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Mystery Decisions and My Blogiversary is Coming Soon

· posted 05/03/2008

Well, we have more mysterious decision-making going on. I think we’ve made the decision, now we are just waiting for everything to be finalized. Once it is, I’ll spill the beans. I’ve been feeling a cross of scared/excited and I am working really hard at focusing on the positives, now that we’ve worked through most everything. I’m hoping to tip the scales over into completely excited and hopeful and – well, you get my drift.

And yes, my Blogiversary is coming soon, in a little over 2 weeks in fact. I have been posting photos and words here for 6 years! I know this means MUCH more to me than anyone else, but I want to thank anyone/everyone that has taken part in ‘conversation’ here with me. I hope you know how much it means to me. If you have a blog of your own, you probably understand completely. Taking the time to read about me, my family, yarn, knitting, spinning, animals, trials and even some very vague information now and then, really touches me. I know part of it is curiosity, but I feel the other part is reaching out in friendship, and I just want you all to know that I treasure you.

So………….. the celebration calls for a CONTEST of course, and I’m keeping this one simple. To enter, all it takes is a comment- an honest comment- a simple comment. Simply typing ‘Hello’ will suffice. And a few days after the festivities have passed, I will use the infamous Random Number Generator to choose a winner. The prize, as before, I will opt to leave as a sur-prize. It will most likely be something fibery, but I want to leave it open to all of my fiber-loving-friends as well as my non-fiber-adoring friends.

Let the party begin! Simply leave your comment here, spread the word, enjoy the party, and don’t forget to grab yourself a designated-blogger should you be the type to over do it.

Care to comment? [3]

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Neverending Socks, Spinning, and all sorts of Babies

· posted 04/30/2008

I haven’t finished his socks not even for SAM5.

I have been out to see Mama C’s Twin girls, who are thriving.

And Mama Romney’s Twin boys are doing great, as well.

I’ve been dyeing and spinning Frankie Lee and other bits of wool, etc.

And I’ve been clothing and cuddling the sweet, baby nephew as much as possible.
(That’s the BSJ that I finally found buttons for and finished off for him.)

Otherwise, life goes on, as busy, hectic, wonderful as usual.

Care to comment? [1]

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Goodbye Pox, Hello Pollen

· posted 04/14/2008

I’ve finished another square for Joel’s Daughter’s afghans.
I’ve cast-on and almost finished a preemie hat for the NICU at our local hospital.
I’m dying some of Frankie Lee’s roving, in fact as I type the last of it is soaking up colors beautifully in my dye pot.
I’ve been down for 2 days with horrible sinus pain – alas, ‘tis that time o’ year.
I’ve finally been able to get a start with catching up on baby nephew snuggles, since the last of my children was finally lifted from Chicken Pox quarantine on Friday- YAY!!!!
I just sneezed – ouch.
I’ve got a bug to dye and spin yarn again – I’ve missed it lately.
I’m looking forward to the Third Thursday Yarn Along and Third Saturday Spinning coming up this week!

I’m done updating for now – more later.

Care to comment?

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Not casting on, really, well, sort of

· posted 04/09/2008

I didn’t cast-on for this:

I did finish it in one evening though. I’ve wanted to try filet crochet for awhile. I didn’t have any crochet thread (not sure I’d like it if I had it) so I just used some sock yarn and a size E hook. It was quick and fun. This project on ravelry.

I didn’t cast-on for this either:

But it did become another WIP somehow. My crocheted star project on ravelry.

I did finish this:

And the explanation for the odd colors, is that I decided since this was really just a test knit I would also use it as an example to show everyone how much better cables look in lighter colored yarn. I really didn’t like this hat, I only designed it for a customer who had chosen a WAY complicated cable fiasco out of Vogue Knitting to do so she needed a more simple cable hat pattern for her first cable knitting project. It’s knit flat though. I have worn it around a bit and I don’t hate the hat anymore. I just didn’t particularly enjoy knitting it. I have so many other things that I could have been knitting instead. Faye’s Hat Knit Flat on Ravelry.

And here are 2 more things that I finished (please ignore that neither of them entered my WIP line-up, but they were quickly on and off the needles and both have ‘time’ issues:

The first is an afghan square for a dearly departed fellow Raveler’s daughters. I’ve been thinking of the two young girls so much while I knit on this square and the second one that I have started. My heart really goes out to the two of them as well as their Mom, Joel’s wife. The store is HERE on Ravelry. Such a tragedy. I’ll also be doing 2 or 3 smaller squares for the other young girls that were in the other car during the accident and knitting on a shawl for Joel’s widow that is being passed around. Sometimes it’s all we can do to just knit.

