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?!

:)