Still working on it.

So, I'm done with school.  It's been a long hard journey over the past 2 years, but I'm done.  I'm now the proud possessor of a Master's degree in Business Administration and a huge pile of loans.  At some point, those will be paid off, but it will be far into the future, unfortunately.  That would be part of the surprise I keep promising.  The other part should work itself out in the next week or so, and I'll be able to announce it here too.

In other news, here are some lovely pictures for you:

This is the Bella Dress, and I fixed it.  It didn't take long, but it did take a little time.  It still looks lovely on Princess.  This was out of Merlin from Louet - it's lovely and drapey and a combination of merino wool and linen.  The linen gives the merino just enough stability without killing your hands.

This is the supposed Ann Norling #27 vest - that isn't.  This was a completion project and the woman who had started it thought it was a published pattern.  It wasn't.  I bought a copy of the supposed pattern she used, but she made so many changes to it, it was hardly recognizable anymore.  If anyone would like details, I'd be happy to share the changes, and I may at some point write them down and post them.  For now, I'm just glad it's done.  I'm not sure what yarn this was, but it felt like Noro of some kind.

This is another one of those easy, simple, stupid-fast scarves from Rowan.  It uses Kid Silk Creation and about 2 hours of your time.  Really - it is that fast.  The results are fabulous and it looks like you spent WAAAY more time on it than you really did.  Here's the model shot:

I know - the model isn't wearing the best shirt for the pictures, but it was all I had at the time. :)

Someone had asked about a model shot of the Sash with Beaded Fringe from Amy Butler, so here it is.  Again, probably not the best shirt to wear with it, but ta-da - there it is.

I don't think I posted a picture of this one yet - this is the Little Red Riding Cowl by Francine Toukou. This one was easy, fast, simple, and terrific.  This is definitely a quick, gratifying project.  Like one you need while finishing graduate school. :)  Here's another model shot for you:

Here is Francine Toukou's Fireside Capelet (this link is the closest to it I could find).  Again, another easy fast crochet item for instant gratification.  I think it took me a weekend to work it up (great for gifts!).

And the gratuitous model shot of the capelet:

I think this one turned out better than the others, mainly because it was so BLAZING HOT in the shade.  And we did this at like 10-11 in the morning.

This are the lovely Foundling Mitts, which are to be published in What Would Madame DeFarge Knit? Volume 2.  The book isn't out yet, but the test pattern was beautifully written and it will be well worth the wait.

These are the Marietta Mitts, designed by Mariana from The Whole Nine Yarns.  I think the pattern is still up on the blog - another well written, easy pattern.  These would be a great first pattern for someone to learn knitting in the round.

I couldn't add pictures without adding my own creation.  These are the Skolnick mitts, sans the double stitching on the palm.  The picture doesn't really show the cable - maybe next time.

This is yet another Francine Toukou pattern: her Simply Slippers pattern wasn't the one I bought, but it's still the same (I think).  The pattern I purchased was Flowers from Head to Toe, and it added a flower pattern to the slippers, but you could just take the flowers off if you wanted.  Again, another super-simple fast crochet project.

Here is the model shot again.  There are a few changes I'd make to the pattern, but I think it's because my feet are so HUGE (I wear a size 10 in women's, and I'm only 5'6"!).  I'd make the top not so wide - it has a tendency to slip down around my little toe.  I did make them longer than the pattern called for, thinking that I'd need the extra length.  I don't know that I really do.  In any case, that's all for now.  Watch for some more updates and possibly some new patterns!  I'm hitting a really big creative phase at the moment and my fingers can't fly as fast as my brain! :)

Finished Objects

So, I've finished a few things, and promised pictures.  Here's one thing I finished:

How do you like that?  Not the Princess, the dress. :) It turned out really well, and just barely soon enough.  She's almost too big for it now, which is sad.  She may be able to wear it through the summer, and then we'll have to put it away.  Here's something else I made:

This banana pudding is a recipe from Bakerella, and it's easy.  I mean, seriously easy.  Like, in 20 minutes, you're done making it.  You wait 20 minutes or so for it to set up in the fridge, and you dig in.  Make it right before dinner, and by the time you're ready for dessert, it's ready for you.  I've made this 3 times by request from Hubby.  How do you like that?

Here's my latest adventure:

I have ventured into the world of sewing!  I made the Sash with Beaded Fringe from Amy Butler.  The trickiest part was the beaded fringe (go figure).  I couldn't get my zipper foot to work with it (the beads kept getting caught) so I just hand-stitched the ends.  It wasn't too bad really.  Easy pattern and a fast sew.  Here is one more shot for you:

I really like the way it turned out.  And unless I point out the problems with it, you'd never know.  So, I'm not going to.  I'm going to take a lesson from Deborah at Whipstitch, and just say "thank you" if someone complements me on it.  Oh, and one more picture, because I'm a slacker with pictures, and I have to add in this shot of Little Man:

Giving Up Sleep

The week before last, I had a terrible problem sleeping.  Apparently, I can give up sleep (I averaged about 4 hours for 3 nights) but it really takes its toll.  Last week, I was exhausted, both mentally and physically.

This week is somewhat better, although my nights have been later than I'd like.  However, things have been accomplished.  Not always as much as I would like (I'd really like to finish everything, but that's just not possible), but I did get a few things done.  I do have pictures, but for now, here's a list:

The Bella Dress is completed, and Princess is adorable in it.  It's a good thing I finished it now; she's almost too big for it!

The vest from a friend's mom is done.  I still don't know what pattern she used, so I had to make it up.  She also knit the fronts longer than the back, so I had to undo those and redo the armscyes (in case you are wondering, that's the proper name for armholes).  See?  I'm edu-macated. :)

Kidsilk Haze Creation scarf for my friend.  This is a complete surprise for her, and when she picks up her mom's vest, I'm gifting it to her.  By the way, if you haven't made one of these scarves, you should.  Although the price of the yarn is a bit high in comparison to others, they make terrific one skein fast knitting projects.  Start thinking quick and easy Christmas gifts now. :)

That's all for tonight - I'm still working out some issues with the blog, and other things.  Once a few more details are settled, I'll have great news for you.

I *HEART* Crochet

I am loving crochet these days.  I am lining the Bella Dress tomorrow night; I had to call in reinforcements.  My mother is coming over tomorrow to help sew it up.  I should probably block the dress first though.  I guess I'll be doing that in the morning.

I've been making sketches of some pattern ideas, and I think next week I can get started working on the samples.  They should be pretty little things.  The joy of crochet is that it is fairly quick, if you know what you're doing.  I have a drawing, which should make the crochet a little faster.  I've crocheted things before without a sketch, just off the top of my head, but it takes a lot more concentration and focus that I have recently.

This weekend will be completing a vest for a friend's mom.  It shouldn't take that long, but again, takes concentration.  Here's a picture of the pattern:

It's Ann Norling's pattern #27, in case you were wondering.  She wrote it for multiple stitch counts, so you can make each view based on the type of yarn you're using.  If you use a worsted weight, fingering, etc., all you have to know is the number of stitches per inch.  If you know your gauge (there's a word we hear often enough as knitters), you don't have to do anything but follow the directions for that gauge.  I think it's a cool way of writing patterns; it makes substituting yarn far easier than doing all the calculations yourself.  These days, I'm all about ease too.  

