Update On Celtic Knots and Thumbs...

Ok, so in a previous post I said that I wanted to learn to make Celtic Knot cables and thumbs (not Celtic thumbs, just regular ones).  Anyway, I did it!  Yay!  (Is the crowd cheering I'm hearing just in my head?)  Oh well, I'm pretty happy about it.  So here is some photographic evidence...

Horribly Blurry Picture

 

Another Horribly Blurry Picture

So, on to thumbs.  I made a fingerless glove... with a thumb! 

That is a thumb, right there!  An honest to goodness thumb!  Ok, technically half of a thumb, but it is at least a thumb hole.  Never mind that the glove itself is small enough to fit my 8 year old daughter and the thumb is large enough to fit Andre the Giant  It's still a thumb, darn it!

I have only made one, so far.  I am really fighting that "one glove syndrome" (a.k.a. "One Sock Syndrome"). I believe that is what Stephanie Pearl - McPhee calls it when you make one glove (sock, mitten, etc) and then your over it.  You just don't want to make another one.  The thrill is gone, so to speak.  However, since whomever gets these gloves probably doesn't want to keep changing them from one hand to the other to keep warm, I guess I'll have to break down and make the second one! 

Here is the aforementioned 8 year old wearing the glove.  It does look better on.

 

And, here is one of Andre The Giant in The Princess Bride, just because.  

Princess Bride - awesome movie!

Celtic Knots and Heads...

No, not Celtic heads!  Styrofoam, actually...

 

Yep, not everyone can say that their husband got them their very own head for Mother's Day!  Really, I was very happy, because now I have something to model my hats (other than me).  She looks less scary with a hat on, don't you think?

On to Celtic Knots...  They are what have been keeping me so busy that I haven't had much time to blog (well, that and oversleeping, but I'm going to go with Celtic Knots).  Anyway, if you remember, I was wanting to check Celtic Knot Cables off of my Knitting Bucket List.   Well, here is what I have, so far...

Yay!  This is my new favorite thing to knit!  Of course, it really strains my eyes (since I have to follow a pattern - which I then have to turn around and do completely backwards).  So, after 20 inches or so of this I might be over it! 

Oh, by the way, try to ignore my foot in the picture, I had to get a really close up shot so you could see the cables!   

Just A Few Pictures...

Too tired for witty comentary this morning, so how about a few pictures...

Flowers my wonderful husband cut for me last night...



The hats I made while waiting with my Mom at the doctor.  I call them my "waiting room hats".


and last, but not least...



My TARDIS Kindle Cover!  It's a little wrinkled and the embroidery is awful, but I love it!



Waiting Room Hats, Yarn Shops, Cables and Thumbs...

Yeah, only in my world are those things NOT random!

So, I found out the 2 good things about sitting in a doctor's office waiting room 2 hours from my home...

1.There is a lot of time to knit (I made 2 hats in 3 days that week)!  I would have pictures, but the only camera in the house with batteries in it is in my daughter's room and she is still asleep (I am waking her up in just a few minutes, I promise)!  Plus, I am really tired of being the hat model for these pictures.  I really need one of those scary plastic heads.  Never thought you'd hear that in a sentence, did ya'? 

and...

2.They actually have yarn shops near big cities!

I mean honest to goodness yarn shops where they just sell yarn and yarn related objects.  You have to understand, the only place in my hometown that you can buy yarn also has a pharmacy, a lawn and garden department and sells groceries!  We don't even have a Hobby Lobby that's not 45 minutes away!  There are a few people who spin there own wool and sometimes sell it.  I don't mean to exclude them, they are my heroes, but I am talking about a whole store with just yarn and knitting needles!

Needless to say, I was in Heaven... until I saw the prices!  Yep, I would love to buy 100% silk yarn imported from Italy and beautiful Alpaca yarn that was spun so recently I can still hear the alpaca baaing in the back yard!  Wait, do alpacas baa?  Maybe they bleat?  Anyway, whatever they do, they are a little too expensive for me.  It's hard to be a yarn snob and use nothing but all natural fibers and all that when you have a Red Heart Super Saver kind of budget!  :/  Actually, I hate Red Heart Super Saver, but like I said, not too many choices around here. 

So, I told my husband I could check "Yarn Shop" off my knitting bucket list.  Yes, before you ask (like my husband did with an "Are you kidding?" kind of look on his face), I do have a knitting bucket list.

Which leads me to the last two random things in my title...

Cables and thumbs.  They are the next two things on my list that I want to conquer.  Now, I already know how to cable, but I don't mean just any cable.  I mean this cable!




Not my picture, I haven't actually made this yet!


It is a pattern I found on a blog called Storm Moon Knits.  I love Celtic knots and have been wanting to do something like this for a long time.  The only problem is, I am left-handed and I knit very backwards.  I don't just mean normal left-handed backwards, I mean some wierd way I found on YouTube when my right handed friend was trying to teach me to knit.  It is really odd and it works for me, but it makes most patterns come out really wierd (hey, another good excuse for not using a pattern!).  So, we will see how this goes.

The other knitting bucket list thing I am trying to learn is a thumb (I mean the kind in a glove, I do know what a real thumb is)!  I have also been looking on YouTube for this.  If anyone knows the best way to make one, please let me know! 

