Last chance

to show the colors of the month from Project Spectrum!! I've had these photos for over a week and keep forgetting to post them! I've been really busy doing who knows what??
So here's some color for you!


And this~~

Ok~had enough?? yeah, me too! I had some really nice ones and they seem to have been eaten by this thing! My camera batteries have taken a dive too so no more photos until I get to the store and pick up another set of rechargeables! Is that a word??
Spring has sprung! It's been really beautiful here the last couple of days. All the plants are coming up and flowers are everywhere! OK--I lied they are coming up everywhere but my yard! Not quite sure why but I've never gotten into planting flowers~~not unless they're in a pot on the deck! I must brag a little~Beth from one of my lists gifted many of us with seeds from her last years gourd and sponge plants(yes, sponge) and my seeds are up!! I'm so excited!! I have visions of vines trailing all over trellis's and birdhouse gourds and sponges hanging off them!! Course, I don't have the pots or trellis's yet but hey, at least the seeds are started!
Birthday week is over for another year. Having three b'days in four days is really annoying! After all these years you'd think I'd be used to it!
KK and I spent a relaxing day today. He puttered around outside all day and I kind of drifted in and out. I mulched, came in and read a bit, had coffee went back out. Stood around and watched KK working, came back in and sewed!
Much cleaner!! Some days you just don't feel like getting in the dirt and today was one of them!
So instead I did this
Yeah, I know I said there were no flowers in my yard~well, those aren't! I sort of stretched to my neighbors and snapped this photo quick! I couldn't resist! Guess it isn't the best picture of the bag but the flowers are great!





Finished this one,too. So you can see I've been busy.
Haven't done much knitting though.
Manage to do a couple rows on my fluted banisters
at night while watching tv
but tonight I don't even feel like doing those couple rows!






Ivy's doing good. I think she's enjoying the nicer weather too! Today was the last day on the antibiotics so hopefully she'll get her appitite back. Tueday we go back to the vet to get her stitches out. They must be bothering her now because she's rubbing her face whenever she can. I'll be glad when this is over!

Doesn't she look comfy??








Time for me to do the same!
Off for bed~~

Back at Last!!

Seems like I've been gone forever! This thing finally bit the dust a couple weeks ago and I was totally lost without it! Got it all fixed up brought it home and DS hooks everything up and the monitor blew! Now what the heck are the chances of that?? So another couple days went by! I felt like I lost a good friend!
I didn't knit at all I just could not sit and concentrate so I gave up. I did make good use of my time tho~~I managed to get some sewing done instead. I've been doing some large bags and some smaller tote bags that are perfect for that sock project!

Knitting balls galore!! lol~~accented with knitting and sewing kittens! If you'd like to see more bags you can check them out at
http://www.picturetrail.com/mzmar1
just look at bags or totes. If you have any questions email me and ask away!! I'd be happy to make one up for you! We're still trying to raise funds to help with Ivy's surgery so if you're interested in a tote or a bag please let me know.
She had the surgery this morning and they removed her diseased eye and she's doing very well. Other than being very homesick! She's coming home Saturday and we'll have to be very careful that she doesn't bump her face until it heals. Right now she's on very strong pain killers and antibiotics. The vet said after a couple weeks she should be ok. He said that she probably lost the vision in that eye almost immediately even before it started to look really bad. I can't wait to get her home and baby her myself!
So we are still trying to raise funds to help with the surgery--the vet really helped us by cutting some of the cost.
I'm just so happy that she will be pain free and hopefully will be able to live out the rest of her life in comfort with us.
The weather here in western NY is getting nicer every day! Time to get the yard work going. KK started the other day and now he can hardly move!! Forgot about all those aching muscles that show up every spring! He's off tomorrow so I have a feeling I'll be out there helping him!
I'm going to get this posted now --it's dinner time and I'm starving so
Off to eat

New project!

Fluted Bannisters done with Opal on #1 addi's Magic Loop

hmm, what's wrong with this ????

Did ya miss me???

