The week that was

Last week seemed to go by both quickly and at a snails pace. I started this blog post on Wednesday and then all of a sudden it was a new week. Here's what I was thinking:

So Monday morning I had my regularly scheduled doctors appointment for my RA. That wasn't so bad. In fact it went pretty well. Then I came home and logged back into work. That's when things started to go downhill, not that it happened all at once. Oh heck no. It was more insidious. Little things started piling up and it just became one long day where everything I tried to do took ten times as long as it should have. Tuesday didn't get much better, but at least I figured out how to work around some of my computer issues at work and by Wednesday things were going ok in that department.

I really wanted to knit last week. Really. But I didn't get much done. I did work some on a small project I'm doing for a swap, but it's not that exciting so I'm not making as much progress on it as I should. I really ought to be finished with it, but I'm not and I'm making myself knit on it so I'll get it done for my package to go out on time.

I'd love to show you pictures of something I finished, or something I worked on, but really, I've got nothing. So, I'll post this in the hopes that tomorrow I can post some pictures from at least one of my trips this summer. Stay tuned!

Rainy Saturday

It's been a really rainy Saturday today which means I've been pretty lazy. Really haven't done much all day except catch up on some TV I had recorded and knit. So, what am I knitting on you ask? I've been spending most of my knitting time on two different shawls. I don't have up to date pictures on either, but I'll let you see what I have. I was going to take a new picture of both, but my camera is hiding after being on vacation. I really hope I didn't leave it in the hotel.

First up:


This is my take on Natalie Servant's Eiffel Tower shawl. It was a challenge during July for the Tour de France. I didn't finish, but I did actually start the second repeat of Chart 2 today. I'm doing the 5 arch version, which is actually 5 arches on each of 2 sides. The yarn was a gift from DF Jennifer who I "hang out with" (in an online chat) most Sunday afternoons as we watch NASCAR. Check out both of her blogs here and here to see what yarny goodness she's up to. Oh, the yarn is called Yarn Chef and I adore it. It's lace weight and so yummy to work with since it's got some silk in it. I can't wait to see the drape on this when it's finished.

The other shawl I've been working on is this one:

This is Cambria Wrap that I'm doing in some lovely yarn I scored when I went to Stitches South. (Oh, I haven't talked about that have I? Well maybe I'll do a single post on trips and what I scored later.) Anyway, the yarn is from Knitting Notions and it's fingering weight. (Classic Merino Superwash Sock in "In the Light" colorway)  I love the colors and bought enough for this pattern when I saw it. This is a very simple pattern that was easy to memorize and has been my travel, or non-thinking, piece for awhile now. I wanted it nice and long so I could wrap it around me on cool evenings, because I live in hope that it will eventually cool off, plus I think long wraps are elegant and make jeans look dressed up. So, I'm using 2 skeins and it's going to be perfect. I've actually started and second skein and am making nice progress. Especially since I haven't really knit on it regularly.

There's more, I finished Traveling Woman made with some wonderful yarn from Sanguine Gryffon called Kypria. I don't have a finished picture of that either, so you'll just have to wait.

Time to head out for dinner so enjoy the pictures and send good thoughts my way so I'll find my camera.

I bet you thought I'd stopped blogging

So the truth is I had, but not forever. The main reason was because I've been busy and life just seemed to go by without me managing to blog. I'd think about a blog post and then the day would be gone, or the week, or the month and it wasn't relevant any more. Since I last blogged I ended up one contract, took a month off and started another contract that has kept me VERY busy. I've finished a couple of knitting projects and I've even stitched a little. So I'll try to do better and also get everyone caught up on the important stuff.

Let's see, I think some eye candy is in order to get the ball rolling.

Cancer away Citron

I knit this for a lady I work with when she found out she had a melanoma on her face and was going in for surgery. I used Zauberball and love how it turned out. When I blocked it I made it a little too pointy around the edge, but I still love how it turned out and she was surprised and has used it and loves the color so I'm happy with it.

I also finished Sapphire Beauty and can't wait until it's a little cooler so I can start wearing it. I would make another one of these for a gift, same with Citron. Both are great, easy patterns you can work on while you're watching TV and relaxing.


My lovely model for both is my mother. She's always willing to help me out, but sometimes she wants to keep things. I guess I need to make her a shawl.

That's all I have time for today. I've got some more pretties to show off so I'll be posting some more I promise.

Something Different

In my last post I showed you this...

But I wasn't feeling "the lurve" and so last Saturday I ripped it all out and decided to work the yarn in a new pattern. I decided on Butterfly Shawl (yep that's a Ravelry link so if you knit or crochet you shouldn't have a problem). Now I'm feeling the lurve! I love this new pattern and have about 14" done. Here's a little glimpse of how it looks now.


I think that the yarn really shines through on this one. Oh the yarn is from Twisted Fiber and I love the colors! It was a gift from someone who apparently really likes me. I don't know who sent it, but I do know I love it and will love this shawl.

Yesterday was the first day of spring and also Midnight Knit at my LYS. We did something special and handpainted yarn. I decided to use Cascade Heritage sock yarn and loved thinking about what colors I wanted to work with. I decided on teal, lime green and fuchsia. Not my normal colors but sounded like spring. Here's what I ended up with

I call is "Bunny on Tequila"

I started a new project yesterday. A friend wants a mobius scarf like one of mine so she decided on yarn and I'm knitting it for her. No pictures yet, but it's in blues. 

Tonight after dinner I finally got the Wii Balance Board hooked up and started using it. I tried some Yoga, some Strength training, some Aerobics and even some Balance training. I'm hoping that I can meet the goal I set today. Check back in 2 weeks to see if I manage to meet it.

I think that's about all that's been going on. Hope everyone has a great week!

