Vogue Knitting

The Vogue Knitting Winter Preview is up and I'm already in love with quite a few patterns.


This is gorgeous and I could see adding it to my wardrobe!


I love the coziness of this sweater and it has CABLES! My favorite!


I keep clicking back on this shawl/wrap and I'm quickly falling under its spell.


Any wardrobe could use a great scarf like this! Fun to make and sure to bring a smile to your face every time you wear it.


This might be the perfect pattern for another Dulaan Hat. I do need to start whittling away on my 14 items! I have two done, 12 more to go.

Hmmmm, I wonder if this is already available in the stores or if I need to display some patience. I do not have patience!

Contemplation



Meg and I were emailing back and forth the other day complaining about our lack of knitting ennui. Meg talked about how she was ready to get back knitting again and it made me think about how it would be nice to knit without a deadline. And while we both have the desire to knit, knit, knit, for some reason, we both seem stuck in the planning mode. The mode where you flip through pattern books, hold your yarn, read labels and dream about what the yarn could become.

I think this mood just fits nicely into the time of year. It's one of new beginnings and why shouldn't our knitting be thinking of great starts itself?

For me, there are also thoughts of organization so my craft can be better without the distraction of clutter. I want boxes, sheet protectors and more space so I can stretch with my knitting but first I need to really think about what I want because maybe I'm just cluttered in my heart which would be just fine in itself too.

I need a rest from my Christmas rest

Whew! Christmas was fun and I had a great time. Wonderful gifts were given and gotten. But I'm still tired! I need more time off!

PS Very Little Knitting actually happened since I received a new video game -- Half Life 2!

** I've uploaded my 31 in 31 list for next year! I need to get kicking on these goals!**

Merry Christmas!



Destiny and I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and more importantly, Happy Festivas!

Best Better Pal Present

Last night I returned home after an extended stint of housesitting. It felt nice to be home with my cat and all of my yarn (I miss it when I'm away). Nicely placed on my bed was a delightful looking box. I quickly ripped open the box to see...



PRESENTS from my Better Pal!

There was squealing as I ripped open each present to discover a plethora of goodness.


I was stupidly holding the knitting needles in my hand when I took this BUT you can see them above with the wrapped presents.

This is just about the coolest thing ever! There was sock yarn, chocolate, birthday candles, Nancy Bush's Vinate Sock Knitting book (I stayed up late reading this!) AND also inside, I found the most adorable miniture knitted sock!



THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Better Pal! I don't know what I did to deserve all this but I LOVE it! THANK YOU!

The Sky Is Falling! The Sky Is Falling!

The end is certainly near or else Motty has been taken over by aliens. I'm not sure which but last night Mot came over to visit and she brought along my Christmas present. One was not a huge surprise since we have a tradition. She always buys me a new calendar. Each year it is about a new country and this year is SPAIN! The second part of the present was a HUGE surprise! A HUGE SURPRISE!



I mean last week, Mot asks me to knit her legwarmers and then this week she gives me YARN. And not just any yarn, Baby Alpaca yarn from Peru!



I'm not sure if you can read the tag, but it says Peru right there! How freaking awesome is that?

THANK YOU MISS MOTTY! I'm quite lucky to have a best friend like you!

So last night after Mot headed home to pack and I was busy taking photos of my latest stash addition, Finnely and Swat decided to Ham it UP!


I am the best dog ever! Who is that behind me? Can I play with the kitty? Pretty please! PLEASE!

Well, Finnely was being a ham. Swat was showing off her lovely self.


Human, Realize my beauty. Bow down to me! I am the kitty god!

Last night was my last night with the animals. Tonight their Mom comes home and I finally head back to my own house. I'm ready to sleep in my own bed! I love housesitting but coming home is always the best!

Secret Sock Swapping



Earlier this month, my secretly knitted socks were mailed to me but I've been off housesitting and so I didn't pick them up from the post office until this weekend. I was in for a HUGE surprise! I've been watching these wonderful socks grow and I was also secretly coveting! Words do not describe how lucky I felt when I saw these beauties!

Melanie of Swim created the Log Cabin socks from Holiday Handknits for me. I so need this book! THANK YOU MELANIE!

Here are the socks softly cradling my feet:





And in housesitting news, I'm back watching Finnely, Kenai and Swat. Kenai loves to cuddle and showed it by taking over Mot. Finnely had to fight for his part of Mot and finally settled around her legs. Ahhh the animal love!





I'm not sure where Swat was during this. Probably planning her sneak nighttime attack!

Happy Birthday to ME!



You say it's your birthday
It's my birthday too--yeah
They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to ME!

Yes we're going to a party party
Yes we're going to a party party
Yes we're going to a party party.

I would like you to dance--Birthday
Take a cha-cha-cha-chance-Birthday
I would like you to dance--Birthday
Dance

You say it's your birthday
Well it's my birthday too--yeah
You say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to ME!

OH I just love birthdays! Today is my one year anniversary of turning 30! Look for a 31 in 31 to come along shortly!

Tonight will be spent celebrating at Kingfish with some delightful soul food, wine and family!

PS Better Pal -- No package yet but I know it will be here soon!

PSSST -- I updated my photo blog. Check out the cutest Finnely EVER!

The List, Which Is A Miracle

Last night I attacked my list with a vengence and I succeeded! I accomplished ALOT!

ACCOMPLISHED:

1. Purchased Yarn for Grandpa's Christmas Scarf (AND it was on SALE - 15% off at Weaving Works!)
2. Finished one Christmas Present and have about 15% to go on the other.
3. Mailed Christmas Cards
4. Mailed Better Pal Present
5. Purchased Mot's Christmas Present
6. Dinner with Julie and Eric (It was so very good!)