Hopefully, the dress will be done on Friday, and Sunday when Princess wears it (yes, I made my daughter a dress for Mother's Day - it's a mother's prerogative), I'll be sure to take lots of pictures.  

Have fun stormin' the castle!

Think it'll work?  It'll take a miracle.


I have 7 weeks.  Seven weeks and I'm done with my master's degree.  Once that is finished, I will definitely have more free time and less stress.  Hopefully, I will also have more finished projects, more pictures, and time to update things the way I want them.  In the meantime, here's a quick rundown:


1. Bella Dress

It's done, with the exception of lining it.  I have the lining all cut out; I just have to sew it up and stitch it into the dress.  I'm going to try and get that done either this week or next, so the following Sunday, Princess can wear it to church.  I even had enough leftover yarn to make a cutey-patuty headband with a flower.  And a matching button.  


2. Cloudy Day

This hat is about halfway done.  I have trouble picking it up, because it takes so much concentration, and I just don't have enough brain power to go around.


3. Kiama

I know, I know.  I'm stressed, I'm ridiculously busy, and yet I start ANOTHER project.  I needed something simple though, and this one fits the bill.  It's definitely an easy knit right now, and that's what I need.


4. Crochet Slippers

I have the flowers, the slippers, the clip for my hair...just not all together.  The ends need to be woven in on the flowers, and they need to be attached to the slippers and clip.  This weekend should afford the time to get this done, I hope.


As for the other promised news, I PROMISE I'm not trying to string you along.  Once I can get this blog sorted out and it's looking all nice and wonderful, I can write it all out for you.  I know, it's like the promised land for the Israelites - so close and yet so far, and delays keep happening.  This weekend, I'm taking an extra day off work, and even with school work, I should be able to do a few things around the blog and make it nice and pretty.  I may have to wait until next week, when I get my computer back.  It got knocked off the chair (yes, I know - it shouldn't have been there to begin with) and the screen cracked.  It had to be sent for repair, and fortunately I was smart enough to get the extended warranty so it's covered. That being the case, it just has to get back all nice and fixed, and then I'll have all the right tools for the job.  As it is, I'm making do with another computer.  In any event, I hope to have big news next week, but I'd love to give you a preview before then.  We'll see how it goes.  It's going to be a lot of work, but once it's done, it will be worth it.

Under Construction

You will notice some changes - it's all because of some new things that are coming.  Please, pardon my dust as I continue to adjust things.  Be excited!  There are great new developments, including pictures, coming and all will be revealed soon. :)  Enjoy the anticipation!

Working it out

I've been working on stuff; last week was pretty rough for school, but this week has lightened up considerably. So, finishing up the Bella Dress is up first.

I have a lovely lavender colored linen to line it; it should be great. There are other projects, like a vest that needs to be completed and an afghan that needs to be fixed. Hopefully by the weekend, completed projects will available.

There are other projects also in the works. There will be a big announcement soon. Keep watching - you're going to love it. :)

Continations

I don't think I've picked up a hook or needles since the last time I posted. I still haven't finished the flowers for the slippers I made, or finished Princess' dress, or anything. I've been swamped with school and other stuff. Kids make up a big part of that "other stuff," as does travel, hubby, and work.

I do have to say, I'm pretty excited about the progress I'm making on a side project. I know I've eluded to it before, and here it is again. It will be recurring theme. Hopefully, a big announcement can be made (those who know about it, please don't ruin the surprise). There are people who know about it. I have told a few friends, and until everything is in place, I'm not publicizing it just yet. It will take time, but it will be worth the wait (I hope). If it doesn't come to fruition, I'll still let you know what it was, once it's completely decided that it's not coming to pass. Completely confused? Don't be - it's big news, and good news, but it can wait.

I only have 3 weeks left of school, and hopefully everything will be in place by the end of the semester for the big announcement. Here's a hint: school is not dependent on the announcement, but it is fortuitous. And no, it's not about graduation. That has actually been pushed off by another semester, as I still have another class to take so I might as well push through 2 (instead of just one) and grab some extra knowledge. More learning is always better than less learning, right?

Once Again...

It's time for another quick update! So, I almost finished the Little Red Riding Cowl, but found I was about 10 yards short. So, I have to wait. I hate to wait. While I'm waiting, I started something else. I started the Flowers Head to Toe pattern by Francine Toukou. What can I say, I love quick and easy projects right now, and hers fit the bill. Crochet actually fits my mood right now. I feel like I'm running constantly, although that's probably just today, and I need something fast to relax and see progress. Knitting is more of a "slow down" type of craft. Crochet is a "hurry up" kind of craft, usually. There are crochet projects that seem to go on forever - like afghans. However, when you do accessories and fun stuff, it goes really fast...like 2 hours and a project's done fast.

I've also been eyeing sewing recently. I pre-ordered the new Stitch magazine from Interweave. I like what I see so far. I just got it today in the mail, and I can't wait to look through it all thoroughly.

Today I've been running since early this morning. I actually slept in a little, and was supposed to be at one of the facilities from work for a tour at 9. I was there at 10. Google map directions aren't all they are cracked up to be, and I don't have a GPS. I know, I'm behind the times in that regard. I finally had to get a new cell phone today because my old one died. Hence the running part - I was late for the tour, finally made it but couldn't call anyone to let them know I was okay, went on the tour, went to lunch, went to work, got off work, went to Michael's (they were having a sale on ribbon, and I needed ribbon), went to get a new phone, went to get dinner, went home...are you seeing a theme? I am - I need to stop. But, there are miles to go before I sleep. I have a web conference for a class, and a discussion question I need to answer tonight as well. It's going to be a long one. I hope to multi-task during the web conference. Let's hope it all goes well.

Rainy days and Mondays...

always get me down. But not for long!

This past weekend, I whipped up the Fireside Capelet from Francine Toukou. I'm now currently working on the Little Red Riding Hood. They go SOOO fast. I love crochet; I'm still not done with the Bella Dress though. That one takes some thought and counting. It's not bad, but while school's in session, I need something fast and basic. This is TV crocheting kind of a time. Or TV knitting. But I'm in a crochet kind of mood, or to re-write Billy Joel, "I'm in a Crochet state of mind." I know - cheesy. The Fireside Capelet went fast, as did the flower accent. All I have to do now is add a pin to the back. I'm going to make another one and add it to a hair clip. Those flowers rock. It takes all of about 30 minutes to make the first one, and the more you make, the less time each one takes. It's terrific.

I'm in a crafty mood, even though I'm overloaded. I'm hoping to have big news by the end of next month. If all goes well, there will be some big announcements and changes. Keep your fingers crossed!

Just starting

School started back for me today! This is exciting; this semester I have 2 of my last 3 classes. I'm taking an entrepreneurship class and the capstone course. I still have an econ class to take, and then I'm done with my masters.

This will start a new chapter for me. I'm hoping to pick up some tips from the classes to start a business. You heard it here first - I want to stop working for someone else, and start working for myself. So, if I'm quiet for a while, you know why. I'm getting crafty over here. I have lots of work to do, all while trying to keep up with some of my crochet and knitting. It's going to be really busy, so if I go stealth on you, you know the reason.

If we have any major breakthroughs or news, I'll be sure to let you know.

