FUN! Lots of FUN!

Check out the two new buttons in my sidebar:

Pretty cool, no?  I’ve been lax in blogging about this ’til now and deserve a sharp rap on the knuckles.  It was the darn WordPress badge/sidebar issues, I’m tellin’ you.

I know my style falls somewhere between modern and traditional, but it is so cool to go to these meetings and be uber-inspired by all of the great things these gals (and a few guys, yay!) have to share.  And I hear an Inland Valley chapter is just starting up as well.

Image from Maya (http://mayamade.blogspot.com) via Lizzy (http://lizzyhouse.typepad.com)

And I just sent my registration in to Squam.  I’M SO EXCITED I can hardly breathe.  Come join me.  It’s going to be SO FUN!  I think this quote from the Squam website is my new mantra:

“If you are still on the fence, just remember what Mark Twain once wrote,

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

 

Not much, again

So, once a month updating works, right?  I have so very little to show you all.  I tried to take a photo of the housework I’ve been doing but lets face it, that’s boring.  Luckily I found some photos leftover from Christmas projects I haven’t posted yet.

Yep, that’s it.  Nothing exciting, but hey, at least it’s something.  Part of the problem is these dang family members are having babies right now and I’ve made this committment to myself to knit every new niece and nephew a blanket when they’re born.  We all know how MASSIVELY LONG it takes to knit a blanket, baby-sized or not.  It’s a good thing I love them so darn much.  I just wish I could see them more often.  Sigh, I guess virtual cheek kisses will have to do for now.

 

Um…

What I’m doing:

Working on the Daisy Janie calendar I received for Christmas

What I should be doing:

Cleaning the disarray in my office.

Thank goodness the rest of the house isn’t as bad.

 

Needin’ a break

I’m still swamped but I’m taking a small break to throw something up on the ole’ blog.

Please excuse the amazingly bad picture on the left.  My lame attempt at using our broken full-length mirror to take an “in-use” shot.  These are both Daily Spice aprons made on commission for Aaron’s grandmother.

My first attempt at the super cute, reversible Emmeline apron.  This was also a commission, this time for Aaron’s aunt to give as a birthday present.

I *love* this apron pattern and really want to make one for myself.  Sigh, I wish someone would have given me time for Christmas.

 

Sampler block number 8 – Star of Many Points

In all of the holiday and work melee that has been going on around my house lately, I have been able to fit in a bit of sewing and knitting.  Hence, a finished quilt block.

The Star of Many Points.  Please forgive the badly lit photo; it’s been a little cloudy here today, which I love but is also makes it very hard to take good photographs.

In other news, Aaron’s sweater is almost done; I just need to buy a zipper online and sew it in.  The zig-zag quilt gets worked on in little bits and pieces.  I’ve finished sewing all the half-square triangles and am now sewing them into rows.  I’ve started my Christmas sewing, both the gifts I’m giving and the gifts others have asked me to make and will pay me for (why do I always think I’ll have more time than I do, why!?).  Oh, and I also still need to blog about my finished slouchy cardigan.  Don’t let me forget.

 

What little there is to show

Finished postcard for a swap we’re doing in my hand quilting class.  It’s all hand sewn, appliqued, and embroidered, except for the edge stitch which I did on my machine.

Zig-zag quilt in progress.  I’ve actually taken all the squares down now and am marking them for sewing into half-square triangles.  Oh, and I did end up moving my flannel design wall.  It wasn’t working as part of the curtain set up, so I moved some bookcases around and stuck it next to my sewing machine.  It needs the hard surface of the wall behind it in order for the fabric to stick to it well, which is something I think I knew before I hung the flannel up as curtains but had temporarily blanked on.

Knit-wise, I’m still finishing up Aaron’s sweater and working on a sweater for myself that has been on the needles forever, but very little is getting done.  There just aren’t enough hours in my day right now to do the things I want to do and the things I have to or need to do.

 

Thankful for – Days 6 through11

6.  Camping.  Especially back home in Idaho this year with my family.  I like camping in California, too, it’s just not nearly as pretty and there are significantly more people.  We had the campground all to ourselves on this trip.

If you’ve never been camping, I highly recommend it.  Lots of fun, relaxing, and communing with nature.

See, my dad, communing with nature.  Always good animal antics while camping.

7.  The friend who gives me the little push I need to go to the gym.  Right now, I’m one of the skinniest out-of-shape people you’ll ever meet.  I miss living in Idaho where you have lots of outdoor chores and lots of good places to go on little hikes and walks to.  Now I have to actually work to stay in shape and I’m not very good at it.

8.  Beautiful sunsets and quick little anniversary vacations.

9.  Funny memories and the rare photo to remember them by.  My entire life someone has been pulling my ponytail.  I guess that’s why I keep growing it out and then cutting it off.  They also like to laugh at me on roller coasters.  Hey, I like to please.

10.  Ice cream.  Very, very grateful for ice cream.  I eat a lot of it.

11.  The good men and women serving in the Armed Forces.  Especially our friends Tyler and John.  Words cannot express how grateful I am to you.  And proud.  Very proud.

 

Thankful for 30 – 2009

I was hoping Mary would do this again this year.  One thing I’m thankful for each day shouldn’t be too hard, right?  The only hard part is November is one of the busiest months of my year, which means very little blogging (usually).  I am grateful for so many things, though, and definitely need to put a voice to those thoughts.

Here’s my first five:

1.  I am SO grateful my husband is home after a longer than expected guys trip.  I was feeling pretty sad there towards the end.

2.  Good friends who read good books and then lend them to me.  Good book recommendations are always welcome, friend or not.

3.  Work.  Even though it means I’ll get very little of the things I want to done the next few months.

4.  Aaron’s work.  Hard economic times, everyone’s suffering, yada-yada-yada.  You know the drill and so do we.  We are both amazingly grateful and feel immensely blessed every time we pick up a new job, bring home another paycheck, and veg on the couch Sunday nights after a long week of work.  Even if things are a lot tighter than they were a year or too ago, we are just happy to be able to pay our bills.

5.  This year’s music link of choice: Pandora.  I’ve been listening to a steady stream of Cake radio for the last week or so.  Love it.

 

Jerry Lee Farm

The last time I was in Idaho, my mom sent me home with my Christmas present early.

Three balls of Rambouillet/Columbia wool and a humongous skein of pure Rambouillet.  Both are undyed and 2-ply, and very, very squishy.

I love homegrown, rustic fibers.  I love the sheepy smell of the yarn and how when you squeeze it your hands come away all lanolin-y.  And, I love supporting small, indie farms, businesses, and designers.

Mom picked this up at our local farmer’s market from Jerry Lee Farm.  Great present, Mom.  Seriously great stuff.  Now I just have to figure out what to knit with it.  Any ideas?

Oh, and be sure to click on the link to the farm, if for no other reason than to be totally jealous of the type of setup I grew up on.

 

Mindie’s baby blanket

A project from a couple of months ago, but one I forgot to take pictures of before I gave it away.  Thanks Mindie for helping me out.

Blanket details:
Pattern:  Heart Blanket
Yarn:  Berroco Comfort in 9702 Pearl – 4 balls