Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Comments

I have tried and tried to find a way to get the email address of commentors on my blog. I really enjoy the emails that I get from blog owners in response to my comments. I haven't been able to figure out how to do it.

So I said forget it and installed HaloScan comments. This way they will be emailed to me and I will be able to email back. So if you want to comment, please comment using HaloScan. Thanks so much!

RAOK'ed

Laura from Knits for Sanity sent me the sweetest pink stitch markers! They are so nice and my favorite color...PINK! I will take a picture of them soon, the battery in my camera died. I have to get on the ball and order a new one for it.

Thanks again Laura, they are just beautiful!

Friday, May 27, 2005

More than you wanted to know.

I thought I would get this filled out for my secret pal. Please bear in mind that it is 3 am…..The baby is awake and we have no TV since it was knocked out by a hail storm tonight…..



1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer higher quality and/or natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you? I have never knit with Lion Brand or Red Heart, but have been told by many not to use it so I guess I am a bit of a yarn snob/


2. Do you spin? Crochet? Nope


3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.) Well, I have asthma so smoke is a big no no.


4. How long have you been knitting? Only about 7 months now. I learned a long time ago but never really did anything with it.


5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I do, I have to get a link back up in my side bar…but you can search under my name at Amazon.


6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) Oh I like food smells. But bath stuff is Love Story by Victoria’s Secret. I guess any “light” smells.


7. Do you have a sweet tooth? Oh yes :-)


8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I do cross stitch a little beading and I like to do work on the house….like painting and taking down wallpaper (yes I am weird).


9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Country mostly and yes I can play MP3’s


10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? Pink is my favorite color, but I really love all earthy, autumn colors. I can’t stand bright red…..muted red ok, bright red, no.


11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I am married with 3 children, Katie who is 3, Ben who is 2, and James who is 3 months. No pets right now.


12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know) My dream is to raise my three children to be well rounded adults……that and get paid to be a genealogist


13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? So far I have really liked working with every yarn that I have tried. Oh wait, that’s not true. I make a fun fur scarf for a little girl and I HATED that stuff. I guess I don’t like novelty yarns.


14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? See Above….fun fur and I like yarn that is not really funky. I like the tailored look to things, lace and what not so the think and thick yarns are a turn off to me.


15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s? I am loving making socks. And my first sweater is really fun.


16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Well to be honest I love knitting dishcloths. I can make then in no time and it makes me feel like I have accomplished something.


17. What are you knitting right now? Socks, a sweater for my son, a cowl, and some dishcloths.


18. What do you think about ponchos? Ummm not for me, although I had one when I was pregnant last winter since I didn’t have a coat.


19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Straight is it can be used.


20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Bamboo or other wood. I despise plastic and aluminum.


21. Are you a sock knitter? Ummm Yes


22. How did you learn to knit? My wonderful Mother taught me.


23. How old is your oldest UFO? 5 months, a cowel out of silk and alpaca that I won’t need until winter.


24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird? I LOVE cows! But not cutesy cows….more country looking.


25. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love fall and winter and having family all around.


26. Is there anything that you collect? Oh wow, don’t get me started. I collect Wade whimsies (come in Red Rose Tea…they are different in Canada so if any Canadians want to send me some, I’ll be that happiest woman alive), Jasperware Wedgwood, Pie Birds, Postcards (old and new) and well, anything Genealogy.


27. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? Interweave Knits


28. Any books out there you are dying to get your hands on? Ummm not really, I have a bunch of sock books but not much else knitting.

Friday, May 20, 2005

Yarn, Chives, and Wool :-)

I have so much to blog about today! First off the recipe contest, I didn't win. Is it wrong to say that I was really disappointed? There were 5 finalists in each five categories. There was a winner in each category and then there was a grand prize winner. Only the grand prize winner won the $100.00. I thought that each winner got $$. I did get a very nice apron and a wooden spoon for being a finalist, and my recipes will be published in the paper. I'm happy with that.

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Here is a picture of Cath in front of Jimmy Bean's Wool in Truckee. It's in a very touristy location so we didn't look too silly taking a picture of it.

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I am almost done with my sock as you can see but two nights ago while I was knitting, I put the sock down and went into the kitchen to get some ice cream. When I got back to the couch there was a broken needle. Greg had sat in my spot and but his elbow on the needle and cracked it. No big deal right? IT IS! This is the second time I have broken a needle on this sock. Now I have to wait until next Wednesday to get more needles. Darn it!

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So I started the sweater for Ben. It's going well and I really happy that I am actually knitting a sweater. It may not be for me but I can make one for him I can make one for me! I am making it out of Encore and I really like it. Small amount of wool will keep him warm, and I can throw it in the washer and the dryer.... a must for a 2 year old boy!

I also make a dishcloth from here. It is the Montana one. Greg thinks the sun rises and sets on Montana. He is such a funny guy. When it was done he took into the bedroom and was going to HANG IT UP. I told him it’s a dishcloth, and I made it so that we could use it. He laughed at me. He wasn't happy when he came home last night and saw me washing dishes with it. I am not going to hang a dishcloth up! I told him I would knit the 4 states he has lived in, Montana, Idaho, New York and California and make him a pillow. He suggested that I make all the states we both have lived in and make an afghan out of them….ummm maybe.