Leaps of faith

Well, I tried, and didn't finish the Bella dress this weekend. Mostly because I have a wonderful husband who likes to be spontaneous. We went to dinner on Saturday night, as a date (yes, even married couple with kids can occasionally still have a date), and we didn't go home until Sunday. We left the children in perfectly capable hands (their grandparents) and had a great time. However, this did mean staying in a motel overnight with nothing (we had to buy a toothbrush and contact solution) and I had left the dress at home thinking, "we're going to dinner, I won't have time to work on it." I worked maybe 3 rounds of the Cloudy Day, so I wasn't without a project, just without the dress. This dress does work up quickly, which is nice. I'm maybe halfway done with the skirt. I am a little confused by the directions. At one point it tells you to work in the round, but at the end of each row, it still says "turn."

I really need to hurry with this dress. Not only am I slightly afraid it won't fit by the time it's done, but my classes start back next week. I have a couple more crochet projects that should be good school projects. They should be fast and easy crocheting while reading or relaxing. And, they work up in worsted weight yarn, so they will be almost instant gratification. If I disappear for a few weeks, it's just school. I'll still try to post something here and there, but I will be relegated to once a week, if even that often. School will add a whole new dimension of craziness to my schedule, since I'm taking 2 classes at once this time. I will still have 1 class left to graduate with my MBA, but this added complexity plus the insanity that is work will leave me with very little time to do much else. On the bright side, the classwork will encourage me to leave work on time each day and leave me unavailable to work late. That's always a good thing.

Quickly

Sometimes I forget how quickly crochet goes. I'm already down to the skirt on the Bella Dress, and there's only about 14-16 rows until you start the bottom ruffle. I'm already on row 7, so I'm about halfway done. Once this is done (maybe this weekend?), I'm casting on my hook again two new patterns from Francine Toukou - the Fireside Capelet and the Little Red Riding Cowl. Both should be fast (crochet usually is) and Francine looks to be a terrific designer. I haven't used one of her patterns yet, but I have 3. The aforementioned two and a third called Flowers Head to Toe. For some reason, the Fireside Capelet isn't in Ravelry - maybe that will change soon. Francine also has a website, that you can see here. It's a lovely site that to be honest, I just stumbled upon as I was connecting the links to Ravelry. What I have seen of her designs are truly a wonderful use of crochet. We've all seen the horrid uses, like that 1974 vintage tissue box cover your grandmother lovingly crafted out of squeaky acrylic in Harvest Gold and Avocado Green - together with Burnt Orange. But these days, there are terrific patterns for crochet, and more being designed by fantastic designers. Maybe I'll add my name to that list one day.

Changing

Things are changing. I finished the socks, and started the Bella Dress. It's a beautiful crocheted dress for Princess. It's in a lovely French Blue, and I found a great purple silk to go underneath it. After the trip to Whipstitch, I'm inspired to sew. I even cleaned off a table so I can set up my sewing machine. However, since sewing is less portable than crochet or knitting (notice I didn't say not portable), I'm going to have to take up some more crochet projects. I found some great ones though - Deep South Fibers has some terrific independent designers. Maybe one day, they'll publish one of mine. There are also some designs in the works, but after I get a few other things done. I also have a couple of repair projects. School starts back in a couple of weeks, so that will be yet another layer of complication.

On the side, I just have a question: why is it that some people refuse to acknowledge the good, and exacerbate the bad? I mean, I understand when things are inconvenient, but seriously, if the good outweighs the bad, why focus on the bad?

Maybe next weekend I can sit down and sketch out a few ideas. I might be done with the Bella Dress and sew up the lining, then stitch it in. Cleaning also may happen.

Unleashed

I have been bitten by the creative bug. There is something about the first of the year and all it's promises that make me want to get crafty. I've picked up a few new crochet patterns, and started on an old one. I started on the Bella Dress from Interweave Crochet. It's a beautiful little dress, with a fabric lining. I just cleared off my kitchen table to set up my sewing machine. I've been checking out Whipstitch online, and reading Deborah's blog. I've been interested in sewing for a long time, especially since my mother sewed all the time while I was growing up, but never had the nerve/knack for it. Whipstitch offers sewing classes, both at their store in downtown/Midtown Atlanta as well as online. This of course, has piqued my interest. So, I bought some fabric to line the dress, and hopefully I won't make a wreck of it. If so, I always have my mother to fall back on. :) I would like to sew, and in clearing off the kitchen table, now I can set up my sewing machine, leave it (we don't eat on this little round table - it's not ideal, but the setting is because of the light available), and hopefully practice. I also finally broke down and bought Stitch by Stitch, Deborah's book. The shop was wonderful - even my mother was impressed. They have mostly quilting fabrics (read: 100% cotton, must be ironed if used for clothing) but the shop is spacious and airy with good light. What they do have isn't crammed onto shelves and stacked on top of each other so you can't find anything. It was thoughtfully laid out and nicely put together. There is even a table set up for classes! I highly recommend the shop, even if all you're looking for is a lining for a dress or a purse. At this early in the morning, I still have to get ready for work, so I'm off!

Misunderstood

I have been so tired this weekend - mainly due to Thursday night. Hubby and I went to a concert at the Tabernacle in downtown Atlanta. For those of you who haven't been, the Tabernacle is a converted church (yes, stained glass and all) that is now a concert venue. The acoustics are fantastic - when it's loud, it's really loud. There's even a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. So, the concert had three bands who played, and one member of the headlining band wears a hat. It's a cool knitted hat, like a watch cap with a small brim that he puts in the back. It has a cabled pattern, and I told him I liked it. He shook his head - he misunderstood. He thought I wanted it. Please - I'm a knitter. If I want it, I'll MAKE one. Don't get me wrong - it would ROCK to get this hat. This hat graces the head of Rob Caggiano, who is a phenomenal guitar player (and doesn't look half bad either, I have to admit). We usually get a guitar pick from a band when we go to a concert, so you can imagine that getting a hat would be unusually cool. Instead, we got a picture:

We were lucky enough to park right beside the tour buses and found Chuck Billy, the singer for Testament (one of the bands we saw) signing autographs, taking pictures with fans, and being a generally nice guy. These guys don't have "Rock Star" attitudes - they know without their fans, they wouldn't have a job.

So, back to the hat. This guy seriously needs a new hat. I noticed he kept having to push it up during the show. It kept slipping. That tells me it's too big. He needs a hat that fits. So, fan to the rescue. The one he was wearing was a cabled pattern; I've seen him wear one with a simpler diamond pattern as well. I guess he likes the small brim on it - I think both the hats I've seen him wear had them. It might be what he finds. In any case, there's a design brewing. I think it is actually too tall for him, and thus falls while playing. I'm sure that's annoying - imagine playing guitar and every time you look up at the audience, all you see is black wool. That would not be happy.

Friday required working late; Saturday required more working, pictures with Princess, birthday party with Little Man, and a little more work. Today was church and a pseudo-nap, and I'm tired. Maybe I can catch up on sleep and knitting this week.

I can't believe it

You know, it really helps to TURN THE HEEL on a sock before you start the gusset.

Today has been full of minor setbacks like this. The sock had one - apparently it's easy to forget a step like turning a heel when doing a sock. It must be easy, because I did it. I could blame Knit Night, as this was where I reached the end of the heel flap last night, and immediately started working the gusset, missing the critical part of the heel turn. Now, I'm not a sock expert, but I've knit a few. I know the anatomy of a sock (did you know that there are 7 parts to a sock, or at least 7 major steps in sock making? Can you name them all?). But somehow last night, at Knit Night, I ignored one. Maybe it was wishful thinking on my part to hurry up and get the sock done.