I've been kinda busy

That's my excuse for not blogging lately. To prove it I have a few pictures to show what I've been doing.

First a finish that's been a long time coming.

It's called Traditional Elegance II and as far as I can tell it's no longer in print. It's done in all silks, Wildflowers and soie d'Alger and the gold is Japan thread with a few gold beads thrown in. I don't want to think about how long this took me to finish, but it's been a few years. I actually got everything but the Japan thread and beads in last year and have been slowly working on that part. 

There are three couples at church having babies. I decided to do a little knitting for them. I have one sweater done for one of them, and finished this for another that is due in June.

I love the detail on this one and the pattern is very simple. Plus it was raglan top down so no real seaming! Not to wait and find out if the baby is a girl or a boy so I can put buttons on it.

I also started a new hat for myself. I'm using yarn from my stash, so I feel good about that. Plus it's in fingering weight, so I might get to wear it in April at Stitches South if the weather is cool...and I finish it.

I took this picture the other night, I'm actually a little further along and switched to the larger needles and added stitches to make the poofy part that I love about this one. It looks very much like a Monet painting I think.

Finally I've been trying to work on my Sapphire Nelly. It seems I put in 10 rows and take out 5. Still it's getting a little larger, very slowly.

Plus there's been some actual going to work happening. Not to mention since my current contract ends at the end of the month I've been talking to headhunters and getting my resume out and even had an interview. I've also been reading. Thought I'd reread Emma and am taking my time with it so I can really enjoy it. It's been awhile since I've read it and am discovering some parts I didn't remember. I'm also doing some reading for church and some fun reading.

I think spring might even been here soon, so I've got to find the energy to get things ready to plant my tomatoes and peppers and the like soon. Need to get some herbs too. Maybe plant some oregano with my tomatoes. Yummy.

Until next time!

Finally I won a medal!

For those who don't knit or crochet or aren't familiar with Ravelry this blog post will mean very little. For the rest of you...well indulge me for a few minutes.

On Ravelry (and seriously if you knit or crochet and haven't joined yet I really don't understand why), they are sponsoring another Ravelympics during the Winter Olympics. They've done this before and I even entered in 2008. Didn't finish anything so of course I didn't medal. You see this is my kind of Olympics because if you set a goal and you finish within the time frame of the 14 days of the Olympics then you get a medal. Last time I tried to make a shawl. That was a dismal failure. This time I took at look at my projects page and saw a lot of WIPs (works in progress for those who have stuck in there and don't know the lingo) and thought, I want to finish these off. Some don't need a lot of work, others a little more. The event is called WIPs Dancing. (You know like Ice Dancing but for WIPs...isn't that adorable?) The other night, Monday actually, I finished these:

The pattern is sort of the Popover Mitts pattern from an out of print book by Cascade yarns. I made some changes and used a different yarn (Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted), but the results a wonderful. I've worn them all week! We've had a nice cold snap and that has meant I needed something to keep my hands nice and warm. The color of the yarn was "Cherry" so I call them "Cherry Popovers". And for all this I received this lovely medal. I'm very proud and would like to thank my parents and friends for believing in me that I COULD actually FINISH a project!

Really....I'm alive

I know there must have been some discussion, but I'm here to put that to rest...I'm alive, and I escaped the kidnappers so don't send that ransom you were asked for. Seriously, I've been a very bad blogger and haven't kept you all up to date on what's happening in my life. So, I'm going to try and quickly bring you up to date and then try very hard to blog more then once every 6 months.

First, I got a contract job and that seems to have taken up more of my time then I'd like. Maybe time isn't the right word, maybe energy is. I'm coming to realize that the RA doesn't always allow me the same energy level that I think I have. So some things fall by the wayside. However, I've loved working at this job and was excited when my contract was extended to the end of March. Of course that means I now have to start looking for the next job, but that's ok too.

Since my last post I've seen
With my friend Kathe. We had a blast! What a great show.

I've managed to finish a few knitting projects, including a cute beret that I wore to work yesterday but that I don't have pictures of it yet. I also finished a stole/scarf and no there aren't any pictures of that. I've been working on a "super secret project" for about 2 weeks now. It's coming along, but slower then I had hoped it would.

As usual I went to hang out with my friends at a stitching retreat in October. We were back in Hilton Head again and had a great time together. One of the classes we were supposed to learn how to make scrimshaw. I learned that I'm not going to be making much of it myself and that I now appreciate the cost much more. While there my DF Heather helped me do the finishing for Halloween Fairy. Isn't she pretty?

Christmas was our usual decorating craziness with our open house on Christmas Eve thrown in. Then Christmas Day we went down to the church to have dinner with at the community dinner and hang out with everyone down there.

New Year's Day found me down at the Gator Bowl to say farewell to my beloved Coach Bowden. We had a great time and I admit I got teary eyed several times. The city did a fantastic job of sending him off in style. AND the team pulled together and got a win over WVU.Did I mention it was cold and rainy that day? It was, but we bundled up and had fun. I even managed to wear a new hat I'd knitted that week AND my HP/FSU scarf. (Jill & I above at the game.)

In January I took a trip up to Atlanta to spend time with my friend Jean (a.k.a. Doxietrek) for her birthday. It snowed, and more importantly the roads iced up so we spent a couple of days just hanging at her house. Our friend Ann had come in from TN so we stitched, knit and played some Wii games. Apparently it was news to Jean that I'm a tad bit competitive. But it did let me figure out that I like the Wii, so when I got home I ordered one as a late Christmas present. Having fun with it.

That's about covers the high points. I'll leave you with a gratuitous picture of my fireplace this Christmas. Had to put new lights on the garland and went with LEDs. Love the way they look, especially with the flowers I used.