The second is the “Monthly Dishcloth KALhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/MonthlyDishcloths/ cloth for the beginning of April. It does scream spring.

Check out the shoe that one of our regular customers friends at the shop brought us from Holland, Michigan where she hails from when on a recent visit back to her home town. She is a sweetheart!

In Chicken Pox news I am happy to report that we are on the downside and counting down mere days to the end of our epidemic. Fever reducers are no longer being dispensed. Oatmeal baths are done given. All children are sleeping soundly. Thank Goodness!!

All of my ramblings I bring to you as I distract myself from the tragedy in my life to focus on the pleasant blessings. I hope it distracts you from tragedies in your life, as well, and reminds you just how much you have to be thankful for – it sure has done so for me.

Care to comment?

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Double Sheep Again This Year!

· posted 04/08/2008

Mama Romney gave birth to twins again! 2 dark ones instead of yin & yang colors. I’ll have photos and more details to share soon.

Care to comment?

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Diagnosis - Late Stage Castonitis a.k.a. Startitis

· posted 04/04/2008

I am a sick gal. Please send any suggestions for treatment, A.S.A.P.!

This is embarrassing:

Click here to see how bad off I am

That is the day last week that I dragged in all of my WIP ‘s and told Mom that I needed intervention. I announced that I was finally going to, gasp!, count the numbers I was up to at this point. It was 13 on the needles that day! Mom said I was not to cast on any more projects. Then shortly thereafter Mom headed out to take Sister to the pediatrician for my new nephew’s first doctor appointment. When she came back, Mom looked at the knitting in my hands and said something to the effect of, ‘That was not on any of your needles when I left.’
Busted.
I even had a good excuse for this one. A customer had come in to get help with the knitted cast-on method. So what did I do? I cast on a Tribble. Heart Coaster

I’ll report back on my critical condition.

Care to comment? [2]

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Guess who's here!

· posted 03/16/2008

Here is his sweetness and glory, and he just happens to be wearing the Bananahead Hat that I made for him!
Isn’t he just adorable?

I am working on my nephew’s first “boots”. They are Old World Green Serf Booties, although, obviously, they will be Blue Serf Booties. I started them the day sister went into labor, and worked at them in the hospital overnight that night. I did put them aside for a bit, as I’m working on some wee thumbless mittens for him, that match his hat. I’ll post a photo and probably the pattern, since I’m making it up as I go, when I am done. I have one done, and I’ve started the 2nd one. They knit up so fast! I did ribbing to hold them on his tiny, little hands, and I’m doing seed stitch for the main part. Seed stitch on baby items – how can I resist?

I finished a project that’d been sitting around the shop. It’s a Slipped Stitch Brioche Rib Scarf, and I must admit an underlying motive. I’m SO over winter! I figured it was worth a shot to tempt ol’ Murphy by working on cold weather items, in hopes that this would encourage Spring to appear, therefore rendering my beautiful, big, warm, fuzzy scarf useless until next winter. Ah, well, we shall see, but so far so good.

My new nephew is the most exciting thing going on around here, but in silly stuff, here is the new ‘skin’ on my Blackberry. It’s a lily design. Fun stuff, you know.

The shop has been crazy-busy, well I’ve been crazy-busy, the shop has been, off and on. Business is starting to pick up with the weather not so nasty, though. I’m just spread in so many directions. Re-writing patterns, writing patterns, updating, ordering, planning, etc.

Good news so far as the Chicken Pox that Nicci came down with – none of the other children, mine or sister’s, have come down with them, so far. It’s amazing, but true! I know there is still a chance, as she was contagious for a good week, but we’re hoping to avoid this whole scenario right now. Especially with sister busy with a new baby – she doesn’t need to be taking care of 4 children with the chicken pox on top of everything. And I had a hard time not being here with Nicci when she had hers, though I was with her through the first couple of days which were her worst. I don’t know what’d I would do if the other girls came down with them – just cope I suppose.

Well, I’d better get back to work – I have a anticipated pattern to write for the shop, and I have a dear friend working on test knitting it for me. It’s supposed to be ready for release in 2 days. I’ve got to get it knocked out. Especially since I would like to take SOME time off tomorrow.

I’m thankful for my nephew, a good labor experience for sister, my sister, the opportunity to take part in my nephew’s birth, the ease of sickness around here, my van back since he now has his own car, having my nieces and nephews stay with me for a few days during sister’s hospital stay, the many encouraging friends we’ve made at the shop and the weather finally getting nicer!
Oh, and dove chocolate truffle eggs – my bad this season.

Care to comment?

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