Work had a few minor setbacks, but they were all manageable. Today, there were a couple of other personal setbacks as well. But today, it didn't bother me. Those setbacks are less actual setbacks and more resets to spend more time to some other things. This is not always bad. Being able to take a step back and re-evaluate can be good, provided you want to re-evaluate. I happen to want to do this. I think of it as a rest period, which is good. We all need rest. And now it's time for me to get some more rest.

More work

I'm not even close to being done with Sock #2, and I have 2 more projects lined up. Fortunately, one is a repair and one is finishing someone else's work. Both of these are slightly dangerous - the repair is dangerous due to the possibility of it coming out, and finishing someone else's because of gauge. At any rate, there are 2 more projects to get finished before March 5th.

I was hoping to have Sock #2 almost finished by now, and instead, I'm blogging and watching a TV music documentary (Metal Evolution, if you must know - this week's episode is on Power Metal. It's quite interesting and educational to be honest). Maybe later this week I'll have more progress and pictures.

Next

My project list just keeps growing. As soon as I get one thing off, or almost off, something else climbs on to take its place. I am hoping to finish sock#2 for the barter project, and then make the blue V-neck sweater for Little Man and finish Princess' cardigan. However, today, a new project jumped on my list. I'm not complaining - I like new stuff. It's just that I'd hope to see the list shrink a little, and then I can add my stuff to it.

I want to make Cloudy Day and Kiama for me. I also have the Bella dress to make. Then there's another sheep to make, and a couple more sweaters for the kids. Honestly, I'd love to get the sock, blue sweater, and cardigan done before the next cold snap in February (we usually have one of those about mid-February where it gets REALLY cold) and it would be nice to have some hand-knit love for the kids to wrap around themselves.

In reality, I don't know that I'll make that deadline. However, I do have a major deadline looming - the last 2 classes for my MBA will begin March 5th. I do think I can get them made by then. After that, the following seven weeks will be miserable, but I think most the major deadlines for school will miss the major deadlines for work. Which works out nicely. But it's going to be rough, since I'll be taking 2 classes at the same time. This has never been tried before (by me) and I am a little worried that I'm going to feel overwhelmed and like I'm sinking into the Pit of Despair. Fortunately for me, "the Machine" won't suck away more than one year of my life (name that movie - although, let's face it, I made it pretty easy) since the Prince shouldn't come down and set it to 50. With my luck, it is possible though. Prince Humperdink randomly shows up and moves things on my desk, so setting the machine to 50 wouldn't be completely out of the question. It's either him or a gremlin/goblin/mischievous elf. Maybe a desk troll would help that. Or some counter-spell. Or maybe I should just rake everything off into the trashcan and start fresh. Oh well. That choice is for another day. Today, I'm just going to work on sock #2.

Almost...

I'm almost done with Sock #1 for the barter. That's good news. However, I messed up the toe, which is the bad news.

It feels like things are moving slowly, and yet too quickly.

My baby is now 5; it's hard to believe he's already 5. We had a party for him on Saturday, and all the kids loved it. I'm not quite sure about the parents, but I know the kids had a good time. That's what was important. And now I'm stuck with cake. Lots of cake. Chocolate cake. See, this is not a good thing. Most people would disagree, but when you are a stress eater, and you're under stress a LOT (read: all the time), this is actually bad. It would be fine if the stress wouldn't be constant, but it is. This is the bad part. Constant stress + stress eater = weight gain. Hence the bad part.

Stress is a whole new ball game. How much can one person take before they crack in some way or another? I think it depends on the person, and how you define "crack." Some would consider the stress-eating "cracking," but I'm talking about more serious issues. Depression, physical manifestations of stress, actions of stress. These things cause more problems than stress eating. How much longer? I don't know, so I knit. I knit to escape; I also read to escape. I received a new book for Christmas, The Scottish Prisoner, by Diana Gabaldon (one of my favorites); you can find out more about her here. For those of you unacquainted with Diana, she is a lovely woman from Arizona, who writes fantastic novels. These are not normal fiction - these are epics. Not only in size (they average over 800 pages; her "novellas" are 300-400 pages), but in story. They are some of the best modern fiction ever written. They have something for everyone - fantasy, science fiction, history, religion, magic, science, foreign language, romance - really, a little bit of everything. I have never found books that so completely fulfill the title of "fiction" before. I wish Hollywood would make her Outlander series into movies, although I doubt they could do the books justice. The first book alone would have to be an 8-hour movie in order to include everything, and you KNOW Hollywood won't do that. Abridged would be key, but it would have to be a good abridged version, like the one Geraldine James reads. Seriously, if you haven't gotten into these books, do so now. She's still writing them, which rocks for those of us who are avid readers. But I haven't read the latest. Guess what's getting started tonight? :) That should make my day better; that, and loving on my children.

Getting better

After suffering from a sinus infection, I am finally feeling a little better. This, just when I have a party for an almost 5 year old, is not a great plan. Timing is not a consideration for illnesses. In the meantime, I have finished one project this year already, and as soon as I can get the tripod and camera set up, I'll post pictures, provided I have permission. It's a test-knit pattern, and one that hasn't been released yet. So, I am moving on to project number 2 for 2012.

I am currently working on basic socks. The funny thing is, no matter what pattern I look at, nothing ever uses what I use to make a basic sock. So, once these are done, I plan on posting what I do for a basic sock. I've seen all kinds of "basic sock" patterns on Ravelry, and none of them use the same gauge as I do. It's odd - you'd think with so many sock patterns out there, there would be one that I could go back to time and time again. There's not. I always have to make it up as I go along. So, I'm going to write it down, and post it here. Then it will be here for all eternity. Well, maybe not eternity, but at least until the aliens come down and destroy the plant and suck all the energy out of it. :) Just kidding - the aliens won't come here; there's no intelligent life. :) Just kidding again.

Project number 3 and 4 are sweaters for the kiddos. Little Man has asked for two. One will be a plain blue V-neck sweater; again, one I have to create, since there are no actual patterns like what I'm working on. The second is actually a Pirate Sweater, and I'll have to get the yarn for that. I'm going to have to increase the size, because the pattern only goes up to a 3-4T. Unfortunately, although he's not the biggest kid in the class, he's bigger than that. So, more math. The sweater for Princess is one that I can follow a pattern for. It's the Playful Stripes sweater from Never Not Knitting. She has terrific patterns. I also want to make the Yoked Cardigan for myself and Princess. This one is by Hannah Fettig, and it will also actually be worked from the pattern. Imagine that; me actually working from a pattern!

This year also holds lots of promises in designing. I am consistently having brainstorms (unfortunately, this usually happens while at work) about new designs. I hope to have time to working on them, even just in working out some math before actually knitting them. And, not all of them are knitted. I have several crochet designs floating around as well. It all just takes time. Fortunately, I keep an idea notebook around and write down whatever ideas come. I try to make them as detailed as possible so when I do get back to them, I remember the original idea and can try to recreate it in fabric. I'm also trying to organize my projects on Ravelry, along with my queue. It actually doesn't take long, just a few minutes here and there. Til next time, which probably won't be too long! Can you believe I've already posted 4 times this year? What does that tell you?! (Probably that I should be cleaning, but instead, I'm blogging!).