By the way, I did get one thing at the yarn shop!  Size 11 bamboo double point needles!!  Yes, they do deserve 2 exclamation points!!  I have to thank my Mom for these, though.  Either she wanted to thank me for driving her to the doctor twice in one week (even though it was her car and her gas) or she just wanted to get me out of the shop before I drooled all over the crazy expensive Italian silk, but she bought them for me.  So, thanks Mom! 

Homeschool Convention... and TARDISes...

Yes, still working on the TARDIS Kindle cover.  Would have had it done, but migraines have been plaguing me all weekend.  :/  Anyway, here it is (almost done).

The actual knitting part is done.  Yay!  I just have to embroider "POLICE BOX" at the top.  Then I have my own TARDIS!  Well, as close as I'm going to get, anyway...

So, in other news, my husband and I went to the Midwest Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati last Friday!  Had a great time (except for the migraine).  Thankfully my husband noticed that the convention hall had a first aid station (since I didn't have my purse with me, thus no medicine).  They were very helpful and once the ibuprofen kicked in and I could actually see correctly, everything was fine. 

I don't remember if I have mentioned that we homeschool.  Obviously, we do.  It would be a little creepy if we just went to strange conventions that had absolutely nothing to do with us!  Like showing up at a professional cake decorators convention just to see if they were handing out free samples.  Actually, that doesn't sound like a bad idea... I wonder if they have a professional cake decorators convention...  or a Starbucks convention...  ok, sorry, I must just be hungry!

The convention was great!  We didn't go for the whole three days.  We just got the one day vendor hall pass.  Trust me, though, the vendor hall was HUGE, so it pretty much took all day just to walk around it!  We found a lot of the books we are going to need for next year (thank you Rainbow Resources) and found a great booth with nature unit studies called Shining Dawn Books.  Definitely going to do a few of those next year! 

I really needed to get back to the convention this year.  It can be overwhelming (especially your first time) but it really helps me to get focused back on school and the direction God wants us to go with it.  Oh, and the roasted cinnamon pecans strategically placed under an air vent were pretty nice, too!  Both packs...  :P

Scarves and TARDISes...

Ok, so there is only one TARDIS, but I am making my own version!
 

It's a Kindle/ (insert your e-reader brand here) cover!  This one is for me, but I might put it on Etsy as a made-to-order type thing.  I found this pattern online, but I can't remember whose blog it was on right now.  It was written to be knitted from the bottom up, but I modified it to go top down (I just find that easier to do).  I do remember that one site I got on said that a Kindle cover and the TARDIS went perfectly together because a Kindle is a small box that holds much more on the inside!  I love it!

In other knitting news (and I know you are always waiting for more knitting news) I found knitting books at my local library's discarded book sale!!!  I mean knitting and books (really cheap books), what could be better?!  So I found about four knitting books and one was Celebrity Scarves 2.  Now, let me just say, this book is great.  It was made to fund Breast Cancer research, and as the daughter of a breast cancer survivor (and as a woman) I have to love that.  Also, I was really amazed at how many knitters there were in Hollywood!  The only problem I had with the book is how fun it makes knitting a scarf sound. 

Have you ever knitted a scarf?  Oh, it is (or can be) relatively easy.  This book had a lot of garter stitch scarves (only the actual "knit" stitch, no "purling") and used a lot of specialty yarns (like fun fur or bulky yarns), so it looked cool without being really hard to knit. 

Here is the funny/scary part.  It said all these cute things like, "Just cast on 4 stitches and knit till it is the desired length" or "knit until you run out of yarn".  What they don't tell you is that these are knitting euphemisms for, "knit until you actually want to poke out your own eyes with your knitting needles" or "knit until you have enough length to fashion a noose to hang yourself, or the person who invented scarves in the first place"! 

Sound harsh?  Well trust me, there is a reason why cowls are so popular right now.  Cowls are basically really short scarves that just button around your neck.  Believe me, they had to be invented by some poor knitter that started out thinking, "oh, a scarf, that should be easy!"  But somewhere between 5 inches and 60 inches thought, "Oh, heck with it!  It really just has to keep your neck warm anyway!"

So... that scarf you were hoping for on your next birthday... how do you feel about Kindle covers??  :P 

Just Keep Knitting, Just Keep Knitting...

Just keep knitting, knitting, knitting.  What do we do?  We knit, knit...

Sorry, Nemo flashback.

Where was I?  Oh yeah, knitting!  I've actually gotten some knitting done (well, half-way done).

Here is my current project...

I know, it is way too warm for a hat like this, but I love the yarn (Yarn Bee - Melody Bulky) and it is winter somewhere in the world!

Here is the project I was working on until the cool, colorful yarn lured me away...

It was supposed to be a baby blanket, but unless Larry the Cucumber and his wife are expecting a son soon, I think it is a bit long.  :/  I am thinking of adding random color stripes and just making a really big, crazy blanket.  I don't know.  Maybe it is meant to be a shawl. 

By the way, my next project is going to be a Kindle Cover that looks like the TARDIS!  I think I'll have to keep that one for myself!  I will keep you posted.

Facebook and Too Much Information...

So, I was on Facebook, because that's what I do every time I sit at my computer... whether I want to or not... it's a compulsion... I need help... and sleep, apparently.

Anyway, this got me thinking.  I use Facebook (and Twitter, and Pinterest, etc) everyday.  I <3 it (I can't believe I just typed that).  It is great for keeping in touch with extended family and promoting my Etsy shop, but sometimes you learn way too much information about people you harly know...