I know it's been forever since I posted! I have been knitting instead of being on here so much. My emails are even piling up. I've been so restless and I'm blaming the nice weather we "had"~notice I said had???? Granted it's been cold ...but when it's so sunny who cares? It just makes everything so much nicer when the sun is out. I'm a tad crabby this morning because last night KK said he had to work today(his normal day off) and I had plans on going to Joann's. I figured that would give us something to do and since we would be practically right next door we'd stop in Barnes & Noble.......and I wouldn't have to use my gas-guzzling van......we'd use his!The thing that really annoyed me is I was right near there yesterday and didn't stop! Geesh, I do get off track...don't I?? I started to say the weather is nasty today! Dreary, dampish cold, and there is snow covering the ground!!! Where the hell did that come from???? ewww......go away!
I do see a ride to Joanns in the immediate future tho!! If I get dressed that is........
I'm trying to upload a couple photos but for some reason they don't want to show up so I'll have to tell you about them. First, the Jaywalker bit the dust! Took me awhile to actually frog the darn thing.....I wasn't positive that I wanted to after all that aggravation! It was too big so there was no sense in keeping it. I went ahead and did a sock of plain stk out of the red/white/blue and it looks good so now I'll do the frogged yarn into
the second of the pair.
After having the pattern for a year I decided to try the Fluted banisters and I absolutely love them!! They fit perfectly with no fiddling with the pattern!! I used Opal that Heather got me last summer on one of our road trips! While knitting them I was scouting around trying desperately to find the Sockotta yarn the sample sock in the pattern was done from....with no luck. I know monitors show colors differently but I didn't think they would be so far off.....in my print out the sock looks blue with some red and maybe a tad of yellow. There is no such Sockotta!! I asked around and the majority of opinions was color #16 which looks nothing like the picture! I'm liking them but I really wanted the other color!!
Since my hands have been really bothering me I'm trying to break up the knitting time with some sewing. I finished a couple bags that turned out really nice if I do say so myself! There again you'll have to take my word for it since I can't get to the photos!
I've been reading a lot! Nice to read again! Seems I go in streaks with that.......I like to sit outside in the summer and read.....when it's just too warm to be holding yarn. I'm waiting for those days!
I joined Lynne's Project Spectrum color swap. This should be fun. My only qualm is my partner is not a knitter!!!! Oh, my......there is life outside of knitting??? hmmm, who would have guessed??
What kind of gifties do you get for a NK(non-knitter)??? Orange and yellow no less! I drew an absolute blank when I read her blog! ahhhh, she does sew tho~~~~and I do love looking at all that fabric at Joann's~~~~orange and yellow fat quarters???
For your info Kelly I love orange!!! As Martha would say " nice orange socks are a good thing"!!! I am a yarn snob tho~~no acrylic, please !
Let's see what else can I ramble on about??? Oh, yeah, I took Sophie in to be spayed two weeks ago. Finally made the decision that I wouldn't breed her---not willing to take the chance knowing that more than likely there would be problems. Brought her home knit nite afternoon and had to watch her so no knit nite for me. She was good until Friday night and then the trouble started .......her whole body was pulsating....it was weird/gross! Stayed up with her till 2 and I was exhausted in the a.m. I was afraid to look at her thinking she wasn't breathing---what a relief when she popped her head up from under her blanket! Still pulsating tho~~so off to the vet we go to find out that they have never seen this in a dog!! Horses, yes ...dog no! I said the vet should have paid me for the experience!! Anyway, after much snapping and growling they determined that during surgery gas gets trapped between organs and once she became active it gets pushed up under the diaphram(sp?) so as her heart beat her breath went and that made the pulsing sensation! ewww~~~at least it wasn't painful. Late Sat. night we could see it calming down and by Sunday morning she was fine. The most difficult thing was trying to keep her quiet!
Stitches come out tomorrow and then she can have a much needed bath!!
Fingers are achy today so that's enough of this. I know there was something else I wanted to write about but it escapes me at the moment. Later it'll come to me!
Off to read......

Drop-Out

Ok, I'm ashamed to admit it.......I'm an Olympic drop-out...........I swear it's not my fault(believe me I swore a lot) the Jaywalkers got the best of me! I'm not sure if it's just me being really anal or if they look as bad as I think but either way they gotta go!!
I'm not in the best of moods today it's been a bit of a wacky week and I was tired today. It probably wasn't the best time to work on the socks (from hell) but there they were staring at me what could I do? Picked up #2 (now there's a play on words) and started in....it's done past the heel into the foot where the decreases start. Right off I see something I don't like~~rows back.
I am not taking 3/4 rows out with umteenthousand sts. on the needles I'll live with it. Maybe not.............I can't stop looking at this twisted/stretched stitch........it's mocking me!! No way in hell am I tinking back that far.......ok, ok, maybe it won't be too bad if I go slow........crap, what the hell was that stitch????? A decrease???? A ssk????? Oh well, doesn't matter it's gone now!! Now what??? If I slip the stitches off the circulars carefully I can unravel back to the gusset......oops, whoa those stitches really slid off those addi's quick! Now I know I had more sts. than this when I started! Ok, so now I'm all the way back to the heel flap~~~I'm really fighting the urge to RIP IT TO SHREDS!!!! This is new yarn......it was $18..........control yourself!!!
Throw it down on the floor/step on it/give it a swift kick/let Sophie roll around on it .......pick it up brush it off and frog the dam thing!! The End!

So tomorrow I'll cast on something new or maybe I'll sew instead!
Yesterday KK's day off we took a nice ride to Rochester .....there's an awesome x-stitch shop there. I had ordered a pattern months ago and it came in awhile back but I forgot about it. When they called to remind me I was tempted to have them send it to me but I'm glad I didn't. It was a beautiful day to take a ride. Sunny and warmer than it's been. Took us a little over and hour to get there but this shop is so worth it! On the same level as a great yarn shop! I'm sure KK was impressed! I don't think he really minds these little excursions I come up with because he doesn't have anything to do on his day off. In the same plaza is a fabric shop with a huge assortment of fabrics~~not the usual Joann pickings. Thank God I don't quilt!
After browsing the fabrics we went around the corner and had a nice lunch then headed home. I had a hard time staying awake......sleeping in the car is the best!
I think I've rambled enough so I'm
Off to read

Slow but Steady

I'm pluggin away on the j'walkers!!! Here you go~~just to prove there really is progress ! I've finally got the pattern memorized after many false starts and getting this far!! About time,huh?
I really like this sock~~I will do it again in another yarn .... a more "me" color. This one is fun but not my favorite.
I'm more the earth tones .
Last night I had the toes almost finished but didn't like the "bulge" I was getting on the side where the decreases start. I'm not sure how to remedy it. It seems there are too many stitches for the toe

area. I usually do 72 sts. for my socks and now I have 78. I wouldn't think the 6 sts. would make such a difference but it seems to. I'm at a stand still on what to do now? I want a smooth transition from the foot pattern to the dec's.
I have a horrible headache today...woke up with it and it doesn't want to go away so I may not do much knitting. How annoying!
Here is the toeless "J" I have a good fit until the toes so I really want to figure this out!
Off to lay down........

