How?

How did we turn into "those" people? Those people who need a daily planner to keep up with life and all that is going on. Those people who have a marker board to keep track of lists of everything that needs to be done and is needed to be purchased and and and!!!
But then again, how did I spend all those years as a stay at home wife? :-)

The evolution of the bunny hat

The first one was too big and the ribbing was only K1P1 and that didn't work.

The next one was ok, but still a little bit big and I didn't like the shaping of the ears on the top and I didn't like the solid color.

The third one is just right. :-)

So this weekend I tweeked the design for the baby hats with bunny ears. I think it came out very cute and I will now go into "production" knitting mode to make enough for the breastfeeding peer counselor who requested them. And I want to finish another chemo hat. And I have my swatches to do for the master knitter level 2. I always have something to keep me busy!

Fun Furlough Friday and ghosts?

Tomorrow I have my furlough day and it's the first one that I don't have to go anywhere or have an appointment. My big plan is to sleep, and tuck up on the couch with my knitting. And my Nook, I have some library books on there that I want to read before they are due. No hockey, which is the first in a long time. I started cleaning my studio last night, trying to get ready for the cabinet that will be here in a couple months. I cannot believe how much fabric there is in there, knowing that when we left Ohio I didn't have any!
Has anyone ever thought they saw something out of the corner of their eye but there wasn't anyone or anything there? Very odd feeling, turning and expecting to see someone but no one is there.

Cysts

I had two cysts removed from my eye today, both inside the lower lid. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, only took 30 minutes of sick time and was back at work! A bit sore and itchy, but not bad at all. I was able to knit tonight on fingerless mitts for a co-worker, the pattern is from this book:

I love this book! I want to knit the Hooded House Coat too. And the presentation in this book is wonderful, I love to just look through it. Matter of fact I have been carrying it back and forth to work just to page through at lunch! I haven't used the Ella Rae yarns, but I have been looking at it online. I would have to order it and I hate to do that because it's hard to tell colors. I know I could order a sample card from somewhere, but for now I will just enjoy the book. (I would definitely buy this as a special treat!)

Zebra

I am knitting a zebra. That's all I am going to say. Except it's not black & white. Pictures to follow....

Debbie Bliss Spring/Summer Issue!!!

So what do you do when your favorite magazine only comes out two times a year? You bake scones, brew tea and light candles to enjoy your first browse thru, savoring every page.

The healing power of handmade items

I think that sometimes people underestimate the power of their creations. We all have some artistic bone in our bodies. My friend is a wonderful baker. My other friend is a very skilled knitter. My co-worker is a photographer, my other co-worker quilts, the list goes on. When we create something a bit of ourself is in the finished piece, and is given to the recipient of the item, be it a hat or mittens or a quilt. And that is a good thing. And wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone spent a little time creating something and then passed that item on? Think of the smiles we would create, the feeling of well being. So give it some thought, and see if you have time to create something to pass on. We all have talent, in all different areas. Make a card and send it to a friend who needs a lift. Write a poem and post it online for all to enjoy. Share a little piece of yourself and enjoy the reward of knowing that you might have just given someone a little sense of peace.

Finished!

COLD!

I knew it was cold this weekend, but I didn't realize how cold! The paper yesterday said the temp at the airport was -22. Which is only a few blocks from my house. I was out shopping, I guess I have acclimated and didn't realize how cold it actually was.
Tonight I am going to attempt snowshoeing, which is something I have wanted to try. so we will see how that goes. It has warmed up considerably, yesterday it was 1 degree when I was on my way to work.

CCHA Championship Cup!!!!

We went to the hockey game tonight, which was an awesome game, we won in a shootout.

But here is the best part:

That is the CCHA Championship cup, adorned with my knitting. It's a sock yarn scarf that I started at last night's game. And don't forget the celebration after the final goal:

Off Today!

That means a three day weekend and a whole list of things I would like to get done:
1. Fix Michelle's Sweater
2. Fix Jim's wood fire truck and clean it!!
3. Work on Harry Potter scarf
4. Make table runner for dining room table (I am getting a tealight holder that is on order and I want to clean up the dining room and actually start using the table, we never eat at the table because it's my "work" area!)
5. ???? I am sure I will come up with something here!

