a shawlette/neckerchief type item

while blocking


complete!


Seaside Morning Frost Wrap: stole/wrap/scarf item




both wraps side by side




Lilac Limolicious Baby Ghan: still to be sent. Made with baby melting acrylic of course! Super durable and ultra washable with little added effort for the new momma. Ghan has been properly 'killed' for a more natural drape. :)



The Swing Set socks from the May edition of the BMFA Rockin Sock Club are still only 50% complete. One sock wonder that I am, just have not been motivated to get the mate done. July's pattern and yarn are sitting nearby waiting to be fondled properly. Before I know it, September's shipment will arrive! Woe is me, so much yarn and so little time. *wicked grin*

Apparently, I Have Followers...

Apparently I have them, and apparently they would appreciate me updating my pathetic, way overlooked and forgotten little blog. Thanks for letting me know you care! :)

I have not fallen off the face of the Earth. I have not lost use of my hands. I have not gone off the grid.

I have been knitting. I have been taking loads of photos, both of crafts as well as the kids sporting events. I have been tending to said family, you know with it being summer and them being home full time and all. I even got a spiffy new digital SLR camera to take all the fun photos with!

The New
(more megapixels and more frames per second)



The Old
(still on hand and used often)



This evening I updated my WIPs and FOs for the year. It seems I have knit 3 miles less than last year. That could be due to not knitting socks for soldiers or lace shawls. Those lace shawls are quite the yardage!

Rather than listing them all one by one with photos I created a collage. For more detail I have linked the project name back to my projects page on Ravelry.

There is the Wicked Baby Hap, Gothic Rose Greenjeans, Blackbird Can-Cans, Wickedly Green Simple Things, Gothic Rose Ampersand Socks, Ampersand Crocus Edition, Secret Garden Socks, Slip Jig Socks, Lavendar Looby Loo, Test Knit Mitts, 10 Fave Dishrags, Wicked Waffle Lime Cloth, Lime Basket, and Swing Set Socks.

Here is a collage of the projects:

I *think* they are all in there.


I also updated the Blogs I Dig. Since I am no longer using bloglines, I entered them manually. Not as awful as I would have thought. The reason for the switch; my BlackBerry doesn't seem to play nice with Bloglines...so Google Reader it is! Oh how I do love my BlackBerry!!!


The school year ended *finally* June 1st. It's hard to believe that they only have about 3-4 weeks left before they go back!

Teen Queen finished out her Sophomore Year. Her High School Softball Team went 34-4 for the regular season. They kicked ass! She was awarded for Best Offensive Player and Toughest Player for the 2010 season. Her summer competitive team has been playing their asses off as well. This year we have played numerous college showcases and expos. It is a good way to get the girls seen by potential colleges and universities...ideally for scholarship offers! This being the start of her Junior year; this is the year to promote her and find a school that she not only wants to play for, but that she also wants to attend for her education.

Boy Wonder is entering his last and final year of Middle School this fall. He played for his school team, but the coaches were less than ideal. You know it is bad when a kid who has loved baseball since he could toddle says "that's it, I am done". The head coach was more concerned about how they looked taking the field than teaching the kids the fundamentals of the game. Then he had the nerve to tell the kids how he was embarrassed to be their coach and how they were the worst in the league. He also played recreation baseball. He played up a level with the big boys and never thought twice about it. Sure he was smaller in height, sure he was in middle school and the majority of them were in high school...it never mattered one bit. Boy Wonder held his own like a champ. He often batted 4-6 and was able to hit to the outfield without issue. It was a proud moment for me when I saw him catching for one of the high school pitchers. It was awesome watching my boy throw a runner out at second base at this level. Boy Wonder has aspirations to one day play in the Major League. We look forward to that!

Scary to think next year 2011-2012 I will have a Freshman and a Senior! *gasp*

Well I guess that's enough of an update; for now. Stay cool and keep your flesh from burning off ya in this hot summer season. I will be in the a/c or under my umbrelly at the ballpark!

Let it Snow and Bring on The Ravelympics!

It is mid February and so far we have had 4 snow days. At this rate, the kids will be in school well into June like last year. I do enjoy snow days, probably as much as my kids do! Sometimes we go sledding and other days we stay holed up inside the house watching movies, staying warm and consuming way too much hot chocolate. Lately, with the high school softball and middle school baseball seasons coming up sledding has been off the list. It would not be cool for either Teen Queen or Boy Wonder to be on the disabled list should they be injured in a sledding accident!

The Olympics have begun and with that brings the Ravelympics to RAVELRY! What are Ravelympics you ask?!

Your challenge should you choose to accept it, is to start and finish a project during the Olympic Games.

Well, it all began in the summer of the 2008 games!

What is it?:
The First International Ravelympics Summer 2008 are open to any knitter or crocheter on Ravelry ready to challenge themselves to complete a project (or projects) within 17 days during the Summer Olympics.