So many knits, so little time

Since my last post, I was reminded of another project I have to undertake. I have also finished a project. One off, one on. Slowly, I hope to take more projects off the needles than put on. Right now, this will be project #2: a plain pair of socks. They should go quickly and easily. I think I'm just going to cast on 56 stitches, knit about an inch of ribbing, then go into the leg. After that, a quick round about the heel, and down the foot to the toe. Plain and simple, fast and easy. I hope.

New beginnings

This is a new year. New beginnings seem to be a requirement for new years. Everyone wants to start fresh and make this year better than last. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's less effective than hoped. This year, we're making big changes. There are big projects in the works, and it's going to take a lot of effort. I'm hoping to start here, with the blog. I want to keep it updated more, and look! My second post of the year already. I'd like
to post once a week, more if possible, but my goal is just once a week. I hope to always have some sort of progress to show.

I have 3 projects on the needles currently. Well, okay, that's not technically true. I have more than that on the needles. And in actuality, I only have 2

of the project that I consider "active." There is a super secret project that I'm working on; it's a test knit for a book. I haven't asked to give a sneak peek yet, so I can tell you that I'm working on it, that it's close to being done, and that I will ask to post pictures of the finished object. It will be done this month, since I need to have the notes to the designer by the 15th. I'm just a little over halfway through, so I think I'll make it. The second project is a sweater for Little Man. He requested a V-neck plain blue sweater, so that's what he's getting. You'd think it would be easy to find a pattern for that, but it's not. Most pattern

s have something extra; the wrong neckline, a cable, intarsia, or a knitted pattern. This one is going to be one of those great mindless knits, once all the math is done. It will be a great Knit Night project, or a great one for sitting in front of the TV. Not much to think about, and it should go quickly.

There are two other projects that are close to being finished, but are waiting because of the above projects. One is a cardigan for Princess. For those of you who don't know about Princess, let me share a picture with you:

Isn't she adorable? That's my baby girl at Halloween, where she was a precious ladybug.

The other project is a pair of Fiddler's Mitts from My Grandmother's Knitting. If you haven't looked at the book, please do. Find a copy in a store and browse through it. It has some lovely projects in it. Here's a picture of the Fiddler's Mitts:

Sorry; the picture is bigger than I thought it would be. But you can see the lovely pattern. The colors I selected are close to those in the picture: a kind of dark teal and a medium pink. I can't wait until they are done.

Here's to a new year, and new projects.

Post Christmas and New Years

Remember this?

Well, here is the recipient enjoying it:

Sorry for the bad shot, but you can tell she's excited. And these:

were met with joy as well:

The other two handmade gifts were also met with warm receptions, but I didn't capture those on film. I just took pictures before the gifts were wrapped.

The top picture is Kid Silk Creation, crocheted scarf (pattern on the label). The bottom is the Triplicity shawlette from Skacel's knit-a-long on Knit Purl's website. All the gifts were fairly easy and fast. I didn't get to make a couple of others I wanted to make, but I think this next year, I'll make one here and one there, and then by the time Christmas comes around, there won't be a rush. The Yarn Harlot this year did the same thing, and it turned out pretty good for her. There wasn't a huge rush to buy gifts or make them, because pre-planning happened. That's the goal for this year. It's New Year's, so that's my resolution. Pre-planning. It's a good resolution, right? I have some other plans in progress, and am really excited about them. When the time is right, I will announce the plans here, but for now, just let me say that they are BIG and exciting. You'll like it when I tell you.

Excited for Christmas

Actually, I'm excited about tomorrow. We have a weekend full of fun festive activities with the kids. And, one of those great things is I'm going to make wrapping paper with Little Man. This is going to be a terrific Christmas gift in and of itself. I'm becoming incredibly crafty in all kinds of ways. I like this. I'm using just some brown paper bags I've collected from Trader Joe's (although any brown paper bags will work) and some paint and markers. This should be an EASY craft to do, and great memories will be made.

Most of the gifts for Christmas are made; I have half of one left (a sock still has to be made for its partner). Here's what's done so far:

I still have to sew on the buttons and put the ribbon on it. Then there's this:

And somehow I can't find a picture of the scarf I made. Apparently, no one has taken a picture of one yet. I guess I'll have to tomorrow. Hopefully, tomorrow or Sunday I can take some pictures of the family and post a great shot of everything. We'll be decorating, baking, and having a great time this weekend. What makes your Christmas season special?

Fun Times

Christmas is fun when you have little ones. They get so excited about the tree, the presents, Santa, baking cookies, and seeing people (who bring them presents - it's a running theme). It's great to see their eyes light up at the tree and decorations. They love playing with friends in the cold outside, watching their breath float up into the air. Children love Advent Calendars, that let them count down to Christmas (again with the presents), especially when there's chocolate or candy involved.

It's fun to be a parent and experience the fun of Christmas through your children. It's also great when you're almost done with Christmas knitting, and you don't think you'll have to pull an all-nighter to get it all done. I might actually get to relax before Christmas.

Finding Relief

I have a million things to do. There is a group project I have to start, Christmas knitting to finish, Christmas knitting to start, cleaning to do, packing up toys, decorating for Christmas, and a zillion other things that I should do other than blog. Yet, here I am. Why? Maybe because today was a rough day for me.

You see, I have a job that, well, I just don't care for. I really don't like it; I would even go so far as to say I hate my job. Hate is a strong word for me, really. But this is the kind of job where everyday, I am tempted to quit. Just walk out, never to return. It never gets any better, although I can't say it ever gets any worse really, and it's a constant wearing on one's soul. I try to leave it at work, I really do. I want to have family time at home, and not be bothered with the trifles at work. However, this job does not let me do that. It follows me, like a gremlin, lurking behind doors and around corners, just waiting for me to let down my guard. That's my job - a gremlin. It consistently knocks down any attempt I have to get ahead, and once I do get a little ahead, I fall behind in something else. It's never ending. I used to think I disliked accounting - I really don't. I would gladly take a regular accounting job now. This is not the direction I want to go in my career, and I am stuck.

I find solace in blogging. This allows me an outlet, an escape. I have never wanted to quit a job so badly in my life, and yet I keep going. Just for a little while longer...until...I win the lottery. I guess in order to do that, I'd have to play. I am almost finished with one Christmas present - buttons have to be sewn on and a ribbon run through it, and then it's done. That will be two down. Since the knitting part of this one is finished, I count it as done. All the better for me. Now, I have just two, possibly three more gifts to make.

I'm starting earlier next year, and everyone's getting something handmade.

Crochet vs. Knit, the Ultimate Showdown

Crochet gets a bad rap. Yesterday, I voluntarily helped out at my LYS, and close to closing time, we received a complaint. A woman came in who was a crocheter, and was very disappointed with the reception she had received. This slightly surprised me, since I frequent this same shop and have never received such comments. Perhaps it's because I have proven myself as a knitter, and a crocheter. I am what is jokingly referred to as "bi-craftual" - I knit and crochet. I am in bewilderment as to why knitters frown so much on crochet. I can understand them not crocheting, just as I can understand how people do not knit. However, for someone to be critical of someone else's creative outlet, is just wrong. Who is to say that one craft is better than another? Who deems one craft higher on the "art scale" than another? Is painting better than embroidery? Is sewing better than scrapbooking? Really? Who is one crafter to judge another by what craft they make?

