3/2/09

YIPPEE We finally got snow. A whole INCH!!! The area is shut down. The schools are closed, my vet is even closed, I tried to reschedule an appointment. But the yard looks pretty!!!

Here is side block 4 of the Baltimore Halloween. Still need to do all the embroidery, but I'll do that all before I put the blocks together.

And side block 5....

Here is my handknit sock drawer!!

And my handknit sock dirty clothes basket. I haven't ever counted how many pairs I have, but here they are.

I finished Inkspell. It isn't as good as Inkheart, but very readable. I have started Inkdeath. That will finish the trilogy. It is, overall, very good. It is a book about booklovers, so I feel at home in this world.

Mack's girlfriend Annie, is doing much better. Hopefully this trend continues. Keep praying for her. If you need to catch up on her story, check out (http://pennysanford.typepad.com/penny_sanford_porcelains_/).

Annie probably never has a nose that looks like this. She is a prissy little girl who wears dresses. But Mack has been out in the snow digging. Check the mud caked on his snow white fur.

And then there are his toes!!!!!!!!!!

Off to enjoy the snowfall.

Chat later

Susan

I Survived Christmas

We had another wonderful Christmas. Even though my nephews (10 1/2 yo twins) no longer believe, they were still so excited that it made it fun for all of us. I am always so worn out by Christmas night that I am thinking about crying. Of course, if I had finished the knitted Christmas hats before midnight on Christmas Eve (I had gotten up at 5:30AM to try to get them finished), I might not have been so exhausted. But, like many of us, I pretend like I have all the time in the world to get these things done!!!!

I knit the "Long Winter's Nap" caps from Knit Picks. They turned out beautiful, BUT the pattern is a mess. I had to redo the line math to get the twisting cables to work. If you do it they way the pattern says there are long untwisted stretches. Their errata page does not include all the corrections. I have e-mailed them what a mess the pattern is, so hopefully they will improve their errata page. Ok, I will get off my soap-box. But they are really pretty hats, for Santa hat's, I may knit me one before next year. Now that I have the pattern worked out.

I managed to make it through Christmas without gaining any weight. They is great. I didn't loss anymore, but I can live with no gain. After the first I have to get back to the exercise program. Not only am I not lossing weight, but I am not making any progress on my running program. Right now it is still a walking program!!!!

There are 4 more days before the "Fiber Diet" starts. Wendy from Wendy Knits started this on her blog (http://wendyknits.net/). You get to set your own rules. I am going to take part. I am hoping that all of y'all (yes, I am from the South) will help keep me honest. My rules are:
1) No yarn, spinning fiber or fabric purchases. There are 3 exceptions: a) if it is for a gift and b) if I have the MAJORITY of the fabric or yarn to make a project and just need to SUPPLIMENT what I have. (this one will take a lot of policing). c) if I take a class that has a kit, I may buy the kit.
2) This includes sock yarn!!!! No sock yarn purchases!!!
3) I plan on at least 9 months. If I am doing well. I may go for the full year.

Being an ex quilt shop, knit shop owner, I know that they hate people who do this. BUT, if me not buying, puts them out of business, they didn't have enough business anyway. I will buy things I NEED, but there will be NO WANT PURCHASES!!!!!

Now that the holidays are over, I hope to learn to do pictures and lists the blogs I read and such. I will have more time to read up on these things. If anyone knows of good websites to learn these things, please send me a comment.

I have started crocheting the October Coat in a beautiful Turquoise. It is made with Prairie Silk from Brown Sheep. I love they way it feels. It is 10% silk, so softer than wool. So far it is going well. I am a fairly new crocheter, so hopefully the smoothly will continue.

Chat soon!!
Susan