Bumble Bee in discontinued Opal colorway

Olympic Jaywalkers!!!

yeah, I know ....... this is what I said a week ago but I got caught up in the hype of it all and here I go again!! I'm going to have a pair of these yet so without further ado here they are Well the start anyway!! I was going to join team dpn but after a couple feeble attempts decided against it and instead I'm going for So appropriate,right??? I've actually tried doing these socks numerous times but for some godforsaken reason I can not get that pattern into my head! I lose stitches, I gain stitches......what the hell?? So while watching the start of the Olympics last night I gave it one last try and we have lift-off!!! Before I get too excited over them I thought I'd better get a photo .......just in case! How about that yarn tho, isn't it perfect Olympic knitting???
Wonder how this post is going to look????? I'm
Off to check

Is it freezing yet??

Could I be the only one wishing/praying for cold I mean really, really teeth chattering cold weather ?? I never thought I'd be the one saying that but each day I'm wishing the cold front would just get here!! This weather is killing me~~it's the 40's that do it. Every day this week I've woken up with a headache and I can barely move. Every bone is screaming for cold/drugs!!!See photo!! Since I can't do much about the first and refuse the second it's been one hell of a week! I can not make myself do a thing around here~~it takes all my energy just to get dressed!
I did manage to get a haircut and that has improved my outlook a bit. I feel a little more like myself again.
Tonight KK and I need to run to the market and we're going to get dinner out~~that's a great mood lifter!! Course it's really nasty out~~it's pouring right now and it's predicted to turn to snow tonight but I'm not going to complain....well maybe a little!
I've been puttering around in my room trying to organize all my patterns. I must be up to five loose leaf notebooks. Wonder if I'll ever use half of them?? Trouble with doing this is I keep stopping to read the pattern and thinking I "need" to start something new!
I want to pull out all my sock yarn and see if there's a Jaywalker in there. I've been holding off..... trying to finish the Bee's first. I'm thinking I won't do the Olympics but I'll still try a pair of those.
I was surfing and found a gallery of them and I must say they really are nice!
Off to get ready

Is that cool or what???? It's a word cloud!! It scans your blog and then does your cloud!! I'll post the link when I can go back to it without loosing my post!!
I've made some progress on the Opal Bee socks~~I'm decreasing for the toe on the first one~~finally!!
I'm still giving some serious thought to the Olympics. Whit is doing a sock DPN one and I'm so tempted. The idea is to challenge yourself and using dpn's again would certainly be a challenge for me! I really can't remember the last time I did socks on dpn's. A couple times I've had to use them for sleeves and the felted vases but not socks. I really do have some yarn I could use even tho there's no pink/raspberry color which I'm definitely craving!! Still have a week to decide........
Nothing much else going on here~~trying desperately to clean up my room.......again!! I can't make any progress there tho. Every time I start I wind up watching tv/knitting/reading.....maybe I should just give up organizing it.
Off to knit bee's

What????

Sophie's new sweater!! Another FO!!!!

Opal Chamelon #1 addi's Magic Loop

Starting out the ~~~~

week right!!! Monday morning and the bed linens are changed, laundry is started and dishwasher is running! And I'm here!!! Not that there's much to post about!
Finally have the slouch photo .....see??? Of course my helper had to
get in there,too!! OK, so the sock does look a bit wonky but it doesn't on~~fits perfectly! I'm sure you noticed there is only one??? That picture was taken a couple days ago......and there's still only one!!
I have a good excuse tho~~~Sophie needed a sweater~~Saturday went out with DD for a while and we stopped at the store and she picked out some yarn for said sweater. I'll save that picture for later....let's just say that the yarn she picked is a tad....bright!!
After hours of working on it yesterday afternoon and until late last night I'm not too far! I could not understand the pattern. After two false starts I think I'm on the right track....I'll know more later.
Saturday was a beautiful day! Sunny and sorta warm~~not really warm but certainly pleasant! It was so nice I was even talked into taking a walk in the park!
The weather yesterday was a whole 'nother story!! Dreary, rainy the whole day! The back yard is like a sponge. It was the perfect day to curl up on the couch and knit tho~~Course it would have been nicer if I would have had something to show for my efforts!
I'm trying really hard to ignore the Knitting Olympics that Yarn Harlot started but it seems every blog I go to~~~it's there!!!! I really don't need to start another project~~right??? Even tho I have that awesome Koigu sock yarn that would look really awesome in Jaywalkers doesn't mean that I should sign up, right???? Right???? Come on, stay with me here~~ I already have
4 projects otn!!! Do I need another????? You're right, I should think about it~~there's still a few days to finish something up......
That doggie sweater is calling to me so
Off to knit

Slouch???

That title was appropriate...............right over here there was supposed to be a photo of my first finished slouch sock out of Opal chameleon. It was a good idea until I went to take the picture and the batteries are dead......again. Why is that??? I charge all four of them every time I plug the charger in~~when I go to use the second set they are dead~~~no life at all!!! Do they just lose the charge sitting there waiting to be used??? WTF????
So that means you will just have to take my word that one is done and it is really awesome!! My first attempt at a pattern and it's down the foot, did a different color on the heel and toe! What a moment!! Course now I'm doing an Opal plain stk. from an old colorway.....Bumble Bee. I'll go back to the slouch after the first one of these.
I also dug out the Noro Silk Blossom that I had started before the holidays! So, now that's three pair in the works not to mention KK's xmas pair that have not been touched!!
I have worked on a couple afghan squares~~I'm pleased with the way they are turning out. DD gave me a calendar last year that has a different stitch every day so I'm going to use that for some of the square designs. Hopefully tomorrow night I'll make it to Knit Nite and pick up a couple more skeins for it.
I can not believe that January is almost over! Usually this month seems endless to me but not this year! Maybe the good/better weather helped. This has been the warmest January in 74 years!!! Works for me!!
Poor Sophie is not looking too good. Seems Boston's get weird skin problems....rashes,hair loss, allergies. Great~~always something! Now she is on antibiotics a peroxide shampoo and Benadryl!! Interesting stop at Walmart trying to decide which flavor Benadryl to get her~~~lol
The best part was trying to convince her to eat the food coated with it!
Nothing else going on~~going to try to download a Podcast onto my iPod. Can't believe that I've had it over a week and haven't tried it yet!!
Off to knit Bumble Bee's

Again???