To be honest, I knit right now more than I crochet simply because knitting is a functional craft. I need functional items. Crochet is actually more "artsy" than knitting. The items created with crochet are usually decorative (not always, but I am speaking in generalities). Crochet gives us the infamous doilies to decorate tables (and I've seen some lovely ones framed), jewelry, the occasional scarf, shawl, and sweater, amigurumi, bowls, and the ever-popular joke of the yarn world - the tissue box cover. These items are generally a strict expression of art, not something to cuddle under and keep warm. These are not items to wear while braving the cold rain and snow on a dark winter's night. These are items to brighten our homes, walls, tables, and add to the "art factor" of our lives. These are an expression, an artistic expression, of the crocheter. It's not to say that crochet can't be used for functional items; I myself have crocheted an afghan which turned out fantastically, and the recipient is still glad to have it. Without crochet, some knit projects would not work out quite as well. I have a blanket, still in time out, that needs crochet in order to be finished. The squares were knit, but a border of crochet needs to be around each square before sewn together. Another bonus of crochet I have found is finishing. I find finishing in crochet actually EASIER than in knitting. The ends are easier to weave in and hide. There are not as many lovely patterns in crochet as there are in knit, at least for functional garments. I have seen some beautiful uses of crochet in garments, but there are many more that are horrible.

My main concern is that crochet will get lost. It is a viable craft, and one that deserves some respect. After the first of the year, watch out knitters - crochet is making a comeback.

Trying

It's so close to Thanksgiving - I'm trying so hard to get stuff done. It's not all coming together; things are taking longer than anticipated, both at home and at work, and there aren't enough hours in the day. Isn't there something to help that? Tonight, I'm going to knit, rather than cook. I think tomorrow night might find me skipping Knit Night and cooking instead. I still have cleaning to do and time is running out. Fortunately, most of the cleaning is detail stuff - nothing major. We're changing out a few regular recipes at the table on Thursday; nothing major, just new recipes using the same flavors - cranberries, sweet potatoes and stuffing. The turkey is getting an update as well - a little more spice rather than so plain. It should turn out really well. Hopefully, I can update over the weekend and let you know how things turned out. And, perhaps I'll even have an FO for you! Keep your fingers crossed!

More progress

I finished the Triplicity, and am almost through with the Ice Skating Cape. I haven't taken pictures yet, but will soon. That means 2 Christmas gifts down, and two to go. It's slower than I hoped, but there's still time.

Crazy Christmas Crafts

I was going for alliteration in the title - it should be just knitting. I've been so busy knitting the past 2 weeks, it's not even funny. I haven't even been knitting for all the gifts either. I've been working on these:

And I had to write the pattern and knit one sock for the Sock Guild at The Whole Nine Yarns. Aren't they lovely? I didn't get a chance to take a picture before I had to give the sock to the guild, but I'm sure I can get a picture soon. Isn't it wonderful now that I have a decent camera again?

There are so many things to knit now. I'm finishing this shawl from Knit Purl Hunter; I just have to finish the edging. I'm also starting this project:

This will be several hand-knit gifts this year. I also have 2 pair of socks to make: one will probably be plain (the color alone might give the recipient a reason to complain, so we won't add a pattern into the mix), and the other one is this:

I thought these were quite nice men's socks - my only complaint is the yarn I have to make them in. It's Online Sock yarn, and I have to say it isn't as nice as other sock yarns. It's a little rougher on my hands than I'd really like, and it seems to be a little thinner. I'll finish the first sock hopefully soon and post a picture of that one for you to see.

As for Christmas, while I truly believe in looking forward to the wonderful celebration that it is, let's not forget the holiday this month: Thanksgiving. It is a time to give thanks for our blessings. Even if things aren't going as well as you hoped, or things look really bad, or you just feel like things can't get any worse, just remember: you are blessed with life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness (at least in this country - others, I'm not familiar with your constitution if you have one so I can't speak to that). Some don't even have that. There is more than likely a roof over your head, food in your house, shoes on your feet (if you're wearing them right not, or at least shoes to put ON your feet if you're not) and obviously electricity to read this. You have some sort of education because you are reading this. There is always something to be thankful for, and we should remember that.

Friends don't let friends knit drunk...

but tipsy is okay.

Setting up

I'm working on several projects, and pictures are forthcoming. I'm starting the Knit-a-long from Skacel and KnitPurlHunter. It's a shawlette, and should be a great Christmas gift (one down, several left to go). I'm waiting on yarn for the Ice Skating Cape from My Grandmother's Knitting (another Christmas gift). I have the yarn for the Fiddler's Mitts from that book too; I'm not sure if I can make 2 pair from the yarn I have - one for a gift and one for me (I love fingerless mitts the way some people love socks). I have some sock yarn for another gift, and some socks already started as yet another gift. I think the sock yarn that has yet to go on the needles might be knit up in one of the Sock Guild patterns from The Whole Nine Yarns. I have to look through the book to see if one of the patterns will work for the person I'm knitting them for. I chose an un-practical yarn (hand-dyed tonal pink) for this person (my mother) who is immanently practical. I think at this point in her life, she can use some impracticality. Besides, these are NOT everyday socks - they are the ultimate comfort socks. Since she's diabetic, she should pamper her feet. They usually get cold during the winter, unlike the rest of her that busts out in a sweat at the drop of a hat, and hand-knit, hand-dyed socks just for her would be great. And I think the yarn I chose is superwash, which makes it even better. I hope I have enough time to finish all the projects I have picked out. I also hope those I don't currently have a project planned for aren't upset that I didn't have time to make them something too. This is the problem with making hand-knit gifts for family.

Catching up

I seem to be catching up on some knitting. School this time around isn't all that difficult, which is nice (of course, I say this BEFORE the final, although when I looked at the syllabus I didn't see one listed and they usually list those kinds of things). I have good news as well - I now have a camera. A decent one. So, that means once I get things together, pictures will be up! Yay!

I started the Mysterious Shawl #2 from The Whole Nine Yarns, but I'm stuck. I'm waiting on Clue #3, so I started knitting a few other things. :) There are so many wonderful things to knit; you can't knit just one! I started a cardigan for Princess and finished my sock pattern for TWNY Sock Guild (I just have to type it up). I have yarn for projects out the wazoo - I just need the time to knit. I'm slowly also getting the house organized and decorated. It takes a long time, and I have to do bits and pieces at a time, but it's coming together.

Til next time (soon, I hope)!

Close, and keep going

I'm getting closer. The new pattern is almost done. I still have to get a new camera to post pictures. Once I get that, life will be good. Pictures can be posted regularly and they'll be good pictures too. I have a few items finished, and once again, a camera would be helpful.

