January 31, 2008

More to life than baby socks

Somehow life goes on without baby sock knitting. I will not lie to you and say that it's been an easy transition. I started back on the scarf I was knitting for my neice for christmas. Love the pattern but not crazy about the yarn. She's a fan of the orange so she should like this. And the nice thing? It'll be done before next christmas.
Although this is now calling my name ......
880 yrds of lace weight yarn from Ray. What to make? Any suggestions? I already know it'll be for me and I will not share.
I joined a knit along on Ravelry. February's sock is the jaywalker. I think I'm probably the last person in blogworld who has not made a jaywalker. Looking over my stash of yarn I think I'll be using my prize yarn. I think it'll look so cute with red toes.
Ray's yarn shouldn't be calling to me because this is screaming every time I go into the living room. "Hey, lazy bitch. Yes you over there working on other projects. Don't be acting like you don't know me. All you need to do is hide 2 ends and block me. Just do it already. Don't keep me waiting. I'll move to the top of the loveseat at night and let Oscar sleep on me. No it's not an empty threat. I'll do it."

January 28, 2008

First fo 2008

36 baby socks for A4A.
And the prize yarn is some nice alpaca from my stash.
Nothing like waiting until the last minute to finish January socks for KAL's.

January 25, 2008

We have a winner!

Three people guessed the correct amount of socks. I finished 36 pair (and much to my hubby's delight didn't put a single pair on my fingers and say, Look they are even cute walking). By random drawing the winner is Sophanne.

The grandkids are coming any minute so I'll snap a pic of the socks and the prize yarn on Monday. Thanks everyone for playing along.

January 24, 2008

The rule is no cats on the table

Joey: Well if you didn't want me on the table then you shouldn't have left this nice comforter on it for 3 seconds. You just should have folded it and put it away. It's all your fault.
Charlie: What the heck!?!? How did I get here? OMG the sun must have been in my eyes and I thought I was jumping on the couch.
Oscar: Who gives a rat's ass about you and your stupid rules anyways. I've got this nice back of the loveseat.
Finished sock #1 of my January socks. Seems funny knitting an adult sock after so many baby ones. It took forever!!! Ok only working on it since Monday but it felt like forever.
Got a package yesterday and opened it to find these little faces. Gonna make my morning and afternoon coffee even better.
Notice the gram made socks? I sure did.

January 20, 2008

Time for a contest

So what happens when you start knitting just one thing on 1/1/08? Say of instance an obsessive sock knitter decided to knit baby socks. And this obsessive sock knitter knit nothing but baby socks for 20 days straight? If she worked 60 hours a week and squeezed in knitting around that schedule how many pair of baby socks do you think she's be able to finish to mail off to Afghans for Afghans? Take a guess. Winner will be drawn on Friday 1/25/08 at 12 est.

January 16, 2008

Packaging ........

This is the packaging for one $10.00 flannel shirt. A plastic bag, cardboard on the outer part of the collar and the back of the shirt, plastic on the inside of the collar and the top button, tissue paper on the inside of the shirt, and 7 pins. What a friggin waste!
Secret knitting continues.....
Since I've joined 2 sock knit alongs I figured I'd better at least pick out the yarn for my January socks. I'll work of them next week. Love the fall colors.

Charlies says: I'd probably give a crap if your hobby involved tuna or maybe some capnip but since it doesn't I'll give you 'the look' until you go away. No really, just move along. Nothing to see here.

January 15, 2008

D2's new tattoos

I'll start off by saying that I don't have any tattoos. I don't find them offensive but it's been my choice not to have any tattoos. I think some tattoos are beautiful, well thought out symbols of a part of life, hobby, or a special person. Others are more than a little stupid.
My friend's son had a tattoo put around his arm. "It's a tribal band" he explained. "What's your tribe?" I asked. Eyes rolled and no explanation followed. I would have expected to hear, "I love how it looks" but no explanation said that his friends were getting them and being one of the cool kids he went along with the group.
D2 is into tattoos. She has one on her left leg of a baby smurf stacking blocks. On the blocks are her name and date of birth. I don't care for it but it's got meaning to her. On her right back shoulder are a couple of cherries. Lower back is Senior Frog (a bar logo) and on her front right hip is the first initial of her name. I don't really care for any of them but it's her body and when she gets married it'll be up to her to try to cover up a big red frog on her lower back.
That being said .....

these would probably make more sense if they were on a 3 yr old instead of a 23 yr old. I don't get it.

Secret knitting has been happening. Contest next week about it.

January 14, 2008

Defeat the Winter Doldrums exchange

Looking for a fun exchange? Like dishcloths? Try this one.

