Happy New Year - 2011

Yes, I know, there's about 12 hours til the New Year but haven't we already started looking ahead? Don't we wonder what this new year will bring? We know that only the calendar changes yet we do entertain the notion of change and new beginnings.

This year passed unbelievably fast. I made resolutions for this year and I think it would be fitting on the last day of the year to review what I said I would do starting the first day of the year:

1. Don't buy any yarn unless it is to match up with yarn already in the stash which is being used immediately on a project.

I am giving myself a B- on this. For the most part, I stuck with that and stayed within the exception guidelines. But there were a couple of moments where I did not - like a couple of days ago when I was in Joann looking for buttons. I didn't find any buttons I liked better than the ones I had but I did notice Joann has redone their brand yarn and I saw the new Love Bug yarn (new to me) and I thought, 'Bridesmaid shawl' so I picked up a couple of skeins. Though the intention is honorable, that was not in the rules, so I score down a little.


2. Do projects which require the use of scrap yarn - such as squares or leaf patterns or learning how to make that darned elusive granny square.

Well, score a big whopping A on that one. Not only did I make several square afghans, I also made several granny square afghans. Didn't do a thing to harm the stash though.


3. Stay out of temptation's way by not going to yarn stores.

Flunked that big time. I've been in yarn stores more this year than any year past and I'm happy to break that rule. I said back then Melissa would laugh at me for making this resolution and would work towards my demise and in fact, she introduced us to a couple of new yarn stores this year - enabler to the core. She just can't help herself.

So the new resolutions for 2011:

Face my fears - I have a much greater fear of success than I do failure. Given my age, I really don't have that much time to live to my potential so starting today instead of waiting until the magical 1-1-11 gives me one more day to move forward.

Finish the books I'm writing and find an editor to look them over.

Kill the stash - a holdover from mid year this year and still worth doing. I would like to replace stash shopping with real fiber shopping when I start a project and given how fast I knit and crochet that could be a fun outing several times a month.

Get back into shape - hard to believe I was a high school and college athlete. Can't go way back there but can do way better than where I am now. No magic numbers - just improvement.

That's enough to keep me busy for more than a year, but I'm giving it a shot for the next 366.

Whether or not you make or break resolutions, I wish you every good thing in the coming year - the love and joy of family and friends, the appreciation of the laughter of children (yours or someone else's)the comfort of a warm bed and a good book. Warm and breezy summer days, the willingness to help someone in your community, the country and the world and the peace you desire in your soul.

This is the only 2011 we'll get - let's make it a great new year.

Movin'

It occurred to me you haven't seen the hat. Well, I knew you hadn't seen the hat, I just got around to taking a pic of it. A cute accomplishment.

I'm getting ready for the New Year. I was going to ask some folks to come over and put some feelers out but Mr. Honey has other plans that involve me but no one else. So we are doing things his way for NYE considering he followed what I wanted to do for Christmas - he really enjoyed himself at Melissa's and they ooohed and aaahhhed appropriately at his cake - which was supposed to be a trifle but I'm over it.

Yesterday there were four squares done and now there are seven complete - we are trucking along down the afghan super highway - can I get it all done by the 22nd? Still remains to be seen. One of the fun parts about doing this afghan is I am using all my square and pattern books to make them - except for the Great American Afghan and the Technical Afghan books - one because Melissa has one and because the squares will come out too big for this afghan so I can't use them. But I have pile of five books and I alternate between them and so there are some crochet squares thrown in. All the knit books I notice have garter stitch and stockinette stitches in them and one book says the stitches can't be used for commercial purposes - seriously? Do they think they invented garter and stockinette stitches? Yeah, try and defend that in any court of law.

I took another look at the bag I made and I do think it's cute - though I will still make another one for the shop - but it 's got the cute working.

Tomorrow is NYE and the weather is supposed to be between 40 and 50 - heat wave!! We're talking about putting things on the grill and freezing them for later. Not a bad idea. For the NYE dinner, I am thinking spaghetti and catfish. This plan may be nixed by Mr. Honey because it is his night to fix dinner but we will see.

In the meantime, I am feeling a little peckish so I need to eat something and get back to the knitting - I have a goal to reach and I also need to make something else before the 22nd for a gift and will need all the time I can get.

I suspect I will post tomorrow, but in case that doesn't happen let me wish you and yours a safe and festive celebration of the coming of 2011. May your wishes and good intentions see the light of day.

Less Than Desired

So, I had this idea these cute little bags would be great for bridesmaids. Order them in the color you want to match the dresses and the girls could be consistent while still having a little purse that could carry the keys, lipstick and cell phone. It needs to be blocked and lined for the entire cute effect to come into play.

it's cute enough and I will finish it out but I need another one to place in the shop - it's just kind of - dull. The next one I make will be in a lighter color - a color a bride or bridesmaid could see using.
That makes the eighth item I've made this month. Really cooking with gas before the New Year.
I have four squares done for the afghan and I figured out the afghan needed to be 56 squares. If I can get it done, it will turn into a Christmas present but that means I would have to get it done in the next 25 days. That would be quite the trick - and treat - since I have to work anyway might as well give it a shot.

I'm going to give credit to the speediness of the knitting to the signature needles. I know I am normally a swift knitter and I think they have sped up the knitting a little but there's no denying the squares are being finished faster. Since my hands and the fibers are the same, got to give it to the tools.

I've already used a skein of yarn and have another one started and I am starting the third skein because I need two colors for the next square. If this goes well, it won't just be a 56 square afghan, it will have some personalization because I am going to add names of the family members who will receive it. Wish me luck cause this will be a challenge!

Riding the Rails

So, Christmas morning came and Mr. Honey went off the church as he normally does and I took that opportunity to wrap his Christmas presents. He wanted books - so he received the books he asked for which were financial/economic books so I thought the fun thing would be to wrap the books in the Business section of the newspaper - we need to recycle where we can.

Now, over the past few years, Mr. Honey has brought home these beautiful gift boxes from Menard's so we don't wrap presents anymore because the boxes takes it to a new level but I've still been known to not wrap a present. So this year, I wrapped them in the business section and then put them back in the Amazon box they came in and close it back up to make it look like I didn't even bother wrapping them.

When he came back and he said it was time to exchange presents (I didn't prod him too much) I handed him the box and he said, 'No wrapping?' Which caused me to go into fits of laughter which he didn't understand until he sat down and opened the box.

So obviously I was going to take the title of Christmas Prankster.

He handed me a box that was bigger than a box holding three sets of the world's most awesome knitting needles should hold - and he even put a yarn cord around the box as the ribbon.
I open the box and there's yarn! And I said, "You got me yarn, too!' (Notes: 1. You got me yarn. 2. You got me yarn, too, so there better be something else in the box.)

I look at one of the labels on the yarn and I think - "They don't sell this yarn at Knot Just Knits.' Then I look at the other yarn. It's my yarn! It's yarn I already own. I take the skeins out of the box and there at the bottom is a wrapped package - of one set of needles.

OK.

As I put the yarn aside, I see another set of needles buried in one of the skeins.

