BELIEVE! KNITTING IS GOING ON!

It took a vacation to get a project done. But I have been knitting, roaming Ravelry, stalking blogs, just not posting. I have had not much to say actually. Just been trying desparately to finish a project. I have knitted a scarf from some Peace Fleece - Red and these Solar Mitts. My sister recently moved from Florida back to her home state and needed some warm clothing. So I started the mitts a few days before Christmas thinking I would actually get them done, but I did finish them today. Since Christmas the weather has been uncharacteristically warm (in the 70's today) so fortunately, she has not needed them. Hopefully, I will have the time to finish the February Lady sweater that I have started, more than once.

Solar Mitts - Rowan Classic Accessories

Alpaca with a Twist Temptation

'TIS THE SEASON

I get this way every year. I get pretty excited about the prospect of decorating the house and making it warm and cozy, excited about getting caught up in the season of giving, excited about bringing good cheer to my family, friends and some neighbors. But after I get started, hear the girls fight over trimming the tree, fight with my beloved over how the outside should be decorated. Fret over my gift list, mull over the food I'd like to have around for the holidays, I just lose my momentum. Plus I work full time so that really gets to me at this time of year. Always a lot of year end stuff to finish up. I guess it's just overwhelming or something. But I want to be excited and festive. I want to feel like a kid again. I guess it's my own fault but why do I let it get me down? I just feel like I don't have enough time. In a way, I guess I don't.

I haven't started any Christmas knitting. The way I knit, it's too late to even begin a Christmas gift in hopes of finishing it in time. That's depressing. (I have a good friend who might like a nice soft scarf.)

Ok, I resolve to come out of this funk. Maybe some Christmas spirits would help!

(This post is in response to friends wanting to see a new post. Sorry, this is why I haven't posted.)

RETURN OF THE LADY BUGS!

Every year at this time, my laundry room fills with lady bugs. They've been flying around the house. They are so cute, so harmless, I just let them wonder. Unfortunatley they eventually die. I wonder why they gather in my laundry room?

Well, it's hallows night and we've had a few trick or treaters. It's now 7:00 pm and I'm guessing we'll get maybe one or two more strays and that will be it. They usually start around 6:00 and done by 7:00. Halloween is not anything like when I was kid. The streets were so packed with people in the neighborhood it took at least 3 hours to get around. I was never in before 9 pm on Halloween night. I guess the little tykes still have a good time anyhow.

Happy Halloween!

RETURN OF THE WOOL

Ok, I admit, my obsession with knitting tapered this summer. After trying ONCE AGAIN, to knit socks, I became disheartened and disinterested. So, this weekend, I had some free time to myself and Ragged and I decided to head south to a nearby town to check out a few yarn shops. I thought sure, I'll go, look and feel but I really don't think I'll feel the urge to want to knit much less purchase. I didn't feel like investing yet more $$$ for the ever growing yarn stash that keeps growing because I never start or finish a project. Well, I should have known better. Yarn is so addicting. You walk into a place and are greeted with friendly people who are eager to help you with anything you desire. The walls and crates of yarn filling the store just beg to be touched. Once you touch, you start thinking, ok... maybe I could do this one project. It won't hurt to try. It can be ripped out if it doesn't work out and the yarn used for some other project. Well then the possibilities just overwhelm you and before you know it, your addicted. Yes, addicted. Addicted to the possibilities of enhancing your wardrobe with something stylish. Addicted to final accomplishment. Well, here's what had me at first feel.

I went with a pattern in my purse, the February Lady Sweater. With the craze of swing jackets and sweaters, I thought this would be a great addition to my work wardrobe (provided I could finish it before the cold season ends and the fashion changes.) Ragged and I stopped at a quaint shop called Enchanted Yarn & Fiber located in Russellville, KY. The owners were very nice and the shop is actually getting an addition it was a very nice place. I bought some Peace Fleece, Sheplova Mushroom, DK to knit my sweater project. Bought some buttons for some neckwarmers I plan to knit too and a book that had a pattern in it that I've been looking for and yes, plan to knit. All sorts of treasure were purchased. We then moved on to another shop in Bowling Green, Kentucky called Crafty Hands. I bought yet more yarn (Alpaca with a Twist, Temptation) to knit some fingerless mits. I can't wait. I can't wait to finish all these projects! Yes, I've started on the Frebruary Lady Sweater pattern and, yes, I'm as addicted as ever!

Purchases made after a fun day shopping with Ragged.

