Wow I haven't blogged in forever. Why? The one possible reader I might have had asks. Well I haven't done anything. Oh don't get me wrong I've been plenty busy, I just haven't done anything fibery. Except finally finish the damn Lil' red ridding hoodie. Yay me! That thing is finally done.


So lets see what else has been going on you ask. Well lots. I have been sick yet again and yes I have actually seen the Dr. If anyone knows me they know I so do not go to the Dr's so it must be bad right? Well they don't know. I'm turning into a radiological pin cushion. Maybe, just maybe before I go postal they will find out why I've been so sick and fix it. On top of that, and oh yeah like 4 more trips to NJ (my sister had another baby) I now have a very adorable nephew. My mom tried to burn the house down with a grease fire. Yup she caught a pan on fire 5 foot flames and all, and my step-dad decided the best way to handle it was to get it out of the house. So on the way out he tripped and sloshed flaming hot grease on his right arm and then fell in the living room. He's OK thankfully, 3rd degree burns all up his right arm and leg, and the rug was toast but all in all it could've been a lot worse. He is doing good his arm is healing so well and he was in good spirits about it. As good as can be expected. My mom took the kids outside when it all started so they were all OK. I was behind my step dad while all this happened so what do I do when I see the rug and paper towels and all on fire. That's right step on it. OK no big deal it will put out small flames. Yeah, yet again anyone who know me knows I live in flip flops. I know you don' t have to tell me how not smart that was I got 2ND degree burns on my foot. Not just my foot but the bottom of my foot. That is so uncomfortable. I know I'm dumb. Its OK we are all OK and except for some minor damage the house is too. Needless to say I have been run ragged helping mom clean as she can't get down on the floor to do it and then helping with everything else and taking care of step dad while mom worked. I haven't had a minute. On top of something being wrong with me and then running to do whatever I can to help them once I clean up after dinner and sit I'm out cold. So that's part of the reason why I haven't done a thing. Oh yeah and all this happened about a week after we finished moving, I still have my formal living room and craft room filled with boxes that need to be put away. Yeah sure. Hopefully things will calm down. I go for another test next week and school starts next week and step dad is doing good on his own now so maybe just maybe I can regain some normal.

I did finish the sweater, but really all I needed to do was the zipper bands and pockets so that was cheating. I have turned the heel on my 2ND jaywalker, and I crocheted some swiffer covers (quick Dr office projects:-) I'm thinking about making the Hallowig from knitty but I don't know if I have the energy right now to start something new. We'll see. That's about all for now, since I actually had some good knitting progress to share I figured I would blog. Once I know what's wrong with me and if I get out of this funk I will blog more then as well.

I'll leave you with Keat's 7th birthday pictures, and her first big girl 2 wheeler!

Sometimes if she wasn't this cute I'd kill her! But then she goes and makes a cute face like this and acts so sweet you have to smile. BTW we mastered potty training she is just finally mastering it but she can go days in big girl panties with no accidents! Yay Lana!

Have a Safe and Happy Labor Day!

Sewing!
Yes on occasion I will pull out the machine, dust if off (cuz I don't have the ambition to sew a cover) and make something.

We (meaning hubby and I) Just redid mom's kitchen and she found some material and wanted valances and like shelf curtains so she asked me to do them for her. I figured since I had to get the machine anyway I would attempt a purse I had been wanting to make. I have seen some of the knitting bag/purses and just didn't love any and figured I could try to make my own. Well lets just say I am a rudimentary sewer at best so it didn't come out so great, but at the same point in time not too horrible either.

Toile ( my fav) red duck, and some red black ribbon and this is what I came up with.
There are many, many mistakes but oh well I love it. BTW next time sew the ribbon on the outside parts of the bag before you attach the lining (Sometimes I am really a dumbass) so I had to carefully sew the ribbon on by hand.