Concept:
You must cast on a project during the Opening Ceremonies and finish before the Olympic flame goes out.

“Rules”:

1. The project must be a challenge for you to complete in 17 days.

2. No casting on before Opening Ceremonies.

3. Finish before the flame goes out.

4. You may swatch before the games. (this is considered training) :)

The 2010 Winter Olympics have brought some fun events for the yarn crafters! Just get a load of these...

Aerial Unwind (Frog those poor unloved projects to reclaim that yarn.

Bag Jump (Bags, totes, pouches)

Beading Biathlon (All things beaded and embellished)

Bobsled (All things pets)

Cable Cross-Country (All things cables)

Charity Curling (Projects for charity)

Designer Biathlon (From a swatch to published pattern in 17 days sample completed and pattern released on ravelry - swatching allowed before torch lit)

Designer Original Dance (Create your own design sample from scratch in 17 days {swatching allowed before torch lit}; pattern need not be written])

Designer Pattern Skeleton (Create a publishable pattern (sample can be already knit); do what you feel is necessary to produce a publishable pattern testing, editing, etc)

Downhill Dyeing (dyeing yarns - this will only create stash)

Felting Freestyle (All things felting and fulled)

Fleece to FO Long-Track (Start with fleece or roving and create a finished object)

Flying Camel Spin (Just spinning…lots and lots of spinning)

Free Dance (Don’t fit into any other event? This is for you)

Giant Slalom-ghan (Afghan, blankets, throws)

Hat Halfpipe (All things hats and heads)

Holiday Jump-Start Skiing (Projects to be gifted/given in Dec 2010 and holiday-themed items; also any gift-giving projects qualify here )

Junior Olympics (garments/accessories for kids and babies {toys have their own event})

Labyrinth Weaving (All things woven)

Lace Luge (Lace patterns and laceweight yarns)

Mitten Moguls (Mittens, gloves, anything that covers hands/wrists/arms)

Nordic Colorwork Combined (Colorwork, intarsia, fair isle)

Platter Lift (Home and décor projects)

Samalog Machine Skate (Machine knitting)

Scarf Super-G (Scarves, cowls, neckwarmers, smokerings, scarflettes…all things neck)

Short Track Shawls (Shawls, stoles, wraps, shawlettes)

Single Skein Speed Skate (Projects of just one skein/hank)

Skelegurumi (Toys and amigurumis)

SnowCross (Projects that combine knitting, crochet, needle-felting, embroidery, sewing …; minimum of 2 crafts combined together)

Sock Hockey (All things socks and slippers)

Stash Compulsory Dance (Use of long-neglected stash purchased at least 1 year ago)

Sweaterboard Cross (All forms of sweaters, vests, cardis, pullovers, boleros)

WIPs-Dancing (WIPs/UFOs and only these; Projects not touched since Jan 12th)

I enjoyed it so much in 08, that I *had* to get in on this one!

I have one sweaterboard cross event project. Which is Mr Greenjeans Cardigan from knitty.com I have been told that this would also qualify me for the cable cross country event.I will be ecstatic if I actually accomplish the cardigan! This will be my first adult size cardi.

Here is my progress so far:

Here is a close up of the Cable and Rib section:


2 other projects fall under the WIPs Dancing event.

Ishbel Shawl (also for short track shawl)
needs to have ends wove in and be blocked within an inch of it's life



Blackbird Can-Cans Fingerless Mitts (also for mitten moguls)
one is done, still have yet to make it's match

Ready for Winter to be Over

Yes, I said it! As much as I like winter, I am ready for it to be gone. Especially after all the storms we have had. Jan 27th brought snow, and lots of it...then it also brought ICE. I could have done without the ice. Even though it sure was pretty to look at.


The snow storm came and brought with it an ice storm. Which left a couple inches of ice on everything! Needless to say the trees and power lines could not stand the added weight and snapped! Leaving us without power and more importantly… HEAT! We hunkered down in the one room with a fireplace. Day 5 and the house at 40 degrees, with sub zero temps coming; I wondered how much longer the firewood would last and if I would be able to keep the kids and pets warm. Thankfully day 5 around noon the power was back on!

The next week brought a high winds storm. 30-40 MPH with 65 MPH gusts…just enough to knock whatever the ice hadn’t and with the water drenched grounds, whole trees toppled over. We only lost power for a couple hours this time! Sheeeesh!




The kids and I did some yard clean up after a neighbor was kind enough to cut the HUGE limbs into carry size chunks. It took a couple of days, but most of it has been dragged out to the front curbside. Supposedly, the town is going to have debris collection. I hope so! No truck here, so if they don’t come get it from the curb…that’s where it will stay. :)

Of course I have been busy taking the kids to all their practices and activities! Teen Queen has practice 6 days a week lasting 3-4 hours. Boy Wonder has practice 2-3 times a week. Thank goodness for our Hybrid car!!!