Like that girl.  You know, the one that sat across from you for two weeks in the fifth grade and then suddenly up and moved to Cambodia.  Well, NOW you know exactly where she ate dinner last night (I mean, street address and all), that she is currently in a relationship that is "complicated", and that she "likes" Baskin Robbins, Ron Paul and Toys 'R' Us.  Oh, and she recently moved back from Cambodia because they don't have a Baskin Robbins and the only Toys 'R' Us actually forces the children to make their own toys.  (Not sure where Cambodia stands on Ron Paul).

Ok, I need more sleep... or more coffee... another compulsion.  While I do that, why don't you go visit my Facebook page!   ;p

We Were On A Break!

Yes, once again in our on again off again relationship, 5 A.M. and I took a little break!  (Scared ya', didn't I?)  It wasn't like we actually broke up.  I just decided to see other times of the morning... like 7 and 8... ok, and in a couple weak moments, 9... but that is over now.  5 and me are back and better than ever!  Well, back anyway.  Skinny Pilates Lady seemed happy to see me.  She didn't say so, but I think she was.  I'm pretty sure, though, that Super Skinny Pilates Lady was secretly laughing every time I had to do a "level one move."  The lady in level one, with the walker and the oxygen, she was just happy to have company.

Ok, so enough of that.  See what happens when I wake up that early!  I get delusional! 

Really, though, I have been very busy lately.  My life has been a blur of hospitals (not me, my Mom) and doctor's offices (this time, me... and my daughter... and my Mom).  Everyone is doing pretty well now, though.  God is good and I love the (sometimes crazy) life He has given me!

I have found one good thing about hospital waiting rooms.  They give you plenty of knitting time!  I finally finished the giant tote bag!  I lined it and everything.  Not bragging, just really pleased with the way it turned out!

It is, of course, for sale on Etsy... http://www.etsy.com/listing/96051452/knitted-tote-bag-beach-bag-crafting-bag

Here are some pics of it...

Here it is!  Wooden handles and everything!



Here's the lining!  I hand-sewed it.  Don't be too impressed, I was just to lazy to figure out my sewing machine!  :P

 I am currently working on a baby sized Easter hat.  I thought that was a good plan, but then I realized Easter is like, 2 weeks away.  So, maybe someone will buy it next Easter!  :P 

Fell Off The Wagon, Again!

Don't worry, I didn't get hurt!  :P 

I just haven't been getting up early... or blogging much... or exercising...

I bet Skinny Pilates Lady will be mad at me.  She won't say anything, though.  She never does.  She's cool like that. 

Anyway, I have been knitting.  I got done with the Shamrock Kindle cover and have now started a giant striped purse.  Not sure what it's going to turn out like, but here it is so far...

The seed stitch part (the tannish part around the edge) will be the top.  I love seed stitch, by the way.  I always thought it would be a pain to do, but it turns out really nice without having to remember much of a pattern. 

This is some of my Yarn Fairy yarn.  So I'm not exactly sure what it is made of.  I am pretty sure it is mostly wool because it won't burn.  At least, it won't stay on fire.  Yes, I set the end of it on fire (on purpose).  Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (a.k.a. The Yarn Harlot) said to do this (carefully!) in one of her books.  You see, wool isn't exactly "fire-proof", but it is "fire-resistant".  It will put itself out.  Whereas acrylic will basically melt, like plastic. 

Knitting with someone else's yarn got me thinking about yarn as an art medium.  I know, I must need more coffee if I am starting to think really deep thoughts about yarn!  But seriously, yarn is like paint or clay to a knitter (or crocheter).  Two knitters may look at the same yarn and see two very different projects.  Like, my yarn fairy saw a hat and I saw a small pouch.   I looked at green and white acrylic yarn and saw a cell phone pouch and a Kindle cover.  My husband's Grandmother (she was a crocheter) would have seen a baby blanket or a baby sweater and hat.  Yarn is the medium and the artist makes it what it is going to be.  Pretty cool, I think.

Ok, off to drink more coffee before I start thinking deep, philosophical thoughts about my knitting needles!

I Took A Shower In My Own House Today!

Aren't you happy for me?! 

We have a shower!  We don't have a whole wall around it yet and for some reason on the new shower handle hot seems to mean cold and cold seems to mean hot, but it doesn't leak and it is actually in my house.  So, I am thrilled! 

Well, with all this construction going on, I haven't had much time to knit.  :(  One of my items was, however, featured in another treasury!  Here is the link: http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTc4MDMwODh8MjIzMzE2NTM3OQ/some-of-my-favorites-1?index=1

My Snowflake Pattern Purse is the item that was featured and the treasury was made by Meagan of Ears To You 2 .

So, I will try to get back to normal life (and hopefully my knitting) and you go check out these links! 

I Get A Shower Today!

Ok, that sounds bad.  I promise, I get a shower pretty much every day, but today I get a new shower!  :)  I will be losing the bathtub, which is a little sad, but we hardly ever use it.  I mean, if it was one of those huge round bathtubs that you can practically swim laps in, I would be sad.  This is just an old tub with rust holes that likes to spew hot water into the basement every time you try to take a shower.  We have to turn the water off to the shower when we aren't using it, then go to the basement, turn on the water (which starts shooting hot water all over you), then run upstairs to take a shower.  I have actually thought about just standing in the basement to try to get clean while the water was on.  It would probably be easier than running back and forth!