I put some cute cherry material for the lining and the some pockets on both sides, and I took my leftover bottom material and made a middle pouch to hold my knitting and keep it free from all the pursy stuff I put some magnetic snaps on the pouch and the bag itself (almost lost a finger doing that) and over all it is just right, a little big for my typical purse but when you do a purse/knitting bag I guess it has to be. It holds all I need on the sides and in the knitting part is my Hedera sock. I call this a success and I have been carrying it proudly.

Knitting and/or wool-ish related content.


Knitty's Hedera in Seacoast Hand painted yarns that I got at Fiberphilia. Can't remember what colorway it was but its pretty and I think it Is a bamboo blend.

Some more spinning. This is Spunky Eclectic Swamp monster that my SIL in picked out at SPA She want's a felted laptop cozy out of it. I will be happy to oblige but at the same point in time even tho I am not a fan of green I love this the shading the blending and just the over all quality of it. I really will hate to part with this one. I am so going to have to get more soon to do something for myself out of it as I do love it. It is just plain merino and oh so soft and spongy and pretty.

Stretched out view of the Hedera I think it is ok but I don't know if the pattern detracts from the colors or the colors detract from the pattern. I will have to see. I shortened them down considerable from the pattern and I am making more a pair of springy ankle socks out of it.

Kiki has decided she wants to knit as she is always after me to knit her some washcloths. She loves playing with washcloths. I am not a fan of knittting them myself and I am so not a fan of the sugar and cream crap, so I told her if she wanted some she woud have to learn how to make them. So she did. She is working on her very first knitting proect and she is doing great she really picked it up quick. (sob) I'm so proud of my little girl! I was afraid the crafty gene had skipped her, but apparently it didn't I am so happy!!!

Happy Easter!!


Some of the eggs the girls and I colored last night. There are plain colors, glitter colors and marble colors.

Little miss thing in her easter dress giving me 'tude.

My pretty Kiki in her easter dress.

It's ok mom we'll be good!

Easter. My favorite Holiday. I love Easter, the coming of spring the bright colors, the egg decorating, everything. I love it. Apparently my youngest doesn't. She was petrified of the Easter bunny. Can you see her screaming? She was doing everything thing she could to get away. Climbing in the buggy, climbing out of the buggy, anything to go away. We tried bribing her, we tried showing her sissy wasn't scared, she wasn't having it.


So Daddy tried a sneak attack. We all got in position and he came up behind the back ground and snuck up. This was the best picture until she realized what he was doing and screamed again. Oh well memories right? It's cute and she will laugh about it when she's older.

Now here's sissy. What a good sport. She was never bothered by these guys. She loved them, even as a baby. They are so night and day but honestly it is so much fun seeing the differences in them.

Some of my own actual knitting,

My fingerless mittens. Why is that I always seem to do projects for others in a day or two but these for me have been over a month on the needles. I have made a half dozen of these mittens and I know I can do a pair in a weekend, so why have these taken so long? That's right they are for me, and others need warm hands more then I do in this snow hell we call Maine. We've had something like 138 inches total snow this season. The worst year of snow since lik 1939. Is it just me or is that nuts? I'm about done with the snow. I don't mind the snow. I like it in small amounts, but this year is crazy. We just got 18 more inches this weekend. We have at least 2 more months of this to get thru. I need warmth!

Fingerless mits to keep my friends hands warm at work. These are Vine by Magknits from Dec '07 in Blue Sky Alpaca and silk on size 3. iIlove them and they look so great on me don't they? I really hated to part with them. But they will have a good home.

My packaging for her. I love Easter. I love decorating eggs I have already started I love it that much.

My latest spinning attempt. This is Spunky Eclectic I so can't remember what color or what type of wool. I think if was BFL. But I couldn't really read what the colorway was (it was hand written) so I never really knew and have since lost the actual label too. It came out nice tho I think. I do like the colors. A little to much for me but the girls will love anything made out of it.

Hat Attack! I died

At least I died pretty.