The school year will be ending later this year due to all the days we missed. We missed a week of school in Aug/Sept due to the hurricane...yes, you read that correctly... hurricane in KY! We missed another 5 days or so due to the snow and ice storm that wiped out power in over 300,000 homes and businesses. While the roads were clear for travel, no one could very well send their kids to school when the school's have no power or heat! It's looking like the first week of June will be our last week. Unless, of course we have another severe weather issue!

Knitting and yarnie stuffs~ I made and sent off 2 more pairs of team knit Socks for Soldiers. I have made a couple pairs of leisure socks and a gazillion washcloths. Also moving right along on my Mystic Star Lace Shawl. I am on the last clue, which has a squigillion stitches, so each round takes quite a while. It will be stunning once it is complete!

Boxes are being sent off to Rambo at the rate of about one a week. I try to have on on the kitchen counter in progress at all times. He enjoys the little stuffs from home as well as the necessity stuff, like soap. :) Of course, you do know he gets some handmade washcloths too!!!

Yarnie happiness in the mail....2nd edition in the 3 month club from YarnBearer...as always if you like yarn or want to send ME yarn, go check out her EtsyShoppe!

Whew! First Post for 2009

First off..... one word

OBAMA!

I was thrilled during elections, but the Inauguration....amazing! With it being such a significant historical inauguration, I had my kids stay home to watch it in it's entirety. The teachers flat out told them they would not be watching it. I would have assumed it would have been streamed throughout the schools...what do I know!? Granted we live in a red state, but c'mon...no matter who you voted for; this was history being made! Which brings me to a gingerbread house we saw over x-mess.....




There was a entire village of gingerbread houses. It was quite impressive! It was in Indianapolis. We took a detour on our way to IA. The trip to IA was snow filled fun! Initially, I was missing the thought of my 4x4 Chevy Trailblazer, which was traded in for a more economical car last spring. Which has been FABULOUS!!! However, the thought of snow and my lil Toyota Hybrid Camry gave me the shivers. Of course having grown up and learned to drive in snow country up in New England sure helped in how my car would perform in the snow. One stretch of highway we counted no less than 28 cars slid off the road and into the ditches. I asked Rambo (yes he was able to spend the holly-days with us...yaaay!) to check the weather on his phone, I had feared BLIZZARD... and not the fun, yummy kind from Dairy Queen! Sure enough, blizzard warning! **eeep!** At times seeing the road was damn near impossible, there was blowing snow and cars were zipping off the roads at alarming speeds. One point we were driving 20 mph on I74. Once we were on I80, the roads were in much better condition.

We ate lots of food in IA! My SIL and I made a wonderful xmess dinner. We stayed warm in the farmhouse, even though the temps were typically below zero. The coldest was -22. When it was above 0, the kids went out and played in snow drifts, building tunnels and forts. They had a blast! Time was short and before we knew it, it was time to drive home. Time flew by and then it was time for Rambo to head out again. No matter how many times we do this, it never gets any easier.

Of course for sanity's sake I keep busy with the kids insane schedules and my yarn. In previous posts, I made flip top mittens for Boy Wonder. Well, Teen Queen had to have a pair! I finished them right before we left for IA!




While in IA, I worked on Soldier Socks for Rambo. He wanted them taller than the usual patterned socks...so instead of 12 inch legs he got 15! Took 4 skeins of yarn, but I did it!



I have since completed 2 team knit pairs and sent them in. I finished a beanie/skull cap for Rambo to wear under his kevlar helmet. Last but not least I am working on 2 more pairs of team knit soldier socks which will be sent out shortly.

Sock clubs were my gift of choice this year! I enjoyed them so much this past year, I decided to repeat it. This way, every month I am getting wonderful yummy yarn in the mail! I love surprise yarn in the mail! Of course the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rawk club will be shipping it's first edition out this month. A new sock club I joined was through one of my LSG gals; The Yarn Bearer. If you like yarn, or want to send ME YARN... please check out the link to her Etsy shoppe! This is my first skein from UberSock and it's so pretty and smooshy!



Speaking of my LSG gals.... Chile had to be chic and go bald. So, we are all making and sending her hats! It is so amazing to me that we are seen as a bunch of rough around the edges, don't give a shit kind of gals by those who scorn us LSG'rs. Yet we are a very close group, especially for an online community! Here are a couple hats I made for our girl Chile!




And last but most certainly not least....a MYSTERY SHAWL! I did my swatch for Mystic Star. If you dig on shawls, are addicted to lace knitting, or want to learn...there is still time to get in on this KAL! GO HERE for details!

Here is my swatch. Size 6 needles, Jaggerspun 2/8 color is Amethyst. The color is darker in real life, my flash washed it out. This is what I get for taking pictures at 2am!



WHEW! So... that's been my 2009 so far.
Well that, and I had a birthday in there...39 baby! Sneaking up on 40, yes I am.