So, today we get a new shower.  I am really not a plumbing person.  So, I cannot begin to explain how that's going to happen exactly.  I assume with a lot of banging around, some spewing water and possibly a few choice words coming from the area of the bathroom.  Oh, by the way, did I mention my husband and his father (who is a carpenter) are doing the job.  Yeah, lots of family bonding going on in our house, today! 

In other news, I was featured on two more treasuries! 

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAxMTMwNjZ8MjIxMDc5OTU5Nw/crafty-sahm-list-2?index=1
This one was made by Jessica at WhimsicalMonkey and features shops from the Crafty SAHM's team.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTEwNDk1NTZ8MjEwNzA3MTcxMQ/clearance-anyone?index=1
This one is by ChicRetro and features all clearance items.

Thanks to both of you! 

Go check out all the great items in both treasuries and these ladies' shops!

Everything Sounds Better With A British Accent...Well, Almost

So, as you may know by now, I am pretty into British things... T.V. shows, movies, books, you name it.  You may have even read about my recent experiment with British pilates!  :)  So, it may be no suprise that I have recently gotten hooked on what I guess is one of the most popular British T.V. shows, ever... Doctor Who. 

I haven't watched the older ones, yet, just the new version (starting with the 9th Doctor).  They have it available instantly on Netflix!  Have I mentioned how much I love Netflix?  It helps geeks like me find all kinds of obscure shows and movies to torture my family with!

Also, I have figured out that everything sounds better with a British accent!  Well, almost anything.  I can't quite imagine John Wayne with a British accent...

"Care for a spot of tea, pilgrim?"  Just doesn't work.  Some things are truly American and I love them, too! 

Anyway, in honor of Doctor Who, I decided to make a treasury on Etsy!  Here it is...

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTY3NDA0NTV8MjIxMzM2NjI3Nw/call-the-doctor

On the knitting front, I have been working on another Shamrock item and then I guess I will need to start knitting for Easter.  Hmmm... any ideas on what kind of knitted items would be good for spring?

Did Alexander the Great Do Pilates?

So, this morning Skinny Pilates Lady told me that I feel great and I am ready to go conquer the world!

Yay me!  I didn't know I wanted to conquer the world.  I also didn't know that pilates could make that happen.

I am just picturing Alexander the Great (because I'm a homeschooling mom and everything is a history lesson) doing pilates with his soldiers...

"Come on, men!  Keep those abs engaged!  Check in with your body.  Is it still there?  Do you have your swords and your war elephants?  Ok, lets go conquer the world!  But first, a nice soothing stretch... ok, now let's go conquer the world!"

Ok, enough with the pilates induced hallucinations, back to the world of knitting...

I have channelled my inner Irishwoman in an attempt to sell something on Etsy for St. Patrick's Day.  It was supposed to be a coffee cozy, but it was a little small.  So, now it is a cell phone/gadget cozy!  :) 

You can find it here.

Have a great day, do some pilates and go conquer the world (it's what Alexander would have done)! 

Noah's Wife and Another Treasury...

So, first off, I'd like to thank Nermin from EarFlapHats for including my Kindle cover in this treasury!

Also, I have been thinking a bit about what life was really like for the people in the Bible.  We have heard so much about the great things they did, but we forget that they were real people.

For example, has your husband ever spent FOREVER on a building project?  Imagine if you were Noah's wife...

Wife: So, Noah, remind me again what you are doing.
Noah: Building an ark, dear.
Wife: And, what is that, exactly?
Noah:It's a big boat, dear.
Wife: Boat... OK.  And, why are we building a boat?
Noah: Remember, Dear, God told me to build it.
Wife: Oh, that's right, God told you to build a boat.  You do realize we don't live anywhere near water, don't you?
Noah: I told you, DEAR, it is going to rain.  A LOT!
Wife: OK, Noah, whatever you say (starts to walk away)
Noah: Oh, and dear...
Wife: Yes, Noah.
Noah: How do you feel about pets?
Wife: PETS?!

:)

Marker Boards and British Pilates...

So, continuing with my theme of making stuff out of old junk, I made these marker boards...


By the front door





Above my husbands desk



Daughter's room



School room

I just used old picture frames (make sure they have the glass still in them) and put decorative scrapbook paper and stickers in them.  Then, you write on the glass with dry-erase markers! 

I found the idea on this blog a while back.  If you make one, make sure that the paper you put in isn't too dark and the pattern isn't too busy, or you won't be able to see the marker.  You can put lined paper in there, too, so you can write lists easier.  Also, I found that the markers work best on the really slick, shiny glass.  A couple of these have some kind of finish on them that is supposed to keep down glare, but the markers don't seem to write on them as well.

With all the crafting and getting lost in the "big city" this week, I haven't had as much time for exercise.  So, today, I figured I'd get back to it.  I chose a different pilates workout on Netflix (I <3 Netflix, by the way).  I had never seen this pilates lady before and I found out she is British.  I'm not sure if I loved the workout.  It was one of those very calm... kind of sleepy... but at the same time making your muscles want to run away and die kind of routines.  Of course, everything sounds better if you say it with a British accent.  Also, for some reason, when I was done working out I had this strong urge to drink a cup of tea and watch a PBS mini-series!  Actually, I always have that urge, I'm weird like that!  :)     

Have a nice day (and go watch some British T.V., it's awesome)! 