THE LURE OF CINEMA

Ok, I don't usually gush over movie stars but every once in a while, one will grab my attention and I become enamoured. For instance, Robert Redford. When I was a teen and even now, I just thought he was the greatest thing on the screen. Watching him was bliss. I even had dreams with him in it. I love to watch his movies. Well, he's the only movie actor that I can say affected me the way he did until I saw 10:30 to Yuma. Russell Crowe. He's always facinated me with his deep voice, accent and eyes. But until I saw this movie, I didn't really think him to be, well dreamy, sexy I guess. He wasn't all that in this particular movie until the last couple of scenes. Oh my gosh!! He took my breath away. Something he did with the character just put him into a different light for me. I went to bed thinking what a hottie! He's up there with my Robert Redford, just younger. He might even be close to my age. And he knits! What else could you ask for?

Click here to see what I'm talkin' about!

BEING NOSEY

Have you ever followed the link on the header of a Blogger's blog that indicates you can move to the next blog to view? You've seen it, NEXT BLOG>> Occasionally I will click the link to see where it takes me and to see what interesting blogs are out there in cyberspace. Look what I found! I found a blog with the following text and links. I just copied and pasted it here. Hope the blogger I copied it from doesn't mind.

A New Handbag Site....

Handbag Planet is celebrating the opening of their new site with a contest!...

Win a Free Handbag

Something kind of neat about this contest is if you don't like the bag that is featured for giveaway, you can choose a different one to try to win.

So take a look and if you see a bag you like, enter for a chance to win!

Looking for that perfect purse is such a hassle. I know I've been looking for a while for the perfect bag, but haven't found it yet. Maybe I'll win one.

LABOR DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND

Not a whole lot has been going on. My daughter came home from college, my sistern and hubby come in from Florida for a visit. We were pretty lazy Friday night, went out to eat after work. My youngest had a volleyball game on Saturday out of town. I heard they played some awesome games. We chose not to attend this out of towner. Saturday we stopped over to mom's for a light breakfast and visit with her, dad and my sister and brother-in-law. Then I went home and tried to do some cleaning. I managed to do some laundry and got my floors cleaned up. Sunday we went to church then to a couple of cookouts. I thought Ragged and I were going to visit a yarn shop today, but haven't heard from her. If we don't do that, I'm just going to hang around today. I'm kinda tired anyway. I haven't really felt all well this weekend. But I do want to get rested before I have to go back to work. I'm not looking forward to going back to work.....I think I'm ready for a vacation. Unfortunately I don't have but a few days left to take. :(

SO THE SEASON BEGINS TO TURN

Well, summer is coming to a slow end. I can see the leaves beginning to turn and some of those are even fluttering to the ground. I can't tell if it's because it's a little dry from a lack of rain or fall really is approaching. It seems time does pass fast.

Well, I haven't blogged much this summer, all of three to four entries. Nothing exciting happening here. Not much knitting going on either. But I have discovered something about myself. Maybe it's not really a discovery as much as it is an admittance. I like learning to do new things, but as soon as it becomes more difficult than I think it should be, I panic and back off. I've been told I don't give myself enough credit when I think I can't do something. In reality, I think I'm afraid to try to trudge on. Afraid of that possibility of failure. I'd rather quit before I discover I can't accomplish. I feel like I always learn enough to be dangerous with the information. But really, how do you know if you've finished learning whatever it is and that you are now just trying to put your own spin or improvision on what you've learned. I have to admit, that's what I've been doing with my knitting. I mean, I know I haven't learned it all but the basic stithes have been learned and when I look at patterns I think I might like to knit, I think to myself "I'd like it except that sleeve or neckline" - I would rather knit a different type of sleeve or neckline on that. And so, then I think, "oh I can't do that, heck I've yet to finish a sweater or a sock." I've begun those things but not finished them. Hence, the lack of confidence that I can. I think I have some ADD to go along with that although that's a self diagnosis. I don't like realizing my imperfections. Damn!

LET THE SEASON BEGIN!

Well, it's that time of the year again. Volleyball. Every weekend in August will be filled with driving anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours to a destination to play volleyball. My daughter's high school has a very agressive game schedule. Why you ask for such a small high school? It produces the area's most competitive players. Will the D1 sports programs look our way? Only if you whistle and snap your fingers and wiggle your index finger. The high school aspires to become a team that can compete with at least the two top high school volleyball teams of the state, let alone possibly the nation. I've seen our little program grow quite a bit in the past five or six years and the girls that have gone through have worked extremely hard for their achievements thus far. I have a few more years to watch and I am certain the girls will make us proud. We actually are scheduled to play, in regular season, the two top schools of the state and I am looking to hopefully surprise them. If anything, the girls will get a taste of what hey can be. I can't wait!

CHECK OUT THOSE FEET!

