Happy Holidays

Nirvana

When hubby's away, I can't sleep. I *think* it's because the house is so quite at night. But whatever the reason, I get loads of cleaning done.

During the sorting of my knitting, beading, craft book shelves...



...I found this...



Oh joy!! Nirvana for this knitter/beader!

How could I forgotten about this one? Oh yeah....it came about the same time as Deathly Hallows.

OK, Bead Knitted Bags is being packed for the trip.

P.S. I'll tell you all about the beaded rose after Christmas. It's a surprise for a good friend who loves flowers of any kind. But I will tell you this....it's useful too. ;-)

Wordless Wednesday

Looking forward to getting....

Release date is next week. Even though I thought the movie could have been better(read the book!), I am looking forward to seeing it a second time.

Plus the anxiety of getting hubby off on his trip while I stay behind (medical appointments) make the smallest of pleasures even more pleasurable.

Now where did I hide put the chocolate?

Loom knitting makes news in local paper

Check it out here.

A soap opera (plus a little fun)

The month of November was particularly difficult for my mother-in-law. She had some health issues which had her in the hospital. While recovering at her sister's house, her home was burglarized. And if that's not enough, she fell on Friday and broke her wrist. Really, it's like a soap opera in which she has landed the role as the "long, suffering heroine." And she's not enjoying it!

While we're working to make life a little easier for her, I'll be absent from blog-world. But I am knitting since that's how I handle stress.

Here's what I've been working on.

A sample knit for Knit Picks....



...which is a beautiful pattern. I'll have it finished before we leave on our trip. And as soon as it's live on Knit Picks website, I'll post the link so you can see just how nice it is.

Then there's the "life is stressful so I must knit socks"...



...from More Sensational Socks. I just need to close the toe on this one. Then knit it's mate.

For the trip, I think I'll pack nothing but sock yarn to keep stress at a minimum. I suppose I'm thinking that as long as feet are pampered, life is good. ;-)

*****************************************************************
For fun:

This will boggle your mind and you will keep trying it
over and over again to see if you can outsmart your foot, but you can't!
It's preprogrammed in your brain!

1. WITHOUT anyone watching you (they will think you are GOOFY......) and while sitting where you are at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand.

Your foot will change direction.

I told you so!!! And there's nothing you can do about it!

You and I both know how stupid it is, but before the day is done you are going to try it again, if you've not already done so.

Wordless Wednesday

Mission Complete and KAL

Deadline met. Box mailed.



Goodbye babies! C'ya after your moment to shine.

With a little time to knit for me, I'm pulling yarn today for the Ravelry KAL of this loom knit pattern. I'm thinking red for my own pair of ruby slippers (eat your heart out Dorothy!)

Happy Thanksgiving

Norman Rockwell's "Freedom From Want"

Ravelry

After receiving my invitation last July, I'm finally (a little) active over at ravelry.com. Yeah, yeah....I receive the coveted invitation and then do nothing about it. What can I say? My reality includes so many things to knit and bead that online discussion of it tends to be the last thought I have. (You mean you haven't noticed by the lack of blog entries? hehe)

And the push to become active is due to a pal who is hosting a (loom) KAL. So if you're a member, look for knitting muse and you'll find me.



For now, I'm just hanging out in the loom knit group and (of course!) two sock groups. One must knit socks!!

Remembering Veteran's Day

Thank you to men and women serving in the Armed Forces everywhere.

The below picture is of me about 30 years ago.



I was stationed in the Philippines where the weather is either hot, or hot and wet. Hence my excuse for the tight braids in my hair. The big glasses? Well, they were stylish - I suppose "geek" was "in" then (lol)

Wordless Wednesday

Talkative Thursday

I missed posting this photo yesterday for Wordless Wednesday. So let's call this entry "Talkative Thursday" and I'll tell you what the photo is.



Is it a UFO? hehe Nope. This was our view of last week's full moon. It was red from the haze of smoke generated by the fires in Southern California. Strange site.

Not so strange is the horrible quality of air we're left with. Between the Santa Ana winds and the smoke, we're all sneezing and wheezing - also referred to as "blowing and puffing" (blowing nose, puffing on inhaler).