That's better. So I have two sets of Signature needles. It does not escape me that I have three sets of Signature needles on my wish list but I am happy with two. (After I ask him if he left anything on my wish list and he said no.)They are beautiful and luscious and I have to explain to Mr. Honey why these are the gold standard.

Later that day we are headed to the fabulous Melissa's home for Christmas Dinner. We are outside when I reach into my bag - and there's the third set of needles. He chuckles madly and says he snuck it in my bag when I wasn't looking and considering I was knitting in the morning and using the bag, he was surprised I didn't notice.

So he gets the Christmas prank award.

Mr. Honey anxiously waited for me to use the needles and my next project called for size 5 needles instead of the 8,9, 10 that I have - so I disappointed him yesterday. But today when he walked in the door I show him I had finally cast on with them and again he wanted to know why they were so good and my reply was they move like a car on rails. Handcrafted. Hand polished. Smoother than Tiger Woods both on and off the course. And beautiful color and balance. It doesn't speed up my knitting that much but the stitches are better - they are more even and I have not split the yarn once in several hours of knitting. My hands have to get used to them, my hands started to ache when I started using them but that went away after a little while. I have already decided I need a set of size seven needles for the smaller projects that I do - and I will get that pair myself as opposed to wait for the anniversary gift.

My initial thought is that these are nice needles to have. They are holding the worsted weight yarn I have without any slippage and yet they yarn moves very smoothly. I am curious how they will handle a slippery yarn. There's a definite difference between them and the needles that we're used to buying. If you can get a pair (or three) they are nice to have in the tool box.

I hope your Christmas was great. We had a really good time and last night we went out to dinner with my brother-in-law and they gave me a beautiful painting by Jonathan Green - a Gullah artist. It's was some very nice icing atop a very nice cake.

This is the time of year we start thinking of New Year's resolutions - I am still committed to getting rid of the stash and I've completed seven things this month (I made a cute little bag that just needs a lining) and I have a squares afghan on the needles - the Signature needles. I hope you have a safe and festive celebration - whatever that means to you. And let's all look towards making 2011 something we can share and be proud of!!

Whatever..Whenever

My drool of the day comes from astrid naturals and is her Shea butter soap. Have you ever had Shea butter on your skin or used it on your hair? OMG! Maia sells it in different fragrances and at a great price. Check her out!

Again, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I didn't think I would get around to writing today but it has been really quiet around here - except for now because Mr. Honey is in the kitchen making dessert for us to take over to the Fabulous Melissa's...but the phone hasn't rang and the dog hasn't been barking too much. Pretty quiet, so after clearing out 200 of the 1900 emails I have in my in box and starting a hat to match the gloves and scarflette in the picture, there's room to post.

I have made five things this month - which is a pretty good month - I should actually be able to squeeze the hat in before 2011 hits. The scarflette was supposed to be a scarf but I just didn't want to make it anymore and decided since cowls and little mufflers were in, I could shorten up the length and it would do just fine. I wrapped it around my neck and it was warm!! So, there you go.

The gloves are reversible - you can wear the, with the knit or purl stitches showing. The hat will be a cute hat with a tail and a pom-pom. Then i think I must get away from the blue. Green, yellow, hey, gray's nice. Something must take me away from the blue!

Mr. Honey is sooooo busted. At StitchCraft Wednesday night, Marion and Robin told me they knew what I was getting for Christmas because they were in Knot Just Knits when this man walked in and said to the shop owner that he needed to buy the items off his wife's wish list. I told you a few days ago that there are three sets of Signature Needles on my wish list.

While we were having dinner on Tuesday somehow the conversation came around to knitting needles and he wanted to know why I thought they were so special. He had already purchased them. They were in the house. They are in the house now. Somewhere. They are the precious and I am Gollum. I have not told him I know. I am sure he will want to relay his conversation with Marion and Robin and I want him to have his fun.

But if I knew where they were - I'd knit with them while he was sleeping and put them back. Just like what I used to do with gifts when I was a kid.

Once again, let me wish you and yours a wonderful holiday. I am thrilled beyond measure that there are those of you who will be surrounded by generations - parents, grandparents, siblings and children. You are living some of the most precious memories you will ever have. I look back on those days now and see the wonder and special feelings of love, grace and blessings that go into a Christmas Eve/Christmas Day dinner.

We can never go back to those days - too many are gone - but the memories mean so much more. I can remember the laughter. I see the smiles. I can recall the moment I was at the 'big' table with the adults. I remember helping Mom get the good china out of the cabinet. It only happened twice a year. And waking up to a house that smelled of turkey roasting, chitlins, sweet potato pie and peach cobbler.

I remember Dad - who I'm missing a lot today - bringing home the real Christmas tree and the whole house smelling like pine and we put those gigantic painted Christmas lights on the tree that would never pass safety standards today and pulling out the green and red tree holder and steadying the tree.

I remember the arrival of my maternal grandparents from Louisiana - Cherry with her chewing tobacco (and Sanka can) and Herman with his pipe. We knew it was Christmas when Granddaddy pulled out his change purse. A quarter was magic.

This evening, after church, I will head over to my sister-in-law's house and spend time with her and most of her kids. Again there will be three generations but this time I will be one of the elders. That's what happens when you grow up.

Make some wonderful memories tonight and tomorrow.

Funky Town

My drool of the day: Lemon Calendula soap by Angelic. I have to have a bar of handmade soap in the house. The stuff is sinful and when the one I have now begins to run out, I will make my way over to Angelic's shop. Have you tried homemade toiletries? It had to be what Eve used. My goodness, if someone local makes some of this stuff, you owe it to yourself to try and it and if they don't, start with Angelic - you will be so hooked!

I took the Deep Blue Sea afghan with me last night to Tamale Hut Cafe to be with my knit crew (April and Melissa - where were you??) In the midst of knitting a row, I decided I didn't like. Well, I decided I didn't like it before then but I changed my mind. Now I really don't like it so I cut it off and it is in the middle of being frogged.

My posse (Vickie, Robin and Marion) looked over the colors and we picked the ones we thought would work best and I tried to start over but just decided the colors were not going to work with this particular design. Worked very well for the Bohemian Blue not so much for this one. Thus, I have started a new project - a hat and scarf set using the ton of blue I purchased thinking I was going to use it all up in the afghan and thus not adding to the stash.

Let this be a lesson to you - I don't know what kind of lesson but I am sure there is one in there to be had. The hat and scarf are things I've done before and it should be a relatively quick knit. Even though I have started the scarf over already because there are more stitches than there should be and because it's a lace pattern, it's a little hard to correct so it's better I should just start it over.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and it has been decided we shall go over to my sister-in-law's house. But when I think about it, Mr. Honey will be going over to her house. I will not be able to join them. She is having dinner early (around 4) which means dinner won't be ready until 5 and I have to be at church at 6 to rehearse and then we have our service at 7. Since her house is about 20 minutes from our house and moves me away from my church - the logistics just won't work. So I will send him off and hopefully he will remember to bring some Christmas dinner back home to me.