Do you see the feet on that avatar? Yeah, that's right, the one over there to the right of this page. They just don't seem porportionate to her body. That girl don't need no fins! I will just say that the socks I'm knitting right now for 2008 Summer of Socks will not fit those feet. Happy sock knitting. I started a sock thinking it would be finished by the time we returned from our vaction exploring Virginia. I'm still knittin' on it. GRRRRR. I am determined to have a pair by the time this fest ends and they will fit somebody!

The Awesomeness of America

One day while in Virginia we decided to take the tour through Washington D.C. It's an awesome experience to see the massive monuments, some made entirely of marble, some made of bronze and others of various stone.

Iwo Jima Memorial

Arlington National Cemetary

Library of Congress

Capitol Building

White House

Yes, Virginia, there is Yarn!

Not far from where we were lodging in Virgina, there was a small town called Harrisonburg. We decided to drive into that town to do some esplorin'. While driving around the streets of downtown Hburg, I spied an interesting structure to photograph. And yes, we happened across a store with yarn. It had a lot more material and buttons than yarn. I didn't really find anything I couldn't live without. As we walked around town further, we spotted a ribbon cutting ceremony in progress. The season's kickoff for the town's farmers market. It brought back some haunting memories that I am sure a few of my readers will relate. The town had a coffee shop and restaurant. But it really didn't take us long to see all there was to see. The quilt museum was closed, only open certain days at certain times.

SkyLine Drive

After a quick stop at the Blue Ridge Pottery, we headed toward Skyline Drive. While winding up and down the drive, we saw a doe feeding her fawn. It was an exciting sight to behold. I can't believe I caught it with the camera. The view from the mountains into the Shenandoah Valley were awesome.

Nation's Capitol

Guess where I've been? I've been on vacation. Yes, again! My hubby and I had a nice kidless vacation together. We went to Virginia and played golf, drove Skyline Drive and toured Washington D.C. We stayed at the Massanutten Ski Resort located in McGaheysville in the Shenandoah Valley and also toured the sourrounding small towns. It was a lot of fun. Oh, I started a sock too!

On our way to Skyline Drive, we stopped to visit the Blue Ridge Pottery

I'M GOING TO KNIT SOCKS!

I can't believe I just did this. I signed up for the Summer of Socks 2008. I have yet to finish a pair of socks (that can actually be worn). You might remember the "SOB" Sock. I have no idea what compelled me to sign up. I guess I thought if I signed up for it that I would force myself to actually follow a pattern to knit two socks alike to the finish. Maybe, just maybe I'll get at least one finished pair out of this. You see, I seem to have some kind of block about knitting socks. I really, really want to knit socks, not actually socks, but footies. (My daughters only wear footies.) But when it comes to actually knitting them, I don't really know what I'm doing. I look over the pattern, try to determine the proper amount of stitches I need to use for the correct size sock I want to knit. Then, I decide if I want to attempt the magic loop method or the method using 2-circular needles or just stick with the traditional four-double points. The double points don't appeal to me. Too many needles to fiddle with and keep up with and to keep stitches on. I only have two sets and they aren't the right size for socks. My preference for some reason is the 2 circs. I ask myself, how can I have a preference if I have never actually knitted a pair of socks? I'm getting pretty anguished over the fact that I feel like I can't knit them. I just want a very, very simple, easy, easy pattern for an 8 1/2 sized foot. I don't know what my problem is. I feel weird about it. I feel like I'm making them harder than they really are. I have actually knit one pair. They were so skinny and long in the foot part. I've yet to find anyone who can get their foot into them. They were footies. Ok, enough with the rant of my sock delimma. I am hoping this Summer of Socks will be my salvation. I wonder if it will be ok to get a head start. I have a feeling it will take me more than two weeks to knit a pair.

These were my first ever "skinny" footies knitted.

UHOYUH, GARSH!

Vacation is a wonderful time. Time to spend with family and friends, kick back and be a kid! We had a great time in Orlando at the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood and Epcot. There was a lot of walking, waiting in line and riding on rides. Not to mention eating. We topped it all off with a day at the beach, 'cause you can never return from vacation without a sunburn! It was a lot of fun. I can't wait until my next vacation. But I think I'll wait until I recover from this one.

I had started on the Ice Queen before I left for vacation and am almost finished with it. Just a few more rows to knit with some beads.

WALK FOR THE CURE

Anyone who is close to me knows that I normally do not ask. It pains me to come out of my shell to do so. But sometimes I surprise myself. So, here goes.

On May 17, family members and I will be walking together as a team in Walk to Cure Diabetes benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

I will be walking as a member of The Pink Panthers team, and would appreciate any support that you could give for this very worthwhile cause.

