Mohair

Don't ask me why, but I have been drooling over this scarf, from the Jan. 1, 2007 Knitting Pattern A Day Calendar since I opened the calendar on Christmas Eve.

Well, I read the Destash blog (and have sold items on the blog) and saw a post that included white, pink & red mohair. Why I did I need it??? I did not have enough mohair in the stash to make this scarf.

I have enough to make two more. I know they are fancy but, they will most likely go to the Dulann Project or the Pine Ridge Reservation. We have to be warm but it doesn't have to be boring!!! A wee bit girly for Red Scarf.

Also saw two movies this weekend at home.

1. Cars: Cute and when you read the voices, even better. Since David is a HUGE FORMULA 1 fan, the fact that Michael Schumacher actually voiced the Michael Schumacher Ferrari, was quite fun.

2. The Family Stone: I liked it a lot!

Two Meme's

Meme 1: from Kate

You've been tagged! The Page 123 Meme
1. Grab the book closest to you.
Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR)

You know THIS is going to be exciting! Not!!

2. Open to page 123, look down to the 5th sentence.
Sewage Systems and Drainfields

3. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog.
Dishwashing water
Domestic and commercial nonpotable water
Lakes, ponds, impound water

Meme 2: From Yarn Botanika & Keri
6 Weird Things About You

1. I am 38 years old and my hair is 75-80% Gray. No one else in my family is this gray at my age or older.

2. I come from a family with 9 children.

3. I almost flunked biology in high school but majored in it in college and make my living in the biological sciences.

4. I love the frothy coffee they sell at Circle K (a convenience store), $1.50 for a 24 oz cup.

5. I rarely cook the same things over and over again. We eat a lot of "new" meals.

6. I have only been to 2 movies in a movie theatre in 9 years. (All Disney Movies: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron & Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest)

New Purchase

I bought this at Sam's Club the other day.....Why??? I am not going on vacation nor is it warm enough to swim in our pool.
Well, Sam's is an interesting place. You have to buy things when you see them, not wait until the weather warms us and you need a swimming suit BECAUSE once it is warm enough to swim, or people are thinking about swimming, there will only be suits left in size 8 or under.

I know this because I have made the same mistake for 3 years running and you just can't beat a Speedo tankini for $22.

Another Day, Another Hat

I finished this hat on Sunday but Hannah decided she wanted it to wear around the house....
I like it...we'll see how long she wears it.
The kids also modeled a new sweater pattern by Wendy Bernard aka Knit & Tonic that will be for sale shortly at One Planet Yarn & Fiber.

A fun hoodie with a front pocket. The yarn is Lanas Puras Worsted Weight in Hibiscus and I am not sure the color of Simon's,
Kinda makes me want to knit for the kids! If only they would not lose interest in them as soon as I finished the item! :)

Hairy Hats

I finished 2 chemo caps yesterday and I started a 3rd this morning with the leftover yarn from the black hat.
If you didn't hair, this could be a fun cap...especially if you are 10.

The brown one...that could almost pass for hair and the color is pretty close to true.
And yes, I bought fun fur at Joann's yesterday. I thought I had TONS in my stash, and I had the black & pink ones..and some mismatched green & hot pink. Although, the last two might become a striped hat.

TGIF

Why should I put laundry away? If I did, where would the cat sleep during the day?
And, my baby is sick...up all night throwing up. I see laundry in my future today!

Thursday

What is this??? Well, it will soon be a Head Hugger 'No-Hair-Day' Hairy Chemo Cap for the Boston Children's Hospital Cancer Center. I am blaming Susan for knitting with fun fur! Actually, the one below is the free sample of Bernat Disco that Bernat sent out last year. Everyone I know that got a sample got this brown color. Well, it will soon be a chemo cap.

And, I just got a Joann's ad in the paper today and I see that their fun fur is $1 a ball starting tomorrow. I am just wondering if I can find a "masculine" color of fun fur.

Kate is having a contest and collecting the caps. There are lots of prizes...even a spindle/large project bag from Knitted Bits.
On Saturday we took the kids to visit Grandma Linda & Grandpa and met them at the Mesa Swapmart. It was chilly but boy, you could buy everything you need for your house, except food, at the swap meet.

After that, we had lunch at the Fishing Hole on Main & Sossaman. Apparently, the building used to be a country bar or something because the bar stools in the back are still saddles. The kids had a good time riding in their saddles.
The food was good! They even had deep fried scalloped corn. Linda convinced us it was worth trying and it was....we were just trying to figure out how they deep fried the scalloped corn.

Start-itis & FO (Failed Objects)

I have started a lot of things in 2006 that I can't seem to motivate back to finishing. Some will eventually be finished or restarted but there are some that will never see the light of day because I already ripped them out.