Tomorrow is also the date my father died. In the past, I've missed my mom more than my dad, but this year I feel his loss more acutely. I don't why that is but I don't think I'm going to try and figure it out. There's nothing wrong with missing him so it's not a problem i need to fix. I just want him to know that I am missing him and I think of him every Christmas Eve but this one I'm feeling a little more than usual.

I hope you are surrounded by family or if not that they are within an email or a phone call's reach. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Easy Does It

Does it make you uterus ache? Just a little? Me, neither. But I do think it's really cute and I think it came out really lovely and it's not even blocked yet! This little darling is for a two year old. Can you imagine it in red with a heart or green with a shamrock? (Note to self, find a shamrock motif...)

We don't have any two year olds in the neighborhood any more - at least I don't know any who are that young - so I can't try it out on anyone. (Another note to self: get a toddler doll.)

Duke is wearing his dog coat and it will have to be redone. The pattern is written for a dog that doesn't run...into bushes. Mr. Honey looped a collar through it and we have other thoughts on how to change it up - he does look hot - whatever the canine equivalent of hot is and he already knows that when we pick it up it means freedom for him and perhaps he can stay outside in the snow and cold a little longer. In fact, when he wants to go back out after we've called him in, he will avoid us taking the coat off.

I had selected a shawl to do next with the idea I would market it as a bridesmaid's gift. I did a swatch (pause while you pick yourself up off the floor) and the yarn I used wasn't right for it. It came out to thick. I didn't find this out until after I purchased five skeins. So instead of the shawl, the skeins, which happen to be a shade of blue, will be used in another blue afghan.

This one is a take off on the amber waves afghan which I've wanted to do for years. Since the blue bohemian didn't kill off as much of the stash as i thought it was going to, this should do it in for sure. it requires double stranding or the pattern just won't work and it's coming along very quickly - the original pattern wants size 15 circulars but the only size 15 circulars i have are from my interchangeable needles and one of the few flaws it has is the larger needles are very short and kind of uncomfortable so I am using my Clover bamboo needles and they are working like a dream. The yarn isn't slipping away and it isn't sticking and the work is going relatively fast. I get to work on it for a couple o hours and hope I make some really good progress. it would be nice to get it done before year's end - no pressure - ten days. It's not like I'm cooking Christmas dinner. We are leaving that to the fabulous Melissa who has invited over to her joint. We are bringing wine and a dessert. Mr. Honey told me what he was making but darned if I can remember what he said. I might hand him the recipe for Trifle that folks made last week at church - that stuff is angel's food! They made it with brownies instead of angels food cake and even the angels came down with their spoons!

I'm off for a couple of hours of blissful knitting and probably to watch some of what has been recorded on the DVR. I will take a photo of the Deep Blue Sea afghan for the next posting!!

Leave Your Lights On

My drool of the day is this necklace by Amber Nicole Designs. Love the color. Love the design. Sigh. I need to be rich.

Mr. Honey has been on a go out to breakfast tear this week. We went out for breakfast twice. I remember my mother-in-law telling me something a long time ago. She was married twice (and engaged in her eighties!) and she used to be a homebody. She didn't want to go out or do things but in her second marriage that all changed and she said to me, "If your husband wants to go somewhere; go."

So, I went out to breakfast twice this week with my husband. During the second breakfast outing he wanted to know what I was going to do now that all the shows were over. First, I am waiting for the check to arrive from the last show so I can close out the folks who participated.

Second, I told him of my thoughts, idea, plans for 2011 and getting ready for January, February and March. I am working on a poncho for a kid: I am thinking towards outings with the little one (female) and thought a cute poncho might be a nice item. I am thinking I should embellish it with some sort of motif but I don't know what would go on the front of a poncho: puppy? heart? Then again, there's nothing wrong with something simple, elegant and plain. I know I will be pulling out the pom-pom maker and adding at least two of those. It should be a relatively quick knit. I started this one last night and I should be able to kick it out by tomorrow - it's for a two year old after all, how big can they be? I am thinking of making a version for Valentine's and St. Patrick's Days.

I started fleshing out the notes for the sermon on Sunday. Believe it or not, I am pretty shy so delivering a sermon is a difficult feat for me. I really love doing it but I love it more when it's done.

I hope this weekend before Christmas finds you ready for the holiday. Christmas Eve is one week from today. It will mark the 9th year of my father's passing. I have a portraits of my father and mother on the top of our china cabinet. They are young and they are beautiful and they are watching. They were beautiful even as they aged and they watched us as well. I do not believe that has ended. But I am saddened. I know next Friday will be a bustle of activity as we prepare for the Christmas Eve service so it's this moment in time I think of my dad and miss him.

I am going to work on the kiddie poncho and hopefully put the finishing touches on the sermon and kick out another page of the book. That will round out the day and begin the weekend quite nicely. This month is messing with my mind - it's the 17th but it's also the third Friday of the month - isn't that weird?

Turn, Turn, Turn

My drool of the day is the crochet tree from Akuadesigns. I can even see putting some ornaments on it. Cute!

Can someone please explain to me why I am thinking about knitting a pair of socks? Fear not, I am not in danger of actually pulling out the one skein of sock yarn I've had in my possession for more than a year and whipping up a pair. I just want to know why I've been thinking about it.

There are some things which should not be considered: Brett Favre in a Bears uniform....President Palin....me knitting another pair of socks. Though of the three, the socks is the most likely.

I am giving the sermon on Sunday and I will be talking to Ecclesiastes 3:1-13. It is a familiar passage; to everything there is a season. A time to be born, a time to die; a tie to sow, a time to reap, and so on.

It does not escape me that this time of year is crowded for us. There's Thanksgiving and Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa - holidays that are there for everyone. But also it's Mr.Honey's birthday in October and my birthday in November. It is my mother's birthday in October. It is also the time of his mother's passing right before his birthday and my father's passing on Christmas Eve. In the midst of all the celebration are moments of sadness.

But the text in Ecclesiastes says there is a time for every purpose under Heaven. There will be a time when it is necessary for a myriad of things to occur. But it also says God has placed the idea of eternity into our souls and we will never know all that God has done and will do but we are to be happy and do good while we are here. So while there may be a time for hate, war and sadness to be, they are not to be of equal measure to love, peace and joy. As we prepare to put away this year with the celebration of lights, the coming of the Christ child, and the beginning of a new year, it is understandable that there will be moments of sadness and regret. There will be that time of missing those who are gone but the good news is we also have the happiness of knowing they were here. That joy does not diminish.

Rhapsody In Blue

This is my drool of the day. They are Antique Lace Earrings by Beyond Jewelry. Now that I had all my hairs cut, it gives me the chance to wear big earrings that make me feel great!

I ended the throw a few inches early because I just couldn't do it anymore. I was ready to move on. The truth is, I was ready to move on a couple of inches before I stopped it but kept going until it was at least the same size square. I could wrap it around me so it's not so bad and I'm looking at the photo thinking how lovely it is. What you don't see are the sequins I tied into the fringe. Peacock blue sequins in every eighth fringe. Happy with it I am.

But here's the thing. I know I said it was a stash buster and that I was noticing some skeins were getting smaller. I turned the lights out and I guess that meant it hooked up because it doesn't seem like I nicked the stash at all. I have a bag of blues.