A few more finished projects

I have finished a few more projects and have more on the needles. It is hard to believe that time is flying by so quickly. It seems like it's just Friday and then it's Monday again, the weekend gone. Last weekend we had 2 hockey games for the college and went to Mike's game on Sunday for the city championship. They lost, but Mike did very well. He's a goalie and I remember watching him play when he wasn't even as tall as the cross bar and now he's past it.
Here is a finished pic:

A nice warm baby sweater and hat, very much needed this time of year. And Jim and I finally got a snowblower,

Also much needed this time of year. And as I write this the snow is falling. And falling.

New Year!!!

It's a new year. Fresh and clean and we'll see what happens as the year unfolds. I plan on knitting up alot of my stash to donate items to charity. And I want to finish my master knitting level 2. That is the plan. This is the year to get organized. I ordered this: Free shipping, can't beat it. When it gets here it will take the place of the cd rack and the bookcases we are using to hold our dvds. We have VHS tapes that need to go, I haven't watched them in over a year so I guess I don't need them. This is the year to declutter and organize. With Jim and I both working full time I don't want to spend my time at home cleaning stuff I don't need.

Christmas 2010

For the first time in years we had good weather for the drive to my mom's. It's only 5 hours, give or take, but it sure can be a long drive if there is lake effect snow. This year no fog, freezing rain or snow. Travelers who were flying can't say the same thing. I hate the thought of people sleeping in airports. It does not look comfy at all.
I took a picture when we stopped for gas on the way down,

you have to love it when a snowmobile pulls in alongside your car to fuel up. On the way home we saw lots of trailers loaded with snowmobiles on their way north, hopefully we get some fresh snow for them.

While we were visiting my mom she asked me if I remembered this:

I made this when I was 5. My brother made one the same year, 1976. My flag is brown, not sure about that choice.

Baby hats complete!

I finished knitting the baby hats for the NICU over in Canada. One dozen hats were delivered, all decked out in gift bags:

They knit up quickly, but after a dozen I was ready to move on. The boys' hats are "Wintergreen" and the girls' hats are "Peppermint".

A serious discussion

Jim and Gorby had a serious talk tonight.

It started with me asking Jim where he was going and somehow Gorby decided she needed to know also. He didn't go far, it's too cold out.
We had hockey tonight, the Lakers won. And it was the night when we got to throw stuffed animals on the ice after the first Laker goal. The toys are then donated to charity. It's alot of fun.

It's a rough life

It's a rough life being a cat in our household. For instance, you have to make a choice. Either the bed,Or the couch:>

Beaded Bag

The beaded bag was knit by stringing all the beads on the thread before knitting. The kit can be purchased from www.baglady.com , it's the Summer Odyssey pattern.
We were the lucky ones last night that had snow, as of this morning 8" and more to come. Unfortunately I am old and don't get snow days anymore! Fortunately we live in town and I can get to work.

WoW!

Long time, no post! I am in pre-Christmas hectic knitting stage. But I will get everything done, just because I always get it all done in the end. I am knitting a dozen Christmas hats for the NICU in Canada, I have 6 more to go. I was off for quite a bit at the end of last month, I actually took vacation time. We went to Dayton for Thanksgiving and then swung through Toledo on the way home and had lunch with Pat and did a ton of shopping. All I can say is that I have Irish breakfast tea to last me through the winter and I now have a dressform so I can knit freeform garments.

We are getting snow. And we are supposed to get alot of it. I am hoping for a snow day but I also know that isn't going to happen. Big sigh. :-)
I do have a few pictures of a beaded handbag I knit for my friend Kathy for her birthday. It is small, only about 3" long. But I love the way the beaded knitting feels, and Kathy likes it too!

Monday is over

Monday is officially drawing to a close and I am happy that I only have to get up early 4 more days this week. I never understood why people liked the weekends so much. Then I got a full time job. And now I know how magical the weekends are. Time to stretch out on the couch for a nap, or being able to read a good book until the wee hours of the morning without having to get up early for work the next day.
I am in the middle of several books right now, one is a book about breast cancer and one is Shakespeare's Champion by Charlene Harris. I want to read through some of these books I have piled in stacks around here.
My new laptop has sticky notes you can put on the screen and I am using them to keep track of my knitting projects I need to finish. I have started the baby sweater set for Teri L., and it's very pretty, the new mommy wanted red, and it's fun to knit a baby sweater with a primary color instead of a pastel...