First, this is Birdsong's version of the Ice Cream Hat (She also inspired me to take a look at some failed knitting objects from 2006). I started it and realized that there would be a huge number of ends and I had to pick up a lot of stitches. Somehow, I couldn't motivate myself to continue on so it was frogged. Too much work for a little bitty hat.
I also started a shrug, twice. Um, it took me a long time to realize that being big busted is not a good body type to wear a shrug that effectively works as a neon sign saying "Look at Me". Yep, that one went to the frog pond.
I have a couple of pi shawls that I need to tink back on and finish for charity. They are so close but I realized I HATE knitting pi shawls. So, in an effort to avoid that problem, I tried to make the shawl below a 1/2 pi shawl. Well, that didn't work so well once I got to row 50.....you see, with only 1/2 the stitches, it stops mid-repeat. This will be frogged this week.
I started a few things too....can't seem to motivate to do any knitting. My Dad needs slippers so I tried these. I don't like the way they look and I think he needs something sturdier with a sole and everything. So, I think LL Bean will be getting an order.
I started this scarf with leftover Misti Alpaca laceweight. For some reason, It wasn't working for me but I think I will try again on this in a couple of weeks. Easy, only 15 rows. I may do a provisional cast on since I have to pick up 92 stitches at some point with this scarf.
My Mom tried to take the fingerless gloves I made for my sister away from her at Christmas, even though they were green and my Mom loves purple. Since I had the Misti Alpaca leftover from the shawl I made her for Christmas, and the yarn matched her winter coat, I tried starting these last night on two short circulars but I think I will try them again on dpn's. If it works, I won't have to buy more yarn to make Mom a pair.I think maybe I just need a break and need to work on garter stitch scarves for awhile and leave the lace knitting for later, when my head is back into it.

Nothing....

So, I'll show you photos of the kids from Christmas. Hannah got a new pair of boots that were sealed to her feet. Um, and then, 3 days later, she ripped a big hole in the toe of one of them by dragging them on the pavement so she didn't break her neck riding her bike.
I think it I can sew it back up so it is ok for her to wear to school and running around but probably not riding her bike!
Simon had a Pirate Christmas. He got pirate movies and a pirate ship. Boy, he has had a lot of fun with that ship and its cannon that SHOOTS cannon balls!

I have not knit much at all this week. I did maybe one repeat on a shawl I started in February of last year but that is it!

Hope everyone is enjoying 2007!

Holiday Break Round Up

David's friend, Colin, came for a visit on his way back to Oklahoma from visiting family in California. David & Colin and Colin's 2 brother's all knew each other back in England before they all moved to the United States.
Colin was playing his guitar and we were singing God Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts.

I have been knitting. This is the start of a 1/2 Janet Lace Shawl from Knitpicks. The yarn in Knitpicks Shimmer in Turquoise Splendor. It is going fast since it is on size 11 needles. I realized that I get really sick of knitting full circle shawls so....I decided to do this one using 1/2 the stitches. We'll see how it turns out.
I also knit Bejeweled over the break. The yarn is SWTC Karaoke. It is either going to Dulaan or Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
Here is wishing everyone a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Eve

Most of the day was spent like this...on the couch watching football.

We went to church and then Grandpa came over. Grandma was coughing up a lung so she decided to stay home!
We started doing a puzzle that has 550 pieces! Oh well, it will give us something to do.

We had Potato Sausage from Stanley's in Phoenix. We always had it at my paternal Grandma's on Christmas Eve. However, Dad said it isn't a German (he's 100%) thing but there were so many Scandanavian's in our neck of the woods, that it might have just come from them.
I also got a cooking gift from a group I am part of online. Christmas tea, strawberry preserves, green tea chocolate, sweet pickled peppers, the crocheted doily and two kinds of homemade pasta!
And, there were slippers to be opened to wear on Christmas morning. Of course, they didn't but hey, a Mom can try.

Santa

I have a picture in my head but I can't get it out so I'll describe it to you....

I thought Santa forgot us this year but he called last night and asked to speak with Simon.

I can't tell you the SHEER UNADULTERATED JOY on that child's face.

The picture in my head...well, Simon was supposed to be getting ready for bed but he ALWAYS gets sidetracked "practicing his shooter", a cannon from the top of his castle. So, last night was no different. Santa calls and Simon is beside himself. He comes running out of his room in his underwear and a t-shirt. He is standing in the hallway talking to Santa and grinning from ear to ear. A priceless vision.

Hope everyone has their shopping done!

Some Knitting

I have been knitting...but nothing complicated! The scarf on the left is the Flying V Scarf adn the item on the needles was going to be a pair of fingerless gloves from the Knitting Pattern a Day Calendar (December 20, 2006).
Um, I weighed the amount of yarn I had used and then weighed what I had left and there was NO WAY there was enough.

Oh well, I have yarn in my stash!

Holiday Concert

Hannah's school had their holiday concert last night and it was held in the multipurpose (cafeteria) room. Last year it was held outside in the aphitheater and I think it was a much better "venue". Anyway, here are the 2nd graders.

And here is Hannah, the tall blond on in the middle.
I do have to vent a wee bit about some of the behavior.

1. If the kids are singing EVERYONE (parents, grandparents & older children) should be quiet. Even if your child is not up there, SHUT UP AND LISTEN, because someones child is up there and they might like to listen.
2. If you come in late and there are people that are sitting in seats, please feel free to bend down OR sit on the floor so those people that had seats before you showed up, don't have to try and see through your butt.
3. If you have a Razor scooter, it is not appropriate to ride it around between the seats and people standing and make all kinds of "clacking" noise while the children are singing. Fold it and pick it up or leave it outside.