It's always something.

Trick or treat

Muppet Personality Test

You Are Dr. Bunsen Honeydew

You take the title "mad scientist" to the extreme -with very scary things coming out of your lab. And you've invented some pretty cool things, from a banana sharpener to a robot politician. But while you're busy turning gold into cottage cheese, you need to watch out for poor little Beaker! "Oh, that's very naughty, Beaker! Now you eat these paper clips this minute."

The Muppet Personality Test

Fire Relief Drive

I've had a crazy week working toward meeting deadlines. But at least the wildfires haven't been close to us. For that we're extremely thankful.


The 11 o'clock news says 14 of the wildfires are under control, but 9 are still blazing. Over 500,000 (half a million) folks are evacuated. These folks have been living in football stadiums, race tracks, in tents if they're lucky - standing in line for the basic necessities of life. On top of just trying to survive, they are waiting for news on whether or not they still have a home. I know how they feel after the evacuation of the Crown Fire in 2004. It's horrific.


The American Red Cross is helping but they need money. I've dropped my donation off. Can you help? Go to American Red Cross Press Room for information on how to donate money. Even a little amount will go far in providing food and water.



Let Americans help Americans.

(Images borrowed from the web.)

Wordless Wednesday (Getting A Closer Look)

Woman of the Sioux

Yesterday's Wordless Wednesday was a picture of a lithograph that hangs on a wall in my living room. The painting is entitled Woman of the Sioux. The artist is Howard Terpning.

I first spotted "Woman of the Sioux" in an art gallery in Carmel California almost 25 years ago. She spoke to me and I fell hard for this piece of art. Since I couldn't afford the price at that time, I grabbed a flyer from the gallery and held on to it. About 2 years after that, I managed to have the funds to purchase a lithograph and have her framed. She's had a plan of honor in my living room for a little over 20 years. I love her.

Since then, I've collected two more by Mr Terpning.

"Last Rays of Sun"

"Grandfather Speaks"

I would dearly love to have "Hope Springs Eternal - Ghost Dance"



but I would need to build a new wall in my house for it - no more wall space!

P.S. I'm knitting but nothing I can show. Drats!

Wordless Wednesday

Interesting use for ssk and k2tog

A current knitting project has given me new inspiration using ssk and k2tog. (For the nonknitting visitors, that's "slip, slip, knit" and "knit 2 together").

Typically these decreases are used to shape knitting. The designer of the pattern I'm working on used it for decorative stitching.



I love it!

Comments

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A little knitting eye candy....errrr....eye pumpkin?

New gadget alert!

Every extra minute of the day is being spent knitting on loom. Nothing I can show you (oh what a tease!) - it's for a special project, ya know? ;-)

But I just have to mention these crochet hooks that caught my eye at Michaels last night whilst I wandered around the yarn aisles before teaching a Knifty Knitter class.



These crochet hooks have lights! Plus they're on sale at JoAnn's - here.

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are one of my favorite birds. Not only do I enjoy watching them hover at the feeder, but I've including them in some bead work.



And so, when I found this hummingbird dishcloth pattern, I had to knit it. ;-)

October is national popcorn month

Interesting trivia:

• Compared to most snack foods, popcorn is low in calories. Air-popped popcorn has only 31 calories per cup. Oil-popped is only 55 per cup.



• Popcorn is a type of maize (or corn), a member of the grass family, and is scientifically known as Zea mays everta.

• Popcorn is a whole grain. It is made up of three components: the germ, endosperm, and pericarp (also know as the hull).

• Popcorn needs between 13.5-14% moisture to pop.

• Most U.S. popcorn is grown in the Midwest, primarily in Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri.



• The peak period for popcorn sales for home consumption is in the fall.

• Popping popcorn is one of the number one uses for microwave ovens. Most microwave ovens have a “popcorn” control button.

• How high popcorn kernels can pop? Up to 3 feet in the air.

...and.....

• A-MAIZing is a yarn that is 100% corn. Check it out here.

P.S. I have been knitting. Hopefully I'll have something finished that I can blog about!

I'd marry him again....