Lost? I'm Not Lost!

So, haven't had much time to blog in the last couple days.  I had to go to Columbus yesterday (which is about 2 hours north of here) and on the way back I got on wrong exit and started heading north again!  I knew when it said "north to Cleveland" I was going in the wrong direction!

Like I said, though, I wasn't lost.  I knew exactly where I was, I just knew I wasn't supposed to be there!  I did get a very senic view of Downtown Columbus, though.  Oh, well.

So, this morning I found out one of my items was featured on the Blog "Crafty Saints"!

Thank you so much to the blog's author, Julie.  Here is a link to her Etsy shop, Collar Topia.

Maybe I will sell lots of stuff on Etsy so I can buy myself a GPS!  :P 

 

I Made It! Well, Actually, My Husband Did!

He made me the under-the-cabinet jar rack thingy (sorry, I know that's probably not the technical term for it) that I posted a link to a while back!  Here it is!



I know you can't see all of the labels, but we made a handy map (which I forgot to take a picture of) and taped it to the inside of the cabinet, in case we forget what's what and try to put cumin in the oatmeal instead of cinnamon!  I actually did that once, even before we made this!

My handy husband also made this...

It's a chalk-pan... pan-board... chalk-board-that-was-once-a-rusty-pan... oh well, you get the idea.  I'm not particularly clever with the names today!  Anyway, an old pan, a couple layers of chalk board spray paint and there you go.  It is supposed to say what is for dinner tonight, but I haven't gotten that far yet!  Oh, by the way, the smiley face was drawn by my daughter and that isn't a strange sea-monster trying to attack the board, it is my aloe plant!

Guest posts, slippers, and another treasury!

Ok, so first off go read my church's blog, http://www.lakesideworship.com/.  I was a "guest-blogger" today.  That's not why you should go read it.  It is a great blog!  I just wanted to share it. 

So, back to knitting.  I made slippers!  The most comfortable stinkin' slippers, ever!  (Ok, not actually "stinkin'", I hope).  Anyway, here they are...

They came from a book called, "Knitting Pretty" (yes, I actually followed a pattern this time)!  I know it looks like they are made from two different colored yarns, but the yarn is variegated and I haven't mastered the art of (or even attempted) making both slippers have the same pattern.  If you know a trick for that please let me know!

Oh, and of course, I am selling these on Etsy.  Well, not the ones on my feet, I like them too much, so I'm going to keep them!  I will make more, though.  I can make most sizes and colors.  I'm just not sure if I like having pictures of my ankles floating around in cyber-space for all the world to see.  :/  Oh, well.  The slippers are awesome!

Let's see... one more thing.  Another one of my items was featured in an Etsy treasury!  http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTI0MDY2NDR8MjA0MzA4NTU3NA/my-love-for-knitting?index=1

Here is the item that was featured... http://www.etsy.com/listing/91636680/knitted-kindle-cover-with-hand?ref=tre-2043085574-15

And here is the shop of the girl who made the treasury... http://www.etsy.com/shop/StaceyLeighDesigns, her name is Stacey, by the way.

Go check them all out!





No time, so watch this...

No time to blog today, so here are a couple links from one of the funniest men on the planet...

Praying over food

Things You Don't Say To Your Wife

So, it's a little late...

Yep, I overslept.  I have a ton of really good excuses, but who cares.  We have officially taken a week off of school (because my daughter has been sick).  So, I guess I can get a little extra sleep.

Of course, that meant I didn't exercise today. 

For those of you who don't know me, except here in blog land, I want you to know I'm not usually the major fitness type.  It's just that when I realized I weigh more now than I did when I gave birth to my daughter (I mean before the birth, not after) and that eating entire packages of Oreos wasn't going to change that fact, I figured I should do something about it.

Don't worry, this isn't going to turn into a weight loss blog, or a me-telling-everyone-else-in-the-world-how-they-should-look blog.  Actually, the only time I mention it is when I am complaining about Skinny Pilates Lady.

Speaking of Skinny Pilates Lady, I think she is losing her mind.  She's starting to say the weirdest things.  I know she is just in my T.V. and she is pre-recorded (so, she says the same thing every time).  Maybe I am losing MY mind.  Hmm, how much does your brain weigh?  Maybe that's all I have lost so far!

Anyway, Skinny Pilates Lady keeps saying things like, "your core muscles are engaged" (I swear they should have been married by now.  Whoever this guy is, he must just be leading them on), and, "the breath is super-energized" (like putting the word "super" before something should make me really happy about it)!  Yesterday, though, I witnessed her craziest moment.  She actually said, "Take a minute to check in with your body". 

????

Check in with my body?  Is she afraid it got up and left?  Or maybe just part of it, like...

"Ok, check in with your body.  Are your legs still attached?  Were your legs attached when you started the exercise?  If they were attached at the beginning, and they are not attached now, you may not be stretching correctly.  Perhaps you need to go back to a level one.  See Sarah back here at level one (you know, the one on the walker with the oxygen), her legs are still attached..." 

Ok, maybe I have been thinking about this way too much.