The foundation for 2011 is being set. I won't be adding anything new to the shop until 2011 and I am pushing out the old items! Miss April doesn't understand why I am not content with having the clearance items. She doesn't get that I want the entire store to be new. I'm not sure either other than I want the slate as clean as possible. In order to make that happen, I am really discounting what's in the shop right now.

I sold about ten items during the show so I still have a good sized inventory that I would like to see go to good homes and I have two afghans ready to start the new year. I am looking in the pattern books for items that would be connected with January - March. So that would be some winter items, Valentines Day, St. Patrick's Day and the beginning of the Easter season. Looking through the pattern book I noticed a scarf that I can do in red that would be a lovely, soft gift for Valentine's day. I'm thinking of adding heart charms on the edges. It's a lovely lace pattern and I think it would make a beautiful gift for a new girlfriend or someone who loves red. I'll show it to you when it's done.

I Have To Admit It

My drool of the day is from another knitter. I love it! Go and visit and take a look at the beautiful work yarncoture does.


OK, so there we were last Friday at Knot Just Knits and I was talking to the owner
Elizabeth when she mentioned Signatures Needles. I knit for a little while with Signature Needles during the yarn crawl. Those things drive like they're on rails and it was a pleasure for the five minutes I had them.

Elizabeth sells them. She has them in a cute bucket and I had a bunch of them in my hands. I wanted them. But they are expensive. They are $37 a pair. I think they may be a couple dollars less at Loopy but I had them in my hands. She had the long and short needles and I found three pair of short ones in sizes 8,9 and 10. I think a pair was even purple.

This is why we have husbands. And this is why Melissa thinks I am spoiled.
So I am. I called Mr. Honey and told him I wanted Signature needles for my Christmas present. Now that in itself does not make me spoiled.

The incredible Marion said to me I would have to decide which pair I wanted. I didn't understand her statement. The wonderful Vickie looked at Marion and said, 'I don't think she'll have to decide that.'

I admit he spoils me. Which isn't quite the same as admitting to being spoiled but it comes close.

The Pleasant Home sale is over and we didn't do as well as we did last year but we did over $400 worth of business. That's about $100 less than last year but everyone sold at least one item and the amazing April had the first five sales of the day. Marion made a strong showing the last weekend and Vickie sold a hat. I managed a few more sales myself so I am pleased with it.

Right now, I am in the midst of reducing the current items in the shop and prepping for 2011. Believe it or not, I am looking at patterns to make for the spring. Miss April has me thinking like a businesswoman.

Let's see how long that lasts.

We Interrupt Our Scheduled Program....

I am working on Duke's dog coat. I was working on the Blue Bohemian Blanket, but that has to be put aside in order to make a coat for the baby.

Let me explain.

Last winter, yes the winter of 2009, Mr. Honey suggested I make Duke a coat for the winter. 'Yeah,' says I, 'I will make him a coat." I pulled out my doggy sweater/coat patterns and decided I didn't like any of them - at least not enough to put down whatever I was knitting at the time and make him one.

The next thing you know it was summer. So there was no need to make him a sweater/coat cuz the one Mother gave him was fine. Except summer leaves, in Chicago it leaves approx. 1 week after it arrives, Fall comes in for maybe 10 days and then winter is here again.

So Mr. Honey suggested I really make Duke a sweater/coat. 'Yeah,' says I, 'I will really make him a coat.' I pulled out the book again and considering the same patterns were in the same book and I still wasn't in the mood, I didn't stop working on whatever I was working on.

Then Mr. Honey delivered the ultimate insult to a knitter. He placed on my laptop an open catalog with a set of dog sweater/coats. Three of them for less than $30. Mass manufactured and looking...cheap. He said he was going to order them and wanted to know what I think.

Passive aggressive s*%t. That's what I thought. i told him I would look at it and let him know and the catalog somehow disappeared. I did not harm the catalog in anyway, I swear. I can only surmise that Duke somehow got a hold of it, saw the coats, in a variety of colors including camouflage, and somehow ripped it to shreds.

Now that the kid has had his eye surgery and he is a little up in age, I think it would be a good idea if he had his own coat. I would have taken a photo of it in progress but I didn't want to. I want you all to see it when it's done. As you can see, I've done it before and it's really cute and should do the job just fine. Duke has taken a look at it in progress and doesn't seem to mind it too much. He may have something else to say when he figures out he has to wear it. But I am going to leave that discussion to him and Mr. Honey.

My job is almost done.

The Universe in Motion

My drool of the day is this. This stones on this necklace look so earthy and I bet it feels cool and substantial against the skin. Yummy. It is called Island Seaweed by ahavazipporah.

The house is quiet. Mr. Honey is at work and I had to take Duke to the vet today because the poor guy has these little growths on his bottom eyelid that the doctor said should come off because they will just grow and then we'll have a problem. He also needs to have a good teeth cleaning so he's off on this 'spa day' (thus called so I will feel better about dropping my youngest off and leaving him there.)

On my way back home I wondered what I would do with these precious moments. I thought sleep had a seductive quality and I am certainly sleepy enough but the thing I wanted to do - don't ask me why - was make a good breakfast.

Now, it's not like I don't have alone time in the morning anyway with Mr. Honey at his part time job (He's thinking of quitting at the end of March, pray for him to continue or else he will be home. Home. A retired man at home is not a good thing.) But this is total alone-ness. I don't have a lunatic dog barking in the backyard because a squirrel had the audacity of being on the roof of the garage. Or a male of the species in the kitchen who thinks the only real way to place something in the sink is with a good slam to make sure the object knows where it's going.

This is real quiet. Not even the t and v is on. There isn't even music at the moment though in another moment there will be. I can happily go sit in the easy chair with an afghan around my legs and feet, my knitting in my hand and doze off. Heaven in a Lazy Boy.

Oh, I had grits and sausage with orange juice for breakfast. So good.

Here's the afghan I had been working on. I finished it over at Pleasant Home and while I was there yesterday doing an inventory check (more items sold, thank you very much.) I decided to bring it home because there was no price tag on it and I didn't have any with me and because I wanted this to be the first new item in the shop after the sale is over.

I decided I would like everything currently over at Pleasant Home to be sold. It's been handled all week and I would really like to go into 2011 with a clean inventory slate. So I am really going to slash the prices on the items there when I am over there next (tomorrow, the knit group is meeting. Afterward, I will go over to the house and slash the prices 30 - 40% then put out a Facebook posting. Items that are left over after that i will try and get into the Oak Park Women's Exchange to sell.
I really want to come home with as little of it as possible. It's become a thing with me.

Probably the second item in the shop will be the Blue Bohemian Blanket - that's the official name of it. It's probably half done and it will use up skeins. Right now, most of the skeins still look like they have a lot left in them but when I pick them up I see how they are almost used up - YEAH. That stash busting goal is still hanging around and I want to end the year with a good whack at moving that along.

Right now, I am going to grab some soda (Coke Zero) my mug with ice that I keep in the freezer, set up in the easy chair with the knitting and I will watch episodes of t and v shows i didn't catch during the past few weeks - one of the perks of On Demand. I'll sleep a little, doze a little, knit a lot and enjoy the quiet of the universe in motion while I stay pretty still.