Little miss ham modeling the binary hat for me and her new glasses. She got her glasses a couple of days before this.

They are black and pink and Barbie. I think she just really wanted them for the case with the pink Barbie head on it.

At least I got my black hat of death off two days before I was killed.

Gratuitous shots of the baby since she's so damn cute.

We are practicing our Halloween face painting early. She didn't want to wash it off.


The dog and the baby are so tired.

"This is my chocolate!"

I got to go to the NETA 2008 Spa knit and spin weekend yesterday.
I have been wanting to go forever but I hate going alone and I don't have anyone I know who is as into knitting and spinning as I am. Since it was in Freeport this year I managed to convince my SIL to go with me as long as she could hit the shops. She was a real trooper about it too. She walked around with me. She ohhed and ahhed with me and pretended to be excited and love looking at all the fibery and yarny goodness. My payment to her. A trip to the Chocolate Factory. No Problem. As I told her while we were discussing this and walking around looking at all the merchants "This is my chocolate!" I had a blast. There were so many cool things to do and see. There were so many nice people to talk to. I got to meet THE Spunky Ecclectic. I got to meet Dave from The Merlin Tree. I got some more spunky fiber and I got some great Icelandic from a shop in Limerick Maine Frelsi Farmsthat is so cool. She had pictures of the animals the wool came from. I love that it is just so personal. And she was so super nice and helpful too. I brought more home but for right now you will have to wait for the unveiling (not that anyone really reads this anyway).

As for knitting I sent my hat of death off and I got the hat of death. I loved my hat. I did all black Lamb's pride binary cables and I was so pretty. I got a blue and green one. It was very pretty and looked so nice, but what are my two least favorite colors? That's right green and blue. I don't mind, Kiki loves the hat and it looks so cute on her. It just seems that everytime I join something like this I get green stuff. Oh well the risks we take right? It's not that big a deal and everything has always been so pretty, just not me. Good thing the kids aren't picky right now. Oddly enough some of the roving I got from spunky at spa was called swamp monster and was shades of green. I loved it and mostly my SIL loved it so I got it to spin and make her something out of to show my appreciation for going with me. I am also working on finishing my flip-top mittens, I am amking a pair of fingerless mits for friend to wear at work. And I have some lovely seacoast yarns bamboo that will be socks shortly. OK enought for now especially since I don't have any pictures to add as my desktop still not working well.

SPA rocked, I had a nice relaxing day with no hubby, no kids, no mom bitching at me, and it was my heaven and it was my chocolate!

Aren't they just too cute for words?

I spent all day saturday freezing my but off to see Hillary she was up here at UMO. It was worth it. It was interesting I've never gone to a rally before and I was kinda cool. My Hat Attack hat got delayed because of it but hopefully I can catch up before I get killed.

My socks of death have arrived. I got them friday. I guess if I had to go there is no better way. These are so pretty and so comfy. Thanks again to my assassin as I do love them.

My almost sock of death on its way to my assassin to finish and mail out. This was Yarn for Sox on size 5's. While nice and pretty and possibly after washing will soften up they are not comfy. Best of luck to you!

Will this snow ever end?

Don't get me wrong I love the snow (to some extent) and I don't mind it for the most part, but this year we got it earlier then unusal and it just won't stop. It is snowing again today and quite heavy too. We are all sick. The baby got bronchitis and sinusitis the beginning of January and she did good with her meds and was better in a week. About 2 weeks ago she got it again. While we were fighting that the older one comes home from school coughing. Last Friday I woke up feeling horrible. My thoat hurt, my body ached, and I was all snotty. We are all still fighting this for the past week once we get home we just lay around. I kept the older one home from school monday and she was better. Last night she wasn't eating, drinking, nothing. All she wanted to do was sleep and she had a fever. Baby had a fever, mommy had a fever, and daddy had a fever. Obviously we just keep passing it around to each other no matter how hard I try to keep the germs at bay. Ugh! Right now daddy is home in bed sleeping it's almost 11am. Do I get to stay in bed and rest? Nope, everyday I'm up at 6 with the kids and go all day long. He had yesterday and today off from work and he'll sleep all day both days. It's no wonder I can't get better. 4 hours of sleep a day just aint' doing it anymore I guess. Any way knitting.