So, to change the subject, on to knitting.  I had a really cool knitting encounter yesterday!  You see, usually when I go out and take my knitting (which is pretty much every time I go out), either people just try not to stare at the weird girl in the corner playing with her yarn, or sometimes they will ask what I am doing.  Sometimes, they are knitters or crocheters (or would like to be), so that leads to some pretty good conversations.

But, yesterday.  Yesterday, I had my daughter at her doctor's appointment and I was with her in the exam room waiting (and kintting, of course).  When the Doctor came in, I put my knitting away.  Now, I thought he might politely ask what I had been doing, but I didn't expect him to really care (or even know it was knitting, for that matter).  Well, he looked at my knitting bag and said, "Ooh, what are you making?  My sister-in-law (his brother's wife) is a knitter and she wrote a knitting book!  It was a best-seller on Amazon!"

Wow, wasn't expecting that!  So I looked her up and it looks like a really great book.  I guess she featured patterns from popular knitting bloggers (woo-hoo, knitting bloggers!  I love other people who love to knit so much that they can make an entire blog out of it!). 

Here is the book!

http://www.amazon.com/Brave-New-Knits-Personalities-Blogosphere/dp/1605295906#_

and here is her blog...

http://www.julieturjoman.com/blog/posts/

So, you never know what fun you might get into if you carry around a bag full of yarn!

Yes Sir, Yes Sir, One Bag Fulled!

Yeah, I know, it is supposed to be 3 bags... and they are supposed to be "full", not "fulled"... and it's actually more of a pouch than a bag... give me a break, its hard to be clever when you have a cold!

The pouch really is "fulled", though.  That's the technical term for what most knitters call "felting".  I guess real felting involves needles and a bunch of other things that just sound like too much work.  So, I "fulled" my little pouch.

Here is the before pic...

See how you can see the stitches fairly well and it was also very floppy and soft (which isn't usually a bad thing with knitted objects).  By the way, I forgot to mention, this is wool.  Fulling doesn't work on acrylic.  So, then I put it in hot water and swished it around for a while.  A long while, actually!  Apparently you can also do this with a washing machine.  Just imagine what happens to your wool sweaters when you wash them in hot water...  My Mom had a wool sweater once when I was 12.  My Dad washed it.   Then, I had a wool sweater just my size.  Enough said. 

I wonder what happens when sheep get too hot?  Anyway, back to my story...

Here is what it looked like after "felting" or "fulling"...

In case you can't see the difference, here are some close-ups...



Before





After

Much fuzzier and thicker.  It also keeps it's shape better.  I sewed a button on it.  By the way, the button and the yarn have a very special story, but you will have to go see the pouch on Etsy to read that!  http://www.etsy.com/listing/91883242/felted-wool-pouch-with-vintage-handmade

And here is the final picture of the little bag "fulled"!

 



http://www.etsy.com/listing/91883242/felted-wool-pouch-with-vintage-handmade

I Like Big Books...

So, something you may not know about me is that I love books.  I mean I REALLY  love books!  I mean, I think it should be a law that every adult that can read English should be able to tell you what Edward's (Rochester, not Cullen) secret was, who Colonel Brandon was (because, let's face it, he was way more interesting than Edward Ferrars) and what exactly a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of.  But, that's just me.  Be thankful I'm not the President!  :)
So, in honor of all of the other crazy book lovers out there, I have found a few awesome links (from Etsy, of course).




http://www.etsy.com/listing/69003826/i-like-big-books-cotton-pillow-cover



http://www.etsy.com/listing/72085375/mr-darcy-i-love-you-most-ardently-pride

Love this bookmark!



http://www.etsy.com/listing/88454243/a-book-commits-suicide-aluminum-bookmark


And this shop has knitted accessories made with literary themes.  Knitting and books!  I have found my home!  



http://www.etsy.com/listing/70817428/lace-fingerless-gloves-mrs-eltons-day

Go check them out, then go read a book!  You never know, I might actually become President!  :P 

Short Post, New Item

I can't type much today...Migraine...Enough said.

I have a new item on Etsy for you to checkout, though.  Free Shipping till Valentine's Day with the coupon code (which you will find when you click on the link ).  Knitted Kindle Cover with Hand Embroidered Heart
Buy it for your sweetheart (or yourself)!



http://www.etsy.com/listing/91636680/knitted-kindle-cover-with-hand

Have a nice weekend!
                                                  

The Yarn Fairy, The Tooth Fairy and Big Brother (I mean Skinny Pilates Lady)...

So, lots going on around my house in the last couple of days.

Broken shower (always fun)... lost tooth, my daughter, not me (that's where the tooth fairy comes in)... good friend (the yarn fairy) bringing left-over yarn to my house that she was going to just give away (and of course I will take because, for one, you can't have enough yarn, and two, apparently I'm like Mikey.  I'll knit anything).  So, thank you Yarn Fairy, you know who you are!  :)  

As for the tooth fairy, even though my daughter no longer believes in her (yep, she's 8 and the cat is out of the bag about pretty much all magical creatures), she still wants the dollar and still wants us to put it under her pillow in the middle of the night!  What's that about?  I thought when she figured it out, I could stop this.  Don't get me wrong, I am glad she still wants some of the childhood magic and wonder, but why the one that you have to do in the middle of the night... fishing under a pillow for a TOOTH (at least we put in a plastic bag)... trying not to wake her up... even though she knows its's me... and to top it all off, she flops around so much, the dollar gets lost somewhere under the bed before morning!  Oh well, how many teeth could she have left, anyway!  :P

So, with everything going on, I didn't exercise for 2 days.  I figured I better this morning.  It's actually getting easier and I kind of like Skinny Pilates Lady now.  Of course, they all loved Big Brother at the end of 1984, but that didn't make him any less evil!  But, don't worry, I'm not bitter. 