I have no idea why that previous post worked yet last night I couldn't get anything to work!!
So, that picture of the lone skein of Opal is my prize from the Opal Chatters newsletter. A pair of my socks was posted on there and I saw them and won a skein!!! How cool is that??? That was New Year's Day~~a great way to start the new year!!
Now here's the SEX photos that was promised last night! That Koigu is calling to me~~I'm not listening!!!
Need to get off here ~~DD is coming over to wax my spinning wheel so I should at least get dressed and make some coffee!!
Coffee......that's a good thing

Will it Work??

Trying to add a photo in the post~~

Swift and helper!

Xmas prezzie!!

Title???

I'm trying to post~~really!! Haven't been here in ages and when I try to post tonight I keep crashing! I get a couple things written and then "poof" gone!!
This is the last time for tonight !!
So, what have I been up to? Had a great day yesterday~~the sun was out and it was warm~~it felt like a spring day! Perfect weather for an outing! Heather and I took advantage of it and went on a stash enrichment trip! Stopped for lunch and then on to Spirit Works in Rochester. We were both looking for the perfect yarn for the afghans we want to do. Didn't find what we wanted ~~not that either of us really knew what we wanted but we didn't find it there. Koigu kept calling out to me and I just could not ignore it!! I tried~~sort of.......
Then we found this worsted weight hand spun for socks so we're both going to have a pair. I'm knitting them but won't worry about having them for this season. I'm going to do them magic loop so I have to order some large size 40" circulars.
We stopped at a little gift shop we like and I found another punch needle pattern...this one is for the living room. I like doing these when I want a knitting break.
Then on to Knit Nite!! Yeah, haven't been there since before the holidays! It was fun~~and we both found "the perfect yarn" for our afghans!! I wanted a homespun natural look and Green Mountain Spinnery has just what I want! I brought a couple skeins home so I can start it and Jen is holding the rest for me. So hopefully I can do a few squares in the two weeks between knit nites.
OTN right now are three pairs of socks!!! What was I thinking?? KK's xmas socks are still right where I left them weeks ago! I can not make myself work on them! I had to start the Opal that Heather gave me for xmas~~that yarn would not leave me alone! I've got one done a bit past the heel. This is my first attempt at doing the heels and toes a different color. I'm even doing a pattern~~and down the foot!! I don't know what's come over me!
I've been trying to get my room cleaned up but every time I start straightening up I get side tracked~~big mistake looking through the sock yarn~~the Opal Bumble Bee just looked so appealing sitting there all cute that I had to cast on!
I tried to add those pictures in this post but every time I get the photo in here I crash! What's with that?? Instead of fighting with it anymore I did it the old way~~
See the picture of my new "toy"?? No, not the swift the iPod!!! I may not know how to use it yet but it's mine~~all mine!! I plan on finding it a nice little hiding place so DS can't get his hands on it!! It's all charged up and waiting for a Pod Cast!!
Now you can look at the swift!! DD surprised me with it for Xmas!! I was thrilled but I did drop a major hint that Mother's Day is coming and a ball winder goes so nicely with a swift!! I haven't used it yet but it sure looks nice!
While working in my room I had a brainstorm for more storage space~~those cloth shoe holders that hang on a door would be great for yarn!! I picked one up today for under $10 and it works!! There's 24 pouches and 2 to 3 skeins of Lamb's Pride fit in one....outta sight!!! KK has been looking in there way too much!!
Added a couple new sock books to my knitting library~~now if I only could find a place for them!
Well, if I'm going to get those pictures posted I'd better stop rambling~
See Chris...told ya I'd post!!
Off to add photos~~~

Happy B'Day

You were my mother and my friend,
Which was unusual.
Somehow our characters still blend:
Your wisdom and my will.
Our wit.
Our love.
Our bond.

I turned, and you were there for me;
I spoke, you understood.
I felt cared for, but also free;
You loved, and I was good.

I am fortunate that I was born
To someone just like you;
I love you still. Though you are gone,
You live in what I do.

Happy Birthday Mom
January 3,1927-April 14, 1999

My first post of the new year~~to my mom. I can't take credit for the above poem I read it on Dani's blog and asked if I could "borrow" it. She found it on the web somewhere and no author was given.
It puts into words what I feel.
So often when I sit alone and knit, memories of my mom knitting and watching TV come to mind~~and the sound of clicking as the stitches flew off her needles!
I can knit gifts for my family and friends and I thank her for encouraging me and keeping me interested enough to continue on and keep learning on my own.
Happy Birthday!