Answered Prayers

So, here are just a few of the items which have sold at the Pleasant Home Holiday Shop. Three of these items went to the same person - but I don't have a problem with that. Whatever the bank account will allow.

I stopped by the shop to take a look at the table to see what was still there and while there is plenty left, it is easy to see (for the trained professional) that a few items have left to go live with other citizens of the world.




Thank God. This is a sincere thank you. The Pleasant Home Holiday Shop is the big sale of the year for both the knitting group and for me. When StitchCraft was first involved, we were invited to participate by the program director of Pleasant Home and we had fun and we were successful for two years. The third year, last year, was after the church threw out the knitting group so I wasn't certain we would be invited back thinking they would take the church's new knitting group over ours. (As it turns out, they accommodate both of us.)



Last year, being the first event unassociated with the church, we didn't know how well we would do. At the end, we were still the top sellers of the show and everyone in the group who had something on the table made money. This year, there were only four of us who had items ready to be sold and I was concerned (as I always am) that we would not have enough for the table - but we do and the first day of the sale went well and from what I could see when I was there today, we are still doing well. I don't know that we will be able to hold on to our title - and though I really like having that title - there are more important things - like Marion and Vicki selling at least one of their items.

For myself, I needed the success because I want to be able to say the first year wasn't a fluke. I wanted it to be a success because it was the first year that I was the one in charge. And, yes, as bad as it is, I wanted it to be a success because I didn't want the church that kicked my group out because of an insecure and petty pastor, to win.

This year, it's about the fun and I want to be successful because the group is laid back and while we do want to make quality goods for a decent and fair price, we do it for the enjoyment first so we want it to be successful because it's great for our synergy.


I am still working on the blue afghan and still having fun with it...but that feeling is creeping in. That feeling that I'm ready for it to be over because I've been eying some patterns and would like to cast on. Of course, there's nothing to stop me from casting on but I don't want WIPs all over.

It's going to take a while to get this one done because the color is changed every row. It is about half done and it's Bohemian and way cool but I am ready to get on with the last half of it so I can do something else. But I also see I am going to be sad to see it done at the same time I marvel at it. Call me Walt Whitman - I have multitudes.

Renewed Interest

My item of the day is a pair of Peacock Feather earrings by AfriqueLaChic. They are gorgeous...go take a peek at them!

So, I finished an afghan during the Holiday Shop and I immediately placed it in the holiday shop so I don't have the photo of the finished afghan.

That left me with nothing to knit. That couldn't last very long so i decided to pick up a WIP and I am having a blast knitting it. The blue afghan is knit with a yarn change every single row with some a length of yarn left at the end of each row. There's a wide range of blues and a white skein thrown in just to make a contrast. There's even a skein of fuzzy yarn. It's random - you take the number of different yarns you want and throw them in a bag - pull one out, knit a row, cut if off leaving a tail, add another ball leaving a another tail and so on.

Even though the photo is not the best you can see how gorgeous it's turning out to be. Because it's garter stitch, there's some cush. it's also going to be big. I don't yet have a size in mind but I do want to use up all the stash - which is about twelve skeins. I want it to be big enough to be cuddly and something that can be used when curled up in the chair watching the t and v or even in a small bed.

I have to say afghans are my favorite things to make. Making hats are a kick but afghans are big and soft and as Melissa and April stated, you can use them all year round. You can make them thicker for colder weather, thinner for chill chasers, smaller for kids and lap size for those who are confined to wheel chairs. You can make them in one piece, in strips or in squares, you can even make them circular.

I didn't expect getting back to it would be so much fun. I suspect it's because I don't have to think about it much. Knit a row. Stop. Knit another row. Simple, elegant and nice. I'm having a great time!

I have to get Mr. Honey's gift - he wants a car seat warmer - do not ask me. Believe it or not, they are sold in lots of places. I told him I would change my gift because he seems to be having a hard time with it so I was thinking about the Zephyr Acrylics or the Nickel plated interchangeable circular knitting needle sets - has anyone used them? Let me know which ones you used and how they work. I love the Addie Turbo needle I have but I think they are awfully expensive so I am willing to get some really good ones.

Let me hear from you!

When You Believe

So, yesterday was the first day of the Pleasant Home Holiday Shop. There's about two dozen local artisans: jewelers, knitters, book makers, wood carvings, paintings and drawings and others. We are nestled into Pleasant Home which is a wonderful mansion. We are there for the entire week and the first day is always the most attended but folks do come in during the week.

For my group, it is the fourth time we've participated and we've been the top sellers for the past three years. I was a little worried (nothing new there) that we would not make the goal I have placed in my head. The truth is I have a goal for my own sales: $425. Yesterday I took a step towards that goal with sales of $185 - all to one person. Someone I went to grade and high school with who lived just a few blocks from me when we were coming up and who still lives in the neighborhood.

But that's not the great news. The great news is that Miss April sold a bunch of her stuff. Now I believe a seller should be able to price the way they see fit but Miss April seriously under prices her items. She does it for the love of it - in real life she is a real estate agent. She's thrilled at what she made and that is really the important thing. I'm thrilled she sold so much because it is the best she's done in a show.

Yesterday Melissa, April and I manned the table (it's the only day during the sale week we are required to do so) and it was a fun time. Saturday, April, Vicki, Chantal and I set up the table, then we (minus Chantal) went to eat some authentic Mexican food and went over to Knot Just Knits and spent a couple of hours - where the owner of the shop pointed out I was the only one who did not purchase anything - she does not know how great a feat that is. But I did vow to purchase something on Friday when the group goes there - and I am bringing donations to the lending library she has started.

Can anyone tell me where I put the sheet music to 'O Holy Night'? I pulled it out to rehearse it and now I have no idea where it is. I might have taken it to church already - since I have to be in Oak Park before Sunday, I will go and see if I stuck it in my music folder. Maybe it's in the car or the van. I didn't find it in the house and it didn't just disappear so it's somewhere - might as well be at church, waiting for me, laughing at me.

I really want some ice cream.

In My Own Little Corner

So this is the afghan I'm working on. It should be finished within the next few days. I have roughly 24 more color changes of 2-8 rows and (I timed it) it takes 8 minutes to finish a row - so I have more or less 960 more minutes to go - I can wait for you to go get the calculator or you can just let me tell you it's 16 hours. I still have some knitting hours in me today - in fact, the schedule says I have two free hours coming up - part of that time will be used working out but the rest can go to knitting. Tonight is date night but I don't see any reason why this afghan won't make it to the first day of the sale this weekend. I have tallied almost my entire stock and I will be about $100 short of my goal of having $1400 worth of merchandise available. I have quieted the panic devil by calling it out and accusing it of just wanting to speak to have noise. Once this afghan gets done, I will be fine (though it will not cost $100 to be sure.)