Work is better, and so is my perspective. It takes time and patience. Knitting should teach me that, and yet, there are times I still have a lot to learn. :)

Time flies

Work has been less crazy, though still aggravating. School started back, and I feel oddly calm about it. I've been rushing to get some repair projects done, and have half of them complete. I'm going to attempt to get a third one fixed tonight; it shouldn't take me too much longer. I have TONS of projects to photograph, yet have no camera to do it with, yet. I am slowly but surely taking care of things, one item at a time on my list. I find that if I do a little bit every day and don't procrastinate, I get so much more done and life is better for everyone. If I procrastinate (can you say cleaning for the Princess's party), then we rush around like chickens with our heads cut off - there's a great old Southern saying for you - and feel exhausted in the end. It has taken some time, but I'm slowly climbing out of the funk I've been in and am going to get back on top. Climbing the mountain is hard work, but maintaining the altitude is easier. It was a long fall, and a little bumpy on the way, but it's getting better, and that's all that matters.

Still waiting

I am trying to finish projects and get things posted. Somehow, life just doesn't work with me that way. I am slowly starting to get things back to normal after being in a out of work, post-baby, new job chaotic way of life. Fortunately, things are settling down and I'm getting into a groove again, only to have that groove thrown off by more work chaos and school about to start up again (I have 2 semesters to finish my master's - yay!). I am hoping to get a few things finished while still working through all of this, and planning out a few other things. Life is all about the journey, and you should make it a full one. However, sometimes I think I make mine a little too full - but no regrets! Fullness keeps you busy and at least you can never say that you wish you did such-and-such, because you did! There is the flip side of that as well, which is to take time to enjoy life. That happens too - don't let me fool you. I take lots of time to enjoy my kids and the things around me. However, you can't smell the roses forever - eventually you get used to the smell and it's no longer special. So, balance is key. That's what I'm striving for - balance. Enjoy!

Events

There have been lots of things going on around here. There's been travel (semi-good knitting time), new fun things to see and do, new projects and a couple of new designs, growing and learning, and even some not-so-good things.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine passed away. We weren't all that close, but we had worked for 2 years together, and talked regularly. Once the company sold, we parted ways, but stayed connected via Facebook. His death was sudden (he was only 56) and anytime someone dies, it makes you think. I like the time of reflection - I think we should reflect more on our own lives sometimes and see if how we are living is truly how we should be living.

I have found recently that I am struggling to be myself again. It is not something horrendous, and I haven't become some monster, but things are not what they should be. Part of this, I think, comes from the recent death. Part of it comes from the new life that is my house. Part of it comes from certain circumstances beyond my control outside of my house. I continue on, dealing with it as best I can, and praying for it to be relieved soon. It is always a matter of time, and rarely on my schedule. But, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," and I am very weak. Whatever strength I have is not my own. Whatever keeps me going is not me. In time, I might get some of my own strength back, but for now, I have to rest on Arms bigger than mine.

Figuring it out

I'm one of those odd people that has to set their mind to something in order to do it. I have a hard time staying focused, so it's really a surprise that I ever finish anything at all. I am easily distracted by the new stuff. I am actually shocked in some ways that I finished high school and college. School was always easy for me though. Speaking of which, I will be finishing my masters in the spring. I have 4 classes left, and I hope I can continue to finish objects as well as homework over the next few months. All that, plus two small kiddos, and a full-time job, leaves little time for fun. However, hubby and I have several fun trips planned between now and then, and I should be able to relax while doing all this. It's a delicate balancing act, but it can be done. Now I'm off to finish a project and take care of two children who should be asleep. :)

Problems

For some reason, Google Chrome will let me post, but IE won't. How odd is that? I guess from now on when I want to post, I need to use Google Chrome. At least that's an easy fix. :) I hope to now be posting more often, unless I start school again and life gets super crazy again, which it probably will.

Lost in the ether

Somewhere, I have fiberfill. I know I have at least one bag, probably two. However, it insists on hiding itself from me. I have finished projects, but for whatever reason, I can't take a decent picture, even with a video camera of them. Apparently my picture skills recently just suck.

I finished the pair of Skolnick I was working on, except for the duplicate stitching and weaving in the ends. I also finished the Pi Shawl, including blocking. I completed a felted sheep from A Felt Flock; it just needs to be stuffed. Hence the issue with the fiberfill. I know that as soon as I cannibalize one of the spare pillows around the house, the fiberfill will turn up. I was keeping the pillows for just this kind of occasion, but I know I have the bag(s) of fiberfill somewhere. I thought I could find them. I was obviously wrong.

I am currently working on a surprise project for Christmas in July at The Whole Nine Yarns. Then it's time to finish some of the other projects lying around the house. There are numerous pairs of socks, a shawl (plus 2 more in queue), two or three sweaters for me, at least one for Little Man, two or three for Princess, socks for Hubby, and the list goes on and on. In my defense, I have finished more this year than I have in a while, so I'm trying to keep the momentum going. I found yet another project bag stuffed full of half-finished projects that need to be completed. I keep thinking this year I'll be able to finish a lot of projects before starting new ones, but it never quite happens. We'll see what the last six months of this year holds.

Making Progress

I finished one repair project - a beautiful lace tablecloth. I'm still working on the Skolnick pattern, but at least the written pattern is done. I'm just test-knitting it again. I'm almost done with those, and there are so many other patterns to complete. I have so many WIPs, and there are not enough hours in the day to fit in enough knitting time to make significant progress. Now that my baby's older and not as needy, time to knit would be more except for the pesky day job thing to make a living. Still working on more knitting time though. :)

Slowing down

I'm slowing down, only to have to speed back up again. I have a repair project due by the 15th, and I still need to finish Skolnick. At least I finished the pattern corrections. I'm also headed back to the gym! This means more energy and a healthier lifestyle again. My new job is working out GREAT, except that I'm so busy at work I have no time to even think about anything else. I love it, and hope that it will slow down a little in a week or so. I stepped in to a bunch of fires, and when you're fighting fires, there's no breaks. It's not overwhelming, just busy. I need to actually take a lunch away from my desk, instead of eating there.

Back in the Saddle

I finally picked up knitting again. It was surprising - at my temp job, there was a knitting group! And, to beat all, most of them were new knitters. So, lots of help was needed. One other woman was an experienced knitter, and she had apparently taught several people to knit. The great thing is that it made me pick up a project again. I picked up Skolnick, to figure out what was wrong with the pattern. I realized I had written the chart incorrectly (minor boo-boos) but I have now fixed it and can put up the corrected version. I will also be finishing them soon (my own pair). I also still have to repair several projects, and once this semester is over, I will hopefully bang those out and return them to the EXTREMELY patient people who asked for the repairs to be done. Fortunately for me, I now have a new job to look forward to (a permanent one) and will hopefully continue to knit there during lunches once or twice a week. There are other goals as well to be reached, and I will need time to get everything into a routine once again. But it's coming. :)

Holy Guacamole, Batman!

I cannot believe how fast time has flown, and I still have yet to pick up my needles this year. I've been reading like crazy, but no knitting or crocheting. I have also been busy conducting a job search, which has led to a whole lot of interviews, one job offer, and still no work. I can hear you saying to yourself, who on earth would not take a job offered with 10% unemployment in the state of Georgia?! I would, if the price was too low. When the salary won't meet your needs (and I do mean needs, no wants here), it's foolish to take a job that will inevitably hang you upside down.

I have several projects that desperately need completion, and I haven't even picked up the needles yet. I have pants to match the February baby sweater, which ironically cannot be worn in February, because it's too flippin' warm to wear. Oh well - I need to get those pants done anyway and put the buttons on the sweater so it can be worn. I'm secretly hoping for a cold snap so the outfit can be shown off on the Princess.