Since there are 18 million Americans affected by diabetes, including my niece with type I diabetes, I believe that my work with JDRF is important and well worth the effort. I am particularly proud of the fact that JDRF has provided more funding for diabetes research (over $900 million since 1970) than any other non-governmental agency in the world.

I hope you will consider sponsoring my participation in this event; any amount will help the work of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Visit my walk web page if you would like to donate online or see how close I am to reaching my personal goal or follow this link to make a donation: Make donation. If you would like to send a check the information can be found on my walk web page. Your donation will be tax deductible.

Thank you for considering this request for your support.

His Ribbed Scarf

My beloved requested a scarf and with delight I immediately went through my stash to find just the right yarn. I knitted a 2x2 rib with Reynolds Andean Alpaca Regal Luxurious bulky alpaca.

Snow 2008

These are few pictures I took of our last snow.

The Joys of Blogging

I've been awarded in a way that's special, by someone special. So now I pay it forward and even though I am not supposed to list the one who listed me, I will. She's one of my very favorites and will be listed first. So disqualify me.

Now onto the rules: The rules for the “You Make My Day” award are to re-present it to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blog land. Let them know through email or by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. You can't choose the person who chose you.

Ragged Around the Edges: She's very interesting and often writes about what goes through my mind but never really say out loud. I most often can relate to everything she writes about and and also find out new, very interesting and wonderful things about her. She takes exceptional photographs and knits really well. She's a very good friend of mine who got me started in this knitting and blogging stuff. She's a much better blogger than I. She has honed writing skills. She's thoughtful, giving, gracious....I could go on. She's a great friend.

I Live on a Farm: She's delightfully scumptious! She's loving, compasionate and extremely talented. I enjoy reading her entries and viewing her photographs.

Needlefingers: She's one of a few bloggers I've actually met. From what I hear and what I've read on the blog scene, she's the best sock knitter I know.

Finally, you know who you are. I like to read his blog cause he's got an interesting and humorous view of things that I can honestly relate to. He's got a great sense of humor. I like his pics of kitties.

That's it. I don't have 10 to list.

WORKS IN PROGRESS

I have to say, I don't like going so long without dropping a note on the blog scene. But I keep thinking if I don't have a picture to post with my words, it will be boring. I also think I have to post about knitting. After all, it is a blog devoted to knitting.

I am working on some projects. I've recently frogged the vest I started with my grey heather Caron's Simply Soft. I am now knitting a cardigan sweater with it (sweater #3 attempt with this yarn). We'll see how it goes. The pattern calls for knitting it in 3 panels. I have the back panel finished and ready to begin the left side.

I also have a sock on the needles. As you know, I have a hard time with socks. I have yet to finish a pair. The first pair I knitted were too narrow to fit even a ski foot. Therefore they are unusable. I started another sock and got to the closing of the toe and have yet to finish it. Since then, I've started yet another and put it down to start the jacket. I was trying to knit the sock from the toe up thinking it would be easier. But so far, socks in general are just hard. I'm destined to knit only scarves and wash cloths.

Well, that's it. My boring post. It's snowing and I'm watching American Idol. Hope your evening is enjoyable.

ICY BEAUTY

It's been snowing and sleeting since after noon on Monday. Snow makes everything look so beautiful and sparkly? This was taken around 8:30 p.m. Monday evening.

A FALSEHOOD

Ok. I lied. I said I'd post a picture of the ruffly twisted scarf (Angora Times Two Pattern) that I knitted for a friend for her birthday. Well, I forgot to take the picture. I gave it to her without getting a picture of it. She said she liked it though. She even wore it to work last week. The yarn was so soft it just beckoned to be snuggled into. Sorry I lied.

AMERICAN IDOL

It's unbelievable! It's utterly amazing! It's astonishing! It's curious! I've watched the auditions for American Idol for the past three seasons and I am flabbergasted at the number of people who think they can sing and horrifically and obviously can not. Do these people not hear themselves? I don't sing aloud. I don't dare. I can hear myself and it's not musical. It's just disbelief for me how some of those who can't sing can't hear it themselves? Don't they have friends that tell them the truth? I can see how some wouldn't hear their friends even if they did tell them the truth. I do get a lot of knitting done when I watch the show. I am currently working on a ruffled scarf using two colors in MODA DEA Dream yarn. It was given to me as a birthday gift and now I am knitting something from it for that person's birthday. A picture will be posted when it is finished.

We are due some snow the next couple of days. Not sure of the accumulation, but I wish it would be a storm. I'm ready to be home bound for a while so I can catch up on knitting, posting, cleaning and organizing.