I have been working on occasion when I can focus and willingly hold my head up. Battle of the Soxes started midnight friday. I have sock #1 done and sock # 2 halfway done. My goal is to have them in the mail by friday at the latest. As I start Hat Attack on friday. Stupid you say? Well I wasn't sick when I signed up for them. I could do it no problem. I started sock #1 saturday and worked on it off and on and sunday it was done. It is now Wednesday and sock 2 is only half way (which makes me mad they should have been mailed by now) but I can only do so much being ill. Thankfully the pattern is a great one from the wonderful Spunky Eclectic and it doesn't take too much thought to work on it.

Wow is that all I've done?
Lets see my last blog was Jan 11. I went to NJ on the 17th and was home on the 21st. I worked on my fingerless mits while there and once back. I've been working, cleaning, being sick, and going to a funeral. I did have to go up to Houlton for the funeral and was able to stop in Carol's Country Yarns and got some great stuff. I'm at work right now so I don't have any pictures and can't remember all the names of what I bought but It was some great stuff. I will update later tonight with it all.

Kntting content:

Ok so I have been knitting I just don't have any pictures to upload right now. So here is the run down. for what I did in december.
1. Red ridding hoodie ( working on zipper band all else is done)
2. A pair of flip top mittens for hubby (cascade 220)
3. A pair of flip top mittens for step-dad ( lambs pride worsted)
4. A pair of Kolenya's for SIL (Noro silk garden)
5. A pair of flip top mittens for BIL (Peace Fleece)
6. A pair of flip top mittens for me (Lamb's pride worsted)
7. A stretchy headband i-pod holder for me (can't remember what yarn)
8. River rapids socks (razzytazzy knits on etsy)
This is a blanket my mom made for my cousins baby that was born on the 8th. She made the first one of these when she was pregnant with me. I still have mine too! She makes one for everyone who has a baby and they are great. This one was lovely and so soft. Guess what happened to it.


About and hour after I took this pic I was uploading them to my mom's computer and lo and behold the baby found a bottle of red nail polish. Need I say more? Yup we were not happy. All over her, the rug, and the blanket. I took the blanket home and used Q-tips and nail polish remover and got almost all of it off. I washed it up 3 times with dreft and it looked good as new. I was afraid the remover would ruin or eat thru the yarn but since it was lion-brand it held up really well. Thankfully! So that had been the last month in a nutshell. I am going to NJ next week and once I get the mittens done we will see what to do from there.

Aren't they cute?

Wow it's been a while. So much has happened. Let see my van got hit by an oil truck. It was parked in the driveway across from my mom's house and the truck tried to go up the hill and slid back into my van. Pushed it about 10 feet to the side, busted out the back windows, dented the back door and side and broke the tail light. OK not so bad could've been worse. At least we werent' in it so its ok. The oil company settled with me and I got the van fixed and all is good. That didn't happen until about the 21st of December tho and he hit me one the 4th of Dec. So that slowed down all my plans and hoilday stuff but ok we worked around it. No big deal. Christmas!

The girls had a blast. They got way too much crap and they were so good. Hams to can't you tell?

I know it is so unfair of me to do stuff like this to my dog but how cute is she?

We got so much snow! There is like 4 feet laying around as we got hit with 4 separate storms that gave us at least a foot each. Last year Lana was petrified of the snow see previous post. This year she loves it! Yea! We went sledding and played and had a blast. Now she has bronchitis LOL

See sometimes they do love each other and aren't trying to kill the other. Must be Tom and Jerry they love these old cartoons. Whatever works for a few minutes fo peace right?