Last thing, it looks like little orange thing #2 is really going to grow up to be a hat! 

By the way, for all the non-knitters out there, those sticks in the top of the hat are double point needles (used for knitting round things, like hats), not some kind of Medieval torture device!  They don't stay in there forever.

:)







Ummm... Hmmm... Well...

Yeah, I have nothing to say.  Nothing wise and wonderful or even remotely interesting.

So, to save you from my rambling on about nothing today, I have provided these great links to check out!

They are some very cool knitting supplies I have found, of course, on Etsy.  I recomend you buy all of these for your favorite knitter!  You don't happen to know a knitter, do you?  :P

http://www.etsy.com/listing/84690229/knitting-bowl-organization-wool-crochet?ref=cat2_gallery_12

http://www.etsy.com/listing/86456184/mini-stitch-markers-knit-girl-and?ref=cat3_gallery_10

http://www.etsy.com/listing/58269153/sheep-knitting-needle-gauge-bamboo

http://www.etsy.com/listing/91297138/scrabble-tile-stitch-markers?ref=cat3_gallery_35

...and one not on Etsy, but still awesome...

http://www.amazon.com/Double-Bamboo-Knitting-Needles-Pieces/dp/B000IG7TQY

So, go check them out!

That Which Doesn't Kill You...

So, the old saying goes, "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger."  Well, I survived another pilates workout and I didn't kill Skinny Pilates Lady (I know she's just on the T.V.), so I guess we are both stronger this morning!

I wonder what it says about, "that which makes your legs feel like they are going to fall off"?  I'm going to go with "makes you stronger".  This has to be doing something!

So, I finished the sad orange furry thing that never became a hat!



 For sale on Etsy, by the way!  http://www.etsy.com/listing/91182988/orange-and-white-furry-headwarmer-cowl

Now I am on to another orange thing that WILL become a hat (I have 2 big skeins of this yarn, I could make a hat for an elephant)!   

I don't know why I have been knitting so much orange stuff lately.  I know this hat is more for fall.  Of course, where I live, you can't tell what season it is.  There was ice everywhere two days ago, now it is getting ready to thunderstorm! 

Speaking of which, I should probably get off this computer!  Bye!

Chick-Fil-A

So, just sitting here debating if I should venture out in the ice today.  Just thought I'd add some humor to your day and also tell you that I will not be posting on Sundays.  That's right, this blog is kind of like Chick-Fil-A...

I Fell Off The Wagon...

...The getting up at 5 A.M. wagon, that is. 

I just fell a little, I got up at 10 till 7.  Oh well, at least I'm trying.

I have a funny story about that old saying, though.  One time we were eating with my husband's family.  My husband's family own a farm and we live in a very Appalachian/rural part of Ohio.  All of us except my husband's sister and her family.  She grew up on the farm, but they now live a lot closer to the city.  Which is great, by the way.  When we visit, we pass like 5 malls within 10 miles and a Bass Pro the size of DisneyLand!  My town has a Wal-Mart... really... that's about all.  Yeah, I know, you can tell I'm from the country because the giant Bass Pro was the only store I actually bothered to mention!

So, back to my story.  We were eating with my huband's family and my husband says something about trying to eat healthier or trying to quit doing something, and then he says "but, I fell off the wagon."  My brother-in-law looked really concerned for a minute, then he looks at me (I guess to see if I was laughing about it).  Then he said, "Oh, I was worried for a minute.  You never know down there, when he said he 'fell off the wagon', I thought he actually, 'fell of the wagon'!  I was going to ask if he got hurt!"

I guess that's why country people should be careful with the farm references.  I wonder what everone thought when I told them my in-laws "bought the farm"!

Also, another of my Etsy items was featured in a treasury!  My Floppy Brimmed Baby Hat  was featured in the CAPS Team in Purple Treasury.  This treasury was made by Stephanie at Inspired Greetings and Designs.   Check it out!

Useful Stuff, Funny Stuff And A Big Thank You!

So, I will stop complaining about waking up at 5 A.M.  I think I complain too much anyway.  So, today I will try to focus on some things I actually like (you know like NOT waking up at 5 A.M.  Oops, sorry). 

So you don't know this about me (considering I just started this blog, you don't really know anything about me yet), but I love to can food.  That's right, old school, Mason Jars, rows and rows of green beans in the pantry, the whole bit.  When I see something using Mason Jars, it always grabs my attention.  So, When I saw this   http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1214820/list/Get-Organized--Easy-DIY-Mason-Jar-Storage, I knew it was something I had to check out!

They found it on a blog that I just happen to follow called http://postroadvintage.com/.  She is a fellow Etsy seller and does some pretty awesome things with Mason Jars.  Go, check it out!

I also found this bit of humor on Etsy last night... http://www.etsy.com/listing/55599416/unattended-children-will-be-given. 

This is also from another Etsy seller, Got Mojo?  http://www.etsy.com/shop/gotmojo?ref=seller_info

Ok, I'm almost done, I just wanted to say thank you to Heather at http://www.etsy.com/shop/EverythingPrecious. 