...even after 25 years of (mostly) wedded bliss.

While working on a loom knit project for displaying at tomorrow's class preview event at Michaels, UPS shows up.



Not expecting anything (yet), I think hubby must have ordered something without mentioning it. Well, he did. But it was for me!



Just because he loves and appreciates me (so says the card). Golly, you just gotta love a guy like that!

Wordless Wednesday

The view this morning

We live in the foothills above Palmdale, CA - outside the city limits and in a rural area (which is why transportation while my car was in the shop was such an issue last week...grumble).

We've got a wonderful view when the air quality is good. And the view of the mountains this morning included snow. Yep - SNOW! And I thought the rain this past weekend was a novelty.

I quickly snapped a picture - before it melts. ;-)

What a week it was!

This past week was filled with trials and tribulations. One problem was lack of internet for half of the week which is why I haven't blogged recently. Then once it was "up and running," I still could not access email. Today it appears the WiFi provider has solved their problem(s) completely and I can access my email account(s) again. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it holds.



Things I heard myself saying this past week:

Monday
"No, I am not entered into a 'who can stash away the wildest sock yarn' contest. This is your daughter's taste!"



"Well, we must have enjoyed the camping trip. Look at all the dirty laundry we came back with."

Tuesday
"Her hands are red and itchy? The gloves were latex???? She's allergic to latex...I'll stop and pick up cortisone cream. She'll need latex free gloves for the volunteer work. Should I pick those up also?"

"I have how many students in Thursday's class?"

"Enjoy the fact that I cooked dinner tonight. It might be the last time until the weekend with this week's schedule."

Wednesday
"Are you able to connect to the internet?"

"uhhhh....whatz with the water pouring out from underneath the car?"



"A replacement for the cracked radiator costs how much!?!??"

"I need a ride home."

"I really need to fold the last three loads of laundry....and put the load just washed into the dryer....and start another load....How about peanut butter sandwiches for dinner?"



"Ouch...Darn that hurt!!! And now the finger is turning purple! sigh"

"Calgon! Take me away!"


Thursday
"I might be a little late this morning. I'm dependent on Dial-A-Ride for a couple of days."

"The WiFi is down again!!!???"

"Honey, I need your car tonight....the class is too full to cancel it."



"Look, only about 4 loads to go!!!"

"Oh goody...the yarn order is here."



Friday
"@$% &%! I really need to check e-mail."

"Really? The parts finally came in? I can pick up the car tomorrow morning?"

"Can dogs be taught to wipe their feet?"



"I really need a vacation to recover from the aftermath of the last vacation."

"I want credit on my bill for the time your internet service was down."

"Pizza sounds great to me considering I haven't been able to run errands - including the grocery store - since I have NO CAR!"

Saturday morning:
"Finally! WiFi is up!!"

"Laundry is finished!"

"I'll pick up a few things at the grocery store on my way home from the mechanic."

"I love my car."

"Surely next week will be better."

Wordless Wednesday

Camping and hubby's hobby

Tomorrow, we're heading out on a camping trip. We'll be gone for a little over a week without access to the internet....so this is my last blog entry until we are home.

I'm taking a book and have plans to enjoy the cool breeze at Lake Tahoe (a welcome relief after the heat wave in Southern California). Of course, I'm taking knitting too.

And I'm not the only one in our household with an obsession a hobby. Hubby takes his metal detector out once or twice a week. Typically he find things like wheat pennies or junk jewelry.



It's a little like treasure hunting. One of his best finds is now on the website of the manufacturer of his detector - here He is really proud of this find. I agree....it's a beautiful ring.

Bad news....

...new season of Lost doesn't begin until February 2008.



I suppose the good news is that it will run for 16 straight weeks without a break.

There are times....

...when felting seems like voodoo to me. I knit a swatch, measure gauge before felting, felt it, then get the gauge after felting, knit the piece, felt it...only to be let down. When will I get it right!? Knitted columns and rows (width and length) just do not felt at the same speed.

This is the 2nd try of a bag I've designed. It's still not quite right but close.



Ahhhh! It's not a total loss. It's a perfect bag for my wonderloom!

Wordless Wednesday