Catching up~~

Haven't been here in awhile again~~didn't realize how long I've been away!! Trying to catch up on the Xmas gifts.
Did a rag rug for a gift that I thought I'd never get finished!! 12yds. of fabric cut into one inch strips then balled up and then crocheted!! Glad that's over~~
Turned out ok~~wish it were a tad larger but it will have to do! Scarf and hat is done for DD and a couple more pair of slipper moc's done.
I did manage to do 4 pair of sock earrings and didn't get a photo!! I found them to be a bit annoying to do. The needles are so small and pointy~~which they need to be to work with the sock yarn but they are sharp!! Can you say "puncture?" My finger was sore for days!!
KK's socks aren't finished and they aren't going to be for Xmas. I gave up trying to finish them on time. I stayed up two nights past midnight working on them only to have to frog the next day. Enough of that!! They will be my after Xmas project!
Shopping is pretty much done~~a couple small things to do tomorrow. KK is off all day so we are going to go out early and finish up.
I probably won't be on again before Xmas so ~~hope you all have a safe and Happy Holiday!!
Off to sleep~~

Mz Sophie!

All done!

Showers are great!!

Rio getting a misting!

Another gift done!

They're multiplying!!

Off the needles err, hook!

It's a Knit Shop!!

Merry Christmas!!

Ho Hum

10 days to go!!!! I can't believe it but all of a sudden I realized
tonight that my gifts are just about finished!! Today I whipped up a felted vase from Noro and Lamb's Pride and it's drying already!! Tried to get a photo but the batteries were dead so I've got them charging now. Waiting on some yarn to do a couple pair of slipper moc's and finish up KK's socks and I'm caught up!! I must be forgetting something?? Can I really be this caught up already??? I think tomorrow I'll have to really check into it better but for now I'm going to enjoy the moment!!
I have to tell ya yesterday was really strange~~in a good way but strange non the less. It started first thing in the morning~~KK and I both woke up feeling pretty good~~that's weird right off!! I had to go to a store that's about an hour away from us to pick up something I had paid for locally. Once there the woman bent over backwards trying to find more of these candle holders I wanted. She actually found some in Rochester and since she goes from store to store she's picking them up for me and bringing them to the local store for me to get.Happy me!! Then we went to the mall that's right there and the holiday decorations were so nice.People were in such a good mood~~friendly,relaxed no one seemed stressed out. Ok, now that was really weird!! Then we went to Olive Garden for the lunch special and our waitress was wonderful! We got into a discussion about the grated cheese they use and how good it is on soup~~not my opinion hers and KK's. She leaves and a few minutes later she's back with a small serving of soup with the cheese on it for me to sample!
I had to admit it was pretty good!
After lunch we stopped at A.C.Moore ~~it seemed larger than the one that's closer to me. I was so happy to find they still carried the Rosewood needles!! I kept meaning to pick up a pair with the Joann coupon and never got around to it and then when I finally decided to get them the local store didn't have them anymore! I just happened to have a 40%er in my purse~~it was fate~~right?? Merry Christmas to me!!
We managed to pick up a couple gifts we were looking for so now the list is getting shorter. Not much more to do!!!
Finished the day by bringing home a dozen doughnuts!! What more could you ask for??
It was really cold yesterday but at least it wasn't snowing/sleeting not so today. I was watching the weather all afternoon because it was knit nite and I planned on going. Storm warnings were coming up on the TV all day. Late in the afternoon the rain started and on the 5 o'clock news they showed all the icy roads so I thought it was for the best I stayed home~~dam! At least I made good use of my time getting that vase done and another pair of moc's!!
Off for a bath and tea~~

Dementia

"There are different types of dementia, mine is called stash dementia! So
yes, that urge to buy yarn that you really don't need cause you haven't
finished all your other hundreds of projects, or buying yarn only to find
out that you already have 50 of the same at home, or throwing your husbands
stereo system and TV out of the entertainment unit to store more yarn and
unfinished projects out of desperation to find more storage is definitely
called stash dementia."

One of the gals on a knit list I'm on summed it up perfectly~~and I do believe many of us suffer from it but don't admit it~~after all who wants the treatment??
Remember what I've said in the previous post??? Use that stash for decorative purposes!! Enjoy it!!! It certainly costs enough so why hide it away in a drawer/closet??? If you have too much to show all at once rotate it!! That way when you acquire more you can say to dh "why no dear, I've just been rearranging again"!!
What a plan,huh???
Off to rearrange~~~

Put the Fun Back

into knitting!! That's my new motto!!! I've been thinking the last couple weeks that I'm really not enjoying knitting lately. It's almost like a job~~and that's not good!
Went to the lys's Christmas gathering and Jen the owner summed it up perfectly~~knitting has become almost a competition. It's no longer enjoy the process and if it takes weeks to finish something ~~"who cares?" NO-ONE!!!! It seems that now the idea is hurry up and knit this so you can go on to the next project.
Well, sometime you must have really liked what you're working on that's why you started it in the first place so why not enjoy the knit?? So your stash is huge ~~enjoy looking at it!! Put some in baskets and set it around. Put your straight needles in a felted vase and the circulars in a antique sewing baskets~~looks great!
And that is my new outlook on knitting~~ I'm no longer going to worry about getting things done for Xmas~~if I want to make something for someone as a gift any time is good for giving! It's more of a surprise when unexpected!
So I may be buying a few more things that I planned on for presents but I'm going to be a lot happier and hey, it's the thought that counts,right?
So, on that note I'm going to go sit with KK and watch a movie minus needles in my hands for once!!
Another thing~~I will not do the secret pal thing again either~~I don't know how some luck out with great pals and others don't but you can guess where I wound up~~again!! So that's that!!
Off to watch Mr&Mrs Smith~~~

Exciting????

