My Mother always told me.....

...if you have nothing good to say, say nothing at all. See, I did listen to you, Mom!

With that in mind, I may not be blogging for a few days....as we deal with a roof leak....in the rain/sleet/snow. ...sigh...

January blahs

I've never liked the month of January. The glitz of Christmas is over. It's cold. It gets dark early. blah...blah...blah

Plus nothing is finished!! I keep adding to my to-do list and marking nothing off. Geesh, I'll be happy to see February.

Part of the fun of knitting...

...is choosing the yarn. I try to get my daughter to choose the color of whatever I'm knitting for her. She loves color - more is better in her book. Like these slippers I did for her...



Felting actually toned the color down. Otherwise you'd need shades to look at them...the color is so bright! ;-)

I really wish she had more of an interest in learning to knit. But alas, she prefers woodwork and painting.

However I am able to teach her friends at Easter Seals (where I volunteer) to loom knit. We're making hats for a local NICU.



As I make some of these hats for preemies, I'm reminded of just how small daughter was. She was 16 weeks early and weighed 1 lb 5 oz at birth. These hats would have been too large for her.



Wow....just look at her now.

And speaking of choosing yarn, this link is very helpful! It allows you to choose yarn by gauge. Nice.

A peek at More Knitting Wheel Fashions

Here is a little peek at the projects you can find in the loom knit pattern booklet I did for Leisure Arts.



Most were snapped the day the box was shipped. Definitely not the professional quality you'll find in the booklet.



And some of the patterns were re-knit in different colors, sizes, etc. from what you see in these pictures.



As you can tell from the above picture, I'm no longer a petite size 5. So you might like to know that the sweater pattern is for up to x-large size (42 in).



You can order the booklet from Decor Accents. Or you can order directly from Leisure Arts. And I'm sure....well, hoping....to see it at JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby someday.

If you buy it, I'd love to hear what you think. And I'll even read the criticisms.

Ultimate Harry Potter Personality Quiz

I found this on Monica's blog


Find out your Harry Potter personality at LiquidGeneration!

Back to knitting. ;-)

New loom knit booklet

More Knitting Wheel Fashions is being released. And guess what? It's by me!

I'm so proud to see my designs being worn by people I've never met! I haven't seen the booklet yet. But I know you can definitely order it at Decor Accents (love their looms!)

Absent blogger

I suppose a better description is - blogger didn't have anything interesting to blog about! Boring life here. No one really wants to know how many loads of laundry, how many trips to the grocery store or pharmacy, how many bills, etc. You don't, do you? If so - get a life!

I have been knitting but since it's for publication, I can't show you. And I have been beading, but I hope it's for publication too. So what can I blog about?

How about what this little beaded rose...



...that I posted here in December but couldn't tell you about until after Christmas (it was a present!)

It's a beaded pen cover for disposable pens.



A good friend of mine loves to have flower(s) on her desk. She normally cuts one from her flower beds (which are lovely). And as she loves roses. I was inspired!

The cover is removable when a change of pen is needed.



I'm pleased that I was able to surprise and delight her this Christmas.

BTW, she developed a passion for loom knitting last year...and I'm to blame (evil laugh!)

Hooked on Lost!

Unless you're....ummmm...."lost" on an island, you know that LOST returns Jan 31st for season 4. There are suppose to be 8 episode ready to air (taped before the writer's strike). I'm definitely ready!

I'm still unpacking and catching up on laundry so have little to say about knitting or beading. Darn housework.

Holiday coming to an end

As usual, we have been traveling in our motor home during the holidays. Today, we're in Arizona for a little fun before heading home...complete with WiFi! ;-)

We had a good Christmas. All the "kids" were with us.


And we even had our tree...

...on the new steering wheel table (love it!).

We've enjoyed being with family for the most part. The worry over health for our mothers (both 84 yo) continues but.....well, we're just happy they are still with us.

My small amount of leisure time was spent working on the next article for Loom Knitter's Circle and loom knitting hats for Easter Seals to take to NICU of local hospital. I truly love volunteering with these wonderful young adults (at Easter Seals). The camera batteries are ka-put! and the battery charger is at home (of course), so I can't show you the preemie hats. Those pictures will come later.

We'll be home this weekend. And even though we love motor home travel, I miss my washer/dryer, dishwasher, big bed, and yarn stash. As Dorothy says, there's no place like home. ;-)

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)