She featured my "I Heart Valentine's Day Coffee Cup Cozy" in this Treasury on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTY4ODU5OTB8MTc5MTMyNzUwNw/i-heart-valentines-day?index=0 . 

So, I think that is all for today!  Go check out these great links!

Exercise, Knitting and Barbie Dolls...

Yes folks, that's my life right now.  Excercise, knitting and Barbie dolls. 

I actually did exercise this morning.  I managed not to think mean thoughts about skinny pilates lady.  Now super skinny pilates lady in the back corner (you know, the one doing level 18 while the rest of us are on level 1 following the older lady in the other corner with arthritis), yeah her, I wasn't exactly thrilled with her.  But skinny pilates lady tells me I'm "super-energized" and my "core muscles are engaged", which is good I guess.  Maybe my core muscles were lonely.  If I keep this up, they should be married soon!

So, knitting.  Yeah, looks like my little orange thing from the last post isn't going to grow up.  :(  Sadly, I only had one small skein of that particular yarn and I don't have enough for the top of my hat.  I know, that's why you are supposed to plan these things out... buy the yarn in the pattern... actually follow a pattern... but where's the fun in that?  See, if you do it my way, you are always surprised!  Maybe it will be a hat, maybe a purse, or maybe some strange UFO (Un-Finished Object) that you find in the back of your closet in five years and wonder what on earth you were thinking.  Either way, it's more interesting than that other way.  You know, the way where you actually finish what you are making and it looks like the one in the picture.  I mean, how boring is that?!  :P 

Oh well, maybe my little orange thing can be a head warmer.  At least it will be half-way grown up, like a teenager.

What's left... oh I remember.  Barbies...  Let me start off by saying that Barbies are great (if not a little ridiculously proportioned).  I have just never been all that into them.  I mean, I had them as a kid.  I even had one that was a rock singer (she came with her own real cassette tape, we were high tech in the 80's).  I just haven't thought much about them in a couple decades, or so.  Even my daughter hasn't liked them much until recently.

But now... I am a Barbie interior decorator... really.  I know a lady that collects Barbies (big time collector) and she wants me to make Barbie rugs and bedspreads and pillows.  Does Barbie need two pillows, or just one big one?  Did  her and Ken ever get married, and if not, should I really be promoting that kind of activity in a Barbie house?  Maybe I have thought a little too much about this... that's what happens when you wake up at 5 A.M. 

See, I told you it was too early!

Second Day...

Things I have learned in the last day or so (yes you can learn a lot in a day, especially when you wake up at ridiculously early hours)...

1. I have to come up with new titles for my blog posts.  Let's face it, "First Day" and "Second Day" sound cute now, but if this blog thing goes on a while, "One Thousand Two Hundred and Thirty-Ninth Day" is just going to sound stupid.

2. Apparently most of my ancestors got up at about 5 in the morning (fed the chickens, milked the cow...).  Of course, most of them are dead now, so I can't really say that it did them a lot of good.  I might not be quite as bitter about it once my coffee has kicked in, by the way.

3. I cannot exercise two days in a row.  I don't care what skinny pilates lady says, if I try it this morning I will literally not be able to move by 10 A.M.  Just as a sidenote, I also learned (thanks, dear husband) that I have been spelling exercise wrong.  I fixed in on my last post, so don't go check. 

4. Ok, there is no #4, what do you expect?  I only had one day!

On the knitting front, here's what I am working on right now...

I know, it doesn't look like much yet, but I think it's going to grow up to be a hat... a very shiny, furry, orange and white hat.  Keep an eye out for it on my Etsy page soon!  Talk to you again tomorrow ("Third Day")!  :P

First Day...

So, I was up at five o'clock this morning... I also read my Bible, ate breakfast, exersised (thought really mean thoughts about the skinny pilates instructor on the t.v.), and checked my e-mail.


Ok, before you yell at me or quit reading my blog, you have to know that I haven't willingly been up that early for 10 years! Actually, I don't think I have ever WILLINGLY been up at 5 AM! I do get up at 5:15 some mornings to pack my husbands lunch, then I pass out as soon as he is out the door!


Things are different now, though. At least, that's what I am telling myself. I have started selling on Etsy (yes, shameless plug here... http://www.katejknits.etsy.com/) and I just don't have time for homeschooling, knitting (well, I always make time for knitting), checking all my computer stuff and actually keeping my house half-way clean.


So... 5 A.M. is my new best friend... actually, more of an aquaintance... or maybe one of those people that you hardly know, but always want to talk to you and tell you all about their day... Wait, I guess that's what I am with this blog! :P Oh well, I won't always be complaining about waking up early. I really do other things, I promise! Like this...





This is what knitters do when they aren't knitting. They take other peoples knitting, cut it up and make stuff out of it! Actually, I have been wanting a new pair of fingerless gloves for a long time and I haven't really had much time to knit for myself, so... I cut up a pair of wool socks with a hole in them and viola! Instant fingerless gloves! Hopefully, people won't be scared to shake my hand knowing my gloves used to live on my feet. :/ Hey, at least I washed them first!

So, that's all for today. I have to go wake up the little one and try to impart some sort of wisdom to her (or at least some new spelling words). See ya' tomorrow (at 5 A.M, grrr...)!

Just Testing

Just a test post to see how this works. I will be posting more in a couple days. :)