In a word---NO Nothing really new to write about. Do you notice that sometimes days just kind of blend into another and before you know it another week has gone by?? Other than waiting for something else to break down I haven't been doing much.
Did get to knit nite last Thursday which was nice. At least for awhile it was nice~~it got sooo cold in there my hands were too cold to knit more!! They had turned the heat down too early and being it was freezing outside it cooled down rather quickly! Everyone wound up leaving early. It was nice to see Lisa again and she brought a new knitter! A young lady that just recently moved into the area from Canada and happened to run across Lisa's blog! That's how I found the group~~I happened across Lynn's blog and as they say "the rest is history"!!
I've been making slow progress the last few days on Xmas gifts. Not exactly sure where my ambition went but I wish it would get the hell back here! Course ripping out a few inches on the latest project does tend to make me lose the mood! I'm back at it today tho so all is well!
Chris was there with her fingerless mitts~~ they're looking good even tho they should have been socks~~~for ME!!! Kidding, Chris.
Next week the lys is having a sale and Sat. is the open house. I'm sure I'll get there one of the days! Not that I "need" anything but there is knitting after Xmas!!
Jen shared a old mitten pattern with us that I'd like to give a try.
Got the tree up and decorated~~stayed with the same ornaments. After getting the boxes out I didn't have the heart not to use them! I'm glad that I did because when Kk got home from work he said he really likes the tree this way and he even helped finish it up!
I think I'm getting something and it's not good~~can you get half a cold??? One half of my head feels just awful and my nose keeps running~~had to share. It's really annoying!
I bid on some rug yarn on ebay but got outbidded the last minute. Darn~~I wanted it for some more of those slippers. It was a really nice pink color. I can't believe that I can't find it to buy. I want to do these for Xmas and waiting on auctions to end I'm thinking I won't have time to knit them up. At knit nite they said other yarn could be used but I'm thinking the rug yarn is sturdier for slippers and it's machine wash/dry. That's definite plus for DD!!
I've got new med's to try~~again. So far I'm not feeling a big improvement. At least they don't make me nauseous!!
Off to soak in a hot bath~~

It's cold out there!!

cuddle moc's~~slipper's from 50's pattern!!

It's a three thing~~

Why is it they say things happen in three's???? And it's true!!! Well sort of~~
First the garbage disposal flings a blade ~~a few days later the laundry room floor has a stream running through it~~wtf???? After fiddling with the faucet connections to the washer I realize that if it was coming from the connections there wouldn't be soap flowing across the floor!!! The flipping washer has sprung a leak!!! OMG!!! What next???? I shouldn't have even thought what next~~I put something in the microwave and walk down the hallway and I hear this groan~~what on earth was that???
Go back in the kitchen to see the microwave has nuked it's last leftover!! Dead~~
unbelievable~~this can't be for real~~
The last straw is this thing~~~I expect at any time it's going to go. Notice I already have had the terrible 3's so I'm literally praying that this thing holds on.
It's not sounding real good~~ as a matter of fact it sounds downright scary at times!!! It sounds like something speeding up out of control then slows down again. Sunday night we couldn't do anything ~~have cable connection but couldn't get to the internet or get email even tho it said we were connected. So frustrating~~I finally said the hell with it and went to bed at 2 and left it to DS to figure out. He worked on it to 4 and finally we were good to go. It still sounds bad tho~~
Now KK doesn't use this at all so you know what his feelings are if this goes, right??? It's the least of our worries at this point! Well, some of us stay home all day and this is our connection to the real world~~guess what is more important to me??? Clean clothes??? Nuked food???Garbage??? Or blogging???
Did I mention the dishwasher???? Won't even go there~~~I told Kk what can you expect other than the microwave we bought everything when we built the house ~~30 years ago in May!!!! It's just the timing ~~everything at once and at Xmas.
DD still had her microwave from college and it works great~~it's so tiny you can fit one bowl at a time in it and it's purple!!!! Makes a statement in my country kitchen!!
Ok~~done ranting on to knitting~~ doing really good!!! Started Kk's socks and decided on the waffle pattern and I'm liking the way it looks. I do think I'll have them done on time.
Remember the 50's slipper pattern??? In the rug yarn??? Finished two pair of those.
have another project over half done but can't spill the beans here!
I thought I'd like a real tree this year and then said the heck with it and brought the artificial tree in yesterday. It was so warm I finished putting some yard things away ~~stopped the pond~~cleaned up some dead plants and leaves.
Went out for awhile today and met up with Heather at Timmy Ho's for coffee. We were going to tackle teaching her the magic loop but she wasn't in the mood. You know how that is if you don't really feel like doing it nothing will go right. We made a quick stop at the lys and walked out without buying a thing!! Yeah for us!! Have you noticed that some stores are so overrun with funky that they seem to have forgotten the basic down to earth knitting?? Can you say "Reality check?" We wanted to go to NY Knits last weekend but didn't make it~~neither of us had the ambition to drive all the way there!!
Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ours was very nice~~went to DD's for most of the day and had a delicious dinner~~lot of wine!! Then on the way home stopped at friends for cocktails and turkey chowder!! It was terrific! Got home about midnight and crashed!! Kk had to work on Friday and I did not leave the house!!
No "black Friday" shopping for me!! That's how I've been getting so many FO's done!!
Staying home and staying off here!! lol~~
Right now I'm
Off to watch "House" and knit~~

For your pleasure!!

awwwww~~~think she knows she's not allowed on the furniture??

Three down~~DD for Xmas!!

Two down!! These are for me!!

One project down~~are these great or what??

