My Yarn is Here....

I got a nice box that had something wrapped with this sticker..... Yes, it is charcoal merino wool for the Barbizon Jacket from Morehouse Farm. To make this lovely jacket.
I hemmed & hawed for awhile on spending the money on the yarn the pattern called for BUT, whenever I found a yarn that I liked and did the math on how much it was going to cost for 1600 yards, I kept coming back to the idea that it would only cost a little more to get the lovely merino the pattern called for...so, I destashed a couple of items online to new homes and helped a sister sell something on ebay for which I got a tidy commission so...it didn't cost me that much out of pocket.

I will be casting on tonight!!

Random Day..again

There has been absolutely NO KNITTING at Chez HB.

However, I did order some yummy soap recently from a lady in town(ish). I see her at a local downtown market, buy things as gifts but never anything for myself. I decided to order a few things for myself so I got some Lavender Peppermint Soap, Lavender Vanilla Body Butter & Peppermint lip balm. All the items are made with Goat's Milk and they come from Double Blessing's Goat's Milk products. I think they raise their own goats for the products. So far, I have loved all the items, especially the body butter since it is very moisturizing without being greasy.
I finished my bag. I thought I'd make one for myself to work out the kinks in the pattern. Easy to do and I didn't even use my serger because I was too lazy to get it out.
I learned that machine quilting is not tough and that more is not always better when making a design on the bag. It just needs some matte board in the bottom for bulk.

To the Frog Pond

I started knitting this bag and about 35 rows into it, I realized I CAN'T STAND THIS YARN! It is hard to knit with and the pattern really does need a nice mercerized cotton to show off the detail.

So, it will be frogged.

Since I am starting work at an office again next month, I have been toying with knitting a "back of the chair sweater". You know the kind of sweater you need to have at your desk because depending on the time of day, you could be freezing to death or dying from heat stroke.

I am looking around for some yarn to knit the Barbizon Jacket from Morehouse Farms. I just don't know if I want a wool sweater....maybe alpaca & silk.

A Day at the Ostrich Festival

We spent most of today at the Chandler Ostrich Festival and had a good time.

The kids rode LOTS of rides, and of course, we had to start with the "huge" slide.
They rode on a small roller coaster.
Hannah & I rode on some sleigh thing that made me want to puke.
And their favorite??? Riding a HORSE.
Simon too...granted they were going slow but they both enjoyed it a lot.
And what would a festival be without one stupid shoe photo??? Not as many dumb shoes as last year! Although, one of the guys who worked for the Budweiser people said there were MANY stilettos to be seen last night at the Rick Springfield concert....as if he was going to pick them up for their fancy shoes in the audience.
Well, there is always next year.

Random Saturday

We have recently put our house on the market so a move can be made closer to my new job that is an hour away from here. One of the agents we interviewed said she thought new window treatments in our family room would make it look nice. I agreed...since the valences in the photo below really don't do ANYTHING for the windows.
So, since I didn't want to spend a lot of money on curtains that will NEVER fit another house, I was able to find some tablecloths for $9.99 each to use to make nice window treatments. I just turned over the edge, put in a casing and dug in my fabric stash to make some ties to coordinate with the room, and a new window treatment was born!
Finally, Miss Kelli made me some wonderful white bean chili with chicken and corn muffins with green chili's. They were both so good! Thank you!

There is knitting!

I have been knitting but it is slow going using cobweb yarn on size 3 needles.

I am making the Hanging Garden Lace Stole from a pattern I bought on Knitpicks some time ago. However, it appears they no longer sell that pattern. I put green beads along the bottom edge.
That is 38 rows....you can see how quickly it is NOT going.