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Look at my yarn taking a sunbath today! The Red on the left is a silk and rayon blend that I thought would become a scarf for my Mother in Law. In front of the red is a ball of fingering weight blue cotton/poly blend. I have 4 balls of it.....not sure what to do with it. Above the blue is a beautiful copper rayon yarn that I just couldn't pass up....I believe it's lace weight and was 440 yards for $5.00. The large hank in back if TwinkleToes yarn that got on eBay. I am not sure if I really like this stuff. I was thinking of doing a Calpotis out of (do I really need to link?) it. Not sure. In front of that is Lorna's Lace in Gold Hill. All that was left at my LYS was this one hank and I had to have it. I think that I will do socks wit this as the top ribbing, the heel and the toe. On the far right is more Lorna's Lace in Glenwood. These will be socks for me since I love the yarn so much!


I also burned myself again. Can you believe it? I should be banned from anything that could burn me. I was lighting a fire in the stove yesterday and the child safety wheel on the lighter got very HOT. It touched my finger and BAM, instand blister. At least this time I can knit!

Monday, May 16, 2005

I'm still here

It's been a while but I have been so busy. Catherine came for a wonderful visit. I really had a good time while she was here. But you know how it is when you have company....you are exausheted when they leave. Now I know you are reading this Catherine, so don't take offence. I am sure you were tired after I left Texas last year! I took her to Jimmy Bean's Wool in Truckee. They have a wonderful web site but the store is like a closet! I guess I was expecting something much bigger, more like Filiati's in Rocklin.

It was really funny to see how excited Cath got when we drove to Truckee. It was snowing like crazy and was really cold. Remember, she's from Texas! I really wanted to take her through Downieville and through this really pretty drive, but the road wasn't open yet. Damn snow. I hope she had a good time. Going from Houston to the mountains of California is a big differece! There really isn't much to do here. Just knit :-)

Now I am getting ready for my in laws and my sister in law to come visit. They will be here on Sunday and are leaving that Friday. I am trying to get the house in order but it's not easy to clean with the kiddo's under foot. Wonder why I try to get everything perfect for my in laws? I am sure they could care less!

As for knitting, I am almost finished with my Trekking sock. I'll probabky tackle the Kitchner Stitch tomorrow night. The Irish Hiking Scarf is coming along nicely and I plan to start a sweater for my 2 year old out of Encore. A sweater you ask? Yes a sweater, it SNOWED here Monday! I am sure it will still fit him next fall, and if not then James will grow into it.

Speaking of James, he went back to the doc last week. He got a clean bill of health, his first set of shots, and I found out that he is going to be a sumo wressler. He is 14 and a half pounds already...he's 3 months old! My chunky monkey!

Pictures of knitting and our visit tomorrow.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Knitters Unite

Tomorrow is the day. My best friend and fellow knit blogger, Catherine, is coming for a visit. I met her while I was working with her husband way up on the north coast of California. I moved further down the coast, and she and her DH moved back to Texas. I went to Texas last year to visit and now it's her turn to come here. I am very excited. She gets to meet my children, and we get to sit and knit. That's pretty much all we can do. I live way up in the mountains, in the middle of nowhere :-)

I have been working like crazy on my Irish Hiking Scarf. I want to use my US8 needles for another project. I guess I could go get another pair but I'm cheap. I had bought some Knitpicks, Alpaca Cloud to make Ene's Scarf from Scarf Style. I thought it would be the perfect Christmas gift for my sister. The more I thought about it, the more I thought that it would look better in their Shimmer colorway, Morning Mist. So I ordered that and it should be here soon.

So now that I have two hanks of the Alpaca Cloud in Moss, I thought I would give Branching Out a try. Maybe I'll give it to my Mom. Really, what do you give someone who works in a yarn shop, knits like a mad woman, and (in my mind) knits perfectly? It doesn' help that she is a very warm person, and hardly ever wears sweaters. I had thought of knitting Kiri for her but I sent her the pattern, and she has made 3 of them already. 3 of them. 2 in KSH and one in Helen's Lace.

Thanks all who left me the encouraging comments on the recipe contest. Here are the recipes that are finalists.

Rouladen. It's a German dish that my Grandmother made. I have never used a recipe to make it....so I had to have my Mom help me to write it all out.

Holiday Casserole is the second one. Of course I make this all the time. It had another name but to make it politically correct I had to change it. It's a perfect side dish to roast chicken! Can anyone guess what it was called? Here is a hint....it's genealogy related (another one of my obsessions)

And last but not least a great big thanks you to Leah of Knitting Pretty. She sent me the most beautiful stitch markers. Now I have some pretty ones on my own!

And thanks to KnitChick at Knit One Chic Too for the lovely postcard. It put a smile on my face and went right into my collection. Did I tell everyone that? I collect old and new postcards, have for years!

Hopefully soon I will have a ton of pictures of me and Catherine having a blast :-)