Remember my telling you I wanted a craft lamp for Christmas and I got it for my birthday because Mr. Honey hasn't figured out how to fulfill my birthday wish? Well, even if you don't, I said there was a funny story behind the craft lamp I got and here it is:

I gave Mr. Honey a flyer from Joann with the following statement. "All the craft lamps are on sale for 50% off and if you go on certain dates, you can get an additional 20% off the 50%. Here's the flyer." I pointed to the ad where it stated the craft lamps were 50% off and had the dates of the sale and the date to get the additional 20% off.

That's all I said.

So he walked in with this: the craft lamp to end all craft lamps.
Now, keep in mind, I did not tell him what craft lamp to get and the ad said the price range was something like $15 - $200. When we talked about lamps I believed the only thing I mentioned was a lamp on the table next to my chair.

This lamp could be assembled to be a desk lamp, floor lamp or clamp lamp. It comes with a magnifying glass and a clip for your patterns (or something) and the thing swings 360. So, I'm putting it together and I'm thinking out loud if I could get the accessory pieces on the thing when Mr. Honey says:

"As much as I paid for it, you better be able to use everything."
Hmmmmmm.
I said, "I'm sure I can, I just have to figure it out."
"As much as I paid for it, you should be able to use it all."
Hmmmmmm.

"Weren't the lamps 50% off?"
"Yeah."
"Did they give you the other 20% off?"
"Yeah."
"So when you say how much you spent, are you counting the original price or the price you actually paid?"
"What I actually paid."

OK, I'm thinking, how much could you have spent with 60% off? (It's not 70% the 20% came off the already reduced price not the original price.) If the lamp cost $200 then he spent $80 - a good piece of change but not a heck of a lot but remember, Mr. Honey is cheap thrifty.

"How much did you pay?" I expected to hear $65 - $80 in which case I can just ignore the rant.

"$116. The original price was $270"
"What on earth would possess you to spend that much money for a lamp?" (Imagine the voice going up.)

Now, the correct answer to the question is: "Mrs. Honey, I know how much you love crafting and this is your business as well as your passion and no lighting is too good for my baby."

The answer I got:
"It's the one you said you wanted."

Scroll back up and review what I actually said when I gave him the flyer. "I didn't tell you what lamp to buy. Where did you get the idea this is the one I asked for?"


Wait for it.....

"It's the one in the picture."

I haven't responded yet. Makes me crack up every time I think about it. The only thing I can say is that when I need a car I'm going to hand him the catalog with a Lamborghini on the front.

No, no ladies, back off - he's all mine.

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrgghhhhhhhhh!

Remember the cool, calm me? The one that wasn't worried about the stock I had for the sale?

That's over.

I began making the inventory list for the items I will put on sale. I figured out I would like to have $1400 in inventory available. I was making the log and I came to the end and I am short almost a couple of hundred dollars.

OK, so do I panic? Do I not panic and just go into a little blitz and get some more stock in? Do I try and let it go? i can make myself crazy over how I should make myself crazy. This might not end at all well.

On the other hand, the fabulous Melissa was much in our thoughts the past few days. First, because I was thinking of having Mr. Honey take me to McCormick and Schmick for my birthday dinner and the fabulous Melissa recommended we go there. She also talked me through how to do a lining in a knitted bag.

The lining I did turned out very well! Rather proud of myself. It took me a couple of hours to get it done and I am sure practice will lower that because I had to thread my sewing machine and get it working along with everything else. But it came out really well and I am glad I know how to do it! This is why Melissa is fabulous.

But that restaurant was on the sucky side. For the $120+ Mr. Honey spent, that food should have tasted better. The only thing that was really good was the dessert. The calamari was nice and fresh but whatever coating they put on it was flavorless and the sauces were watery. (You'd think with a name like McCormick they would know about spices.)

We had two salads - a beet salad and a wedge salad. The beets were tough and water logged. The wedge salad was better. I would even go as far as to say it was good. Mr. Honey had a glass of wine and I had a Morgan and Coke (that was pretty good.)

The entrees were decent but we've certainly had better steak (me) and seafood (Mr. Honey.) The dessert that was good was the apple pie (great flavor and nice ice cream) but the creme brulee (which the fabulous Melissa said was really good) was merely OK. The room is beautiful and the service was great, but food is why you go to a restaurant and it was so up and down that the saving grace of dessert wasn't that much of a saving grace. We agreed that while we wouldn't take it off the list of restaurants to go to, we couldn't think of a reason to go back - except for dessert. Considering there's a movie theatre close by, that's a possibility.

Melissa is still fabulous. And I think I will knock off a few more items before Sunday - and keep the panic to minimum!

Thanks

We got through the second leg of the holiday season stuffed with food but no worse for wear. (The first leg was Halloween.) We were at Mr. Honey's brother's home. Norm and MaryKay cooked a feast. There was turkey, ham, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, smoked and fresh sausage, dressing, green bean casserole, breads and wines by the orchard. Now on Mr. Honey's side of the family there is Mr. Honey, his sister and brother and between them there are eight children. But MaryKay has a host of sisters and brothers - somewhere between 11-15, and they have children who have children - so you can imagine. They are a very nice and fun bunch and I really enjoy being around them because they've known Mr. Honey since grade school and high school so they can tell stories. (Alas, Mr. Honey does not have a dark side.)

At the moment I am in the house alone. Duke is in the backyard barking at some imaginary intruder or a squirrel. Mr. Honey went to work and I haven't seen him today.

Here's the thing about being alone. I am happy to be alone at the moment. There is the clicking of the keyboard and the music playing on the laptop (currently 'I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool')and I feel as if I am getting my bearings and catching my breath before I continue making squares for the bedspread. The quiet is great.

I was feeling a little lonely last night in the midst of the Thanksgiving crowd. I have a few smatterings of cousins in Illinois but no one close to me lives in the state. I would have to go to Maryland, Colorado, Arizona or Washington state to find a first line relative. This is the first season I can remember feeling this way. The kid was the last one to leave home and she's been gone for a few years so it's not like it's new to me but that feeling was new to me.

I am grateful to have Mr. Honey's family around - his sister's kids especially are a hoot but I am longing a bit for my own family and the zaniest that is uniquely ours when we get together. The next chance of that appears to be the April time frame when all the educators (6) in the family will be on break and we can convene in Phoenix (that's where 1 brother and 1 sister lives and our parents are buried.)

The gratitude for my own family is assisting in the tiny blue feeling I have. I miss Mom and Dad and the wonderful dinners we would have around Thanksgiving and Christmas: Turkey with dressing and cranberry sauce, chitterlings or chittlins, spaghetti, sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes, chocolate cake, gingerbread and pound cake - no liquor, we don't come from drinkers.

i am so grateful and happy for those of you who still have parents and grandparents to share food, love and laughter with during this time of the year. It is one of the things we tell our children to appreciate but we don't really come into full grown appreciation until we have no other choice but memories. For all the ups and downs that come with being a child, a sibling, a parent, cousin or aunt or uncle, considering where we all are today, nothing would be changed - except for having the elders around the table a little bit longer.

Mr. Honey walked in the door with my birthday present - I wanted a craft lamp for Christmas and my laptop expanded for my birthday but they were reversed and he came in with a craft lamp to beat all craft lamps - there's a funny story attached to it which I will tell you about later but the lamp needs to be assembled and that's going to be my task. So I will get to it and then use it for the making of squares.