TONIGHT, I WILL ACCOMPLISH:
1. Bake pumpkin bread for Grandpa's birthday
2. Bake Doggie presents!
3. Purchase Parent's Presents
4. Finish Christmas Present #2
5. Visit Sephora for Make-up
6. Purchase present for Kim (Have NO idea what to get)

THIS WEEKEND, I WILL ACCOMPLISH:

1. Visit the Post Office to get my mail!
2. Visit Library to get Pride and Predujuice videos
3. Distribute Doggie Biscuits to Dog Friends
4. See Mamma Mia
5. Have Birthday Dinner with Friends
6. Have Grandpa Birthday Dinner with Family
7. Relax and enjoy the completion of LIST!

So Do-Able!

Breathe IN Breathe OUT

This morning on the way to work, I had another Christmas panic attack about how much I think needs to be done. So when I arrived, I made a list.

1. Pick up books at Library (Tonight)
2. Yarn for Grandpa Christmas Gift (Tonight)
3. Finish two other Christmas gifts (One was done but developed a hole last night and I had to rip down halfway and well let's not speak of the past)(BY SUNDAY!)
4. Bake pumpkin bread for Grandpa's birthday (Friday)
5. Bake Doggie presents! (Friday)
6. Send out Christmas Cards (By Saturday!)
7. Mail out Better Pal Present (will do tomorrow as left present at home today)
8. BUY CHRISTMAS PRESENTS! (THIS WEEKEND)

Whooooo! Time to breath....this is all so do-able....really it is!

The Christmas Panic Has Begun

Do you people realize that we only have 12 FREAKING days before Christmas? And that means only 6 more days until my birthday day (gifts are gladly accepted!)! But anyways back to the 12 days before Christmas...So PANICKED Christmas knitting has begun. I have 1 1/2 presents done and today my Mom suggested that I make another for my Grandfather. She even *gasp* suggested that I use acrylic. I had to let her know that I have standards and acrylic was not going to work for me. Instead I'll be using cotton since I know my Grandfather is sensitive and Cashmere is totally out of the question.

But now I really do need to go and panic a bit because there are ONLY 12 DAYS until CHRISTMAS and lots of shopping to get done in between the knitting!

Knitting in the movies

Yesterday I met up with my Mother and we saw The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It was a delightful movie which almost became a disaster! Last week, I pre-purchased the tickets and emailed my Mom the information. Unfortunately there was some mis-communication and she thought we were seeing the movie at one theatre while I had actually purchased tickets for another theatre. In the end, she was able to get to the right cinaplex with 10 minutes to spare!

We settled in and I took up my knitting which was quite nice to do while watching the film. I was able to get about 75% of the project done which is good since I feel myself beginning to slide into the knitting which calls itself Christmas Knitting and I can feel fear baying at the door.

Interesting-ness

So I was cruising the blog-sphere today when I happened upon Fig and Plum where she linked to some interesting photos she found on Flicker.

This one struck me was especially interesting. It is an entire tree covered in a knitted sweater. How cool is that? I love it for the artistic look of it all.

I've been seeing some great views of where people knit and I too want to show people where I knit but then I got to thinking and I realized that while I have a few secret places where I hide yarn, I don't really have a Knitting Space. I knit everywhere from my desk at work, to the coffeshop, to the couch to my bed (though I'd say that I'm more likely to be found knitting from my bed). So all those words to say that I don't have a photo to show where I knit because that would take too many photos!

The Finish Line is in View

I can almost see the finish line for my current secret swap project. The last rows are clearly marked on my post-it note and I can quickly see that one or two more nights of serious knitting will produce an FO for me. Then I can worry about packaging these babies up and getting them in the mail.

I even provide a bit of proof below (cleverly disguised in black and white with a wreath to confuse you a bit):



And in Christmas Knitting news, I need to get myself cracking. I have the yarn for the two projects and will be working on these as soon as the secret swap project is off the needles. Now if only I can keep myself from the distraction of other pretty yarns.

Of Knitting and Exchanges

I've been busy participating in Exchanges and many deadlines are looming closer and closer. The first Winter Better Pal package is due shortly, the secret project needs to be mailed in order to arrive on time (speaking of which the knitting needs to be finished first!) and I need to get started on my International Scarf Exchange.

Some people though are speedy and have already knitted and gifted their scarves. One of which would be my International Scarf Buddy. On Saturday I received a very lovely pink fluffy scarf in the mail from Lain of Knit and Purl Grrl.



She even did a cute little collage of my name on the outside of the package!



And here is the scarf in its full fluffy pink glory!



I tried to get the dog I'm watching to pose with the scarf but he's so little and so easily distracted.




What's that noise? Is that a cat? Where's the cat? Let me get them!

Thanksgiving Babies

Over Thanksgiving, we visited my cousin Ethan. The cousin, I knit the Trellis Sweater for. The sweater that almost killed me. But, you know, it was worth it because Ethan likes the sweater and he looks quite dashing in it.

See!



He liked it so much, he agreed to show off the back too.


That's my hand, I was worried he'd fall over because even though he is excellent at sitting up, I'm still a nervous nelly!

Ethan is getting huge! He's a cute little guy and so very mellow. I likes the mellow babies. OK so I like ALL babies but mellow little cousins are great fun.

PS Ethan's Mother tried to convince me he needed a matching hat. She got a snarled lip in response. A matching hat in this pattern would surely kill me. He might get a hat down the road but cuteness will only get you so far.