Knitter's Christmas Eve

KNITTERS CHRISTMAS EVE

'Twas the night before Christmas and all around me
Was unfinished knitting not under the tree.
The stockings weren't hung by the chimney with care
'Cause the heels and toes had not a stitch there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
But I had not finished the caps for their heads.
Dad was asleep; he was no help at all,
And the sweater for him was six inches too small,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I put down my needles to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tripped over my yarn and fell down with a crash.
The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow
Reminded me how much I still had to go.
Out on my lawn I heard such a noise,
I thought it would wake both Dad and the boys.
And though I was tired, my brain a bit thick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
But what I heard then left me perplex-ed,
For not a name I heard was what I expected,
"Move, Ashford! Move, Lopi! Move, Addi and Clover!
Move, Reynolds! Move Starmore! Move Froelich --move over
Paton, don't circle 'round; stand in the line.
Come now, you sheep will work out just fine!
I know this is hard; it's just your first year,
I'd hate to go back to eight tiny reindeer."
I peered over the sill; what I saw was amazing,
Eight wooly sheep on my lawn all a-grazing.
And then, in a twinkle, I heard at the door
Santa's feet coming across the porch floor.
I rose from my knees and got back on my feet,
And as I turned 'round St Nick I did meet.
He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toe,
And his clothes were hand knit from above to below.
A bright Fairisle sweater he wore on his back,
And his toys were all stuffed in an Aran knit sack.
His cap was a wonder of bobbles and lace
A beautiful frame for his rosy red face.
The scarf 'round his neck could have stretched for a mile,
And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.
The back of his mittens bore an intricate cable.
And suddenly on one I espied a small label,
"S.C." was duplicate stitched on the cuff,
And I asked, "Hey, Nick, did you knit all this stuff?"
He proudly replied, "Ho, ho, ho, yes I did.
I learned how to knit when I was a kid."
He was chubby and plump, a quite well-dressed old man,
And I laughed to myself, for I'd thought up a plan.
I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,
And the next thing he knew, he was tied to a chair,
He spoke not a word, but looked in his lap
Where I'd laid my needles and yarn for a cap.
He quickly began knitting, first one cap then two,
For the first time I thought I might really get through.
He put heels in the stockings and toes in some socks.
While I sat back drinking scotch on the rocks.
So quickly like magic his needles they flew
That he was all finished by quarter to two.
He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,
And over his shoulder he looked back at me,
And I heard him exclaim as he sailed past the moon,
"Next year start your knitting sometime around June!"

Two in a day???

Yup, two projects finished today!! Hooray!! Course I can't take any pictures to prove it~~dead batteries! I'll post some tomorrow tho~~batteries are charging as I write this!
Now I have to post/confess all the WIP's~~
3 pair of socks
1 sweater~~ok I lied already~~two sweaters but one doesn't count--it's for summer
4 scarves
1 mitten--one finished
1 I-cord handle needed for felted bag
Seems like I'm forgetting something?? Can't think what it could be tho~~so all together I had 12 projects~~including the two I finished today!
I frogged Ella decided I didn't like it in the Schaffer yarn. I swear I'm going to take another picture of it and have you all give me ideas!! There is a picture somewhere here way back but I can't remember exactly where. This yarn is driving me crazy!! It's a wool/silk blend and I haven't liked anything I tried with it. Not to mention how expensive it was!!
So all these projects need to be done asap!!!
Winter had finally hit!! Snow has been falling all day~~very light but everything is covered and the temp dropped to the 20's!! What a change in a couple days!
I really need to find a nice handpainted yarn for the multidirectional scarf. The pattern is made for variegated yarns and they are my favorites!
Oh, hell's bells I just remembered a couple more things I need to finish! Last year I found the old pattern of a slipper sock that I made when I was learning to knit as a kid!!! When I saw it I knew it right away!! I can remember knitting them and my mom would sew them up for me! How cool is that?? I remember making them out of rug yarn of all things! Last week we went to friends to play cards and she brought them up! Her grandmother used to make them for her~~out of rug yarn too!! Do you even know how hard it is to find rug yarn anymore?? Joann's had a little tiny area that I walked right by and would never have found had I not asked the sales lady for help!
You used to be able to get some really nice colors but not anymore~~black,white,tan,rust,red~~I think that was it. Anyway I told my friend I'd make her some. Sunday afternoon when DD came over she saw them and loved them!! OMG!!
They are goofy lookin~~you can whip a pair up in a couple hours and it's one size fits all! So now I'm making few pair of those! Hate the colors tho~~wonder what else I could use? I'll try to scan the pattern tomorrow so you can check them out!
I need to go knit on a scarf!! So that's enough rambling!!
Off to knit~~

Soggy Day!!