1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? I knit
2. What types of needles do you enjoy using for making dishcloths? I usually use my trusty knit picks options. The cotton slides well on metal needles.
3. What types of cotton do you enjoy using for making dishcloths? Is there any that you've been wanting to try? I usually use cotton yarn from michaels or ac moores. No particular favs and nothing I've been wanting to try.
4. What color(s) are your kitchen and bath decorated in (if any)? blues and greens
5. What are your favorite colors for yarns? blues, greens, purples. Least favorite? black, white and brown.
6. Do you like Winter, or do you count the days until it ends? Winter is ok. Don't like snow, ice or cold but love the way fresh snow looks.
7. What's your favorite way to brighten your day when you're down in the dumps? Play with my grandkids or knit a little.
8. What is your favorite treat to indulge in and when your down in the dumps? a nice cup of coffee and dark chocolate.
9. Do you drink coffee? Tea? Cocoa? coffee or herbal tea
10. If you could take a vacation starting tomorrow and go anywhere for one week and money were no object, where would you go and what would you do? I'd take a cruise to Alaska and go sight seeing; taking in nature at it's best.
11. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should be aware of? Nope no fiber or food allergies.

January 10, 2008

The last yarn purchase for 2007 $28.00 total $862.00

This is the last of my yarn purchases for 2007. Double strand = a nice sock weight. That is gonna make a whole lot of socks or some nice lace weight scarves/shawls. 90% wool 10% nylon from ebay.
So the total I spent on yarn for 2007 was around $862.00. Add some books, needles, magazines, etc and my hobby probably ran around $1000.00 for the year. Not bad at all. I finished 113 items. And I have enough yarn in the house to last at least a year ... just in case there's a crisis and I can't get to a store for one year. lol.
I haven't blocked the scarf yet because I'm working on this secret for a contest next week. It'll be a guessing contest involving a quanity of baby socks. My hubby said that sooner or later I'd get tired of making baby socks but that just doesn't seem to be happening.

Maybe it's time for a 12 step program? "Hi I'm Diane and I can't stop making baby socks."

Gotta go have a little breakfast. If you like oatmeal you've got to try this stuff. Totally different taste and texture. Unfortunately if take about a half hour to make it so I do a larger quanity and throw it in the fridge so I don't have to make it every day.

January 07, 2008

What I should be doing instead of blogging ....


Maybe if I just stall a little longer the wood stacking elves will come.

January 05, 2008

The joys of home ownership

I'll start off by saying that my hubby is a builder and can fix anything around the house. But several weeks ago we started to have a problem with water stains in the foyer. This could only mean there was a leak in the upper bathroom. Upon investigation it turned out to be something with the shower so drywall needed to be cut. Leak fixed but wall not fixed and this is what my upper bathroom wall looks like today.
Charlie says "Diane I don't know why he just didn't leave this open for me. It was a great place for me to hide."
Around the same time there was a leak in the hot water heater. Hubby and a friend fixed it in no time at all but apparently when the water was turned back on some scale from the bottom of the tank got into the water system and clogged the shower in the master bathroom. Unfortunately this can't be repaired and will have to be replaced. This is the wall in my bathroom. Now where have I seen this before .........

If anything happens in the main level shower stall we're up sh**s creek ..... because it's not a simple cut thru the wall. Now we'll see how long it is before he gets around to a little drywall repair. I'm not holding my breath.

On a brighter note I did finish the knitting on D#3's shawl/scarf. I'll try to get it blocked over the weekend because the longer I wait the longer I'll have to listen to her complain. I love the color.


Joey says "Can you keep it down a little. You are ruining my mid morning nap. Now I'll have to take a longer late morning nap to make up for it."

January 02, 2008

Kid stuff

W got a kid friendly digital camera for Christmas from his great uncle. He loves it. He's been taking pictures of everyone and everything. Today was his first day back at nursery school and he begged his mommy to let him take the camera to get some pictures of school. His mommy agreed but said that they would have to go a little early, take the pictures, and then she's take the camera home with her so the class wouldn't be distracted.

W and mommy arrive at school and W takes pictures of everything. It's time for class to start so mommy takes the camera and starts to walk to the door. W runs over all excited and mommy thinks it's for a quick hug before she leaves. She's correct. W grabs the camera, hugs it, and announces, "I love my camera sooooooo much."

W: Gram I've got some exciting news!
Me: Oh what could it be?
W: I've got a tooth that's loose. I was eatting an apple but I couldn't because my tooth wasn't strong enough.
Me: That's so exciting.
W: Yes and do you know what happens next?
Me: Your tooth comes out?
W: After that part. Someone comes to our house.
Me: Is it an elephant?
W: **Huge sigh and a tone in his voice like "Gram how have you gotten this far in life without knowing stuff? Thank God for me so you won't be stupid any longer" ** No not an elephant. The tooth fairy will come and take my tooth and leave me money.
Me: Oh that sounds much better than having an elephant in your house.
W: Yes it is. I can't talk any more. I'm too excited. I've got to go wiggle my tooth some more.

Traditions

Yesterday was the day to dip into my filebox of tattered paper to find this. This paper is about 50 yrs old. It's the receipe on it for kugalee that belonged to my grandmother that was given to my mom. My grandma didn't need directions. She had made this so many times that the directions were in her soul. But since this is only the second time I've made this by myself I needed directions.
Anything calling for 5 eggs and a stick of butter .... not to mention the entire package of bacon with grease that I used ..... can't be seen as a food that's really good for you. But it's part of my past. Part of my parents history and sometimes that alone makes it ok.
1.5 hrs of prep time and into the oven for a little over 2 hrs. This is the end result. Yummy!