I have been knitting but nothing exciting. I am knitting another Flying V scarf from Exquisite Little Knits using some Regia Sock yarn I got in a swap this summer. I have been waking up at 4:30 am almost every morning and I am pretty well TIRED OUT by 8 pm.

Santa & Knitting

Ok, I am not knitting much.....I have a scarf on the needles but that is it.

Dad & Linda did give me this lovely book last night. It gave me the idea about how to tink back by putting in a lifeline on the Wings of the Moth shawl that is stalled because I did not knit enough repeats! I have to rip back at least 4-5 rows and each row has 300ish stitches!

We went to dinner at Los Gringos Locos in Apache Junction. Yum!!! I love Mexican food. (Don't you love Linda's shawl???? It is the Lost Points Shawl.)
At Dad & Linda's club house, there was a guy dressed as Santa and yes, both of my children still believe in Santa. They LOVED seeing him.

Hippo Birdie, Two Ewe

David and I were invited to the Nationwide Vision Holiday Party. It was held at the Phoenician Resort. Boy, this company knows how to throw a party. They invited all of their employees and had over 650 employees & escorts in attendence. The CEO of the company knows over 90% of the employees names. I find that amazing.

They had a nice meal and then had drawings for raffle prizes. The tickets are sold every year and the money given to charity.

Last night, the charity was the Thomas J. Pappas School. They donated $7,000 to the Tempe location. The raffle prizes were amazing! Ipods, tv/dvd combos, Southwest Airline tickets, Xbox, digital cameras, plasma tv's and all kinds of things. One item was a $500 Westcor Gift Card won by one of the eyeglass vendors. He & his wife donated it to the school!

Today is my birthday...my brother, Matthew, and I swap food gifts from the area we live. I got beer cheese soup mix, Vidalia onion relish, apple butter and seafood sauce all made in Frederick, MD.
My family gave me some wonderful gifts, including this leather satchel I have been drooling over since summer.
Hannah was so sweet. She spent her own allowance on a lovely rose that lights up (she got it at Zoolights last night), a pretty necklace that I will wear out to dinner tonight and some yummy lip gloss.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDA

It is Linda's birthday today! We celebrated last night when they were over. Here she is modeling her gift from the kids. It's the purple necklace and not the blue one. She had that one when she came over!
Simon had his holiday concert at preschool last night. Um, is he a ham or what? I bet you can't pick him out of a line up! Yeah, right.
Here they are singing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
And, the new couch is here!! Delivered today...this morning. It has RECLINERS. One on the far left and one right in front of the light. The one by the light is MINE, all mine! (Insert an evil laugh here!)

Sunday

I went to a local craft fair & farmer's market downtown yesterday. There weren't a lot of vendors but more than they normally have on a monthly basis.

I bought quite a few Christmas gifts and this bag among other things. I don't know why, but I like the bag. It has lots of pockets and is just fun to me. I can certainly understand that a lot of people won't like it but hey, that is how the cookie crumbles.

There were two hand made items vendors there, the bag lady & another lady selling felted bags. The thing I noticed about both of them, they were not charging nearly enough!

The bag below, cost me $7.50 (including tax) because it was on sale for 50% off. Even at $15, it does not come close to covering the price of the fabric, let alone the TIME required to sew the bag!!! All of their bags were severely under priced, in my opinion.

The ladies knitting the felted bags admitted the same thing, the she barely covered cost of materials with her prices.

Ironically, both women admitted that they should probably charge more. Even at the yarn cost prices, the felted bag lady said she only sold 4 bags last month at the craft fair.

I have been in a knitting slump lately...don't know what I want to knit. So...I dug in my stash and came up with kitchen cotton and the pattern from Mason Dixon Knitting. Very fun and a quick knit. I made one last night during Memoirs of a Geisha and one this morning.

I bought these two hand made soaps to go in them at the craft fair. Oh my, do they smell delightful!!! They smell just like chocolate mint!! Makes me hungry.
Here they are all tied up in a ball! I will definitely make this pattern again.

Cheerleaders & Birds

Hannah decided to join the cheerleading squad at school. For the most part, they cheer at the monthly assembly at her school, which in this case, was last week.

The skirt is from school but wouldn't you know, it was 35 F the morning of the assembly. Thankfully, I had tights for her in my stash!

I do have to say, it is nice that they have so many after school activities at her school. However, unless you did after school care at the school OR your parents had a flexible work schedule, I am not sure how you could attend these events because you have to be picked up after the practices.
Also, I came home from Christmas shopping on Sunday and found this shore bird on my roof. David said it had been there for about an hour or so. It appears to be a Great Blue Heron in its white phase and they are common year round in Arizona.
See, I totally knew that Ornithology class I had to take in college was going to come in handy. Actually, we had to take ecology, ornithology or entomology. In retrospect, given my current profession, entomology would have been quite helpful but I sure did enjoy ornithology and still have my bird books, 15 years later, to show for it!