It was wet and windy all day today! The temp. is dropping too~~caught part of the news and it's snowing in Buffalo!! I mean real snow~~the type that sticks! Not doing that here. We're about 30/40 minutes from the city and the weather can be so different.
KK and I didn't let it ruin our day tho~I woke up to "hon,wake up, breakfast is here!" I'm like huh?? I was really out~~he scared the heck outta me!! There he stood all smiles with a plate in one hand and coffee in the other!!! Now this was a first and after 36 years who woulda thunk it??? Breakfast in bed!!! Eggs, and toast with honey spread just the way I like it!! What a way to start the day!! I thought it must be the crack of dawn and it was 10 a.m.!! He'd been up waiting for me to wake up!! Definitely a keeper!!
We had a nice tho wet day! Finally went to Joann's to check on what they were doing about my sewing machine. Course the "boss" wasn't there. So left all my info~~again and they're going to call me~~won't hold my breath!! They'd better call tomorrow or KK will be up there in full fury!
Went to Barnes&Noble since we were right there~I love that place! Pulled up a seat right at the fireplace and had my Mocha Latte with Raspberry syrup~~~ummmm, soooo good!! They are definitely getting ready for the holidays the shelves were packed. A lot of new knitting books~~don't I go up to the service desk when we first get there and ask if they carry Modular Knits?? The clerk looks it up and says "yes" there should be a copy~~I'll show you. As if I didn't know where the knitting books were!!
Anyway, don't we walk over and there they are~~stacked right in front!!! I swear they did not have it a week ago!! Quite a few other new books too~~Yarn Harlots second book was right up there too! I decided to treat myself to one~~so I picked the Modular Knits. I haven't even looked at it yet~~I'm saving it for when I can sit quietly and drool over it!
We then went to Olive Garden and had the lunch special of soup and salad. The perfect lunch for a rainy day! The soup was so good I wish I could have eaten more!
After lunch we popped into Circuit City to check out the stereos/speakers. Then off to Michaels. I picked up some sock yarn to do the MD scarf~~I really liked the color but it is acrylic~~yarn snob showing! I did buy it the~~I'll save my opinion until after I see how it works up.
Once we got home I helped DS clip Houston~~yuk! He's so matted again and he hates to get clipped. Poor guy is getting old and just wants to be left alone. You can tell he feels so much better after getting trimmed.
Once that was done I got out my Irish Hiking scarf and sat with KK, watched TV and knit!!
I joined another kal!!
Lisa is having it.
You have to confess how many WIP's you have and the goal is to have Naked Needles by the first of the year!! I'm up for it~~I'm driven!! Now to count all the wip's!!!
Off for a snack

Miss Me??

I haven't posted in almost two weeks??? Doesn't seem possible!
Are you starting to feel the pressure??? Come on, you know what I'm talking about~~that Christmas frenzy!! I was~~but I've got it under control now~~I'm knitting BUT only what I feel like knitting!! I'm trying to put a block on my wandering mind~~it gets carried away with too many ideas!!
I even joined a KAL~The Irish Hiking Scarf~~cables of all things!! I'm really enjoying working on it! I'm using a light worsted Alpaca in cream~~it's soooo soft!! I originally was thinking of gifting it but as I'm going along I'm becoming attached to it! I'll try to get some photos tomorrow.
For awhile there I was really completely disgusted with knitting~~nothing was turning out the way I pictured it in my minds eye. The tried and true remedy??? Socks!! I should take my own advice~~which I finally did after a few project flops!
DD's socks are almost finished~~just have the toe to finish up on #2!!
I do have a couple other things for Xmas to do but can't mention them here~~certain people read this so they'll have to be a secret!
Our knit shop A Knitter's Corner is having a 15% off sale this Thurs. evening!! I'll be there!! I'm sure there is something I must have.
I've been looking for a new book ~~it's called "Modular Knits" by Iris Schreier ~~I tried to find it at Joann's and AC Moore with no luck. Did I tell you about the multidirectional scarf I was working on?? It's a really neat look ~and a easy knit once you understand the concept. Did I mention that I frogged the whole thing?? The pattern was great I didn't like my stitches way back at the beginning and knew in my anal way that it would drive me nuts not to fix it! The pattern is free when you join Iris's yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/multidirectional. Now I "need" the book for all the other patterns!!!
I was wondering how come no one ever "steals" my button?? It's a perfectly good button~~a cute photo of Sophie~~I know if I told her that her picture was all over blog land she'd be excited!! In case you're wondering, yes we do have some interesting conversations while she's lounging on the futon next to me while I'm cursing, I mean figuring out a pattern! She's not much for words but she always lends a paw!
Well, it's getting late and no knitting got done today. I'm going to get to bed and hopefully start out early tomorrow with KK and get our errands done so I can get some serious knitting time in!!
Off to sleep~~

I'm here!

I'm in a major knitting slump ~~do you ever pick up the needles and nothing turns out right??? Well, that's what's happening here! It all started with those Opal mittens and went "to hell in a handbasket" !!!
I tried a couple scarves and hated them~frogged~I'm getting really good at that frogging thing!!
I keep looking at yarn and nothing "talks" to me! I go to bed and all these thoughts are running through my head as I'm trying to fall asleep ~~by morning??? GONE!!!
Maybe it's time to relax and get back to socks?? I liked knitting again when I was just thinking about socks~~not worrying about handles felting right,sweaters fitting,finding the right yarn.
Socks are useful,and warm(major plus for me) get to buy really nice yarn that you couldn't afford if doing a large project, socks are portable, magic loop makes for fairly quick finishing~~need I say more???
Oh yeah, it's a lot easier to blend enough yarn for a pair of socks into your stash than it is for a sweater!
Enough said!!
MY SP6 sent a pkg!!! That cheered me up! There's a photo~~and do you see sock yarn???? It must be fate! She included the cutest candle it's a ceramic acorn and it smells wonderful!! A tube of Aveeno hand cream is just what I need for my purse,and the cutest book of puppies! I love it all~~thank you SP6!!!
Almost forgot~~have you ever tried to peel the foil off of melted chocolate kisses?? Take my word for it it's not easy! KK saw me and said "just throw them out" there was no way I was giving in without a fight but unfortunately I lost! Chomping down on a piece of that foil was like scrapping fingers across a blackboard!! eewwwwww!!!
A couple of those photos are from last Sunday when KK and I went for another foliage ride! Other than being in the middle of nowhere and I needed a restroom ~~immediately it was a nice day! We went to the casino in Salamanca and had the buffet ~~it was soooo good!!! Prime rib and shrimp cocktail~~~what more could you ask for??? I could barely stay awake on the ride home.
Off to check my stash~~~

SP6 Package!!!

Just hanging out!

Look at those trees!

Alleghany State Park

Such a pretty spot! Near the border of NY and PA