Hope the attitude of gratitude stays with you this weekend along with family and friends and a bunch of good memories in the making.

Make The Bed, Duh.

Yes, you've seen this photo before - I don't have a new one to show you. I do want to say I took the swatch to the store to match up (the swatch on the right) and dark brown is the best background and now there are ten of those little squares made. And I started yesterday afternoon - not bad at all.

Today I am working on another square afghan but this one is all one color. I received a couple of questions at the last craft show whether the afghans would fit a twin bed. It was a little short but since I got the question more than once, I thought it was a sign. This sign was affirmed by the fact we currently have a hand made crocheted bedspread on our full size bed. One of the women in my late mother's-in-law group made it. And I got it for all of $40. That was years ago and it has stood up against the test of time.

I looked up the measurements of bed sizes and found I was really close to the standard sizes - one more column or two more rows and we've got ourselves some bedding. I know my tendency is to go inside my head and project this idea far off into the distance and then not do it because something else has captured my attention - so I won't do that. I will leave it at the afghan I am working on now has squares that are coming out ten inches square so making a 6x7 afghan will be big enough for a twin and full size bed - and the color - a nice cranberry - with some texture to the squares - will come out very nicely indeed. Three squares are already done and the fourth is on the needles.

I should also make good progress with the granny square afghan - which will be 80 squares and not big enough to fit on a bed - work will resume on that tomorrow. Since all the squares are the same, there's no design layout to worry about so putting it together can start tomorrow as well.

I have to go and get myself ready for the knitting group this evening. I have a couple of folks coming over. Melissa is supposed to give me a tutorial on making linings but I might put that off because I want to work on stuff for the show. (We can do it another time, Melissa, don't give me that face!)

I also have to make some seven layer bars. They are going to be my snack for tonight and tomorrow. Hey, we're supposed to have knitting in our hands.

The Ugly Duckling In the Window

Have you ever gotten hold of a skein of yarn and thought, 'Man, that's ugly?' But since you have a hold of it and it's yours (either by design or accident or someone playing a trick on you) you decide to swatch it up to see what happens and it comes out kinda....pretty.

Those are what I call Ugly Duckling yarns. It doesn't look all that great at first glance but then it takes off the glasses and lets down the hair and you look at it and say, "By Gosh, you're beautiful!"

So it was with the skein on the right and when I pulled it and made the granny square, I thought, boy this is better than it looks. The picture does not do it justice and it feels good to the touch as well. The photo doesn't do justice to the other square at either. The skein was always pretty but it squared up even better than I thought. I was thinking of combining the two into the same afghan but decided they would do better on their own. The one on the left would do well with a black background (I thought the black would absorb it, it doesn't) and the other a deep brown or really dark blue.

One of the truly fun things about granny squares is they are quick to do. This particular afghan requires 80 of these little buggers and this is one of those rare instances where a combination of sewing and crocheting them together makes for a faster assembly so I don't see a reason they won't be ready for the show either - at least one of them should be. I say this with calm and without dread. If it makes it that would be great if it doesn't - oh well.

As we begin the good-bye to this year and the hello to the next, I have not reached my resolution - which Aneha warned me about at the beginning of the year - she said they do not work. It wasn't that this one didn't work - it was a big order to begin with - to eliminate the stash. I can say with great confidence the stash will not be eliminated. Oh, I've made inroads. I've gotten rid of a box or two, but the stash will live on.

But so will the goal. I have not cried defeat. I have not written a concession speech. I have five skeins of the ugly duckling yarn to make the afghan and that's a help. When going stash shopping, I got some ideas from some of the skeins I saw so this is me not giving up. I will eliminate that stash. It's just gonna take a little more time than I thought. I have a new date - May 4, 2011. Our 15th anniversary. We'll see what damage can be done in five months.

In the meantime, I have to decide where I want my birthday dinner and I would like to go someplace new. Do you live in or know the Chicago area? Suggest a place for my birthday dinner this Sunday. Thanks!

The Walls of Jericho

It appears that I've been ignoring you. But it only appears that way. Rest assured you have been on my mind. I have been busy knitting up a small storm. These are some of the things that have come off the needles recently. Yes, just some, there are one or two (maybe three) things that are not here.

The fabulous Melissa arranged for our group to go to Close Knit - a LYS in Evanston and we were there for a few hours. It is a small shop - the smallest we've frequented but the owner, Lucy, was great. She went around the table helping the folks who needed help with their projects. We've already got another date to go back there.

Two things I discovered:

I need to add another exception to the yarn moratorium. The first reason, you recall, is when I need to get filler yarn to complete a project. The second reason is when a shop owner does a very nice thing like host a group of knitters in her shop and keeps the shop open a little longer - including the cash register for people to make their purchases - we should, indeed, make a purchase. After all, when we meet at Borders and Tamale Hut Cafe, I ask people to make a purchase there so we just aren't taking up space. The same holds true for LYS, especially since when we are being hosted we take up a lot of room other customers could occupy. Which explains the three balls of yarn I purchased yesterday.

Second, there are two things some LYS do that really bugs me: a very small clearance sale stock (which the store yesterday had but it's understandable there because the shop is very small, but there are others that just have a small basket in a big ass shop- c'mon now.) AND those shops that refuse to wind sale items. As if my purchasing the yarn they put on sale is somehow insulting and not in need of winding. They put it on sale for whatever reason they wanted - wind the damn thing up. (That was not an issue yesterday. My skeins are ready to go.)

Melissa asked if I was ready to go for the show the first week of December and I said I thought I was. She asked how many afghans I had ready and I said six, but I think I have five. She wanted to know how many items I had. i said about 40. I was much better than last year when I had more than double that amount because I wanted to make sure we had stock. This year, we don't have as many artists contributing so of course, I have less. I also noted that yesterday marked the two week blitz but this afternoon no blitz has started. I do have an afghan square on the needles - Beth attended yesterday and brought me squares she's been holding on to for a couple of years when she attended the Sit and Knit!! A great start to 2011!

I may be able to knock the monochrome afghan out by the time the show rolls around but I'm not in a rush....

Is this calm attitude worrying anyone else but me?

You Can't Tell Me Nuthin'

Check out this sign on Etsy. I was doing a little searching around for cute stuff and it was one of the first things I saw. Cute and funny!!!

Sometimes things are just so cute, I don't need you to tell me, I just know it and so it is with the cowls that knit up like a dream. You ain't gotta tell me they cute...I know it! They were a lot of fun to do and let me tell you, this has brought me back home to my acrylic roots. Not that I am going to abandon the animal or natural fiber, I will not, but don't turn your nose up at the acrylics (Yes, I know, Melissa, I know why you choose the natural stuff!) But when you get lush results like this you gotta give cred to the street.

This is knit with the Deborah Norville yarn. I'm telling ya, I don't think much of her show but that yarn is good knitting. When Billie came over she took my carved African bowl and placed it in the living room with skeins of Norville yarn in it as a decoration. After three cowls (one is on the needles now) and some hats, that plan will soon have to be reworked. I found some more in the stash and added it to the mix but I've used a lot it, too. The stash busting continues with good results.