This week will be a cleaning frenzy; taxes, Little Man's room and toys/playroom, the master bedroom, the desk, and Princess's room all need serious work. I have one interview this week on Thursday, and the rest of the week is free for cleaning. I hope that once the cleaning is done, job searching will be easier (or at least easier to focus on for me). Once that happens, maybe I can start working on other projects I need to finish.

Expectations

You would think not having a job would give me more time to knit. It really gives me less. I'm surprised at how little knitting I've actually done in the past 2 weeks. I don't think I've even picked up my needles. I have several repair projects to work on, and I am hoping to tackle one of those next week. It seems like there is always something to be done, and never knitting. School and homelife continue to get in the way, but then, I wouldn't trade my children for anything in the world, even knitting time! I love listening to and watching my son play, and I love seeing my baby girl be fascinated with her hands. They are sweet and aweing. Here's to more work for me! :)

Happy New Year!

It's that time again, for a new year to begin. Goals are made; some kept and some broken. This year, there are a lot of goals to be made, from a new job to personal goals to knitting and crocheting. First things first: I HAVE to finish some projects that have been waiting. Second, there are some personal items to take care of, and one has already turned into a war. Who knew that a 4 year old could be so stubborn? Third, hopefully this year will bring some payoffs, like a new job and a new degree.

The Christmas presents that were hand-knit were well received by all. Everyone loved their gift, and went home happy. :) That's a bonus. Maybe next year we can do a hand-made Christmas, but only if I get a move on it and work on projects throughout the year.

I hope everyone had a terrific holiday season, and can keep the memories of it throughout the year.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. The presents knitted were well received, even by my mother (long story, but she usually doesn't appreciate homemade gifts). One gift was not finished in time, and gifted in its unfinished state. My SIL was the recipient, and was so happy. She was actually going to ask me to make her a scarf, so knowing I was working on one for her thrilled her to no end. Hopefully pictures will be available soon.

I had a terrific Christmas, and was given some yarn and a swift. I look forward to creating something with the gifted yarn. There were other non-knitting related gifts, and one in particular was extraordinary. My loving hubby gifted me witih a restored doll from my youth. This was my first doll, and she had been in some disrepair for several years. Now, she is fixed. It was a perfectly wonderful gift. We even had snow on Christmas (a rarity around here).

I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours, and may the New Year hold many more blessings.

Not quite, but almost

Well, from my list last week, I almost did everything on it. I was mostly successful, but lacked a few areas. Here's the updated list:

1. Apply for 2 jobs by Wednesday - done
2. Finish two knitting projects by Saturday (12/11) - done
3. Post at least 2 blog entries - not done
4. Finish up the 2 classes online I'm currently taking by Tuesday - done
5. Get Christmas decorations up - partially done
6. Workout at least 3 times by Saturday (12/11) - partially done (I worked out twice)

Not bad, considering things are still not quite normal around here. By "not quite normal" I mean I still don't have a job. I doubt I'll have one before the holidays are over. I'm hoping in January something will come open for me. There are good job leads out there, but the holidays slow everything down.

How I missed posting last week I'll never figure out. I thought about it, but it just didn't work out for me. This week will hopefully be different. It already is, since I'm posting tonight. Saturday is a little more free (the one obligation I had has been cancelled). Hopefully the knitting projects will be a little better, and the workouts will get there too. I bought a jump rope in hopes that the love I once had for it will come back. I hope I can utilize some space in the sunroom to workout; I think the ceiling fan is high enough so I won't hit it with the rope.

It's been freezing here - no really, I mean actually freezing temperatures, like below 32 degrees. That's rare for Georgia. We don't normally get that cold of temperatures until sometime in January or February. We occasionally have snow, but this year so far, we've had flurries 3 times already, and it's not even Christmas yet! I hope to have snow for Christmas. That's even rarer in Georgia than just snow. We did have snow earlier this year, in February. It wasn't a lot (by the northern U.S. standards) but anything that accumulates here is considered a lot. Growing up in Tulsa makes you realize 3 foot snow drifts are a lot of snow, not 3 inches.

On the knitting front, there are 2 more knitting projects for Christmas to be completed. Fortunately, I'm about halfway done with one and that's been about 4 days worth of knitting. This one has a lot of color changes, so it takes a little longer than normal. I'm kicking up the knitting time, and I'm hoping to get this one finished by this weekend, and get the other one knocked out before Christmas.

Goals for this week: finish the one Christmas present, get the other one started, and start the new exercise program (thanks to Oxygen Fitness for Women magazine for the routine). The rest of the Christmas decorations need to get up as well. I'm about 30% on those. Posting I'll keep at 2 times for this week as well. I'm down to one more post by Saturday. I think I can manage that. :)

Busy days and nights

These days, I'm finding more focus, and a little more time. It's becoming easier to fall into a rhythm between homework, daily chores, and all the extras I want to do. I can't promise that all my blogs will be about crafts; but hey, "It's my blog and I'll post what I want to..." (apologies to Leslie Gore). The more I can accomplish during the day, the more I feel like accomplishing and the more I can accomplish. So, here's the agenda for the next week:

1. Apply for at least 2 jobs by Wednesday
2. Finish two knitting projects by Saturday (12/11)
3. Post at least 2 blog entries
4. Finish up the 2 classes online I'm currently taking by Tuesday
5. Get Christmas decorations up
6. Workout at least 3 times by Saturday (12/11)

For those of you who don't know, I lost a good bit of weight last year, and this year it was stymied by the arrival of a new little one. However, I am determined to get back on track, even without a gym membership. I have plenty of stuff that I can do at home, provided I focus just on that. As a mom, it's hard. I see things that need doing, and immediately want to do them. I have found one thing to be true: the more you exercise, the more energy you have. You would think the opposite to be true, but really, what the experts say does hold water. For whatever reason, now that I'm home and not working out consistently, I need at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Before, when I was up at 4:30 most mornings to go to the gym, I was fine on about 6 hours of sleep. My activitiy level hasn't changed much, since I was working a day job, and now I'm working the homefront. If anything, I have a higher activity level. At any rate, the above looks good for goals for this coming week. I'll post some updates along the way (if I keep up with #3) and hopefully I'll also get the good camera back and can post some pictures of Finished Objects.

December

This is my second greatest finished object - I don't think 000 size needles can compete.

So, other than this, my days have been filled with my first great FO, who is now potty trained, job hunting, school and knitting. Yes, I do manage to find time to knit. I recently finished the top down raglan from the Spud and Chloe blog. I loved it so much, I bought the book Custom Knits and started Pink.

It's a new month, and I have new goals. Obviously, a day job would be terrific. In the meantime, I refuse to be left out in the cold. I plan on updating the blog regularly, school will also take up a lot of time, and then there are the kids. Christmas is also quickly approaching, which means a few gifts to be knit (it's surprisingly cheaper when you have the time to knit). I plan on utilizing my time wisely while still at home. I have already started some projects to organize the house, and more of those will come as the month progresses. Today begins a new month, and a new committment. When I can get the good camera back, I will take pictures of the next few FOs I should have completed (yes, I can actually finish a project). I do enjoy being a process knitter, but there are times when FOs really boost your morale. Perhaps I will even have pictures of the FOs with their intended recipients. Maybe traffic will also pick up around here. :) Although this blog is more for me, I hope to reach some and help where I can.