I should admit I was at Hobby Lobby yesterday to get some filler yarn for an afghan I'm making and I saw some of the Norville yarns in solid colors. I didn't know it came in solids other than the cranberry but you will be happy to note I did not succumb. But I have made a mental note for that day when I do purchase yarn again to restock because the stash has been diminished.

The filler yarn is all shades of blue and they have raised the price of 'I Love This Yarn' - again! It's gone up more than $.50 this year alone. It's still under $4 but really! I wound up putting half of it back and subbing with Red Heart - less money by more than $1 and more yardage. I warned them in a letter that this would happen if they continued to raise the price! The truth is, I did it because the afghan I'm making can actually take the less expensive yarn in stride because of it's all one row striping.

It makes me sound incredibly cheap, doesn't it? I'm not cheap, it's about standards. When I first start using the yarn a few years back it was $2.50. I don't think it should be more than $3.25 a few years later.

I do sound cheap. Egads.

Time for Healing

This is the scarf that matches the hat I showed in the last post. I'm not selling them as a set cuz some folk will want one without the other and they should have that option.

I was in Dixon, IL Saturday morning. Dixon's claim to fame is Ronald Reagan's childhood home. Haven't seen it - I was going in the opposite direction - I was there for a training session for my role as the Chicago Northwestern District's United Methodist Women Coordinator for Social Action. Really long title meaning it will be my duty (and honor) to make the United Methodist Women in my district aware of the social actions the General Board have determined we should look at. For 2011, we will be looking at Human Trafficking, Domestic Violence, Immigration Issues, Water and Environment and a host of other subjects.

The big thing I learned during the session is that everyone is interconnected - far more than we think we are. Nothing really happens 'over there', it all happens here and though it is unrealistic to think we do everything for everyone, we can impact something and that impact has ripples which will go to places we never think of and change lives of people we will never know and they will never know who to thank.

I have always been amazed at how our craft reflects our world. We work one loop and then another and they connect and create something beautiful and useful. And so we are as people. We work our loop and connect with someone else working theirs and we create something beautiful and useful. For all the setbacks we experience for the most part we do well. The idea is make sure we take more steps forward than we do back - unless we're dancing.

That Christmas spirit that was alluding me is slowly making its way in. I am looking forward to 2011 and learning more about ways we can connect, impact and change that which needs to be changed. I may not be the heroine but I don't mind making the path a little clearer for her to make her move.

I am certain our craft will play a role in Social Action - I'm already looking for the different ways it can enhance the work ahead. If you have any ideas, I'd be thrilled to hear them.

Busy, Busy

This is the latest hat and it has a scarf to match it! I've have, of course, been a knitting fool, there's another hat that you don't see, and I have a cowl (my first) that's just come off the needles - it's so cute! And another one on the needles

There's an afghan that curious about being on my needles - it involves sequins - and the house it still clean! These are all good things.

The show is in a couple of weeks but I am not in the mood to sweat it. That could be because I've knit about ten hats in the past couple of weeks so I feel somewhat set in that department. I am hoping to get that afghan done and I'm down prayer shawls but seriously, I'm not sweating it.

Have you thought about Christmas gifts for the crafter in your life? I always say if you love a crafter, gift giving should be easy for the rest of your lives. I have been looking at craft lamps. I think it would be a great thing to have next to the easy chair to replace the decidedly non craft lamp.

I also need clear storage bins for the yarn stash. I am sure if I were to sit down and think about it or go through the current craft stuff I own, I could come up with a pretty good wish list of things I want and need to move the business and craft forward. Truth is, I don't want to look that hard. The lamp and the bins are enough for the moment. That would help move things forward in a great way. So, that' s my wish list for now.

I feel like this Christmas has crept up on me even though it's the same time every year. The weather is still relatively warm but snow is on the horizon. We began making plans for the Christmas Eve service at church and Joe and I are talking about what we are doing for the holidays. Yet it still seems to be coming fast and I am not yet in the mood. I am thinking of putting up the tree - which when it does go up happens on my birthday. This year that would be the day after Thanksgiving. Perhaps that will help.

In the meantime, I am going back to the needles to prepare more stock for the shop and show and drink some soda - I have become addicted to Coke Zero and I must have it every evening - a couple of times in the evening. Now's a pretty good time!

An Early Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving arrived a few weeks early and I already have some new things for which I am incredibly thankful...

First, I want to get to say a BIG thank you to my BFF, Billie, she came over early (9:30 - that's early for a Saturday) and she cleaned my house. She cleaned the kitchen, living room and dining room. She wanted to organize the office but my guilt was beginning to set it. She called me back later and wouldn't let it go. She has a plan for the office and she wanted me to promise to let her do it.

Well, I mean, she twisted my arm. So that will be the project for the new year.

Bill is one of the folks for whom cleaning has a deeper meaning. I'm one of those people for whom cleaning is a chore. She has been bugging me for the past couple of months to let her come over. I agreed to let her help me and that's when she said she wanted to do it herself. I started before she came over and when she walked in the door and I started again, she told, none too nicely, that I was in the way and messing up her mojo.

Can't mess up a girl's mojo. I have to say she did a better job that I would have done. She did a better than Mr. Honey would have done and I thought he was a master cleaner. The big thing we (and I do mean we) accomplished was moving out the old love seat. Mr. Honey said it would be a big deal to move and as it turned out it was quite easy. Afterward he said it went exactly as he thought. Yeah.


The second thing I am grateful for is a photo from someone who purchased a prayer shawl from the studio. It was for her Grandmother's 90th birthday and she needed it overnight. Her grandma is going through some treatments and she wanted to get her a shawl to keep with her during those times. I wasn't expecting the photo and it brought tears to my eyes. Grandma loved it and the color certainly suits her. Very touching. We wish grandma improved and continued good health.


Lastly, at least for this post, I decided last Thursday after we came home from date night (after 9pm) that I would start a hat. I needed hats for the sale in December and I told myself just to make one. With a twelve hour period, I made the hats here. In the interest of full disclosure, one had been started but not completed. I forgot how much fun hats are to make. They are to me what socks are to other knitters.

When they are made with chunky yarn (Deborah Norville's yarn is great for these) then they go pretty quickly. I did stay up for several hours finishing them off and there are two more that I made in the time frame - one hasn't been photographed yet and the other I didn't like so I took it apart and made something else. So I have five new hats for studio/sale. I will have to make more but I don't want to go project crazy because I do most of my work in the living room. And it's now really pretty and with the dismissal of the love seat, I don't have as much working surface so I don't want to do more than one project at a time and that project has to fit in the knitting bag or, in the case of an afghan, across the ottoman which is now in front of my easy chair. I want to keep the fiber under control, you know.

So I have one project out in the open and that's a scarf and that's how it will stay. I know what you're thinking but it will stay that way. Remember a while back when I said Mr. Honey was on the car cleaning jag after he bought the van?
The car is still clean. I'm not about to let all of Bill's hard work go for naught. That would be the height of ungratefulness. I won't let that happen - mainly cause i don't think I could get her to do it again -

but also because that would be rude!